Dirty Nong Khai

[in2fridge]

I have just visited for the first time in approx 14 months.

I was shocked at the decrepid,filthy state of the Mekong promenade area .. dirty stained paving - sticky in some areas,broken lights with wires showing ..

The whole place has an air of total neglect,I took some visiting friends for,It thought, a nice lunch by the river,would not do again.. ......

[JurgenG]

I was there about two month ago. We stay in a small hotel on the promenade facing the Mekong. We found the place (the hotel and the promenade) quite nice and clean. In the early morning we saw a lot of mostly Thai people jogging or cycling on the promenade. Very nice feeling there. For dinner my gf relatives took us to some big local restaurant, the food was very good and the place was clean. For lunch the next day we ate at the big Vietnamese restaurant. Definitively a good experience, I'm surprised by yours.

[Prajak]

I do not agree. Things are cleaned every day and broken lamps are replaced but not every day of course, they have a schedule. Nongkhai has clean streets, wiped every day. Maybe you were here the day after the boatraces and than there are here thousands of guests and of course they leave some plastic bags behind....... No, I see them cleaning the streets every day and have nothing to complain about. I have my coffee at the promenade every day and it is clean.

[DreamRider]

Nong Khai is exceptionally clean and tidy in general and it is a delight to live here.

Standars have risen steadily over the years.

The sundown activities along the promenade aswell as the extension around the market area does have a good "feel" as mentioned.

To base the whole city on a hundred metre strech is grossly unfair and misrepresentative.

[in2fridge]

Fair Enough,but I can only speak as I found..

I have visited the riverfront many times ,promenade and pre promenade and the difference this time was very unpleasant and I would say some 40% of the bollard lights were either smashed or broken off,we were there November 8th.

OK maybe I was unlucky,given the other posts I will give it another try

[nam-thip]

I'm heading up to Nong Khai this coming Saturday the 20th November from South Thailand.

Can anyone recommend a place to stay overlooking the Mekong River along the promenade with car parking facility?

I'm up that way for a sightseeing trip with the misses who’s never seen the Mekong plus i need to have my 1-year O visa stamped up before the 25th November.

[Hachi]

in2fridge - I agree with you. I was there with my gfriend last Sept '09 and we were shocked and disappointed at the run down condition of the place.

We lived there for nearly 8 months a few years ago and recall it being in much better condition/maintained than what we experienced last Sept.

What an unpolished gem that place is.

If they had the town & especially the entire promenade (not just the newish section) cleaned up / repaired & properly managed, it would be so much more appealing.

[isanbirder]

I'm shocked at these reports of filth. Wasn't Nongkhai named (a few years ago now) as the 7th (or 9th or whatever) best place in the world for Americans to retire?