Udon Thani is a city in Isan, north-east Thailand. It has a population of 142,670, including an estimated 7,000 foreigners. Udon is also the capital of Udon Thani Province and is a major commercial center in northern Isan and the gateway to Laos, North Vietnam and Southern China. It is the site of a Voice of America relay station alleged to have been a CIA black site.
The city became a bustling support center for the nearby Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base during the Vietnam War and so retains reminders of that time, with bars, coffee shops, and hotels. 47 km east of Udon Thani is Thailand's premier Bronze Age excavation at Ban Chiang, the world-renowned archaeological site. Although there is little attraction to see in the city for most travellers, there are a few quite interesting temples.
Asia Pacific Resources, a wholly owned subsidiary of Italian-Thai Development PLC, owns the concession to the Udon Thani potash mines and plans to develop them. According to press reports, Udon Thani has enough potash to mine 2 million tonnes per year for 25 years. Potash is one of the main components in fertilizer.
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