Nongkhai to Vientiane Thai embassy - trip time?

[slafriphos]

Time to renew my ED visa so it's off to Vientiane for a few days. I am staying overnight in Nongkhai. How long does it take to get over the border and then direct to the embassy? Are there usually long queues at the border? My goal is to leave Nongkhai and get to the embassy before noon. Thank you.

[allane]

While I have never been to the Thai Embassy there, it is only 17 km from the border to Vientiene. When I was there four or five years ago, there were only four or five people ahead of me at Lao border control. There is a bus that leaves right outside the border post on the Lao side. And of course, there are taxi drivers standing around, looking for a chance to take a white guy for a ride.

I would think you would have no problem going from Nong Khai to Vientiene, checking into a hotel if necessary, and getting to the embassy by noon. Vientiene is a little bigger than Nong Khai, but not by much. I don't know where the Thai Embassy is, but I think you could go completely across town by taxi in half an hour.

[rct99q]

From Mut Mee it is about 45 minutes to the consular section that deals with visa applications.

Unless you are flat broke I would recommend taking a shared shuttle van or private taxi from the Laos side of the bridge (After immigration) and take it to the thai consular offices. I drive my own car now but I used to get a private taxi between 200-500baht depending on time of day and how busy it is.

Traffic is getting worse year after year so times keep increasing but I always found taking the private taxi more relaxing. If you are staying in Nong Khai you will nearly always find other travellers doing the same thing so always people to hook up with.

Mut mee always has travellers heading over to Laos, Pantawee, Nong Khai Resort by the rail station is popular with tourists, several of the guedt houses along the river always have travellers such as Pan guest house, Mekong River side Guest House and others.

Tuktuk from hospital is around 50 baht and they are always there.

[slafriphos]

From Mut Mee it is about 45 minutes to the consular section that deals with visa applications.

Unless you are flat broke I would recommend taking a shared shuttle van or private taxi from the Laos side of the bridge (After immigration) and take it to the thai consular offices. I drive my own car now but I used to get a private taxi between 200-500baht depending on time of day and how busy it is.

Traffic is getting worse year after year so times keep increasing but I always found taking the private taxi more relaxing. If you are staying in Nong Khai you will nearly always find other travellers doing the same thing so always people to hook up with.

Mut mee always has travellers heading over to Laos, Pantawee, Nong Khai Resort by the rail station is popular with tourists, several of the guedt houses along the river always have travellers such as Pan guest house, Mekong River side Guest House and others.

Tuktuk from hospital is around 50 baht and they are always there.

Very helpful. Thank you for the reply.