I did this 18 yrs ago but got to Laos from Nong Khai. I did make sure to avoid getting a fake visa made up out the front of the Thai embassy by a vendor selling such visas at the same price as the embassy’s visas. The Thai embassy was very easy to deal with, very quick service, no dramas whatsoever. Love your vids. Keep going strong. ⭐️
Nong Khai from Vientiane is the easiest way to do a visa run in my opinion. You just pay a bit for the shuttle bus across the bridge and back and you can only pay in Thai currency, not Kip
Laos is a wonderful country, I suspect like Thailand was decades ago. don't let this experience decide how you see Laos, because you would certainly enjoy visiting places throughout the country, including Luang Prabang and even Vientiane.
I haven't been to Chiang Saen in almost 30 years and have always loved that area of Chiang Rai. I didn't recognize the Lao side of the border now. Kinda sad to see what's happened ...
Really enjoyed this vlogging, Paddy. I do agree with what you said! Wow, you've made history, first foreigner! Thank you 🙏❤️🇹🇭 Ps, love your Thai talk 👍
It’s dangerous to use the atm machines in casinos and bars or restaurants to withdraw money because once the card is entered they will scan and clone the card and recognize the PIN number, only use the ATM in the real banks of the bank card, you should now check the money in the bank daily , go to the bank and ask for a new account and new card and new PIN, many people make this mistake
Yep we randomly went there too attempting to have a quick visit to laos and being drawn by a spectacular looking building across the river. I can completely vouch for that place being the weirdest place ive ever visited also. A genuine soulless Chinese bubble in lao. We didnt enter that super casino but after half an hour in china town we realised something was definitely off and sinister in the shadows. Caught a glimpse of a very rough looking burmese labour encampment on the taxi ride out of town. Was very relieved to get back into Thailand.
Hi Tim, can you elaborate more on the weirdness and the "off"-ness of the place, please? You and Paddy both say the same thing, but neither of you really give examples of what you actually mean. And it's left me in truly disappointed suspense 😂
@@carlruppert7324There's nothing weird about the place except that it's a very densely built up area out of nowhere. Lum Nam Tha area and Phongsali are very rural provinces where you heaps of tribal people in their tribal clothes then bam suddenly u have Las Vegas in the middle of the jungle and little towns. But that's because they cater to the Thai gamblers and now Chinese that come over from the border or have set up shop in the country. Thailand was doing that in the border zones way before the Chinese. Casinos open up at the fringe border towns with Thailand because gambling is illegal in Thailand. What adds to the allude here is that it was the lawless golden triangle area of the 80s and 90s. It's just a tourist infested Disneyland now. The drugs are still there though. Yaba and Ice etc. Don't have Khun Sa or remnant KMT army growing poppy anymore.
That area of Laos 50 years ago was just drug manufacturing and Thais stayed away. Over the years Laos has become just another province of China, especially in the north and Sihanoukville. A beautiful and friendly country has been forever changed. So sad.
Thank you for sharing it. I've heard about it from all sides, not sure whether I should visit there by myself. Now I have a better understanding and a POV experience. I echo "a poor country being bought out by a far greater power" and have mixed feelings about it. I also like the word Laosvegas... I'll use it 🙂
Paddy - Great video, I am new to your channel. As noted in the comments the same thing has happened in Sihanoukville and even Ha Long Bay Vietnam. We call it silent colonialism. Also, it is known as zero dollar tourism. Specifically, what happens is the Chinese bring in all chinese construction workers (sometimes N Korean as well - great BBC documentary on this BTW) while promising jobs to locals, which is a lie. Then all the workers need food, so they open Chinese restaurants owned by the Chinese forcing out local restaurants. At the end of the construction, you have Chinese owned hotels, chinese owned restaurants, and Chinese owned gift shops. When the Chinese come to visit, ZERO dollars end up being spent on locally provided goods and services, hence the name. It is happening all over SE Asia and it is heartbreaking.
Ahhh another foreigner who prefer a cheap undeveloped country for cheap vacation hahaha To you it maybe silent colonialism to some it could be called progress hahaha And best part is says the true colonialist loool
@@diamondsandrust6877 555 mean you are thai ? Now I have a question...why is there such a trend now in Thailand among students and workers to speak mandarin ? Almost every 7 eleven staff can speak mandarin why is that ? Are you saying Thailand is trying hard to regress itself ? And the CCP is just the government of china .. purpose of every country party in power is to take care of their own citizen same as US UK or Korea etc etc Do you expect say Biden to take care of thai people interest over US citizens? Come on... From Malaysia 🇲🇾
Never heard 7 Eleven staff talk Mandarin baseless claim on face. CCP under dictator Xi Jinping is untrustworthy on an epic scale far exceeding any democracy. Abysmal human rights record Taiwan dont want them like Ukraine doesnt want Russia blatant lies about Hong Kong record COVID cover up stealing resources worth tens of millions from Australian miners in Ghana the list goes on. Thailand rightly backing away from foreign ownership of land.
Kings Roman is pretty dodgy alright… There’s tons more dodgy casinos at lots of Thai land border crossings. Laos, Cambodia and Burma. It’s a bit of fun going especially the people watching aspect. If you want to check out some more proper dodgy ones, then Poipet on the Cambodian border has lots of them. Also Mae sot/Myawaddy on the Burmese border has a little mini vegas strip. It’s a 10 second boat trip across the Moei river. No passport or visa required. Very weird places but interesting….
Usually the fees at the border are cheaper in US dollars than in Baht. But that might only apply to fees in the neighbouring countries. I usually take some with me, or I buy some at SuperRich in Thailand, which always offers the best exchange rates. There's casinos right next to borders all around there. There was a small one in Cambodia just over the Thai border. I talked to some guys in a cafe who work there and they told me most of the punters are Chinese and Thai because gambling is illegal in China and Thailand and people with dirty money love gambling and Cambodia has lots of Chinese businessmen, expats, etc lately. There was a gigantic casino complex just on the Lao side of the border with China that China finally told Laos to close down after all kinds of murders due to drug deals gone wrong and whatnot. I used to like exploring it when crossing that border. Last time the whole area was being redeveloped as part of China's Belt and Road initiative. I think the new train line was going to go through there. There were some videos on UA-cam of that casino both while it was open and while it was abandoned. Anyway dude I'd love to see you explore Laos a bit at some time and meet the people there. Going to Isaan first is a great intro because Isaan people are so friendly and there culture is like the rest of Thailand but also has much more in common with Laos. Great stuff as always Paddy!
When I went to Nong Khai in 2014 I had a lovely street interview with a charming policeman! He didn't say he was a cop. But the starched shirt, chinos, shiny shoes, and the fact he addressed me in English sent my spidey senses tingling. When he asked me - in a street full of food stalls and restaurants - whether I knew anywhere he could eat - I was made yet more suspicious. He asked where I was from. "Scotland!! Ah, I am just back from St Andrews!!!" Mmm. Really?🤔 Anyway, once he was convinced I was just a hapless cheapskate he let me go. I'd also been quizzed by (my neighbour told me) a retired cop on the train. Be in no doubt; if you do something stupid they will have you!
Sadly very common among Thailand's neighbours. The sketchiest place I've ever been is the no-man's land between Aranyaprathet (Thailand) and Poipet (Cambodia).
You guys go to Laos and immediately act suspicious and scared wtf! Laos is the most safest country in all of southeast Asia! This farang speaks Thai but doesnt know Essan and Laos are similar in culture and language.
BEEN THERE, DONE THAT…I was at the Thai/Laos boarder with a Missionary in 2007. He had to make a border run. I was TERRIFIED when the Laos border agent kept my passport. He said, “You will get it back when you return to Thailand.” But I was thinking, “I will be kidnapped and held for ransom.” It was a gut wrenching day but I did make it back with my passport.
i'm Half asian (thai+lao) and French and yes it's a bit disturbing to see that building around nowhere, there are also others in the country as gambling is forbidden in Thailand and China ..
great video./.. pretty sad though because the same thhing has happened in cambodia on a much bigger scale. Sihanoukville has over 150 casinos.. and the crime that comes with it. Locals can no longer afford to live in their own town.
Also went to Lao few years back via Golden Triangle. Took a boat from Thailand and into Laos. But I feel like the part we got dropped off was touristy like they had different booths selling handmade things. And was very small area. Stayed maybe half hour then back on the boat to Thailand.
Great video! I'll have to go up there for a bit. Koh Samui is beautiful but its making me soft. I'm glad you brought awareness to this place. I had no idea it existed. Well done Paddy!
We crossed the river there in the late '80's to catch a fast boat to Luang Prabang. Definitely different now. I bought the visa to Lao in Bangkok as the border control at the boat ramp on the Lao side was just like a police box, with no one in it.
Hey, it's you, from The Thaiger comment section! 😃 I've pretty much stopped watching the Thaiger because their comment section became quite toxic. Surprised to see a familiar and friendly name on this channel, though!
@@itsafunnyoldworld yes it’s me from the Thaiger news, sadly I don’t follow anymore after Jett left and your correct the comments section was badly moderated and even if you left a constructive comment you would be shot down . Anyway I’ll continue to follow your vlog as they are different and very entertaining....cheers Tim from Perth WA
I was there a few years ago and yes it is a Chinese version of Las Vegas or as they say, Laos Vegas. Purely built for Chinese who sail down the Mekong because gambling is outlawed in China and designed to line the pocket of corrupt officials. Best avoided but it is an experience. Sadly Laos is being exploited by it's powerful neighbour.
I've heard that a lot but I did go to Sihanoukville before the Chinese came and my impression was not good. To me it felt seedier than many other places in the area and I saw far more old western guys with local teenage girls than anywhere else. I didn't go to the beach areas though, just exploring around the town for a few days while waiting for my Vietnamese visa from the consulate that's there. I have been to Phnom Penh both before and after though. It was already my least favourite capital city in Southeast Asia but now it feels dodgier. There's new fancy shopping malls and skyscrapers though.
@@andrewdunbar828 I've only been to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh - I didn't think much of Phnom Penh either... but good to hear I didn't miss out on much in Sihanoukville by the sounds of things.
Just a little correction on your visa terminology : you didn't "extend your visa" with 30 days by doing a quick trip across the border (known as border bounce). Your visa or visa exempt was about to expire, and with your border bounce you got a new permission to stay by way of visa exempt which gave you 30 days. (meaning this trip must have been before October, because now you get 45 days). A 30-day extension would have been done inside Thailand (which you may have already done ?) So coming back in Thailand your previous visa has been used up completely and you got a permission to stay 30 days, for which you got a stamp where you will find ผ.30 in it. ผ.30 หมายถึงประเทศ/เขตเศรษฐกิจที่คนชาติได้รับสิทธิให้เดินทางเข้าราชอาณาจักรเพื่อการท่องเที่ยวโดยได้รับการยกเว้นการตรวจลงตรา จ านวนรวม 42 ประเทศ /เขตเศรษฐกิจ ได้แก่ Australia, Austria, .......
I left Thailand week ago, cos my visa run out. I was in thailand 10 months (1 month + 1 month extention + 8 months covid visa (2+2+2+2)), I know that If I get back to thailand I will get 45 days + 30 days extension, my question is, can I come back now to thailand, I mean does that rule that you can stay in thailand max. 3 months from each half year applies or not? Thank you.
Yes, you should make this video! I visited this casino with Lao friends 10 years ago. (Students I sponsored through college.) Yes we had a good look, We did not gamble. We left. Worth the learning experience. I learnt the phrase "khoi boh mak khon chin". This is not real Laos. Cheers!
Paddy, Tai- Siamese never migrated from anywhere. We have been in this land ever since. Only the language and culture that are transferred from groups to groups.
Immigration building was closed last time I was there. You can travel across for a day without paperwork as long as you come back, but I totally would've taken a visa extension at the time! Also the Laos casino area is weird and we should tell everyone how weird it is and to not go. Go somewhere else in Laos to have a good day. You can hear them blaring music as if it is cool from the other side of the river at night but then you see that it is a self-contained stage park with no actual Laos people in the area and no culture, because it is overtaken by the Chinese casinos. Also also, I'm pretty sure we almost got mugged but ran away from a sketchy taxi situation. My afterthought was that Myanmar would have been safer. That says a lot at time of writing.
This probably is the most dangerous casino in the world. Sanctioned by US government due to involvement in drug and human trafficking. Walking around the streets as you did in this video, you aren't far from human trafficking victims. Locked inside and imprisoned, forced to work in scam centres to steal money via online methods.
Yeah he Flowing with the Thai chick's. So much that he a pro at speaking the Thai language. So didn't want to show the Lao ppls or chill with them for a day to explore Laos side. His mission was only to get a visa to get an extension to stay in Thailand . The only way was to cross the boarder to my homeland Laos 🇱🇦. Yeah I don't understand your Thai either! Just like those ladies don't understand Laos. Ridiculous
I am curious what Country you are from: guessing New Zealand ( or Australia?). Another Ytuber on his channel could not get in as an American. No way, Jose. Was told over and over NO.
How is it that you're allowed to just pay to enter Laos? The Laos embassy site says "Tourist visas valid for 30 days can be obtained on arrival at Vientiane and Luang Prabang International Airports, and at the Friendship Bridge between Nong Khai Thailand and Vientiane Laos. Passport photographs are required for a visa on arrival. All other crossing points require a valid Lao visa already in the passport, which must be obtained from a Lao Embassy abroad." You weren't entering from any of those points and didn't say anything about passport photos, so it appears you entered by some method the Laos Embassy doesn't mention online.
you just need to take a look what is happening in Cambodia ... 西港.... The way the mainland China Chinese has abused the place and the whole country. Laos will not be spared
I really wished the lao government would shut off shut down those china casino in laos becus the chinese are really secretly doing inhumane deeds inside those tall buildings (underground human trafficking). Very messed up lao country now that chinese has bought more and more lao lands to try to make business to make money which is nasty money cus of chinese underground inhumane human trafficking. When will the chinese ever learn to stop being inhumane.
I did this 18 yrs ago but got to Laos from Nong Khai. I did make sure to avoid getting a fake visa made up out the front of the Thai embassy by a vendor selling such visas at the same price as the embassy’s visas. The Thai embassy was very easy to deal with, very quick service, no dramas whatsoever. Love your vids. Keep going strong. ⭐️
Nong Khai from Vientiane is the easiest way to do a visa run in my opinion. You just pay a bit for the shuttle bus across the bridge and back and you can only pay in Thai currency, not Kip
Just to note.
That casino is run by:
Hong Kong Fuk Hing Travel Entertainment Group
(The name is a little rude but, apparently, they don't give a Hing)
Oh grandpa!
Laos is a wonderful country, I suspect like Thailand was decades ago. don't let this experience decide how you see Laos, because you would certainly enjoy visiting places throughout the country, including Luang Prabang and even Vientiane.
I haven't been to Chiang Saen in almost 30 years and have always loved that area of Chiang Rai. I didn't recognize the Lao side of the border now. Kinda sad to see what's happened ...
Really enjoyed this vlogging, Paddy. I do agree with what you said! Wow, you've made history, first foreigner! Thank you 🙏❤️🇹🇭 Ps, love your Thai talk 👍
It’s dangerous to use the atm machines in casinos and bars or restaurants to withdraw money because once the card is entered they will scan and clone the card and recognize the PIN number, only use the ATM in the real banks of the bank card, you should now check the money in the bank daily , go to the bank and ask for a new account and new card and new PIN, many people make this mistake
Wth
Yep we randomly went there too attempting to have a quick visit to laos and being drawn by a spectacular looking building across the river. I can completely vouch for that place being the weirdest place ive ever visited also. A genuine soulless Chinese bubble in lao. We didnt enter that super casino but after half an hour in china town we realised something was definitely off and sinister in the shadows. Caught a glimpse of a very rough looking burmese labour encampment on the taxi ride out of town. Was very relieved to get back into Thailand.
Hi Tim, can you elaborate more on the weirdness and the "off"-ness of the place, please? You and Paddy both say the same thing, but neither of you really give examples of what you actually mean. And it's left me in truly disappointed suspense 😂
@@carlruppert7324 Organ harvesting, forced prostitution of locals, drug production and smuggling to name a few
@@carlruppert7324There's nothing weird about the place except that it's a very densely built up area out of nowhere. Lum Nam Tha area and Phongsali are very rural provinces where you heaps of tribal people in their tribal clothes then bam suddenly u have Las Vegas in the middle of the jungle and little towns. But that's because they cater to the Thai gamblers and now Chinese that come over from the border or have set up shop in the country. Thailand was doing that in the border zones way before the Chinese. Casinos open up at the fringe border towns with Thailand because gambling is illegal in Thailand. What adds to the allude here is that it was the lawless golden triangle area of the 80s and 90s. It's just a tourist infested Disneyland now. The drugs are still there though. Yaba and Ice etc. Don't have Khun Sa or remnant KMT army growing poppy anymore.
That area of Laos 50 years ago was just drug manufacturing and Thais stayed away. Over the years Laos has become just another province of China, especially in the north and Sihanoukville. A beautiful and friendly country has been forever changed. So sad.
Thank you for sharing it. I've heard about it from all sides, not sure whether I should visit there by myself. Now I have a better understanding and a POV experience. I echo "a poor country being bought out by a far greater power" and have mixed feelings about it. I also like the word Laosvegas... I'll use it 🙂
Paddy - Great video, I am new to your channel. As noted in the comments the same thing has happened in Sihanoukville and even Ha Long Bay Vietnam. We call it silent colonialism. Also, it is known as zero dollar tourism. Specifically, what happens is the Chinese bring in all chinese construction workers (sometimes N Korean as well - great BBC documentary on this BTW) while promising jobs to locals, which is a lie. Then all the workers need food, so they open Chinese restaurants owned by the Chinese forcing out local restaurants. At the end of the construction, you have Chinese owned hotels, chinese owned restaurants, and Chinese owned gift shops. When the Chinese come to visit, ZERO dollars end up being spent on locally provided goods and services, hence the name. It is happening all over SE Asia and it is heartbreaking.
Spot on it is typically pernicious Chinese behaviour.
Ahhh another foreigner who prefer a cheap undeveloped country for cheap vacation hahaha
To you it maybe silent colonialism to some it could be called progress hahaha
And best part is says the true colonialist loool
@@anakborneo8459 progress 555. If parasitic China aka CCP is involved it is inevitably regress for the country they are exploiting.
@@diamondsandrust6877 555 mean you are thai ? Now I have a question...why is there such a trend now in Thailand among students and workers to speak mandarin ? Almost every 7 eleven staff can speak mandarin why is that ? Are you saying Thailand is trying hard to regress itself ? And the CCP is just the government of china .. purpose of every country party in power is to take care of their own citizen same as US UK or Korea etc etc
Do you expect say Biden to take care of thai people interest over US citizens? Come on...
From Malaysia 🇲🇾
Never heard 7 Eleven staff talk Mandarin baseless claim on face. CCP under dictator Xi Jinping is untrustworthy on an epic scale far exceeding any democracy. Abysmal human rights record Taiwan dont want them like Ukraine doesnt want Russia blatant lies about Hong Kong record COVID cover up stealing resources worth tens of millions from Australian miners in Ghana the list goes on. Thailand rightly backing away from foreign ownership of land.
Kings Roman is pretty dodgy alright…
There’s tons more dodgy casinos at lots of Thai land border crossings. Laos, Cambodia and Burma. It’s a bit of fun going especially the people watching aspect.
If you want to check out some more proper dodgy ones, then Poipet on the Cambodian border has lots of them. Also Mae sot/Myawaddy on the Burmese border has a little mini vegas strip. It’s a 10 second boat trip across the Moei river. No passport or visa required.
Very weird places but interesting….
Great video mate, nothing wrong with shining a light on corruption, it helps the locals.
Usually the fees at the border are cheaper in US dollars than in Baht. But that might only apply to fees in the neighbouring countries. I usually take some with me, or I buy some at SuperRich in Thailand, which always offers the best exchange rates. There's casinos right next to borders all around there. There was a small one in Cambodia just over the Thai border. I talked to some guys in a cafe who work there and they told me most of the punters are Chinese and Thai because gambling is illegal in China and Thailand and people with dirty money love gambling and Cambodia has lots of Chinese businessmen, expats, etc lately. There was a gigantic casino complex just on the Lao side of the border with China that China finally told Laos to close down after all kinds of murders due to drug deals gone wrong and whatnot. I used to like exploring it when crossing that border. Last time the whole area was being redeveloped as part of China's Belt and Road initiative. I think the new train line was going to go through there. There were some videos on UA-cam of that casino both while it was open and while it was abandoned.
Anyway dude I'd love to see you explore Laos a bit at some time and meet the people there. Going to Isaan first is a great intro because Isaan people are so friendly and there culture is like the rest of Thailand but also has much more in common with Laos.
Great stuff as always Paddy!
I was first in Lao 🇱🇦 in 2002. So much natural scenery! Thanks for another insightful and fun adventure, Paddy! 🙏🏽🇹🇭❤️
I used to work in that casino for a year. Great memories from Laos.
Doing what, exactly?
@@carlruppert7324what else do you want to know 😂😂😂my bank account 😂😂😂
Laos Vegas😂Kool vid! Thanks Paddy🙏
When I went to Nong Khai in 2014 I had a lovely street interview with a charming policeman! He didn't say he was a cop. But the starched shirt, chinos, shiny shoes, and the fact he addressed me in English sent my spidey senses tingling. When he asked me - in a street full of food stalls and restaurants - whether I knew anywhere he could eat - I was made yet more suspicious. He asked where I was from. "Scotland!! Ah, I am just back from St Andrews!!!" Mmm. Really?🤔 Anyway, once he was convinced I was just a hapless cheapskate he let me go. I'd also been quizzed by (my neighbour told me) a retired cop on the train. Be in no doubt; if you do something stupid they will have you!
You gotta love how open Paddy can be in these videos "TIme to hop across the border and exit Thailand, so I can extend my visa" :)
Sadly very common among Thailand's neighbours. The sketchiest place I've ever been is the no-man's land between Aranyaprathet (Thailand) and Poipet (Cambodia).
You guys go to Laos and immediately act suspicious and scared wtf! Laos is the most safest country in all of southeast Asia! This farang speaks Thai but doesnt know Essan and Laos are similar in culture and language.
Agree
BS Laos dangerous
Fascinating video. Thank you for creating and sharing it.
BEEN THERE, DONE THAT…I was at the Thai/Laos boarder with a Missionary in 2007. He had to make a border run. I was TERRIFIED when the Laos border agent kept my passport. He said, “You will get it back when you return to Thailand.” But I was thinking, “I will be kidnapped and held for ransom.” It was a gut wrenching day but I did make it back with my passport.
Great video Paddy as usual ! Please do more videos of Chiang rai. Hope to move there after the New Year .
Very interesting. I'm surprised the whole backing and forthing across the border was so simple.
i'm Half asian (thai+lao) and French and yes it's a bit disturbing to see that building around nowhere, there are also others in the country as gambling is forbidden in Thailand and China ..
great video./.. pretty sad though because the same thhing has happened in cambodia on a much bigger scale. Sihanoukville has over 150 casinos.. and the crime that comes with it.
Locals can no longer afford to live in their own town.
Also went to Lao few years back via Golden Triangle. Took a boat from Thailand and into Laos. But I feel like the part we got dropped off was touristy like they had different booths selling handmade things. And was very small area. Stayed maybe half hour then back on the boat to Thailand.
Interesting video. Thanks for sharing it!
As a gambler, I so much want to go there, stay, & gamble!
Great video! I'll have to go up there for a bit. Koh Samui is beautiful but its making me soft. I'm glad you brought awareness to this place. I had no idea it existed. Well done Paddy!
No one ever telling you if you’re a criminal person! Everything looks so clean but whatever behind your back right.
I spent a month in Northern Thailand in August. I stayed in Chiang Saen, but never went across the river to that casino.
Awesome video! Well done! You made it so dramatic. Really wasn't aware about the Chinese role in the triangle.
THEY are the story of that place.
I really enjoyed your vid today.. Im not a big gambler but I do indulge amd kick life to bring more life to live
ดีมากครับ ท่องเที่ยวกับคนไทย ดูเป็นกันเอง สนุกครับ ขอให้ท่องเที่ยวแบบนี้กับคนไทยอีกครับ เป็นกำลังใจให้ครับ
I don't think you've seen enough ....
We crossed the river there in the late '80's to catch a fast boat to Luang Prabang. Definitely different now. I bought the visa to Lao in Bangkok as the border control at the boat ramp on the Lao side was just like a police box, with no one in it.
You are right, it did the complete opposite. It's pretty sad to see. Great job always Sir Paddy
Thanks Paddy , great and well said info
Good one paddy. How about doing videos going round food markets and talking to the people in thai
Great video Paddy....glad i caught it...again thanks for sharing this 🙏🙏🙏
Hey, it's you, from The Thaiger comment section! 😃 I've pretty much stopped watching the Thaiger because their comment section became quite toxic. Surprised to see a familiar and friendly name on this channel, though!
@@itsafunnyoldworld yes it’s me from the Thaiger news, sadly I don’t follow anymore after Jett left and your correct the comments section was badly moderated and even if you left a constructive comment you would be shot down .
Anyway I’ll continue to follow your vlog as they are different and very entertaining....cheers Tim from Perth WA
I really enjoyed that video, great stuff
Asking a Thai girl if shes hungry 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Everytime after watching your video, feels like i have traveled to thailand 🤣
I was there a few years ago and yes it is a Chinese version of Las Vegas or as they say, Laos Vegas. Purely built for Chinese who sail down the Mekong because gambling is outlawed in China and designed to line the pocket of corrupt officials. Best avoided but it is an experience. Sadly Laos is being exploited by it's powerful neighbour.
Oh yes. I have also been to the Golden triangle. It is a very interesting place as you have just said. So cool that you are making videos like these
Yeah I have a natural gambling addiction so I’ll steer clear from this place 😂
😂 😂
Similar to what's happened to Sihanoukville in Cambodia then - shame I didn't get to go there before it got taken over :(
I've heard that a lot but I did go to Sihanoukville before the Chinese came and my impression was not good. To me it felt seedier than many other places in the area and I saw far more old western guys with local teenage girls than anywhere else. I didn't go to the beach areas though, just exploring around the town for a few days while waiting for my Vietnamese visa from the consulate that's there.
I have been to Phnom Penh both before and after though. It was already my least favourite capital city in Southeast Asia but now it feels dodgier. There's new fancy shopping malls and skyscrapers though.
@@andrewdunbar828 I've only been to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh - I didn't think much of Phnom Penh either... but good to hear I didn't miss out on much in Sihanoukville by the sounds of things.
@@tims85it was never a paradise , but it was different and crazy
Go to a Loas bank and not be able to use the ATM? haha he's full of it. They get commission for taking you to the casino.
Lao Bank cannot withdraw Thai baht but in casino you can with draw Thai baht.
I enjoyed this. wish it was longer.
Thanks for making the vid of this topic. Although the process seems simple, I wonder why it’s not so crowded.
When you said 1000 on RED I knew you were doomed to lose your money! hahah
Thanks for doing this. Definitely know I won't be crossing over to visit now. Not the Laos I want see. Safe travels.
Hi Paddy I saw you the other day in Terminal 21 I was about to approach you but you are busy ordering food haha 😂 hope to see you again.
Next time make sure to say hello!!!
@@ThaiTalkwithPaddy Sure Sir hope to see you again, im your fan from the Philippines, been watching your videos since 2020. Take Care ❤️.
Hey Paddy. Its my last day in Thailand and I am staying near Terminal 21. If you are around we can meet for a beer tonight.
I was there in July 2022. I think I was the first foreigner to gamble there. I rented a hotel there , it was a very scary place.
สวัสดีครับ Paddy ยินดีต้อนรักกลับสู่ประเทศไทยครับ ถ้าคุณจะไปกรุงเทพผมอยากให้คุณมากินผัดไทยในร้านของผมครับ ถ้าคุณสนใจเรื่องของผมทําให้ผมรู้เวลาคุณจะว่างครับ และผมจะบอกคุณว่าผมเรียนพูดภาษาไทยได้อย่างไรและทําไมผมเลือกเปลี่ยนประเทศมาอาศัยอยู่ประเทศไทยครับ ✌🏻
สนใจครับ! ติดต่อในIGผมได้ไหมครับ (thaitalkpaddy) ขอบคุณครับพี่
I’ve played there cuz, 7 years ago :) Strange thing when I was there is they didn’t even blink at me.
dude, you got a sick mullet in your passport photo 👍
Hi Paddy great video. how was the Chinese buffet at the casino?
Super spooky! I love Chiang Saen though! Are you going to make a video of the Skywalk temple?
Just a little correction on your visa terminology : you didn't "extend your visa" with 30 days by doing a quick trip across the border (known as border bounce).
Your visa or visa exempt was about to expire, and with your border bounce you got a new permission to stay by way of visa exempt which gave you 30 days. (meaning this trip must have been before October, because now you get 45 days). A 30-day extension would have been done inside Thailand (which you may have already done ?)
So coming back in Thailand your previous visa has been used up completely and you got a permission to stay 30 days, for which you got a stamp where you will find ผ.30 in it.
ผ.30 หมายถึงประเทศ/เขตเศรษฐกิจที่คนชาติได้รับสิทธิให้เดินทางเข้าราชอาณาจักรเพื่อการท่องเที่ยวโดยได้รับการยกเว้นการตรวจลงตรา จ านวนรวม 42 ประเทศ
/เขตเศรษฐกิจ ได้แก่ Australia, Austria, .......
I left Thailand week ago, cos my visa run out. I was in thailand 10 months (1 month + 1 month extention + 8 months covid visa (2+2+2+2)), I know that If I get back to thailand I will get 45 days + 30 days extension, my question is, can I come back now to thailand, I mean does that rule that you can stay in thailand max. 3 months from each half year applies or not? Thank you.
Laos Vegas !! paddy you are comedic genius haha
I will be totally fine in that casino🤣I’m Chinese American and speak perfect mandarin and cantonese.
How come you don't make more videos like this?
A sad tale. The only thing I would have done differently would be not give the casino 2000 of my hard earned baht.
Great video. BTW, did the driver get paid?
Yes he did!
Paddy is so cute☺️
Very nice building!,, lots of sadness behind it. Laotian needs help… I’m sad watching this good video thank you for sharing
Cheap Charlie Paddy! You take a 1,000 baht to get your visa renewed. Seriously!
In mid 90s I drove up from KL all the way to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. I just use a boarder pass. Phut Thai Mai Mi though
Guess you've never been to Cambodia then, if this was the "weirdest" or "most dangerous" Chinese casino you've ever been to.
Welcome to my hood Paddy... my relatives are just next door in Chiang Kong
Excellent
Yes, you should make this video! I visited this casino with Lao friends 10 years ago. (Students I sponsored through college.) Yes we had a good look, We did not gamble. We left.
Worth the learning experience. I learnt the phrase "khoi boh mak khon chin".
This is not real Laos.
Cheers!
(You don't like Chinese people ')
Paddy, Tai- Siamese never migrated from anywhere. We have been in this land ever since. Only the language and culture that are transferred from groups to groups.
Immigration building was closed last time I was there. You can travel across for a day without paperwork as long as you come back, but I totally would've taken a visa extension at the time! Also the Laos casino area is weird and we should tell everyone how weird it is and to not go. Go somewhere else in Laos to have a good day. You can hear them blaring music as if it is cool from the other side of the river at night but then you see that it is a self-contained stage park with no actual Laos people in the area and no culture, because it is overtaken by the Chinese casinos. Also also, I'm pretty sure we almost got mugged but ran away from a sketchy taxi situation. My afterthought was that Myanmar would have been safer. That says a lot at time of writing.
This probably is the most dangerous casino in the world. Sanctioned by US government due to involvement in drug and human trafficking. Walking around the streets as you did in this video, you aren't far from human trafficking victims. Locked inside and imprisoned, forced to work in scam centres to steal money via online methods.
5555...LAO VEGAS! That's a good one Paddy. 🤣😂
SAME LAS VEGAS HONGKONG SINGAPORE
Did you have any problems with your ATM card afterwards? Like money gone missing from your account? Kinda scary.
I did
Dang. Seems like a cash only place. But that would not be a good idea neither.
Invite "Blondy in china" come here with you to be interpreted 😆😆
Thailand is your home, Paddy.
I'm looking forward to a video in Lao with Lao people. But this was great for now.
Yeah he Flowing with the Thai chick's. So much that he a pro at speaking the Thai language. So didn't want to show the Lao ppls or chill with them for a day to explore Laos side. His mission was only to get a visa to get an extension to stay in Thailand . The only way was to cross the boarder to my homeland Laos 🇱🇦. Yeah I don't understand your Thai either! Just like those ladies don't understand Laos. Ridiculous
swdikap i also can speak thai and thank for your make me now about 3 tringle khop khun khap..🙏
I am curious what Country you are from: guessing New Zealand ( or Australia?). Another Ytuber on his channel could not get in as an American. No way, Jose. Was told over and over NO.
Bro, what are the directions to get there?
Thank you for contributing to this video to make people more ware of what going on there. I’m a halfie American that was raised in Chiangrai.
Paddy kharp I want to ask you how long does it take to understand Thai and how to study Thai every day
I live in Mueng Chiang Rai. Ill be back in December if you want to link up.
make sure you upload this way after you leave
I was in Laos for over 4 years
I watched another video by an American UA-camer. They wouldn't let him in the Laos special economic district you were in because he was an American.
คุณ แพดดี้ วิธีพูดภาษาไทยให้ชัดขึ้น คือ คุณ ต้องพูดให้เบาลงและช้าลง คนใต้ที่พูดกลางชัดที่สุดใช้วิธีนี้ (คุณ ชวน หลีกภัย)
How is it that you're allowed to just pay to enter Laos? The Laos embassy site says "Tourist visas valid for 30 days can be obtained on arrival at Vientiane and Luang Prabang International Airports, and at the Friendship Bridge between Nong Khai Thailand and Vientiane Laos. Passport photographs are required for a visa on arrival. All other crossing points require a valid Lao visa already in the passport, which must be obtained from a Lao Embassy abroad." You weren't entering from any of those points and didn't say anything about passport photos, so it appears you entered by some method the Laos Embassy doesn't mention online.
The place is called Tonphung or something and they do have visa on arrival. immigration.gov.la/checkpoints/
you just need to take a look what is happening in Cambodia ... 西港.... The way the mainland China Chinese has abused the place and the whole country.
Laos will not be spared
Amazing
I think it's 45 days now? Unless it's only by plane. I was restamped for 45 days when I returned from Laos.
few weeks ago
prob leading to some economic prosperity
I really wished the lao government would shut off shut down those china casino in laos becus the chinese are really secretly doing inhumane deeds inside those tall buildings (underground human trafficking). Very messed up lao country now that chinese has bought more and more lao lands to try to make business to make money which is nasty money cus of chinese underground inhumane human trafficking. When will the chinese ever learn to stop being inhumane.
I FOLLOW YOU BACK TO USA MAN
Been there it's more safer than New York