UDON THANI, Thailand – In November, the Transport Company Limited (BorKorSor) will launch a new international bus service connecting Udon Thani, Udon Thani Airport, Nong Khai, and Vang Vieng in Laos. This route is designed to improve convenience for tourists by linking airports and high-speed rail services, particularly the Laos-China Railway. This move aims to promote seamless travel between the two countries, enhancing tourism and economic cooperation.
Attawit Rakjamroon, Acting Managing Director of BorKorSor, announced the new route following a meeting on September 4-5 at Landmark Mekong Riverside in Vientiane, Laos. The meeting was held to discuss road transport cooperation between Thailand and Laos and involved officials from Thailand’s Department of Land Transport and Laos’ Department of Transport. The focus was on enhancing passenger and cargo transport between the two nations under the existing Thailand-Laos Road Transport Agreement.
Key developments from the meeting included:
- Launch of Udon Thani-Vang Vieng Route: The new bus service between Udon Thani, Udon Thani International Airport, Nong Khai, and Vang Vieng will commence in early November 2024. This route will facilitate easier access to Laos’ high-speed rail system, providing quick and smooth travel options for tourists. The service was temporarily suspended for upgrades and will reopen to better meet passenger needs.
- Study of Five Additional Routes: BorKorSor plans to explore five new bus routes between Thailand and Laos, including:
Chiang Mai – Boten
Bangkok – Savannakhet
Pattaya – Pakse
Pattaya – Vientiane
Pattaya – Savannakhet
These routes are expected to provide more options for passengers traveling between major tourist destinations in the two countries.
- Online Ticket Sales: To further improve accessibility, BorKorSor will expand its online ticketing system and introduce e-ticketing for all international routes. Currently, BorKorSor operates nine routes between Thailand and Laos, offering 92 trips per day, with around 3,000 passengers traveling between the two countries daily.
- Improvement of Bangkok-Pakse Service: The current Bangkok-Pakse route, which uses first-class air-conditioned buses, will be upgraded to premium buses. The service will continue to run two trips per day.
- Increase in Mukdahan-Savannakhet Buses: The number of buses on the Mukdahan-Savannakhet route will increase from 7 to 10, and daily trips will rise from 13 to 17 to accommodate growing demand.
- Enhancement of Services at Nong Khai Border: More BorKorSor staff will be deployed at the Nong Khai border checkpoint to facilitate faster immigration processing for passengers traveling between Nong Khai and Vientiane.
BorKorSor has also visited its ticket office at the Talat Sao Bus Terminal in Vientiane, Laos, to improve signage and provide clearer information in both Thai and Lao. This will help passengers better navigate services and access international bus routes.
