Is There A Tesco Lotus In Loei ?

[69_68iou1]

Any news on the tesco lotus ?

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Any news on the tesco lotus ?

I just heard that they have been told they cannot open in the middle of town. They have to build at a location on the edge of the town.

Still, Dan Sai now has a 7-11 - so I can live on microwave pizza!!

[Maizefarmer]

ChuckD

Hi - I'm not far from Loei

There are a fe ex-pats around but not many - mostly NGO types, but also a few with girlfriends.

They "comes & goes but mostly at the end of the day they goes".

It is in my opinion the least spoilt part of Thailand - little infrastructure, and lots of land avalible. Prices range from well of Baht1million for less than 1/2 rai (in the centre of town), to less than Baht 10k for a blank piece of land 10km out of town with no water electricity (usualy old paddy fields).

You can get a nice piece of land (around 1/2 - 3/4 rai) pretty close to the centre in one of the residential parts for Baht 400k - 700k - and then, build a house which as you would know can cost more than the land. All in much cheaper than Pattaya and you'll get much more for your money. Building materials are also cheaper up here.

Much more relaxed about planning permission - that said, look at next paragraph (which answers your Tesco/Lotus question)!!

Lotus/Tesco - - all sorts of problems, with local Thai papers theorising on who was paid what to get round some of the planning permission restrictions (size of car park was one of them), and as it stands at the moment the talk is it may all come down and be moved to another site (although I doubt it at the end of the day - Tesco/Lotus will just open its wallet to sort that out, which may well be what its all about to start with).

To sum it up - the centre is not much different from other Thai provincial town centres, not as buzy though. Very beautiful countryside. Coldest province in Thailand in winter (0degrees C has occured and 5 - 6 degree Celcius is not unusual on a winter morning). Summer: blazing hot dry as a bone, not as humid as Bangkok.

If you have kids: government schools are as elsewhere (with lots of pupils per classroom).

No established ex-pat community get together - but would be nice and the more ex-pats around, the quicker something like that can be established.

Tim

I am considering buying my wife a house near Loei and would like some farang information. I own a home in Pattaya but will give this to my daughter when she marries and I might move to the house I purchase unless my wife becomes my ex-wife.

A few questions come to mind concerning Loei:

I understand there is a nine hole golf course there. Do they have golf carts and can the course be accessed easily?

Is there an expat community there and are they generally friendly? I'm from Texas and I like to calmly socialize at a watering hole. Not a drunk though.

What are some land costs around Loei? We are just looking for a couple of rai unless there is a house for sale that we like.

Is the Lotus store open yet?

Any comments you guys that live around there can provide me will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

I'm heading back to my house in Dan Sai for the forth-coming school holidays - is the Lotus open yet?

[yorkman]

Sort of back to the OP's question...

No..no tesco lotus yet. It is available 120 km and 2 hours away in Udon. Decide your priorities maybe? Loei is a pretty bad and dirty "one horse town" with no redeeming factors; I would not live there. But I would certainly live 10km away in beautiful country if I had the chance and circumstances

[Maigo6]

Loei is a pretty bad and dirty "one horse town" with no redeeming factors; I would not live there.

Is it bad and dirty?

I have only ever heard good reports about Loie Province.

[nakaseng]

IT IS REALLY STRANGE THE SHOPPING CENTER IS ALREADY MORE THAN ONE YEAR BUILD

EVERYTING IS READY BIG SIGNS WITH TESCO LOTUS, INSIDE MK RESTAURANT,THE PIZZA COMPANY

ENZ. BUT IT IS STILL NOT OPEN WHY??

NOBOBY NOW THIS IS ONLY POSSIBLE IN THAILAND I THINK.

FOR THE REST I THINK THAT LOEI IS A NICE CITI WITH VERY BEAUTIFUL SURROUNDINGS

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Well, I'm still waiting.

Has it opened yet?

[Gary A]

Well, I'm still waiting.

Has it opened yet?

I hope you're not holding your breath.

In my opinion building in town was a BIG mistake. Local greedy merchants have sabotaged every step along the way and it doesn't look like it will ever open. Had Lotus built south of the city on 201 they would have a booming business.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Shame, looks like it's Pi'lok for a while longer then...

[garro]

Shame, looks like it's Pi'lok for a while longer then...

Have you noticed the sudden upsurge in the number of westerners shopping in Tesco/Lotus Phitsanulok recently?

Maybe a new shop in Loei would help take the strain.

[khunandy]

The latest rumour is that Tesco has been scouting locations in Chum Phae which to my thinking is a wiser location. Chum Phae is expanding rapidly and is a natural hub between Khon Kaen, Loie and Chaiyaphum.

The local merchants and market vendors have protested about the possibility of Tesco opening.

Rumour also has it that Big C has bought land 8 km west of Chum Phae for future developement.

There certainly is a lot of new construction happening along the new duel carriageway between Chum Phae and Khon Kaen

Khun Andy

Edited January 25, 2008 by khunandy