Nong Khai/laos Visa Run - Squeezing The Tuk Tuk Drivers

[nickjam]

Hey folks

Just got back from Laos with another double entry visa and I'm delighted to say no red stamp! I've never seen that embassy so busy. I decided to take the new train over the friendship bridge to Laos and very pleasant it was. I particularly enjoyed waving at the waiting line of scum watching their usual victims merrily disappear on the train. Waiting at the other end was a moderate xxxx show and a new bunch of xxxxx who had fixed the price at 500 baht (not bad I s'pose for a 35km trip).

Anyway, made the stupid decision to return via the friendship bridge route and boy are these tuk tuk xxxxxx trying to make up for their lost revenue. 100 baht (for each person) was the first price quoted for the 3km journey and they wouldn't go lower than 50 baht. So my advice is take the train there and back and put these xxxxxxxxx out of business!

[keeniau96]

Tell us more about the train i.e where, when, how much, destination etc.

[nickjam]

It's pretty nice on the Thai side, you arrive at Nong Kai an walk along the platform to a standard exit point (get stamped pay your overstay etc.) Its 20 baht and leaves @ 9.30am. Our train from Bangkok was late so they held it to process everyone. On the Laos side it all done on the platform aswell. You hand in your passport and 1500 baht and wait about for 30mins to get it back and that's it. Then you have the pack of taxi drivers who have written their prices a the board (500 baht) and will not budge an inch. It's a better process in that you don't have to deal with the tuk tuks trying to take you to their visa processing plants or cram onto the bus over the bridge. The time was a bit of a concern and they shut the doors of the embassy about 15mins after I got there straight from the train.

Can't tell you anything about the way back, long wait to pick up my visa so played it safe and went with what I knew. This is where I encountered the steep hike for the 3km journey. I'm guessing their earnings are down from the whole train thing so they don't really want to move until they've got about 200 baht worth of tourist sitting miserably in the back. I heard you can take the train back and book your ticket to wherever on the Laos side, not sure though.