Thailand Dreaming

Thailand Travel Information

2016-02-29T14:04:00.000-08:00

Thailand

Travel Information

General Information

Climate

Thailand

enjoys a tropical climate with 3 distinct seasons - hot from March to May, wet from June to September, and cool from October to February. The average annual temperature is 28°C (83 F). In Bangkok the temperature ranges from about 30°C in April to about 25°C in December.

What to wear

Light, loose cotton clothing is best. Nylon should be avoided. Sweaters are needed during the cool season evenings or if visiting mountainous areas or national parks. Jackets and ties are required in a few restaurants and nightclubs. Neat clothing is required for entering temples or palaces.

Visiting temples

Always take your shoes off before entering a temple building and leave them outside. Dress respectfully - do not, for example, wear shorts, open shirts or revealing clothes. On entry it is polite to show respect to the Buddha and monks by placing palms of hands together, as if praying and bowing. Sitting is usually on the floor so sit in a way so your feet point away from the Buddha and the monks. Ideally sit with your legs tucked under you to one side. You should never try to shake hands with or touch a monk. If you offer food or a gift to a monk, he will offer you a cloth on which to place the offering. Never touch a Buddha image in a temple. Always ask permission before taking photographs.

Local time

GMT + 7 hours (BST + 6 hours)

Business hours

Most offices open from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, except on public holidays. General banking hours are Monday to Friday 9.30 am to 3.30 pm. Many stores open 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Currency

There are 100 satangs in 1 baht. (B=baht) Notes are issued in denominations of B1000 (grey), B500 (purple), B100 (red), B50 (blue), B20 (green), and B10 (brown). There are 10, 5 and 1 baht coins, and 50 and 25 satang coins. Most foreign currencies and traveller cheques are easily changed at banks, hotels or money-changers. All major credit cards are widely accepted throughout the Kingdom.

Electricity

The electric system is 220 Volt AC (50 cycles). There are many plugs and sockets in use. Travellers with shavers, tape recorders and other appliances should carry a plug-adapter kit.

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Travel Tips

Visas

Official visa information is available on website www.thaiconsul-uk.com

Tipping

Tipping is not a usual practice in

Thailand

although it is becoming more common. Most hotels and restaurants add a 10% service charge to their bill. Taxi drivers do not require a tip, but the gesture is appreciated.

Bargaining

Fixed prices are the norm in department stores, but at most other places bargaining is to be expected. Generally, you can obtain a final figure of between 10-40% lower than the original asking price. Much depends on your skills and the shopkeeper's mood. But remember, Thais appreciate good manners and a sense of humour. With patience and a broad smile, you will not only get a better price, you will also enjoy shopping as an art.

Language

Thai is a tonal language belonging to the group of Ka-Tai languages. The five tones are monotone, low, falling, high, and rising. This can be a rather complicated language for the visitor; however, English is quite widely understood, particularly in Bangkok where it is almost the major commercial language.

Do's and Don'ts

The Monarchy

Thai people have a deep, traditional reverence for their Royal Family, and a visitor should be careful to show respect for the King, the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.

Religion

Visitors should dress neatly in all religious shrines. They should never go topless, or in shorts, hot pants or other unsuitable attire. It is acceptable to wear shoes when walking around the compound of a Buddhist temple, but not inside the chapel where the principal Buddha image is kept. Each Buddha image, large or small, ruined or not, is regarded as a sacred object. Never climb onto one to take a photograph or do anything which might indicate a lack of respect. Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by a woman, or to accept anything from the hand of one. If a woman has to give anything to a monk, she first hands it to a man, who then presents it.

Social norms

Thais don't normally shake hands when they greet one another, but instead press the palms together in a prayer-like gesture called a wai. Generally a younger person wais an elder, who returns it. Thais regard the head as the highest part of the body, literally and figuratively. Therefore, avoid touching people on the head and try not to point your feet at people or an object. It is considered very rude. Shoes should be removed when entering a private Thai home. Public displays of affection between men and women are frowned upon

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Advice to Visitors

If you intend staying in

Thailand

for more than 30 days it is recommended that you register your presence with your respective embassy as soon as possible. Persons wishing to register with the British Embassy in Bangkok can do so

through the internet – www.britishembassy.gov.uk/thailand

You are advised to use only authorised transportation services for transfer from airport to other areas.

If, on arrival in Thailand, you need help with accommodation you are advised to consult the Thai Hotel Association counter at the airport.

Beware of unauthorised persons who offer to show you around.

Visitors are advised to use hotel taxi services wherever possible.

Observe all normal precautions as regards personal safety and the safety of your belongings.

Avoid walking alone in quiet or deserted areas.

Ensure that all valuables including passport and airline tickets are properly protected from loss.

Do not get involved with drugs - the penalty for drug offences is very severe in Thailand.

If you plan to visit a bar or night club make sure you are aware of the rules otherwise you could find the experience very expensive.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to visit Thailand ?

During the cool season between November and March

What vaccinations do I need before coming to Thailand ?

There are no required vaccinations, unless you are coming from a Yellow Fever area in which case a certificate may

be required. Please check the latest regulations with your local health office.

Do I need a visa ?

You are advised to check with the Royal Thai Consulate on website www.thaiconsul.co.uk or telephone 01482 581668.

What are the Thai Customs regulations ?

Prohibited items: All kinds of narcotics, obscene literature, obscene pictures or obscene articles.

Firearms: Firearms and ammunition can be imported only with a permit obtainable from the Police Department of the

local Thai Registration Office.

Personal effects: A reasonable amount of clothing and toiletries for personal use may be brought in free of duty.

Cameras: One still-camera or one movie camera can be brought in without duty. Five rolls of still-camera film or three

rolls of 8 or 16 mm movie-camera film may be brought in free of duty.

Tobacco: Cigarettes must not exceed 200 in quantity or cigars/smoking tobacco must not exceed 250 gms in weight.

Alcoholic beverages: One litre each of wine or spirits may be brought in free of duty.

Household effects: A reasonable amount of used household effects, accompanied by the owner on change of

domicile are also free of duty.

Plants: Certain species of fruits, vegetables and plants are prohibited. Please contact the Agricultural Regulatory

Division, Bangkhen, Bangkok, Tel : +66 2579 1581 or +66 2579 3576.

Animals: Permission for entry of animals coming in by air or sea can be obtained on application to the Department

of Livestock Development, Bangkok, Tel: +66 2251 5136 or +66 2252 6944. Vaccination certificates are

required.

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Buyer Beware

The Tourism Authority of Thailand receives over 1,000 complaints a year about fake jewelry purchases. To avoid being a statistic, you must stay alert to the warning signs of a swindler at work. Heeding our warning could help you stave off unpleasant surprises and make your vacation what it should be - full of sparkle.

The following are valuable pointers for your protection :

Be wary of any encounter that ends up requiring your presence in a gem shop. Most probably it is a scam.

Buying gems or jewelry to resell at double or triple the purchase price is an impossible proposition under any

circumstances. Buy jewelry only for personal satisfaction for your own use or for loved ones.

Make price comparisons in various shops before deciding to buy. Never be in a hurry.

Never mail sapphires or other precious stones. Carry valuable items with you.

Do not believe special (jewelry) sales of any kind. Reputable dealers hardly ever offer sales and never send

touts to lure tourists to their stores.

There are no promotions, shows or special sales on jewelry authorised by the Thai government or any official

agencies at any time of the year.

The Thai government does not own, operate, subsidise or authorise any jewelry stores.

As far as you can, take time to verify all claims. Words, promises, personal guarantees, unchecked documents,

unauthorised verbal or written statements, casual references, encounters and the like do not constitute

verification. Remember, you are your own best protection. All Thai embassies, consulates or any delegations

abroad are neither bound nor responsible for refunding goods that are bought in

Thailand

. When in doubt

about a gem shop, check it with: -

Tourist Assistance Centre

Tourism Authority of Thailand

Le Concorde Building

202 Ratchadapisek Road

Bangkok 10310

Tel: +66 2694 1222 extensions 1090 to 1094

Bm 01/Jan/2009

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DUMB BARGIRLS

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PATTAYA AMBIENCE

2016-02-29T13:53:00.000-08:00

66 YEARS OLD

2016-02-29T13:49:00.000-08:00

Thailand's love of the supernatural

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Sscaption

Situated in the nondescript outer western suburbs of Bangkok, Sawang Arom temple is already well known for its collection of kuman - plastic child-dolls in historic costumes, usually clutching a bag of gold, and believed to be inhabited by the ghost of an unborn foetus.

People visit the temple throughout the day to pray to the kuman for good fortune, lighting incense sticks and kneeling before the garishly-coloured figures.

Some buy lottery tickets, and run their hands along the trunk of a fallen ironwood tree, festooned with coloured scarves and smoothed by years of handling. They believe they can see the winning number in the faded grain of the wood.

Thais, like many people in South East Asia, are superstitious. But the monks at the temple have found their doll collection growing recently, as people have quietly left behind child-sized figures, known as luk thep, or 'child angels'. The monks have moved them to a small room in a tower, where, like the kuman, they are served the red fizzy drinks they are believed to prefer.

"Each person has their own beliefs", one of the monks, Phra Prasit Warayan told me, "but the belief in the power of luk thep is very strong. When things go well for the owner, they worship them, but when things turn bad, they abandon them. Because they are afraid of what might happen, they leave them here, because they know we accept them, and the abbot is always careful to put them in an appropriate place."

The dolls look incongruous in the temple, in their formal children's clothing and with their wide-eyed, Western features. But how did the luk thep craze start? And is it just a continuation of the kuman belief, that inanimate objects can be inhabited by a ghost, or spirit?

Image captionIn an uncertain world, luck can seem a powerful force

Image copyrightEPA

Image captionJust to be extra sure, this doll owner has dressed hers in amulets and prayer beads - also believed to bring good luck

I hoped to find that answer at a dazzling pink house in a gated community in another suburb.

A chubby, blond doll's head sits on a shrine, next to offerings of food and water. Various other limbs lay drying outside after being given a special cream massage. In one room, two young women sat surrounded by different parts of doll's anatomies, carefully applying nail varnish, nose studs and weaving real human hair into soft, plastic scalps. The dolls are often given yantra - Buddhist tattoos - and are filled with rice, a symbol of prosperity.

In the next room Mananya Boonmi lovingly brushes the hair of her favourite doll, Pet. She has collected these dolls for fourteen years, but she did not always see them as she does now, as living beings, who will reward their owners with good fortune - as long as they are looked after as if they are a human child. She believes she was one of the earliest believers in luk thep.

She says she was selling small souvenirs around four years ago, when she had the feeling that one of her dolls, Ploy, was trying to help. She began to treat the doll like a real child, and her business took off. She says she was also able to overcome difficulties she was having raising her son.

"We can rely on luk thep mentally", she says. "They make us happy, as if they are alive, and we can carry them around with us. I love dressing them up, and talking to them. And if you look after them properly, they will come into your dreams."

Image captionThe dolls are believed to like red fizzy pop

The luk thep craze really took off last year when a few Thai celebrities were seen carrying their dolls with them everywhere, even to expensive restaurants or on flights. As they saw them as near-human, and felt they needed to treat them well to ensure good fortune, they refused to put the dolls in their check-in luggage or in the overhead compartment. They wanted to buy seats for them.

Last month the airline Thai Smile made headlines by allowing this. But there was a quick change of heart after a consultation with air safety officials. It turns out that the inanimate luk thep are luggage after all, and must be stowed as such. So Mananya says she will no longer fly.

Mananya now sells the dolls to customers for prices that can exceed $1,000. She holds ceremonies to impart a 'soul' into the dolls, but she does not feel this is the same as the spirit inhabiting kuman. Others have taken their dolls to Buddhist monks for blessings.

The belief in kuman thong, to give them their full name, dates back hundreds of years. In the old days, practitioners would try to obtain a real dead foetus, bake it dry, and then lacquer and gild it. It was believed to have very strong magical powers, but needed to be carefully fed and clothed.

There are striking similarities with the pampering some luk thep get, with wealthy owners giving their dolls botox injections or buying them jewellery.

Image copyrightEPA

Image captionThe dolls cost anything from 50 to 500 dollars, or more

Professor Attachak Sattayanurak from Chiang Mai University sees strong parallels between the two kinds of dolls. He says that in Thailand there was a surge in demand for objects that might bring better luck in the chaos that followed the end of World War Two. Interest in the kuman tradition increased, although it was obviously necessary to find substitutes for a real foetus.

"More than 65% of Thai people work in the informal sector", he says. "Their lives are always uncertain. And recently the whole country has been going through a turbulent period. People are looking for comfort, for protection."

Nine years ago, when Thailand was also under military rule, I witnessed another sudden craze here. This was for an amulet called jatukam, which was first made by a police chief who claimed it had helped him solve difficult cases. Prices for the amulets, which were blessed by one temple in Southern Thailand, soared to astronomical levels.

At one point an image of the amulet was projected onto Thailand's tallest building. People ascribed all manner of powers to them. Then, just as suddenly, they lost interest, prices collapsed, and today they are more or less forgotten.

A similar fate may eventually await the luk thep dolls.

THAI BAR GIRLS

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1) Their Golden Rule is to make the most money while doing the least amount of work.  Yes, I know that most of you are thinking that this is rule number one for anyone working any job.  You would be right!  The girls are no different.  They all want money and most are generally very lazy so maximum income for minimum effort is the key.  Men who send money from abroad are the Holy Grail.  Huge money for virtually no effort.  Ever wonder why they always ask what hotel you are staying at?  There are two reasons for this.  First is to set the price, as punters staying in four or five start hotels will definitely be charged more.  Just as important is that they want to know how far it is to your place.  Men staying two minutes away are much more desirable than Men staying across town.  If you are willing to use the short time room that is 50 feet away you are a dream come true.

2) Try to have fun.  Thai girls are fun loving and easily bored, so it is very important for them to have at least some fun while making money.  Many girls will quit a job that they consider no fun (“mai sanuk” in Thai) even if it is the 28th of the month and they have no money for next month’s rent!  This may seem insane to us responsible foreigners, but believe me when I tell you that the biggest insult you can receive in this country is to be labeled “mai sanuk.”  Most gals have chosen the venue that they work in because they have at least one friend there.  Often if the friend quits or moves to another bar the girl in question will move on with her.  What fun will it be to work in a bar with no friends? 

3) Never ever ever ever say you have a boyfriend!  They all realize that they are not just selling their bodies, but are also selling a fantasy to the customer.  I wish I had one baht for every girl I have heard say “I no have boyfriend. Thai man no good.”  They may have a steady Thai boyfriend, several Thai lovers, four western guys sending money every month and dozens of customers, but they will absolutely tell you that they are unattached.  This also works in reverse.  Many of the customers are married or have a girlfriend but very few ever talk about it when meeting new girls.

4) Seize every opportunity to benefit financially from the time spent with a customer.  Receiving clothes, jewelry, mobile phones, etc. will all increase the bottom line.  The customer really should be prepared for this one.  If you go to a tailor shop to buy a shirt, he is going to attempt to sell you suits, shoes, etc.  It’s his job. One of my favorite girls always says “my job to ask, your job to say no.”

5) Collect phone numbers and email addresses from every customer even if he only bought you a cola.  I don’t need to tell you the HUGE reward that comes from sending out 357 emails and 642 sms messages requesting money.  Just a one or two percent response rate and bills are paid for the month.  One girl joked with me “my Mom is sick and the buffalo died, or the buffalo is sick and my Mom died, can’t remember which one but it’s really bad!”

6) Learn to put your mind away in a separate place.  Whether the girl is bored, tired, listening to a punter drone on and on about his pathetic life, staring at the ceiling while a stranger has his way with her, or perhaps just not in the mood to work, it is essential to be able to separate the mind from the body.  I once asked a girl what she thought about when she was making love with a strange man. Her response was “I think about how I am just about to walk out of there with xxx baht in my hand. And what I am going to buy with that money.”

7) Always say to the customer that the reason you are working in the bar is to help out your desperately poor family.  Some girls actually do send some money home.  Some give it away to their Thai boyfriends.  Many others just blow their money on the latest fashions and mobile phones.  Regardless, everyone must learn to say the following: “I no have boyfriend. I no like Thai man. Thai man no good. I no like work in bar but need money to send to family.”  No girl will be allowed to work in the bar until she memorizes that script.

8) Learn to prey on the emotional weaknesses of Western men.  You must learn how to make customers feel lust, guilt, responsibility, jealousy, and a myriad of other emotions.  This isn’t that easy as no Thai man would ever fall for the silly little games that come from this but many (certainly not all) Western men are unequipped to handle these games. One of my best mates likes to say (when referring to Western customers dealing with Thai bar girls) that “the girls have the home field advantage and many of us don’t even know the rules to this game.”

9) Don’t trust all the other girls in the bar.  Yes friends, they lie, cheat and steal from each other as much (if not more so) than they do with customers.  One more reason it is so important to have at least one true blue friend in the bar.  There is no such word as “LOAN” in the bar girl dictionary.  It was not a loan, it was a gift.

10) Always accompany the customer to the airport.  Men are so emotional when they must leave Paradise that they are known to lavish girls with money and gifts while waiting for the plane to boringville. I was in G-Spot in Nana Plaza one night when a girl came in and started throwing bank notes around the bar and the whole place went nuts.  She later told me that her customer gave all of his local currency to her while he cried at the airport. It was over 76,000 baht.

Until next time have fun and be happy

10 Reasons to drop your Thai Girlfriend

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1. Your Thai girlfriend worked as a prostitute or worked within the vicinity of prostitutes

If your Thai girlfriend used to work in a bar or GoGo club then you must dump her immediately period. I don’t care if she was the cashier at the club or “just a server” she is surrounded by Thai’s who in the western world would be considered “bad news”. Would you date a girl like this back home?

2. Your Thai girlfriend cheated on you

Once a cheater always a cheater and in Thailand that could mean you end up with an exotic disease. I’m not talking about a drunk make out session i’m talking about going to lengths to meet other guys, if she says she’s “just friends” kick her to the curb.

3. Your Thai girlfriend is super jealous

In my experience most Thai girls I’ve ever dated have been jealous but that’s a natural thing for all girls Thai or Farang. The difference or perhaps the line that get’s crossed is when she starts calling the other girls, following you around and general stalker behaviour. If it’s already at this point you’re going to have a tough time even getting rid of her so that’s why you should do it immediately before it gets to the chopping your dick off stage.

4. Your Thai girlfriend is abusive

Does your Thai girlfriend hit you? Does she scream at you? Does she cuss at you a lot? As soon as this starts happening you should get rid of the girl immediately, it might even mean you have to move apartments as well, she’s a psycho bitch and things will only get worse. Time to tell her to pack her bags.

5. Your Thai girlfriend gets annoyed at everything you do

This could work both ways as well like if you get annoyed at everything she does as well. This is a sign that things just arn’t working out. It’s a physiological response to the fact that either you or her just don’t like each other anymore. Take the warning sign and give her the divorce papers immediately.

5. She’s ugly

I can never understand with all the beautiful women in Thailand and the available selection of good looking Thai girls that decent looking guys come to Thailand and end up dating some really hideous girls. Hey I know some less than average girls, and sure i might have done them also but to make one my girlfriend, sorry bro that ain’t going to happen. If she’s ugly get rid of her now.

6. Your Thai girlfriend has unresolved addictions

Does she smoke, do drugs, or gamble? Especially gambling then get rid of her now. People rarely come out of addictions especially those with an addictive personality more than likely you’re going to end up paying for these addictions as well. Maybe you like her because your into these things as well, is she really going to make you a better person if she’s just like you? This kind of girl can be fun so make her a gf not a wife.

7. Your Thai girlfriends family are leeches

Actually this reason for dumping your Thai girlfriend should even be ranked higher than 7 but it’s just a list and not in any order. The family asking for money is the one reason why you should break up with her immediately. Things are never going to improve and even if you gave her family a million dollars there will be a time they’ll come back and ask for more. Does your Thai girlfriend have a mother that calls her only when she needs money? And you don’t need to speak Thai to know this because after she get’s the call that day she will ask to send money. A family who is not fiscally sound or fiscally responsible will transcend to their kids. Stay with this girl and you’ll be broke in a few years. Break it off now!

8. Your Thai girlfriend is lazy

If you’re girlfriend keeps a messy house, can’t cook, and lacks any ambition then what are you doing with her? If it’s just for the sex hell you can have 10 gfs to do that for you without the emotional hassle. You’re better off single.

9. Your Thai girlfriend lies about everything

If your Thai girlfriend tells you little lies that you know about then don’t let her on because she’s likely to slip up on a big lie as well. Thai girls who lie will lie forever you can’t change them nor can you trust them. The only good thing to do with a liar is to get rid of ‘em.

10. She doesn’t love you the same way you love her

If a relationship is unevenly balanced where someone loves the other person more than the other person loves them then save yourself a lot of heartache and call it quits immediately, it’s never going to work out.

Finally if you have to dump your Thai girlfriend it’s OK it’s not the end of the world, there are so many good Thai girls out there simply sign up to any of the Thai dating sites and you’ll see first hand how many girls wanna date you.

List of Top 10 Scams in Bangkok and Thailand

2015-04-09T09:59:00.001-07:00

Most tourist destinations around the world have their scammers. Thailand is no different. However, what is more tragic here is that Thai people are naturally very hospitable. They love playing the host and welcoming guests to their country. I am sure many of us have seen this generosity on long train journeys when families share their meals with you. But, it is unfortunate that once they start to have prolonged contact with foreigners, some of them begin to change. It is no longer “be our guest”. They will lie, cheat and even blindly rob you into order to get as much money from you as they can. But, to be clear here, this is still a minority of Thai people.

Despite the warnings in guidebooks and in websites like ours, these scams are still happening every day. It is really tragic because some tourists get hurt so much that they will never return to Thailand again. Even worse, they will tell their friends to avoid our adopted country like the plague. I really feel sorry for the tourists who go to the Grand Palace on their last day only to be told by scammers that the palace is closed. I was there the other day with some friends and we were told several times that the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun were all closed on that day. They said that it was our lucky day as they knew a temple called the Big Buddha which was open. What they didn’t mention was that they would drag us to a gem store where we would get a hard sell to buy worthless gems.

To help you be more street savvy on your next holiday in Thailand, we have decided to put together a top 10 of scams in Thailand. It is by no means definitive.

1. The Grand Palace is Closed Scam – This scam can happen near any tourist attraction but still happens a lot outside the Grand Palace. As you approach, someone will tell you that the palace is closed for various reasons. Ignore them as you will end up in either a gem store or a tailor shop.
2. Thai Gem Scam – If you are not an expert on gems then I strongly urge you not to take the word of other people on how much money you can make if you sell these gems on return to your home country. People are losing a lot of money every day. Don’t make the mistake that you are different.
3. Wrong Change Scam – A common scam at places like 7-Eleven and Family Mart in tourist areas is to give you change as if you gave them a 500 baht note instead of a 1,000 baht note. Many tourists are not familiar with Thai money and often give the wrong money or don’t notice that their change is incorrect. Most shops will say out loud the denomination of any paper money you give them. Check your change!
4. Jet Ski Scam – Many people in Pattaya and Phuket are being scammed after renting jet skis. When you come back after your fun, they will point out scratches and dents in the jet ski and they will demand large sums of money. What they fail to mention is that a dozen other customers have already paid for those scratches. If you rent anything, be it motorcycle, car or jet ski, make sure all scratches and dents are documented.
5. Patpong Sex Show Scam – Don’t believe the touts outside who say free sex shows and drinks for only 100 baht each. You will end up paying a bill in the thousands. Stay clear if you are alone as they can turn violent if you refuse to pay.
6. Hualamphong Scam – Outside the train station you will meet official looking people who will say they will help you book the seats. They take you to their nearby travel agent and pretend to ring the train booking office. They then say the train is full and your only way to travel is on one of their buses.
7. Long Distance Bus Scam – Many people have had things stolen from their bags on overnight bus trips. Some have even reported they were drugged and found their money missing when they woke up.
8. Airport Taxi Scam – Official looking touts will pretend that they are meter taxis and tell you that it is 500-1000 baht to go into town. The meter taxi outside is less than half this. The police have tried to crack down on them but they are back. Ignore anyone who asks if you want a taxi. The real taxi drivers are waiting outside by their cars.
9. Blackjack Scam – This usually starts when someone asks you where you are from. If you say, New York, then he will say he has a sister who will be going to study there. He then asks if you can go and meet her as she has some questions. At their house, you somehow end up playing blackjack with them. They then ask you to help cheat someone out of their money. Don’t get tempted as it is you who is being scammed.
10. My Girlfriend is Pregnant Scam – A popular scams these days is your long distance girlfriend writing to you to say she is pregnant with your baby. She either asks for help to pay for the aboriton or for money to raise the baby. What she doesn’t tell you is that she has already written to five other foreigners telling them that they are the father too. The latest gimmick is some medicine circulating in Isaan that swells their belly to make them look pregnant in case you fly in to visit them. The only way to know for sure is to go with them to the doctors to get an ultrasound.

Please remember, most scammers are successful because they play on the greed of their victims. If something is too good to be true then it probably is. As kind as Thai people are, they are also very shy. If you are approached by a well spoken Thai person on the street then the chances are high that this person is a scammer. Thai people are not normally so forward. However, please give them the benefit of the doubt unless, of course, they give you the codeword “Big Buddha” or “Lucky Buddha”. This is then their admission of guilt. Finally, it is sad to report that there are now foreigners praying on helpless tourists. So, be weary of any unsolicited help.

Soi Dog Foundation, Phuket - Dog and Cat Rescue Shelter

2014-09-07T03:32:00.000-07:00

If you can spare a morning or afternoon during your stay in Phuket, please consider visiting the Soi Dog Foundation, near the airport, to see first-hand the wonderful work of John and Gill Dalley and their dedicated, compassionate team.

They accept, collect, treat, rehome and care for the sick, injured and neglected cats and dogs of Southern Thailand, They have sterilized over 30,000 of the island's dogs, provided a mass immunisation program for street dogs and locals who cannot afford to desex or immunise their dogs and cats. The animals that cannot be returned to their owners or environment due to cruelty/neglect or are not rehomed /adopted, are kept at the shelter where they at least will be well fed, protected and receive tender loving care from the dedicated staff and volunteers.

I make a point of checking out animal shelters in all the Asian countries I visit, and the Soi Dog Foundation is the only one that I have come away from, that I haven't been in tears. The conditions for the dogs and cats there match the standards of RSPCA and animal rescue centres in Australia... clean, spacious, protection from the elements, lots of water and even toys.

If you take the time to visit the rescue centre you will come away feeling happy that there is an organisation in Phuket that is there for the rescue, care and protection of the dogs and cats. Even if you can't visit, if you see a dog or cat in need of medical/surgical attention, or a victim of neglect or abuse, please contact the Soi Dog Foundation

* PATTAYA Song *

2013-12-17T16:43:00.001-08:00

Thailand Dreaming: Long-distance Bus Ride

2013-08-28T02:37:00.001-07:00

Thailand Dreaming: Long-distance Bus Ride: There are choices to be made when taking a long-distance bus in Thailand. The regular buses stop wherever someone wishes to get on or off, ...

Long-distance Bus Ride

2013-08-28T02:33:00.001-07:00

There are choices to be made when taking a long-distance bus in Thailand. The regular buses stop wherever someone wishes to get on or off, make a halt at every official bus terminal along the route; a time consuming journey cheaper than you, the foreigner, could imagine. My journey would take me from Chiang Mai to Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal. There I would switch to the frequently running A/C shuttle bus to my final destination on the beach, the small town of Hua Hin; a further 235 km and 3 hours away in a southwestern direction.

The local temperature in Chiang Mai at 8:30pm was still an enjoyable 33C. I was looking forward to a relaxing bus journey. I had a good choice of bus companies to select from. All would take me to Bangkok. I chose my bus company with care. The ticket price I paid for the 9 hour bus journey wouldn’t buy a decent breakfast in Europe. My VIP bus had 32 seats; 24 upstairs, 8 down with the luggage compartment and toilet. The seats allow reclining far back, good for sleeping. Head pillow and blanket are provided. Within minutes after departure the young and pretty bus stewardess delivers a snack box filled with a piece of cake, cookies, fruit juice and a small bottle of water. Halfway to Bangkok the bus will stop for an inclusive Thai food dinner break; the foreigners will get off for a toilet run and a smoke, the Thais to enjoy the free food. Doesn’t the description make you want to ride a bus? Well, read on the pleasure is going to disappear.

An hour into the journey the interior bus lights go OUT. Total darkness. It is then that one realizes the air-conditioning, pleasant until now, is set to about 10C, just above freezing. A few tourists, dressed in shorts and t-shirts, find the blanket not enough and start whining. Previous experience riding long-distance Thai buses had me prepared. I have on a T-shirt, a long sleeve shirt, a sweater, a jacket, a scarf around my neck, a baseball cap on my head; wear long pants, shoes and socks and drape the blanket around me. I am still not comfortable enough to rest peacefully; the air-conditioning draft irritates me as it drifts across my legs. The on-board Thais love the air-conditioning and sleep peacefully; the fist-time foreign bus riders freeze and complain.

Halfway to Bangkok, the bus stops for the dinner break. All the foreigners rush off the bus to soak up warmth up in the local night. When the bus finally reaches Bangkok and I wait for my bag to be handed down from the luggage rack I see many foreigners shivering as they depart.

Hopefully they will prepare for the next journey.

Visiting Thailand

2013-08-28T00:35:00.003-07:00

I've been travelling through Thailand for many years now and I've also made many recommendations to many of my friends as to different destinations that you can see for different reasons all depending on what are are looking to get out of your trip.

Here is some information on the three places that I have just sent to my brother. For example what is your budget? What's the duration of your holiday to be? Do you like to move around a lot to take in as many places as you can or like to relax in one or two areas? Are you male/female and are you travelling alone, with a partner or a group of same sex or mixed sex group?

As for language I have found going to any country it's always good to try and know some of the language of that area even if not a great deal people usually appreciate that you are making an effort in trying to know the basic niceities. Other than that I was always able to get around with limited skills in the Thai language and I have visited some very off the beaten track places.

Hope it helps.

Krabi Beach (Ao Nang) is in southern Thailand and a beach area that is great for relaxing and seeing all the sites of the southern area. It has access to all of the sites that you can get to from Phuket that are good to see but without so many western tourists. Tours or easy places to get to from here James Bond Island (tour with Kayaking), Phi Phi Island (explore yourself or tour) and this is a great place for diving. There are some great cave type dives, a wreck dive as well as access to whale shark and manta ray areas. The beach is nice and there are plenty of places that you can jump on a scooter and escape to without it being heavily populated with farang.

http://www.aonang.com/

Chiang Mai is one of the best places to see to get a feeling of the northern culture and there are some great places to see up there. Doi Suthep temple, dinners that have traditional dance shows called Khantoke dinner, Chiang Dao mountains, night and weekend markets with some of the best shopping in Thailand, the zoo and a number of other temples and things to see in the city. The Chiang Dao mountains have a number of different tours and places to see including one of the best places to go elephant riding, a cave complex that the Burmese used to hide in when invading Siam to attack Chiang Mai, the Longneck tribes as well as cool river runs and other things depending on the tours you wanted to do and you can do a day trip up to Chiang Rai where they have a white temple

http://www.visitchiangmai.com.au/

Koh Chang is an island off to the south eastern border of Cambodia that is a great island escape. There are plenty of nice beaches to escape to and also an easy place to find a stretch of beach for yourself on the eastern side of the island. There are also plenty of areas for nice restaurants and party areas as well. Nice places for diving with a wreck dive and many other nice spots. There are also some nice walks in the island to waterfalls and things of that sort. Also from Koh Chang it is very easy to do a run up into Cambodia to see the Angkor Wat temple complex if you have time.

http://iamkohchang.com/

'Hitler' Fried Chicken: KFC May Sue Restaurant In Thailand For Replacing Colonel Sanders With Adolf Hitler

2013-07-08T21:43:00.000-07:00

KFC may sue a fried chicken restaurant in Thailand called “Hitler.”
BANGKOK: -- Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) may sue a fried chicken restaurant in Thailand called “Hitler” for using a similar logo featuring an image of Adolf Hitler in place of the iconic Colonel Sanders.

"We find it extremely distasteful and are considering legal action since it is an infringement of our brand trademark and has nothing to do with us," a spokesperson for Yum!, KFC’s parent company, told the Huffington Post.

The “Hitler” restaurant, which opened in Bangkok last month, has a storefront logo very similar to KFC's but with an image of the anti-Semitic dictator responsible for the mass murder of 6 million Jews and millions of others in the Holocaust during World War II.

The fried chicken restaurant was originally publicized in May when British author Andrew Spooner tweeted a photo of its façade. “Very bizarre Hitler Fried Chicken shop in Thailand. I kid you not. Complete with pic of Hitler in bow tie,” he wrote on Twitter.

The restaurant sells fried chicken as well as chips, burgers and kebabs, according to the UK's Daily Mail. Bangkok resident Alan Robertson told the Mail: “The place opened last month and nobody quite knows what to make of it.

Where the pretty people play

2012-10-10T00:27:00.000-07:00

Bed Supperclub is famous for its nightclub, but few know the venue serves fantastic gourmet cuisine, too.

Q Bar and Bed Supperclub, both on Sukhumvit soi 11 (BTS: Nana) are two of the capital's nightlife venues that have withstood the harsh test of time and the fickle nature of the after-dark prowlers.

The Bed Supperclub mini-complex consists of a restaurant-cum-lounge and an adjoining nightclub with a cover charge of 600-800 baht inclusive of two drinks.

The venue has themed music and dinner nights, and regularly hosts touring acts, with 2011 seeing performances ranging from indie group Klaxons to drum 'n' bass celeb Goldie and even pop icon Boy George.

Also down Sukhumvit Soi 11 just steps away is the 12-year mainstay Q Bar. Its skilled DJs and diverse spirit selection have attracted high-profile globetrotters including the likes of Mick Jagger and Colin Farrell.

Being undoubtedly "Concierge Select", both Q and Bed attract their fair share of tourist traffic.

Proof that the beautiful do eat, Roof by Muse on Thonglor (BTS: Thonglor) offers clubbers a chance to fill up before they hit the dance floor at the club below.

Over on Soi Ruamrudee on the ground floor of Athenee Residence (BTS: Ploenchit), Hyde & Seekstyles itself as a "gastro bar," popular with the young professional crowd seeking ferocious drinks concocted by expert mixologists paired with beautifully presented munchies prepared by big name chefs.

Bangkok city break guide

2012-07-05T03:58:00.001-07:00

Why go?

The summer heat puts many visitors off, however Thailand’s excessive New Year’s celebrations (Songkran is celebrated in mid-April) are a sight to behold. For a week, the capital turns into a battle zone for children and grown-ups, who roam the streets armed with water pistols, buckets of water and talcum powder which is shot or hurled at all passers-by (watch out, foreign visitors are favorite targets). Despite the heat, it’s really a fun time to visit and partake in Thailand’s most important festival.

Thailand’s capital is South-east Asia’s most enigmatic city, a head-on clash between tradition and modernity. First-time visitors may be a little taken aback by the concrete canyons and futuristic, billboard-covered skyscrapers, but take a few steps away from the main roads into one of the city’s countless alleys and traditional Thai culture is everywhere – an urban cornucopia of smells, tastes, sounds and sights one in unlikely to forget.

Bangkok gets the balance right between the expensive, the esoteric and the profane. The squeaky-clean sky train and underground system make most of this huge metropolis navigable, whisking visitors from their luxury accommodation to a sparkling Buddhist temple or an ancient amulet market within minutes – a kind of time travel possible in few other cities of 11 million people.

River trips, museums, shopping centers and, of course, Bangkok’s nightlife (which has come a long way from gaudy to cosmopolitan) make for the defining Far Eastern urban experience. Despite Thailand’s recent political turmoil, Bangkok remains one of the world’s safest cities. Violent crime against foreign visitors is extremely rare.

When to go?

Bangkok is at its best during the cool season, from November to February, after the monsoon and before the sweltering heat sets in at the beginning of March. April, May and June are infernally hot - sitting on a motorbike in the day time is like riding through a fire storm - though by mid-June, the rains usually arrive, bringing much needed respite, taking the dust out of the air and making the plants grow in record time. The rainy season is actually a great time to visit - few tourists, lower temperatures and the occasional monsoonal downpour that floods the streets and brings the kids out to play.

Getting there

Flights

International flights arrive at Suvarnabhumi International Airport (00 66 2 7230000,www.suvarnabhumiairport.com), about 20 miles to the east of the city. The old airport, Don Muang, about 12 miles north of Bangkok, handles some domestic flights.

Transfers

From 6am-midnight, the Suvarnabhumi Airport Express rail link (00 66 2 1321888) runs to a new terminal in Makkasan, which is not particularly central but connects to Petchaburi underground (MRT). Journey time 15 minutes, fare 150 baht (about £3). A slower Suvarnabhumi Airport Cityline goes to the more central Phaya Thai station, which connects to Phaya Thai sky train station (BTS). Journey time 30 minutes, fare 15-45 baht (30p-95p) depending on distance travelled.

For visitors heading to downtown Sukhumvit Road or the backpacker enclave of Khao San Road, an airport taxi, which rarely costs more than 250 baht (£5), is more convenient – but insist on the driver using the meter. A 50 baht (£1) airport taxi surcharge must be paid on top of the fare. Airport limousines charge about 600 baht (£12.75).

A number of airport express buses run to the city: AE1 heads for Silom Road, AE2 goes along Petchaburi Road to Khao San Road, AE3 serves Sukhumvit Road and AE4 passes via Siam Square to Hualamphong Railway Station. Tickets cost 100 baht (£2).

Trains

Some visitors arrive in Bangkok by rail at Hualamphong station (seewww.railway.co.th for information and bookings). An underground station (MRT) of the same name is attached to the station.

Getting around

Sky train

The quickest modes of transport are the BTS (Bangkok Mass Transit System) and the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit System). BTS tickets cost 15-40 baht (30p-85p), a Smart Pass 350 baht (£7.45) – good for 20 journeys (see www.bts.co.th for details). MRT tickets cost 13-30 baht. Both networks run from 6am-midnight.

Taxis

These are among the cheapest in the world, but should be avoided during rush hour. Always insist on drivers switching on the meter. The minimum fare is 35 baht (75p). A trip across town should be around 100-150 baht (£2-£3).

Walking

Due to traffic and pollution, this is only recommended by the river and through Chinatown.

Buses

These are painfully slow.

Thai Bar Girls and Chat Room Girls

2012-05-29T09:56:00.000-07:00

Thai Bar Girls and Chat Room Girls

Thai girls are lovely ladies; if you form an honest committed relationship you can have a lifetime of romance and companionship. But, let’s be straight here. While there may be many nice, honest Thai ladies that work as girly bar GROs (Guest Relation Officers), hostesses, bar girls, call them what you may, if they are of, lets say ‘financially negotiable virtue,’ (in other words, they accept payment for sex), then by definition they are prostitutes. If you have a relationship with a Thai bar girl, this is a truth you must accept.

Sex Worker Truths

If you meet someone from the sex trade, she will have known many men, figuratively and biblically, and will probably have been in quite a few relationships (probably many concurrent). Many men will have lied to her, made and broken promises, and left her rather jaded in regard to relationships. Now, along you come and show interest. You will quickly hear her tell you how special you are and how you are the one, this is different, etc., etc. etc. -- Understand something here, if after a night of nooky you listen to and believe all these promises of fidelity, to coin a phrase – buyer beware! (And please contact me as I’ve a bridge I’d like to sell you!).

This warning is nothing new. I’ve lost count of the times experienced Thai expats have tried to explain the pitfalls to ‘new’ guys, only to be told “she’s different.” Any experienced Thai expats reading this are probably nodding their heads now; you see, we have heard this same story over and over. Then a few months down the road we see the same guy back on vacation to see ‘his’ girl. He’s been sending her money each month so she could leave the bar and return to school. Only when we see him now he’s crying into his beer because she is still in a bar, still selling herself, and he’s finally realized he has been living on lies (as have the 3 or 4 other guys who have been sending her money). This may seem jaded advice, but this is the most common outcome of setting up a relationship with a bar girl you met and paid for a few nights of nookey.

Chat Room Girl Truths

When it comes to Thai chat room girls, the advice is very similar. There are undoubtedly lots of sweet young and not so young Thai ladies that use the internet to find potential partners; but there are others, those who are only out to scam. These types of Thais are not out to capture romance, they only care for something you keep in your pants - by which I mean the wallet in your back pocket.

Home Truths on Scamming

Please take this advice to heart. By all means seek romance – many Thais are lovely, caring ladies - but no matter how lonely you are, if any Thai bar girl or Thai chat room girl, via email, text or any other media starts asking you for money, be it needing help for school fees, family emergency, to pay the internet fees or whatever - it is very probably a scam!

Romantic relationships are a very personal thing, so you should seek your dream, whatever it is, with your eyes open. Understand that many expats have wonderful relationships with Filipinas, but this advice handed out by so many on scam relationships in the Philippines is true, not something made up against you or ‘your girl’.

Make sure your use your brain, not any other organ to do your thinking!

By all means be open and honest seeking a relationship – because if you are honest, smile and act with kindness you really can find a beautiful Filipina who wants to share your life; but also think things through. Use your head, not your heart (or lower organ) to do your thinking.

If you are looking for a real relationship, remember that the Philippines are a land of contrasts. There are many lovely Filipinas in all walks of life; you may find a bar girl who is a keeper, a real diamond in the rough, or you could meet a girl at church group who turns out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. In romance, as in life, nothing is certain.

Thai thief caught with 10,000 pairs of women's underwear

2012-01-26T06:47:00.000-08:00

BANGKOK, January 25, 2012 (AFP) - Police in Thailand said Wednesday that they had apprehended a thief with more than a thousand pairs of women's underwear in the trunk of his car.

Police also found more than ten thousand pairs at the house of the 48-year-old Thai suspect, who was arrested late Tuesday with an accomplice after breaking into a building in Bangkok's Chinatown.

They said the man admitted to stealing and collecting women's underwear since the age of 18.

"He smelled them all the time even while driving," said police Major General Saroj Promcharoen.

The suspect will be charged with stealing property, though not the underwear for now because there is no plaintiff, police said.

Photos of Naked Casino Dealers Shock Police

2012-01-21T11:58:00.000-08:00

Photographs of naked women dealing cards and facilitating gambling have hit Thai internet pages. The photographs show the women surrounded by gamblers with Thai signs explaining gambling rules and Thai money being used to bet at the tables. It is, therefore, believed the illegal casino is located in Thailand.

These photographs have been widely forwarded on the Internet these past couple of days. In one of the shots, the woman, standing bare chested in a group of gamblers, has the duty of rolling the dice. However, so far, no one has been able to identify exactly where the casino is located. If it it found, local police officers in the area could be found guilty of malfeasance.

Acting Deputy Metropolitan Police Commander Police Lieutenant General Pisit Pisutsak said he is still unsure if the photographs are genuine. If the photos are real, it signals a significant evolving of illegal gambling dens in Thailand which are now using naked women to lure gamblers into their establishments. If the dens are found in Bangkok, perpetrators will be convicted according to the law.

Blair 'very confident' about Thailand's future

2012-01-19T10:30:00.001-08:00

Thailand, despite suffering through a severe flood crisis and other difficulties, still has great potential for business and growth in the face of a fast-changing global environment, former British prime minister Tony Blair said.

Speaking to hundreds of Thai and foreign executives yesterday at the CEO Forum organised by the Board of Investment, Blair said he was confident about the future of Thailand because there were many positive factors bolstering its growth. "Thailand has better investment potential than other countries in Asia and it's ready for the future despite its current difficulties," he said.

Blair also said that Europe was to blame for the current global economic crunch and that long-term structural reform was needed to solve the euro crisis. To do this, the European Central Bank should stand behind the single currency and focus on creating a new economic system. He added that the European financial crunch was a good lesson for the rest of the world. "The world is changing fast, and the challenge is not just for a company but also the country and the government."

He said that to keep up with changes and technological developments, countries needed to adopt four strategies.

First, each country should be strongly committed to providing clear regulations and rules of law for the business sector.

"Governments need to create an environment in which businesses are confident," he advised.

Second, social welfare, the government and service enterprises should grow together and change to support the private sector. He said public service would only work if it was flexible and kept up with technology.

Third, both the government and private sector should focus on the development of human capital, which is key to a bright future. He said a competent set of human resources needed not just education, but also an increase in creativity, respect of intellectual property and the development of job skills.

Finally, Blair said, governments should teach their people to be more open-minded, especially in terms of trade and investment, which would help promote stronger global economic growth.

New year, new me: “I'm giving up my nine to five and moving to Thailand”

2012-01-11T23:47:00.000-08:00

For most of us, the New Year is a time to begrudgingly haul ourselves to the gym, embark on a rigid diet or take up salsa dancing, but for Elly Earls, January 2012 marks the beginning of a whole new life.

While the rest of the country kickstarts fitness regimes and frantically bins the evidence of festive excess, Elly Earls, from Derby, is starting 2012 by ditching her nine to five job, selling her possessions and pinning her hopes on a one-way ticket to Thailand. She tells us what was behind this life-changing decision.

Life before the change
For Elly, a magazine editor, and her partner Tom Frearson, an online entrepreneur, deserting their office jobs and moving to far flung East Asia was a decision that needed to be made. Elly, 25, admits: “I couldn't stand to live another year in the UK. Life is too complicated here. There is too much going on that doesn't need to be.”

“Tom and I were both miserable. We would get home from work and not be bothered to do anything because there didn't seem to be any point. I was so sick of being lethargic and watching telly every night. And I hadn't been feeling like myself in my job.”

“I had come back to England after having lived in Dubai straight after University. I came back because I thought I wanted to settle down and lead a more normal life. But after two years, I couldn't stand the nine to five drudgery anymore. A lot of desk jobs are about administration, doing things for a company that aren't necessarily benefiting you. There were good things about my job, but I was asking myself 'why am I doing this?'”

“We both felt that there is more to life than sitting at a desk for forty years. We reached a point where we had to do something about it. January 2012 was just time.”

The decision to transform my life
“I remember the actual moment,” says Elly. “We were standing in our kitchen. We had never discussed the idea of moving abroad, but my dad, who lives in Thailand, came to visit. Suddenly it was in our heads. I had also lived in Thailand when I was a teenager. There is nowhere like it, life is much simpler there. Within half an hour we thought 'Let's just do it,' 'We're going to do it'.”

“The plan is to go for six months initially and then see what happens. We'll probably stay there for longer, maybe go to other places in South East Asia, maybe somewhere else in the world, we really don't know. Is this it? I am hoping it is. You never know, but there is no plan whatsoever to come back.”

Making sacrifices
“It was a really hard decision to make, I've definitely been on an emotional roller-coaster. With leaving my job to go freelance and my boyfriend starting his own business, we haven't had much money and that does get you down. There were times when I got really down about that.”

But while many overspent at Christmas and rushed to the January sales, Elly and Tom, 31, forewent presents and sold the contents of their home in order to afford their air tickets.

“We didn't get each other Christmas presents or doing anything for New Year. We were saving everything. We sold everything we own,” says Elly. “All of the furniture, the car and most of our clothes. All we have left is a holdall each, a backpack each and our laptops.

“It was scary at first because I felt attached to some of it, but it was liberating to get rid of all that stuff. We are going to Asia, you don't need much. My holdall is just going to be full of summer dresses and flip flops.”

It was former Engineer Tom, who made the greatest change career wise. Says Elly: “It was a lot harder for Tom. He had to quit what he had been doing for the last five years. But he is now running an online business so he can work from anywhere. He was the one who encouraged me to do it.”

To save money, the couple also moved back to Tom's family home. “We've been living just outside Preston, at my boyfriend's mum's house. It's in the middle of nowhere, so for the last three months we have been hermits. We have hardly done anything, we have been sitting in front of our laptops, not going out.”

“You have to make sacrifices but we think it's worth doing nothing for a few months for what we will be doing in the next few years.”

How people reacted
“Our parents have been really supportive. It wasn't an option for them when they were our age, so they want us to make the most of it. My mum took a bit more convincing, but now she has already booked flights out to visit me,” says Elly.

“When you talk to people about it, everyone says they are jealous and that it's amazing. But most people wouldn't actually do it themselves. It is scary. It's like 'this is actually happening, are we insane?' We have decided that we probably are a bit insane but it is definitely the right thing to do.”
Our new life
“We will be staying at my dad's house for the first few months, and the cost of living is so cheap in Thailand, so I am hoping to lead a more varied life. I will have more time to do things like charity work, learning a language, doing sports.”

“The thought of going somewhere where we don't know that many people is nerve-wracking, but we know what it's like to live abroad and to have to make new friends.”

Does Elly have any advice for those contemplating such a move?

“Just do it. What is the worst that can happen? We might have to come back to England and get another job, but I think it is worth giving it a go.

“You only live once, so you may as well get the most out of life that you can. There's no point in staying in one place for the rest of your life, especially if it's not where you feel happy or comfortable. I want to see as much of the world as I possibly can and I guess it will be a good way to find myself. It's corny but it's true.”

Moved Back To Uk Recently.....Arrrgghhh!Stay where you are...trust me

2011-12-28T05:56:00.000-08:00

I am in the UK now, for 2 months, after being in Thailand on and off for 8 years. I can't wait to get back to Thailand and stay away from the UK for probably another 4 years... After which it will hopefully have started to pick up again by my next visit. When I see guys I went to school with who are the same age as me (50+) and look 10 years older than me, lumbered with a moaning, fat and ugly wife, while I have a 24-year-old gorgeous slim Thai girlfriend, and to see the miserable expressions on everyone's faces in the UK (even at Christmas) staring at me (as if I was from a different planet), as I walk down the street laughing with my Thai girlfriend, not to mention the appalling cost of living here (35 pounds or over 1,500 Thai baht for Thai food which my girlfriend said was inedible), boarded up shops, yobs fighting and shouting in the street drunk every night, broken glass and smashed phone boxes on almost every corner, I just can't wait to get back to |Udon Thani. Thailand seems like the First World compared to the Third World of the UK.

The annual monkey buffet festival at Pra Prang Sam Yot temple in Thailand

2011-12-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

A long-tailed macaque eats fruit and vegetables during the annual monkey buffet festival at the Pra Prang Sam Yot temple in Lopburi

The Monkey Buffet Festival is held annually in Thailand to promote tourism. In 2007, the festival included giving fruits and vegetables to the local monkey population of 2,000 in Lopburi province north of Bangkok.
The festival was described as one of the strangest festivals by London's The Guardian newspaper along with Spain's baby-jumping festival. A photograph from the Monkey Buffet Festival at Pra Prang Sam Yot temple in Lopburi Province shows a monkey trying to get at fresh fruit and vegetable captured in blocks of ice.

A long-tailed macaque licks an ice block with fruits encased in it. The festival is held every year on the last Sunday of November to promote tourism in Lopburi

Bangkok losing its sex appeal

2011-12-11T13:21:00.000-08:00

A bar girl waits for business in Bangkok's Patpong - a place that's lost its attraction for this reporter. Picture: Getty

The bright lights of Patpong in Bangkok, Thailand.

BANGKOK'S Patpong red-light district is fast losing its appeal.

It used to be a tourist hot spot - a place where you could be shocked, and awed, as you wandered the parallel side streets in the area celebrated for its sex trade, found between Silom and Surawongse roads.

The strip joints and bars offering girlie shows flank the night market where you can buy a knock-off Gucci bag or a Polo shirt on your way home from watching one of the shows.

At one time this was all done with a sense of theatre. And a sense of fun. It was a "must see" part of the Bangkok culture for visitors to Thailand.

But it is definitely losing its lustre.

I was in Patpong on the weekend and yes I did end up at one of those girlie bars after being dragged there on a hen's night.

OK, dragged may be too strong a word - I admit I went along willingly in a group of five women and two guys.

What we saw though was not "fun", it was not even bad theatre.

The undercurrent in the bar felt nasty, with the girls angrily demanding money after every show.

It was like we had been sucked into a freak show and we were now part of the performance.

We were all uncomfortable and the women on stage looked bored out of their minds.

There were more women guests in the bar than men, something that surprised me. Most people had one quick drink, and left.

We were approached seconds after we set foot on the pavement and asked if we wanted to go to the girlie bar.

Our tour leader, a Bangkok veteran, negotiated the entry fee deal right there on the street before we entered the venue.

This, we later discovered, was essential if you didn't want to get ripped off.

For 300 baht (about $10) each we were allowed in, given front row seats and one beer each.

Three young South African backpackers paid 2700 baht each for the same thing.

They entered the bar without negotiating a price first. As soon as they sat down, they were swamped by six bikini-clad women who hassled them for money. The young South African girls handed over the money out of fear, they felt they had no choice.

It was an expensive lesson to learn for travellers on a budget.

The plan was to spend an hour at the show but left after 25 minutes. The bride decided that she would actually rather look for a bargain at the night market.

Sadly, the vendors here were also nasty. The idea of markets, I thought, was to bargain.

But the prices were double that of other Bangkok markets and there was no sense of them wanting to bargain.

It is certainly not a shopper's paradise. The vendors just laughed when you offered a price.

For a tourist mecca there was not a lot of people around and nothing much was being bought and sold.

There was also little happening in the bars down Silom road.

They had one or two white males holding court with Thai girls pretending to hang on every word.

Business was not booming.

Bangkok will always have Patpong.

Despite what anyone thinks of the morals of a place like this, it will continue to exist.

It is a part of the fabric of the city.

Its days of prospering however may be over.

I would never go back.

Today's Bangkok has so much more to offer tourists.

Patpong is now an oddity rather than a attraction.

Sang Thaew

2011-08-19T04:53:00.000-07:00

Songthaew travel

Within Thailand there are several options to get around. Not all of these are available everywhere. Within the capital city of Bangkok you will find the taxi, the tuk tuk and the motorcycle taxi. It will not be till you reach the outer suburbs that you are likely to come across a Sang Thaew.
The Sang Thaew is simply a converted pick up truck. It is roofed open but open sided and an average sized Western European will have to bend slightly on entrance and exit. Usually there are two cushioned perimeter benches facing inwards. Occasionally there is a central bench as well. At the entrance area there is space for a brave two or three to stand. Songthaew literally means 'Two rows' ...song meaning 'two'. The Song Thaew is often called a 'Baht Bus' by Western visitors to Thailand.
All Sangthaew have strategically placed bell pushes to alert the driver when you want to alight. The bellpushes connect to a wide variety of noises based on the drivers sense of humour.
The Sang Thaew is a communal taxi operating a looped or back and return route. The fares charged are regulated by distance. Mostly the price will remain the same on a looped route regardless of whether you travel 10 yards or a 1000.
The Songthaew can be flagged down anywhere on its route and, using the bell push, stopped anywhere as well.
To use a Sang Thaew you simply flag the vehicle down, climb in and sit down. When you want to disembark press the bell and climb out. You then walk to the front of the vehicle and pay the driver or his/her assistant. On regular routes this is only 10 Baht. You would be expected to pay in small change and not offer something stupid like a hundred or a thousand Baht.
Initially you need to have some sort of idea of the route the Baht Bus is taking. If you are familiar with the terrain you can always hop off when you see you are going wrong. Pay the driver of course and the climb on another heading in your direction.

The Song Thaew is a cheap, safe and fun way of getting around and familiarising yourself with wherever you are.
Within Pattaya in Thailand there are no Tuk Tuk's and so the Sangthaew is the best and cheapest choice for getting about.
Although the Song Thaew stick to set routes they are hireable. If you are in a hurry and want to go to a particular location you can always negotiate a 'to the door' deal. This works best if the Song Thaew is empty or only has a couple of people on board. Within Pattaya most will be prepared to assist for about a hundred Baht. More often than not though if a meter taxi is at hand it will be cheaper than the Sangthaew for this sort of deal.
Travelling in a Sang Thaew is fun. A great way to explore your new environment and a fun way to meet people.

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