Ubon Ratchathani News & Development

[wanthai]

The non-metered services with stands inside the airport is who the conflict is with he says.

That is what I was told of one of the drivers in one of the first taxi in Ubon, back in 2011, that the car rentals /taxi inside have monopole on taxi service from the airport.

Metered taxi are not allowed to pick up passenger from the arrival

[ubonrthai]

Digital TV starts May 2 in Ubon.

[SantiSuk]

Krung Thong Hotel all boarded up and under redevelopment. Death of a great Ubon institution (out back) ?

[MeMock]

^Thank goodness for that! Great location but boy was it shoddy!

[highlander403]

Krung Thong Hotel all boarded up and under redevelopment. Death of a great Ubon institution (out back) ?

yes noticed that a couple days back loved the " TURKEY BATHS" sign out front

scotty

[Michael Hare]

Here in Ubon, in the lane behind my house, a Double Tree hotel has opened up. At long last I thought, an upmarket hotel chain (Hilton) has come to Ubon.

http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/thailand/doubletree-by-hilton-hotel-sukhumvit-bangkok-BKKSSDI/index.html?WT.mc_id=zMWWAAA0EA1WW2PSH3Search4DGGeneric7GW842004&WT.srch=1&utm_source=AdWords&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=paidsearch

This hotel is called the Zara Double Tree Hotel. Photos attached. When the sign first went up it was Doble Tree, now Double Tree.

I wonder if Hilton, like Starbucks recently in Bangkok, will decide to do anything. I hope not. I guess the owners of Zara Ubon were so impresed with Double Tree hotels overseas, or maybe in Bangkok and Phuket, they decided to name their new hotel almost the same. A compliment.

In my small area of Ubon, there are now 3 small modern hotels; Rapeephan, Pen Ta Hug and Zara Double Tree. And across the road another new 8 storey hotel going up, but as yet, no name. Maybe the Zara Marriot Ubon!

[ubonrthai]

Kan Air is opening a Chiang Mai to Ubon flight. They currently have a 3,000b flight between CM & Khon Kaen only on Saturdays. I assume Ubon will be something similar. I'm not sure when it opens. Nok Air also added a flight to Bangkok.

http://www.kanairlines.com

[SantiSuk]

Better than nothing (Ubon to CM potentially only one day a week), but means for most trips we (family of four) would need to come via Bangkok on one of the legs, which will still make driving temptingly cheap.

I'll celebrate if it moves to a twice-a-week service!

[MeMock]

Where does it say it is only 1 flight per week?

[ubonrthai]

Just speculating that it will be similar to Khon Kaen route.

[ubonrthai]

A new hotel is almost complete. Wonder how it will be. http://hopinnhotel.com/en/our-hotel/#Ubonratchathani

[Michael Hare]

A new hotel is almost complete. Wonder how it will be. http://hopinnhotel.com/en/our-hotel/#Ubonratchathani

This hotel is very near my house. I was informed some time ago by the locals that it was being built by the Erawan Hotel from Bangkok. I didn't believe them.

Now from your information Ubonrthai they were completey right. These hotels are the budget hotels belonging to the Erawan group.

A hotel priced at between 550-700 baht and having all what they say will be wonderful for Ubon.

http://hopinnhotel.com/en/

PRESS RELEASE

ERAWAN launches Budget Hotel “HOP INN” for Thailand and ASEAN

Bangkok After successfully building a quality hotel portfolio in Thailand with International brands from luxury to

economy segments, ERAWAN is now ready to introduce its own brand, HOP INN, to penetrate budget hotel segment

both domestically and internationally.

As Thailand’s leading hotel investor and developer, ERAWAN has been aggressively expanding over the past 8 years.

The group now owns 16 hotels with almost 4,000 rooms across key destinations, all operating under 5 top global

operators including Hyatt, Marriott, ACCOR, IHG and Starwood. Over the years, it has gained reputation as a leading

hotel developer who always moves ahead of the game. ERAWAN was the first group who identified opportunity in

economy hotel segment and developed a network of economy hotels in Thailand since 2006, about the same time as

the emergence of Low Cost Airline in the region. To date, ERAWAN owns 9 IBIS with almost 2,000 rooms, the largest

network of economy hotels in Thailand. Its 9 ibis have shown solid performance on the back of rising number of

travelers from Asia and Russia.

“The biggest risk in hotel industry is competition especially from “me-too” supplies. To be a leader, you not only need

to do the first move where the growth and future opportunities are but you also need to take up a challenge that not

everyone can do.” said Kasama Punyagupta, CEO of The Erawan Group.

From the success of IBIS portfolio, ERAWAN has identified another untapped market in Thailand to pursue, a budget

hotel for domestic business stay where demand has continuously been rising with ARR of only 500 – 700 baht.

ERAWAN has created its own brand “HOP INN” for a network of quality budget hotels.

“This is a totally different market from our existing hotels portfolio. We aim at domestic guests who travel for regular

business, such as salespersons, or for personal agenda. Our team studied this market for almost 2 years and traveled

throughout Thailand to understand the demand-supply situation as well as to look for opportunity. We have created

a product which we strongly believe will meet all basic needs of the guests while maintaining very competitive price.

Our aim is to lift up their quality of life while they are away from home. At the average ARR of 600 baht for clean and

comfortable room, the investment cost per room had to be within the range of 700,000 baht including land cost and

we already have proven facts that we can do it.” Kasama added.

Today ERAWAN announces the first 9 locations freehold land with initial focus on East-West Corridor including

Ubonratchathani, Mukdaharn, Nongkhai, Udonthani, Nakornratchasrima, Srakaew, Kanchanaburi, Maesot (Tak) and

Lampang. Construction already started for the first 5 locations. The first 9 HOP INN will open during 2nd & 3rd quarter

2014.

“We are now very confident that we can roll our budget hotel “HOP INN” across Thailand and ASEAN with a good

return to our shareholders. In the first phase, we target to open 30 HOP INN in Thailand and ASEAN countries within

2015.” Kasama concluded.

ERAWAN plans to invest over Baht 2 billion for the first roll out of HOP INN for a contribution of 15% total EBITDA by

2016.

[Michael Hare]

Maybe some Mukdahan readers can inform us Ubonites about the Mukdahan Hop INN.

http://www.agoda.com/en-gb/hop-inn-mukdahan/hotel/mukdahan-th.html?asq=2woWPGUHd5%2bK8GljBNNKo%2baDHd%2fQ0JMeYtzOGHKUXvjKyGU8NaRNUgLdRus3iVE3vdW%2fLkmjiZWB%2fo4ygaInkzG0YfOFJ38h6Puk%2bFr8CMEYt%2bQI1TE1HmtEXEhbhb0464aZh04zgYnPC8Yo11zgJCBI7sM4QFQ1a2HeOdQVXJ8g2pFCJzR0mxyvohE9bfTVaf%2fvOTSr31AcHMhPcvwkli4Uhcknbb%2fE7mTi%2b2LPOtgMMXSh5uki49vz0yzCy3TQ&tyra=1|9

[Michael Hare]

A new hotel is almost complete. Wonder how it will be. http://hopinnhotel.com/en/our-hotel/#Ubonratchathani

The Hop Inn Mukdahan is open. Received positive reviews. Looks clean and fresh. Rooms could be a little small.

I wonder what kind of breakfast they serve for 550 baht?

http://www.agoda.com/hop-inn-mukdahan/hotel/mukdahan-th.html

[SantiSuk]

A new hotel is almost complete. Wonder how it will be. http://hopinnhotel.com/en/our-hotel/#Ubonratchathani

The Hop Inn Mukdahan is open. Received positive reviews. Looks clean and fresh. Rooms could be a little small.

I wonder what kind of breakfast they serve for 550 baht?

http://www.agoda.com/hop-inn-mukdahan/hotel/mukdahan-th.html

A non-existent kind of breakfast if you read the Agoda link you posted Michael!

It is common for the new budget city "mansion"/block hotels to have very limited breakfast provision - often just an on-the-go coffee machine. Hop-Inn's Mukdahan Agoda listing offers no hint of there being any catering offer whatsoever.

I am myself a breakfast eater, but I still welcome this relatively recent sector of the Thai hotel industry - budget modern, clean, basically furnished, reasonably-sized (usually 15 sqm plus), no frills City centre block hotels with 20 to 50 almost identical rooms. Prices normally 500 to 750 baht for a king size or twin bed room with a basic 'shower-over-toilet' (not literally in most!) bathroom and no or very limited breakfast facilities. If they have spent a bit more money on the block they usually (mis-)call it a boutique hotel.I'd mostly rather make my own arrangements for a breakfast on-the-run when I'm travelling, rather than effectively having a 200 baht plus, disappointing buffet costed into the room rate. Many other people these days do not eat breakfast at all or not at an early time, so it seems to fit the modern way.

This new wave of mansion/block city centre offerings must be killing the "leesort" sector - or at least the ones that do not focus solely on short-time. Prices tend to be sharper than at resorts and many resorts are full of shabby non-functioning facilities, also often without any breakfast worth putting in yer mouth.

I'm staying in Chanthaburi while I write this in one of the few (one of only 2 I think) such mansion/modern block hotels to have opened here. The choice of hotel accommodation in Chanthaburi is appalling IMO and it's often difficult to find rooms centrally at late notice. The contrast with Ubon and some other Isaan towns could not be starker. Demand seems to exceed supply here, particulary at weekends, so the rooms are charged at 25 to 50% more than the equivalent room would be charged in Ubon (or Bangkok for that matter).

Not quite sure why I started what turned out to be morel like a rant!

[nisakiman]

A new hotel is almost complete. Wonder how it will be. http://hopinnhotel.com/en/our-hotel/#Ubonratchathani

The Hop Inn Mukdahan is open. Received positive reviews. Looks clean and fresh. Rooms could be a little small.

I wonder what kind of breakfast they serve for 550 baht?

http://www.agoda.com/hop-inn-mukdahan/hotel/mukdahan-th.html

A non-existent kind of breakfast if you read the Agoda link you posted Michael!

It is common for the new budget city "mansion"/block hotels to have very limited breakfast provision - often just an on-the-go coffee machine. Hop-Inn's Mukdahan Agoda listing offers no hint of there being any catering offer whatsoever.

I am myself a breakfast eater, but I still welcome this relatively recent sector of the Thai hotel industry - budget modern, clean, basically furnished, reasonably-sized (usually 15 sqm plus), no frills City centre block hotels with 20 to 50 almost identical rooms. Prices normally 500 to 750 baht for a king size or twin bed room with a basic 'shower-over-toilet' (not literally in most!) bathroom and no or very limited breakfast facilities. If they have spent a bit more money on the block they usually (mis-)call it a boutique hotel.I'd mostly rather make my own arrangements for a breakfast on-the-run when I'm travelling, rather than effectively having a 200 baht plus, disappointing buffet costed into the room rate. Many other people these days do not eat breakfast at all or not at an early time, so it seems to fit the modern way.

This new wave of mansion/block city centre offerings must be killing the "leesort" sector - or at least the ones that do not focus solely on short-time. Prices tend to be sharper than at resorts and many resorts are full of shabby non-functioning facilities, also often without any breakfast worth putting in yer mouth.

I'm staying in Chanthaburi while I write this in one of the few (one of only 2 I think) such mansion/modern block hotels to have opened here. The choice of hotel accommodation in Chanthaburi is appalling IMO and it's often difficult to find rooms centrally at late notice. The contrast with Ubon and some other Isaan towns could not be starker. Demand seems to exceed supply here, particulary at weekends, so the rooms are charged at 25 to 50% more than the equivalent room would be charged in Ubon (or Bangkok for that matter).

Not quite sure why I started what turned out to be morel like a rant!

You're right about the breakfast. I personally am a 'glass of fresh squeezed orange juice followed by good coffee' man. I never eat until mid-morning, when I'll have a snack, so paying for a room 'with breakfast included' is something I normally avoid.

[ubonrthai]

Ubon to Chiang Mai Round trip is 6,480b starting August 15th. They fly on Friday & Sunday.

[ubonrthai]

KFC drive-thru has broken ground at Sunee.

[transam]

I did hear a whisper that that concrete monstrosity building work in the reservoir is to be scrapped.......... .

[SantiSuk]

They should encase those responsible for approving the scheme and those who took the cream off the top in concrete and put them on aplinth in the middle of the lake as a monument to folly and greed.

[transam]

They should encase those responsible for approving the scheme and those who took the cream off the top in concrete and put them on aplinth in the middle of the lake as a monument to folly and greed.

There is a bigger story but I dare not write it here. The good news I hear is that the road lighting will be fixed and the footpaths cleared of crap. But, it's just what I have heard.

[AliasJohn]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

They should encase those responsible for approving the scheme and those who took the cream off the top in concrete and put them on aplinth in the middle of the lake as a monument to folly and greed.

There is a bigger story but I dare not write it here. The good news I hear is that the road lighting will be fixed and the footpaths cleared of crap. But, it's just what I have heard.

What a tease you are Transam....Good news about it been cleaned up though. Its a shame there is no pride in that region as it could be a beautiful spot. The far end restaurant was a favourite(Ubon Seafood) for a nice meal overlooking the lake.

Cheers. John

[nisakiman]

I did hear a whisper that that concrete monstrosity building work in the reservoir is to be scrapped.......... .

But have they filled it up again yet?

[Martyjustice]

Anyone took the Kan Air flights to CM? Oops Aug. 15 start. Would be interested when they start. Will be back in Oct.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[transam]

I did hear a whisper that that concrete monstrosity building work in the reservoir is to be scrapped.......... .

But have they filled it up again yet?

It is filling up, slowly, the Temple end and most of it has water. Bit slow at the other end.

[nisakiman]

Oh well, that's a result. Beats looking at a wide expanse of dried mud!

[ubonrthai]

I was messing around with Nok Air flights and realized they have an option for Singapore now. Of course it's a connection so that bursted my bubble of hope that we'd be connected to somewhere other than Bangkok again. At least the price one way is actually quite good.

[NiwPix]

Yeah, thats new. Maybe a sign of more things to come

Also, I noticed a building on the ringroad going up. Right passed homemart straight across of the labor department. I can't confirm 100% but it seems Like BMW is opening dealership there. The reason...and only reason I suspect its BMW is because there are huge advertisements of BMW and Mini's on that construction Site.

[Michael Hare]

Good news about Nok Air expanding. Not sure if I want to fly on their planes to Singapore unless they have a better time connection.

Dear NiwPix,

Slightly wrong with your descriptions. It is HomeHub (or as we locals say Sri Rung) (not HomeMart) that is just back up the ring-road from the new car dealership you correctly say is Mini-BMW.

I find it interesting that that construction of this show room-service centre is more down scale from we Ubonites have seen in the past few years. Examples of these huge complexes are Toyota Deluxe at Warin and Toyota DiYiam on Chayangkun Road on the way to Muang Saam Sip.

Maybe this is to do with the expected sales of BMW and Mini. I think Mini will sell quite well, given that Mini is top of the list for all sales of imported cars into Thailand. It is a cool looking car among the rich young generation who maybe were not even born before the film The Italian Job.

BMW struggles in Ubon. Years ago they owned the service centre that these days Chev leases on Suriyat Road. Besides BMW, they had dealerships for Peugeot, Kia and even Skoda. All gone now except Kia but under new dealership.

And talking of Chev. Are they expanding! They want to get out of their leased property. Hence the huge new complex 12 km northeast of Ubon on the way to Muang Saam Sip, the new complex being built across the road from Spago and down from Home Mart, and the starting of yet another complex across the ring road from Global House. Even a tent across the road from Charoen Sri fresh market outside Warin.

In the 1990s in Ubon there were even dealerships and service centres for Fiat, Volvo, Chrysler Jeep, Hyundai, and Daihatsu. Perhaps even Landrover will come to Ubon now. I saw a very expensive range Range Rover pull into Dao Coffee and breakfast shop last Sunday. It was displaying Lao number plates.

[DILLIGAD]

Seen a couple of brandnew RR Evoque"s in Sisaket this week. Maybe the monks have had another payday ?