Lowdown on Udon Thani - anyone spent time there?

[colourful-era]

Can't help thinking what it is like to live in a smaller town than BK and am interested in checking out Udon Thani for all the cultural gems it seems to posses.
Anyone spent any time there and can give advice?
Is it boring as fuck for example and how much are you stared at?

Have a shit job in BK at the moment but could transfer to somewhere else (in theory) as it is one of the Mcdonalds style language school chains.

Could just try to get a better job here but at some stage would like to live outside BK anyway.

[poolcleaner]

You're a card CE!

My missus is from Udon Thani and I wouldn't head that way not that I've more than passed through on the way north.

I'd recommend Khon Kaen or Korat. There both bigger and more modern.

Hasn't maccas got a school on an island somewhere?
Phuket has to be an ideal choice.

You realise in most cases you'll take a hefty wage cut to go teaching on dirt floors with 60 kids and 17 seats!

[colourful-era]

Phuket sounds a bit pricey for me - too many rich folk there.

Not sure how much maccas will pay out of BK but I guess the living expenses are less.

Teaching 60 kids etc...sounds grim..

[Texpat]

Udon is larger than both Korat and KK. I've spent about a year there (cumulative) and think it's a pretty good town if you're looking for slow-paced country living. PM me if you're looking for specifics.

Municipalities
1 Krung ThepBKM 6,355,144
2 Samut Prakan CEN 378,741
3 Nonthanburi CEN 291,555
4 Udon Thani NEA 222,425
5 Nakhon Ratchasima NEA 204,641
6 Hat Yai SOU 187,920
7 Chon Buri CEN 183,317
8 Chiang Mai NOR 174,438
9 Phra Pradaeng CEN 171,544
10 Lampang NOR 148,199
11 Pak Kret CEN 142,225
12 Si Racha CEN 141,410
13 Khon Kaen NEA 141,202

http://www.citypopulation.de/Thailand.html (perhaps they're counting the population of the Changwat)

[Fabian]

Texpat, where have you got the statistics from? Every other I have seen says Korat is the biggest of those three cities.

[peterpan]

Can't help thinking what it is like to live in a smaller town than BK and am interested in checking out Udon Thani for all the cultural gems it seems to posses.
Anyone spent any time there and can give advice?
Is it boring as fuck for example and how much are you stared at?

Have a shit job in BK at the moment but could transfer to somewhere else (in theory) as it is one of the Mcdonalds style language school chains.

Could just try to get a better job here but at some stage would like to live outside BK anyway.

Udons Ok, I have recently moved up there and was dreading it a bit but must say even tho I knew Udon well before I moved I am enjoying it so far. Sure its a bit boring as most country towns are but there is a good selection of bars, eating places, housing etc.
10 years ago peole would stare at you but now a farang is a very common sight, almost too common really. Plenty around.

I like riding my MC and bike and there is plenty of opportunity for that. No real downsides as long as you expectations are realistic. The driving can be a bit frustratng in town as evey car / pickup seems to have only one gear, and they parctice the slowest take offs I have ever seen. They guys that live in Udon seem to be family types, dwon to earth, most living very economically.

Girls are available,if thats your bag, quite a few pick up bars and even a quicky during the day is possible. For supplies, compared with Pattay. BKK they are a bit restricted, no decent bread available here, no Villa type shops, just Lotus etc.

All in, its a pleasant (and cheap) place for an old codgers retirement, a month or two monthly trip to BKK or pattaya is what most seem to do.
The one thing that has struck me over the 14 years that I have been coming to Udon is the rapid rise in wealth. 10 years ago I took a new BMW down there, people would stop and stare at it, now they would not bother, Benz BMw and Volvo show rooms are around. You see young locals in bars out spending any farang in there.

[Udonite]

I've had a place in Udon Thani for two years and I like it here. The schools don't have dirt floors, you can get decent bread. It is changing so fast, new housing estates, a new shopping mall planned, to be built right next door to the train station. Lots of nightlife, and places to eat out. Always something going on. Ten years ago a farang would have got stared at but no more, you don't get a second look, as peterpan mentioned a lot of retired guys here.

You can get a nice brand new house for 3 million baht here, in Pattaya you would pay 5 million for it.

Nong Khai just a breeze up Highway 2, famous market and new riverside prom.

[kingwilly]

Girls are available,.........................and even a quicky during the day is possible.

Why am i not surprised that you know this ??

[Rigger]

I just bought another house in Khon kean as I dont think much of Udon and Khon kean is really booming. So I recond any house and land close to central Khon kean would be a good investment and the wife liked it as it close to a market and schools.
For me it is going to be a good change after living in a small village for 3 years. All I can think of is better food and hi speed internet. But anyway when the kids are not in school we will stay at our village home which will always be home base

[Udonite]

Eight years ago Udon only had two bars that catered for farangs. (Western Food).


Now it has 42, and with a P4P scene for the Mongers, and Sexpats.
For the pissheads you can get a drink until 3am. I've had my neice and nephew up here from Phuket for a week, showed them around the night clubs.
Mambo and Climax are packed to the rafters, with a ratio of 5 girls to 1 boy.
It is changing so fast, with land prices in some areas shooting through the roof. The land opposite the site of the new shopping mall, the land owners are sitting on a fortune. Another thing you will notice is people trading a green plate pickup for a saloon car. Much more saloon cars on the roads now. Just a couple of years ago all you would see in Udon would be pick-ups.

[peterpan]

What Udon has in abundance is bladdy Mormon missionaries, has Salt lake city moved over here or something. Went out yesterday and they seemed to be everywhere.
Mind you they do stick out like dogs bollocks with that stupid uniform.

[Anonymous Coward]

I suspect Texpat's figures are based on population in Ampeur Muang rather than Changwat. Based on the whole province Korat would come second or third. A large part of the population is in the rural areas.

However, based on the "bars-that-cater-for-farang" index, Korat is way, way down there with no more than half a dozen.

[peterpan]

I suspect Texpat's figures are based on population in Ampeur Muang rather than Changwat. Based on the whole province Korat would come second or third. A large part of the population is in the rural areas.

However, based on the "bars-that-cater-for-farang" index, Korat is way, way down there with no more than half a dozen.

I wonder why this is ? Is there more farangs up here in Udon? maybe because they are in great numbers now, and despite the average farang age in Udon being close to 92 YO they are knocking out luk krung kids like they have just discovered their dick.

[LesBonsTemps]

We're back and forth between Udon and a couple of outlying villages when we visit.

You might want to visit and take a look around, see if there's enough going on for you -- on our last visit, we had a suite at one of the nicer hotels for 1500 Baht, with Western and Thai breakfast. LOTS of military types in the hotel -- Thai, Singaporean -- there are both Thai air force and army bases nearby, where the U.S. bases were prior to 1975. The VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) post is still active with older fellows who never went home or who have returned in retirement with their Thai wives (lots of these marriages have lasted 35+ years). My husband says the city looks little different than it did in 1973 -- just bigger. It has a very industrial, blue-collar feel to it.

The food is good, lots of variety -- steakhouses, Italian, Mexican, Japanese, etc. Markets are OK but Nong Khai is better. There are a couple of decent golf courses (9 and 18 holes), and I believe another is being built adjacent to a new estate. Housing prices are low. The economy is good, and PeterPan, I noticed the increase in saloon cars and sport coupes also. More talk among falang residents about security gates, window bars, and keeping dogs than would make me comfortable living outside a gated community, frankly.

I had to get used to more attention, probably because they don't see falang women with blonde hair and blue eyes nearly as often as they see the fellows -- I get lots of greetings and "Hello-how-are-you-I-am-fine."

We thought about a 3-4 month per year residence when we retire, but we want to check out Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai next trip, may like it better for actually staying in one place for awhile.

Shara

[Anonymous Coward]

However, based on the "bars-that-cater-for-farang" index, Korat is way, way down there with no more than half a dozen.

I wonder why this is ? Is there more farangs up here in Udon? maybe because they are in great numbers now, and despite the average farang age in Udon being close to 92 YO they are knocking out luk krung kids like they have just discovered their dick.

I think it's because the farang in Korat are more spread out. Both Udon and Khon Kaen "feel" like bigger cities and seem to have more population concentrated in the muang district. As a result, there are more housing possibilities in town. In Korat the farang seem to be dispersed; a great many living in small outlying villages. They come in to town to shop, but they don't come often enough or stay long enough to keep very many western establishments going.

That said, the number of farang you see around has increased dramatically in the two years I've lived here. Go to The Mall now and you see farang (many towing luk krung) everywhere.

As us baby boomers retire (and discover our dicks) I suspect we'll be seeing many, many more.

[peterpan]

As us baby boomers retire (and discover our dicks) I suspect we'll be seeing many, many more.

Right, This nmorning I was walking through Choernsri shopping centre and I saw this ancient ol' white head geezer, looked like he was pushing 80 years old, walking along with 2 young girls in tow. Thought to myself, how did that ol' bastard manage to get it up high enough to knock out two kids.
Then I realised I ws looking in a bloody mirror.

[Rigger]

Right, This nmorning I was walking through Choernsri shopping centre and I saw this ancient ol' white head geezer, looked like he was pushing 80 years old, walking along with 2 young girls in tow. Thought to myself, how did that ol' bastard manage to get it up high enough to knock out two kids. Then I realised I ws looking in a bloody mirror.

Good to see you have finally realized you are not 35. Anyway do you think you can stay awake long enough to ride to Nong khai on the 3 and 4th grandpa

[peterpan]

3 & 4th, wot, i takes you two fvcking days to get to Nong kai, Yes, I guess I can stop for a bowl of noodles every 30 mins to let you catch up. I be waiting for ya! Rig rat

[Rigger]

3 & 4th, wot, i takes you two fvcking days to get to Nong kai, Yes, I guess I can stop for a bowl of noodles every 30 mins to let you catch up. I be waiting for ya! Rig rat

No grandad just slow down a bit we ride up there for a party on the 3rd then we ride back on the 4th but maybe you would be better hooking up with udon super bike club and you can sit in the car park and rev the shit out of your gay R1 just before you leave to go home to bed at 2100

[peterpan]

I agree it does look a bit gay but guess who's paint job it is?

[Rigger]

I agree it does look a bit gay but guess who's paint job it is?

is it blue and yellow

[peterpan]

Its Red & Yellow, matey, as gay as they come, but still if your riding your Shadow I suppose a gay bike is in order for me eh?
I can just imagine us riding away from Udon with every limp wrist in town waving us good bye.

[Rigger]

I can just imagine us riding away from Udon with every limp wrist in town waving us good bye.

well buy a real bike and you will not have that problem anyway I have sent you a PM and I am off to udon to day and will get some details where to meet on the 3rd.

[drskosha]

Lived in Udon a year, nice place if you like grey slow towns. It does however offer Khon Kaen nearby and easy access to Nong Khai visa stamps! Talking of bikes I ended up with a classic Vespa 150 Super after meeting some young Thais who got me a good deal, I liked that bike. but being an ex Mod I would. Udon is not a bad place tho and they do have nice people around and about, just stay clear of the central bars full of crazy falang IMO!

[peterpan]

just stay clear of the central bars full of crazy falang IMO!

To be sure ! they are a strange collection to be found there! Most customers look like they are having a final fling before turning out the lights for good.
The girls ( Thinking, and searching for a kind description) are rugged. The surroundings are modest even by tin shack standards.
The available food is disgustingly bad.