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Posted

Hi Everyone

I plan to go to Lao's for my Visa application by bus, but the recent flood issues in Northern Thailand prompted me put down this thread.

Could anyone share the experiences or advise on the flood situation on the journey to Lao's by bus?

Is it advisable to go by bus during this raining season?

Or am i over-worried?

Your sharings and advises would be greatly appreciated.

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Posted

"...recent flood issues in Northern Thailand..."

Is that really what you meant to say? Did you mean Northeastern Thailand?

I think you are worrying too much. You should be okay going by bus, depending a bit, I suppose, on where you're starting from.

Posted

"...recent flood issues in Northern Thailand..."

Is that really what you meant to say? Did you mean Northeastern Thailand?

I think you are worrying too much. You should be okay going by bus, depending a bit, I suppose, on where you're starting from.

Northern or North-eastern? Oh.. sorry...i'm confused. Anyway I was trying to say, the destination is Laos, and from Bangkok. So I thought it's heading towards north.And flood is more serious in the north part of Thailand....

I will be going from Mochit Bus Station (Bangkok) to Mukdahan, does it make a difference as in where to start from? Kindly please enlighten me.

Thank you so munch~

Posted

"...does it make a difference as in where to start from?"

It might if some areas are flooded and other areas aren't.

Bkk to Muk shouldn't be a problem. Neither should Bkk to Nong Khai.

Posted

Thank you TerryLH and swisstouristpattaya.

Should i buy the return bus ticket (Mukdahan to Bangkok) at Mochit? May I have your advice?

Many thanks.

Posted

Laos by bus.

I'd wait to buy it until you know for sure when you'll be returning.

If on the other hand, you'll be hanging out there after you get a visa, and already know when you'll return, it probably doesn't matter. I don't recall for certain, but I don't think you get any discount for buying round trip.

Posted

Thank you TerryLH for your response.

So...i think i would not buy a return ticket...and hope i could catch the bus and don't have to spend a night in Mukdahan...

Posted

Thank you TerryLH for your response.

So...i think i would not buy a return ticket...and hope i could catch the bus and don't have to spend a night in Mukdahan...

Are you going for a 14 day visa on entry or a 90 day.

If the latter ,you will need two nights in Savannakhet as you will arrive Mukdahan late afternoon apply for visa the next morning and pick up your visa PM the following day.

If the former ,it will be evening before you get back to Mukdahan and I am not sure about evening buses from there to BKK.

International buses leave Mukdahan bus station for the border and Savannakhet about every 30 minutes

Posted

Thank you TerryLH for your response.

So...i think i would not buy a return ticket...and hope i could catch the bus and don't have to spend a night in Mukdahan...

Are you going for a 14 day visa on entry or a 90 day.

If the latter ,you will need two nights in Savannakhet as you will arrive Mukdahan late afternoon apply for visa the next morning and pick up your visa PM the following day.

If the former ,it will be evening before you get back to Mukdahan and I am not sure about evening buses from there to BKK.

International buses leave Mukdahan bus station for the border and Savannakhet about every 30 minutes

Thank you Ozzydom for your response.

As i checked the bus schedule from Bangkok to Mukdahan, night bus leaves at 20:45pm (11 hours) so, i assume i'd reach Mukdahan around 7am. No?

Posted

"Are you going for a 14 day visa on entry..."

It's 15 days, and it's not a visa. It's a visa exempt entry.

The day you enter is Day 1, which often causes confusion about it's length.

It sounds like he's going to apply for a visa.

If he just wants a visa exempt entry he'd probably take a shorter trip.

11 hours each way for an over and back wouldn't make sense unless he was going to spend some time in the area, which it doesn't sound like he is planning to do.

Posted

Thank you TerryLH for your response.

So...i think i would not buy a return ticket...and hope i could catch the bus and don't have to spend a night in Mukdahan...

Are you going for a 14 day visa on entry or a 90 day.

If the latter ,you will need two nights in Savannakhet as you will arrive Mukdahan late afternoon apply for visa the next morning and pick up your visa PM the following day.

If the former ,it will be evening before you get back to Mukdahan and I am not sure about evening buses from there to BKK.

International buses leave Mukdahan bus station for the border and Savannakhet about every 30 minutes

Thank you Ozzydom for your response.

As i checked the bus schedule from Bangkok to Mukdahan, night bus leaves at 20:45pm (11 hours) so, i assume i'd reach Mukdahan around 7am. No?

That would get you to the consulate in time to lodge your application but normal pickup is from 1.00pm so it means a night in Savannakhet unless you can grease a palm for an express service .

Posted

Yes, i'm going for a 90days visa. and a night in Savannakhet is a must.

But i just wondered if i could make it to the Consulate before 11am from Mukdahan if i arrived in the morning 7 plus? May I have your advises ?

Many thanks

Posted

Yes, i'm going for a 90days visa. and a night in Savannakhet is a must.

But i just wondered if i could make it to the Consulate before 11am from Mukdahan if i arrived in the morning 7 plus? May I have your advises ?

Many thanks

If you grab an international bus at the Mukdahan bus station,you should get through to the Savannakhet bus station in about two hours ,just grab a tuk tuk from there to consulate (50 baht).

I might have misled you a bit in an earlier post, the international buses leave Mukdahan every hour,ie 7.30am ...8.30am etc.

On the way back the bus to BKK leaves Mukdahan at 17.30 (this one is a No.2 bus) then VIP coaches at 19.20 pm ,20.00 pm and 20.15 pm. but double check these times before you leave Mukdahan in case my timetable is out of date.

cheers

dom

Posted
If you grab an international bus at the Mukdahan bus station,you should get through to the Savannakhet bus station in about two hours ,just grab a tuk tuk from there to consulate (50 baht).

I might have misled you a bit in an earlier post, the international buses leave Mukdahan every hour,ie 7.30am ...8.30am etc.

On the way back the bus to BKK leaves Mukdahan at 17.30 (this one is a No.2 bus) then VIP coaches at 19.20 pm ,20.00 pm and 20.15 pm. but double check these times before you leave Mukdahan in case my timetable is out of date.

cheers

dom

Do you mean i should grab a tuk-tuk from Mudkahan to Consulate?

Are tickets from Mukdahan to BKK still available if i bought it on the departure day, (ie after collection in the afternoon, i'd leave Savannakhet for Mukdahan) ?

Many thanks

Posted
If you grab an international bus at the Mukdahan bus station,you should get through to the Savannakhet bus station in about two hours ,just grab a tuk tuk from there to consulate (50 baht).

I might have misled you a bit in an earlier post, the international buses leave Mukdahan every hour,ie 7.30am ...8.30am etc.

On the way back the bus to BKK leaves Mukdahan at 17.30 (this one is a No.2 bus) then VIP coaches at 19.20 pm ,20.00 pm and 20.15 pm. but double check these times before you leave Mukdahan in case my timetable is out of date.

cheers

dom

Do you mean i should grab a tuk-tuk from Mudkahan to Consulate?

Are tickets from Mukdahan to BKK still available if i bought it on the departure day, (ie after collection in the afternoon, i'd leave Savannakhet for Mukdahan) ?

Many thanks

no, you get a tuk tuk from Savannakhet bus station , the coach from Mukdahan to Savannakhet waits at each immigration office at the Friendship bridge for you to do your departure and Laos visa then drops you at the bus station in Savannakhet.

Buy your Bkk ticket when you arrive back at Mukdahan.

After you pick up your visa ,just do everything in reverse ,ie. tuk tuk from consulate to Savannakhet bus station then international bus through borders to Mukdahan,easy peasy.

Posted

no, you get a tuk tuk from Savannakhet bus station , the coach from Mukdahan to Savannakhet waits at each immigration office at the Friendship bridge for you to do your departure and Laos visa then drops you at the bus station in Savannakhet.

Buy your Bkk ticket when you arrive back at Mukdahan.

After you pick up your visa ,just do everything in reverse ,ie. tuk tuk from consulate to Savannakhet bus station then international bus through borders to Mukdahan,easy peasy.

Very much appreciate your detailed information.

May I know the journey time from Savannakhet bus terminal to the Consulate?

Many thanks.

Posted

5 minutes,and Leena Guesthouse has nice a-c rooms with ensuite for 350 baht and handy to consulate. tuk tuks know the place.

Thank you soooooooooo much

Ozzydom I luv U !!!!!!!

Posted

A friend told me that you can on certain places leave your passport and pay a guy to do the visa run for you. In that case you don't have to enter Laos/Cambodia and you will have your stamp the same day (60-90 days!).

Does anyone know a "safe" place to do this close to the border to Laos?

From what I heard, there are offices that looks like regular businesses, so its not some random guy that takes your passport :).

Posted

"In that case you don't have to enter Laos/Cambodia and you will have your stamp the same day (60-90 days!)."

That's illegal. Lot's of trouble if you get caught, which is more than likely.

Posted

http://couponsforcharity.net/2011/09/p-thai-mp-cancel-flood-relief-to-buri-ram/

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/08/18/national/Floods-persist-in-12-provinces-30163052.html

The above 2 links worry me...

Am i really over-worried for the trip to Mukdahan?

The Mekong River is in Mukdahan Province.......

Mukdahan is one of the warning proviinces..

May I have your feedback please?

You are bound to find some localised flooding during the trip but the buses will not leave if the roads are completely closed.

The bridge is very high and will not be affected.

Its all part of the adventure,

Once in Cambodia we had to disembark and wade through waist high water to another bus waiting on the other side of the flooded area, the locals take it in their stride and you soon get into the spirit.

Posted

Bluetuna,

Am assuming you are leaving from Bangkok.

I took a coach from Mo Chit, BKK on 27th September to Laos and returned to BKK on Wednesday 28th September.

There was less on rain on the journey than there is in my area of BKK. A few light showers , roads were not flooded and trip was pleasant enough.

On the subject of visas some of the newer members or passing viewers may find the following useful:

On a multiple entry tourist visa the term "enter before" date means the last date that you can enter the country by and not the last date you should make your first entrance by.

Best of luck with your trip

Bangkokblondie

Posted

Ozzydom, thank you for your confidence-booster. ^ _ ^

Bangkokblondie, I just wondered how did you manage to leave Mochit for Mukdahan on the 27th, and returned to bangkok on the next day ? (submission is in the morning, pick-up is in the afternoon next day....at least a night to stay in Savannakhet... )

Posted

A friend told me that you can on certain places leave your passport and pay a guy to do the visa run for you. In that case you don't have to enter Laos/Cambodia and you will have your stamp the same day (60-90 days!).

Does anyone know a "safe" place to do this close to the border to Laos?

From what I heard, there are offices that looks like regular businesses, so its not some random guy that takes your passport :).

Bad idea as it's illegal and frowned upon.

Posted

:rolleyes:

It should be possible to do it, but you will need to be adaptable because even at the best times bus schedules are only an approximation of times...so you need to adapt to circumstances or as we say "go with the flow".

What you need to understand though is that you will need at least a overnight hotel stay for a visa from the Thai consulate, if that's what you want. This is because they will take your application and passport on the morning of the first day and you must return the afternoon of the second day to pick up the visa. So at best it is a two day process, it can't be done in a single day.

That is normal practice for all Thai consulates and embessys.

Just plan on that so you won't be surprised when it happens.

:rolleyes:

Posted

We have just come back from Laos on a visa run, some people were having problems and got refused with there visa, I got my NonO and it was no problem. I like the food in Lao, the french left there baking skills behind the bread is something else.

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