Savannakhet: An observation.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

This is my third day in Savannakhet, and I will put forth some remarks that may be of use.

First, many of you know that Savaanakhet is home to Savann Vegas the well-run gambling site that is popular with many Thais that cross the border for that purpose. It has a first-class hotel ($40-50/night), restaurant and buffet.

In town, I have stayed at the Hoongthip Hotel, which is 800 baht a night in the new section, and 600 baht a night in the old section. The staff are friendly, but the hotel is tired and old. Some rooms have a musty smell, but they are clean. There is a nightclub by the side of the hotel with about 8 Lao ladies ready to relieve (fleece) you of kip, baht or U.S. dollars. The TV in 103A does not work, but in the old section, room 105, the TV does work. Most of the staff speak perfect English as does the Mae Baan (the leading shift cleaning lady)

A better option, if you are not staying at the Casino, is New Saen Sabai Hotel, which is modern, clean, and new. The staff here are friendly too.

There is an excellent restaurant across from the Hoongthip, the Vasana. Be careful about eating by the waterfront as the flies tend to alight on the food constantly.

This is not much in the way of nightlife, and what there is closes at midnight. There is the aforementioned night club with ladies available for conversation and dancing. Most of the punters are old (50-70) Chinese men. The girls look a bit rougher than the ladies you see on the streets walking around shopping, going to work, etc.

Notices on the doors of all hotels say that guest are not welcome, and I have heard rumours that the police sometimes show up and arrest you if you cannot prove the lady you are with is not your lawfully wedded wife.

In addition to the Hoongthip Night Club you can hear live performers at both the Homfa and Sabai Dee restaurants. Younger people frequent the former, whilst the middle aged crew are the audience at the latter. The performer at the Homfa was more energetic than the one at the Sabai Dee. Oh, and the Hoonthip nightclub has a live band too. The singer looked to be around 50.

I did not see any large department stores, but there is a lively market next to the bus station.

For those of you who like to collect videos of your favourite Lao luk thung and morlam performers, for example Umphone, Ladsamee and Saengmaapha, there are quite a few places to whet your appetite.

No-one wants the Lao currency, which is, I think, accepted by banks in Laos. So, when you pay in Thai baht, the Lao go through a routine of searching every pocket, cash register and so on for Thai baht. Then they shrug their shoulders and give you kip (1 baht = 250 kip). It cost 4,000 kip to use a computer in an internet shop, which is the same price for a soft drink. Yesterday, I was stuck with 50,000 unwanted kip. After buying a vcd, I searched everywhere to pay the shop owner with Thai baht, but could not find any. Much to the chagrin of the owner I paid in kip.

There is an interesting wat ouside town, Wat In Heng, which is of historical importance.

The Mekong River is close by, about a 15-20 minute walk from the Hoongthip, and across the road from the Saen. You can sally forth and view garbage floating by on its way to Cambodia and Vietnam. There is a good view of Mukdahan across the river.

Taxis and tuk-tuks will overcharge you, but there is not much you can do about it. However, I did get one guy to lower his price of 200 baht from the river bank to the market to 100 baht.

Oh yes, you get a free breakfast from the Hoongthip which consists of a drink (water, orange juice, tea and coffee), eggs, hot dogs, with French bread with butter and jam; or a Chinese breakfast. Once there was a buffet in which you got the above and Chinese food such as pad-si-u, Chinese buns, and fruit.

That about sums it up for the moment.

Oh, some of the Lao women are very beautiful, and are happy to smile and say hello.

[WhoUrDaddy]

Did you pop into the casino, if so, thoughts. Hopping over to Vientiane soon, was thinking about the casino there, but doesn't sound like it's worth the effort. I like blackjack, best odds and roulette, less thought and better spread, depending on board .

[Brilliant One]

Thanks for a great review Laan Yaa Mo. I've been to Mukdahan a couple of time and thought about going across to Savannakhet and maybe try my luck on the roulette table. Can you pick up a visa and cross over at Mukdahan?

[Laan Yaa Mo]

I have always got the visa in Khon Kaen or Bangkok before entering Laos; however, I have noticed that you can get it right at the Lao border. It means you will lose a bit of time, but that is no problem.

I found out that the 100 baht taxis and tuk-tuks charge you should actually be 1,000 kip. But, if you ask them for the actual fare they will all gather around and tell you that it is 100 baht, and they will walk away. It is, I think, a losing battle.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

Khun Who, I went to the casino last year with a friend from Sukhothai. She liked the slot machines in Canada, but only played a little while. It has all the stuff the Canadian casinos have such as roulette wheels, blackjack tables and slot machines. I have never gambled so I am no expert in this department.

The casino is very modern, high-class, clean and maybe even honest. Lao can work there, but I am not sure that they are permitted to gamble at the casino. Anyway, they play high-lo and such in the villages. Most of the punters were Chinese.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

I forgot to mention that the showers at the Hoongthip provide slightly less than warm water although there is a hot water tap. It just does not function.

Furthermore, I ran across two more nightclubs but did not venture inside so they may be opportunities to meet ladies of the night. When I went to the Hoongthip night club the head waiter asked if I wanted a lady to sit with me. I declined since I had already met most of them outside where they were waiting until the club got busy.

I was intrigued to discover that there were no sewer cockroaches scurrying around the streets at night.

I was not able to find any English language newspapers although the Vientiane News supposedly finds it way to Savaanakhet now and then.

[WhoUrDaddy]

Thanks

[Brilliant One]

Many thanks Laan Yaa Mo.
My girlfriend likes me to take her to visit Mukdahan (market shopping)
I think I will go over Savannakhet next time.
I'm not a real gambler, but I do enjoy playing roulette.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

Great. I hope you enjoy it.

By the way, the 'big' Savannakhet market is right beside the bus station, and is about a 3-minute walk although I am sure the taxi and tuk-tuk drivers would be happy to get you there for 100 baht.

You cannot see the market from the bus station. You have to walk outside the station and turn right.

[Mosquito]

Is there just 1 casino in Savannakhet?

Any idea, if they have live poker tables. No-Limit Holdem/Pot-Limit Omaha w/ $$ blinds being??

Crap tables? 10x or ???? odds

[jackspratt]

Is there just 1 casino in Savannakhet?

Any idea, if they have live poker tables. No-Limit Holdem/Pot-Limit Omaha w/ $$ blinds being??

Crap tables? 10x or ???? odds

Have you thought about google?

http://www.savanvegas.com/

[Laan Yaa Mo]

Khun Mosquito, there is just the one 'legal' casino in Savannakhet, which is a rather small town. I know almost nothing about gambling, but there were tables in which dice were thrown, and money was laid down.

There are many Chinese taking part in the gambling activities so I would think it has everything that a gambler needs and wants.

I do better when people ask me about the range of morlam and luk thung recordings available. 555+