Nong Khai... Getting There

[udon]

5 bills = ???????

[johnnyk]

solodennis, don't walk around with too much cash.

If you arrive with about US$200 on you that's plenty for first day hotel, taxi, food etc.

Thailand is not expensive and is really cheap outside BKK, Phuket and Pattaya, for eg. decent hotel in BKK with a/c, cable TV etc is 1500 baht (US$37.50), in smaller cities its 500 baht ($12.50) or cheaper, a good meal in a proper restaurant can be US$6-7. If you lived on a boat then you know how to get by without paying through the nose and you know there's no need to pay US$60-75 for a decent bed.

There are ATMs everywhere except deep in the boonies. Just exercise the same caution with ATMs that you would anywhere else.

Edited February 26, 2005 by johnnyk

[Pink Mist]

base yourself in khonkaen and rent a car, a previous poster said you will get sick of the sunsets after a while, so true.

[aletta]

If you're the sort of chap who can stay in a guesthouse and not a fancy hotel then you need to bring very little cash with you.Mutmee is the best guesthouse in Nong Khai with a huge range of rooms and prices,90B to 600B.

In my time here the only people who have been robbed tend to be those that are too drunk to walk or those that like katoeys so if you like a beer or two don't go out with bundles of cash.

[johnnyk]

I was pickpocketed by two girls one night in Pattaya. I wasn't drunk and was walking on a main road at 2am. They accosted me on a block of the road where the shophouses were closed and there were no bright signs.

They pretended to be selling sex and each grabbed an arm imploring me to "go" with them and "we do everything" blabla. I wasn't interested as I was feeling somewhat "drained".

One groped my crotch while the other kept yammering at me to divert my attention. The crotch grabber was locating the wallet. After about a minute I fought them off, a motocy appeared from across the road and the two girls hopped on (motocy driver was a girl, too!). They were 10 yeards away when I realized they had my wallet.

No damage done, about 200 baht but pain in the arse to cancel credit cards & ATM, lost driver's license, medical card etc etc.

What did I learn?

1) I don't take my wallet as it bulges too much.

2) I take money in 100s and a couple/few 500s

3) I put the money in different pockets

4) I always wear shorts/pants with zipper or velcro pockets

5) Added precaution: I use ATMs only in daytime on busy roads

Hope this helps others.

Edited February 27, 2005 by johnnyk

[Diggerbasher]

I would hazard a guess that you get far more crime(theft) in a pit like Pattaya than a sleepy backwater like Nong Khai.

[SEAtramp]

I was pickpocketed by two girls one night in Pattaya. I wasn't drunk and was walking on a main road at 2am. They accosted me on a block of the road where the shophouses were closed and there were no bright signs.

They pretended to be selling sex and each grabbed an arm imploring me to "go" with them and "we do everything" blabla. I wasn't interested as I was feeling somewhat "drained".

One groped my crotch while the other kept yammering at me to divert my attention. The crotch grabber was locating the wallet. After about a minute I fought them off, a motocy appeared from across the road and the two girls hopped on (motocy driver was a girl, too!). They were 10 yeards away when I realized they had my wallet.

No damage done, about 200 baht but pain in the arse to cancel credit cards & ATM, lost driver's license, medical card etc etc.

What did I learn?

1) I don't take my wallet as it bulges too much.

2) I take money in 100s and a couple/few 500s

3) I put the money in different pockets

4) I always wear shorts/pants with zipper or velcro pockets

5) Added precaution: I use ATMs only in daytime on busy roads

Hope this helps others.

What you should possibly have learnt was, that they were in all likelyhood two boys

[solodennis]

...good advice from all.

Well, tomorrow I start my newest Journey. I fly from Florida to my daughters home in California. It seems a lifetime ago that I was in the southern Caribbean and booking a flight out of Port of Spain, Trinadad to Puerto Rico and Florida, but it was only last September. I have been in twelve US states by car just trying to see if I might be able to 'hack' it here, but have decided (I had probably known all along) that this police state in not for me. The 911 horror has erroded privacy and civil rights drastically. I am not stupid... I have lived in many countries and especially third world where the 'mordida' is a way of life, but generally I found that if you live below the radar no one cares and knows you exist. You are just not a threat. In the states, you break a small law...a minor infraction and it sets up a process that can be ongoing and the beginning of your 'book'.... it happened to an old friend of mine, starting with a traffic violation and now he is in the system. So, I am out of here. I had considered the PI having lived there for three years in the 60's but you know the old saw... you can never go back. So Thailand is a fresh path for me and I am anxious to step onto it...

As soon as my visa arrives at my daughters house I will be on my way...

...thanks for all the info and wise words...

dennis

Edited February 28, 2005 by solodennis

[johnnyk]

What you should possibly have learnt was, that they were in all likelyhood two boys

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, they were absolutely girls. I was on my way home from soi6 where I hang out and I know the difference.

[johnnyk]

solodennis,

good luck.

hope you check back in to let us know how its going.

cheers,

johnnyk

[udon]

solodennis,

good luck.

hope you check back in to let us know how its going.

cheers,

johnnyk

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Seconded!........ and keep us posted on your impressions .

Don't forget the spill-chicker!

[solodennis]

...no sweat. I will stay as active as I can while on the road. I will probably be in Cal about a week before the red eye to Bangkok. If I can get in during the day I will hop the sleeper that evening... if not I will get a bed for the night and head out the next evening.

I am quite happy to have found this forum and have enjoyed the subjects... many very informative to a newbie such as myself. I will say that I know the Caribbean, north to south like the back of my hand. I will also tell you all that on September 8th, on the south coast of Grenada, I along with several hundred other boaters either lost their boats or they were slightly damaged to severly damaged because of Hurricane Ivan's 140 mph winds. My 36 foot sailboat, Swan Song, my home of nine years was lost. I found myself standing on a beach with my dog Sable and a duffle bag with all I owned. I had a minor concusion, broken rib, cuts and abrasions and severe coral cuts to my feet. The island was destroyed and the looting began almost immediately as did some killing. There was nothing left...no food, water or help. The government said get out if you can... the undamaged boats began leaving asap. I patched my dinghy, found a fishing boat that took me and Sable to Trinidad where I spent a few days healing. Then made my way through five islands to Puerto Rico in time to get slammed by Jeanne another storm which shut down the airport. Finally I got to Florida, then Cal where I spend several weeks trying to absorb what had happened to my life. I have come to terms with it now, (Oh there are still some nightmares and the usual what if I had only done this or done that) but I am moving on. I have my health and my improving sanity and my dog will stay with my daughter. I am beginning to imagine myself with another sailboat... it is what I do and who I am, but I am also open minded.

Other than the obvious, the only real thing missing in my life is a companion. I had found that the older I got living on a sailboat, my female resorces began to dry up. Older western woman are in general not interested in a vagabond lifestyle and most have been divorced or buried a husband or two and are more interested in their wealth and pocessions and grandkids... American women in general are carrying too many extra pounds for my tastes. So other than an occasional 'flyer' over the past few years, there has been no steady lady in my life. I don't know if Thailand or the PI is the answer, but I will keep an eye open and otherwise just enjoy the country, its people, food and whatever....

...there are eight million stories in the naked city...

dennis

[aletta]

After your adventures Nong Khai is going to seem like a ghost town.

[solodennis]

... just checking in. Amazing amount of posts in a couple of days. I made it to Californina and my visa was waiting for me. I have a flight booked for Sunday night arriving at noon on the 8th... This works good as I can just take the sleeper train that evening and I will be in Nong Khai in the morning... hopefully rested. I am trying to make up my mind to stay at Mutmee GH or Ruan Thai GH or Panawee hotel. Probably Mutmee unless someone knows something that I don't.

dennis

[udon]

Hi Dennis.

I've never read a dud report about Mutmee,

the others... I don't know anything about them.

Have a good flight!

[Mel Brooks]

Give the Pantavee a miss. It's run by a tight-fisted , butt-ugly katoey who primarily caters for big groups of Chinese Thai holiday-makers and temple hoppers. Sex tourists heaven though - knocks on the door and all. Disgusting food. Only plus is that they are open 24 hours and you can get a drink there when everywhere else is closed - especially holidays.

Mutt Mee for Me.

[Diggerbasher]

If you like good conversation then i would say Mutmee is your place to go as there is normally a large crowd of many nationalities and interests.Great restaurant too and they can sort out trips to Laos if that is of interest.

[solodennis]

OK... I sent an email to Mutmee to book a room. Btw... I arrive just after Noon at BKK. Should I just get a metered taxi to the Train Station area or take a local train???

...boy am I a newbie and whats a katoey???

dennis

Edited March 4, 2005 by solodennis

[udon]

Just a suggestion........ you could get a metered taxi to Pahon Yothin Metro station and Metro to Hua Lam Pong stn (sp?)

It won't save much $$$ but time saved is worth it.... just my 5 satang

[solodennis]

udon....

I have found several large area maps of Bangkok proper but not much to show where the stations are located... do you know a link?

[Diggerbasher]

Personally i would catch a taxi from the booth at arrivals and go straight to the train station as you will be tired and not want too much hastle.

As for katoeys they are guys who can make a very good attempt at looking like women so be careful if you like a beer or two and your vision blurs. They have a terrible reputation here for theft from drunken travellers.

[lopburi3]

He is going to Nong Khai and all trains to Nong Khai stop at station across the street so all he should need to do it go up to the departure level and walk across the highway in the enclosed hotel walkway and exit to the train station. A five minute walk perhaps.

[SEAtramp]

Two trains for Nong Khai leaves Hua Lamphong at 18.18 and 7.25 for the overnight journey. Gets you into Nong Khai at 09.00

Both these trains can be caught opposite the airport (as all trains that head north )

So no need for silly trips on subways downtown, to catch the same train.

The only problem i forsee is that they might be fully booked, if you try to book on the same day !

Should this be the case, you can always try a flight to Udon Thani (around 8 flights a day ) Air Asia prices can be had for as little as 400baht which is comparable to the train fare. worth checking out.

Its 50Klms from Udon to Nong Khai..but its only 100baht in a taxi. And plenty await at Udon Airport.

[thaiflyer1]

I/d agree with SEAtramp...........after a long flight i wouldnt want to sit on a train all night, do yourself a favour and fly up .

[Jockstar]

I haven't read all the responses. But a quick and easy way is. Fly to Udon Thani with Airasia for about 400 baht if you book well in advance. Then take a bus from the airport for 100 baht to Nong Khai. The train is good but the flight is way better. I went up there on Tuesday but i paid around 699 baht one way and the same back. But i booked late. Just a thought.

[SiamJai]

after a long flight i wouldnt want to sit on a train all night, do yourself a favour and fly up .

Actually, I'd prefer the train - in the sleeper car, of course! Then I can sleep the whole trip through, and get to Nong Khai fresh in the morning. Done this many times.

On the other hand, we all know how 'comfortable' those budget airline seats are...

Like Seatramp said, the best way to catch the Nong Khai Express is from the station right next to the airport. The station is also called Don Muang, like the airport. If this is your first trip to Thailand, don't let the immense filth and rats at this station scare you. The rest of the country is much nicer.

Edited March 4, 2005 by SiamJai

[thaiflyer1]

On the other hand, we all know how 'comfortable' those budget airline seats are...

Its only an hours flight...........i/d prefer to fly up and wake up the next morning to the sun rising over the Mekhong.

[madmadang]

The last time i was there i was sure the sun SETS over the Mekhong as the riverbank at Nong Khai faces West.

Now if you were to cross the river to Laos you could watch the sun rise over Thailand,dash home,and watch the sun set over Laos.

Edited March 4, 2005 by madmadang

[thaiflyer1]

The last time i was there i was sure the sun SETS over the Mekhong as the riverbank at Nong Khai faces West.

Just testing..............

[SiamJai]

I guess you got a point there...