A First-Timer in Chiang Khan, Loei, Thailand

This single statement tells you a lot Chiang Khan: NOBODY LOCKS THEIR BICYCLES!!! Yes, it is a very safe place. Many foreigners don't even know this place exists, but it is popular to local Thai tourists (and Koreans, I was told). The main draw of Chiang Khan is the kilometer-long walking street and the promenade along the scenic Mekong River. The street is lined-up with hotels, boutiques, vendors, restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops. The promenade is particularly charming to stroll about in time for the sunset.

Before, there was no direct travel route. You either:

1. take a bus to Udon Thani, another bus to Loei, and another bus to Chiang Khan
2. or take the slow, dilapidated, and uncomfortable green bus along the winding Mekong route, get off at Pak Chom, take another bus towards Loei but get off at Ban That (village), and then take another bus to Chiang Khan. No wonder people don't go to Chiang Khan from Nong Khai!

As of June 18, 2020 (the trip I took), when things were beginning to normalize from the COVID pandemic, there seems to be a few changes.

1. the 3 trips/day by the green bus (7:30am, 11:00am and 3:00pm) have been reduced to 1 trip at 12 noon
2. BEST, the bus goes all the way to Chiang Khan. You don't have to get off at Pak Chom.
3. Trip Details from the Nong Khai bus terminal
   departure time: 12 noon (only one trip)
   duration: 5 hours
   fare: B250
   stops:
   Nong Khai (left 12 noon)
   Tha Bo (arrived 12:55 pm)
   Si Chiang Mai (arrived 1:25 pm)
   Sangkhom (arrived 2:35 pm)
   Pak Chom (arrived 4:05 pm)
   Chiang Khan (arrived 5:05 pm)

1. Walking Steet - animated street line with shops, hotels, restos, bars, cafe and buskers
2. Promenade - planked walkway extending for kilometers with the Mekong River on one side and fancy hotels and restaurants on the other side
3. Phu Thok view point - 7.5 kilometers from the town center towards the mountain, it reaches 480 meters and offers stunning view of the sunrise and mountain tops piercing through the low-lying clouds
4. Kaeng Khut Khu - 5.5kms downstream on the Mekong from town center, the manicured park has life-like statues of masked characters celebrated during their Phi Ta Khon Ghost Festival. It also has a 2-storie statue of the Jueng Khueng Dangdaeng, a Laos giant hunter who, as legend would have it, became part of the rocks sprinkled on the Mekong between Laos and Thailand

This process is BEFORE Covid 19. Not sure what it is now.

60-Day Thai Tourist Visa

NOTE: There is no need to go back to your country to get the Thai tourist visa. Any major city with a Thai Embassy will do. Apparently there is also no need to have an invitation from a Thai establishment to justify the visa.

1. Bring the following to the Thai embassy:
   a) proof of money (bank statement will suffice)
   b) flight booking to Thailand
   c) onward flight back to your country from Thailand
   d) filled-in tourist visa form
   e) 2 passport pictures
   f) hotel booking in Thailand (they didn't ask me for this but better be safe)
   g) passport with at least 6 months validity
2. After handing over all the documents, they will ask you to come pick your passport with the visa the following day from 4 to 5pm. That's it!
3. NOTE: after 2 successful attempts, I was already questioned the 3rd time.

30-Day Extension

NOTE: When your 60-day visa is close to expiry and you want to extend your stay. No need to leave Thailand.

1. bring the following to the Immigration Office:
   a) passport (make sure your Tourist Visa hasn't expired yet)
   b) Baht 1900
   c) photocopy of your passport + visa duration date stamp + TM6 card (white immigration card) and sign all the copies
   d) completed TM7 visa extension form (available at the Immigration Office)
   e) one 4cmx6cm passport picture
2. submit the above to the Front Desk. They will give you a stub with your number on it. Take a seat and wait for your number to be called
3. when your number is called, your picture will be taken. Then go back to your seat. They will call you again.
4. when they call you again, they'll give you your passport with your extended visa. That's it!
5. when there are no lines, the whole process can take only 10 minutes

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1. arrive early - in case there is a snag (visa snag, documentation snag, transport ticket snag, etc.), you will have ample time to troubleshoot the problem if you arrive early (to the airport, to the bus terminal, etc.)
2. put detailed itinerary on the Calendar apps of your smart-phone according to timelines - this is where you do all your thinking and planning. Once written down, you don't have to think anymore while you are on the journey...you just follow the steps. This frees your mind for something else that might happen while you are already en route
3. avoiding scams - as a general rule, I ignore the touts or anyone I don't know who call out to me. The calling comes in many forms - "Hi! Where are you from?", "Excuse me! Excuse me!", "Where are you going?". I don't look them in the eye and I remain non-verbal with them. If you reply to them, you just gave them an 'in' to hound you. In order not to look rude, I smile and wave the 'not interested' hand to them, without looking at them.
4. power bank - hand-carry your power bank. Do not check it in. You can be called in when you are already inside the plane to go all the way to the loading dock so you can personally remove the power bank...and chances are, you'll have to surrender it to them. And you might delay the plane departure!