After much deliberation I have decided to catch the day bus from Hue in Vietnam to Savannakhet on Sunday. It arrives at 6pm so I will need to get accom and apply for my TR visa on Monday morning, another night accom on Monday and collect my visa on Tuesday afternoon . . .

The only way I have seen how to get back to Pattaya from Mukdahan is by the yellow bus company but reading reports on here and google, Im not very impressed at the vehicles, or the service the company provides.

Most threads are quite outdated and along with that, most if not all are advice on travelling TO Laos, not from. As I am coming in from VN I would like some info on travelling from Mukdahan to Pattaya if anyone has any and the possibility of NOT travelling with the yellow bus company. I have a couple of days to do some asking around in Savannakhet but the info given out on here seems my best way forward . . .

Flying is NOT an option

Thanks

There are many options. My favored approach (the Nok Air fly/ride service) is ruled out by you. I would take a direct bus then in preference to other alternatives. Going via Ubon is possible. That gives you a wider choice of bus companies, or possibly even the train to Chachoengsao. However, you would be tight on time to make the connections. I doubt anyone can suggest a comfortable, quick, cheap option.

Your choices to Pattaya from Mukdahan are limited.

It would add a couple of hours to the trip but you could get a bus to Mochit in Bangkok and then a bus to Pattaya. The buses run every hour or so to Pattaya.

As said you could get a bus or van from Mukdahan to here in Ubon and then the bus to Pattaya with Nakhon Chai Air.

The yellow bus company has improved a lot in recent years. I would recommend them as a convenient option on that route.

I would take the VIP to Bangkok Morchit, then stretch my legs & buy a ticket at morchit to complete trip to Patttaya. The VIP bus to Bangkok (sahaphan ro-et tour) is good in travel time & bus/service quality. I generally hate long bus journeys but find that one quite pleasant, loads of room & decent seats, I normally sit on left (single seat, double seats on right) and 2nd or 3rd back from where stairs are, pick your seat on monitor when buy ticket. I've not used the Pattaya buses but I have seen them :-O :-S may cost 150bt more doing that way but expect more pleasant experience.