You was Robbed IA....

Bob Helm wrote:Is it good enough to warrant a trip from Udon 'just to fill in a quiet day' or only if you are there already ???

To be honest,Bob,I wouldnt say make a special trip just to go to the Vietnamese restaurant......if you are doing a visa run or,heaven forbid,have to visit Nong Khai Immigration then its well worth trying along with doing a bit of shopping.
The restaurant does very well and is usually packed,particularily at lunchtimes,food was excellent.

Zidane

Irish Alan wrote:Secondly wear a hat or use an umbrella as the last day I went it was hot... VERY hot. It was a busy day and the queue was long and took ages...

I seem to remember a thread, about a year ago?
A guy dropped dead, standing in the sun, waiting in one of the queue's at the bridge.

I made the run Tuesday last week and it was one hour and 45 mins total starting at 10 am. I was also only charged 20 baht for the entry fee for Laos. Never heard of the 50 baht farang price, has anyone else been charged a farang price? Don't forget each bus ride is now 20 baht each way and bring your own pen to write with.

Craig

AH, Craig, I may have it wrong as I had the Thai GF with me as well - she doesn't have a passport, just a temporary 3 day thing. I was charged 20 baht & 50 baht. So the 50 baht must have been for her - case of Laos overcharging Thai
Are you sure that the bus is now 20 baht??
As I said, I was charged 20 baht going to Laos, but 5 baht was a 'overtime fee' as it was a Thai National Holiday. On the way back I was certainly only charged 15 baht...

My mother in-law just came home saying there in a charge for coming back into Thailand? She was saying something about being 3000 baht to renter Thailand on my non-em type B multi visa

Thai _1_On I am on a multiple entry non imm O visa. There is absolutely no charge what so ever for getting back into Thailand with this type of visa.
I have also entered from Laos just getting a Visa on Arrival, again no charge.
In total I guess i have crossed back into Thailand from Laos about 10 times. I have never seen anyone hand over cash at Thai immigration at the bridge.

BobHelm wrote:As I said, I was charged 20 baht going to Laos, but 5 baht was a 'overtime fee' as it was a Thai National Holiday.

It should have been 60 as it should be treble time for holidays. He mustn't be in a union.

The TW did a run to the duty free shops yesterday to top up for Songkran, I stay Thai side she does the run.

3 day pass for TW, 185 bht, done at the visa shop next door to the second hand golf clubs.
Bus over the bridge 15 bht
Bus back 15 bht

Sorted, apart from she bought the wrong red wine but hey ho the price I have to pay, it's still from a decent winery

need to get her a passport, then free, no pass.

shes got a passport, but when she used it last time it took forever for her to get through immigration. With the 3 day pass she walks straight through

Just got back from my border run and it was a little hairy at times and heres what happened.

Got to Thai imm. about 8AM and from what I was told the line was extra long. After that cross over into Laos again looong lines and then at the visa window I'm called over, it seems theres a problem with my passport The man spoke fair English and was very polite and was asking if I was ever in Laos? I said no, are you sure, never? No, this is my first time in Laos. He asked me to wait then what seems forever and visions of a Lao jail kept coming to mind I was called over and told everything OK. Then over to the entry point again there seems to be a problem but TW comes to the rescue and I'm in. Walk around the building and stamp out and off the the duty free.

Armed with a fresh bottle of Johnny Black I head back to LOS. Again the lines where hugh and it seemed I would have a heat stroke at any minute, and I'm from Florida and used to the heat and sun. No matter the imm. guy said it would be like this till after Songkran. So if you have to do a border run you have my sympathy.

I hope my next border run goes smoother.

my first 3 or 4 years were 90 day exit/re entries, only one was less than an hour turn around, not counting duty free time. sound like the holiday rushhour is making things fun.

also, don't be shy, especially when in queque to be checked in or out on laos side. that signs says foreign passports, if you see a bunch of laos people in line, step to the front, because they usual have 5 passports or more in hand, then they all come up from behind. that was the one negative day, think holiday and place/lines were bit unjustly managed, until i passed all and asked if this queque was for foreigner or locals. i was taken next, then it got contagious, and foreigner behind me followed suit. glad i was first, can just imagine the looks the rest got.

Despite the thought of crowds at the bridge. I decided to let my wife do a duty free run this morning. When I'm happy, she's happy.
I dropped her off at the bridge at 8:15am, she returned, fully stocked with two litres of J&B Scotch and five litres of California Burgundy, at 10:20am.
When I picked her back up at 10:20am, there was a lot of activity everywhere. A TTCF (Typical Thai Cluster Fu*ck). I really don't need to explain, do I?

While I waited, I went into Nong Khai, and had a little breakfast at the German Bakery on the left side of Mi Chai Rd. map ref.: F-3.
50 baht for two eggs, a fresh baked baquette style roll w/butter & jam, and freshly brewed coffee from Bon Cafe, add 10 baht for bacon or ham. The other menu items are also quite reasonable.
Very nice & delicious breads, rolls, and pastries. Rudy, the owner, bakes fresh every morning. Also deli meats, pate, and pickles.
Telephone #'s: 042-413072, 089-579-9143.
To give credit, where credit is due, Bkk. Stan turned me onto this place last year. Thanks Stan!

Rudy's is my sugar fix stop when in the area. decent pastries, and i like the ala carte breakfast idea.

7 liter run, very nice, did you forget my bailey's, at critical stage, last bottle, and of course, TTCF

I really don't need to explain, do I?

self explanatory