Ubon Ratchathani

[Korat Correct]

Arriving April

Mid range hotel please?

Furnished condo?

Farang watering hole?

Car/pickup hire?

Thanks in advance

[Korat Correct]

Is there anybody there?

Ubon I mean

Or will I have the place to myself?

[ChiefBEM]

Arriving April

Mid range hotel please?

Furnished condo?

Farang watering hole?

Car/pickup hire?

Thanks in advance

This posting appears to be misplaced.

Obviously you were thinking this is a travel service and therefore you placed an order.

[wrongway]

Arriving April

Mid range hotel please?

Furnished condo?

Farang watering hole?

Car/pickup hire?

Thanks in advance

Hello Korat Correct,

Yes, there are a lot of us farang here in all shapes and sizes. We seem to be just realizing there are advantages in getting together now and then. To that end, my wife and I are opening a cafe/restaurant/pub kind of place right in the center of the city. I've been hesitant to announce this, as it's tough to fix a date, but yesterday the Bangkok company selling me my pool table confirmed that it would be installed March 31, so a soft opening on Friday, April 7, is sort of official now. For a while the place will be just a watering hole; when the wood-burning pizza oven is complete and broken in. Eventually we will have a full menu, Thai and farang, mostly centered on what can be prepared in the traditional oven. Also, we are planning a variety of proper aritison breads (has a San Francisco Sourdough culture sent to me from the US). Any particular beer you like? Let me know and I'll make sure it's available (assuming it's available in Thailand).

As for a place to stay, we have 24 rooms available right behind us. They are fully furnished, have cable TV, air-con, hot water, etc., and range in price from 350 to 450 baht per night. Daily cleaning service is provided. The advantage is, of course, the particularly short staggering distance to your room after a bit of drinking.

Your question about car rental deserves some study, as I'll probably be asked that again and again. I'll try to get an answer today and post it here.

In the meantime, here's the Contact info for our place (no sign up yet):

Wrong Way Cafe

49/5 Phadang Road

Tambon Nai Muang

Amphor Muang

Ubon Rathchathani

Thailand 34000

045-245921

01-7186091

I'm Richard, from the US but lost in Asia for 20 years.

Cheers!

[BKK90210]

Please excuse my dumbwit......What is a "Farang watering hole?"

[lampard10]

......What is a "Farang watering hole?"

May I nominate this as the dumbest question ever asked on Thai Visa

[raslin]

Please excuse my dumbwit......What is a "Farang watering hole?"

Oasis (oasese?) where you can get long refreshing drinks of beer (with in mainly water) or can add some water to your Scotch.

Please don't ask what a stiff drink is!

Roger in Sawai

Edited March 29, 2006 by raslin

[BKK90210]

Sorry for being soo dumb...I don't drink and never been to any bars, so I wouldn't know the meaning of it.

Thanks....so now I know

[citizen33]

There seems to be a surprising reticence on the part of the Ubon expats to communicate the virtues of their city when it comes to 'watering holes'. Before I made a visit a few months ago, I did various web searches but found only a large number of posts saying 'if you want nightlife don't come to Ubon'. Actually my own preferences don't extend far beyond a quiet drink, so my perspective is more that of an observer than a participant, but I was surprised how many entertainment options Ubon has. I would say it is at least on a par with Khon Kaen (though perhaps not Udon) and certainly puts anything in Surin (Soi Cola or Memorial) or Buriram (entertainment plaza) in the shade in terms of scale and the number of venues. I would start at the Swing Party bar on Chayongkul Road, close to the intersection with Uppaleesan Road, and ask the locals for directions. It is a pleasant bar with attractive waitresses moonlighting from the Rajhabat, a nice Farang crowd and okay music. I like Ubon's Thai-style cafe bars of which there are many, including the cafe at the Regent Hotel a few hundred yards north on the left, and a more risque establishment (I think known as Annie's) in a Soi directly behind the Swing Party. Ubon even has at least one a-go-go bar in the shape of PPs Bar just past the Regent (interestingly it has Farang-style vertical dancing poles rather than the horizontal ones of Surin's over-rated Hard Rock Cafe). For those who are interested there are also at least five fish bowls. Soi Robinson just off Chayongkul Road had a large number of bars but is said to be under re-development. Further north on Chayongkul Road there is the Nevada Entertainment Complex with its bars and discos, but this attracts a very young, noisy crowd and you may need your ear plugs. There is another area with many bars to the east close to the Laithong Hotel. Perhaps the Ubon residents who are not in bed by 8.30pm will enlighten the questioner further!

[Gary A]

I live out in the boonies of Isaan with my Thai wife. I quite happy and content here. If I didn't have her I would NOT be living in the boonies. I can only speak for myself and I have been accused of holding out on information for my single friends who occasionally come for a visit. The truth of the matter is that I am NOT holding out. I don't know where the best bars are. I am certainly no angel and I enjoy playing pool and boozing with the other farangs. I have been known to play grab ass with the bar girls too. When it comes down to it I have no desire to hustle a girl to a short time room. I don't make a habit of prowling around looking for bars. A trip down to Ubon would be a trip to the BIG city for me. The first bar I found with some farangs and serving cold beer would be where I would stay. I guess I'm no longer adventurous.

[wrongway]

There seems to be a surprising reticence on the part of the Ubon expats to communicate the virtues of their city when it comes to 'watering holes'. Before I made a visit a few months ago, I did various web searches but found only a large number of posts saying 'if you want nightlife don't come to Ubon'. Actually my own preferences don't extend far beyond a quiet drink, so my perspective is more that of an observer than a participant, but I was surprised how many entertainment options Ubon has. I would say it is at least on a par with Khon Kaen (though perhaps not Udon) and certainly puts anything in Surin (Soi Cola or Memorial) or Buriram (entertainment plaza) in the shade in terms of scale and the number of venues. I would start at the Swing Party bar on Chayongkul Road, close to the intersection with Uppaleesan Road, and ask the locals for directions. It is a pleasant bar with attractive waitresses moonlighting from the Rajhabat, a nice Farang crowd and okay music. I like Ubon's Thai-style cafe bars of which there are many, including the cafe at the Regent Hotel a few hundred yards north on the left, and a more risque establishment (I think known as Annie's) in a Soi directly behind the Swing Party. Ubon even has at least one a-go-go bar in the shape of PPs Bar just past the Regent (interestingly it has Farang-style vertical dancing poles rather than the horizontal ones of Surin's over-rated Hard Rock Cafe). For those who are interested there are also at least five fish bowls. Soi Robinson just off Chayongkul Road had a large number of bars but is said to be under re-development. Further north on Chayongkul Road there is the Nevada Entertainment Complex with its bars and discos, but this attracts a very young, noisy crowd and you may need your ear plugs. There is another area with many bars to the east close to the Laithong Hotel. Perhaps the Ubon residents who are not in bed by 8.30pm will enlighten the questioner further!

Citizen33,

Great post. I've been living in Ubon for 3 years and you've made your point much better than I could. As I'll have to advise the wide variety of farang who will visit my establishment (opening Friday, to be announced on this forum soon), I've got to get to know more about my own city. A website with an Ubon guide to everything including nightlife is on the way. Once I have my wife resticted to our bar/restaurant, I'll have a greater opportunity to explore. How's that for an ulterior motive?

[bergen]

Wrongway

Nothing bad in keeping the family busy and make money to pay your beer and........

I would be interested in a guided tour, whenever. Nice to know a little bit about Ubon city.

By the way - Book one more room(with aircon) for me on Friday, I'll bring an Ozzie pool table champ.

Probably was 30y ago, but he beats me still, so prepare questions anyway.

see U

[malcolminthemiddle]

I'm in Ubon at the moment and may well be here on Friday, will pop along for the opening as well if still here.

Any one fancy a golf game this week?

[wrongway]

Wrongway

Nothing bad in keeping the family busy and make money to pay your beer and........

I would be interested in a guided tour, whenever. Nice to know a little bit about Ubon city.

By the way - Book one more room(with aircon) for me on Friday, I'll bring an Ozzie pool table champ.

Probably was 30y ago, but he beats me still, so prepare questions anyway.

see U

Bergen,

One more reservation confirmed. 350 baht for the night. MalcomInTheMiddle, hope you can make it. I'll be announcing this officially soon so we can start a separate thread.

Cheers!