Reader Submission: Udon and Prajak Road

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Fortunately, Charly's life is full of pleasant surprises (unfortunately sometimes also less pleasant ones). Until a few years ago, he would never have dared to predict that he would spend the rest of his life in Thailand. However, he has now been living in Thailand for a while and in recent years close to Udonthani. Today a description of what can be found on Prajak Road (from the Central Plaza shopping mall).

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As mentioned before, the center of Udon is really very compact. Many amenities are within walking distance of each other. Compared to cities like Khon Kaen and Roi Et, that's a huge plus (I'll leave Pattaya aside for now). Saramarakham comes closest in terms of compactness (is also a very nice city, but this aside). And in the center of Udon there are plenty of tuk-tuks. So if you don't want to walk even those small distances, that's no problem at all.

In one of my previous stories I have already tried to describe soi sampan in more detail. This time I want to take a closer look at Prajak Road. Prajak Road runs, so to speak, from Nong Prajak Park to the train station in Udon. Driving straight ahead from Nong Prajak Park on Prajak Road, at some point you will come across the Central Plaza shopping mall on your left, after another hundred meters, also on the left, soi sampan. From that point I will try to explain what you will encounter along this busy road. Also made a map of this, so that things might become a bit clearer.

Just past soi sampan there are two massage parlors on the left and then the Good Corner restaurant right next to it. The restaurant is run by a Dane, together with his Thai wife. The location of Good Corner is fantastic. From the terrace a nice view of everything that passes by. The restaurant opens early in the morning. There is an extensive choice in the composition of the breakfast. I would call the prices of all dishes low budget prices. With the exception of breakfast – yes, what else could you mess with it – the quality of the dishes is unfortunately, but logically, in line with that. It's a shame, but for some people it's a godsend.

When I sit on the terrace at Good Corner, I usually have a drink (coffee / beer / wine) and enjoy the ambiance. I hardly ever eat there. Yes, occasionally a fried egg with a slice of bread if I'm early, or some kind of cold potato salad with a boneless fried fish if it's a bit later in the afternoon. Sometimes I give the service ladies a drink, because I know they get 30 baht for it. It is strange that the service ladies who offer you a drink are allowed to toast with you, but are not allowed to sit with you for a pleasant chat, even if there are no other customers. Then don't ask for a 30 baht surcharge on the price of the drink. To avoid this hassle, I give the service lady who serves me some money in her hand on departure. They also think that this is a better and usually a more financially attractive solution.

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It is funny to see how from about 14.00-15.00 pm the ladies who work in Nutty Park pass by the terrace to report to their beer bars. The access path to Nutty Park runs exactly along the side terrace of Good Corner. Most ladies park their motorbike on a piece of land next to the side terrace of Good Corner. The activity is great. Tuk-tuks that bring drinks and other goods. Bar ladies who come to drop full garbage bags on the street side in large yellow barrels intended for this purpose and other bar ladies who pick up Thai food on their motorbike at the various food stalls a little further on. Because you know, Thai people have to eat before considering going to work. Tuktuks that park at their permanent location at the front of Good Corner. Farang who come to the massage parlor right next to the restaurant to inquire about the possibilities. And other farang who, armed or not with their billiard cues in a case, walk to the beer bars to play a game of pool and more. Groups of schoolgirls, dressed in their school's uniform, skipping past, chatting pleasantly.
All activity that unfolds right in front of your nose and you actually don't have enough eyes to take it all in. As if you are on Leidseplein, but different.

Opposite Good Corner, crossing Prajak Road, you will find a large apartment complex called UD Residence. To the right of that is another hotel, Kavin Bury. In addition, a bar called T-Sood (formerly The Shadow Bar) where live music is regularly presented in the evenings. T-Sood has a small terrace. Behind the glass wall there is air conditioning, a large bar, a pool table
and in the back left a spacious corner, reserved for the band. In addition to T-Sood, which is somewhat hidden because it is located slightly more to the back, there is another massage parlor with generally somewhat older masseuses, who give a fantastic massage. Quite a few guests/residents of UD Residence and Kavin Bury cross Prajak Road to eat at Good Corner and/or to have fun in Nutty Park.

We now walk a little further, past Good Corner and the entrance to Nutty Park. We pass a somewhat obscure lunchroom? (I never actually see people sitting there) and then a place where you can have a drink on a more or less half-open terrace. It is the intention that you also offer one or more of the ladies present something to drink. Not a super business and generally not a super ladies, if you know what I mean. Nutty Park, Day and Night and soi sampan have much more and much better to offer.
If you also want to eat something there, you can. The food is then obtained from Smiling Frogs across the street.

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Right next to this store is London Hairdressers. For 120 baht you will get a neat haircut there. Good and cheap. I go there once a month. For comparison: on the fifth floor in the Central Plaza there is also a hair salon in the back left. There your hair will be washed a total of three times (twice before cutting and once after cutting) and the "head hairdresser" will cut your hair in between washing, while making a "great act". Yes, cut, so not with clippers like at London Hairdressers. You have to ask for eyebrow shaping and ear hair removal (automatically included in the treatment at London). Price tag: 1 baht. I did that once, but never again.

Opposite London Hairdressers, so cross Prajak Road again, you will find the restaurant Smiling Frogs. Is a small bar/restaurant. Noy runs this business, assisted by her daughter who takes care of the cash register. My daughter seems to be the only one who can do a little math, with or without the help of a Japanese. Noy also employs a cook and a waitress named Daeng. Smiling Frogs has a small terrace on which unfortunately the furniture is way too big. Large chairs and large tables severely limit the number of guests that can sit on the terrace. The quality of the food is about equivalent to Good Corner. Smiling Frogs does have a plus, because there is a pool table. Noy can only survive here because she has a Scandinavian boyfriend who has to support her financially. The rent of the house alone is already 300.000 baht per year.

In addition to Smiling Frogs, there are four massage parlors. There are a few reasonably attractive masseuses among them, but certainly not triple A quality.

Well, just a general comment. The really beautiful girls don't waste their time in Udon, but go to places like Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. Although there is a lot of competition there, there are also daily airplane loads full of tourists, who often have a nice budget for their holiday. Of course, tourists also come to Udon, but that number cannot be compared to the tourist flow in the aforementioned cities.

In between the massage parlors, there is a small hair salon, with which I have no further experience. In addition to the massage parlours, there are two small lunchrooms/restaurants.

We cross Prajak Road back again and continue from London Hairdressers. After about 20 meters we will find the UD Capital Hotel on the left. A brand new hotel, opened early this year. Good rooms with all facilities. Choose from a white or blue room. The price is very reasonable, around 750 baht per night. For that you also get a very limited breakfast.
No pool, restaurant, bar. There is an elevator. Just a good hotel with a very reasonable price. My advice: try to lower the room rate by foregoing breakfast. Good Corner is within walking distance and the breakfast there is just good and much better and more extensive than in the hotel itself.

We pass the UD Capital hotel, another massage parlor and something that looks like a restaurant. Next to this restaurant is the second entrance to Nutty Park. The Nutty Park complex is shaped like a horseshoe. Walk past Good Corner to Nutty park, about 20 meters before you get to the first beer bar, and then if you keep walking, you'll come out the other side, through a small car park, and you'll be back on Prajak Road.

We cross a side street and end up in UD Night Market, after passing a fairly large flower stall.
UD Night market is a large market with numerous stalls. An Eldorado for shopping enthusiasts. If you like to shuffle around, this is an ideal market. Really big. Opens from about 17.00pm.
If Toey wants to browse there, I usually sit on the terrace at Smiling Frogs or Good Corner.

The UD Night Market extends to Tongyai Road and even on the other side of that Tongyai Road there are still many stalls. At the back of it you have the option to have your car washed and cleaned, both on the inside and the outside. Cost: 300 baht.
If you walk out of UD Night Market to Tongyai road, and then walk to the left, you will automatically encounter the Bangkok Hospital.

Once crossed on Tongyai Road and Tongyai Road, you can walk to the right. At the intersection you cross Prajak Road again. I believe the street has a different name at this point, but I'm not sure. On the left you see the train station of Udon. And on the corner you can eat chicken and such at KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken). The part where you are now is called UD Town. Along the Tongyai road, in UD Town, you will find a number of shops, many restaurants, banks, Tesco Lotus, Watsons and Villa market (supermarket). It is a popular hangout for Thai youth (just like Nong Prajak Park). Parking is fairly easy during the day. This can be done on the left side of Tongyai Road, in the coves at eg Tesco Lotus and also at the rear of UD Town, which can be reached by turning into a road just next to the McDonalds drive-in, which is located at the end of UD Town. find it.

When you arrive at Mc Donalds, you will come across a busy thoroughfare called Phosi Road. Phosi Road runs parallel to Prajak Road but continues where Prajak Road ends. If you turn left into Phosi Road (but I wouldn't do that on foot anymore, but by tuktuk or your own transport) you will come across Nong Bua Market after about 200 meters on your right.
A fairly large market with a number of eateries. Driving a few kilometers you will reach the ring road of Udon and the roads to Khon Kaen and Nakhon Sakon. Just before the relevant intersection you will find a large one on your right
Big C and before that the Makro.

Submitted by Charlie