Foreigners In Mahasarakam

[irrigator]

Just wondering if there are any other lonely souls out there in the area of Mahasarakam who may fancy a get together in a language we all understand properly and perhaps indulge in a beer or three......

[isaanpeter]

we meet us every month...

english

germans

swedish

netherlands

us

newzeelands

aussis

etc

near Kuchinarai on the way to mukdahan

look at www.thaihouse-isaan.com

or mail to me:

[email protected]

Peter

[Sarge]

bit of a trek from north of mahasarakham city, about 120km. Do you guys actually live there or just visiting?

There are very few foreigners living around mahasarakham city, mostly involved with the university. I could go for several days before I meet one. Most of the foreigners just have a house and wife there, they come visit from time to time. Like to know if there is a get together among foreigners around the city of mahasarakham.

[toptuan]

There are very few foreigners living around mahasarakham city, mostly involved with the university. I could go for several days before I meet one. Most of the foreigners just have a house and wife there, they come visit from time to time. Like to know if there is a get together among foreigners around the city of mahasarakham.

Mahasasarakham Province has over 1,200 foreigners living within the province (count as of 2005). Only about 50 are involved with the university.

Most are tucked away in little rice villages and seldom come to town. In one village alone, over a dozen Isaan women are married to Swedish farangs and the town is overrun with little blond-headed, brown-skinned "luek-khruengs" scampering about.

You gotta rattle the bushes.

Edited October 31, 2008 by toptuan

[Sarge]

There are very few foreigners living around mahasarakham city, mostly involved with the university. I could go for several days before I meet one. Most of the foreigners just have a house and wife there, they come visit from time to time. Like to know if there is a get together among foreigners around the city of mahasarakham.

Mahasasarakham Province has over 1,200 foreigners living within the province (count as of 2005). Only about 50 are involved with the university.

Most are tucked away in little rice villages and seldom come to town. In one village alone, over a dozen Isaan women are married to Swedish farangs and the town is overrun with little blond-headed, brown-skinned "luek-khruengs" scampering about.

You gotta rattle the bushes.

where did you get those figures from?

as I said a lot muban (mine included) have some locals married to foreigners who mostly live abroad and only come here visiting. My query is about foreigners being based and actually living full year round near and around Mahasarakham City and if there is some kind of informal monthly get together.

Edited October 31, 2008 by Sarge

[toptuan]

There are very few foreigners living around mahasarakham city, mostly involved with the university. I could go for several days before I meet one. Most of the foreigners just have a house and wife there, they come visit from time to time. Like to know if there is a get together among foreigners around the city of mahasarakham.

Mahasasarakham Province has over 1,200 foreigners living within the province (count as of 2005). Only about 50 are involved with the university.

Most are tucked away in little rice villages and seldom come to town. In one village alone, over a dozen Isaan women are married to Swedish farangs and the town is overrun with little blond-headed, brown-skinned "luek-khruengs" scampering about.

You gotta rattle the bushes.

where did you get those figures from?

as I said a lot muban (mine included) have some locals married to foreigners who mostly live abroad and only come here visiting. My query is about foreigners being based and actually living full year round near and around Mahasarakham City and if there is some kind of informal monthly get together.

Bangkok Post on-line and feature printed article, about April 2005. It was a study done by Thammasart on farangs living in Thailand, especially those married to Isaan wives. They had figures for every province in Isaan. Enlightening article. I think I safely assume the figure has probably grown rather than diminished since then. These were year-round residents of Mahasarakham Province.

[Sarge]

Bangkok Post on-line and feature printed article, about April 2005. It was a study done by Thammasart on farangs living in Thailand, especially those married to Isaan wives. They had figures for every province in Isaan. Enlightening article. I think I safely assume the figure has probably grown rather than diminished since then. These were year-round residents of Mahasarakham Province.

mmhhh interesting stats, maybe you can publish the link to that article, if is still active after 3 and half years. As an aside I did notice a lot of Swiss guys involved with local lasses, kind of married with kids, built house for them while they work and live in Switzerland, visiting the muban twice a year. I've seen this only in Isaan, nowhere else in Thailand, certainly not on this scale. I've always wondered why they only got focussed on this region

[afalang]

Mahasasarakham Province has over 1,200 foreigners living within the province. Only about 50 are involved with the university.

I was just wondering does this University teach Thai to foreigners ?

[Totster]

mmhhh interesting stats, maybe you can publish the link to that article, if is still active after 3 and half years. As an aside I did notice a lot of Swiss guys involved with local lasses, kind of married with kids, built house for them while they work and live in Switzerland, visiting the muban twice a year. I've seen this only in Isaan, nowhere else in Thailand, certainly not on this scale. I've always wondered why they only got focussed on this region

Most of the girls will want to build a house in their home village to be near their family, whether they intend to live in it or not, so it stands to reason.

This house is either used by the girls family, or remains vacant the majority of the year and will be eventually used as the home when they retire or can move to Thailand/Isaan full time.

There are an increasing number of expats that have got a second house in Isaan as well as their house in Bangkok, Pattaya or where ever, pretty much for the same reasons as above.

Totster

[cbuddha]

Mahasasarakham Province has over 1,200 foreigners living within the province. Only about 50 are involved with the university.

I was just wondering does this University teach Thai to foreigners ?

My wife teaches at Mahasarakham University (MSU) and she says they may still be offering short-term Thai language courses at the Dept. of Thai and Oriental Languages, Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences. Their contact info is at the bottom of their homepage (if you can't find it, I can PM it to you).

I guess there may be around 30 foreigners employed by MSU full-time as either teachers or researchers, but not all of them are westerners.

I teach at Rajabhat Mahasarakham University (RMU) and there are around ten foreigners working there. We don't offer official Thai language courses for foreigners, but you can easily find private tutelage.

There are many more foreign teachers at various primary and high schools in Mahasarakham and its surrounding areas; they apparently call this area the "Takasila," or educational center of Isan.

[cbuddha]

mmhhh interesting stats, maybe you can publish the link to that article, if is still active after 3 and half years. As an aside I did notice a lot of Swiss guys involved with local lasses, kind of married with kids, built house for them while they work and live in Switzerland, visiting the muban twice a year. I've seen this only in Isaan, nowhere else in Thailand, certainly not on this scale. I've always wondered why they only got focussed on this region

If you google "Thailand's Swiss village", the first hit is a BBC article from 2004 about Baan Jarn Swiss, an entire community raised by wealthy Swiss in Roi Et province, next to Mahasarakham. Their claim to fame is luxurious houses in the middle of nowhere, and rumors about entrance to certain places by appointment only and poor families going there to sell their daughters (for further sale). Some of the researchers at MSU claim to have actually seen girls for sale in nearby villages.

Unspeakably sad.

On the other hand, I'm sure most Swiss living in Isan are not involved with this sort of thing and I've had beers with many of them.

[cbuddha]

Just wondering if there are any other lonely souls out there in the area of Mahasarakam who may fancy a get together in a language we all understand properly and perhaps indulge in a beer or three......

To finally address the original post, I think this is a great idea. Most of the people I know work at universities, and we're starting up with classes again this/next week, but things should settle down again soon. Anybody who wants to go for beers in Maha Sarakham sometime in the indefinite future, please PM me with contact info. I'll invite a couple friends along so you have someone to talk to after my eighth tequila shot (just kidding, we finished the bottle last time).

Meanwhile, you might be interested in checking out Boston Tea, a foreign-owned cafe that also serves food/beer, across the street from the canal (Rajabhat-end, not downtown-end). There are also some restaurants frequented by farang but it's hard to start up conversations at those kinds of places.

[Vegemite]

There are very few foreigners living around mahasarakham city, mostly involved with the university. I could go for several days before I meet one. Most of the foreigners just have a house and wife there, they come visit from time to time. Like to know if there is a get together among foreigners around the city of mahasarakham.

Mahasasarakham Province has over 1,200 foreigners living within the province (count as of 2005). Only about 50 are involved with the university.

Most are tucked away in little rice villages and seldom come to town. In one village alone, over a dozen Isaan women are married to Swedish farangs and the town is overrun with little blond-headed, brown-skinned "luek-khruengs" scampering about.

You gotta rattle the bushes.

I just spent a week in one of those " nice little villages " and couldnt wait to get out.

How any normal farang can live in these places is beyond me. I know of others who say the same.

Any farang that actually has the balls to survive in these places will have to be very well set up and enjoy being alone.

All of them will go to the nearest Tesco Lotus or similar to get supplies on a regular basis.

One farang resturant owner in Khon Kaen told me that most farang husbands stay at the nearest hotel to avoid " the nice little village ", one person has a deal with his wife and has never been to the village.

To the OP, why dont you just shoot into Khon Kaen for a night every now and then. Plenty of good food, farangs to talk to and not far from Mahasarakham.

All the best.

[Sarge]

I just spent a week in one of those " nice little villages " and couldnt wait to get out.

How any normal farang can live in these places is beyond me. I know of others who say the same.

Any farang that actually has the balls to survive in these places will have to be very well set up and enjoy being alone.

All of them will go to the nearest Tesco Lotus or similar to get supplies on a regular basis.

One farang resturant owner in Khon Kaen told me that most farang husbands stay at the nearest hotel to avoid " the nice little village ", one person has a deal with his wife and has never been to the village.

To the OP, why dont you just shoot into Khon Kaen for a night every now and then. Plenty of good food, farangs to talk to and not far from Mahasarakham.

All the best.

I guess that is part of the attraction for some me included, but on occasion it's nice to meet up with foreigners for general chats and banter about locals. The only foreigners who abode in hotels are visiting tourists (people who only come here for a couple days to visit their partners' family), everybody else have their own house in which to live in. Rather relying what other foreigners tell ya, have a look for yourself. In term of social and night life, yes Khon Kaen & Udon Thani are a much better bet, agree. Having fun, socialising and cultural stuff is far more advanced in KK & UDT than anything I've seen in all Australian cities (bar Melbourne).

[Putu94]

Meanwhile, you might be interested in checking out Boston Tea, a foreign-owned cafe that also serves food/beer, across the street from the canal (Rajabhat-end, not downtown-end).

We also live sometime in Mahasarakham,( Wengnan) my son goes to Sarakhampittaakhom School ( English Program) with (I believe) 10 foreign teachers.

Also he get extra private lessons in writing and reading Thai.

It is less expensive here then living in Khonkaen, on the other site it is not far away, and shopping ?? next week you can go to Big C also in Mahasarakham.

By the way where I find exactly Rajabhat-end?

Greetings

and be in Mahasarakham the school city of Isan

[Sarge]

I believe Big C will open for business tuesday 11 and with Loy Khratong festival, in full swing, in nearby city centre (10-13 Nov), it'll be party time in my city. Ah... Mahasarakham rocks!!!

Edited November 9, 2008 by Sarge

[citizen33]

I believe Big C will open for business tuesday 11 and with Loy Khratong festival, in full swing, in nearby city centre (10-13 Nov), it'll be party time in my city. Ah... Mahasarakham rocks!!!

I'm another one who visits Sarakham from time to time, and am interested to hear about restaurants or bars that sell western food or may have the odd farang customer. I hadn't come across Boston Tea and would appreciate a more precise location. I imagine you come along the canal and turn right at the end but where is the cafe in relation to the crossroads which would be ahead (you would turn left for the Rajabhat)? It would be good to have a list of restaurants/bars worth a visit. The ones I would include would be:

Boom Steak (Kamlieng near MSU) - Average Thai steakhouse that many westerners visit.

Monkey Steak - was nearby but now closed. Has it moved somewhere else?

The Lounge restaurant (think this is right) at Taksila apartments near new Big C. Several western style menu items.

Si Muang Steakhouse - Upmarket Thai steakhouse. Right turn off Borabue road near College of Nursing

Jaan Nuan restaurant - Probably the best Thai restaurant in City and popular with University staff - Borabue Road on left.

KFC - Serm Thai and Big C.

Foreign-owned restaurant on new MSU Road but forgotten name.

All the bars I know are Thai-style establishments but interested in suggestions.

There is a local joke that Si Muang can be mispronounced by foreigners to mean 'sex city'. In this connection Sarge and others might be interested in this thesis:

http://www.wcc.hawaii.edu/facstaff/dagrossa-p/dissertation/

Don't worry it isn't quite what the title suggests!

Edited November 9, 2008 by citizen33

[MJP]

we meet us every month...

english

germans

swedish

netherlands

us

newzeelands

aussis

etc

near Kuchinarai on the way to mukdahan

look at www.thaihouse-isaan.com

or mail to me:

[email protected]

Peter

Hello Peter,

That's only 67 kms from me. Think you guys could put up with a not so sprightly 33 year old, Brit?

[Sarge]

good to see some foreigners coming out of the rice fields

as far as I know there are NO foreigner eateries in the province. I'm toying with the idea to open an Italian restaurant just a few km north mahasarakham city, we got the land, expertise and capital. I just need to untangle myself from Blighty. In terms of Thai eateries in and around mahasarakham cities, my favourites are MedSai, Ago and YogoThai. Medsai offering the best food experience and always full of middle class Thais and their families.

[irrigator]

Guy"s,

Incredible.......After I made the post I looked for a couple of days and there were virtually no replies so I didn't look again until today..................Now if any of you guys fancy a beer or three let me know. I am up to the task !!!

As it happens i am going to Lopburi tomorrow and won't be back in Mahasarakam until Monday next week but by all means put up a post or pm me.

Regards

Irrigator

[Sarge]

unfortunately I'm still stuck here, grey cold rainy London. But will be back the Kham beginning of Jan, anyone there during that time?

[Vegemite]

I just spent a week in one of those " nice little villages " and couldnt wait to get out.

How any normal farang can live in these places is beyond me. I know of others who say the same.

All the best.

I guess that is part of the attraction for some me included, but on occasion it's nice to meet up with foreigners for general chats and banter about locals. The only foreigners who abode in hotels are visiting tourists (people who only come here for a couple days to visit their partners' family), everybody else have their own house in which to live in. Rather relying what other foreigners tell ya, have a look for yourself. In term of social and night life, yes Khon Kaen & Udon Thani are a much better bet, agree. Having fun, socialising and cultural stuff is far more advanced in KK & UDT than anything I've seen in all Australian cities (bar Melbourne).

Hello Sarge,

I have to tell you that I have had a look for myself.

I have had a look for the last 3 years.

Maybe you live in a place that is slightly more upmarket than the village that I visit.

In this village, there have only ever been 3 farang pass through and I am the only one to go back for seconds. It is around 45 minutes from Mahasarakham in a southeast direction.

In the middle of nowhere so to speak. There are buffalo, ox and chickens everywhere and not a lot else other than the ants, scorpions, lizards ect..

They throw thier rubbish out of the house window and what the chickens dont eat gets scratched up every blue moon and burnt. Until we put a ceiling in under the main house the odd baby rat would drop through the gaps in the floorboards. It was great for the kids to play with before they threw the things to the chickens.

The people are very nice but they cant talk to us farang and even if you know some Thai you wont here it there. They speak issan/Lao.

So I do know something about it.

All the best.

[citizen33]

Hello Sarge,

I have to tell you that I have had a look for myself.

I have had a look for the last 3 years.

Maybe you live in a place that is slightly more upmarket than the village that I visit.

In this village, there have only ever been 3 farang pass through and I am the only one to go back for seconds. It is around 45 minutes from Mahasarakham in a southeast direction.

In the middle of nowhere so to speak. There are buffalo, ox and chickens everywhere and not a lot else other than the ants, scorpions, lizards ect..

They throw thier rubbish out of the house window and what the chickens dont eat gets scratched up every blue moon and burnt. Until we put a ceiling in under the main house the odd baby rat would drop through the gaps in the floorboards. It was great for the kids to play with before they threw the things to the chickens.

The people are very nice but they cant talk to us farang and even if you know some Thai you wont here it there. They speak issan/Lao.

So I do know something about it.

All the best.

I guess it is a case of each to his own, but different villages do vary a lot. Sounds as though you were probably in Roi Et province in an area with few towns. I have a European friend who lived near Pathum Rat for some years and he claimed to love it. When I visited though it didn't look very appealing to me. I'd say it helps if you have a shorter drive into a bigger centre, and also if your (I should say the wife's) house is fairly modern. There are many new estates springing up to the east of Maha Sarakham City and also many new houses in some of the villages. So I would say that the basic level of comfort could be a lot better than you describe. There are other downsides though which leave me undecided about whether I would retire to our village. At the moment short spells spent there seem better - the longest I have stayed more-or-less in permanent residence is 12 months.

[cbuddha]

Boom Steak (Kamlieng near MSU) - Average Thai steakhouse that many westerners visit.

Monkey Steak - was nearby but now closed. Has it moved somewhere else?

The Lounge restaurant (think this is right) at Taksila apartments near new Big C. Several western style menu items.

[You're probably thinking of the Living Room. The proprietor's name is Tip, and she speaks English well.]

Si Muang Steakhouse - Upmarket Thai steakhouse. Right turn off Borabue road near College of Nursing

[The only place I've seen in Isan that serves steamed cauliflower as a side. They can do a true medium rare.]

Speaking of steakhouses, there's also one on the same block as the Living Room, mentioned above, that offers an item I haven't seen anywhere else - Australian beef patties.

Jaan Nuan restaurant - Probably the best Thai restaurant in City and popular with University staff - Borabue Road on left.

[And just 100 meters down the street on the same side is another great restaurant called "Marine". Try the spicy seafood soup called potak. Even better than tom yum goong in my opinion.]

KFC - Serm Thai and Big C.

Foreign-owned restaurant on new MSU Road but forgotten name.

[Chawala, perhaps? Owned and managed by a friendly Dutch/Thai couple. The husband's name is Hans. ]

All the bars I know are Thai-style establishments but interested in suggestions.

• I second Sarge's recommendation of MEDSAI, a restaurant located on the opposite corner of Wat Srisawat on Soi Srisawat. It is frequented by foreigners teaching at Rajabhat and other nearby schools.
  
• Further down Soi Srisawat (travelling away from Rajabhat), on the right side is a turn off for LAN MAI HOM (farangs sometimes pronounce it Ran My Home) which is a great multi-tiered restaurant/bar. Also not uncommon to find foreigners here.
  
• Even further down Soi Srisawat, around the cross street of soi 24 or 25, you can see a hand-painted sign on the corner (on the right side) for a restaurant called BROTHER'S. Nong, the owner, lived in Australia for a few years and speaks decent English, but is always in the kitchen. Excellent food here, perhaps a bit spicier than normal. Try a whole deep fried tabtim fish with some friends. For some reason, I've never seen a foreigner here aside from when I took a group of twenty the night before my wedding.
  
• If you cross the street from Wat Srisawat to MEDSAI and continue down the road, then turn left when you hit the canal, you will see the sign for BOSTON T on the left side within a kilometer or so. (Just a quick warning - my colleague got his bag stolen there a couple months ago. He was sitting and having a beer when an arm appeared around the wall he was sitting next to and took his bag off the chair. The thief ran off to a waiting motorbike and that was that. I doubt it would happen again in the same place, but be aware when you go out. As a farang, you are a target. Actually, the same thing happened at MEDSAI to a Thai lady's purse last month so I guess the lesson is for everybody to be aware.)
  
• On what's called the bypass, past AMAZON PARK but before the cross street to Borabue on the right hand side is the Sarakham branch of Cabbages and Condoms. Having never been to the one in Bangkok, I can't compare them, but the food and prices here are slightly upscale for Isan. The food and atmosphere are good - it's just that the restaurant seems out of place... It looks like a place for rich people in the middle of nowhere. It's especially interesting to go there for lunch (they have a reasonable lunch menu) when the workers from the factory on the back of the property (this is their main business, not the restaurant) come on break for lunch and crowd the stalls of somtam/gaiyan vendors set up in front.
  
• Regarding bars, The Living Room, mentioned above, makes the best cocktails in town (not much competition, really, since other "cocktail bars" are serving up Hale Blue Boy syrup/vodka/soda-type abortions). It's nice to be able to order a Manhattan, even if it's a bit too pretentious for my Archa palate these days. There are no farang bars, thank god. Plenty of those in Khon Kaen, as mentioned by others. The fun places to go are the live houses - AMAZON PARK (on the bypass), TAWAN DAENG (on the road to Ago from the clock tower), KAEW KAEN (opposite the side of the city hospital, on the other side of the canal). Also, this being Isan, the molam stars from this region often tour and play at the unlikeliest of venues. Both Jintara and Chawiwan Damnoen have performed on fold-up stages at local markets in the past couple months.
  
• There are new places sprouting up all the time. I live in the new development between the bypass and the new MSU hotel that's being built. Within a kilometer of my house in both directions new places have opened and shut down and opened again in just the past year, including DON'T TELL PAPA (possibly the best name for a bar I've ever heard - opened by TV actors from Bangkok and bankrupt in less than 6 months), NASA (located right next to DTP and again, what a name!), Lighthouse (excellent air conditioned space for hot nights and comfy sofas)
  
• Mahasarakham really does kick ass. Just wanted to say that.
  

If anyone needs better directions to somewhere or is interested in meeting up sometime, let me know here or via private message. I'm usually busy playing with our six month old boy, but it's nice to get out sometimes.

[citizen33]

Excellent and very useful post for those of us who visit from time to time. Yes, I meant the Living Room and Chawalla - memory is like a sieve! Thanks for the other suggestions which I shall investigate in due course.

Edited November 16, 2008 by citizen33

[toptuan]

Highly recommend The Living Room. Just tried it out last week at the suggestion of a Thai friend. Went with another Thai friend and had excellent cocktails, very western spaghetti (translation: no corn kernel or chili pepper toppings), Caesar salads, excellent battered deep-fried shrimp for appetizers, and enjoyed a great atmosphere. Yes, comfortable and cozy, just like someone's living room.

Location: In the dormitory/shophouse complex opposite the new MSU Hotel, highway 213.

[Sarge]

The Lounge restaurant (think this is right) at Taksila apartments near new Big C. Several western style menu items.

I'll try that in January, as I'm sure my family (wifey & 2yrs old baby daughter) and I will make several shopping trips there.

Even further down Soi Srisawat, around the cross street of soi 24 or 25, you can see a hand-painted sign on the corner (on the right side) for a restaurant called BROTHER'S. Nong, the owner, lived in Australia for a few years and speaks decent English, but is always in the kitchen. Excellent food here, perhaps a bit spicier than normal. Try a whole deep fried tabtim fish with some friends. For some reason, I've never seen a foreigner here aside from when I took a group of twenty the night before my wedding.

Another one added to my hit list, what type of clientele you get there?

If you cross the street from Wat Srisawat to MEDSAI and continue down the road, then turn left when you hit the canal, you will see the sign for BOSTON T on the left side within a kilometer or so. (Just a quick warning - my colleague got his bag stolen there a couple months ago. He was sitting and having a beer when an arm appeared around the wall he was sitting next to and took his bag off the chair. The thief ran off to a waiting motorbike and that was that. I doubt it would happen again in the same place, but be aware when you go out. As a farang, you are a target. Actually, the same thing happened at MEDSAI to a Thai lady's purse last month so I guess the lesson is for everybody to be aware.)

that area has some restaurant / bars where you can sit there and strike "conversation" with waitresses (usually uni students freelancing), dead give away when all customers are thai males, either on their own or in a group of 2 / 3. Food is uneventful but that's not the reason people go there for.

On what's called the bypass, past AMAZON PARK but before the cross street to Borabue on the right hand side is the Sarakham branch of Cabbages and Condoms. Having never been to the one in Bangkok, I can't compare them, but the food and prices here are slightly upscale for Isan. The food and atmosphere are good - it's just that the restaurant seems out of place... It looks like a place for rich people in the middle of nowhere. It's especially interesting to go there for lunch (they have a reasonable lunch menu) when the workers from the factory on the back of the property (this is their main business, not the restaurant) come on break for lunch and crowd the stalls of somtam/gaiyan vendors set up in front.

yeah been there a few times, nothing to write home about. Food is average and so the service, typical Isaan food joint. I've noticed that it was always void of customers, so maybe I went there at the wrong times. On a side note, I can recommend Amazon Park, not for the food but as the best music joint in the Kham, better that Tawan Daeng. I spent there last New Year's Eve with a group of friends. Had a good time.

(on the road to Ago from the clock tower)

that's a great joint, I love eating in those floating boots on the river and the food is rather good. Always full of people especially at weekends. Hard to find a table at times. It has an ostrich enclave near the car park, kids love looking at them.

including DON'T TELL PAPA (possibly the best name for a bar I've ever heard - opened by TV actors from Bangkok and bankrupt in less than 6 months)

I drove past that place so many times, but never stopped. It always seemed empty, but what a name, it made smile every time. So it's closed now? what has been replaced with?

Mahasarakham really does kick ass. Just wanted to say that.

I couldn't agree more, Mahasarakham Rocks! great place to live in

Loads of useful info so far, interesting to see that there are some Americans in addition of the usual Swiss & German expats (and the odd Aussie). Any Brits and Italians?

[cbuddha]

There's actually another pretty decent place on the river about half a kilo before the turnoff to Ago. It's on the stretch of road before it curves left, just before a walled-off temple. I don't recall the name of it but I think it was the only restaurant along that stretch. I don't think it had boats to eat on like Ago, but some of the fish dishes (the menu was fish-centric) were loaded with fresh veggies and herbs that were both unusual and very tasty. You might try it if Ago is too crowded someday.

Don't Tell Papa is still there but hasn't been open in months.

[cbuddha]

Also, the client at BROTHER'S restaurant is middle class Thai; totally suitable for anybody to go to. They are open for lunch and dinner.

[Sarge]

now with Big C opened a couple days ago, how is the traffic flow near where you live? It has been hectic days with that and Loy Krathong. I'm located near the new University, b. kham reang and nearby there's a restaurant I patronise regularly, YokoThai. No foreigners there but decent nosh and friendly atmosphere.