Udon Thani
Udon Thani, (population approx 95’000) lies 564 km’s northeast of Bangkok, roughly 7 hours by road and 50 minutes by plane. Udon Thani’s province covers an area of 11,730 square kilometers, with its boundary stretching to Nong Khai in the north, Khon Kean in the south, Sakon Nakon in the east and Nong Bua Lam Phu in the west. Udon Thani is situated on a plateau, the western region is mainly highland with forests along Phuphan range and then the elevation gradually declines towards Hualuang and then to the Mekong river in the northeast. The central part of the province is mainly flat making it and excellent location for rice farming and other agricultural work.
Udon Thani grew rapidly when US air bases were established in and around the city during the Vietnam War; there were 7 bases in total until the USA pulled out in 1976. Although some of the bases no longer remain, the US presence lives on but in a much more limited degree. Outside the city near the village on Ban Dung a huge Voice of America (VOA) transmitter was constructed at a cost of $200 million, to reach points throughout south-East Asia, China and Korea.
Archaeological evidence suggests that the first people settled in what is the present day – Udon Thani, 1,800 – 5,000 years ago. Excavations and explorations of over 50 sites of the Ban Chang cultural settlements in various districts of Udon Thani, revealed that these pre-historic groups of people were agriculturists whose livelihood were not that much different from farmers in rural Thailand today.
Today Udon functions as a transport hub and an agricultural market centre for the surrounding provinces and although it only receives a passing mention in guide books, it is a pleasant city to visit and spend time in.
Tourists visiting Udon Thani are in an ideal location for exploring the many nearby national parks and temples which we have highlighted on all the maps.
Also popular with both locals and tourists are the cities temples, musuem, night markets and beautiful parks.
Post and telecommunication & Internet services
The international access number for Thailand is +66 and the area code for Udon is 042. When you call from any land line in Thailand you must include the area code. International calls can be made from all major hotels or from the International call center (Map 1 I7). When dialing overseas add 001 then your country code. Domestic or national calls can be made from any public telephone at various locations throughout the city.
Udon has two post offices within the city, map 1 G6, and H9 which are open week days 8.30am to 4.30pm and 9.00am to noon on Saturday.
There are many businesses around Udon Thani offering internet services, most charging by the hour. Competition is intense so the prices stay invariably low. For high speed reliable internet access with English speaking staff visit T&A Net corner on Srisuk road (Map 1 E8) or call 042-329123
Health & Medical Information
Never drink tap water and always use bottled water, which is readily available and inexpensive, particularly if you choose a local brand. The sun is strong so if you’re doing some walking around town remember to wear a hat, use sunscreen and limit your exposure time. Malaria isn’t a threat around this area although some cases have been known. Wear appropriate clothing at night, use a mosquito coil or use a good quality repellent if you’re outside for a long period of time. If you become seriously ill, get yourself to the nearest major hospital and don’t rely on an ambulance as they can be unreliable. All hospital locations are clearly marked on the map.
For minor ailments visit one of the many clinics that can be located all over Udon and in general most have English speaking staff.
Shopping
Udon’s main shopping area is Phosi road starting from the fountain round-about (Map 1 I10) and then continues northwest. In this vicinity you’ll find a wholesale clothes market, Gold shops, and various local handicraft shops.
There are also two large night markets, one near the train station called ‘Center point’ (Map 1 L9) and the other close to Radjaphat university on route 2 called Hightech (Map 1 J12), Hightech is also host to a selection of trendy bars, discos, restaurants and cafes.
For general shopping head to the Charoensri shopping complex (Map 1 K9), Big C (Map 2 G6), or Tesco Lotus Map 1 F2.
Banks and Money
For currency exchange visit any local bank in the city which are open from 8.30am to 3.30am, most hotels also offer the same service but the exchange rate maybe less favorable.
Most major banks in the city have ATM’s but beware that they have been known to crash after midnight, more so during public holidays and at the end of the month when everybody gets paid.
