Travel to Savannakhet..

[cornishcarlos]

Planning on going to get a Non O multi (marriage) in Savannakhet in a couple weeks time.

I managed to find a flight from BKK to Nakon Phanom for 1100 baht on a Mon afternoon.

This arrives at 1620 I believe, so my question...

Can I get across the border after 6pm these days or do I need to get a room in Mukdahan for the night and cross early morning?

Flights back to BKK were too expensive, so I'll bus it on the Tuesday evening.

Thanks

Possibly Travel visa forum but thought more likely UbonJoe would know the answer, hence posting here

[ubonjoe]

The bridge is open until 10 pm but Lao visa on arrival office closes at 6 pm according to a recent report. I also does not open until 8 am.and the bridge opens at 6.

It will mean spending the night in Mukdahan or getting a visa from the embassy in Bangkok.

[cornishcarlos]

Thanks UbonJoe

I will spend the night in Mukdahan.

[sjaak327]

Of course, since you are flying into Nakhom Phanom, you should have time to cross there (also closes at 6 PM) and get a bus from Tha Kaek to Savan (Savannakhet), bus should take about three hours to reach Savannakhet. So you could be at Savan around 10 PM ready for the next morning.

[cornishcarlos]

Of course, since you are flying into Nakhom Phanom, you should have time to cross there (also closes at 6 PM) and get a bus from Tha Kaek to Savan (Savannakhet), bus should take about three hours to reach Savannakhet. So you could be at Savan around 10 PM ready for the next morning.

Thanks for the info. That is another option to consider.

I was just going to use Air Asia, fly/bus service to Muk !!

Not in any real hurry to be honest. Just looking at options.

Hopefully the consulate is still being fair on Non O visas and not asking for extra finances that shouldn't be reqd

[cornishcarlos]

Another question UbonJoe

I have everything booked now, was planning to visit the consulate on 12th Aug...

Just seen on the calender that it is HM Queens Birthday, will the Thai consulate be open ??

I'm stuffed if it isn't

[digitalchromakey]

Another question UbonJoe

I have everything booked now, was planning to visit the consulate on 12th Aug...

Just seen on the calender that it is HM Queens Birthday, will the Thai consulate be open ??

I'm stuffed if it isn't

Stuffed - sorry, they say they are closed on the 12th August according to their website.

http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?from=&to=en&a=http%3A%2F%2Fvientiane.thaiembassy.org%2Fvientiane%2Fth%2Fembassy%2Fembassy_time%2F%3FPAGEN_1%3D2

[cornishcarlos]

Guess I don't have the luck of the Irish

Confirmed, they are closed on the 12th...

Cost me a few baht to change my flights to the 10th but all good.. Will hit the consulate on the Mon...

Look before you book, my new mantra...

[ubonjoe]

Not sure about the 11th because it was just recently made a holiday. It might be best to plan on the 13th to apply.

[cornishcarlos]

Not sure about the 11th because it was just recently made a holiday. It might be best to plan on the 13th to apply.

The consulate confirmed they will be closed on the 12th but open both 11th & 13th.

Plus I have other plans for the 13th

Thanks guys

[Bob12345]

The bridge is open until 10 pm but Lao visa on arrival office closes at 6 pm according to a recent report. I also does not open until 8 am.and the bridge opens at 6.

It will mean spending the night in Mukdahan or getting a visa from the embassy in Bangkok.

This is not what i experienced last Tuesday (22nd); you should be able to still cross at Mukdahan.

My story:

- booked the fly/bus service from AirAsia where you fly to Nakhon Phanom and switch to minivan there.

- plane was slightly delayed (15 min) but the transfer to minivan was quick as Nakhon Phanom has a miniature airport (5 people booked the service)

- the minivan went with normal "Thai speed" to Mukdahan (100+ km/h but the road was quite empty so no scary moments and the driver seemed to anticipate well to other traffic). Travel time was about 1:15 hours.

- was dropped at the friendship bridge around 18:30

- walked the last hundred meters and found the immigration booth almost completely deserted except for 1 female officer who stamped me out

- had to wait about 1 hour before the "50 baht bus to Savannakhet bus station" arrived to bring me across the friendship bridge. By now there were 3 people waiting for this bus and about 12 more had taken the bus from Mukdahan bus station and also checked out at immigration

- bus took us to Lao border; immigration officer in the "visa on arrival" booth gave me and a US citizen the paperwork to fill in and encouraged us to hurry as the bus was waiting for us

- received visa; crossed Lao immigration; jumped in bus again

- arrival at Savannakhet bus station

The bridge is open till 10PM but if you dont come by own transportation you need to make use of the Mukdahan-Savannakhet bus service; their last bus leaves Mukdahan bus station at 7PM (and arrives at the border around 19:15-19:30). If you miss this bus you cannot cross.

Someone else mentioned earlier that the Lao immigration booth, where you buy your Lao visa, would close after 6 but for me it was no problem last Tuesday. The officer was just counting the money and when i knocked on the door he opened the window and handed all the paperwork. I cannot say if it was just luck or that they always stay open till after 6PM.

Edited July 25, 2014 by Bob12345

[ubonjoe]

I was going by a recent report where a person was turned back on Thai side and was informed that the Lao visa office was closed because it was after 6.

Perhaps you were just lucky or it was just the right the day of the week who knows.

There was report from a member of waiting for the visa office to open until about 10 in the morning. Was told they had a meeting and they had not told anybody to be there to open the office.

[cornishcarlos]

Thanks Bob,

Interesting to know.

As it stands I have a hotel in Muk booked already, so I will just cross in the morning.

Is there anything to do in Mukdahan as I will be there for 3 nights, until 13th, when I fly to BKK

Bad planning on my part but sure it will be nice to see a new area...

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Muk is as boring as bat sh-t. There is a huge tower located on the outskirts of town. It has a giant ball on top of it. Around its base there are dozens of Thai styled bars and karokes...with lots and lots of pretty girls.

I was tempted to have a crack but lost my bottle and went back to my hotel "empty handed".

If you go there you will have to speak pretty good Thai, and becareful of the age old karoke bar tab rip off.

[brewsterbudgen]

Lao Airlines fly direct to Savannakhet from BKK. Expensive but gets you there direct in an hour or so and straight into Laos.

[Bob12345]

As far as I know there is nothing to do in Mukdahan. I was there only an evening but couldnt find one decent restaurant and was "forced" to eat some roadside noodles instead.
Savannakhet is even worse though. After handing in my paperwork i went to a restaurant near the Thai consulate and did a long massage (170 baht per hour and good quality) close by, but that is about everything that is open in the early afternoon.

[MobileContent]

As far as I know there is nothing to do in Mukdahan. I was there only an evening but couldnt find one decent restaurant and was "forced" to eat some roadside noodles instead.

Savannakhet is even worse though. After handing in my paperwork i went to a restaurant near the Thai consulate and did a long massage (170 baht per hour and good quality) close by, but that is about everything that is open in the early afternoon.

Indochina Market is great to shop around and there are many restaurants which serves quality food for a small premium.

I always enjoy a trip to Mukdahan and also drop by to Wat Tat Phanom.

Edited July 25, 2014 by MobileContent

[Bob12345]

I was at the Indochina market last Wednesday around 7PM. I felt really lonely as I was the only person there.

Is it a day market?

(almost everything was closed; i found only 1 restaurant that was open on my walk to the Indochina market)

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Carlos, if you have transport, you can ride north up along the Mekong until you are under the friendship bridge (on the muk side) there is a shrine there to Phiyanak that is worth a couple of minutes and a few photos. Look closely on the bridge pillar that is at the back of the shrine (near the road) hanging on it are a series of old photographs. Each one is an apparent sighting of old Phiyanak swimming around in various spots on the Mekong. There is one very interesting one were he is sliding over what appears to be a cement wier in a smaller klong somewhere.

If you are driving or riding to the bridge my other tip is to stay off the main road. It usually has a police check point on it. Follow the same road I refered to above along the Mekong and then under the bridge and then just a little further north you can turn left and then come back to the road in to the bridge, but approaching from the North (Muk is to the south). You will therefore avoid the inconvenience of being stopped at the police checkpoint.

[cornishcarlos]

Carlos, if you have transport, you can ride north up along the Mekong until you are under the friendship bridge (on the muk side) there is a shrine there to Phiyanak that is worth a couple of minutes and a few photos. Look closely on the bridge pillar that is at the back of the shrine (near the road) hanging on it are a series of old photographs. Each one is an apparent sighting of old Phiyanak swimming around in various spots on the Mekong. There is one very interesting one were he is sliding over what appears to be a cement wier in a smaller klong somewhere.

If you are driving or riding to the bridge my other tip is to stay off the main road. It usually has a police check point on it. Follow the same road I refered to above along the Mekong and then under the bridge and then just a little further north you can turn left and then come back to the road in to the bridge, but approaching from the North (Muk is to the south). You will therefore avoid the inconvenience of being stopped at the police checkpoint.

Thanks.. I might hire a bike for the day on 12th.

I'm sure there must be some nice things to see, just gotta go find them

[jonnyscot]

Check out the rattree market (I think that's the name) when in mukdahan, I thought quite a few decent food stalls there, we had an overnight there a couple months back before crossing to savan next morning, stayed at the riverfront hotel, it was ok, but see you've already booked your hotel, took a tuk tuk taxi to the market.

in savannakhet good choice of food, had an excellent meal at Lin's cafe and a very good euro style breakfast at chez boune, (the one with the giant penguins by the doorway), can find directions to them on trip advisor, but both within easy walking distance from thai consulate

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