A friend and I were conversing about various concerns and great things regarding Udon and tossed ideas around of what could be done to improve the city

1) More parking options or reduce the downtown parking Right now I know of two areas where there was parking and it has been taken away with the building of Government offices

2) Maybe there is but an official urban plan for the city

3) Need for additional one way streets
Hopefully to ease traffic

4) A rail system for the city to transport people

Any ideas ????

Anything to slow growth would be good. Udon doesn't need to grow in my not so humble opinion. Of course, Udon was much nicer ten or more years ago.

Well, the residents will want rising living standards. That means better paying jobs. Perhaps more industry.

Seriously this is a post.. Maybe time to go home if you are discussing changes to Udon or move south...

Would agree with that sentiment. Move someplace and then want to change it. As far as 'grow', one would hope not too much.

Natas wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 5:10 pm

Seriously this is a post.. Maybe time to go home if you are discussing changes to Udon or move south...

Don't see your logic viz going home or 'move south' when it comes to "'what Udon needs to grow".

Change is inevitable, everywhere... but once again, that's not intrinsically what the OP is about.

Traffic management would be top of my list but seeing that despite all the MRT, BTS and BRT expansion around Bangkok, their traffic situation is moving form bad to worse to diabolical. With 1000 new vehicles being registered every day in Thailand, they should have seriously embraced traffic management about 25 years ago. If they can't get their heads around traffic management in the nation's capital, there's little chance of it getting the time of day up in Isaan.

A proper bypass for the Mitrapharp Highway 2 would be great, removing all that traffic from the current ring-road which could happily handle the growing local commuters. However, the investment in that poorly designed underpass/flyover on the north side indicates that outer ring roads and bypasses are not on anyone's radar... still.

With talk of new ring roads, the concept of a green belt would be nice.

In addition to one-way streets, how about pedestrian zones where sidewalk cafes and bars could offer pleasant, exhaust fume and noise free experiences.

That would mean collocated and adequate parking which would need to be paid for. Not sure if Thailand's driving is ready to pay for their car to do nothing.

How about a reliable, constant 240 V power supply for households? The PEA's creaking infrastructure isn't fit for purpose when somebody wanting to build a factory or even open a moderate power demand business such as a water factory needs to pay through the nose for the transformers and lines that should have been up there anyway.

Maybe the city has zoning and a grand plan for industrial estates and maybe someone here has seen that and can post links or pictures?

tamada wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 5:47 pm

Natas wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 5:10 pm

Seriously this is a post.. Maybe time to go home if you are discussing changes to Udon or move south...

Don't see your logic viz going home or 'move south' when it comes to "'what Udon needs to grow".

Change is inevitable, everywhere... but once again, that's not intrinsically what the OP is about.

My Logic is simple.. This is Udon. If the Thai Gov wants change they will do it. Wasting time comparing Udon to a "wishlist" is a complete waste of time. I showed this post to a local government worker and they laughed.
If you want your "changes" above I would move to BKK or where ever else.
The only Constant here is change. What will change is more traffic. More stupid drivers on phones. More selfies.. More fastfood outlets.. More Stupid expats comparing this place to home.
The Thai will do what they want.

If you wish to waste your time then go do it on something else. To tell people you are wasting your time is not a great motivator. You can look at Athletes , politicians who have excelled. To ask one local government worker his opinion is fine but I think there are a few more. To tell someone in your family OH that is USELESS why are you wasting your time shows you certainly are not a motivator.
I certainly hope we can move on and help people in looking to the future

Apparently you and your Government Official will accept being left behind

I've been accused of wearing rose-colored glasses.....so reader beware.
One of the benefits of living in a developing country is getting to see it develop. You go from the Complex to Central, from dirt roads to paved, 2 lane roads with orange crushes coming at you in your lane to 4 lane divided highways. From the Mandarin Restaurant and Maa Yaa's and TJs as Udon's finest to places like Dose and BK and Fuji and T-Bar and Tom and Jee's and MK and waaay too many to mention. From the best cup of coffee in town being a cup of Nescafe instant...at the Charoensri Hotel, mind you......to well-brewed coffees at tens of coffee shops around town. From 3 domestic flights a day to more than 25! From a town where expats almost begged for condos to a city where there's condos galore. From a city's downtown that flooded nearly every rainy season to one that doesn't. From a city where the only clean and supplied bathrooms were at the Charoensri Hotel.....even AEK's bathrooms were lacking for their first few years. Then 15 or so years ago there was a major government push to upgrade toilet accomodations country wide. Nongprajak today with Nongprajak 20 years ago.......no comparison!
The Udon Chamber of Commerce has a website that posts many articles about road plans, improvements, industrial zone, and planned city events. Although the site is in Thai you can do auto translates to get a basic idea of some of those activities. The city is slated to start a new in-city bus service in November.....modern ac buses running to/from most all the major points of interest around the city. And a new heart center opening up at Wattana Hospital.
https://www.facebook.com/udonchamber
Other local websites detail the trials and tribulations of country folk protesting plans for the potash mine or a biomass plant.....perhaps in a neighborhood near you!
When I came here in 1996 there were some expats lamenting the demise of the GI daze from the 1970's.
For me, Udon is a supremely better place than it was in 1996. Yes, there are days the traffic is bad......but if you're retired and not running kids to/from school, the reality is that most of us can avoid the worst traffic periods with a little planning. And on those occasions where the traffic is gummed up, most always it's for a few blocks before it begins moving again.
I grew up in a small industrial town in New England......most all the manufacturing dried up in the 70's. You can go back to that town today and it's pretty much as it was 40 or 50 years ago.......the manufacturing will never return, the city hasn't been able to figure out a b-plan, there have been few if any road improvements (no need!).....so rather than seeing positive change, I go back and see stagnation or degradation.
Quite the opposite story here where I see improvement most every day. Can things improve more? Sure......but I take comfort in knowing that there are, in fact, city officials working to improve life here for the masses.
God forbid we return to the days when the ONLY place you could buy a package of sliced ham (of any kind) was in the Udon Supermarket (sic!). No thanks.
As for parking downtown (especially Phosri, Srisuk, Makkaeng Rds), as much as I've tried to support the small mom and pop shops there over the years, most of the owners block access to parking spots for their own benefit (deliveries or personal use). But the Bangkok Bank and Siam Commercial Bank on Phosri Rd is a convenient place to park if you're willing to walk to your destination from there.
Can things improve in town? Sure......but it helps keeping things in perspective.....developing country, we're not paying local taxes, we're in Isaan, and, if the natives are happy (as most seem to be), who are we to complain?

Doodoo wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 7:10 pm

If you wish to waste your time then go do it on something else. To tell people you are wasting your time is not a great motivator. You can look at Athletes , politicians who have excelled. To ask one local government worker his opinion is fine but I think there are a few more. To tell someone in your family OH that is USELESS why are you wasting your time shows you certainly are not a motivator.
I certainly hope we can move on and help people in looking to the future

Apparently you and your Government Official will accept being left behind

Left behind from what?? Are you seriously that out of focus as to where you live??
I honestly love to laugh at visitors to another country tryi ng to change it or think their "opinion" is best..
If the Thai here want to evolve Udon let them. They will do it their way.
I read alot if the nonsense on this forum and roll my eyes. I cannot imagine what some of you are like in real life.
Who in theur sick mind moves to a developing Nation and sits on the fucken fence pointing fingers at what is better and what is not.
I love Udon and the way Issan is right now. Less development would be better. I think Udon 10 years ago would have been awesome...
Maybe check your heads and realize why we all moved to Issan.
You want it easier move the ---- home.

Touche Parrot!!! I love it here. I like how it is

Natas wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 7:58 pm

Doodoo wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 7:10 pm

If you wish to waste your time then go do it on something else. To tell people you are wasting your time is not a great motivator. You can look at Athletes , politicians who have excelled. To ask one local government worker his opinion is fine but I think there are a few more. To tell someone in your family OH that is USELESS why are you wasting your time shows you certainly are not a motivator.
I certainly hope we can move on and help people in looking to the future

Apparently you and your Government Official will accept being left behind

Left behind from what?? Are you seriously that out of focus as to where you live??
I honestly love to laugh at visitors to another country tryi ng to change it or think their "opinion" is best..
If the Thai here want to evolve Udon let them. They will do it their way.
I read alot if the nonsense on this forum and roll my eyes. I cannot imagine what some of you are like in real life.
Who in theur sick mind moves to a developing Nation and sits on the fucken fence pointing fingers at what is better and what is not.
I love Udon and the way Issan is right now. Less development would be better. I think Udon 10 years ago would have been awesome...
Maybe check your heads and realize why we all moved to Issan.
You want it easier move the **** home.

Calm down, lighten up. Ok, na?

There are too many w.nkers who think they know best.

Have a good evening.

Natas wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 6:52 pm

tamada wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 5:47 pm

Natas wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 5:10 pm

Seriously this is a post.. Maybe time to go home if you are discussing changes to Udon or move south...

Don't see your logic viz going home or 'move south' when it comes to "'what Udon needs to grow".

Change is inevitable, everywhere... but once again, that's not intrinsically what the OP is about.

My Logic is simple.. This is Udon. If the Thai Gov wants change they will do it. Wasting time comparing Udon to a "wishlist" is a complete waste of time. I showed this post to a local government worker and they laughed.
If you want your "changes" above I would move to BKK or where ever else.
The only Constant here is change. What will change is more traffic. More stupid drivers on phones. More selfies.. More fastfood outlets.. More Stupid expats comparing this place to home.
The Thai will do what they want.

I'm really pleased to see that it's all working out for you.

Honestly, I'm really pleased for you.

Faraday wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 8:41 pm

Natas wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 7:58 pm

Doodoo wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 7:10 pm

If you wish to waste your time then go do it on something else. To tell people you are wasting your time is not a great motivator. You can look at Athletes , politicians who have excelled. To ask one local government worker his opinion is fine but I think there are a few more. To tell someone in your family OH that is USELESS why are you wasting your time shows you certainly are not a motivator.
I certainly hope we can move on and help people in looking to the future

Apparently you and your Government Official will accept being left behind

Left behind from what?? Are you seriously that out of focus as to where you live??
I honestly love to laugh at visitors to another country tryi ng to change it or think their "opinion" is best..
If the Thai here want to evolve Udon let them. They will do it their way.
I read alot if the nonsense on this forum and roll my eyes. I cannot imagine what some of you are like in real life.
Who in theur sick mind moves to a developing Nation and sits on the fucken fence pointing fingers at what is better and what is not.
I love Udon and the way Issan is right now. Less development would be better. I think Udon 10 years ago would have been awesome...
Maybe check your heads and realize why we all moved to Issan.
You want it easier move the **** home.

Calm down, lighten up. Ok, na?

There are too many w.nkers who think they know best.

Have a good evening.

thank you. Needed to read that.

tamada wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 9:19 pm

Natas wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 6:52 pm

tamada wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 5:47 pm

Natas wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 5:10 pm

Seriously this is a post.. Maybe time to go home if you are discussing changes to Udon or move south...

Don't see your logic viz going home or 'move south' when it comes to "'what Udon needs to grow".

Change is inevitable, everywhere... but once again, that's not intrinsically what the OP is about.

My Logic is simple.. This is Udon. If the Thai Gov wants change they will do it. Wasting time comparing Udon to a "wishlist" is a complete waste of time. I showed this post to a local government worker and they laughed.
If you want your "changes" above I would move to BKK or where ever else.
The only Constant here is change. What will change is more traffic. More stupid drivers on phones. More selfies.. More fastfood outlets.. More Stupid expats comparing this place to home.
The Thai will do what they want.

I'm really pleased to see that it's all working out for you.

Honestly, I'm really pleased for you.

Thank you. I really do like how it is here. This is why I live here. 10 years ago from what my Dad said was really good too. I have seen over development ruin 3 places in my home country.
Here.. I figure there will be alot of ups and downs but.. Some more rotting concrete and lower gold rates is ok too.

The thing is between my first Udon rodeo circa 1980, my first full-time relocation 2007-2010 and my current reinvention since 2016, changes have already taken place and like everywhere else, some of those changes are for the worse. However, like parrot and yourself and probably every other who's settled here, I liked it then, I liked it in between and I still like it now.

I slung my hammock in Pattaya from 1981 to 1990, left the enchanted kingdom entirely for about 12 years before setting up shop in Pattaya (again) in 2005. I liked Pattaya when I was a young hoon, liked it after my return until 2007 and again 2010-2016. Sure as hell the place was a worsening disaster on each reprise but guess what?, it's still my bolt-hole when I need a reality check from watching the Udon paint dry. When the whole Thai experience, Udon, Pattaya, Bangkok... wherever, gets all a bit too parochial and small world, I leave the country for the big reality check.

Looking at posts other than yours, nobody's really moaning about these changes so why be so dismissive? It's natural and perfectly harmless to have a 'wish list', especially so when it's relevant to or affects where you have chosen to pitch your tent.

Yes, the influence of the foreigner in Thailand is infinitesimal here and whatever changes are wrought, it will be by the locals for the benefit of the locals. By the same token, I bet they would like bigger and better down town parking for their motors but it's not going to happen because, well it probably hasn't crossed their minds. It's the same mind set that doesn't see them get upset that they can't park kerbside or get too excited about another driver using their phone while driving or people cutting in line at the post office or leaving their shopping cart blocking the aisle while they faff about 10 ' away.

It is what it is... but chatting about it and sharing opinions is a good exercise rather than bombastically shouting down that discussion like the ubiquitous loud bugger flapping his yap at the end of the bar.

Seconded on the lower gold rates BTW.

on the gold.

Natas wrote: ↑

August 19, 2018, 5:10 pm

Seriously this is a post.. Maybe time to go home if you are discussing changes to Udon or move south...

Oh, an other "go Home" advisor, a Thai Visa freak.

Well the parking space at Central Shopping mall on a Saturday/Sunday...was leaving level 5 around 15h sat and cars were driving rounds to find a parking spot.
Udon Needs an other/bigger downtown shopping mall, no I don't drive to the near airport malls.

I was a GI here in the 70s and lived downtown with my wife. One can easily lament about how good it was here back then.
Traffic was lighter then. Baht buses, Lots of Samlors and bicycles.
We could pick up three B/W television stations that were on only a couple of hours a day.
The Locals listened to their operas on the radio and read them in the paper.
The exchange rate at that time was about 20 Baht per U.S. Dollar.
Route 2 (Then referred to as Friendship Highway) that goes past the Military hospital was a skinny two-lane road. There was a klong that ran beside that road from Camp almost down to what was then a much smaller teachers college. Soi Ka Toy was and is still there.
There were GI’s that were convinced that Udon Thani would die after the GIs pulled out and the Camp closed down. Take a look at what Route 2 and downtown looks like now.
The small town in the U.S. where is grew up is slowing dying. Over the years it went from three gas stations to just one. Two Grocery Stores to none. One town doctor and One dentist to none. One automobile dealership to none.
Any city that is advancing has to go thru growing pains and there is an inconvenience during the construction and change. It takes time for the advancing to happen... For me and my wife that lived in the U.S. for 40 years, it is an issue of your heart and a decision to go let of the past that sometimes was not so rosy and go thru the process of acclimating to the Thai culture.
No place is perfect... Everybody has those days when everything turns to crap. Each day we enjoy living here more. I will say it again your perspective and attitude is a condition of your heart. Like the old country, song says. Keep on the sunny side of life. Relax and enjoy the ride. Thailand can be a wonderful place to live if you give it a chance.