Thailand’s latest entry requirements from 1 May 2022

The following rules will be in effect from 1 May, 2022, with specific requirements for vaccinated and unvaccinated / not fully vaccinated travellers from all countries/territories with scheduled arrivals from this date.

Times are a Changin’ on ol’ Koh Samui

#thailand
 
We gathered some of our old and new Thailand salts together for a chat about Koh Samui and how they remember it. Roderick Eime spoke to John Borthwick, Rob Woodburn, Deb Dickson-Smith and his own daughter Shalia.

Modern luxury resort complex: Anantara Koh Samui (supplied)

Like so many places in Southeast Asia, the old timers roll their eyes mystically and relive the times before the great tourism revolution at the end of the 20th century.

Their grey-flecked beards and sun-parched skin speak of a life spent under the tropical sun when life was simple and the beer was cheap.

Nowadays, the idyllic islands that dot the coast around the Gulf of Thailand are laden with modern ‘charms’ like multi-star resorts, paved roads, retail havens and bars and clubs aplenty.

Koh Samui is the poster child for resort island development in the region. These days the postcard primed, white sand beaches are lined with some of the best resorts in all of Southeast Asia. With more than 18,000 rooms and occupancy rates close to 70 per cent being quoted, direct international flights have added tens of thousands of new visitors to the island annually.

Koh Samui village c.1980 (samuiandkoh.com)

Shopping malls and retail plazas, like the massive complex on 48,000 square metres of land in the tourism area of Chaweng are transforming Koh Samui from the semi-secret haven to a sprawling tourist metropolis.

According to a report in the Bangkok Post, a marked shift in demand is bringing more Asian visitors and families. The top three source markets are, according to the report, Germany, the UK and Thailand which contribute more than a quarter of total arrivals. But here come the Russians, with 15 per cent of total visitor arrivals now from the Russian Federation.

Deb Dickson Smith is a specialist family travel writer from Australia. She travels with as many as five kids in tow.

“It’s an obvious choice for families really with a great choice of family-friendly resorts, friendly locals who welcome children and plenty of safe swimming beaches. In addition to obvious activities like swimming and snorkeling, kids can take part in anything from football golf to elephant rides.

“If your kids are like mine and are budding junior zookeepers, it’s worth checking out some of the animal attractions. There are in fact plenty of animal attractions in Koh Samui, as diverse as the animals they exhibit and include a butterfly garden, a crocodile farm, snake farm and monkey shows.”

Shalia, 21, from Sydney came with uni friends for a bit of beach R-n-R and some partying. She had a mixed experience.

Ark Bar Beach Resort (supplied)

“We stayed at the Ark Bar Beach Resort and it was fine. Clean, comfortable, affordable and close to the action

“The locals are great, so patient, but some of our fellow travellers from around the world must have left their manners at home. They left a lot of trash on the beach. Bottles mainly and it really bothered me, almost as much as the captive animals.

“I loved the walks up to the waterfalls and swimming in the pools, but I can’t recommend the water slides. I think they’re dangerous, but the boys loved them and we all ended up bruised after a few slides.”

John Borthwick is another with a long memory and experience on Koh Samui going back decades. He has some advice for new visitors too.

“Arrange a hotel airport pick-up, and use the shuttle wherever possible because Samui’s taxis (“my-meter-not-work-today” … and every day) are pure banditry. Don’t start a taxi journey without agreeing on the price.

“Samui has one of the worst accident records in Thailand, in a country with accident stats ten times that of Australia or New Zealand. If you rent a motorbike, jot your will, wear that helmet and have an Australian motorbike — not just car — licence (or else your insurance won’t cover you).

“Rent a car then head off on the good around-island road. Look for (slightly) off-the-beaten track, west coast beaches like Lipa No, Laem Nan or Natien. On in the north, try Bang Bor and Mae Nam.

“The Secret Garden, tucked away high in a mountain gorge, is a tranquil grove of Ramayana characters, dancers and concrete angels that was sculpted by a Samui native, Nim Tongsung who began his task at age 77 and worked until his death at 91. A labour of love in a place of peace.

“Skip the so-called “mummified monk” and “Buddha footprint”.

“Wander the gauntlet of Chaweng’s cheapo clothing stalls and boutiques, plus its beer bars, restaurants and cocktail lounges. Or head to Soi Green Mango, a full-tilt bar zone that specialises in loud music, cold beer, dancing and occasional mayhem. Bophut is the quiet alternative, with small, more stylish bars.

John, Deb and Shalia span the commonest demographics for Aussies and Kiwis heading to Koh Samui and Thailand. While each are deeply fond of The Land of Smiles, sensible precautions should be taken – just like a trip anywhere in our rapidly evolving world.

"Our first tourists on Koh Samui had free accommodation," the president of the island’s tourism association told me some years ago, adding that, "Visitors had to sleep at the temple because we had no hotel." Those first visitors arrived 45 years ago. This formerly hotel-free zone now draws several million visitors a year.” – John Borthwick, Australia

Thirty years ago, Koh Samui was a semi-mythical island known only to a few intrepid adventurers prepared to make the big effort to get there. Seasoned traveller, Rob Woodburn, was one.

Rob Woodburn in rudimentary accommodation "back in the day" (Rob Woodburn)

Back in those days before everything became Instawhat and Snapthat it took some time to make your way from Bangkok to the island of Koh Samui.

By 1983 this island already had the reputation of a quasi-mythical destination. But like the protagonists in Alex Garland’s The Beach - published 13 years later - it took a certain type of traveller to summon the effort to reach Koh Samui.

It took a long and stifling bus or train ride from the capital south to Surat Thani where we then made our way to the waterfront to lobby for a place on the overnight ferry. Places were limited and the ferry didn’t always run, so it was usually full. Piracy was a real threat but we lived in the optimistic hope that backpackers being such a scurvy lot, no decent brigands worth their salt would waste time on us.

The ferry was a creaky wooden vessel that sat low in the water and powered by a noisy, oily engine that thudded away all night and belched noxious black smoke. It had an enclosed upper deck transformed into one gigantic futon on which all foreign passengers sprawled for the night. Getting to know you was easy.

In the early morning we arrived at Na Thon on the island’s west coast where small trucks painted in gaudy colours were parked nose to tail along the quay awaiting new arrivals. As soon as we set foot on dry land the touts’ chants erupted.

“Anyone Big Buddha? “

“Come Chaweng, very good!

“Lamai, Lamai, you love it sure!”

Few of us knew any real detail about these respective destinations. Amid the ruckus, we found ourselves piled into the back of the trucks which then sped in convoy along the rough coastal road.

Fortune saw me dropped off at Chaweng, a glorious stretch of beach with scant guest accommodation. Best Beach Resort had 10 huts facing each other, five-a-side, over a path leading down to the sand. Everyone shared the one toilet and shower. Crude it was, but clean and comfortable - provided you’d thought to bring your own mosquito repellent, toilet paper and torch batteries. There was very little available to buy on the island and power only for a few hours a day.

Meals were cooked in a rudimentary kitchen set up in the nearby jungle, basically a hot wok and some seats. Stir-fry was the order of the day, sometimes with noodles, occasionally with fresh fish but mostly fried rice.

But who cared? We had Chaweng Beach practically to ourselves. The only travellers I saw were those staying at the same place. Later I moved south a bit and scored a hut right on the point between Chaweng and Lamai with uninterrupted sea views. This was my private paradise for a while. I made one trip to Big Buddha but it seemed far too popular in comparison.

Koh Samui, for me, will always be that solitary hut beside the black rocks on the Point. I haven’t been back, so have no idea what’s happened since they built an airport almost slap bang on top of Chaweng and resorts began sprouting like sweet peas on steroids. And I have no desire whatsoever to know.

Songkran celebrations kick off in Bangkok

Bangkok – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) kicked off this year’s Songkran celebrations with an Amazing Songkran Joyful Procession on 8 April in central Bangkok. The event, presided over by H.E. General Tanasak Patimapragorn, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, marked the opening of the Amazing Songkran Experience Festival 2017, which is taking place in Bangkok’s Benjasiri Park from 8-13 April, and will give everyone a taste of the Thai New Year in the different regions of Thailand.

H.E. General Tanasak Patimapragorn (centre) is joined by Miss Pranee Sattayaprakob, Deputy Permanent Secretary of BMA (left), H.E. Mrs Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul Minister of Tourism and Sports (2nd left), Mr. Kalin Sarasin, Chairman of TAT Board of Directors (right) and TAT Governor Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn (2nd right), at the opening of the Amazing Songkran Joyful Procession

H.E. General Tanasak Patimapragorn said, “The Amazing Songkran Festival Experience 2017 allows both Thais and international visitors to enjoy a deep appreciation of Songkran in Thailand and understand how it differs from region to region while uniting Thais in a spirit of respect and fun.”

After an opening ceremony which evoked Songkran traditions, the Amazing Songkran Joyful Procession took place on 8 April from 17.30 to 20.30 Hrs. and took a route down Sukhumvit Road, from the Phrom Phong Junction to Pathum Wan Intersection. The colourful procession, which opened the national Songkran celebrations was made up of six parts: 1) Amazing Blossom of Siam; 2) Songkran Goddess, Krini Devi who represented Songkran 2017; 3) Myths and traditions of Songkran told via floats, flowers and dances from the five regions of Thailand; 4) Green Songkran, represented by eco-friendly cars and the Earth of Green Songkran Show; 5) Songkran traditions of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar; 6) The final parade will showcase classic and distinctive vehicles including rickshaws and tuk-tuks from many parts of Thailand.

The Amazing Songkran Joyful Procession showcased tradition, dances and colour from all the main regions of Thailand

.

The grand processions kicked off the five-day Amazing Songkran Festival Experience 2017 which will see the Sukhumvit side of Benjasiri Park divided into Four Zones until 13 April.

Zone 1 is where visitors can pay respect to the Buddha image, experience the ancient traditions of Songkran and learn how to make scented water and flowers displays in fun workshops.

Zone 2 showcases Songkran traditions in five regions, including Pee Mai Muang in the North; Boon Duen Ha in the Northeast, the ethnic Mon-style Songkran in the Central Region, and the Sri Maharaja Songkran from the East, as well as local costumes and the fishing culture from the South.

Zone 3 is where Songkran related snacks and desserts from all regions of Thailand can be sampled, including Khao Chae – a dish of steamed rice in jasmine-scented iced water served with savoury accompaniments.

Zone 4 is the event’s main stage which features shows and entertainment, including Thai Blind Boxing and a Miss Amazing Songkran International Beauty Contest.

In the Amazing Songkran Festival Experience 2017, visitors can learn about the traditions of Songkran and understand how they differ across Thailand.

  

Mr. Patimapragorn concluded, “We hope that after having enjoyed a glimpse of how Songkran is celebrated distinctively in different parts of Thailand, Thais and international visitors will be inspired to head upcountry to enjoy Songkran in a traditional setting.”

During the 2017 Songkran Festival, it is estimated that the number of international tourists traveling to Thailand to join the fun will rise 10 per cent to over 470,000. This will generate revenue of 8.05 million Baht, an increase of 17 per cent over the same New Year period last year.

The Amazing Songkran Festival Experience 2017 takes place until 13 April from 16.00 to 20.00 hrs. and from noon onwards on 13 April 2017.

Summer in Siam by John Borthwick

Summer in Siam by John Borthwick

"I walked out the door, a bit dazed. I had ten dollars and two not-quite diamonds, and it was summer in Siam." John Borthwick's first day in Thailand seemed far from auspicious — but it has been uphill from then on. Dropping him in the middle of everything from three-day tribal weddings, elephant polo follies and pristine islands to Pattaya's bacchanalian nightlife, Thailand has kept John and his pen constantly on the move.

One of Australia's leading travel authors, John Borthwick has gathered here the best of his years of Thailand adventures, plus a swag of vivid tales from his wanderings in India, Xinjiang, the Himalayas, Borneo, Bali, Laos, Vietnam and the Philippines.

New website: Summer In Siam

Paperback
Bangkok Books
Bangkok 2006
232 pages 395 Baht
ISBN 974-85129-2-4

Top 10 Thai Luxury Resorts

NZ Let's Travel magazine recently polled some of the top travel writers about their choice of luxury Thailand resorts. Here's their verdict:

Two ways to do Phuket - Pool villas or resorts

While I have become a regular to Thailand, my visit to Phuket was the first time I'd stayed in this famously rumbustious resort town. No, I'm not going to dwell on the kaleidoscope of entertainment options assaulting you as you navigate bustling Bangla Road - there are better sites for that information - but rather on choosing appropriate accommodation to suit the kind of relaxation you, you partner and/or family have in mind.

The raucous New Tiger nightclub is one of the 'colourful' venues
along bustling Bangla Road (source: phuket101.net)

To illustrate my point, I stayed two nights in each of two contrasting properties. One, a sprawling 665-room resort, the other, a secluded 16-villa private sanctuary. And, as you can imagine, there are plenty of options in between.

Apart from selecting the style of property you want to stay at, location is another prime consideration. Taxis around the island can be exorbitant by Thai standards, so you don't want to be taking them everyday to get to your activities. If you want your action close to riotous Bangla Road, then there are several branded hotels within an easy stumble from the front line melee.

Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa – phuketarcadia.hilton.com

Set on a massive 75-acre plot, the 665-room Hilton is around 25 years old but has had numerous rooms upgraded as recently as 2011 in the Deluxe Plus category. Entry-level Deluxe are the same size without the recent decorative refurbishments, but are no less comfortable. Above that are the more spacious Junior Suites, but these are yet to undergo refurbishment. There are a dozen or so super-plush Hilton Suites, but I wasn't able to view these.

One of the seven buildings at that make up the
Hilton Arcadia Phuket (supplied)

The resort comprises seven distinct buildings and includes The Spa, children's club, tennis and squash courts (yes, remember them?), extensive business and conference facilities, a massive, scalable ballroom and a fitness centre. There's across-the-road access to upscale Karon Beach or you can swim in any of the three pools.

Refurbished Deluxe Plus room (supplied)

Access to downtown is via a 30-minute cab ride, not something you want to be doing every day. The resort also offer their own transfers, but these are not always available or practical.

While this type of resort is fine for families and groups, it might not appeal to honeymooners or those seeking peace and quiet. For this rejuvenating purpose, I would recommend something like:

The Bell Pool Villa Resort – thebellphuket.com

Self-contained pool villa at The Bell.
Like having your own resort. (supplied)

You can insulate yourself from as much of the outside as you want, making this almost a Howard Hughes experience.

These fabulous 3-y-o villas are fully self-contained behind a high wall and gate with private (8x4m) infinity pool and cabana. Separate bedrooms, living area and kitchen means you can blissfully enjoy your own company (or that of loved ones) while you make your own meals or have them delivered from the kitchen. Need to get out a bit? Stroll down to Zhong, the in-house restaurant, or take the free shuttle to nearby Kamala Beach or downtown Patong.

Breakfast served in your private villa (supplied)
See more images of The Bell Phuket

Perfect for couples, but expandable using the separate bedrooms, each villa can be configured to accommodate up to six persons, seven at a pinch.

There are just 16 villas, 14 standard and two 'Presidential', the latter being able to sleep 8 persons thanks to a fourth bedroom. Watch a movie on the big screen TV or use the nifty Apple TV device provided. There's a private (chargeable) wine 'cellar', free Wi-Fi and spa treatments at the exclusive in-house salon.

So, take your pick. Join in the throng or find your own private hideaway, the choice is yours.

 ~~~~~~~~~

More information on Phuket and Thailand can be always be found at: www.thailand.net.au

Rachamankha Chiang Mai hotel review - Mekong adventure in the old heart

A great hotel is one which fires the imagination. Transports you beyond the everyday into some fantasy world of your own choosing.

It’s something I feel when I step into, say, The Raffles in Singapore and the E & O in Penang.

And it’s something I experienced recently down a rather non-descript soi (street) in the heart of the old walled city of ChiangMai. At Rachamankha.

Its imposing walls open up to reveal a splendid oasis that immediately allows you to dream you are on the verge of some great Mekong adventure. Like Henri Mahout slashing his way through the jungles to unveil an overgrown Angkor Wat.

But rather than untamed jungle, here you find frangipani trees, groves of palms and even bonsais. The shrill chirps of cicadas. And bird song. And thick-pillared buildings dazzle white in the highland sun.

“It’s so authentic,” said my wife. 

Indeed, Rachamankha has a sense of establishment and stature way beyond its mere 10 years. Perhaps that’s got a lot to do with use of heavy dark local woods. Or the 19^th century Burmese antique manuscript boxes which line the corridors. And the beautiful old furniture pieces which adorn each of the 26 rooms and suites. No IKEA-like chipboard stuff here.

Local materials are also used in things like leather-bound menu covers and locally crafted lampshades. And 2-inch thick doors which add to the oeuvre of its Chiang Mai Old Town location.

One ‘but’, however. For a luxury hotel offering, not all rooms offer a bath tub. A shower just doesn’t cut it for me in such sumptuous surroundings. A strong personal bias of mine. I don’t care too much about the room as long as there is a bathtub to luxuriate in. With a bonus point for an old claw-footed enamel one.

Guests will enjoy its airy library, which once again brings us to the likes of the Oriental Bangkok with its leveraged literary heritage. And for a truly regional gastronomic experience, the hotel’s gourmet restaurant dishes up exotic offerings from Thai, Myanmarese and Tai Yai (southern Chinese and Shan ) influences. A la carte breakfast served in the Chinese-themed courtyard sets the tone for a special day ahead.

At the end of a fascinating day around Chiang Mai, the hotel works its magic too. 

“It’s sooo romantic,” cooed my wife as we walked across the moodily spot-lit gardens to sit around the pool one night.

Little wonder then Rachamankha has garnered awards for architecture, culture and boutique accommodation from various respected sources including Conde Naste. For a wonderfully civilized adventure. Imagine that.

Live Music Concerts in Bangkok Thailand

Really enjoyed myself last night watching my first real stadium concert in Bangkok, at Impact Arena.

A great gig. Oops, I should probably rephrase that ... You see, gig in Thai language refers to, well, a side project, someone in musical circles might call it. A dalliance with someone not your regular wife, husband or partner.

Anyway, this blog will not even attempt to deal with or understand the teeming hornets nest that is Thai sexual politics. No deviations on bar girls nor ladyboys this time. So back to the story...

As I blogged last time, Lady Gaga was playing here just a little while ago, and took time out to see ( and rave about) the Calypso Cabaret show. Last night's show was a little milder: Jason Mraz.

Question: how do you pronounce his name name? Is it IM-razz, Ma-razz or um-RAZZ???

Let's start with the venue. Impact is a bloody long way out of town, nowhere near any public transport. However, even in the driving rain we did manage to get a taxi to get us there in just 45 minutes for less than 400 baht (how far would a $13 cab fare get you in your country?).

Thais love a good party, and the convivial atmosphere was tangible an hour enforce the show. And everywhere, the beautiful people on parade. Spray-on tight jeans here, jaunty hat there. Crazy teetering heels everywhere. And that was just the boys, jing jing!

Pizza and fried chicken stalls did bustling business, and the Singha beer queue was literally a walk- up start ... No queue. Soon we were quaffing a very very large plastic cup of icy cold beer. I reckon it was at least a pint, which would ensure I would be carrying my partner home, she being somewhat a lightweight in the drinking stakes.

Impact is a barn of a place, which looks like most other stadiums you've ever seen which seat between 10-12,000 punters. The seats around the edge rise dramatically into the nose-bleed sections.

Personally, I like concerts which have a support band, some local guys prepared to trade off a few well-aimed tomatoes for wider exposure. It gives them a break, and warms up your ears for the main act. But it doesn't seem to be the norm here.

So as a result, my ears went from 0 to 100 in a heartbeat when the house lights dimmed and the full house screamed like it was The Beatles invading America in 1964. Having missed that tour, I have never heard anything like it.

"WE LOVE YOU JASON!!!" All night. In 5-part harmony. And then all the other Thais would get excited that someone was so excited, and reacted to that with their own laughs and screams.

Finally the MrazMan said: "I love you too," and you would've thought the girls had just won a million dollar lottery, a Mercedes Benz SL500 sports car, and experienced multiple orgasms all in one go. Over the top. Blew the lid clean off the stadium.

But all good fun. Anyone who thought Thais were a reserved lot would promptly change their mind heard the singalong to his big songs, such as I'm Yours, which served as a rousing finale.

Only his clearly-annunciated thank yous and goodbyes in Thai -- along with humble and corteous wai gestures to each corner of the room -- drew a bigger response. Gee, I'd love it if every Thai lady I ever waid gave me such a screamingly rapturous reception.

Then off into the night shuffled the crowd. We were lucky enough to bump into friends, otherwise I suspect we may still be standing there waiting for a taxi ride home. But other than the transport logistics, I really recommend you take in a Bangkok concert to capture the true emotions of Thais at play.

Now if I can just get the ringing reverberations of "We love you Jason" out of my ears ...


Where to see live music concerts Bangkok: try these websites

Impact Arena
Hua Mark Stadium (also known as Rajmangla Stadium)
Thai Ticket Major (tickets for most major music shows)



Question: what's your favorite Jason Mraz song? Alternatively, which of his songs do you hope you never ever hear again in your life?

Grand Palace Bangkok - top attraction In Amazing Thailand??

Part of the 218,000 sq metre palace complex.

Wow, I can't believe I have not blogged about the Grand Palace Bangkok before. After all it's is the biggest attraction in Bangkok; well, the most visited structure lets put it that way.

How could I have not wanted to rave about it before now ... The world's longest painting in the form of the diorama depicting the Ramayana which runs for seemingly kilometers along the inner wall of the temple complex. The intriguing story of the origins of the Jade Buddha Temple (or Emerald Buddha, depending on who is telling the story). The glinting 24 carat gold leaf on just about every surface except the floor. The millions of shards of crushed glass and crockery painstakingly placed to embellish decorative walls. And so on. And so on.

Hence my surprise that I haven't covered it before.

Whoever coined the phrase the Grand Palace was sorely underselling it. (What is the opposite of hyperbole anyway?)

I mean if a Hyatt hotel can be Grand, then surely this is Awesome, Stupendous, fantasmagorical, or The Friggin Amazing Palace, to be more colloquial. Bigger than Ben Hur. More pulling power than Lady Gaga. You get the idea ...

Speaking of which, Lady Gaga found herself embroiled in a little controversy last week -- when she landed she tweeted 'I'm in Bankok honey and gonna go the the lady market and buy a fake Rolex'. Well that's just ridiculous, Lady! What kind of town do you think this is??? Lady market? Like you can just go anywhere and buy one of their bar girls from their stock. Huh. As if. Fake Rolex? Like you can just buy pirated goods here. Huh again. As if. What kind of outdated stereotypical perceptions of Amazing Thailand you have, Your Royal Gaganess.

Buddha is in the details.

Anyway, back to the Grand Palace. The complex comprises Sri Lankan, Cambodian, Burmese and Indian temple styles, an eclectic mixture, plus the Euro-classic stylings of the king's former residence and halls, now only used for ceremonial banquets and state functions. There's even an original scale model of Angkor Wat dating back at least 200 years,showing the reverence for that temple in the Buddhist world even back then.

Any downside to being the biggest tourist attraction in Bangkok if not the biggest attraction in Thailand?

Yes, it attracts scam merchants, snake oil salesmen, touts.

Ignore the gap- toothed clown at the taxi stand telling you that foreigners must buy tickets up at the top gate. No! They are available only officially at the main central gate entrance. 400 baht per head for the temple and palace. Also ignore him when he tells you it closes at 1.30. Bullshit -- you are good till 4 pm.

My guide, Khun Tavee. Or maybe this is something from the Ramayana.

And make sure you hire a guide. Once again make sure he or she is qualified, with the appropriate badge of accreditation. A 45 minute tour should cost no more than 500 baht (for a couple).

Kuhn Tavee was a cheerful chap with plenty of dignity even if he didn't veer one word from his script. There again maybe he did ... when describing the 5 pillars of Buddhism. When he came to the last one, 'thou shalt not drink alcohol', he paused.

"Many Thais are bad Buddhists," he said, "because many of us drink. But 4 out of 5 is good enough ... "

He gave me a big grin and a conspiratorial wink. Indeed an ice cold Chang beer is exactly what I needed on that boiling summer's day. Oh, and maybe something from the lady market and a fake watch, too.

Google Street View now in Amazing Thailand

So, Thailand has become the 35th country in the world -- and second in South East Asia after Singapore -- to be StreetViewed (Ok, maybe that product name is not a verb yet).

Well, parts of it anyway ... Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai for starters. And Google claims that 90% of all streets are covered.

That in itself is a BIG number, and, dear readers, I am not about to go out and double check it. But Bangkok is riddled with streets, sois, minor sois, sub sois, sois off sois, and little access ways that just don't plain exist on any map.

After all, where do you think U2 got the inspiration for their song Where The Streets Have No Name?

Does Google Street View really cover 90%? That's not the point. The point is that as a tourist in Thailand or before your travel to Bangkok etc, you can have a look at some of the places you might want to stay ... such as Khao San Road. Maybe some of the dreadlocks and tattoos you spot on incidental passersby or brochure-toting touts will put you off. Or maybe make you say, Get Me There Now, Darnnit!

Street View makes you virtual judge and jury. But it's never as good as being there and seeing it for yourself.

Pattaya - Sleazy does it.

Just returned from a weekend in Pattaya in Amazing Thailand, and pleased to say that NOTHING has changed form my last visit! ;)

See my previous blog http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=1464710307120745531&postID=8292168080960829518 about the bars, great new Pattaya hotels, bars, the red hot Walking Street, bars, the beachside attractions, bars, and more.

Wet and wild! Songkran festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Note lethal Hello Kitty spray gun

Imagine more loud shirts than a convention group in Waikiki. Imagine several rock bands belting it out on stages right next to and across from each other. Imagine your hottest summer's day. Imagine the booziest concert or festival you ever attended. Imagine the funnest New Year's Eve party you ever went to. And now imagine all of those things combined in one place, for three days non-stop.

That gives you an idea of Songkran in Chiang Mai, where the Thai New Year festival is celebrated longer and louder than elsewhere.

And still we haven't come to the best part: the water.

Guns 'R Us

Ambushes are set up along every highway, street, side alley. Garden hoses, buckets of water, water pistols. Did I say water pistols? I meant Rambo-style shoulder mounted spray guns. Loaded either with murky water from the historical moat, or with iced water that chills the very blood in your veins on instant contact. Followed by a cheery call of 'Sawatdee pii mai' - happy new year.

People on motorbikes are wood-ducks at a shooting range. Easy targets. Blasted with impunity. Open-backed red song-taew trucks are also fair game ... passengers huddled in the back are a captive audience for a dousing. Woe betide the driver who stops to pick up passengers or stops at a red light. Before he knows it, his truck is carrying 10,000 litres of excess liquid and his passengers are swimming for their lives.

And then there are the pick-up trucks. They cruise with malicious intent, loaded to the gunwhales with about 30 eager family and friends sardined in the back (this is a game for the whole family, after all, including grandma), plus barrels of water, blocks of ice, crates and crates of beer. The term 'drive by' was coined for this. Any vehicle they pass cops a spray. And any roadside groups are openly contested by pulling over and going toe-to-toe with them.

At traffic lights, two pick-ups side by side is like a series of point-blank broadsides in the battle of Trafalgar, jing jing.


Best of all, is the spirit of all of this. Shrieks of laughter, begrudging acknowledgement of a good shot scored, whoops and hollers, dancing in the street. And everywhere, great big shit-eating grins as people slop about completely soaked from head-to-toe. (The world's largest inadvertent wet T-shirt contest is a nice by-product of all of this!)

Feels like a beach party.

So don't bring your best suit and leather brogues -- you'll be over-dressed wearing crocs. But do bring your sense of humour. Especially as a foreigner, you are worth double points every time.

The moat of Chiang Mai serves as party central ... an endless ammunition dump of water to be tapped. So every car, tuk tuk, pick-up truck, and taxi in town heads here, like a drunken moth to a psychedelic lava lamp. A circuit of the walled city that would normally take, oh, 10-15 minutes suddenly -- rather, not suddenly at all -- takes you more like 3-4 hours.Like a lumbering bumper-to-bumper float parade.

People clamber on and off vehicles, re-supplying, re-loading, getting in cheeky revenge splashes for an earlier exchange down the road.

Of course water and electricity mix ...

Where bands are set up, fire engine-like high pressure guns are mounted on cherry pickers and douse at regular intervals the willing audience, traffic cops, and all cars and bikes trying to edge their way through the milling throngs.

I've been to all kinds of crazy festivals in the world, including the Hong Kong Rugby 7s which was previously my high-water mark, but Songkran wins by a mile. Or a smile.

So book your ticket today for Songkran April 2012, Don't forget to reserve your pick-up truck. Oh, and pack your wetsuit.

Question: where was the most fun place you celebrated Songkran?

Thai Airways celebrates 40 years to Oz

Thai Airways started flying to Australia with its first intercontinental flight to the Land Down Under on April 1, 1971. That flight went from Bangkok to Singapore to Sydney, with half the plane painted in Thai colours, the other, its partner airline, SAS.

Picture me in khaki school shorts, and a cruel bowl-cut hair do. I don't think I'd even heard of Thailand back then.

To celebrate this, they are now having a 40-Day Anniversary sale with special airfares starting from just AUD $955 to Thailand, Asia, India, and Europe, jing jing.  Yes, that would be return.

Best to check out their website www.thaiairways.com.au for the fine print.

Thai Airways has aged gracefully since then. As for me, well, I can only dream of cruel bowl-cuts these days.

Good news on travel to Thailand ...

The Prime Minister chose to wear his floral tie ...

Good news seems to be flowing thick and fast out of Thailand again ...

I spent today sitting in the e-ASEAN eTravel Forum and have come away with some inspiring news about tourism in the Kingdom to share:

Prime Minister Abhisit told the assembled mass of regional tourism luminaries, hoteliers, and freelance travel hacks looking to freeload another buffet lunch (hey, hold on, I resemble that remark), that Thailand tourism is kicking in 7% of the country's GDP, and -- whereas around 15 million visitors came to Thailand last year -- this year they are expecting more like 17 million. Jing Jing. Pop the champagne and tap the keg!

"With tourism we're able to bring people together in friendship," he told me over a quiet cup of tea in the corner, adding that Thailand is moving in a much 'greener' direction overall. With that, I had to excuse myself, apologising that I had many other things to cover this morning even if his schedule was rather free ...

Khun Apichai of the Tourism Technology Association built on the same positive theme: "At ITB 2011, the World Tourism Council released a research paper which ranked Thailand #5 in the world in tourism growth prospects or the next 10 years." Another body (sorry, I wasn't paying 100% attention, dear readers!) ranked Thailand #4 in global growth potential.

And Thailand hopes to make a LOT of new friends when it bids for World Expo 2020.

Etc etc. And, well, what do you know, it's lunchtime already. Sorry got to rush off and beat the buffet queue
...



Are you surprised by the bullish growth projections above? 
More on travelling to Thailand: www.thailandtourism.org

Jim Thompson House Bangkok. Weaving a mystery.

Hollywood would struggle to dream up a more evocative script: CIA intrigue, the exotic east, political skulduggery, A-list dinner guests, millions made, and then … a sudden disappearance. ‘Absolute mysteries only improve with age,’ says William Warren, author of Jim Thompson: The Unsolved Mystery. ‘And there can have been few as absolute as Thompson’s has proved to be.’ With around 40,000 visitors a year, Thompson’s house is increasingly a part of Bangkok’s fabric.

Thompson arrived in Thailand as a military intelligence officer with the OSS (fore-runner of the CIA) at the close of the Second World War. Hand-weaving of silk in rich exotic colours fired his imagination, so after discharge he set about reviving Thailand’s fading cottage industry. His skill as a designer and colourist was soon noted by fashion editors at Vogue etc and, when the casts of Ben Hur and The King and I musical disported Thompson’s creations, his silk empire was off and spinning.

In 1959, the great host’s Thai teak house became an instant Bangkok landmark: a letter addressed, simply, to ‘Jim Thompson, Bangkok’ found its way to him. Barbara Hutton, Senator William Fulbright, Truman Capote were among his star-spangled guests. Somerset Maugham’s thank you note read: ‘You have not only beautiful things, but what is rare you have arranged them with faultless taste’.

But he didn’t have long to enjoy the dream he’d woven. On March 26 1967 he was visiting Singaporean friends, the Lings, at Moonlight Cottage in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. Following a picnic on Mount Brinchang, they went back to enjoy a siesta, and … he simply vanished into, well, thin air.

Theories abounded, many centred on his CIA connections and friendship with former Thai PM Pridi, who was exiled in China. There was also the Fine Arts Department who accused him of systematically looting up-country temples. This cut deeply as he saw himself as a guardian of these art forms and antiquities. He wrote the Siam Society – which stood to inherit his house, land, company shares, and collections – out of his will.

Others believed he was mistakenly shot by an errant orang asli (indigenous tribe) blow-dart, and hastily buried. Then, within six months, his elderly sister was murdered in America.

Investigators publicly favoured the communist kidnapping plot, with terrorists active throughout the 450 square kilometres of the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia, until their surrender in 1989. There were supposed sightings of Thompson in Canton, Laos, even Tahiti, but in 1974 Thompson was officially declared dead in USA and Thailand.

I pick up Thompson’s trail in a half-acre oasis of golden bamboo, ficus trees and flowering bananas tucked away down an otherwise non-descript Bangkok soi (street). Here, an impossibly elegant guide, dressed in one of Thompson’s creations of crimson and gold silk, greets me with a reverent wai gesture.

You see, opposite Thompson’s weaving village in Ban Krua was land he’d always fancied; formerly part of a summer palace compound that bordered the klong (canal). He chose to build a house here, now a draw card in a kingdom with a royal flush of attractions. For this was no ordinary house by anyone’s standards. Six traditional Thai teak houses, some centuries old, were seamlessly coupled – it was their craftsmanship and permanence that captivated Thompson. The houses were dismantled, stacked on barges and brought by river from the ancient capital, Ayudhya, to the construction site. Early in the spring of 1959, on a day deemed auspicious by a Buddhist geomancer, Thompson officially moved into his new home.

Such was Thompson’s fastidious dedication to detail, the finest carpenters were summoned from Ayudhya (Ayyuthaya) to reassemble the structures. Thai architectural idiosyncrasies include openings that taper at the top, venting more of the stifling tropical torpor. The house is elevated a full storey above the ground on stilts, a practical precaution born of legendary monsoon storms. The illusion of height and grace is also served by the walls leaning slightly inward.

The high ceilings slope ‘cathedral’ style, maximising light and air. Shutters are thrown open to welcome cool breezes. Each doorway is crossed by a 15-inch plank step that typically serves two purposes: one, to stop babies crawling out into the canal; the other, to stop ghosts said to travel only along the floor.

Thompson stamped his eclectic imprimatur -- black and white Italian floor tiles are teamed with his second passion: Chinese porcelain. Especially the dazzling five-coloured bencharong style, created centuries ago exclusively for export to Thailand. Many he picked up cheaply during Sunday strolls in Nakorn Kasem, Bangkok’s ‘Chinatown’.

The dining room’s centrepiece is carved teak tables originally made for gaming. These bear the insignia of King Chulalongkorn. The chandeliers Thompson procured from 18th and 19th century Thai palaces. The plates are 17th century blue-and-white porcelain.

The largest single space is the drawing room, decorated richly with paintings -- on cloth, paper, wood. Sculptures cover an astonishing 14 centuries of Thai, Burmese and Cambodian history. Burmese figurines of nat (good spirits) from Amarapura accent niches. A limestone torso of Buddha from Lopburi dates back to the 7th century.

Now Jim Thompson’s house, left fairly much as it was, is open to the public, presents like the Marie Celeste. And you feel he could pop his head around the corner and surprise you any moment …

See Jim Thompson House: Located at 6/1 Soi Kasemsan 2, near National Stadium BTS Open for tours daily. Also a bar and restaurant on site.

So what do YOU think happened to Jim Thompson? Let me know your theories, no matter how way out.