Trip to Thailand & Laos- Train from Nong Khai to Bangkok

The Royal Family is greatly revered in Thailand. Members spend a great deal of time visiting charities they sponsor and "opening" things. A couple of years ago the rail link from Nong Khai Thailand across the Mekong into Laos was completed and, of course, had to be "opened". The King's second daughter, Princess Sirindhorn did the honors. When a Royal "opens" something apparently everything they deal with must be preserved and shown. In the Nong Khai station is this large glass case with the Princess's photo, a sofa she sat on, the podium she used for her speech, photos of the event and so on. My daughter, son-in-law and I happened to be in the station a couple of years ago the day before the opening and the station was full of folding chairs in rows, neatly covered with white cotton slipcovers waiting for the great event.

I was waiting for the evening train to Bangkok. I used to buy a First Class ticket and reserve the whole compartment (upper and lower) but the Railway changed the rules and I was no longer able to purchase tickets online. I then discovered that 2nd class was very comfortable and much cheaper. The racks hold luggage and serve as steps to the upper bunks.

The seats which face each other are wide and very comfortable.

An attendant makes up the beds adding a foam mattress and clean bedding. I always bring a pillow and extra blanket (which comes in handy just about everywhere with the air conditioning)

And all the bunks have privacy curtains and there is a western toilet at the end of the car. The train leaves Nong Khai around 6:30 pm and arrives in Bangkok around 7am the next morning. Not a bad trip. The second class ticket is around $25.00.

Nong Khai Thailand

I chose Saturday to cross the border into Thailand. The immigration posts were packed with shoppers from Laos crossing the border and going into Nong Khai or heading further south to Udon Thani. On the Thailand side people were there freelancing rides into town or further on. I ended up riding into town in a pickup truck. Over the past few years Nong Khai has been busy rebuilding its walkway along the Mekong. It now extends for about a mile along the river.
My hotel served this sort of rice soup for breakfast. It was actually quite good.
There was a nice verandah in front of the restaurant where you could eat and watch the world go by. Tuk tuks gathered across the street waiting for fares which was very convenient.
An old Thai style house sitting forlornly in a field. Most of the traditional houses have been replaced by concrete homes.

A typical street. Nong Khai is a small city of perhaps 50,000.

The main market extends for perhaps half a mile along the river...just behind the new walkway. In the center of the market there is an open area where food vendors congregate. There are lots of food stalls in the market...connected with restaurants facing the River. Many of them have fish cooking on grills.
They look delicious but I have never been brave enough to try them.
Hm...this might make a nice pot for flowers next year.


Actually I would like to bring one of these home.

The Mekong from the Thai side...looking at Laos.
In the middle of this Wat is a huge golden Buddha. It is best photographed from the River. Unfortunately the only tour boat from the Thai side goes out at dusk.
There are several sellers in the market with "silk" in baskets. Unfortunately the amount of real silk they carry has declined in recent years to almost nothing.

The ferry for locals between Thailand and Laos. Everyone else has to take the Friendship Bridge which was funded by Australia.


My hotel restaurant has banana splits. No..that's not why I chose it.

Around the corner is a night market (food) covering several blocks. Vendors haul in chairs, tables and cooking supplies and set up shop when the sun goes down right on the street.
I chose to eat Chicken and cashews on my hotel verandah.
In the center of town is a beautiful Wat with an attached University. My friend Phonesay took me here once to meet his English instructor (who spoke no English) and some of his fellow monks.





A monk checks out a flower stall within the Wat compound.

Sausage sellers just outside the gates.
700 Baht is about $20.
I hope they don't mean these boats.
Lots of new shops being constructed and refurbished along the new riverwalk.





And the shelters are a good place to just take a nap in the heat of the day.

Or just watch the flowers bloom.