Living in Udon Thani city vs Pattaya

[NanLaew]

49 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Lived there for 17 yrs, and one of the pluses, a decent food town.  Sadly, too many really good places didn't last, as cost a wee bit more, and the CCs thought it was expensive.

 

Seem to be quite content with crap food at low prices, and washed down with even worse, cheapest beer.

 

As good as UT was for a large metro (relative to TH), there were too many negatives for us.

 

Did enjoy popping into town between 1000 - 1500 hrs, for a munch, but basically avoided it at all other times.

 

Traffic was simply horrendous.

 

Udon Thani town traffic is bad on the daily rush hours and all-day at weekends, same as pretty much any other major Thai conurbation and especially Pattaya.

 

The dining choices are far more varied these days, western, Korean, Japanese, Indian... there's even some genyoowine Isaan tucker!!

 

Of course, if driving and parking for dinner is too much of a faff about or even if one can't be arsed to rustle-up something in one's own kitchen, there's delivery and, even in bad traffic, that's pretty fast (unless it's raining).

[NanLaew]

49 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Lived there for 17 yrs, and one of the pluses, a decent food town.  Sadly, too many really good places didn't last, as cost a wee bit more, and the CCs thought it was expensive.

 

Seem to be quite content with crap food at low prices, and washed down with even worse, cheapest beer.

 

As good as UT was for a large metro (relative to TH), there were too many negatives for us.

 

Did enjoy popping into town between 1000 - 1500 hrs, for a munch, but basically avoided it at all other times.

 

Traffic was simply horrendous.

 

Udon Thani town traffic is bad on the daily rush hours and all-day at weekends, same as pretty much any other major Thai conurbation and especially Pattaya.

 

The dining choices are far more varied these days, western, Korean, Japanese, Indian... there's even some genyoowine Isaan tucker!!

 

Of course, if driving and parking for dinner is too much of a faff about or even if one can't be arsed to rustle-up something in one's own kitchen, there's delivery and, even in bad traffic, that's pretty fast (unless it's raining).

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

 

Saying quite a lot about you? Yes.

 

Lifestyle comparisons between Muang Udon Thani and Pattaya, maybe not so much?

 

I did the whole, wild hedonistic Pattaya decade back in the 1980's. Unforgettably great but I digress.

 

After a total 16-year Thailand hiatus, I returned around 2006 and did Pattaya 2013-2018 as the filling in an Udon Thani "sandwich". I much prefer the sumptuous Issan bread to the cloying Pattaya sandwich spread.

 

But that's just me.

Actually it doesn't say anything about me.  

 

I wouldn't choose Patts for it's nightlife or P4P availability, as don't frequent either.

 

Even avoided a couple of decent restaurants on soi samphan, once daughter got old enough to realize why the soi existed.  

 

Yes, both have traffic issues.  But Patts closer to things that interest me.  The Northeast doesn't interest me at all, or should say, got boring really fast.

 

Any free time, more than a long weekend, and I left the NE area for points much further south.  Which due to UT's location, that took 1 day in itself, so 2 days wasted.

 

Most of the time, lived 15+ kms out of town, so delivery wouldn't work, and not a fan of anyway.   I usually only eat at restaurants, just to get out of the house.

 

It was quite convenient, when playing single parent, since in town anyway, to pick kid up from school, (St Mary's & Don Bosco) and just eat at one of our favorites, though traffic really wasn't that bad back then.

 

When single, I think we ate in town, every day, and enough favorites to eat somewhere different every time.

 

Not till about 2012, when everyone bought a first or 2nd car in the household, since 100k baht rebate was given, with most purchases.

 

Air pollution being another huge negative about UT.  

 

I'd rather look at the surf, rather than rice, sugar or cassava fields.

 

As stated earlier, was tolerable, IF, having to be there.  But as soon as not needed to be, I was gone.  Rented a place in Prachuap Khiri Khan even before she was done school, as rental options were limited, and didn't want to pass up on what was available at the time.

 

Off topic, but as stated more than a few times, I wouldn't consider living anywhere North of Hua Hin.  Usually means 4-6 months are really bad air pollution.