Nok Air Flying Again Cm To Udon Thani

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Looks like Nok Air is flying again CNX to Udon Thani. Prices seem a touch higher with it being about 5k for a round trip.

For me well worth the extra expense to avoid the bus hassles

Nok Air

[venturalaw]

Great. Thanks for the information!

[gotlost]

Start February 1. RT 5343.99 baht. Hope they last more than a month like most airlines do on this route.

[bangkokcitylimits]

5340b - 1300b (for the bus) = only 4040b more saves 22 hours in that annoying crap bus.

22 / 4040b = pay 184b per saved hour........

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

5340b - 1300b (for the bus) = only 4040b more saves 22 hours in that annoying crap bus.

22 / 4040b = pay 184b per saved hour........

Not exactly. The 5340 is with extra baggage and trip insurance fee. It's 4979 if you un check those options.

To me that is a bargain. My time is worth a lot more than $5.50 an hour... Heck if your unlucky the bus breaks down or crashes. I had one friend who took 20 hours to go one way.

I do wish it was the old price of 3500 r/t. Last August I snagged it r/t for 1600. Those were the days :-)

[gotlost]

5340b - 1300b (for the bus) = only 4040b more saves 22 hours in that annoying crap bus.

22 / 4040b = pay 184b per saved hour........

Not exactly. The 5340 is with extra baggage and trip insurance fee. It's 4979 if you un check those options.

To me that is a bargain. My time is worth a lot more than $5.50 an hour... Heck if your unlucky the bus breaks down or crashes. I had one friend who took 20 hours to go one way.

I do wish it was the old price of 3500 r/t. Last August I snagged it r/t for 1600. Those were the days :-)

The way this route last for an airline in about two months this price will seem like a bargain when it stops.

[orang37]

5340b - 1300b (for the bus) = only 4040b more saves 22 hours in that annoying crap bus.

22 / 4040b = pay 184b per saved hour........

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun BangkokCityLimits,

This comment is not intended to debate, contradict, argue, or "split hairs," with you. Just a personal reaction from the two of us:

Yes, 184 baht per hour (around US $6 per hour) may seem like a low price to pay, but that's if we think of it in terms of the revenue we might be earning in the US: and its "relative spending power" there (very small).

Living the "cheapskate life" here in Chiang Mai in a consciously made trade of some "cultural, and social, aspects" of life in the US for the freedom to have the time to spend on things we want to do ... rather than "working for the man" to cover the much higher cost of living ... in our case: creative writing, and leading a kind of ersatz life as a 19th. century "person of letters" divorced from television, movies, and video, where we spend up to hours on long serious e-mail exchanges with fellow writers and old friends discussing topics ranging from post-Darwinian evolutionary theory and neuro-science, to the archaeology and history of Buddhist iconography in S. E. Asia, as well as computer programming in .NET C# ... and reading, and reading ... as in books, as well as on the internet.

From that perspective: 22 hours at US $6 per hour, or about US $132, covers five-sixths of a month's rent of a lovely in-town small house with teak-wood floors and large gardens with high walls (yes, we're dam_n lucky on that one). US $132 easily covers electricity, water, and food for one month (2 liters of soy milk a day are about 50 baht).

Second, that 22 hours: well, the long-haul from CM<=>Udon doesn't have to be a waste with a head light, reading glasses, and the fact that the newer Chinese-made buses are actually smooth enough riding to read, or study most of the night.

Of course, it's easier to get to UT by air, but then you have the same hassle to get to the Friendship Bridge, do the two required dances through exmigration and immigration, get to the Consular Services Building, etc. Of course, the nicest, and most expensive way, would be to get the Laos visa in Bangkok in advance, and fly direct to Vientiane, and back home the same way, but now we are talking three months rent ?

So just a slightly different point of view.

best, ~o:37;

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Each person will make the adjustment based on there budgets and values.

For me being fresh when I return I can earn that back on the internet in a few hours. There is a lot of psychology involved. Making the cheapest choices is like dying a thousand deaths. Giving the subconscious a message of low worth over and over. The world is full of income possibilities for the taking by providing services that people want or need.

Have nothing to offer and get little in return.

I can certainly see doing the avg local keep things cheap way of doing things.. Especially if someone is on a fixed income.

It's all good. I know a guy who rides his motorbike from CM to Vientiane by way of Chiang Saen or wherever he crosses east of Chiang Rai. He wouldn't trade that freedom and adventure for anything...

Good to have choices.

[PlanetX]

5340b - 1300b (for the bus) = only 4040b more saves 22 hours in that annoying crap bus.

22 / 4040b = pay 184b per saved hour........

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun BangkokCityLimits,

This comment is not intended to debate, contradict, argue, or "split hairs," with you. Just a personal reaction from the two of us:

Yes, 184 baht per hour (around US $6 per hour) may seem like a low price to pay, but that's if we think of it in terms of the revenue we might be earning in the US: and its "relative spending power" there (very small).

Living the "cheapskate life" here in Chiang Mai in a consciously made trade of some "cultural, and social, aspects" of life in the US for the freedom to have the time to spend on things we want to do ... rather than "working for the man" to cover the much higher cost of living ... in our case: creative writing, and leading a kind of ersatz life as a 19th. century "person of letters" divorced from television, movies, and video, where we spend up to hours on long serious e-mail exchanges with fellow writers and old friends discussing topics ranging from post-Darwinian evolutionary theory and neuro-science, to the archaeology and history of Buddhist iconography in S. E. Asia, as well as computer programming in .NET C# ... and reading, and reading ... as in books, as well as on the internet.

From that perspective: 22 hours at US $6 per hour, or about US $132, covers five-sixths of a month's rent of a lovely in-town small house with teak-wood floors and large gardens with high walls (yes, we're dam_n lucky on that one). US $132 easily covers electricity, water, and food for one month (2 liters of soy milk a day are about 50 baht).

Second, that 22 hours: well, the long-haul from CM<=>Udon doesn't have to be a waste with a head light, reading glasses, and the fact that the newer Chinese-made buses are actually smooth enough riding to read, or study most of the night.

Of course, it's easier to get to UT by air, but then you have the same hassle to get to the Friendship Bridge, do the two required dances through exmigration and immigration, get to the Consular Services Building, etc. Of course, the nicest, and most expensive way, would be to get the Laos visa in Bangkok in advance, and fly direct to Vientiane, and back home the same way, but now we are talking three months rent ?

So just a slightly different point of view.

best, ~o:37;

I agree with this but I also think Safety needs to play a big factor in this

You are taking a calculated risk by going on a long overnight bus trip in Thailand and this route especially has seen a few major accidents as of late

[orang37]

... snip ... There is a lot of psychology involved. Making the cheapest choices is like dying a thousand deaths. Giving the subconscious a message of low worth over and over. The world is full of income possibilities for the taking by providing services that people want or need.

Have nothing to offer and get little in return.

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun CSN,

Pretty sure you had this powerful insight while flying on the now out-of-business airline, Ayn Rand Air, probably during one of its 18 hour maintenance stops on Guam where you were not allowed to leave the plane, but were given unlimited miniature bottles of your favorite spirits.

It's hard to put into words our response to this complex hypothesis involving messenger service to the subconscious (on-line chat ? e-mail using anonymous re-mailers ? an as yet unidentified brain organ whose function is equivalent to FaceBook ?), but we do want to reassure you that this depressive feeling you have of "nothing to offer," and are not being rewarded, or re-imbursed, or recognized properly, is just a phase, and will most certainly pass.

Perhaps we can "lighten your load" a bit, reducing any overweight luggage-charge tariff, by reminding you of this wonderful episode in the lives of Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble: "In Autumn 2005, Fred and Barney began appearing in Midas Muffler television commercials. Fred appears in a 2007 GEICO Insurance commercial which spoofs the money-saving methods of a blue-collar working man and how he and wife, Wilma, were able to afford a necklace "with huge rocks." It turns out saving money with GEICO really is so easy even a caveman can do it." (quoted from the Wikipedia article on the Flintstones).

We can say, for ourself(ves), that being frugal contributes to our self(ves)-esteem. And that, for us, an eleven hour bus ride can be turned into a creative time with just a head-light (to use after lights-out), a book, or books, a notepad for ideas or thoughts, ear-plugs and sleep-mask, at least one hour of meditation, and then there's the serendipitous events of contact with rare individuals, farang and Thai, or a sudden, humbling, strangely "refreshing" sense of being part of the diversity of the "less than high-so" great mass of humanity, which sometimes becomes ... almost ... enlightening.

Not to mention: the challenge of pre-travel attempts at psychic readings on how high the platform heels the usual kathoey hostess in far-above-the-knee mini-dress (hair color varies: used to be red) on Oosuksatour's bus will be wearing this trip.

best, ~o:37;

Edited January 14, 2011 by orang37

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

hey Man...

it's a concept called highest and best use.. It's why Medical Doctors don't set up fruit carts on the side of the road..

They have more productive activities.

If your highest and best use is making $5.50 an hour sitting on the bus then power to you.

It keeps the price down for us flying types.

Enjoy

[bangkokcitylimits]

Service desk @ Carrefour selling Nok Air tickets by some apparently half conscious girl who prefers to keep one hand in the pocket when searching the pc, after 10 minutes she comes with different prices starting from 6,000+ for a roundtrip. (CNX UTH 1/feb - UTH CNX 4/feb) Carrefour selling tickets at their own rates ???

[THAIPHUKET]

Nokair web sit shows no flights in January, starts in Febr.

Price about 5.300 , cheapest option

http://goo.gl/afKTj

[el jefe]

Nokair web sit shows no flights in January, starts in Febr.

Price about 5.300 , cheapest option

http://goo.gl/afKTj

It's under 5000B if you don't want the travel insurance or the extra baggage.

[THAIPHUKET]

good point, thanks

[venturalaw]

They were suppose to start Feb. 1. They took bookings for flights to commence Feb. 1, however now the new start date is Feb.5. All flights prior to the 5th have been canceled.

[gotlost]

They were suppose to start Feb. 1. They took bookings for flights to commence Feb. 1, however now the new start date is Feb.5. All flights prior to the 5th have been canceled.

That's not what I'm seeing. The dates of1, 2,3 and 4 are sold out and the 5th is still open.

Edited February 1, 2011 by gotlost

[venturalaw]

They were suppose to start Feb. 1. They took bookings for flights to commence Feb. 1, however now the new start date is Feb.5. All flights prior to the 5th have been canceled.

That's not what I'm seeing. The dates of1, 2,3 and 4 are sold out and the 5th is still open.

You are relying upon the Nok Air website. It is inaccurate. I was at the Chiang Mai airport last night. The flight status for the flight from Udon Thani to Chiang Mai showed "Canceled". I know someone that was scheduled to arrive in CM this evening from Udon Thani. A message was received from Nok Air that the flight was canceled and that all flights until February 5 were canceled.

Edited February 2, 2011 by venturalaw

[gotlost]

They were suppose to start Feb. 1. They took bookings for flights to commence Feb. 1, however now the new start date is Feb.5. All flights prior to the 5th have been canceled.

That's not what I'm seeing. The dates of1, 2,3 and 4 are sold out and the 5th is still open.

You are relying upon the Nok Air website. It is inaccurate. I was at the Chiang Mai airport last night. The flight status for the flight from Udon Thani to Chiang Mai showed "Canceled". I know someone that was scheduled to arrive in CM this evening from Udon Thani. A message was received from Nok Air that the flight was canceled and that all flights until February 5 were canceled.

OK . Thanks for the head up.

[maidu]

I'm looking at the Nok site now and getting ready to book a flight for CNX UTH return. I'm impressed how it's set up, with what looks to be easy payment. I tried 711 payment, but the Nok site told me I didn't get the code written in within ten minutes of receiving it (I did, actually). So I tried with the ATM option, and it went smoother - though haven't yet finished the transaction at the actual ATM. All in all, if the process works as it should, it's a rather slick and painless process for obtaining a flight ticket. It may be old hat to many readers, but it's new to me. The cost for the round trip rippled around a bit, between the site and the tel sms message, but it seems to have settled on Bt.4301.40 (they just got to get that 40 satang, just to complicate things a bit, don't they?).

[Thighlander]

I'm looking at the Nok site now and getting ready to book a flight for CNX UTH return. I'm impressed how it's set up, with what looks to be easy payment. I tried 711 payment, but the Nok site told me I didn't get the code written in within ten minutes of receiving it (I did, actually). So I tried with the ATM option, and it went smoother - though haven't yet finished the transaction at the actual ATM. All in all, if the process works as it should, it's a rather slick and painless process for obtaining a flight ticket. It may be old hat to many readers, but it's new to me. The cost for the round trip rippled around a bit, between the site and the tel sms message, but it seems to have settled on Bt.4301.40 (they just got to get that 40 satang, just to complicate things a bit, don't they?).

Get a mini-van from the airport to friendship bridge, if needed--maybe 600+/-. Fast and easy way to do a beast of a trip. THose busses at the bridge will take you to the central market for very cheap.

[mallmagician]

They charge 1200 baht for the handling fee to send you the cheque for the inevitable 0.6baht overpayment.

I'm looking at the Nok site now and getting ready to book a flight for CNX UTH return. I'm impressed how it's set up, with what looks to be easy payment. I tried 711 payment, but the Nok site told me I didn't get the code written in within ten minutes of receiving it (I did, actually). So I tried with the ATM option, and it went smoother - though haven't yet finished the transaction at the actual ATM. All in all, if the process works as it should, it's a rather slick and painless process for obtaining a flight ticket. It may be old hat to many readers, but it's new to me. The cost for the round trip rippled around a bit, between the site and the tel sms message, but it seems to have settled on Bt.4301.40 (they just got to get that 40 satang, just to complicate things a bit, don't they?).

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I'm looking at the Nok site now and getting ready to book a flight for CNX UTH return. I'm impressed how it's set up, with what looks to be easy payment. I tried 711 payment, but the Nok site told me I didn't get the code written in within ten minutes of receiving it (I did, actually). So I tried with the ATM option, and it went smoother - though haven't yet finished the transaction at the actual ATM. All in all, if the process works as it should, it's a rather slick and painless process for obtaining a flight ticket. It may be old hat to many readers, but it's new to me. The cost for the round trip rippled around a bit, between the site and the tel sms message, but it seems to have settled on Bt.4301.40 (they just got to get that 40 satang, just to complicate things a bit, don't they?).

Get a mini-van from the airport to friendship bridge, if needed--maybe 600+/-. Fast and easy way to do a beast of a trip. THose busses at the bridge will take you to the central market for very cheap.

The mini van shuttle provider next to the doors inside the Udon Thani airport will take you to the Friendship bridge in a newish Toyota van for 200 baht. They leave every 30 minutes or so. Just buy a ticket at the counter.

Expect the same price back also.

From the Laos side of the Friendship bridge expect to pay about 150 baht to your hotel in Vientiane. They will ask 500 baht but no problem getting 150 if you offer to share the van with someone else.

[maidu]

Thanks for the tips. They'll help not only me, but hundreds of other farang who have to negotiate the similar route.

the Nok Air flight arrives at Udon Thani airport Thurs. evening, so I'll likely opt to get a g.h. at UT and leave the next day. I'm not going to try to get from UT to the Thai embassy in Vientian in time to start the visa process the next morning, as I think it's too big a chore. (I would do it same day if they did business in the afternoons, but I doubt they do visa work then).

So I'll get to V at a leisurely pace, lose a day, and start the bureaucracy on Saturday morn. Are they doing visa biz on Saturdays? .....the pick up visa on Monday.

This all relates to me losing my passport (and type O visa). Before that, I renew once per year and don't even have to leave Thailand, ever, if I don't want to. Losing the passport will wind up costing me dozens of hours of traveling, over a week away from home, and several hundred dollars. Not my cup of tea, if you know what I mean.

I doubt there's anyone on the planet who detests plodding bureaucracy more than I.

[cheynewalk]

still cheaper to fly air asia chiang mai - bangkok - udon thani return ......... and i believe they will be flying direct soon too, which will blow nokair out of the water

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

it's no problem to arrive at 7 pm at Udon Thani and make it thru the border and to a hotel in Vientiane.

I think I arrived at my hotel about 9 pm. It's a good time to cross because very little in the way of lines.

That way you can apply on Friday. Closed on Sat/Sun

Thai Consulate schedule

[maidu]

Actually, my Nok Air flight arrives in Udon at about 9 pm. Do you think they'll be a shuttle van that late, and if so, how late is the border crossing open until?

I just found out that the Thai embassy is not open Saturdays (in contrast, Mae Sai border crossing is open 7 days a week). So it looks as though I have to scramble to make it to Vientiane before late morning on Friday, ........and then have to wait through the weekend to Monday (which I had already figured on doing).

Thanks for all the advice, and hopefully some of these posts will assist others - as they try to unravel the Gordian knot of visa run runarounds.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I think the border closes at 10 so assuming that I would say you would not have enough time to do it.

Anybody know for sure the exact closing time. If it was 11 then you could make it.

[el jefe]

Actually, my Nok Air flight arrives in Udon at about 9 pm. Do you think they'll be a shuttle van that late, and if so, how late is the border crossing open until?

I just found out that the Thai embassy is not open Saturdays (in contrast, Mae Sai border crossing is open 7 days a week). So it looks as though I have to scramble to make it to Vientiane before late morning on Friday, ........and then have to wait through the weekend to Monday (which I had already figured on doing).

Thanks for all the advice, and hopefully some of these posts will assist others - as they try to unravel the Gordian knot of visa run runarounds.

There's not much new here, and to avoid confusion, Immigration at the Friendship Bridge is open 7 days a week, just like at Mai Sai.

I have no idea how late you can cross the Friendship Bridge, but if you can't do it the night you arrive, just take the van to Nong Khai and spend the night in a GH there. There are vans to meet every flight. Get up early and take a tuktuk to the bridge. No problem making it to the Thai Embassy in the morning.

[maidu]

correction: the flight from CNX to UTH on Thursday evening arrives at around 7 pm, not 9 pm.