I enjoyed this YouTube video on this English bloke living and farming in Thailand. He has some interesting views and puts forward a good case for his life.

Pattaya Ladyboys, Katoeys & She-Males In Pattaya

Pattaya Ladyboys, Katoeys & She-Males In Pattaya

As with all sexual preferences, Thai ladyboys aren't everyone's cup of tea. Whereas some guys swear they've had the hottest sex ever in Pattaya with a ladyboy, others might have been robbed by a gang of katoeys on Beach Road, or simply despise them as a matter of principle.
Ladyboys (or katoeys as the local she-males and transvestites are called in Thai) are a common feature of everyday life all over Thailand. Due to the tolerant nature of Buddhist culture, ladyboys, as well as people with a bisexual orientation, are more visible and more accepted in Thai culture than transvestites or transsexuals in most Western countries.

While the katoey phenomenon isn't restricted to urban areas and you can come across ladyboys in every small village of Thailand, tourist places like Pattaya or Bangkok - worldwide famous for their "naughty" nightlife - attract a large number of Thailand's ladyboys.

Thai ladyboys are famous for their sexy looks and their potential to offer you a sexual experience of a "different" and slightly sleazier kind.Born as true men, some say, katoeys know best how to satisfy a man using all parts (and holes!) of their bodies. Because of their sexual condition, many ladyboys are said to be ready for sexual experiments that a standard bar girl may find disgusting - juicy b--- jobs, a--- sex, dildo play, and other less ordinary sex practices. Many ladyboys also have massive (silicon) boobs - a sexual stimulus most ordinarily-equipped Thai girls can't offer.
Just like many Thai women enter prostitution in Pattaya, many Thai ladyboys work as freelance prostitutes on Pattaya Beach Road or Walking Street. Others have "regular" jobs in beer bars or AGoGo bars where they often mix with "real" girls, sometimes making it difficult to decide if that half-naked, big-busted hottie is Pattaya's latest candidate for the "Miss Thailand" beauty contest or just a convincingly made-up "bloke with boobs"?
Those ladyboys who don't work as prostitutes (often to re-pay costly sex reassignments) usually work in traditionally feminine occupations such as hairstylists in beauty salons, shop vendors or waitresses - whereas more talented katoeys may seek a job as show dancer in one of Pattaya's world-famous transvestite cabaret theatres - Alcazar and Tiffany. (Of course, many still freelance as 'part-time hookers' in Pattaya's notorious discotheques or ladyboy meeting points on Walking Street to earn a few extra Baht on the nightshift.)
This means, you could bump into a ladyboy in the next best 7-eleven store, as well as as come across a stunning Pattaya bar "girl" with a suspiciously dark voice and an Adam's Apple, in any bar or nightclub in town.
On top of that, there are special entertainment and nightlife areas (Soi 6/Yodsak, Walking Street and Pattaya Beach Road after sunset), where - although not specifically designated to katoeys - ladyboys can be found in abundance.
However, depending on your sexual flavour, it is important to know that not all Thai ladyboys are equally equipped physically. So before you take the next best katoey back to your room, there are a few details you should know.

So what exactly is a katoey or ladyboy and, most importantly, how can you tell a ladyboy from a "real" girl? Sometimes not so easy for Pattaya newbies ...
First of all, there are three types of ladyboys representing different stages of "gender change": (1) transvestites, (2) "she-males" , and (3) "post-OP ladyboys" who have undergone full sex reassignment.

(1) The first type are transvestites, i.e. physically normally developed men, who simply dress and make up as women. While even those ladyboys - most of whom undergo a hormone replacement therapy, but cannot afford to pay for a costly breast implantation or complete sex reassignment - may look extremely attractive in their fancy dresses and evening gowns, they are still 100% men physically (with very small or no boobs at all).
The other two categories of Thai ladyboys have (partly) undergone plastic surgery and represent different stages of sex reassignment.

(2) Probably the most common type of a Thai ladyboy is best described as "she-male". That's a katoey, who has had his secondary sex characteristics modified and, thanks to plastic surgery, often has unusually big and perfectly-shaped breasts (while most Asian girls have small boobs). Whereas big boobs probably turn most normal men on, please remember that these seemingly perfect "women" still have a little manhood. These cross-gender creatures, combining the physical attractions of both sexes, provide the typical katoey experience most ladyboy lovers seem to be looking for.

(3) A third categoty of ladyboys are such katoeys, who have undergone a full sex reassignment and had their primary sex characteristics altered as well. Having had their sexual organs transformed, ladyboys on this stage of sex change are physically complete women - except for the fact that they were born as men. Also referred to as "Post OP ladyboys".

Thailand has gained a reputation for medical tourism and cheap yet quality plastic surgery or sex reassignment. For Thai standards, however, a complete sex change is still extremely expensive, so most ladyboys in Pattaya are either just transvestites (men dressed and made-up as girls), or transsexuals, who have had breasts created by plastic surgery. For most Pattaya ladyboys, the final step is simply too expensive. Those who could afford it, might not feel the financial urge any longer to prostitute themseves.
Tip: If you want to check whether a ladyboy's boobs are "real" or if the bra has just been stuffed with textiles, don't be shy and grab for them! , they're usually happy to let you touch their boobies and even show them to you before making your choice.
Most ladyboys will be honest and let you know whether they still have a manhood or not - which, by the way, can be hidden away quite easily, so that they can wear sexy tight skirts and jeans without revealing their sexual identity. If so, they should readily offer you a b--- job or other pleasures.

  

 Whereas most Pattaya residents and 'old hands' have developed an ability to recognize ladyboys even from the distance, Pattaya 'newbies' are often at risk of making surprising and undesired (?) sexual encounters.Thai ladyboys are probably the most attractive "women" you will come across in Thailand. Tall as supermodels and with perfectly-shaped boobs, they're often more beautiful than the "real thing". What most ladyboys have in common, though, is an unusually girlish behaviour and exaggarated sexy walk. Whereas some Pattaya bar girls walk like real yokels, most katoeys overdo the sexy walk on their high heels and walk like divas on a cat walk or a red carpet. Their often slutty dress style!

The 18 year old Girl from Korat

 

 

Nang's parents are poor workers in Korat. As most other citizen of Thailand's North Eastern region Issan or Essarn they heared from friends and relatives the stories about all that generous Farangs living in Pattaya. They told her daughter of their deep debts and asked her to go to the city of money and to get a rich farang. Nang is a good daughter. She left her job at one of Bangkok's largest electronic producers and went to Pattaya. At Pattaya's Bus Station Ekamai Nok was already waiting for Nang. Nok is from Chang Mai, but is working at a bar in Pattaya for many years. An is a member of Nang's large family clan. In stories told at Nang's family, Nok is known as a rich woman. She already visited England with a English Farang and Sweden with a Swidish guy, but Nang is a clever young woman. When arriving at Nok's room she did miss the anticipated expensive furniture and the warm water in the bathroom. Nok's room did not even had a kitchen. She didn't say anything, but her eyes and ears registered every single picture and every single word. During the first evening Nok took Nang to her bar, but Nang was disapointed. The Farangs visiting the bar didn't speak her language. She couldn't understand anything. Unnecessarily that crazy Farangs tried to touch her hands, legs and breasts. Some even tried to kiss her. Nang asked Nok to bring her back to her room. The next day the two decided that it would be better for Nang to get a job at a hotel. After visiting a few hotels, Nang got a job at a restaurant at a nice hotel in Jomtien. After living in Jomtien for about 3 months Nang told her family that she will go back to Bangkok. Farangs are crazy people, Nang told her mother. They prefer to eat tasteless farang food, wear dirty clothes, are speaking a gibberish farang language and are "mao" (drunk) almost every day. She is now happy at her former working place and tells all her friends and colleagues that many stories about the happy, funny and rich Pattaya bar girls are stories only. More often than not, not one single word of a story tells the true.

Phuket schools relax rules for hiring English teachers

Schools in Phuket Town are struggling to attract native English
speakers as teachers, a factor that may leave Thailand behind in
the AEC 2015 race.

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Primary Education Area Office has relaxed the requirements for foreigners to be hired as English-language teachers at government schools in Phuket.

The move is aimed at combating a critical staff shortage, explained Office Director Jian Thongnoon.

“We need about 100 English teachers, but right now we have only about 50 teachers and some of these are not very good in English. This is a big emergency that we need to solve,” he said.

Among the reasons for the staff shortage were that many English teachers had moved from primary to middle schools, and teachers were applying for early retirement, the director said.

“Ideally, we have to hire teachers specifically trained to teach in English. Just hiring native English speakers is not really worth it because these people do not have teaching skills. However, in the meantime we will have to hire teachers who just have English skills until we can find qualified teachers who have both English and English-teaching skills” Mr Jian explained.

Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) President Paiboon Upatising expressed his concern that an ongoing shortage would have a serious impact on Phuket’s ability to remain competitive after the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) charter comes into full effect.

“This is a top priority. The AEC comes into effect in 2015, so the sooner we resolve this issue the better. Neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia already have good English skills, so we will be at even more of a disadvantage if we do not have enough English teachers to educate our children.

“Many English teachers have retired from OrBorJor schools this year. We have been announcing that we need English teachers, but there have been very few applications,” said Mr Paiboon.

Mr Paiboon explained that the problem is not restricted to OrBorJor schools and that other relevant officials are facing the same problem. Officials from the OrBorJor, Phuket City Municipality and the Primary Educational Service Area office will continue to meet to discuss strategies to overcome the problem.

“The OrBorJor will start by teaching English to existing teachers so they can teach the children and we will hire native English speakers to help,” Mr Paiboon said.

The long-term strategy involves coordinating with educational institutions in Phuket in order to fill the skills gap, said Mr Paiboon.

“Previously, educational institutions in Phuket have been catering to the needs of the tourism and hotel industries, but having English teachers is very important.

“A shortage of English teachers will affect our children’s English skills, which will result in Thailand not being able to compete [economically] against other countries,” he said.

The Death Railway, Thailand

The Death Railway, Thailand
 
More than 90,000 labourers and 16,000 Allied prisoners of wars died during the construction of a 258-mile railway between Bangkok and Myanmar, a horrific episode that forms the backdrop for David Lean's The Bridge on the River Kwai. A ride on a surviving section of the route is now a popular activity for visitors to Kanchanaburi, to the northwest of the Thai capital. The train hugs the sides of sheer cliffs, and passes over a number of rickety wooden bridges.

Tiffany's Pattaya

Tiffany's

A Pattaya institution and must-see suitable for all ages.
With over 30 years of lip pouting, eyelash fluttering and hip swiveling under its garter, this is Southeast Asia's oldest, and perhaps most opulent, ladyboy cabaret.
Performances at 18:00, 19:30 and 21:00 each night take place inside a palatial 1,000-seat theatre as dazzling as the show.
Opening Hours: 18:00, 19:30, 21:00
Location: 464 Moo 9, Pattaya Second Road, North Pattaya

HSBC Survey: Thailand is the best place to live after retirement

BANGKOK 2 October, 2011 (NNT)- Thailand has been cited as the best place to live after retirement through the eyes of foreigners, according to an opinion survey by HSBC.

The 2011 survey has found that tax exemptions, affordable living expenses, and reasonable living condition are the reasons that Thailand has been chosen as the most habitable place in the word for retired foreigners.

In the views of the respondents, tax exemptions offered by the Thai government allows foreigners with a limited income or even those who have no regular income to live comfortably after retirement.

Compared to other countries, living costs in Thailand are still low, enabling Westerners particularly the British to spend their lives here without difficulty.

Reasonable living standards which make the country more advantageous than others include warm climate and diverse topographical feature.

Coming second and third are Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Last year, Bahrain was ranked first in the same category.

The survey covers 3,385 expatriates in more than 100 countries. The data is based from the respondents’ lifestyles, financial conditions and the way their children are brought up overseas.

Roadside Restaurants

In order to experience really truly great Thai cuisine then it can be worth trying to locate where many of the Thai locals eat and some of the best food in Thailand can nearly always be found in street or roadside restaurants.
At first, some of these kinds of restaurants might not look like the sort of place where you will want to go for an evening meal, with many looking a little grotty and even quite uninspiring, certainly when compared to some of the fine dining options.
For this reason many foreign tourists often decide to give the street or roadside restaurants a miss, probably because they do not think that they will be up to the same standards of what they might have come to expect back home. Therefore, they often miss out on what could be an unbeatable culinary experience.
In order to sample some of the great food that is on offer from roadside restaurants throughout Thailand it is always a good idea to look for places that have lots of plastic chairs outside, rolls of toilet paper on each table and plenty of Thai customers. If you find a place that has all three of these points, then you certainly won’t be disappointed.
Some of the roadside restaurants might be a little difficult to locate during the day but come the evening they seem to spring up all over the place, particularly around the bazaars and night markets.

Dirty dancing leaves everyone in a spin

Controversial "Itchy Ears"
The latest craze sweeping Thailand is the band Ja Turbo and their song "Itchy Ears". The title and the actions may seem a little at odds with each other unless you know that the vulgar Thai word for a females genitals is ...

TV talk show host Woody Milintachinda was not the one who threw the first stone at Ja Turbo, but his was probably the biggest and it bounced back the hardest.

Describe the online community any way you want - powerful, fickle or suspicious - but, overnight, it has all but redeemed the most controversial Thai female teen singer of the hour and put a well-loved celebrity on a pillory of hatred and anger. Ja Turbo, whose real name is Nongpanee Mahadtai, had put on a show that made Michael Jackson's crotch-grabbing move look like a teasing act in a parents' day performance. The YouTube clip of her show has attracted 15 million views and counting. Naturally, she came under fire from left, right and centre. Until Woody came along, that is.

He invited "Nong Ja" to his show and asked some hard-hitting questions, some of which, critics say, were his own thinly-veiled commentaries. Woody was joined by two like-minded commentators who helped create an impression of holier-than-thou adults character assassinating a helpless teen who had been forced to be naughty and bitchy to stay competitive in a fierce nighttime entertainment business.

The rest, as they say, is history. The online world re-evaluated and then embraced her while turning against him. If the compassion showered upon Ja was amazing, the extreme hostility towards Woody was shocking. He has been cursed, scolded, scorned and virtually torn to pieces on YouTube. Tens of thousands of stinging feedbacks prompted the TV host to clarify his stand, which probably has made things worse.

In defending himself, Woody suggested that people should not judge him based on that one broadcast interview, where many things had to be taken into account. "If you ask me what I think of her personally, I like her a lot. But you have to understand that, on TV, you've got to keep your style in asking interview questions," he said.

That was what Ja tried to say during the interview, albeit in a stammering, emotionally-stricken manner. After Woody said, "What got to me was the question why our country has this kind of woman", she replied, her voice shaken, "It was just a show. It's a job. An honest job. If I had been able to choose, I would not have chosen this kind of life. I'm not that good looking and I don't sing that well. In this business, I needed to find a selling point."

Misguided about a "selling point", maybe, but what the audience saw was a naive girl being totally truthful about what she did and why she did it. My younger brother played in a pub band and I know exactly what she was talking about. When bands auditioned for contracts, the first thing prospective employers demanded was that female singers and dancers be scantily dressed. The dirtier the dance, the better the chance of getting the job. Like it or not, that's the way things are.

"It doesn't matter if you play like the Scorpions or are terrible as hell," my brother told me. "The first thing a pub-owner is interested in is near nudity in your show. Every band now has to employ sexy singers who are not afraid to appear all but naked. The way Nong Ja is dressed in that video is a modest version of what's been going on in various pubs around the country."

Putting Nong Ja's clip on YouTube does not expose her. It exposes what countless struggling young artists have to go through to stay afloat in the cutthroat entertainment business. The girls have to seduce to survive. Some of them are having fun in the process. Nong Ja was giggling while performing was what described during the Woody talk show as "the lowest form of art".

Perhaps it's too early to call the growing support for her in the online community a solid sign that Thai society is becoming far more liberal. Maybe Woody inadvertently helped turn it around for Nong Ja. She did not insist that it was the right thing to do. All she did was innocently ask for sympathy, and that might have been a straight shot to the heart. Public fire was redirected and it was Woody who had to bear the brunt of it.

In his self-defence, Woody said viewers might not even have thoroughly watched the talk show before passing judgement. In her self-defence, Ja said that her controversial dance "did not reflect who I am". In a world where judgement is passed increasingly quickly and easily, both of them are most likely right. Each, however, has a different lesson to learn.

Sex Tourist

What is a sex tourist?

There are several definitions of a sex tourist:

• "Someone who travels to a country for the sole purpose of having sex".
• "Travel for the purpose of sexual intercourse with prostitutes."
• "Someone who travels to another country for the purpose of paying to have sex, especially with children.
• "a vacation to a destination that has no restrictions on sexual services or activities, as prostitution."

But they don't do they. They eat, they drink, they stay in hotels, they visit the various sightseeing spots, they rent cars, they buy gifts for the folks back home, they watch movies, they dance, they swim, they spend money...oh oh and yes they have sexual relations too.

What is a Tourist?

Tourists get a few dictionary definitions of their own:

• "Someone who travels for pleasure rather than for business."
• "one that makes a tour for pleasure or culture."
• "someone who visits a place for pleasure or interest, usually while they are on holiday."

Note the mention of 'pleasure' there. So what does a tourist actually do?
They eat, they drink, they stay in hotels, they visit the various sightseeing spots, they rent cars, they buy gifts for the folks back home, they watch movies, they dance, they swim, they spend money...oh oh and yes they have sexual relations too.....sometimes with their partners and sometimes with people they meet on their tour.

Pattaya Walking Street

I will be the first to admit it. Men like beautiful women. They also like women who are friendly, women who listen to them, women who seem to care. These women may be younger than them by 20, 30 or even 40 years. If the women are adult, over the age of consent, are consenting and no-one is being hurt then I see nothing wrong in any relationship developing further.

Take a look at this:

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas ...25 years different.
Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon ...12 years
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes ...16 years
Harrison Ford and Callista Flockhart ...22 years
Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher ...16 years
Joan Collins and Percy Gibson ...32 years
Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster ...26 years
Margaret and Pierre Trudeau ...30 years
Rupert Murdoch and Wendy Deng ...37 years
Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn ...34 years
Billy Joel and Katie Lee Joel ...32 years
Donald Trump and Melania Trump ...24 years
J. Howard Marshall and Anna Nicole-Smith ...63 years
Cary Grant and Barbara Harris ...47 years
Klaus Kinski and Deborah Caprioglio ...42 years
Des O'Connor and Jodie Brook Wilson ...39 years
Clint Eastwood and Dina Ruiz ...35 years
Iris Robinson and Kirk McCambley ...40 years
Allegra Mostyn-Owen and ??? ...22 years

I could go on listing and listing.

Age is largely a state of mind and you really are only as old as you feel. No-one thinks twice about age differences if the people involved are rich and famous so why pick on the less well off? Is it jealousy perhaps? Or perhaps they don't like the idea of someone having fun.
Perhaps the reasons go deeper than this. None of us liked to think of our own parents doing 'it'. Even today the Idea of Howard and Anna Nicole makes me wince. Maybe its just human. We should all lighten up.

Relationships may be long term

The very phrase 'sex tourist' to me conjures up a picture of a 'dirty old man' a 'pervert' but in reality it is nothing like that at all.
Okay they may be older tourists but what is wrong with being old? What is wrong with looking for love, romance, pleasure or fun?
Believe me when I say that in Pattaya or Phuket in Thailand or Balibago in Angeles City in the Philippines if you sit long enough you will see someone you know. It may be your doctor, your vicar, your bank manager, the man from the corner shop, your dad, your uncle, your brother, your grandad, husband or boyfriend. These people are the so called 'sex tourists'.
Not all these relationships are of short duration. You would be amazed at the number of men who over a glass of Thai Whiskey end up marrying Bar Girls or entering long term relationships with Kathoey.

Women do it to

Most people would be surprised to learn that the first women 'sex tourists' were recorded in the 1840's in straight laced Victorian England.

Movies play their part. 'Shirley Valentine' did actually play a part in promotion as did 'How Stella Got Her Groove Back'.
And with women the description usually gets changed from 'Sex Tourist' to something along the lines of 'A Shirley Valentine', 'A Holiday Romance', or 'A Bit of a Fling'. I feel that is a little bit unfair.

Our Kids Do It Too

One would have to be a complete ostrich with head buried in the sand not to realise that our children do it too.
Their first holiday abroad alone or with their mates to Spain, Ibiza, Greece or wherever is not confined to lying on the beach, playing snooker and drinking beer.

The Hidden Agenda

There are the symposiums, the conferences, the annual general meetings, the golf holidays, the casino visits. So many of these take place far away from home. Exotic locations.
Why can people not just admit that underneath it all there is a hidden agenda. No, no-one likes to be called a sex tourist do they?

And Me?

I stumbled upon the world of the 'Pleasure Tourist' by accident.
I took advantage of a cheap ticket to Bangkok just to see what it was like and eventually a year or so later ended up in Pattaya by accident. The same happened in the Philippines...I thought I was landing in Manila and ended up in Clark.
I don't regret either. I am an avid people watcher, it is probably my second favourite activity. I have seen a lot, learned a lot and continue to learn. Lastly, I admit it....I am no Angel.

Long time in Pattaya

You know you've been in Thailand too long when:

You think it’s normal to have a beer at 9:00 a.m.

You begin to enjoy Thai TV programs.

You look four ways before crossing a one way street.

You realize that ALL your problems are caused by Thai girls or cranky ATMs.

You put salt and chilli on your fruit

A Thai cop stops you for a minor infraction and you automatically reach for your wallet.

All your tee-shirts are emblazoned with the name of some bar.

You can’t remember the last time you wore a suit and tie.

You aren’t upset when the bar girl next to you eats beetles as a snack.

Later the same night, you actually kiss the bar girl who earlier dined on the beetles.

You haven’t had a solid stool for five years.

You wake up in the morning and realize that you have nowhere to go and all day to get there.

You think white wine goes well with Som Tam.

You understand when your Thai wife says, ‘My friend you’ or ‘Same, same, but different.’

A Thai bar girl you’ve just met tells you that her mother is deathly ill and you just laugh and walk away.

You realize that your Thai wife’s loyalties belong to 

1. Her parents.
2. Her kids from a previous marriage to a Thai man who deserted her.
3. Any remaining blood relatives.
4. The family buffalo.
5. The family’s gecko
6. You.

You consider you mobile phone a fashion accessory.

You start driving cars barefeet

You no longer enjoy Songkran. Instead, you stay home with a stack of videotapes.

You become an expert on buying and selling gold jewellery

Dogs become animals you'd rather kick than pet.

When driving a car you'll start using every free inch of the road.

You flash your 4 indicator lights when driving straight on at an intersection.

It’s two days before payday, so you only go to bars with balloons strung outside.

You realize that all the important words in Thai begin with the letter ‘S’. Sanuk (Fun), Saduak (convenient), Sabai (comfortable), Suay pretty).
 

Songkran festival: celebrating new year in Thailand and Myanmar with water fights

A Thai boy uses a water pistol to fire water at a foreign tourist to celebrate Songkran, also known as the water festival, in Bangkok. The three-day Songkran festival is celebrated in Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar as the traditional New Year's Day from 13 to 15 April. During festivities, people spray water and put powder on each other's faces to symbolise washing away the sins from the old year.

Different Types of Thai Food

Before you sample some authentic Thai food, don’t just think that all Thai food is spicy and therefore, not palatable to western tastes, because it is not. Whilst it is true that chillies are used extensively in many dishes, there are also plenty that only use small amounts of chilli and some which use none at all. As well as chillies, many Thai dishes will often contain ingredients such as garlic, fish sauce, lime juice and lemon grass. It is these ingredients that help to give Thai food its distinctive flavour of spicy, sweet, sour and salty.
Speciality dishes or different types of food are also associated with each individual region in Thailand. For example, you will probably come across ‘khao nee-o’ (sticky rice), which originates from the north, during your visit to Thailand.
Traditionally, people in the rural areas of Thailand would often eat fried insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, cockroaches and ant larvae as a popular snack. Even in tourist hot spots such as Koh Samui, you will see local vendors serving up deep fried insects at many of the islands night markets.

Spicy Salads

Spicy salads are amongst some of the most popular food with Thai people. Probably the most commonly known and certainly one of the most popular is Som Tam (papaya salad). This salad can often be very spicy and it usually contains unripe green papaya which is finely chopped or shredded, garlic, tomatoes, chillies, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, peanuts, small dried shrimps and sometimes crab.
Many people consider Som Tam to be the best example of a dish that contains all the traditional flavours that can be found in Thai cuisine, such as spicy, sweet, salty and sour.
Som Tam or papaya salad is definitely worth trying if you visit Thailand and if you are feeling brave, order a regular version of the salad, just as the locals do. But be warned, it will be very spicy! If you want to sample Som Tam without it being too spicy then order it with less chilli. Absolutely delicious!
You can usually order Som Tam from many street vendors, where the salad will be freshly made in front of you for about 40 Baht and is great when served with barbecued chicken.

Stir Fried Food

Another great thing about Thai food is that many dishes can be cooked very quickly, none more so than if you order something like chicken and cashew nuts, stir fried beef with basil leaves and chilli or a stir fired noodle dish.
Pad Thai is probably the most famous stir fired noodle dish and you won’t have to walk for very long through any town in Thailand before you come to a street vendor selling this simple, yet delicious stir fried noodle dish. Pad Thai contains either red pork, which is thinly sliced, or seafood and is also normally served with bean sprouts, spring onions and wedges of lime.

Thai Curries

Thailand’s famous curries and soups are probably the most famous export of all of its cuisine and there is a good chance that many foreign visitors will already have tried a Thai curry of some description in their country of residence.
Served with rice, some of the most popular curries in Thailand are known simply as Green, Yellow or Red curry. These curries are normally made with coconut milk and can contain chicken, pork or shrimp. Other ingredients that make up a Thai curry include chilli, garlic, lemon grass, onion and other Thai herbs and spices.
Another popular curry in Thailand is Massaman curry, which is Indian in its origin and translates to mean ‘Muslim’ curry. Massaman curry is made from coconut milk but also includes potatoes, beef and peanuts.

Thai Fruit

Upon visiting Thailand you could be almost spoilt for choice with the array of fresh and exotic fruit that is available for you to buy. Fruit such as bananas, water melon, guava, mango and pineapple are sold just about everywhere by street vendors. The fruit is usually sliced into chunks and put into plastic bags, where you are then given a wooden skewer to eat it with; all of which will cost you about 20 Baht.
More exotic fruits, some you might not have seen before, such as durian, rambutan, jack fruit, rose apples, longans and papayas can all be bought at the local markets and sometimes even sold from the back of pickup trucks on the side of the road.

Cavalry police employed at Sanamluang to create pleasant scenery for tourists

BANGKOK, September 2011 (NNT)-Deputy Bangkok Governor Mr. Theerachon Manopaiboon said cavalry police would be employed to create picturesque scenery around Sanam Luang in a bid to boost tourism in Bangkok.

Mr. Theerachon said Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and Metro Police would implement the plan to boost tourism in the capital city once Sanam Luang reopened after being closed for renovation.

Policemen on horseback will not only be employed for tourism purposes but also to keep law and order along with city rangers particularly the problem with drug abuse and prostitution around the area. They will create a positive impression on the tourists who come here on a daily basis to visit the Chapel Royale, Wat Phra Kaeo, the Royal Palace and other tourist attractions nearby.

Cavalry police is expected to patrol in the evening from 17.00 hrs – 18.00 hrs starting this Saturday onwards. Initially, there will be 4 policemen on horseback but they will be reduced to 2 per shift later on. The BMA will support policemen financially and is expected to buy more horses in the future.

All urged to join anti-corruption walk

All interested are invited to join a walk against corruption on Sunday, Sept 25, hosted by the Stock Exchange of Thailand and 28 private organisations which recently formed the Coalition Against Corruption.

A source from the coalition said that at least 5,000 participants are expected at Lumpini Park, mostly being employees of the participating organisations.
"We indeed expect at least 10,000, to show our power against the corruption," she said.
The general public is being urged to join.
The private sector is convinced that the political instability that has swamped Thailand in the past five years stems from widespread corruption.
The Office of Securities and Exchange Commission is a strong ally of this coalition. The officials and staff wear the anti-corruption T-shirt on Fridays.

Elephant rampage: Tragedy strikes Phuket honeymooners

Mrs Meia remains in hospital with multiple broken bones in her leg
with her husband, Mr Perepelitsyn, at her side.


Captain (right) allegedly staged an unprovoked attack on the Ukrainian's
elephant. In a previous incident last year, Captain went on a rampage,
sending a Swedish tourist to hospital with broken legs.

PHUKET: -- A Ukrainian couple’s honeymoon turned to tragedy when a bull elephant went berserk on a Phuket trekking tour, attacking the female elephant she and her husband were riding.

Tetiana Meia, 26, suffered clean breaks to her left femur, right tibia (shin bone) and right fibula, along with scrapes and bruises all over her body when “Captain”, a bull elephant at Camp Chang in Kalim, attacked the elephant she was riding with her husband, Artem Perepelitsyn, 24.

Mr Perepelitsyn suffered a puncture wound and deep cuts to his left ankle and foot.

Although the incident occurred on September 12, the newlyweds came forward this afternoon after reading on the Phuket Gazette website that, contrary to what the owner of Camp Chang told them, Captain had been involved in a rampage in January 2010 which sent tourists running for their lives and a Swedish man to hospital with a broken leg.

“We were riding on the elephant side by side, with my wife to the left of me, for about five minutes when it happened,” Mr Artem said.

“I turned to look behind me and I could see Captain running uphill toward us,” Mrs Meia said.

Captain was carrying two American tourists and a mahout at the time, she said.

“Captain charged with his tusks into the right side of our elephant, and then again, and again,” Mr Perepelitsyn said.

On the third blow, the couple’s elephant fell onto its left side, pinning Mrs Meia to the ground. The mahout was able to jump off the beast, but the Ukrainians were trapped in the seat fastened to the elephant’s back.

“The guy from the camp had tied a strap across our laps and when we fell, it came up and tightened, so we couldn’t get off the elephant. I somehow managed to pull myself out, but my wife was stuck,” Mr Perepelitsyn said.

“After we went down, Captain continued attacking, pushing our elephant and my wife along the ground,” he said.

“We were screaming and I thought I was going to die because I couldn’t feel anything and [the elephant] and I were sliding and sliding,” a tearful Mrs Meia said.

“I said to Artem, ‘Goodbye, I love you,’,” she said.

Finally one of the staff cut the strap with a knife and a frantic Mr Perepelitsyn was able to pull his wife free.

Mrs Meia was transported to Phuket International Hospital where she has since had titanium plates attached to bones in both of her legs to keep them stable. She remains bedridden but hopes to be able to bend her knees and fly home to Odessa, where she works as a travel agent, sometime next week, she said.

Mr Perepelitsyn, an IT business owner, is able to get around on crutches as his left ankle and foot heal.

Camp Chang owner Trin Khanwilaikul has declined to comment to the Gazette about this latest incident, but in the 2010 incident she blamed Captain’s behavior on a mahout.

The newlywed Ukranians were satisfied with Ms Trin’s handling of the matter until she went silent after the pair asked for monetary compensation.

“[Ms Trin] came to visit us every day, but lately she’s told us she’s too busy to come. Because we talked about money and I showed her [the Gazette article about the previous attack] and maybe she’s scared,” Mr Perepelitsyn said.

“We still don’t know who is going to pay for this. We only want a minimal amount to cover medical costs. We need money for future treatment,” he added.

“Ms Trin had told us that nothing like this had ever happened, that this was the first time,” Ms Meia said.

“I want the company to stop using this elephant,” she added.

“I would like these camps to use only female elephants and to make sure they are not too close together on the trails. And, if you’re going to do one of these treks, I want you to think about your family and friends. Think a thousand times before you go on an elephant,” Mr Perepelitsyn said.

Asked if she would consider getting back on an elephant, Mrs Meia smiled and said, “Never”.

Two foreign tourists rescued from rough sea off Satun

Saturn - A Navy coastal patrol vessel rescued an Italian man and a South African man after their yacht sank in the rough sea off Satun Monday morning.
The two tourists suffered minor injuries. They were identified as Jionata Bellkumba, 34, from Italy and Luk Loxyer, 30, from South Africa.
The Third Naval Forces received a distress signal from a sinking yacht at 9 am. The yacht was hit by giant waves west of the Petra Islands National Park on the Andaman between Satun and Trang, prompting the two tourists to send out SOS.
The Third Naval Forces alerted the La-ngu naval base in Satun's La-ngu district. Lt Natthawut Tulaphan, a patrol vessel commander, and his crew were dispatched to rescue the two tourists. The two tourists were delivered to the Satun coast.
They said they had left Langawi, Malaysia, on their A-Qua yacht, returning to Phuket.
But their yacht was hit by three-metre waves, causing it to sink.

Son Of London Deputy Mayor Dies After Full Moon Party

The 28-year-old son of the Deputy Major of London has collapsed and died in a £12 a night guest house after attending a wild ‘Full Moon Party’ on the Thai island of Koh Phangan.

Police said here today that Andrew John Lister, 28, son of Edward Lister, the former Tory chief of Wandsworth Council, collapsed while drinking with friends in a guest house on Haad Rin Beach last Monday….the morning after the island’s monthly Full Moon Party.

A police spokesman said: “Witnesses said Andrew John Lister, 28, of British nationality was drinking with four friends in room 315 of the Baan Talay Guest House on Haad Rin Beach when he collapsed. Attempts were made to revive him but they failed. His body was taken to the local hospital. We believe he died of a heart attack. There was no evidence of drugs in the room.”

Police said while there was no evidence of any drug taking a post mortem was being conducted. As Lister collapsed at 6 am it appeared he had been drinking all night.

But sources close to the famly insist that Andrew Lister did not indulge in any excessive behaviour. They believe he died from an undiagnosed medical problem and a post mortem is expected to be carried out in London.

Last night British Embassy officials were arranging for Lister’s body to be flown home. Britain’s consular agent was off island at the time. Results of a local post mortem on Andrew Lister on the nearby island of Koh Samui have not been released.

Koh Phangan is notorious for its all night parties which take place at Haad Rin Beach at every full moon.

Revelers dance all night, drink alcohol out of buckets, and traditionally large amounts of drugs are available.

Attending a ‘Full Moon’ party on Koh Phangan is a ‘rite of passage’ for many young Britons and Europeans on their gap year.

Cultural and tourist sites on new app

A computer app developed under a Culture Ministry initiative featuring Thai culture and tourist sites is now available for upload for iPhone and iPad users, Culture Minister Sukumol Kunplome said yesterday.

After downloading the unnamed app from www.mculture.in.th, users can access more than 5,000 features in categories such as: Thai people and local organisations relating to local cultures; cultural plays and items; Thai folklore and ways of life, and landmark locations, she said.

"This app is the first released by a government agency," she said. No details were available on whether the app will also be made available on other operating systems aside from Apple devices like iPhone and iPad.

The app was developed jointly by the ministry's Centre for Information Technology and Communications and the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec). All items under the One Tambon One Product scheme will be soon uploaded to the app.

Speaking at yesterday's announcement, Science Minister Plodprasob Surassawadee said the app was developed under an agreement between the two ministries aimed at promoting and preserving Thai culture. "There are three projects associated with the app underway: an electronic library to mirror custody of the national Chao Sam Phraya museum in Ayutthaya; a library of virtual 3D Thai classical music, and a communal database of all Thai culture."

Walking Street - the hottest street in Thailand!

Walking Street is the epicentre of Pattaya and its biggest attraction. Indeed many visitors to Pattaya stay in the Walking Street Pattaya zone for the entire duration of their stay. It is usually packed to the rafters with visitors in both high and low season although as of now there is a definite lull. Regardless it is always buzzing - just don't go daytime, if you do it will all be closed.
It is an eclectic mix of mainly bars, gogo bars, nightclubs and restaurants but there is so much more happening. You can see Muay Thai boxing in at least two bar complexes, snake charming, magic shows and the usual proliferation of street traders and entertainers. Watch out for the little kid doing the football juggling! Whilst I don't agree with eleven year olds being out working the streets at night he is certainly worth a look.

TAT sets ambitious goal to double arrivals

The Tourism Authority of Thailand yesterday unveiled its latest marketing campaign, dubbed "The Miracle Years of Amazing Thailand", tasked with doubling both arrivals and income by 2014.

The agency will spend Bt500 million over the two-year campaign on marketing activities and communications both here and abroad, with Bt210 million to be used to continue building awareness and communications with targeted markets outside the country.

The agency will earmark Bt180 million for activities, Bt60 million for domestic marketing and Bt50 million for international marketing.

Prakit Phiriyakiat, deputy governor for marketing communications, said that at least seven big events have already been lined up over 15 months to attract foreign tourists.

Listed participating events are Formula 1 motor racing, the football league in the United Kingdom, Snow Festival in Sao Paolo, Thailand Golf Open and Australian Open.

International celebrities, particularly those from China, which is now considering Thai TV stars, will be invited to visit Thailand.

TAT will continue promoting traditional Thai festivals like Loy Krathong as world events.

It would also boost domestic tourism through this campaign, with 180 activities planned for the rest of this year and also next year.

"TAT will put on many events and activities to encourage local people to travel across regions in the country," Prakit said.

TAT would work with private organisations like the Tourism Council of Thailand as well as local communities to create activities to lure travellers.

TAT projects total arrivals climbing to more than 19 million next year, up from the forecast of 17 million this year.

The Yingluck Shinawatra government has vowed to use The Miracle Years of Amazing Thailand campaign to double arrivals and income.

The government wants to see 30 million arrivals per year by 2014 while income from domestic and international markets would reach Bt2 trillion per year.

The Tourism Ministry has said it would maintain tourism stimulus measures such as waiving visa fees for certain countries to lure foreign tourists and the tax deduction to encourage local travel.

The ministry is seeking a special budget from the government to develop attractions and upgrade the entire industry.

Meeting and Dating Thai Girls

A of questions are asked about Thai girls and dating. What is the proper way to approach a Thai girl, how can I tell if she’s a “good” girl vs a bar girl, how to avoid internet scams and that sort of thing. Obviously it is a very important question for those who are interested in meeting and dating Thai girls.


Appearances are very important in Thailand and aside from your physical appearance, which should be neat and groomed, you’ll also want to consider your attitude and manners. Thai’s are very sensitive to body language and can tell immediately when you are being fake. This may be due to the fact that Thai’s are very non-confrontational. They will almost never verbally disagree and I think over the centuries have come to a point where they are extremely attuned to nuances of posture and facial expression. Oftentimes people will say that Asian faces are non-expressive, but this is not true, Westerners just aren’t any good at deciphering the nuances because our culture is much more verbal in it’s communication style.
Assuming you are polite and well groomed you shouldn’t have much trouble meeting Thai girls initially. One thing that can trip up some guys is that in Thailand you will definitely need to be the pursuer. Thai girls in general will not initiate contact, however you can tell if they are interested most times simply by the sidelong glances or shy smiles that you get from them. If you’re out in a club it is very acceptable (and easy) to have a friend or even the waitress deliver a note to a girl you are interested in to get their mobile number. If you get the number you’re in and can feel confident in approaching them.
Once you’ve established a rapport with the girl go ahead and ask for a date, but don’t be surprised if they want to bring their friends. This is quite common in Thailand and it actually makes things easier sometimes because there can be more of a fun dynamic in groups. Depending on the girl it could take anywhere from 2 to several dates until you can get the girl alone.
For those of you who are not physically in Thailand don’t despair. The internet has made it possible to meet people from all around the world. You never know where you’ll find the perfect girl and often it’s in the place you didn’t expect.
If you travel to Thailand on vacation for a few weeks it could be very hard for you to meet a good Thai girl, however if you take the time to get to know a girl first from the internet you’ll be in a much better position. This way she has had the chance to get to know more about you, hopefully you’ve also chatted with her on webcam and also on the phone and she’ll be able to trust you that much more quickly by knowing about you before you arrive in Thailand.

Full Moon Party

Koh Samui Full Moon Party

If you are young, energetic, like partying until sunrise, getting drunk on cheap booze and dancing to incredibly loud music, then the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan will definitely be for you!
During every full moon, thousands of young, party loving backpackers travel from, not just Koh Samui but all over the world, to the town of Haad Rin on the neighbouring island of Koh Phangan for a night of chaotic partying and hedonism at the world famous Full Moon Party.


The origins of The Full Moon Party are somewhat unclear but the event is thought to have started when a group of friends wanted to celebrate the natural beauty of the full moon with a small party on Haad Rin beach. In the early 1990’s, Sunrise Bungalows, which are located right on the beach at Haad Rin, started to host the party as a monthly event. Nearly twenty years later the Full Moon Party has grown into in a mile long beach party, which is one of the largest and most legendary on the whole planet.
Over the years, as the Full Moon Party has evolved, the event has changed. Today, it is not so much a party but more like a big rave, similar to other dance events around the world such as Creamfields, Global Gathering or Glade; the main difference being the Full Moon Party happens for one night only, right on the beach.
The music played at the Full Moon Party is also similar to these other events so expect hard house, dance, drum and bass, plenty of electronic beats and a bit of hip-hop thrown in for good measure; all of which are played at ear splitting levels.
On top of the banging music and masses of people, also thrown into the mix are fire shows, jugglers and plenty of booze. For some this helps to create the most amazing party atmosphere, but be warned, things are nothing short of chaotic!
As for the booze, the Full Moon Party is home to the famous drinks known as ‘buckets’. These basically consist of a bottle of cheap Thai whisky, a bottle of Thai Red Bull or another energy drink, a can of Coke or Sprite and plenty of ice, which are all then poured into the small bucket to create one pretty powerful drink.

Health and Safety

Generally the atmosphere at the Full Moon Party is fun and friendly, despite being chaotic at times. However, going to the Full Moon Party, as with any other large music event or festival, isn’t without its dangers.
Unfortunately, instances of theft, drug taking and irresponsible drinking are all too common. Therefore, it is advisable not to take anything of any value to the Full Moon Party and care should also be taken when drinking ‘buckets’ due to the alcohol and caffeine content of these types of drinks.
Because Thai Red Bull is so much stronger (sometimes up to 20 times as strong) than similar drinks which are available in other countries; people are often not aware of the stress this can put their body under. This can cause the body to react badly and at worse, can even cause a heart attack.
Also, if you visit the Full Moon Party it is important that you never accept drinks from strangers as you have no idea what might be in it. Also, NEVER take illegal drugs at the Full Moon Party or anywhere else in Thailand, as the authorities here have very strict laws when it comes to illegal drugs and if you are caught taking or selling them, you could be looking at a lengthy prison sentence.
Finally, if you do intend to drink buckets at the Full Moon Party, then make sure you drink plenty of water as dehydration amongst party goers is also another major problem.

Travelling to the Full Moon Party from Koh Samui

Many young people, who visit the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan, stay on Koh Samui and travel over to the party on the evening of the event itself. Travelling to Koh Phangan from Koh Samui is fairly straightforward, with the journey taking about 45 minutes by boat.
On the night of the Full Moon Party there are extra boat services put to on to transport people between the two islands. Most of these boats tend to leave Samui from the pier at Bang Rak (Big Buddha Beach) or from Maenam.
To purchase a ticket for one of these boats, the easiest option is to visit one of the islands many tour operators who will be able to sell you a ticket. However, you should be aware that sometimes, more tickets are sold for these boats than there are actual seats available. This can lead to long queues forming as people wait to board a boat. On some occasions, it has even led to the boats being dangerously overcrowded.
Tickets can cost anywhere in the region of 500 and 1000 Baht, with prices varying depending on the type of boat you travel on or if you buy the ticket as part of a package deal.
Sweeney Todd’s Tour and Travel Agency, in Bophut are a well run and reliable agency who should be able to help you with your travel arrangements to Koh Phangan. Here are their contact details:
Sweeney Todd’s Tour and Travel Agency
Address: 33/2 Moot Bophut, Koh Samui, 84320
Tel: 088 4480546

Other ‘Moon’ Parties

Due to the popularity of the Full Moon Party, recent years has seen the emergence of other ‘moon’ themed parties on both Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. The Half Moon Party and Black Moon Party are now regular fixtures in the party calendar.
Samui’s Black Moon Party, are held when there is an absence of the moon in the lunar calendar. The party itself is held at Chaweng Lake View, which has a capacity for approximately 4000 people. Some of the world’s leading DJ’s have played at the Black Moon Party, including Brandon Block, Judge Jules and Timo Maas.

NHRC to support gay marriage rights

The Office of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Sexual Diversity Network are considering pushing forward draft legislation to back the marital status of "gay" relationships.

NHRC secretary-general Chuchai Suphawong said yesterday the draft law to back "gay" relationship status was a good thing and NHRC would fully support it.

Chuchai was speaking at a seminar considering draft laws to be proposed in the lead-up to the Asia Pacific Forum (of national human rights groups), which will hold its annual meeting and biennial conference at Bangkok's Shangri-la Hotel from today.

Chuchai said the commission would propose the draft law to the APF meeting in a bid to push the government to support the law.

Sexual Diversity Network representative Pongsathorn Chanreun said it would join the NHRC in pushing for the law to be passed, to give homosexual people access to social and human security rights such as heritage, childcare, insurance and medical care benefits, as they were basic rights all should have.

Thailand eyes 30 million tourists in 2015

BANGKOK, Sept. 5 – Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa has set a target to increase the number of tourist arrivals to at least 30 million by 2015 and to generate national revenues of Bt1.4 trillion.

Speaking in a meeting with the ministry’s senior officials on Monday, Mr Chumpol said the urgent policy to be implemented is to designate the 2011-2012 the “Miracle Thailand Year” to attract foreign tourists to travel to Thailand and to celebrate the 84th anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol’s birthday which falls on December 5.

The ministry will launch a campaign to promote the year of sports and tourism in line with the King’s self sufficiency economy philosophy.

Activities will be organised in the capital and the provinces, while road shows will be held overseas. The ministry initially proposed a budget of Bt3.05 billion for 40 planned projects.

Mr Chumpol said the targeted group is quality markets. Visa fees will be exempted for tourists from some countries having Free Trade Area agreements with Thailand or having trade and investment relations with Thailand, such as Taiwan, Korea and China. Moreover, travel insurance will be offered for them.

The ministry will adopt tax measures to promote Thailand as a location for foreign movie shooting, and boost the country to become a full scale film production centre.

It will promote holding conferences, fairs such as the BoI Fair 2011 and international sports events. Tourism-related laws will be improved and bill will be proposed to address tourist problems and concerns.

The ministry targets to double income from foreign tourists to Bt1.4 trillion within five years and to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 15.9 million in 2010 to 31.8 million in 2015.
In 2011, it targeted to have 19.5 million tourists and earn Bt700 billion. There were 11.2 million tourists from January to July this year.

Porn's Bungalows: the Resort -

Porn's Bungalows is located almost at the end of the southern part of Kai Bae Beach The name of the bungalow resort, in Thai often also called "Porn Bungalows" or "Porn Bungalow", has it's origin in the forename of the owner "Jiraporn". The short form is "Porn" which is one of the most common nicknames in Thailand – for men as well as for women ... The bungalow resort is located directly at Kai Bae Beach (Haad Kai Bae), a flat, about 2,5 kilometre long beautiful sandy beach. The coast is partially lined by broad-leaved trees and over-hanging palms. Depending to the time of the year and to the tides the beach can be up to 200 metres wide while the sea almost reaches the bungalows in the first row at high water level. Four islands, Ko Yuak, Ko Pli, Ko Man Nok and Ko Man Nai are situated idyllically in front of the resort. The bungalow resort resort on two parts: the one north of the restaurant and the one south of it which are run separately by the two oldest brothers of the family. You'll find different bungalow categories in this cosy tropical holiday paradise so the prices depends on the size and the location of them. End of 2010 some new Family Bungalows were built in the southern part of the bungalow resort. When Porn's Bungalows was built almost no trees were cleared so that there are still a lot of coconut palms and broad-leaved trees on the extensive terrain. The bungalows, standing in rows parallel to the beach, are all built out of wood (except some stone bungalows at the southern part). In contrast with lot of other bungalow resorts there is sufficient space between the “huts”, so that enough privacy is ensured. The bungalows are either covered with the Thai-typical palm roofs or with "normal" roofs. All have own bathrooms with European toilet, hot-water shower and are equipped with ventilators and mosquito-nets. On the big balconies you'll find a table with chairs. In the newly built family bungalows there is a second washbasin and 2 big beds so 4 people can easily sleep there. The restaurant of Porn's Bungalows, which serves delicious Thai specialities, snacks and European breakfast, doesn’t only offer excellent dishes and good service but also has unique charm. For these reasons it has been the most popular restaurant on Kai Bae Beach for many, many years. A big, unroofed, wooden terrace with two roofed pavilions is situated directly on the beach. Years ago in the restaurant most of the chairs were removed and the “normal” tables were replaced by other ones with short legs. You can choose to sit on the typical Thai-style-cushions or, for those who feel uncomfortable with the Thai-way of sitting, sit on normal chairs and tables in the roofed part of the restaurant ... In front of the barbeque, where every evening meat, potatoes, corn, fresh fish, shrimps, squids and other seafood specialities are prepared, there are - if the water level allows it - more tables and chairs directly on the beach, so you can also eat and drink there with a special “beach atmosphere”. The restaurant offers a big selection of long drinks, cocktails, beer and other alcoholic drinks but also lots of chilled fruit shakes, juices and non alcoholic drinks can be ordered. Porn's Bungalows probably has the most varied music collection on Ko Chang, from French chansons, Jazz, Rock and Pop to the latest Techno-hits – so everybody will find something for his individual taste. In addition almost every evening there are fire juggling shows which are very popular with the guests. Since 2009 there is Wireless Internet available. For a little money the guests can connect their devices to the world wide web while sitting in the restaurant, at the beach or relaxing in the hammocks of their bungalows. Boat trips and sailing journeys to the surrounding islands can be booked. Elephant trekking can also be arranged and kayaks can be rented to explore the beaches and the nearby islands. A table tennis table as well as a pool table are also located at the restaurant.. And directly on the beach of Porn's Bungalows you can enjoy a traditional Thai massage. The village of Kai Bae Beach (Baan Kai Bae) can be reached by food within a few minutes. There you find shops, comfortable beer bars and restaurants, massage and souvenir shops, supermarkets and Internet cafés. At the slope behind Porn's Bungalows there is one of the most beautiful viewpoints of Ko Chang from where you have a superb view to the four above mentioned islands. The bungalows at Porn's Bungalows are between 500.- and 1.500.- Baht per night. Reservations are not possible. How to get to Porn's Bungalows: From the piers you will reach Porn's Bungalows at Kai Bae Beach by pickup taxi within about 45 minutes. Please let the taxi driver know the name of Porn's Bungalows before starting. If the taxi driver doesn't know Porn's Bungalows try to make him drive to "Sea View Resort". Directly in front of the entrance a small concrete road leads to the sea: walk down and you made it! If the taxi driver drops you off at the village Baan Kai Bae just walk a few hundred meters along the beach to the south until you reach Porn's Bungalows.

Chick Mountain festival - Khao Chon Kai, Kanchanaburi

The music at the Chick Mountain festival was great. Shame about the traffic jams and the awful weather

Despite several hours of heavy rain, more than 20,000 people, mostly teens, turned out to the military training camp of Khao Chon Kai, Kanchanaburi for last Saturday's "Chick Mountain" festival, gratefully accepting the free raincoats handed out by the organisers and apparently unconcerned about the muddy terrain.

Ominous black clouds had been hanging around since daybreak and the rain started coming down in earnest during the afternoon and continued on and off throughout the night.

Chick Mountain, organiser Gayray's short version of the country's biggest music festival Big Mountain, aimed to offer more convenience and easier walk distances between "Kong Sabieng"(Provisions) and "Waythee Kai" (Chick Stage) as well as the several military-related activities and succeeded in all three.

Where the planning fell short was on traffic management, with the highway leading to the camp blocked for kilometres by a traffic jam in the afternoon and again in early morning of the following day, even before the last show came to an end at nearly 4am.

"The rain was back again during the show by rockers Paradox - the last artist before DJ Montonn Jira - and I couldn't get my car out from the parking lot because I was blocked by coaches and taxi vans, which were waiting for the crowds to go back home in Bangkok," said one lady, who had travelled up to the festival with her husband and two children. "We ended up sleeping in the car."

Worse still, Chick Mountain, or "Man Kai Mak" in Thai, had no shelter large enough to house the 20,000 battalion of fans during the heaviest of the rain and also no seating space dry enough for those wanting to rest their weary bodies during the shows. The ground was sodden and muddy.

No alcohol beverages were for sale at festival. With Pepsi as the festival's main sponsor, there were plenty of carbonated soft drinks and a few enterprising souls had smuggled in their own alcohol to mix with the soft drinks. But there were no drunken incidents.

At 6pm, Suckseed, an adhoc band from the movie of the same name was the first to step up to the stage. Despite the heavy rain and to the delight of fans, they played songs "Suckseed 1", "Thoom Yoo Nai Jai", and "Pleng Thi Chan Mai Dai Taeng".

The rain eased a bit as Jetset'er took over, chilling the crowd with "Chuea Nai Tue Chan", "Khuen Nee", "Chai Nai Fun", "L.O.V.E" and "Joob", before Scrubb revved them up again with "Thuk Yang", "Klai" and "Kham Tob".

The stage was designed like military headquarters with pieces of coloured plastic sheeting and sometimes with the name of the artist. Between shows, three radio DJs came out and cracked jokes.

Screams and applause greeted Palmy, who entertained with "Tham Pen Mai Thak", "Khwam Jeb Puad" and new tracks "Khid Mak" and "Cry Cry Cry" before segueing into her danceable numbers "Yak Rong Dang Dang" and "Tik Tok", which had the fans jumping around in the mud and fireworks shooting up in the air. Beautiful yes, but dangerous too. What if a firework had fallen into the military camp's arsenal?

The feeling of excitement continued as rocker Da Endorphine performed her hits "Phap Luangta", "Dai Yin Mai", and "Mai Roo Jak Chan Mai Roo Jak Ther", which had the audience singing along and hopping up and down.

Rockers Bodyslam took the stage with a non-stop set of tracks including "Khwam Chuea" (Belief) with another firework show. Suckseed came back too, jamming with Bodyslam during the song "Thoom Yoo Nai Jai", before leaving the rockers to wind up their set with "Sticker", "Khid Hod", "Kram" and "Yapis".

Hip-hop group Gancore Boy featuring Joey Boy, Buddha Bless and Sing Nuea Suea Tai was next up. "Why didn't our show have fireworks?" Joey Boy wanted to know.

The festival came to an end with the shows of rock band Paradox and DJ Montonn. By that time, the rain had started again and the audience was leaving, off in search of buses that would take them home.

Thailand country profile

Thailand is the only country in south-east Asia to have escaped colonial rule. Buddhist religion, the monarchy and the military have helped to shape its society and politics. The 1980s brought a boom to its previously agricultural economy and had a significant impact on Thai society as thousands flocked to work in industry and the services sector. Although Thailand's recent governments have been civilian and democratically-elected, the country has seen turbulent times. The military governed, on and off, between 1947 and 1992 - a period characterised by coups, coup attempts and popular protests. The collapse of the south-east Asian economic boom in 1997 led to public disillusion with free-market policies and encouraged the rise of populist Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. In September 2006, the military once again stepped into politics, carrying out a bloodless coup against Prime Minister Thaksin. By the end of 2007, the military junta had drafted a new constitution and held general elections, marking the beginning of the transition back to civilian rule. Buddhism has profoundly influenced Thailand's history Thailand has a minority Muslim, ethnic Malay population concentrated in its southern provinces. A decades-old separatist struggle in the region - which abated in the 1980s - flared again in 2004. The violence has claimed more than 3,000 lives. Thailand's capital, Bangkok expanded rapidly with the influx of workers during the boom years. It is one of Asia's most vibrant, and heavily-congested, cities. The large-scale sex industry which flourishes there contributed to the incidence of HIV infection - a major concern for the government. Thailand has taken the lead in the region in distributing cheaper generic drugs for Aids sufferers and awareness campaigns are credited with reducing the number of new infections. Since 2009, Thai troops have sporadically clashed with Cambodian forces in several disputed areas along the two countries' border.

'Mad' Norwegian Pours Out His Stuff At Pattaya Police Station

A Norwegian man under mental strsss emptied his luggage in front of Pattaya police station. The police was speechless. They kept his belongings and are waiting for the Norwegian to return.

Pattaya, August 28, 2011[PDN]; Pol. Lt. Col. Ratta Pratumkaew Deputy Superintendent Pattaya Police was notified about was a confused foreigner pouring out his luggage; clothes, notebook computers and various other items outside the police station in Pattaya.
At the scene a large Norwegian male, age 30 with a shaved head, dressed in white undershirt, jeans, canvas shoes, carrying the luggage on his shoulder shouting, “Thai woman is not good!” opening his luggage to pour out: two notebook computers, clothes and other items. He said he did not want the stuff anymore and left the police station without a word.

Pol.Lt.Col. Ratta Pratumkaew, Deputy Superintendent kept the Norwegian man’s belongings at the station and said that he didn’t know why the Norwegian man acted like he did. The police will look after his belongins and wait till he feels better and returns to collect his stuff.

Songkran festival: celebrating new year in Thailand and Myanmar with water fights

A Thai boy uses a water pistol to fire water at a foreign tourist to celebrate Songkran, also known as the water festival, in Bangkok. The three-day Songkran festival is celebrated in Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar as the traditional New Year's Day from 13 to 15 April. During festivities, people spray water and put powder on each other's faces to symbolise washing away the sins from the old year.

How Can you Tell if She’s a Bargirl?

These are not entirely mine, I’ve gotten inspiration for some of them by reading and hearing other experiences. And by no means are these 100% spot on, just like everywhere in the world there are exceptions to rules, but they are good indicators.
Keep in mind too that for many of the younger Thai urban girls these rules do not necessarily apply. Things are a bit different in Bangkok than they are out in rural Thailand or even in other Thai cities. The younger generation of Thai’s are moving away from traditional Thai values rapidly. What was true 5 or 10 years ago doesn’t necessarily apply any longer, especially when considering the university educated middle class or hi-so Thai’s.
Take these warnings as what they are, just warnings to keep your eyes open.
- She is very familiar with one of the pay-for-play areas in Thailand. If she is able to give you an in depth tour of Patpong, Nana Plaza or Pattaya, especially the tourist bar scene then she most likely was or is a bargirl.
- She wears a lot of makeup. In Thailand the good girls don’t wear makeup very much. This too is changing, but even those that do wear make up wear very little, mostly just some cover-up to make them look whiter and MAYBE some blush. Heavy eyeliner or eyeshadow is definitely in the realm of bargirls. If your Thai girl is in the fashion industry this may differ, but in general Thai girls don’t wear much makeup.
- She isn’t shy about kissing, holding hands or touching in public. Good Thai girls do not kiss or touch in public. Again, this is slowly changing in Bangkok and if you’ve been together awhile she will be less reluctant, but the fact is that Thai’s do not generally show affection in public. If your Thai girlfriend regularly pats your ass in public she may have been a bargirl.
- She has had a baby, but the baby is not with her. A large percentage of girls that work in the pay-for-play industry have had children that they’ve left with their mothers, aunts or other relatives – so they can work unencumbered. This is generally more true for younger Thai girls. Older girls may have kids at home with mom because they were previously married and the Thai guy left them high and dry. This is a fairly common occurrence and one reason Thai women are starting to look to guys from the west for marriage. Western males are much more likely to stay in a monogamous relationship than Thai guys. Still, Thai women love their kids as much as anyone so if there are kids and they are not with the mom there is a reason and that reason might be because the mom is a bargirl.
- Your girl isn’t a virgin. This is a pretty good clue actually. In Thai society – a girl that is not a virgin gets no dowry and probably gets no decent husband either. A girl that loses her virginity had better marry the guy. If she does not – then she is spoiled goods and the Thai guys won’t marry her. They will almost NEVER marry a girl that has been married and has a child. They have a severe loss of face for this – to be raising someone else’s child. There are exceptions – but, I’d say this is a BIG CLUE.
- If all she seems to care about is money, especially your money, then she very well might be a bargirl. Good Thai girls will not talk about money, it’s not something they are typically obsessed with. The girls that are obsessed by it will do whatever they can to get more. How does your typical Thai with no university education or skills do to get more money? Even if they are not outright bargirls there are girls who will go out with guys to dinner or a movie, or maybe right back to their rooms simply to get an extra 1000 baht for a new cellphone or clothes or whatever it is she feels that she needs. As I’ve said before, a girl can live in Bangkok quite easily on 10,000 baht a month and many do. Those who aren’t happy living that lifestyle will do whatever they have to to get more money and often that includes the bargirl life.
- If she has friends in Pattaya, Patpong or Nana Plaza and she’s keeping in close contact with them – she is or was or may turn out to be a bargirl if the relationship with you doesn’t work.
- If she has tattoos then she may not necessarily be a bargirl, but she worked in the pay for play industry in some fashion. Maybe she was a masseuse or fishbowl girl, served drinks in a bar or even worked as a freelancer, but she was connected in some way with bargirls if she has a tattoo.
- If she has piercings beside her earrings – she was or is a bargirl. If she has her tongue pierced she was or is 100% without fail, a bargirl. If her nose or navel is pierced – not 100%, but north of 90% I’d say.
- If she goes to another place to talk on the cellphone then she is hiding something. You should be wondering what she has to hide from you. Most likely if she’s hiding something it is another man. Many of the bargirls in Thailand are married to a Thai guy or have many foreign boyfriends calling her. They get money from the boyfriends and they send their money to the Thai guys. It’s what they do for love!
- If her English is pretty good. Most Thai’s have bad English skills, even those who work in tourist areas or hotels. If your Thai girlfriend understands anything that has to do with money or a bar or restaurant situation she may be or was a bargirl. This is especially true if she makes jokes to you about “short time, love you long time, no money no honey…”. These are typical bar jokes and if she knows them she was very likely a bargirl in the past or present.
- She no longer takes care of you once you’re in a relationship with you. Bargirls will try very hard to hook you, but once you’re on the hook all she wants to do is watch TV, eat and gossip with her friends. She won’t want to cook, but will send out for food everyday. You would expect that she would view you as a godsend since you are making 5-10 times as much money as any Thai guy would and supporting her lavishly from a Thai standpoint. Instead she tries to minimize your impact on their lives. She will ask for more things all the time, going out to eat, better cell phone, bigger TV, cars, vacations, anything that others have that they want. They will never be satisfied with what they have and they will not give much back in the relationship. They are used to the bargirl lifestyle which is to sleep, eat, watch TV and make sure you can buy what everyone else have and then show off what you have.
- You’re married and she has a separate bank account. A bargirl will use this account for two purposes. First to transfer money out to a Thai boyfriend/husband and second to receive money from past customers. Some guys will continue to send money to bargirls for a very long time and of course the girls will continue to accept it as long as it’s being sent.
- If she is not reachable by phone sometimes – she is up to something. She may not be a bargirl, but something is seriously wrong with that picture. A cell phone is a Thai girls link to the world and everyone she knows and they can and will answer it even when riding 50 mph on the back of a motorcycle. If your Thai girlfriends frequently doesn’t answer her phone when you call there’s something going on she doesn’t want you to know about.
As I said, these aren’t hard and fast rules, but are more like warning signs. Keep your eyes open and use your common sense.