Northern Thailand - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 883

Getting to the border So ̆ rngta ̆ aou run the 46km between Loei and Tha Li (30B), from where you'll
need another so ̆ rngta ̆ aou for the remaining 8km to the border (40B).
At the border The border is open from 8am to 6pm; Lao visas are available upon arrival.
Moving on From Kaen Thao, there are two daily so ̆ rngta ̆ aou to Pak Lai (40,000K, 1¾ hours), from
where two daily so ̆ rngta ̆ aou ply the dusty route to Sainyabuli (80,000K, four hours), and there's a
daily bus to Vientiane (100,000K, six hours, 9am).
For more information about crossing this border in the other direction, Click here
Information
There is no shortage of banks with ATMs and exchange services in town.
Immigration ( 0 4299 0935; 8.30am-noon & 1-4.30pm Mon-Fri) South of the Friendship
Bridge. Offers Thai visa extensions.
Nong Khai Hospital ( 0 4241 3456; Th Meechai) Has a 24-hour casualty department.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT; 0 4242 1326; [e-mail] ; Hwy 2;
8.30am-4.30pm) Inconveniently located outside of town.
Getting There & Away
The closest airport is in Udon Thani, 55km south, where Air Asia ( 0 2515 9999;
www.airasia.com ) and Nok Air ( 0 2900 9955; www.nokair.com ) fly to/from Bangkok's Don
Muang International Airport (the latter also operates a flight to/from Chiang Mai), and
Thai Airways International (THAI; 0 4531 3340; www.thaiairways.com ) flies to/from Bangkok's
Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Udonkaew Tour ( 0 4241 1530; Th Pranang Cholpratan;
8.30am-5.30pm) runs minivans from Nong Khai to the airport (per person 150B).
Nong Khai's bus terminal is just off Th Prajak, about 1.5km from the main pack of
riverside guesthouses.
Nong Khai train station ( 0 4241 1592) is 2km west of downtown. To check timetables
and prices for other destinations call the State Railway of Thailand ( nationwide call centre
1690; www.railway.co.th ) or look at its website.