Taxi Service at Nakhon Phanom.
Since I didn't find any help from forum, sharing experience which might be useful to someone.
I needed a taxi to travel Nakhon Phanom to Phu Tok then to Nong Khai. I checked with my hotel and as per them there is no pre-book system exists in NP, my best guess it is because there is no taxi mafia in NP.
The next morning we asked the hotel to call a Tuk-Tuk for us and left for Nakhon Phanom bus station. The bus station guys told no taxi / car would do this trip and instead suggested to book a mini-van for this. A mini-van was readily available and the price quoted was 4000 baht for the entire trip. I happily accepted it and within minutes we were heading towards our destination. Do remember that they don't speak much English so it's almost required to speak Thai / Lao when you are there.
My observations: NP is a very laid back small town with some of the nicest people I have met in Thailand, even the police are so sweet. The town come to sleep by 9 pm except the Mekong riverside areas. Grab doesn't work here and I'm also not sure any dedicated taxi stand availability like BKK. To travel withing the city it's best to hire a bi-cycle or rent a tuk-tuk, the prices are very cheap and almost no one will try to rob you. Not many people speak English, so if you speak Lao / Thai you should be fine. If you want to hire a taxi / van, the best bet is the bus station. Even if nothing is readily available they will find someone for you.
My trip to Phu Tok is memorable and the Issan village life is so peaceful to see. If you want to get out of the main stream tourist areas, busy beaches and packed nightlife my suggestion is to visit Nakhon Phaon / Sakhon Nakhon. The most important thing, people here are so nice and things are so cheap. I loved it and going back soon.
American Drug Pusher Checks Out, GF Survives
[URL]https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7655113/Fugitive-Kentucky-man-girlfriend-captured-Thailand.html[/URL]
Interesting viudeo here of a Yasnk and his Isaan GF shooting their way out of a prison. He later took the riuce paddy temperature challenge but she survived. She's facing the death penalty now but she was facing that anyway. A pity she wears a a mask as we cannot drool over her.
Long story short, lots of nasty farangs about.