Ubon Dvd Rental

[elwood]

Can any Ubon residents recommend a DVD rental shop, with a good selection of DVD's and soundtrack VCD's please?

I belong to two branches of Sombat Video, but over the past year or so their selection has become very limited. I appreciate that many movies I would like to see are not available, as they do not appeal to Thais, but with the fair amount of expats around Ubon, a DVD rental with more western movies would do well, I should think, especially as the cinema complexes still rarely show soundtrack, in fact even Thai movies that expats would appreciate are often shown without English sub-titles.

[sensei]

Why don't you try Tsutaya at Tesco Lotus? There's a CD/DVD rental there. I hope you find it.

[elwood]

Why don't you try Tsutaya at Tesco Lotus? There's a CD/DVD rental there. I hope you find it.

Sorry, but Tsutaya Lotus Ubon disappeared a couple of years ago - now a beauty salon.

[UbonTaz]

Actually Sombat is about as good as it gets. They have had better selections in the past but have diminished considerably in the past couple of years. All I can think is that there is not a gread demand for original soundtrack dvd's and vcd's.

For the first 5 years I lived here the theater at nevada used to show an original soundtrack movie at least quarterly, but now even with Major Cineplex in town there has not been an original soundtrack offered in over a year. When I attended those movies in the past there were few viewers and often seemed I got a VIP showing. I believe it's hard to find what you are seeking because there is a small demand for it.

[elwood]

Actually Sombat is about as good as it gets. They have had better selections in the past but have diminished considerably in the past couple of years. All I can think is that there is not a gread demand for original soundtrack dvd's and vcd's.

For the first 5 years I lived here the theater at nevada used to show an original soundtrack movie at least quarterly, but now even with Major Cineplex in town there has not been an original soundtrack offered in over a year. When I attended those movies in the past there were few viewers and often seemed I got a VIP showing. I believe it's hard to find what you are seeking because there is a small demand for it.

Thanks UbonTaz, that's what I suspected, and maybe you're also correct about lack of demand, although Tsutaya used to have several expats using it.

As for Major Cineplex, I would think that, if they showed regular soundtrack movies, and actually advertised them at the mall entrances, expats would eventually get used to having them available, as there seem to be plenty of us around Ubon now. I wrote to them a couple of times about it, but they never even answered; even a Thai friend wrote, explaining that many Thais enjoy listening to original soundtrack, but again no answer.

Thanks again for your answer.

[UbonTaz]

As for Major Cineplex, I would think that, if they showed regular soundtrack movies, and actually advertised them at the mall entrances, expats would eventually get used to having them available, as there seem to be plenty of us around Ubon now. I wrote to them a couple of times about it, but they never even answered; even a Thai friend wrote, explaining that many Thais enjoy listening to original soundtrack, but again no answer.

Thanks again for your answer.

elwood,

I don't see that happening anytime soon. I think it's a matter of economics and convenience. The theaters do not have to promote much for the films in Thai but would have to invest to draw patrons for the English language movies. Also as I mentioned when they do offer English movies few people came to watch them.

Also if you sit at Starbucks or at the window facing rajabaht street in SK upstairs and watch Nevada and Major share movies, you will see guys on motorcycles transporting reels between the two places so if one shows English language both would have to offer.

I love movies too so I now just wait until I travel to BKK or wait for the DVD to come out. When I was teaching I tried hard often to get my English Major students to go see movies to help their language skills but only a small percentage of students ever went.

I think if we want English language movies back in Ubon we would have to find a sponsor. So a matter of biz if Thai language movies are packed with customers and English language is sparse or empty I guess for them its a no brainer. So just one of the things have to give up by choosing to live here.

I think the small group of Thai/Lao people in my hometown group together and show dvd.

[elwood]

As for Major Cineplex, I would think that, if they showed regular soundtrack movies, and actually advertised them at the mall entrances, expats would eventually get used to having them available, as there seem to be plenty of us around Ubon now. I wrote to them a couple of times about it, but they never even answered; even a Thai friend wrote, explaining that many Thais enjoy listening to original soundtrack, but again no answer.

Thanks again for your answer.

elwood,

I don't see that happening anytime soon. I think it's a matter of economics and convenience. The theaters do not have to promote much for the films in Thai but would have to invest to draw patrons for the English language movies. Also as I mentioned when they do offer English movies few people came to watch them.

Also if you sit at Starbucks or at the window facing rajabaht street in SK upstairs and watch Nevada and Major share movies, you will see guys on motorcycles transporting reels between the two places so if one shows English language both would have to offer.

I love movies too so I now just wait until I travel to BKK or wait for the DVD to come out. When I was teaching I tried hard often to get my English Major students to go see movies to help their language skills but only a small percentage of students ever went.

I think if we want English language movies back in Ubon we would have to find a sponsor. So a matter of biz if Thai language movies are packed with customers and English language is sparse or empty I guess for them its a no brainer. So just one of the things have to give up by choosing to live here.

I think the small group of Thai/Lao people in my hometown group together and show dvd.

I think you're spot on with your assessment - unfortunately! Maybe the expats I see around town are not into movies, and no doubt many of them only visit Ubon occasionally for shopping.

Next time I'm in Bangkok I'll just have to stock up with DVDs from the Sukhumvit stalls.

If eventually a new rental shop with soundtracks opens, I'll mention it on this forum.

Thanks.

[bergen]

If you don't mind buying copies, there is a place just across the road from the car wash in Big C.

Edited February 26, 2009 by bergen

[elwood]

If you don't mind buying copies, there is a place just across the road from the car wash in Big C.

That's a hel_l of a lot closer than Bangkok - thanks for the tip.