Starting 10 October, the Transport Company (BKS) will resume its bus service connecting Khon Kaen, Thailand, to Vientiane, Laos, following a five-year suspension.
The cross-border service was originally halted on 25 March 2020, after Laos and Cambodia closed their borders as part of COVID-19 containment measures.
The 194-kilometer route takes approximately four hours, with air-conditioned buses accommodating 42 passengers.
Tickets are priced at THB 180 (around USD 5), with two daily round trips: departing Khon Kaen at 8:15 am and returning from Vientiane at 2:45 pm.
The new service aims to facilitate travel, promote tourism, and strengthen economic ties between Thailand and Laos.
It was initially scheduled to resume in June 2022, but delays on the Laos side, including a weakening Lao kip against the baht, rising fuel costs, and the local operator’s request to increase fares by THB 20 (about USD 0.6), pushed the restart further.
Other challenges included low passenger demand during the rainy season, poor road conditions, and the need to adjust the route to reduce travel time from seven hours to four hours.
Source: The Laotian Times
