Udon Thani is 350 miles to the north east of Bangkok, close to the border with Laos. It is the capital of the province with the same name and along with Khorat, Ubon Ratchathani, and Khon Kaen is considered to be one of the Big Four of Isaan.
Close by here, some25 miles to the east is Ban Ciang a renowned bronze age archaeological site. Wat Pa Baan That is much closer, this temple was home for years for one of Thailand’s most well known and respected monks. His Philanthropy rewarded many people during the economic crash in the 1990s. During this time about 46,000 Thais migrated here to escape the economic ravages of the capital. Their descendants make up a large portion of the local population.
During the Vietnam War, Udon developed into a busy support centre for the Udorn Royal Thai Air Force, some of the old bars, cafes, and restaurants remain to this day. It is a well organised city with plenty of supermarkets, shopping malls and cinema complexes. UD Town shopping mall, opened in winter 2009. it’s Thailand’s largest open air shopping center even bigger the Bangkok’s famous Chatuchak Market.
