I've got to go to Khon Khen next week for a day or two, anyone have any ideas where a bloke can get a few beers, and a decent feed up there???

Try http://www.khonkaen.com

Bob, Khon Kaen, is quite large for an Isaan Village. There has to be oh, 3 or 4 different spots in the main street, admittedly with dirt floors, bamboo roof and a pig and a buffalo tied up out the back, where a bloke can get a beer mate.

Admittedly the pig and the buffalo out the back carrying on make a little noise, but just ask them to pull down the blinds.. never know you were in Isaan.

Have a great trip and for Gods' sake man, be careful. :-)

Khon kaen is the fourth largest city in Thailand so dont worry about the dirt floors and buffalows Bob.

As George suggests get onto the Khonkaen.com site, it has a discussion forum. There are a quite a few expats living there and you could arrange a little drinkie with them via the forum. If you can get hold of some Rosella and some four n twenty pies you would be welcomed as a hero.

I was up there about 5 years ago, it was actually really nice. The main shopping centre in Town, I think it is Ocean Plaza, has an internet shop on the second floor and I met a few farang locals there as they didnt have telephone connection in there rural home areas. Also the KFC, tasted like KFC like it does back home (12 secret spices). Walk out of Ocean Plaza and there is a shop that sells, beer, girls and hires cars and motorbikes - I didnt try any of there wares, but it is there. sabai dee bor!

http://www.khonkaen.com/english/classifieds/ , I thought the listing for boating was funny!

http://www.khonkaen.com/english/forum/foru...asp?TID=10&PN=1

yes ok, its raining outside and I have a lot of spare time!

Khonkaen has changed a fair bit in 5 years.

We have telephone connection in villiage called Banpaed about 12 k out just past Airport.

The new part of Airport was finished in time for APEC.

In town you have Ocean Plaza, Fairy plaza (KFC & Maccas and a good food hall on 1st floor), lots of Restraunts Mr Chai is good and the american bar and grill.

The #1 bar is a gathering place for a lot of Expats just around the corner from Kaen Inn hotel.

Stay at Khonkaen Hotel has the best rooms (frig air etc) and about 500 bahht / night.

Outside city Big C, Lotus, Macro all good food halls big variety of tucker.

They have a street market every night in street near Fairy Plaza after dark,good food, and 711 for beer too wash down near by.

Get in touch with Khonkaen.com Forum and arrange to meet a few locals.

bronco

Hi Bronco,

I was in a village called Prayearn (excuse the spelling mate, but it sounds like that), It was on the road that went past that huge lotus, is that near you?

Did you mean Lotus shopping centre? you can go that way but it gets complicated for directions.

The village is Banpaed, duck village and there are statues of ducks throughout the place. I am gonna get some of my photos of villiage etc put on CD and post here sooner or later.

There are plenty of ways to get there but this is the easiest to explain.

from town head to airport, go past airport to overpass about 1 kilometre on.

two alternate ways from here

1. go under the overpass and take first turn left, that is the back way.

2. take left lane before overpass, get on the wrong side of road when convenient, go past Nurses school and take next turn right, go left after first shop on left, go over first street and our place is second house on left.

The airport way is quickest by far.

bronco