Information

General information about Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) See information about Nakhon_Ratchasima_Province

Visas and Travel Documents

International delegates please check if you need to apply for Visa or prepare documents to enter . Effective April 16, 2015, the Thai consular has announced a list of countries and territories entitled for Thai visa exemption and visa on arrival at the link below. http://www.consular.go.th/main/contents/files/services-20150416-163059-030173.pdf

If you require a conference invitation letter for your journey, please make your request by emailing [email protected] providing your name as on passport and address.

Travel to Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat)

There are complimentary scheduled shuttles which SUT offers from to/from Nakhon Ratchasima. Please see the shuttle time tables for more details.

However, apart from the complimentary shuttles for the event, there are also other means of for those who are up for a little bit more adventure.

By car: There are three routes to take from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima.

. First Route: Take Highway No. 1 (Phahonyothin) passing Don Muang , Wang Noi and Nong Khae till you arrive at the Saraburi interchange. At Saraburi, turn right on Highway No. 2 (Mittraphap Highway) which finally leads to Nakhon Ratchasima. The total distance of this route is 259 km. . Second Route: This alternative route is a little longer in distance but passes some interesting places. Take Highway No. 304 via Min Buri, Chachoengsao, Phanom Sarakham, Kabin Buri, Wang Nam Khiao and Pak Thong Chai to Nakhon Ratchasima. The total distance is 273 km. . Third Route: Take Highway No. 305 passing Thanyaburi, Ongkharak to Nakhon Nayok. From Nakhon Nayok, turn right onto Highway No. 33 to Kabin Buri and then turn left on Highway No. 304 passing Wang Nam Khiao and Pak Thong Chai to Nakhon Ratchasima.

By : between Bangkok and Korat are served by Mo Chit Northern/Northeastern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit 2 Bus Terminal), and depart every 30 minutes for the 3 ½ hour journey: buses leave Bangkok for Korat several times an hour 24 hours a day. Go to the top floor of the terminal building and buy your ticket at window 40, 49, 50, 52 or 53. The price is 220 baht, one-way from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima. The buses follow 'First Route' described above. There are two main bus stations in Korat. The new is the larger of the two and is just to the north of the city centre, beyond Big C on the Korat to Khon Kaen stretch of Mittraphap Road. The old bus station is within the city centre on Burin Road between Suranaree Road and Mittraphap.

. Window 40 and 49 - Ratchasima Tour. Direct 24-hour service. Window 40 for the old bus station and window 49 for the new bus station. . Window 50 - Suranaree Air. Tickets for services to either station are sold at the same window. Confusingly, there are two windows #50 at Mo Chit (50 and 50ก). The one you need is on the left of the two. . Windows 52 and 53 - Air Korat Pattana. Window 52 for buses to the new bus station and window 53 for buses to the old bus station. For more details and pictures see the following stuckinthailand.com/from-bangkok-to-korat

For a description of how to travel from Nakhon Ratchasima to Bangkok see the following stuckinthailand.com/travel-from-korat-to-bangkok

By train: Trains leave from Bangkok Railway Station (Huam Lamphong) daily and can take anything from 4 to 6 hours depending on what type of train you catch. are very reasonable for the 264 km journey. The 1st class (express train only) is 230 baht, while the 2nd class and 3rd class fares are 115 baht and 50 baht respectively. Visit www.railway.co.th or call 1690 for more up-to-date schedules and fares. This means of transport is the slowest way to get to Korat. But if you do have plenty of time on your hands and wish to get a scenic view, and up-close and personal with the locals, this is the way for you.

Getting Around Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat)

By taxi: Meter-taxis are a fairly new introduction to the Korat roads. They are blue and yellow in colour and scarce in number. If you are lucky enough to see one for hire on the street then you can hail it as you would a Bangkok taxi. It is 30 baht for the first kilometre and 4 baht a kilometre after that. You can call 66(0)-4434-2255 for one but if you do that then the meter won't be used but a fixed fee will be charged for your journey. Furthermore, you can't book one in advance as you can with a minicab. You just have to call when you want one and hope that one is available.

By tuk-tuk: The three-wheeled buzzboxes are plentiful in the city. They congregate in large numbers outside shopping centres, department stores, the two bus stations and . And individuals will be dotted along all the busy roads, the fares for both of which should be agreed upon before setting out. By motorbike taxi:

Wherever you find tuk-tuks you will find motorbike taxis. Their fares are generally two-thirds to three- quarters those of tuk-tuks (i.e., a 60 baht tuk-tuk fare will be 40 baht on a motorbike, etc). Safety is obviously a concern for a lot of travellers when it comes to motorcycle taxis. Only you can decide if you want to risk it or not but the rider should at least provide a helmet.

By (samlor):

The traditional pedal powered samlor ( literally, three wheels ) is a large tricycle with room for - at a squeeze - two passengers who sit on a covered, padded seat behind the rider. These days there are far more tuk-tuks and motorcycle taxis than Samlors but you can still find them dotted along most major roads. They come into their own during the Yamo festival ( end of March/start of April ) when Ratchadamnoen Road is closed and pedestrianized every evening and Samlors are the only form of transport allowed. You will notice that all samlor operators are elderly men so do not get them to take you halfway across the city! A kilometre or so is a more appropriate distance and it will only cost you 20 Baht.

By songthaew:

A Songthaew is a pick-up truck which has been converted into a small short-hop bus. Passengers step into the back of the truck and sit on parallel benches. When you want to get off just press the buzzer and hand your fare through the passenger window to the driver.

Each Songthaew follows a fixed route and there are around 20 different routes which cover most roads in the city. The vehicles come in a variety of colours and numbers - each denoting a different route. Most have their route number prominently displayed on a board above the window. Some start as early as 5 am and run as late as 11 pm but generally speaking it is rare to see one before 7 am and very rare to see one much after 9 pm. For more information, visit www.thailand-delights