Ubon Ratchathani News & Development

[bergen]

Big C is opening soon in Nam Yuen, south in Ubon Province.

[Mike45]

I heard that the Opening Ceremony for the Immigration office in Muang Ubon Ratchathani will be be July 4th.

[ubonjoe]

15 hours ago, Mike45 said:

I heard that the Opening Ceremony for the Immigration office in Muang Ubon Ratchathani will be be July 4th.

Opened yesterday.

Ceremony today at 10Am. 

There is an ongoing topic about the new office on this forum.

[Ace of Pop]

For those who wonder why every place has Muang It means the Center .Havent lived there for Years, but am told where Trans Am lives by the Lake has DesRes ,and peaceful newer property.?


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[SantiSuk]

Being a pedant I would say that:

 

• a more accurate translation of meuang is probably "municipality" or town/city, rather than any marker of geographical characteristic
• there are three reservoirs (not lakes) of substance in Meuang Ubon - Huai Wang Nong, Huai Meuang and Huai Nong Bua

But we all know what you mean! Most falang talk about Huai Wang Nong as being 'the lake' and indeed it is home to some des res and is mostly quiet, so Trans Am is a lucky guy if he lives around there. Also home to a falang bar/restaurant, a lot of popular evening/weekend Thai restaurants and the inevitable few 'fairy light' establishments.

 

Ubon hash has hashed nearly every inch of the place over its 9 year history - I could navigate it blindfold!

[puchooay]

1 hour ago, SantiSuk said:

Being a pedant I would say that:

 

• a more accurate translation of meuang is probably "municipality" or town/city, rather than any marker of geographical characteristic
• there are three reservoirs (not lakes) of substance in Meuang Ubon - Huai Wang Nong, Huai Meuang and Huai Nong Bua

But we all know what you mean! Most falang talk about Huai Wang Nong as being 'the lake' and indeed it is home to some des res and is mostly quiet, so Trans Am is a lucky guy if he lives around there. Also home to a falang bar/restaurant, a lot of popular evening/weekend Thai restaurants and the inevitable few 'fairy light' establishments.

 

Ubon hash has hashed nearly every inch of the place over its 9 year history - I could navigate it blindfold!

Just to split hairs, "muang" would quite possibly be translated as town also centre. One could argue that "Nakorn" could be translated as town. Definitely not city. That is "mahanakhon". Only one true city in Thailand and that is Bangkok. 

[SantiSuk]

Noted - let's go for municipality then. Can't be 'Centre' surely, as a meuang is an administrative area that often/usually takes in outskirts/suburbs as well as the centre. But I'm no linguist, so I should probably shut the proverbial up!

[MarcoH]

Visit Ubon Immigration office today

Here is few pictures of location and below link to small clip how to walk in there from car parking area as it's very near to Main gate

 

There is also 1 portable aircon unit for hot season and no inside sitting area, all sit outside but under the roof as Immigration officers are behind the class and with aircon,,lol

 

They have luch brake from 12.00-13.00 as well

 

 

 

[MarcoH]

Click below to video clip 

 

From Ubon Immigration office walking to car park

 

[Michael Hare]

Over the years, whenever huge amounts of water are released from the Lam Pao Dam and the Ubon Rat dam at Namphong, after about ten days of moving along the Chi river it ends up in the Mun river and causes severe flooding in Ubon Ratchathani city and Warin. This occurred in 2000, 2001, and 2002. I also remember way back in 1978, my wife had to get a boat down the road from the railway station to get across into the city. 

 

Since the severe floods at the turn of this century, we have not been tested again to the same extent. In those days there was no Central Plaza, no THE RIVER, no Ratchathani university, no Home Pro, no Thai Watsat Du. The swamp land was not raised. Now with all this land raised, where will the water go to? Probably between in and around Ubon Watsat Du, flood out the hotel there and all the shops across from Ubon Watsat Du. Back up in Huai Wang Nong. 

 

Maybe it will not be so bad now but if more heavy rain comes in late August-early September, as it usually does, then watch out then. 

[SantiSuk]

Land has been raised by excavating clay from other areas of the same flood plain I believe Michael. I think that particular aspect is probably a net nil situation, though that won't stop floodings like we had 4 years ago or maybe worse like you describe at turn of the century (wasn't here then).

 

It'll be some flood if it pushes back up into Huai Wang Nong. Even after the rains of last week and with huge flow coming out of HWN the level of the reservoir was still way above (at least 10 meters) the outfall river that winds its way down to the Mun by the big Cement works in the East of the town. I know cos last Friday I checked part of a trail I had earlier earmarked to run Ubon Hash House Harrriers along next Saturday only to find my chosen route was freshly inundated (maybe dry again now). HWN might overflow from water coming down into it from the north - not getting away quickly enough - but if it overflows from water pushing back up from the south then look out Ubon! - that means the river is 10+meters higher and the whole of Chinatown and mid town will be under a meter or two minimum of water.

[Michael Hare]

11 hours ago, SantiSuk said:

Land has been raised by excavating clay from other areas of the same flood plain I believe Michael. I think that particular aspect is probably a net nil situation, though that won't stop floodings like we had 4 years ago or maybe worse like you describe at turn of the century (wasn't here then).

 

It'll be some flood if it pushes back up into Huai Wang Nong. Even after the rains of last week and with huge flow coming out of HWN the level of the reservoir was still way above (at least 10 meters) the outfall river that winds its way down to the Mun by the big Cement works in the East of the town. I know cos last Friday I checked part of a trail I had earlier earmarked to run Ubon Hash House Harrriers along next Saturday only to find my chosen route was freshly inundated (maybe dry again now). HWN might overflow from water coming down into it from the north - not getting away quickly enough - but if it overflows from water pushing back up from the south then look out Ubon! - that means the river is 10+meters higher and the whole of Chinatown and mid town will be under a meter or two minimum of water.

With all the land that has been raised over the last 15 years, goodness knows where the water will go. This is what happened before.

 

As the Mun river overflows, Baan Kud Duea goes under water (that is where all the flooding restaurants are).  The water floods all the land near the mouth of the little Mun river. This water creeps up just below the road down from the N'Joy restaurant. The road behind Ave Maria School goes under. Then the water floods all the land and the road in and around Do Home. The Ubonburi resort hotel goes under. The road between Warin and Ubon goes under. The No 3 bridge that crosses by the island is closed because the road on the Warin side goes under. The water creeps further around through the water-treatment plant and up almost to the LaiThong hotel. It will reach the Outside Inn and move up to the edge of Huai Wang Nong Lake. Water there gets trapped and can not flow out and so banks up to the north.

 

The under-the-road U turn in front of Ratchathani University and Central Plaza is now closed. Flooded. 

 

Whenever these big floods occur in Ubon the sun is shining. Always in October. No rain. The water comes downstream from opening the dams.

[SantiSuk]

"The No 3 bridge that crosses by the island is closed because the road on the Warin side goes under."

 

If you are talking about the stretch of road between the south end of No 3 bridge and southwards to the long bridge overpassing that 'bayou' before you climb up towards Warin Police Station, they raised that road by a meter or so 2 years ago. Dunno whether that's enough to keep Warin connected to Ubon. I wondered at the time why they were doing it.

[Michael Hare]

I just went down to Huai Wang Nong to have a look. Not sure where your "10 metre" level comes from Santisuk. To my untrained eye (I am not an engineer), it looks about a 3 m drop at the most. Currently the water is pouring out through the gates and meeting the water below below, at a guess, about a 1 m drop. The gates are almost covered and the walkways in front of the lake embankment are also almost covered. Two massive diesel pumps are now on the road near the outlet gates. I presume the authorities know that the gates will be unable to cope with the water and thus the two pumps are there to help. Pump out water and pour it across the road. 

 

Now that big flooding is being reported in Roi-Et (Selaphum), I expect this water will wind its way down the Chi river, into the Mun river and reach Ubon about this time next week. 

 

I also think that this period of heavy rain is just the beginning of lots more to come later in August and into September. Watch out then.

[SantiSuk]

My comment was based on an observation of 28 July, before the river came way up. 10m may be a bit of an exaggeration but if you check it out in dry season I think you'll find 10m is a closer estimate than 3!

[Martyjustice]

Looks like the "River" will not be in the river this year. Do remember flying in after the floods 5 years ago. Sure thought I saw that area under water.


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[Mike45]

I heard that Spagos is closing at it's current location and moving to a new location on Chayangkung Rd in September.

[anon4546543]

Yes, some times, you need to take the high road and not the low road. Especially in Thailand in the monsoon season.

[ubonjoe]

30 minutes ago, Mike45 said:

I heard that Spagos is closing at it's current location and moving to a new location on Chayangkung Rd in September.

Topic here about it.

 

[willow wilson]

I have been visiting Ubon Ratchathani for 18 years now (hope to retire in 5 years) but found few English speaking options socially , if anyone can post some  websites /forums etc other than Thai Visa would greatly appreciate it.

[ubonrthai]

Here are some potential designs and information for the Yasothon (Dong U Phueng) and Amnat (Wanarom) intersections of the ring road.

 

 

 

 

[SantiSuk]

Traffic circles? Good god!

 

Rule no 1 at traffic circles (roundabouts to us Brits) in Thailand - there are no rules.

[Rule no 2 - see rule no 1]

[ubonrthai]

In case you've ever wondered what the Yaso and Amnat intersections looked like from the sky with Christmas and hard rock music... 

 

 

 

[ubonrthai]

It sounds like a new mini mall may be coming. The builder, Ying Yong, is the company that owns the old Robinson property on Chayangkun. I also read there might be a 4 story parking garage. Not sure if this is supposed to happen at the old Robinson location or not. Perhaps Michael Hare knows? I think he has some contacts with Ying Yong.

[ubonrthai]

This is a video about the development of a trade route from Da Nang, Vietnam to Dawei (Tavoy), Myanmar which will go through Ubon via a new bridge in Khemarat. This article has some interesting reading about regional trade development too.

 

 

[ubonrthai]

Here is the new schedule of flights to/from Ubon with the new 4th Thai Smile flight.

 

[Michael Hare]

8 hours ago, ubonrthai said:

This is a video about the development of a trade route from Da Nang, Vietnam to Dawei (Tavoy), Myanmar which will go through Ubon via a new bridge in Khemarat. This article has some interesting reading about regional trade development too.

 

 

Good information about these developing trade routes from Vietnam through Laos, into Thailand and through to Myanmar. 

 

I was in Amphur Nong Sung, Mukdahan province last week inspecting our grass seed crops. I got a big surprise when driving up in the hills north of Nong Sung. A new 4 lane highway is under construction. Going from Kunchinarai in Kalasin province through to Khamcha-i in Mukdahan province to connect up with the existing 4 lane highway running into Mukdahan. This new highway is to the north of the existing two lane highway 12. It will cut through rubber palm plantations, rice paddies, sugar cane fields and cassava crops. I had seen large photos of the highway on route 12 and thought that the existing road would be widen. However, I was told this would be too costly, with lots of compensation having to be paid out to the number of villages and small towns  lining the road. Much cheaper to pay compensation to the farmers for their land. At the moment rubber plantations and upland crop areas are being bulldozed out of the way. As soon as the rice harvest is over, rice paddy land will be cleared. 

 

The existing route 12 is a very pretty road and in a way it is great that it will remain the same.  The new highway will by pass all villages and towns. 

 

[Michael Hare]

9 hours ago, ubonrthai said:

It sounds like a new mini mall may be coming. The builder, Ying Yong, is the company that owns the old Robinson property on Chayangkun. I also read there might be a 4 story parking garage. Not sure if this is supposed to happen at the old Robinson location or not. Perhaps Michael Hare knows? I think he has some contacts with Ying Yong.

Looks like the old Ying Yong-Robinson site. I will ask. Makes sense to have a parking building as the parking at the former Robinsons was always very tight.

[ubonrthai]

The road between Yasothon and Roi Et will get a 4 lane expansion starting July next year. It's significant to Ubon as that's the main bottleneck of traffic between Ubon and Khon Kaen. 

[ubonrthai]

Nok Air is flying direct between Ubon Ratchathani and Udon Thani starting January 17th. If I understand correctly it's only temporary through March 31st. Not sure why.