I heard that all the buildings like mr thongs bar berry & fuji camera shop all have to vacate by april because they are going to build new buildings
how true is this & what info do you have on it

I thought it was only soi farang and the car park for development not the buildings on the front.
Hopefully one of the sponsors for udonmap in the vicinity can give guidance as to what is proposed now for the area.
If it is going to happen,can the bulldozers at least wait until after sonkran as had a great time last year outside Mr Tongs,women with wet t shirts and wandering hands

Same as Pompui, I have heard the persistent rumours about Soi Falang ever since I first came to Udon, so like the opening of the Bypass, I will believe when it happens!

Logistically if they were to demolish Mr Tongs etc I could only see this being achieved by demolishing Soi Falang first, thus enabling access to the units without intruding on an already congested road.

The bars in Soi Falang still seem to be changing hands for reasonable amounts of money so this would indicate that demolishion is still some way off or I guess it could be that there are more suckers out there than I had thought

So I'll have an educated guess that it is merely a rumour Ron.

I was talking to someone in the know and he tells me that there is a meeting of all the tenants, bars and shops at the end of Feb where they will be told what's happening. I believe that it will be pulled down and built in stages, possibly a multi story car park and shops and a walk way connecting about the 3rd floor to Robinson. As some owners are on 12 month leases starting last Nov, more than likely at the end of this year. It's all going including the petrol station but I'm not sure about "D2".

D2, is a consortium of Thai Business men, including the owner of Chaeron Hotel / complex inc the owner of Mambo etc

It wont go for sure.

Perhaps that might be the reason a lot more bars are opening along Soi Saucy (Sampantamit).

It's always been on the cards that Farang Ally will be demolished in fact they started doing it a few years ago as you can see by the old flooring opposite the bars. I believe that in the short term it will extend the car park but common sense says that commercial development is in the wings and the whole lot will come down - When I don't know. The land has got to be too valueable to remain a dusty car park.

Mr Tongs has already aquired new premises, which are near to Sabai Sabai bar. He told me yesterday he hopes to move and open in June, he also mentioned that there is a large meeting for all tennants at the end of February, so it would appear that things are starting to happen.

i think part of the area road faceing will be shop houses back and front with a extra soi behind with a single row of shop houses
extra car parking most units will be for sale between 6 and 10 million baht
this info is 2 years old
the first part as happened next step soi falang gone buy april 08
could be a thai time scale so expect delays
the guy that owns the land over from irish clock will fill is bars up very quickly when this happens if i where down soi falang i would jump very quickly like yestaday with a lot less places to visit overnight expect anyone set up already to do a good trade

I heard last night that the leases for the bar owners in Farang Alley, run out in November 2008.

they've been expiring and plans for parking for the last 7 years, hmm. from a business view, why bother. they already consolidated the bars to one area, as opposed to spread out as they were before, and the ones taken down provide parking for the bars or who ever. tear down the rest and do what? lose money from lost rent. provide parking when the mall is already at saturation point with customers/people strolling. obviously not needed by management, they are making money just the way it is. so again, why bother. they are not even willing to fill in the mine field/parking lot they have.

unless the bottom line changes, nothing else will.

Regarding the spacious battlefield/carpark at the rear. This could all be a rumour but....
I did hear that plans are being drawn up and discussed at length on whether to purchase several 'new' whistles and armbands for the carpark attendants at weekends.
Now if an investment like the puchase of vital equipment did go ahead then why oh why will they build on that plot of land.

perhaps they will buy "Pink" whistles and armbands so all the naughty BIB will be on car park duty on their days off

FWIW I was told by a manager in there that the last long term lease expires at the end of May 2008 and all bars will then be on 1 month leases.

John