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Northeast Thailand / Phu Rua, Nong Bua Lamphu, Udon Thani

Phu Rua

Phu Rua is a town in Loei Province, some 45km (28mi) west of the town of Loei.

Accommodation

Phu Rua; 8 rooms, sgl/dbl 250-500

Bkk Resv Tel 579-0529, 579-4842

Phu Rua Chalet; Bkk Resv Tel 43-35396 to 7

5 bungalows, 1 tourist house 120-1000

Places of Interest

Phra That Si Song Rak

The 30m (98ft) high structure on the bank of Nan River about 2km (1.25mi) away from downtown Dan Sai (which is about 30km, 19mi west of Phu Rua) was built in 1560 to commemorate an alliance between Ayutthaya and Satana Kanahut (Vientiane). The annual celebrations to honor the edifice are attended by thousands of people.

Phu Rua National Park

This national park encompasses a majestic mountain with a vast pine-covered plateau at an elevation of 1,375m (4511ft). A cliff shaped like the bow of a Chinese junk juts out from the mountain. The entrance to the national park is in a walking distance from the Phu Rua Administration District Office. Buses to Phu Rua leave daily from the towns of Loei and Lomsak of Phetchabun Province. Reservations for lodgings at the park can be made by calling Bkk Tel 579-0529 and 579-4842.

Nong Bua Lamphu is a town in Udon Thani Province, some 50km (31mi) southwest of Udon Thani city.

Accommodation

Sawang Chit; 54 Wichan-Rangsan Rd, Tel 31-1121

11 rooms, sgl/dbl 80-120 (f)

Si Somphon; 68 Pho-Chai Rd, Tel 31-1084

10 rooms, sgl/dbl 80-150 (f)

Places of Interest

Wat Suphanna Khuha, commonly called Wat Tham, was constructed in 1572 by a king of Vientiane.

The statue recalls that in 1574, Thai King Naresuan came to help Vientiane in its fight against a Burmese army.

Udon Thani, 564km (353mi) from Bangkok and one of the biggest cities in the Northeast, is the capital of a province by the same name.

Accommodation

Chaiyaphum; 209-11 Mak-Khang Rd

Tel 22-1913, 22-2144

77 rooms, sgl/dbl 100-350 (f, ac)

Chaemchamrad; 510/9 Mak-Khang Rd

Tel 22-1616, 22-1814

18 rooms, sgl/dbl 60-150 (f)

Charoen Hotel; 549 Phosi Rd

Tel 22-1331 to 2, 22-2113 to 4

120 rooms, sgl/dbl 38-0-800 (ac)

Charoensi Palace; 60 Phosi Rd

Tel 22-2601, 24-2614, 22-1462

110 rooms, sgl/dbl 25-0-500 (ac)

Coconut; 471 Adunyadet Rd, Tel 22-2498

17 rooms, sgl/dbl 80-200 (f, ac)

Fa Mui; 302/9-10 Prachak Rd

8 rooms, sgl/dbl 60-80 (f)

King; 57 Phosi Rd, Tel 22-1634, 22-2919

132 rooms, sgl/dbl 100-200 (f, ac)

Krung Thong; 195-9 Phosi Rd, Tel 22-1161, 22-3556

64 rooms, sgl/dbl 100-200 (f, ac)

Malasi Saengden; 300 Prachak Rd

18 rooms, sgl/dbl 60-100 (f)

Maphakdi; 93/1 Prachak Rd, Tel 22-1212

33 rooms, sgl/dbl 80-180 (f, ac)

Mit Charoen; 37/38 Si-Sattha Rd,

25 rooms, sgl/dbl 60-150 (f)

Mit Pracha; 271/2-3 Prachak Rd, Tel 22-2640

60 rooms, sgl/dbl 100-200 (f, ac)

Mit Sahai; 254/9-10 Prachak Rd, Tel 22-2615

22 rooms, sgl/dbl 60-120 (f)

New York; 1 Si Chom Chun Rd

19 rooms, sgl/dbl 80-120 (f)

Nguan-nguan; 24-5 Naresuan Rd
Tel 22-1135, 24-1244
53 rooms, sgl/dbl 100-200 (f, ac)

Paradise; 44/29 Phosi Rd, Tel 22-1956, 22-1506

90 rooms, sgl/dbl 100-250 (f, ac)

Phaibun; 27/14 Wattana Rd, Tel 24-1500

19 rooms, sgl/dbl 60-120 (f)

Phuttharak; 18 Prachak Rd

25 rooms, sgl/dbl 60-100 (f)

Pracha Phakdi; 156/8 Prachak Rd

Tel 22-1804, 22-3341, 22-3352

38 rooms, sgl/dbl 100-250 (ac)

Queen; 6-8 Udon Dusadi Rd, Tel 22-1451

30 rooms, sgl/dbl 80-160 (f, ac)

Rammasun; 421/7 Adunyadet Rd, Tel 22-1475

21 rooms, sgl/dbl 100-200 (f, ac)

Safari; 5 Mukkhamontri Rd, Tel 22-1232

20 rooms, sgl/dbl 100-200 (f, ac)

Saiwongsin; 579/1 Adunyadet Rd

15 rooms, sgl/dbl 60-100 (f)

Saen Suk; 34/7-3 Tamruad Rd, Tel 22-1203

15 rooms, sgl/dbl 60-100 (f)

Sawaddiphap; 264/3 Prachak Rd

24 rooms, sgl/dbl 80-160 (f)

Si Chai; 480-484 Phosi Rd, Tel 22-2624, 22-1903

39 rooms, sgl/dbl 120-400 (f, ac)

Siri Udon; 79-91 Amphoe Rd

Tel 22-1658, 22-2331 to 2
98 rooms, sgl/dbl 120-250 (f, ac)

Si Sa-nga; 12/1 Adunyadet Rd, Tel 22-1024

52 rooms, sgl/dbl 100-250 (f, ac)

Si Sawad; 123/1-3 Prachak Rd, Tel 22-1560

28 rooms, sgl/dbl 80-160 (f, ac)

Si Takan; 298/1 Sai-Uthit Rd, Tel 22-2454

45 rooms, sgl/dbl 80-200 (f, ac)

Suksomjai; 226 Phosi Rd, Tel 22-1821

29 rooms, sgl/dbl 60-120 (f)

Supphamit; 12 Surakan Rd, Tel 22-2292, 22-1520

40 rooms, sgl/dbl 100-200 (f, ac)

Thailand; 4/1-6 Surakan Rd, Tel 22-1951

52 rooms, sgl/dbl 100-250 (f, ac)

Tokyo; 145-9 Prachak Rd, Tel 22-1349

45 rooms, sgl/dbl 100-300 (f, ac)

Tangphonthirak; 289 Mak-Khang Rd
Tel 22-1032, 22-2686; 24 rooms
sgl/dbl 100-180 (f, ac)

Udon Hotel; 81-89 Mak-Khang Rd

Tel 22-2166 to 7, 22-1628

90 rooms, sgl/dbl 110-280 (f, ac)

The Buddha footprint is enshrined in a 40m (131ft) tall pagoda at the foot of the Khao (Mount) Phu Phan, 10km (6mi) west of the town of Ban Phu (some 50km, 31mi, northwest of Udon Thani city). There are other relics as well. (For information of the religious relevance of Buddha footprints and other relics, please see the chapter Religion in the first part of this book.) Celebrations to honor the footprint are held from March 11 to 15 each year.

Around the Phra Putthabhat Bua Bok, on an area of some 480 hectares (1,200 acres), rocks of different sizes and shapes dot the landscape; there also are numerous caves and caverns. Pre-historic paintings have been discovered on cliff faces, although many exist only in the faintest of traces.

This ancient place of worship at Non Sang, some 100km (63mi) south of Udon Thani, is believed to have been built during the time when the Khmer people dominated the region, more than a thousand years ago.

Transportation

Thai Airways has one to two daily direct flight from Bangkok to Udon Thani. There is always a departure in the early morning, on days with a second flight also one in the late afternoon. While departure times might change every 6 months, the changes are likely to be minimal while the frequency is basically maintained. Flight time is around 1hr. The price of a one-way ticket is 1260 Baht.

All three trains going daily from Bangkok to Nong Khai stop at Udon Thani. Furthermore, there are two rail cars from Bangkok to Udon Thani. Departures from Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Station are at 6:25 (arrival at Udon Thani 15:56), 8:20 (arr 17:05), 19:00 (arr 5:15), 20:30 (arr 6:33) and 22:25 (arr 7:35). Fare (excluding surcharges for rapid or express trains and aircon) is 95 Baht for 3rd class, 198 Baht for 2nd class and 413 Baht for 1st class. The rail distance is 569km.

Buses from Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal on Phahonyothin Road; 561km, aircon 191 Baht, 6:00, 9:30, 12:00, 13:00, 15:30, 17:00, 20:30, 21:00, 21:30, 23:00

Thai Airways has one to two daily direct flight from Udon Thani to Bangkok. Departure is either in the morning or in the early evening. Though all flights are direct (no change of aircraft) only some are non-stop and others have a stop-over at Sakhon Nakhon. Flight time is around 55min for non-stop flights and more than 2hrs for flights via Sakhon Nakhon. The price of a one-way ticket is 1260 Baht.

All three daily trains from Nong Khai to Bangkok stop at Udon Thani. Furthermore, there are two rail cars from Udon Thani to Bangkok. Departures at Udon Thani for Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Station are at 7:55 (arrival in Bangkok at 16:30), 8:34 (arr 18:40), 18:41 (arr 5:00), 19:55 (arr 6:00) and 20:35 (arr 5:40). For fares and distance see entries under the opposite direction.

Thai Airways has four direct flight a week from Udon Thani to Nakhon Sakhon. Departure is in the morning. Flight time is around 30min.