pattaya127 Posted July 28, 2002 Report Share Posted July 28, 2002 Udon Thani and Nong Khai are 2 very different cities. One a big provincial center, and the other a mekhong border town. 2 valid places to visit in the same week-end or week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted July 28, 2002 Report Share Posted July 28, 2002 Yes. And I have lived in the former and visited the later many times. My point was to say that you need not stay in Nong Khai to see it. The trip from Udorn is very easy. And Udorn has much more choice for the visitor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thalenoi Posted July 29, 2002 Report Share Posted July 29, 2002 Hey, there is a faboulous mixture of templeground 10km outside of Nong Khai, built by a farang. Incredible huge and strange statues. Sorry, don't have Lonely planet here in internet cafe, worth checking out. Disappointing NK does not have a night market, but the town is ok for a short stay. Forgot the name of the guesthouse I stayed in, they had a huge rooftop room with beatiful view and you could rent a movie to watch in your room out of a good selection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted July 29, 2002 Report Share Posted July 29, 2002 this is the Wat Khaek i talked about. the monk was not a farang, but a thai/laotian who died a few years ago. Phra Luang Po Surirat. i went to see him many times, and video-shot him supervising the building of some of the hugest and latest sculptures. Quite a character, kind of a cross between Leo Mc kern of "Rumpole" fame and Little Richard, if you can believe it. Seemed his tastes were going for cute young assistant boys, but had a real following from all over Thailand. people in Nong Khai did not like him, pretending he was an agent of the prathet lao communists, and hid arms under his temple grounds. i have pix of him but not sure if they are in my digitalized slides folders. i spent hours in that place, when hardly a thai or farang would show up. Now, as i said, his son is capitalizing on the father's fame, and keeping his fame alive too, i guess. Near Vientiane, there is another set of sculptures of his on another temple grounds, not as imposings as in Nong Khai, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 30, 2002 Report Share Posted July 30, 2002 Thai3, have a look at this link for Udon Thani to Laos info. http://www.visit-laos.com/inandabout/bridge.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted July 31, 2002 Report Share Posted July 31, 2002 Hi, No, did not visit either places. I guess you are right about it needing 2-3 days to assess a city. The fact that it was raining and we had just spend 12 hours on a train did not really help either Still, I was rather disappointed. Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted July 31, 2002 Report Share Posted July 31, 2002 It is probably also safe to assume, living in LOS, you are not as ecstatic as us non-expats happy being anywhere in Thailand. I just have fond memories of the whole udon Thani/Nong Khai stretch from the times i was stupid enough to think i could start an export-import business. Loy Kratong was such occasion. Another place that is also not carrying the same atmosphere as it used to, is Mae Sai, so hustle and bustle now. And who remembers when the 3 pagoda pass was known as a dangerous smuggling crossing point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thai3 Posted August 1, 2002 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2002 Thanks, had not seen that site before-peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thai3 Posted August 1, 2002 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2002 KS what did you go to Laos for? I thought you went before and disliked it, was it a wedding-peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pescator Posted August 2, 2002 Report Share Posted August 2, 2002 While living in Sakon Nakhon Nong Khai was my favourite get-away-from-it-all. An opinion I share with not so few farangs in that area. Udon is just another city in Isarn - big, noisy, polluted etc. Well, the shopping, bars, international restaurants are ok, but I don`t care about that anyway. Nong Khai has *atmosphere* if you ask me. Great local restaurants along the river serving fresh seafood. Plenty of sights in that area. The Bung Fai Payanak in Phon Pi sai is something you will never experience in other parts of Thailand. Absolutely amazing! I witnessed that sight in `93. Wat Kaek or Sala Kaew Kuu is another must-see as mentioned by other posters. Don`t forget to check out the huge fish in the ponds! If you ask me Nong Khai is - except from Loey - the most attractive region of Isarn and definitely the most attractive town. Hua Nguu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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