The land was secured in a rice field behind the old Noori's nightclub and load after load of dirt was trucked in. The original start up date was supposed to be right after Songkran. There were lots of workers initially that began creating the roof structure and the foundation. well the work began to slow down and there were rumors that there were people in Mukdahan that were not going to let it open. (Well connected owners of other pubs and nightspots, perhaps. I guess you can draw your own conclusions.)
Well, the construction stopped around Songkran and it didn't take up again for a long time. I was beginning to think that the rumor were true. I spoke to an business contact here and he told me that the Tawan Daeng franchisers had taken on a local partner or partners and there was a dispute of some kind. Around about that time construction started again around the start of June. A friend of mine who lives near the construction site told me that there was going to be a big hotel going in on the cleared land behind the Tawan Daeng. He didn't look too happy about it.
I kept going by checking on the construction progress and there was plastering going on and finishing up on the roof as well. A sign was up announcing the Grand Opening on July 22. On the week of the elections (July 3rd) the work stopped again. It has not begun since.The sign was printed over changing the Grand Opening to August 22. Don't think that is happening either. Two of my friends had a bet when construction began that the place would open by August. Looks like John will win that one.
View White Elephants in a larger map
I find this interesting because there is another place we call the White Elephant that has been built for about 6 years it is a big concert hall and restaurant. It has a bunch of smaller pavilions around it for more private eating. The main hall is huge and very nicely built with a big fountain in front. There is even a radio station attached. It was built by a local silk dealer and is completely finished. Right before it was ready to open the owner apparently got caught smuggling a huge amount of silk from Laos. He didn't go to jail on the smuggling charges but I am sure the price was not cheap to get out of that one. Maybe then he didn't have the tea money to pay to open the music hall.So there it sits being over grown with vegetation and deteriorating. It is now in the bank and probably will be for a while.
Click on the pictures below to see big images of Tawan Daeng and the White Elephant.
- Khun Rut
- Khun Rut
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