Background information on Udon Thani.
Udon Thani is a major rural city located approximately 50 km from the Lao border in North East (Isarn) Thailand. The name Udon Thani means “Northern City” It has a population of over 150,000 in its urban area. Udon Thani started out as a small trading outpost which during the 1960s rapidly grew due to a large US air force base being built outside of Udon Thani. This air force base is no longer used by the US but still sees use by the Thai air force and Singaporean air force for training purposes.
Today Udon Thani is growing again with a number of new hotels and shopping centres all opening in the last few years. The urban area is rapidly increasing in density as the economy of Udon Thani improves. Part of Udon's economic growth comes from increasing numbers of older foreigners who relocated to Udon Thani from the US and Europe to retire. They are attracted to Udon Thani by the far lower living costs than Europe as well as access to modern urban infrastructure like shopping centres and hospitals. Many of them are also attracted to Udon for the better climate and ease of finding a local companion to live with them.
Despite its popularity and economic growth Udon Thani has to compete with two other Issarn cities these are Khon Kaen and Korat. Both of these cites are larger than Udon Thani in population with quite different economies. They are less reliant on tourists and older retired foreign residents. Khon Kaen is a education and research hub for the Issarn region. Where as Korat is more of a manufacturing base for the Issarn region.
The urban layout of Udon Thani is fairly typical for a rural Thai city with a spread out innercity commercial area with large mostly residential area around the innercity. But like most Thai cities there is no defined central business area. The city has a fairly high urban density for its small size.
The mass transit system of Udon Thani is made up of mostly high frequency “truck – bus” services with only one full size bus route that uses very old non aircon buses. Besides the urban mass transit Udon Thani has two large bus terminals that service its large rural hinterland and link Udon Thani to other cities in Issarn as well as Bangkok. The main bus terminal is located in the innercity and provides service to all parts of Issarn as well as Bangkok. The other bus terminal is located a 20 minute bus ride to the north west of Udon Thani. This bus terminal provides service to Chiang Mai and other northern Thailand destinations as well as Loei. This terminal is fairly quiet compared to the main terminal.
As with the Vientiane Laos topic I will start by posting some images of Udon Thani itself so people can see what the city looks like before going into the Mass transit images of Udon Thani.
1. This is general view of the innercity area of Udon Thani. Taken from the 8th floor of a hotel in the centre of Udon Thani. The modern shopping centre is clearly evident.
2. This is another general view of the innercity area of Udon Thani. Taken looking towards the older section of the city. As can be seen the urban density is fairly high in this part of Udon Thani.
3. This is a night shot of Udon Thani's innercity. Taken from the 8th floor of a hotel in the centre of Udon Thani.
4. This is a shot of a typical suburban area in Udon Thani taken from the top of small suburban hotel about 5 km out from the centre of Udon Thani. The water in the foreground is a small natural pool with quite a lot of fish in it.
Now onto the photographs of Udon Thani's Main bus terminal and surrounding area. This bus terminal is located in the centre of Udon Thani and is where all buses to Bangkok and other parts of Issarn depart from.
5. This is a shot of the bus departure and waiting area at Udon Thani's main bus terminal. This image was taken around 10am on weekday morning looking toward the back of the terminal.
6. This is a general view of a number of buses lined up waiting to depart from the right side of the bus terminal. Most of these buses service rural areas around Udon and also link Udon to other parts of Issarn.
7. This is another general view of Udon Thani's main bus terminal. This time looking at the left side of the bus terminal.
8. This is a shot of a Route 231: Udon Thani – Nakhon Phanom bus. Taken as it waits to depart from the bus terminal. Bus number 231 – 50. Bus type Volvo 2nd class aircon intercity.
9. This is a shot of a Route 296: Udon Thani – Kham Ta Kla bus. Taken as it waits to depart from the bus terminal. Bus number 296 – 14. Bus type Merc non aircon intercity.
10. This is a shot of a Route 230: Udon Thani – Sakhon Nakhon bus. Taken as it waits to depart from the bus terminal. Bus number 230 – 39. Bus type Merc aircon 2nd class intercity.
11. This is an image of a Route 20 Udon Thani – Khon Kaen – Bangkok bus. Taken as it waits to depart from the bus terminal. Bus number 20 – 17. Bus type Scania Double Deck VIP aircon intercity.
12. This is another angle on the Route 20 Scania double deck VIP bus. The seating on this bus is 1 + 2 layout. Some of these buses have seat back entertainment systems similar to aircraft.
13. This is a shot of a Route 241: Udon Thani – Sakhon Nakhon – Ubon Ratchthani bus. Taken as it was departing the bus terminal. Bus number 241 – 2. Bus type unknown 1st class aircon.
14. This is a general view of the motor taxi trike's waiting for customers at Udon Thani's main bus terminal. These are the same type as found in Vientiane Laos.
15. This is an image of a Route 268: Udon Thani – Khon Kaen – Udon Ratchthani bus. Taken as it was arriving at the bus terminal. Bus number 268 – 23. Bus type Merc 1st class aircon intercity.
16. This is an image of a Route 211: Udon Thani – Korat bus. Taken as it was arriving at the bus terminal. Bus number 211 – 30. Bus type Unknown 2nd class aircon intercity.
17. This is an image of a Route 268 bus taken as it was heading to the bus holding area outside of the bus terminal. Bus number 268 – 32. Bus type Merc aircon 2nd class intercity.
18. This is another angle on bus number 268 – 32 taken as it was leaving the rear entrance to the bus terminal on its way to the holding area.
19. This is a shot of a Route 4381: Udon Thani – Wang Sam Mo bus. Taken as it was departing the bus terminal. Bus number 4381 – 11. Bus type Merc non aircon intercity.
20. This is another angle on the Route 4381 bus. Taken as it was rounding the curve at the back of the terminal.
21. This is a shot of a Route 262: Udon Thani – Korat bus. Taken as it was arriving at the bus terminal. Bus number 262 – 13. Bus type unknown 2nd class aircon intercity.
22. This is a shot of a Route 296 bus. Taken as it waits to depart from the bus terminal. Bus number 296 – 1. Bus type unknown non aircon intercity.
23. This is an image of a Route 22: Udon Thani – Bangkok bus. Taken as it waits to depart the bus terminal. Bus number 22 – 3. Bus type Unknown 2nd class aircon intercity.
24. This is an image of bus number 230 – 39. Taken as it was departing the bus terminal. Note how the door is still open as they drive off. Bus type Merc 2nd class aircon intercity.
25. This is an image of Route 562 bus arriving at the bus terminal ready to load up the next trip. Bus number 562 – 4. Bus type Merc non aircon intercity. Note on these buses the doors are never closed while running.
26. This is a shot of a number of Route 4604 : Udon Thani – Kumphawapi truck buses. Taken in the soi being the bus terminal. They appear to store a large number of these truck buses in this soi. Most of them are Isuzu or Toyota pick trucks.
27. This is a shot of a Route 230 bus. Taken as it was parked in the bus waiting area behind the bus terminal. Bus number 230 – 28. Bus type Merc aircon 2nd class intercity.
28. This is a shot of a Route 226: Udon Thani – Khon Kaen bus. Taken while it was being cleaned in the bus holding area behind the bus terminal. Bus number 226 – 10. Bus type Merc aircon 2nd class intercity.
29. This is a shot of a Route 22 bus. Taken as it was parked in the bus holding area behind the bus terminal. Bus number 22 – 26. bus type unknown 2nd class intercity.
30. This is a shot of a Route 943: Bangkok – Bangkarn bus. Taken as it was parked in the bus holding area behind Udon Thani's main bus terminal. Bus number 943 – 8. Bus type unknown 1st class aircon intercity bus. Note this bus is operated by the “407” company.
31. This is a general view of a number of buses stored in the bus holding area behind the bus terminal. The bus in the foreground is an old Merc Non aircon intercity bus.
32. This is another shot of a group of Route 4604 truck buses. Taken as they where stored at the back of the bus holding area at Udon Thani's main bus terminal.
This next section of the topic is devoted to the Udon Thani urban mass transit system. This is mostly made up of truck bus services and a single full size bus route. These services are frequent throughout the day but stop running at 7pm. As to why they do is unknown but these services do start as early as 3am daily. If you need local transport after 7pm you have to take a motor trike taxi which have no fixed fares but start from 40 baht a trip.
33. This is a shot of a Route 9: Chiang Yuen – Sam Praw truck bus. Taken as it travelled along a main street of Udon Thani. Truck number 9 – 23. Truck type Nissan.
34. This is a shot of a Route 1371: Udon Thani – Nong Khai truck bus. Taken as it travelled along a main street of Udon Thani. Truck number 1371 – 45. Truck type Isuzu.
35. This is an image of a Route 2: New Udon Thani bus terminal – Big C bus. Taken as it was heading towards Big C. Bus number 2 – 5. Bus type Merc non aircon metro bus. Note this route is the only one in Udon that uses full size buses all others use truck buses.
36. This is a shot of a Route 4344 Udon Thani – Non Som Boon truck bus. Taken as it was heading south along a main street of Udon Thani. Truck number 4344 – 27. Truck type Isuzu.
37. This is a shot of another route 2 bus. Taken while passing through the innercity of Udon Thani. Bus number unknown. Bus type UD non aircon metro bus.
38. This is an image of another route 2 bus. Taken while passing though the innercity of Udon Thani. Bus number 2 – 23. Bus type UD/Hino non aircon metro bus.
39. This is a shot of a Route 15 truck bus. Taken while passing through the suburban area of Udon Thani. Truck number 15 – 42 . Truck type unknown.
40. This is a shot of another route 2 bus. Taken whole passing through the suburban area of Udon Thani. Bus number 2 – 3. Bus type unknown.
41. This is a shot of a Route 1371 truck bus. Taken in the eastern suburbs of Udon Thani as it was heading into town. Truck number 1371 – 41. Truck type Isuzu.
42. This is a shot of a Route 2 truck bus. Taken in the eastern suburbs of Udon Thani as it was heading into town. Truck number 2 – 20. Truck type Isuzu.
43. This is another shot of a Route 2 bus. Taken in the eastern suburbs of Udon Thani as it was heading toward the new bus terminal. Bus number 2 – 4. Bus type Merc non aircon metro bus.
44. This is an inside shot of a Route 2 bus. Taken looking towards the front of the bus. Note the condition of the bus.
45. This is an inside shot of the drivers seat on a Route 2 bus. Note the condition of it and the location of the engine at the front of the bus. All Thai buses have some kind of Buddha image or royal image inside them.
46. This is a short movie of a ride on a Route 2 bus through the streets of Udon Thani. Note the sounds of the engine and the condition of the non aircon bus.
This last section of the topic is devoted to the new Udon Thani bus terminal in the north western suburbs of Udon Thani. This bus terminal serves routes towards northern Thailand such as Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. As well as Loei area. Compared to the main terminal the new one is very quite despite its larger size.
47. This is a general view of the bus departure and waiting area at the new bus terminal. This terminal is lot more spacious than the main terminal in the city centre.
48. This is another general view of the new bus terminal with a number of buses waiting to depart. Taken looking south towards the main road.
49. This is a shot of a Route 515: Udon Thani – So Phisai – Bueng Kan bus. Taken as it waits to depart from the new bus terminal. Bus number 515 – 3. Bus type Merc non aircon intercity.
50. This is an inside shot of the bus 515 – 3. Note the horrible 2 + 3 seating layout. Not so good if you are larger than a slim Thai guy.
51. This is an inside shot of the drivers seat area of bus 515 – 3. Note the condition of it also the engine on this bus is located at the front next to the driver.
52. This is a shot of a Route 220: Udon Thani - Loei bus. Taken as it lays over at the new bus terminal. Bus number 220 – 6. Bus type Merc non aircon intercity.
53. This is an image of a Route 220: Udon Thani – Loei bus. Taken as it waits to depart from the new bus terminal. Bus number 220 – 4. Bus type Unknown 2nd class aircon intercity.
54. This is a shot of two VIP buses waiting to depart from the new bus terminal in Udon Thani. The bus on the left is a Route 636: Udon Thani – Chiang Mai bus. Sometimes VIP buses are not 1 + 2 layout but extra legroom 2 + 2 layout. So check before booking.
55. This is a shot of a Route 6: New Bus Terminal – Rang Si Ma truck bus. Taken while it lays over at the new bus terminal. Truck number 6 – 26. Truck type Isuzu.
56. This is a shot of two Route 224: Udon Thani – Nakhon Phanom buses. Taken while they are laying over at the new bus terminal. Bus numbers 224 – 8 and 224 – 21.
57. This is another angle on bus 224 – 21. Taken while it was laying over at the new bus terminal. Bus type unknown.
58. This is a shot of a couple of Route 2 metro buses laying over at the new bus terminal. In the background is a 2nd class aircon bus that is from the central region and is likely to have be purchased by a bus company in Udon Thani for one of there routes.
59. This is a shot of a Route 661: Chiang Rai – Nakhon Phanom bus. Taken while it was laying over at the new bus terminal in Udon Thani. Bus number 661 – 4. Bus type Merc 2nd class aircon intercity.
60. This is an image of a Route 636: Udon Thani – Chiang Mai bus. Taken while it was in the bus holding area undergoing repairs. Bus number 636 – 1. Bus type Scania Double deck aircon VIP intercity.
61. This is a shot of a Route 221: Udon Thani – Nong Khai bus. Taken as it was arriving at the new bus terminal. Bus number 221 – 3. Bus type unknown aircon 2nd class intercity.
I hope you enjoyed the images and information on Udon Thani's mass transit system. If you have any comments or questions about this topic please post some comments below.
3 comments:
So happy that you came back ... and revived some good memories of my (too short) trips to Udon Thani.
Thank you
Thanks a lot for the photos from Udon. In case you have the photo of the bus from the BKK - Phetchaburi route, would you please post it? Second-class aircon buses in the routes between BKK and nearby provinces are now disapparing very quickly from the roads as the commuter vans are eating the market share.
By the way, did you know that Ian Fuller has left us for good.. I knew your blog from his recommendation in Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/groups/bus_coach_thailand/discuss/72157606529317549/.
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