Hi

Can anyone give me directions to this place please....

thanks

David

Head north and follow the road that runs parallel to the river. Keep the river on your right. After you go under the superhighway, it's around another 500m (I think) on the right. Pim and CityLife did a great story on her a few years ago. Her daughter, Lanna Cummins, had a hit CD around 5 years which I still often play.

Her place is up further than you would think. You just have to stay calm and continue driving north along the west side of the river like Loaded said. You will pass Le Crystal shortly before you come to it. There is enough signage as well, that you likely won't miss it. Do note that she calls n spells it in English 'Hooan Soontharee' using the Lanna word for house and then her name. She's usually on at 8.30p and performs Mon-Sat nights. Fri and Sat are the most packed, of course. It's really a great night out, a great date place, and also a great place to entertain friends from out of town.

Thanks for that

found it all ok! What a big barn of a place, but

nicely decorated. Food good, but no better that my local

(But then my local is rather good)

Now! Can she sing or not? I still can't work it out.

I have 3 of her CDs and she sounds just the same... an

aquired taste.... but my wife hates her voice and all my guests were wincing too!

David

This is one of my favourites from her daughter Lanna:

Wai jai dai gah (Can I trust you?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=815_aqudwHA&feature=related

It seems like a lot of older people, especially Hiso types on holiday from Bangkok love her to pieces and go there and spend a small fortune on booze and food - waiting for her to stop by their table at the end of her set, join them for a drink, snap a couple of photos...etc., etc.

Her place is very nice indeed, the food is just O.K. (and way over-priced). Like Loaded, I like going there when her daughter Lanna is performing. She's a good singer.

Her Daughter Lanna Commins also sang last night... a bonus

Most people seemed to leave before Ms Sunathree started singing though!

David

For the diggs of the joint, it ain't overpriced, come on ! It's so lovely there, and the atmosphere's so great too. It's not as intimate as the old wooden place, but it's a great venue where you can see here and others perform and find Thai or Western seating to your liking. Also a bonus is taking tourist friends to go get photo'd going in n out of the Ladyboy bathroom (just for kicks, of course).

I've paid plenty more for food equal to theirs. I've also paid a fair percentage less, but for what they could try to do with their prices, they're way reasonable in RTD's book.

To my understanding, if you listen to alot of deeper Kam Meuang, not just the blanded down general type spoken here in CM so that ppl from other northern districts and jang wats can understand each other, but more twangy country sub-dialects, you'll hear alot more nasality than you do around town. Soontharee's definitely singing super-high nansal-toned songs, and it can be an acquired taste. If you wanna talk over it with your guests at your table, its piercing sounds can be most distracting. But if you relax n listen, it's quite charming and you can hear a sound of ancientness to it. I find it quite beautiful. Also, if you can make out some of the Thai or Meuang words you'll hear that alot of the songs are quite sweet and about the olden days and the simple life. The tone also evokes the images of which she sings. That's my perspective. It's not my favorite music, but I try to dig deeper to understand it in its full context.

seems to me as much of genuine Lanna Style place as you can expect. I got used to the sound, in the beginning I said =it's cats sound. Well , it is in a way, but genuine. Food is more interesting , of bigger variety than most other places, the price , for you get in terms of ambiance is totally ok. I am a regular simply because it is different. All the other places have only blaring sounds, called music.

For the diggs of the joint, it ain't overpriced, come on ! It's so lovely there, and the atmosphere's so great too. It's not as intimate as the old wooden place, but it's a great venue where you can see here and others perform and find Thai or Western seating to your liking. Also a bonus is taking tourist friends to go get photo'd going in n out of the Ladyboy bathroom (just for kicks, of course).

I've paid plenty more for food equal to theirs. I've also paid a fair percentage less, but for what they could try to do with their prices, they're way reasonable in RTD's book.

To my understanding, if you listen to alot of deeper Kam Meuang, not just the blanded down general type spoken here in CM so that ppl from other northern districts and jang wats can understand each other, but more twangy country sub-dialects, you'll hear alot more nasality than you do around town. Soontharee's definitely singing super-high nansal-toned songs, and it can be an acquired taste. If you wanna talk over it with your guests at your table, its piercing sounds can be most distracting. But if you relax n listen, it's quite charming and you can hear a sound of ancientness to it. I find it quite beautiful. Also, if you can make out some of the Thai or Meuang words you'll hear that alot of the songs are quite sweet and about the olden days and the simple life. The tone also evokes the images of which she sings. That's my perspective. It's not my favorite music, but I try to dig deeper to understand it in its full context.

Well put RTD. I can't vouch for the khatoey bathroom??? Not sure what that's about (or if I wanna know for that matter). But you are spot on in regards to the music. And it is a very lovely place. In regards to the price I guess it's not as bad as other places except for the drinks. I once ordered a cocktail there and expected it to arrive in a highball glass or small tumbler at the very least. When it arrived, the glass was the size of a shot glass literally; meaning the alcohol must have been measured in a thimble! The drink was priced at around 140 Baht as I recall. I complained but ended up with one of those uneasy moments that happen sometimes in Thailand, with 5 or more employees all standing around the table with that look on their faces as - what could possibly be wrong here?? Mai bpen rai...