Ubon Rachathani Gossip !

[jay-uk]

Hi All

Just opened this topic to ask the residents of Ubon to keep all posted on the goings on in and around Ubon. Has SK shopping mall completed its extension yet including bowling lanes. Any good restuarants to note or talk about. Anything that may be useful and interesting to people who spend part or all of their time in Ubon Rachathani. Thanks for your input...

All the best

Jay

[sezzo]

Hi All

Just opened this topic to ask the residents of Ubon to keep all posted on the goings on in and around Ubon. Has SK shopping mall completed its extension yet including bowling lanes. Any good restuarants to note or talk about. Anything that may be useful and interesting to people who spend part or all of their time in Ubon Rachathani. Thanks for your input...

All the best

Jay

Jay,

Not sure if you are aware of it but the Wrongway Cafe is sort of like the unofficial place for a lot of farangs in and around Ubon to meet up. Good food, ice cold beer and there is always someone there to have a yarn with.

Catch up with you there sometime,

Carl

[phibunmike]

Hi Jay,

Not much going on, but as Sezzo sasys, let us know when you are in town and we can meet up for a beer and pizza

Cheers,

Mike

[bergen]

Jay

Not sure about SK bowling. I don't go there much as it is too crowded with teens.

Marco will possible know, as he had his shop there, before he moved to Chayangkul rd.

The Polar Bear has moved to new location on Sukha Uppatam rd, (east side of Sk) but Tim is offshore for another couple of months.

Wrongway Cafe is the best place to meet other farangs, play some pool, have a few cold ones , and some delicious food!

Hope to see you in both Wrongway and Suan Loong Daeng, - next you come to Ubon!

Trond

[Vegemite]

Jay

Not sure about SK bowling. I don't go there much as it is too crowded with teens.

Marco will possible know, as he had his shop there, before he moved to Chayangkul rd.

The Polar Bear has moved to new location on Sukha Uppatam rd, (east side of Sk) but Tim is offshore for another couple of months.

Wrongway Cafe is the best place to meet other farangs, play some pool, have a few cold ones , and some delicious food!

Hope to see you in both Wrongway and Suan Loong Daeng, - next you come to Ubon!

Trond

We will be upcountry March/April next year and I really want to swing through Ubon for a visit as my son in law is going to univeristy there.

Probably been asked before, but, where is the Wrongway and the other one?

Are there any decent serviced apartments in Ubon?

\We will be coming from Mahasarakham via Roi-et ( great place ) does anyone know the most farang friendly way to get to Ubon?

All the best.

[phibunmike]

Probably been asked before, but, where is the Wrongway and the other one?

Are there any decent serviced apartments in Ubon?

Hi, have never yet found Polar Bear....

But Wrong Way is easy. From Big C head south along main road of Ubon (into the city and toward the candle and Warin).

At the junction where Toyota is on your right and the old "Buy Comp" shop on your left, turn left.

Second (?) traffic lights turn right onto Phadaeng road.

Go straight, thorugh one (?) set of traffic lights, Wrong Way is on your right.

Ask Richard or Ting in Wrong Way, there are serviced one-room apartments behind for a few hundred baht if that is good enough for you. I have looked at them, they are newly refurbished, very clean, with new clean sheets. I would certainly stay there for my next night out in Ubon (usually stay at Pathumrat).

You can PM Richard, he is "WrongWay" on TV.

Cheers,

Mike

[citizen33]

Regarding how to get from Sarakham to Ubon, I did the reverse trip earlier in the year, and found the roads okay. The route is MS, Roi Et (where you will be anyway), Yasothon, Ubon. It seemed to me a pretty good road and was a comfortable afternoon drive (even allowing for a stop off at Makro, Roi Et for shopping). My own preference was to combine the trip to Ubon with a lower Isan tour, so I went via Buriram, Surin and Sisaket on the outward drive. This could be adapted to Roi Et, Surin, Sisaket, Ubon if you wanted to do a similar circuit. If you don't have a vehicle, I guess the alternative from MS and Roi Et would be air-conditioned bus. There is no flight to Ubon from KK and no railway in MS. I found Ubon a much livelier city than most people on the forum say.

[jay-uk]

Dear All

It seems like more and more farangs are taking time to keep in touch and meet up now around Ubon. Some years ago farangs were hard to see and quite rare but things are rapidly changing. It is a great place and becoming easier by the year to get hold of "creature comforts". Good food is more readily available now along with better shops/malls. Personaly find it easy to get around and night times are pleasant to go out around the city. My wife's expecting another baby so it will probably be late next year now before we get to come back and visit our second home in Ubon but good to hear things are progressing.

Jay

[Mike45]

Dear All

It seems like more and more farangs are taking time to keep in touch and meet up now around Ubon. Some years ago farangs were hard to see and quite rare but things are rapidly changing. It is a great place and becoming easier by the year to get hold of "creature comforts". Good food is more readily available now along with better shops/malls. Personaly find it easy to get around and night times are pleasant to go out around the city. My wife's expecting another baby so it will probably be late next year now before we get to come back and visit our second home in Ubon but good to hear things are progressing.

Jay

I am looking for land to build my house in the Ubon area. I looked at two new housing developements that were on the same road on opposite sides of the street. But the houses were only a few feet apart... i want more land and a larger house. Any ideas how to proceed?

Mike

[jay-uk]

Mike

The best way some years ago for my wife and I was to keep driving around the outskirts of the city. Don't be afraid to pull over in the odd village or two. Asking locals if anyone is looking to sell land in the areas you short list for us was productive. That's my advise keep looking and don't rush any decisions, take your time to become familiar with the area. Are you living in Thailand/Ubon at present or looking to move there soon.

Jay

[Mike45]

Mike

The best way some years ago for my wife and I was to keep driving around the outskirts of the city. Don't be afraid to pull over in the odd village or two. Asking locals if anyone is looking to sell land in the areas you short list for us was productive. That's my advise keep looking and don't rush any decisions, take your time to become familiar with the area. Are you living in Thailand/Ubon at present or looking to move there soon.

Jay

We are now in the USA. But this is the area we will be moving to. I want to get started now..because I am finding it more and more difficult getting myself in to work.

Mike

[thaibites0]

Hi, have never yet found Polar Bear....

But Wrong Way is easy. From Big C head south along main road of Ubon (into the city and toward the candle and Warin).

Polar is easy - from the clock tower outside SK take the road OUT of town (only 3 junctions on the roundabout and the other 2 do not take you out of town!

The first traffic lights you turn left - not hard because it is straight on or left unless you want to go to the Bedlam hospital!

Polar bear is now a sort of non-descript bar/food place on your left as you go down that road. There is a big sign and it is only a couple of hundred metres down.

If you go further down the road to Soi 9 - you will probably not get a table at sep soi9 which is 50m - 100m down soi9 - it will be full!

[ccarbaugh]

Hi All,

I just found this forum and I'm ecstatic! I'm planning on retiring in June of 2008 at the latest, (I'll be a young 55 yo,) and I want to move to Thailand. I visited Ubon in my youth and loved it so much I want to see if that's where I want to retire to - permanently. What I'm wondering about at this point is: are there any 2 or 3 bdrm houses for rent, (either downtown or near the University,) for, say 15,000 Baht/mo.? Is there enough of a "nightlife" scene for a middle-aged, farong bachelor? Having to work for this last year and a half before I'm able to retire and move to Thailand is excruciating. I hope to meet and share a pint with all of Ubon's expat community! Please keep in touch,

[jay-uk]

Thaibites is probably in a better position than myself to give you an insight into Ubon life as he has lived there longer than most. Ubon for me is a second home which I don't get to visit as often as I would like once or twice a year due to work here in UK. However, you will find if you choose to retire in Ubon in a couple of years it has most of what you need to live a comfortable life without breaking the bank. It will have changed significantly since you were last there in your youth as I find it changes each year. Ubon is a ripidly expanding city now with much in terms of developments going on. Within the price bracket of 15,000 THB/month you will be able to find a house to rent a good house at that price but if you plan to live full time in retirement why not consider building your own home once you have had chance to look around. Its relatively cheap to build if you have sufficient savings and long term this may be a better option. Cost of living is still low compared to other places/resorts around Thailand. I have found in the resorts that you can spend just as much money as you do back home in the western world so my wife and I decided Ubon was good for us and good for our retirement once we get old.

[downtown]

Is the Swing bar still there in Ubon? last time I was there , there was some very fit ladies there!

[jay-uk]

Swing party house i think its called was there last time we visited earlier this year. Had a good night out with friends. Great place for that party atmosphere with live music.

[bergen]

Is the Swing bar still there in Ubon? last time I was there , there was some very fit ladies there!

Yes!...........and they're still fit.

[jay-uk]

Has anyone ever seen any published figures on how many farangs live in & around Ubon Ratchathani. It would be interesting to know how many are there and how the numbers have grown over recent years.

[jay-uk]

(BANGKOK POST ARTICLE) AVIATION / SUVARNABHUMI

Call centre to field queries on changeover

A call centre has been set up to answer people's queries regarding Suvarnabhumi airport and a switchover from Don Muang airport, said the Airports of Thailand (AoT) yesterday.

Raweewan Nettarakavessana, AoT public relations director, said calls can be made to the centre at 0 2132 1888 between 8am-5pm on weekdays. However, from Friday, the service will be available around the clock.

Some airlines will start flying into Suvarnabhumi from Sept 15. During the transition, passengers should be informed by their respective airlines as to which airport the flight will take off from, she said.

Ms Raweewan said passengers should look for an airport code on their tickets. If it says NBK, it denotes a flight departure from Suvarnabhumi or BKK for Don Muang. All tickets with flights leaving from Sept 28 onward will be coded NBK, she added.

From Friday, some scheduled domestic flights will operate out of Suvarnabhumi. A number of Thai Airways flights from Bangkok to Phitsanulok, Ubon Ratchathani and Chiang Mai will originate from the new airport.

Jetstar Asia of Singapore will make three daily landings at Suvarnabhumi from Friday, Ms Raweewan said.

[phibunmike]

Hi All,

I just found this forum and I'm ecstatic! I'm planning on retiring in June of 2008 at the latest, (I'll be a young 55 yo,) and I want to move to Thailand. I visited Ubon in my youth and loved it so much I want to see if that's where I want to retire to - permanently. What I'm wondering about at this point is: are there any 2 or 3 bdrm houses for rent, (either downtown or near the University,) for, say 15,000 Baht/mo.? Is there enough of a "nightlife" scene for a middle-aged, farong bachelor? Having to work for this last year and a half before I'm able to retire and move to Thailand is excruciating. I hope to meet and share a pint with all of Ubon's expat community! Please keep in touch,

Welcome to the forum ccarbaugh, look forward to having a pint with you when you get here

Others are more qualified than I to answer your questions, as I live out in the sticks and only pop into Ubon for the airport and shopping, or the occasional night out...

[ccarbaugh]

Thank you for your information Jay-UK! Yes, building might be a good option but I want to give myself 6 months to a year to look around first. I too, have seen that the resorts could end up costing just as much as living in the states. I spent a month in Ranong over the summer and cost of living there is very low as well. (Very rainy though!)

Thaibites is probably in a better position than myself to give you an insight into Ubon life as he has lived there longer than most. Ubon for me is a second home which I don't get to visit as often as I would like once or twice a year due to work here in UK. However, you will find if you choose to retire in Ubon in a couple of years it has most of what you need to live a comfortable life without breaking the bank. It will have changed significantly since you were last there in your youth as I find it changes each year. Ubon is a ripidly expanding city now with much in terms of developments going on. Within the price bracket of 15,000 THB/month you will be able to find a house to rent a good house at that price but if you plan to live full time in retirement why not consider building your own home once you have had chance to look around. Its relatively cheap to build if you have sufficient savings and long term this may be a better option. Cost of living is still low compared to other places/resorts around Thailand. I have found in the resorts that you can spend just as much money as you do back home in the western world so my wife and I decided Ubon was good for us and good for our retirement once we get old.

[jay-uk]

Gateway to Indochina

Phu Chong Na Yoi National Park sits in Ubon Ratchathani, the door to Laos, Cambodia and beyond

YVONNE BOHWONGPRASERT

Water plunges from a height of 40 metres at Huay Luang Waterfall in Phu Chong Na Yoi National Park.

The Sala Tree Muk border checkpoint is also a meeting point for buyers and sellers from both sides of the border.

Phu Chong Na Yoi National Park in Ubon Ratchathani was a welcome change from congested Bangkok. It is part of Phanom Dongrak mountain range that also includes Phu Chong Na Yoi, Phu Chong Nun Sap, Phu Chong, Phu Chan Daeng, Phu Plan Soong, and Phu Plan Yao, covering an area of 686 square kilometres.

As our car drove through the lush green forest park to its headquarters, I was fascinated by the sheer beauty of the surroundings that embrace a rich diversity of plant and animal life, and the prospect of exploring them added to the sense of anticipation and excitement.

I was told that the park regularly attracts students who come to study its habitat because it is one the few in the country that actively promotes conservation and preservation of the ecosystem. As such, the first instructions we received from guide Boonmee Chantasit, who has spent 10 of the 19 years the park has been declared a national reserve, was no littering and carrying out with us everything we brought in.

At the start of the trek he told us the park straddles the districts of Buntharik, Na Chaluai and Nam Yuen on Thai side, and Laos and Cambodia to form an area called Sam Liam Morakot or the Emerald Triangle that's notorious for rampant wildlife trade and poaching.

It pained him to tell us that most visitors to Ubon Ratchathani prefer Kaeng Tana and Pha Taem parks in the district of Khong Chiam because they offered more variety, but he quickly pointed out that his park drew more students and scholars who came to study its habitat and ecosystem, and to conduct surveys, and it was his pleasure to lead them on such excursions.

This huge bee hive on a cliff is definitely not worth meddling with.

A Platycerium fern found along the forest trail.

He then pulled out a diary to show us the list of clients he had logged over the years, among them overseas scholars, who were attracted to the park's diverse flora and fauna, including some rare and threatened species such as the Sunda pangolin, slow loris, pileated gibbon, pig-tailed macaque, bear, golden jackal and sambar. Also spotted have been rare birds: the Fujian Niltava and Japanese Thrush.

Perennial plants such as wild champacs, under which thrived small flowers, abound. Iron wood, Burmese ebony, Krakak (of Dipterocarpaceae family), black wood, Makha and Kaelae (of Moraceae family) - could be spotted in the park, purported to be the last patch of rose wood still remaining in the province after years of illegal logging. Now villagers are being encouraged to replant the tree to prevent rose wood from becoming extinct.

We set off mid-afternoon, the slight drizzle adding a touch of exuberance to the trek. Boonmee said most of the 428,750-rai park was mountainous terrain with a dense forest cover provided by tall evergreens, dipterocarp and deciduous trees, while the soil was a fertile mix of laterite minerals and sand pocked with cliffs. Phu Chong Na Yoi was the source of several streams that feed Moon and Mekong rivers.

The mountains ensure a mild climate all year round, although winters can be cold sometimes, while the vast forest cover minimises chances of mudslides.

One of the prime park attractions is the three-tiered Huay Luang Waterfall that locals call Buk Teo, just three-and-a-half kilometres from park headquarters. It has a viewpoint with a staircase leading to lower levels of the 40-metre-high fall from where water plunges into a large emerald pool in which visitors can be seen frolicking or relaxing on the fringes.

For campers and visitors wanting to spend the night, there is the Phu Hin Dang cliff that promises a panoramic view of Laos on the lowland. However, early winter mornings it is shrouded in mist.

Meanwhile, 16 kilometres from Phu Chong Na Yoi is the Emerald Triangle where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia meet. The Sala Tri Mook border checkpoint is reputedly a place where one can buy organs of wild animals and exotic meats.

One of the many medicinal herbs that grow naturally and highly sought by health spas around the country.

Guide Boonmee Chantasit points to claw points to claw marks left behind by an animal the previous night.

It is not something new, said Boonmee, but the opening of the check-point has certainly played into the hands of wildlife traffickers. The park has become their happy hunting ground.

If you have more time to spare, cross into Laos and foray deeper the Boloven peninsula to Attapeu Province through which ran the legendary Ho Chi Minh trail, the life line of communist troops fighting to liberate and reunite South Vietnam with the North.

You can trek through jungles to hill tribe villages and then head south to Four Thousand Islands after which the Mekong River enters Cambodia. From here you can continue downstream past jungles all the way to the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh.

MORE INFO

Phu Chong Na Yoi National Park can be reached via Na Chaluay District on public buses. It is 100 kilometre from Muang Ubon. The fare is 25 baht. If self-driving, take the Ubon-Warin Chamrap-Det Udom-Numyuen-Na Chaluay route. The distance is 140 kilometres long.

For more information, call 045-249-330 (32).

Accomodation: Phu Chong Na Yoi has five types of bungalows with prices ranging from 600-4000 baht. Tents are also available. Visitors should notify if they need a cook. Seminar facilities are also available.

Getting to Ubon:

By Car : Take Highway 1 (Phahon Yothin) and connect to Friendship Highway which is Highway 2, then switch to Route 24 (Chok Chai-Det Udom) and drive all the way to the park. The total distance is 629 kilometres.

By Bus : Both air-conditioned and ordinary buses leave Mor Chit Bus Terminal daily for Ubon Ratchathani. For details, call 02-271-0101-5 (ordinary buses) and 02-279-4484-7 (air-conditioned buses). Sahamit Tour (02-282-5271) and Si Ubon Tour (02-271-2985) also operate daily service.

By rail: Three trains connect Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani every day. Ubon is also linked by train from Nakhon Ratchasima and Surin provinces. For details, call 02-223-7010, 02-223-7020.

By Air : Thai Airways International a daily flight from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani. THAI office on Lan Luang Road, Bangkok, can reached by calling 02-280-0070, 02-280-0080; and Ubon Ratchathani office 045-254-431.

You can also book via Bodin Hotel in Ubon Ratchathani by calling 045-255-777.

Gateway to Indochina

Bangkok Post - Thailand

Phu Chong Na Yoi National Park in Ubon Ratchathani was a welcome change from congested Bangkok. ... It is 100 kilometre from Muang Ubon. The fare is 25 baht. ...

http://www.bangkokpost.com/Horizons/14Sep2006_hori001.php

Fiddling with nature

Bangkok Post - Thailand

... Human Rights Commission and a string of NGOs have uncovered the widespread presence of transgenic papaya in places as far away as Ubon Ratchathani, Kamphaeng ...

http://www.bangkokpost.com/Outlook/14Sep2006_out001.php

Athletics golds dry up for Bangkok team

Bangkok Post - Thailand

... Suphan Buri took the gold in the women's 4x400m relay in 3.47.34min, while Nakhon Ratchasima upset favourites Ubon Ratchathani and Bangkok to win the men's ...

http://www.bangkokpost.com/Sports/14Sep2006_sport30.php

[jay-uk]

THAI is ready for domestic flights in Suvarnabhumi tomorrow

ThaisNews - Bangkok,Thailand

... Tomorrow, three roundtrip flights will be underway in Suvarnabhumi, and they include Bangkok-Phitsanulok, Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani, and Bangkok-Chiang Mai. ...

http://www.thaisnews.com/news_detail.php?newsid=187382

[bergen]

News from Farang Pai Nai

Three wild oxes reportedly seen in a jungle in Ubon Ratchathani

Friday, September 01 2006 @ 12:40 AM GMT+7

Contributed by: news

The National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation Department reports a sighting of three koupreys also known as Bos sauveli, is a wild forest dwelling ox, the animal which is on the extinction list, in an area called the Emerald Triangle which covers parts of the Thai, Lao and Cambodian borders.

Department chief Damrong Pidej said the wild forest swelling oxen were seen by some park rangers patrolling a forest near Panom Dong Rak mountain in Ubon Ratchathani in June.

Kouprey has not been seen in Thailand for about 30 to 40 years, he said.

Male Kouprey stand up to two metres tall at the shoulder and weigh an average of 900 kilograms with a maxim of about 1700 kilogram.

I can recommend the national parks in this area. Mountains, small rivers, forests, wildlife, and walking paths makes it great for picnics, trekking and adventure.

Probably best to use a local guide if you go too far away from your car.

Huai Luang waterfall with it's beautiful scenery is well worth a visit, having a naturall oasis in the bottom of the stone steps, where the water is clear and good for a dip.

For those who want to visit and need a guide and a proper place to stay, - Suan Loong Daeng Farm Stay is not far away

[jay-uk]

Dear All

For anyone who did not already know. Kasikorn Bank have a section on their website that lists properties which are held by the bank for re-sale. This includes farm land, houses, bungalows, commercial property etc.. Very useful for comparing prices around your local area and includes pictures. Take a look, it is in both Engish & Thai language and does not just include Ubon but other towns & cities also.

http://www.kasikornbank.com/PropertyForSal...,0-EN-1,00.html

Cheers.

ps.. By the way Marco is back !! Chang sales in Ubon are on the rise...............

Regards,

Jay

[jay-uk]

Has anybody got any news on new hotels, restaurants, malls etc..... opening in and around Ubon to keep the topic alive. Thanks.

[jay-uk]

Are any of you guys planning another UFM (Ubon Farang Meeting) now that Marco has returned. It would be nice to hear that another group meeting was to take place at some agreed venue. Not that I can be there this time as my wife is pregnant expecting our second child so for us it could be some time before we return to Ubon. However, it is still nice to think that there may be a growing trend for farangs to socialise around the city meeting at least once every few months.

[jay-uk]

My wife just got off the phone with her dad this morning and apparently next to the Tambon Kamyai government offices (Chayangkul Rd) Ubon, there is a small resort with bungalows been built for rent we assume. Has anyone got any news on this or heard about it. Its not far from our house just a few kms away.

Cheers,

Jay

[MarcoH]

HI JAy

I was there few days ago dring around,,, and yes it's resort,, but for me it looks like short time place....

Did not visit inside(Yet)

My wife just got off the phone with her dad this morning and apparently next to the Tambon Kamyai government offices (Chayangkul Rd) Ubon, there is a small resort with bungalows been built for rent we assume. Has anyone got any news on this or heard about it. Its not far from our house just a few kms away.

Cheers,

Jay

[jay-uk]

Marco

Sounds like the kind of place i will end up for the night for a peacful night's sleep if i've had an argument with my wife. He He....

ps.. Got your msn message earlier. No problem your comments were duly noted for future reference.

Jay