For a long time everyone thought Pattaya began and ended with the walking strip, which is nothing but one bar after the other jostling for space. But over the years this destination has been cleaning up its act and adding other attractions to its portfolio. Nestled along a picturesque bay on the East Coast of the Gulf of Thailand, Pattaya is roughly 170 kilometers southeast of Bangkok and worth a visit.

The city was first “discovered” by expatriates from Bangkok desperate for a weekend break and American GIs on leave during the Vietnam war in the ’60s. Pattaya’s natural bay and the long, sandy beach to the south known as Jomtien was the main attraction. Before the arrival of these holidaymakers, for centuries, Pattaya was a small fishing village almost cut off from the outside world. But on 29 April 1961 the first group of about 100 American servicemen who arrived in Pattaya for relaxation and changed everything.

Soon, sleepy Pattaya was to become Thailand’s premier beach destination and the entertainment capital of Thailand attracting tourists by the planeload. According to some estimates the resort town welcomes five million tourists a year.

Historically speaking, the name of this city owes its origins to the march of Phraya Tak (King Taksin the Great) from Ayutthaya to Chantaburi just before the fall of Ayutthaya to the Burmese in 1767. When Phraya Tak’s army arrived in what is Pattaya today, he encountered the troops of Nai Klom (a local ruler) who tried to intercept him but surrendered without a fight. The place where the two armies confronted each other came be called Thap Phraya (Army of the Phraya).

This was later changed to Phatthaya, which means “the wind blowing from the southwest to the northeast” at the beginning of the rainy season. Today the spelling has been simplified to Pattaya.

And topday the city has moved far away from its historic origins. Though one rues Pattaya’s eventual commercialisation, the city does offer a lot – few holiday destinations in Asia can match the variety of pastimes the destination has to offer – from all kinds of water sports, archery, bowling, horse riding to go-carting, tennis and scuba diving. Also, within easy reach of Pattaya are a score of international quality golf courses, five star resorts, parks, zoo, etc. Over and above all that, the town’s nightlife is legendary.

Though Pattaya’s beaches were what first attracted the expats in the ’60s today they are a jumble of deck chairs and umbrellas. You would have to go to the furthest corners for a bit of peace and quiet. For the perfect beach think of exploring th islands off shore. More than a dozen islands vie for the attention of the daytrippers.

Koh Larn, one of the closest islands to Pattaya is also one of the most popular. Also called Coral Island it is only 20 minutes by speedboat or a leisurely 40 minutes on the tourist boats that leave from the South Pattaya Pier. This island is a centre for water sports: parasailing, sailboarding, deep-sea fishing, diving and snorkelling. But if all you want to do is sunbathe, you’ll find a spot. You can easily spend a day here snorkelling and enjoying the beach. Sightseeing tours in glass-bottomed boats to view coral reefs are a big attraction here.

In the evenings Pattaya explore the bars and as for dining options there are plenty, thanks to the large expat community which calls the city its home. Choose from Russian, German, Italian, Lebanese, French, Japanese, English pub grub, etc. You can also check out the theaters, cabaret shows, night clubs, bowling halls, billiard & massage parlors. Of course there is also shopping both day and night.

Now for the kids who accompany the adults to Pattaya; there is plenty for them to do too. Start with an educational visit to The Million Years Stone Park, which is home to plant fossils over a million years old, 200 year old Thai style bonsai trees, and a rock gardens. The park also has a collection of rare albino bears, elephants and horses, and crocodiles and organize animal shows and crocodile round-ups every day.

If your kids like elephants do take them to the Elephant Village on Pornprapanimitr Road which organizes demonstrations of working elephants daily. A hit with the kids is the Elephant ride. Talking of animals, visit the Sriracha Tiger Zoo with its 200 bengal tigers and 100.000 corcodiles next. It is not too far away from Pattaya and you can go on a tiger safari or opt to cuddle a tiger cub. Another foray into the animal kingdom can be made at the Khao Kieo Open Zoo, an hour or so’s drive from Pattaya.

A sure hit with the kids is the Pattaya Water Park, on the way to Jomtien Beach. The amusement park has all manner of slides and adventure options for the kids. The admission fee is not excessive and is sure to delight every child. Another winner is the Ripley’s Belive It or Not museum. You can spend hours looking at all the weird and wonderful objects from shrunken heads to African voodoo dools. Ten themed galleries featuring unbelivable exhibits entertain. An added attraction here is the Ripley’s Motion Master Panorama Theatre and the Ripley’s Laser Trek where you and your kids can battle it out with laser guns, vests and an area with targets that shoot back.

The naturalist might like to walk around the Siriporn orchid Farm, but I’d take the kids to the Bottle Art museum which has 300 glass bottles containing churches, temples, palaces, and ships, creatd by Dutch artist Peter Bedelais. Mini Siam is worth a visit too. This miniature city has more than 100 models on a scale of 1:25, of important historical sites around Thailand; temples, palaces, etc. Plus models of Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, London’s Tower Bridge and the Trevi Fountain.

Nong Nooch Gardens could be an option if you and your kids enjoy cultural shows and Thai traditional dances. Pattaya certainly offers a broad range of things to do but one of the best ways to explore it during the day is on a motorbike.

A important reason for this website is that my friends should be able to keep track of me. And when months went by and no new posts appeared I began to get e-mails asking me “where are you?”. Instead of doing the easy thing and update my website a year ago I send everyone a reply where I told them that I was OK, but that my life was a bit messy. I also promised a detailed explanation at a later stage to satisfy their curiosity, and here it is.

My first posts in my diary is written in Norwegian, as some of my non-norwegian speaking friends have had some trouble working those out I will in the future write in English. But please remember that English is not my native language so you will most certainly find grammatical errors here, when you do, please continue reading and do not mind them.

Well, to keep my non-norwegian speaking friends satisfied I will do a brief explanation on my life just before and after I moved to Thailand so you can better understand what has happened the past year.

I worked for the Norwegian Armed Forces as a Computer Engineer and was married to a indonesian girl, when I suddenly got an early mid life crises. Within a week I for some unknown reason decided to quit the job I had had for years, get out of a marriage I had been in for years and find a unknown path in life. And so I did, got myself a airline ticket to Thailand and ended up in the land of smile with a small amount of money and no idea on what to do.

My friends thought I was crazy, and I got to admit that it was crazy. I got no idea why I did it and it still pussle me from time to time. But what had been done was done so in the middle of Bangkok I tried to come up with a plan. And my plan became to have no plan and just see what life had in store for me. After a while I got involved with a girl from south of Thailand, did some work on a couple of websites I had at the time and life went on. That relationship ended after almost 2 years and I was single again.

After a while I found the love of my life. She is half Thai and half English and was on her way home to England when I first met her. For me it was love at first sight and after a while she felt the same for me. We moved to Pattaya, lived there for more than a year and enjoyed the beaches, friends and so on. She checked out a couple of schools for further education, and I found out that if I should survive down here I needed to get something to do. And as I already was a diver I checked out the possibilities of becoming a PADI Divemaster.

It’s when things go smooth you can expect trouble, and so was also the case here. My girlfriend got her parent down on a visit, and even if they had never met me they had decided not to like me. So when she went of to meet them on Koh Samui, they did what they could to separate us. And it worked, because when I met her again she was a very different person. Just a month later she disappeared without a word or trace.

As I had no idea on what had happened I did my best to find her, and in the end I was told by someone else that she was OK and that I should just go on with my life and she would be back at some point. So I headed of to Phuket where I did my PADI Divemaster with Scandinavian Divers in Patong. Me and Jan Rune, a fellow norwegian who is a good friend, had checked them out over Internet and decided that we would try them out.

Diplomatically I can say that our PADI Divemaster course could have been better, in my view at least. But we did get trough it and as soon as it was done we did our PADI Instructor Development Course and PADI Instructor Examination. In short both me and Jan Rune became PADI Instructors in 2005 and got a job at Scandinavian Divers.

After a month I was told that there was possibilities to work at Koh Phi Phi, which is located 1 hour and 30 minutes by boat from Phuket. The islands became famous after the Hollywood movie “The Beach”. So I went over and got a job straight away at Island Divers, where I had done all my dive courses up to Rescue Diver some years earlier.

Found myself a room for rent and worked between 15 and 20 hour days every day of the week. And I absolutely loved it. It was fantastic to be able to teach people to dive and see the smile on their faces after their first open water dive when they had seen a turtle or shark. A year went and suddenly one evening I got a phone call. It was a girl in the other end but she would not say who she was, after a while I figured out that it was my girlfriend who had decided to appear again.

After she left me with a friend she had been fooled by her friend who had stolen most of her money. With what she had left she had tried to win enough money to survive in Bangkok by gambling. As she is half Thai it did not surprise me at all that she had gone to that step. After she had lost what she had left, and much more she fled to England and her wealthy parents. She had not told them about the whole thing as she knew they would become extremely upset. And now she was back in Thailand and had no idea on what to do.

The next phase in my life can be called “losing my mind”. As she was, is and always will be my true love in life I wanted to make everything right for her. So I asked her how much she owed people, and she gave me a pretty high number, so high that I had problems grasping it at first. Then I told her to wait in Bangkok, where she was, and I would come the next day. And next day I had booked us in on a a nice hotel by the riverside. Then things went fast. I got hold of my bank and told them to move all my money to an account I could use within the next hour, went to the bank and withdrawn the money and gave it to her. The manager of the bank asked me discreetly several times if I was sure I wanted to do this, as he had probably seen it before. I said I did.

Within a couple of hours the people she owed money to came to the hotel and collected it and she was free of debth. She thanked me all evening and as she was aware of that it was a loan, told me that she would pay me back as soon as she could. Her wealthy parents had given her some real estate that she was in the process of selling so I would get it pretty soon.

A couple of days later she took of with a friend to see the “Bridge over river Kwai” while I headed to Phuket. After a week she came down to meet me in Phuket and we had 3 really nice weeks together. Everything was back to as it had been before and life was great. After 3 weeks she had to meet up with her parents again and she promised that we would be back together again in 10 days.

We talked on the phone several times daily for the first days. Then I lost my cellular phone and when I was lucky enough to get it back again one day later I saw that she had tried to call me 4 times. So I tried to phone her, but nobody picked up the phone. And that went on for days, and at some point I understood that she had changed her SIM card and I got no way to contact her again.

I do understand that the whole thing seems unbelievable, and that I must be the king of idiots. But remember that this girl ment and mean more to me than anything else on earth. Some people have asked me if I belive I will ever see her again, well I actually do think that I will. At some point she will find me again or I will find her. Got no idea what will happen from there, but the way I know her tell me that we will meet again.

Anyway, I went back to Koh Phi Phi and became an SSI Instructor as well as Island Divers decided to become a SSI dive shop. And I worked hard until a couple of weeks ago when I went on a holiday. It can be pretty hard to work that many hours every day of the week and always be service minded towards all your customers. So I needed a holiday. What I will do during my holiday will be in my next diary post.

Hope this satisfied the curiosity for some, and please add a comment if there are more questions on top of your head.

Some time ago I came up with the theory that it would be possible to live comfortably in Pattaya for 1000 Baht per day. In order to test it, since 1 January 2003 I have kept records of every baht I have spent, where I spent it and what I spent it on. Now, after two full years, it is possible to analyze the records to either confirm my theory or put it to rest. If you are a retired millionaire or someone for whom money is no object, don’t read on. What follows will only be of interest to the 99% of us with limited resources.

Accommodation: Clean, comfortable, fully furnished apartments, townhouses or bungalows are available in and around Pattaya for between 4000 and 8000 Baht per month. Of course, the further out of Pattaya you live the cheaper the accommodation, but this is offset by added transportation costs to and from the city or the markets. For argument’s sake, let’ say something reasonably handy can be found for 6000 Baht per month.

Utilities: Your electricity bill depends upon your way of life and the charge imposed by your landlord. The basic amount charged by the electric company is around 3.5 Baht per unit but some serviced apartments have been known to charge up to 8 Baht per unit. This is a rip-off. Paying direct to the electricity provider is the cheapest option. You receive a monthly computer-generated invoice and can pay it at any 7-Eleven.

The use of air-conditioners greatly adds to the bill so it would be wise to choose your accommodation carefully. Make sure you get a breeze and plenty of through-ventilation when you open the windows. Unless you like to freeze, a ceiling fan above the bed is adequate for a comfortable night’s sleep and floor fans work well whenever there is no breeze. I have two air-conditioners in my humble home but never switch them on. Consequently, my electricity bill was rarely more than 750 Baht per month.

Water is usually charged at 20 to 25 Baht per unit but you would have to be a fish to go through more than ten units per month. Many places also charge 100 Baht for garbage collection so, all up, your utility bills should come to no more than 1100 Baht per month.

Food: This is up to each individual so if you are into fine dining at restaurants then you will pay the price. If you are budget minded and like Thai food then eating at inexpensive Thai restaurants and food stalls is very reasonable. In my opinion it is cheaper to eat out in this fashion than preparing your own meals but let’s assume you do both. You will need a gas cooker and bottle, both of which should already be installed in your home. One of those large gas bottles costs less than 300 Baht to refill and lasts a long time. I’ve been using mine daily for over a year and it is nowhere near empty. This will require an initial outlay for some pots, pans, plates, bowls, cups, glasses and utensils but all that is very cheap at the markets. I also have a toaster and a hot water jug.

If you buy some eggs, bacon, sausages, bread and butter, that will cover breakfast. Later, if you bought three Thai dishes at around 30 Baht each, it would be difficult to claim you were still hungry. If we say that will cost 150 Baht per day or 4500 Baht per month. Adding 25 Baht for gas, 100 Baht for cooking oil and condiments, 100 Baht for toiletries and cleaning products then rounding up, it would not be unreasonable to say that, for one person, a monthly grocery bill of 5000 Baht is close to the mark.

Laundry: I’m going to make two totally unjustified assumptions here. Firstly, I’ll assume you are an adult male and secondly, I’ll assume that, like me, the method by which clothes are cleaned and ironed is foreign to you. This being the case, Pattaya has no shortage of laundries. It has been my experience that the best value is from those offering 100 pieces for 600 Baht. Some offer 80 pieces for 500 Baht. You make a one-off payment and from then on they simply deduct the number of items in each load from the total. The following day you pick up the clothes washed, ironed and folded. Be aware though that underpants and each sock count as one piece and that bed sheets and towels may count as two. For this reason (and another reason of which all men will be aware), I wash my own underwear and socks. As a result, 100 pieces of laundry usually covers one month and 600 Baht is reasonable for a laundry bill.

That completes what I call the ‘essential’ expenses and we have reached a total of 12700 Baht. Of course if you want to live at that basic level you may as well move into the mountains, become a hermit and make a good job of it. Therefor, we now come to ‘non-essential’ items.

Medicals: Although not really an expense until you get sick, you had better make sure you have sufficient funds to cover treatment just in case. Medical insurance can cost between 8000 and 20000 Baht per year depending on the company and the benefits. For the sake of easy calculation, let’s take an average of 12000 Baht per year or 1000 Baht per month.

Transport: Very cheap if you have your own motorbike or car. I do not, but even so, my use of Baht Buses and motorcycle taxis costs on average no more than 900 Baht per month.

Telephone/Internet: If you don’t have any relatives or friends, this is not necessary. I have a mobile phone and use two cards per month totaling 600 Baht. I use a cheap Internet cafe at 40 Baht per hour. Assume five hours per month on the Internet and the total for Telephone/Internet is 800 Baht per month.

Television: Without cable, the local free-to-air stations are ‘pass me the razor blades’ stuff. Sophon cable (60 channels of utter rubbish) costs up to 350 Baht per month. Add 1300 Baht if you want UBC as well. I have Sophon cable and spend my ‘television time’ sitting with the remote, starting at Channel 1 and surfing up to Channel 60 then back again before turning the television off. That’s my exercise for the day.

Every foreigner also has visa expenses which can be anywhere between 2000 and 24000 Baht per year depending on the type of visa and how many visa runs are required. Assume the worst-case scenario and add 2000 Baht per month. We’ve now reached a grand total of 17750 Baht leaving 12250 Baht in the kitty for ‘entertainment’ before passing the magical figure of 1000 Baht per day.

Thus I proved my theory. For a man living alone and possessing limited vices, a budget of 1000 Baht a day would provide a comfortable living in Pattaya. It would be a different story back home. Being a little over 400 British Pounds, around 600 Euros, a little over 1000 Australian Dollars, almost 780 US Dollars or 4800 Norwegian Kroner per month, it would be lucky to pay the rent.

The author is ‘A fool in paradise’ who writes for the excellent community magazine ‘Pattaya Trader’. It’s free and provides a lot of information for everyone who want to live in Pattaya for a while. Pick it up from one of the several locations in the city.

Well, Thailand’s beaches have certainly got a lot of attention this year, although much of the media spin hasn’t been exactly fair. I’m talking, of course, about the big wave. Don’t fret though, gentle reader, that was months ago and things are back to normal now. You’re pretty unlikely to notice much change in Phuket and it was the west coast and the rest of the country is fine. Indeed, down south they just want the tourists back so everyone can get on with their lives and forget about the whole thing.

Now that its March the weather is going from hot to steaming before the great warm and wet climax of Songkran (water-throwing festival) in April. If there’s a time to hit the beach, its now. We’re in the tail-end of high season so things should be in full-swing on the nation’s bays and beaches. So if you are going for a dip, a few words of caution. A tan is great but don’t get trashed on Chang and pass out in the sun, you’ll look pretty silly with second-degree burns on your nose. Then again, more people get killed by falling coconuts than snake bites (development of a coconut anti-venom has been alarmingly sluggish) so perhaps the shade isn’t that great either. Don’t worry about going swimming after eating, that’s a big fib, and all the sharks in this country are pretty friendly. What wrecks most people’s holidays and knee-joints are motorcycle accidents. Yup, the two-wheeled killer stalks this land day and night in its thirst for blood and gravel-rash. Don’t believe me? Check out how many people you see on Samui with bandaged limbs. So, look left, look right, hang on tight and remember that everyone else on the road are out to kill you.

Koh Chang
The name in Thai means “Elephant” and contrary to popular myth, the island is not named after a popular alcoholic beverage. Koh Chang is a relative newcomer to mainstream tourism and the addition of an airport on the mainland opposite is bringing heaps of sun hedonists. That said, much of the island remains less developed than many other popular islands, and to be frank, it ain’t party central – which many see as a good thing. Excellent white sand, and the little sea critters on the beaches can provide excellent nighttime entertainment. It’s only a few hours by road from Bangkok so on a weekend accommodation becomes tight and prices go up.

How to get there
By Air: 4000 Baht return on Bangkok Airways twice daily flight.
By Bus: 170-200 Baht for the six-hour trip from Morchit Bus Terminal to Trat, from where a songtaew will whisk you to the ferry pier at Laem Ngop.
By Minivan: A cramped four-hour drive from Bangkok for 270-300 Baht, including cost of ferry crossing.

Koh Tao
Tao is probably best known as a Mecca for divers. Generations of young and keen Cousteaus have ventured below the briny blue, pursuing their PADI Open Water certificate. There are some more challenging dive sites in Thailand, though not nearly so convenient – and because of gentle currents, a solid infrastructure, and reasonable prices, this is one of the best places in the region to get started. Most of the operators have formed a dive association that is now working with some success to preserve the sites and open a few new ones, halt coral damage and such. Tao is a great place for whale sharks and the island itself is beautiful, with great food and a surprisingly lively party scene.

How to get there
From Bangkok trains leave Hualhumphong Station nightly arriving in Chumphon at the ungodly hour of 4am. Slumber at the station for a while before you transfer to the pier for the ferry which arrives at around 10.00am. There are various travel companies offering joint bus and boat tickets from Bangkok. Several ferries of various speeds leave from Koh Phang Nan and Koh Samui mainly in the morning. Times and boats change depending on demand and the weather. Check travel agents for latest times and prices.

Koh Samet
Ah, Koh Samet! A beautiful sand island and national park just a short motor from Bangkok. Don’t worry about those malaria and rabies warnings; as a visitor you’re pretty unlikely to pick up anything more than a tan. As the closest beach to Bangkok worth going to, Samet is popular with weekending Thais, so rooms can be a bit short Saturday night and whenever there’s a public holiday. But if you go midweek, you can enjoy empty beaches and cheap prices without the hassle of an overnight bus trip down south. Not much jungle interior to explore – it’s really just a strip of white sand with sun, bungalows and bars on it, so it’s perfect for quaffing, stuffing your face and relaxing – and little else.

Hat Sai Kaew
The aptly named White Sand Beach is located around the hatchet head of the axe-shaped island. Its got some of the glitz but none of the vices of Samui or Phuket. In general, it is pricier and more family-oriented than the other beaches. That said, the nightlife has been picking up, thanks to venues like Beach Bar and, right next door, the Reggae Pub where, as all psychics have predicted by now, Bob Marley’s Most Overplayed Hits are in eternal rotation. There’s sand like an angel’s dandruff on this beach, and in case you don’t believe the diving is better on Koh Tao then an outing with Ploy Diving should convince you.

Ao Hin Khok
For parties, food and affordable accommodation Naga reigns supreme on the next beach southward. But with bungalows for 200 Baht it can get pretty full. Some of the best parties on Samet are in their elevated bar which has coconut palms (festooned with fairy lights) growing right through the floor. Good selection of dance tracks, a pool table, and a special “Flip a Coin” promotion on drinks every night from 10pm-midnight. Tok’s and Jep’s are two of the other mainstays for global nomads, and also serve up their own extremely edible food, with the cuisine at Jep’s topping Samet’s charts. But I should remind you of this ruby of wisdom from the eminent Australian gourmand John MCDonald. “Like most beach resorts in Thailand, the seafood is magnificent, the Thai food is component, and the Western food is crap – order with caution.” Yes, words to dine by, except for the aforementioned Jep’s, which does everything splendidly.

Ao Phai
At the north of this beach is Ao Phai Huts where bungalows begin at 600 Baht. Next along is party central at Silversand. Its a sliver of Koh Panga – without the class A’s or the blaring trance – and has mats on the beach, fire-juggling from 10pm, and it’s open very late sometimes. They even teach fire-juggling here, and watch Farangs set their t-shirts aflame is a favorite pastime after midnight. Speaking of flames, check out Rayong’s only sheesha cafe at Sheesha Cafe. One of the signs you’ll see all over Samet advertises a fishing and snorkeling tour; it includes stops at nearby islands, lunch, and turtle and shark farms. “All this and a smile for 400 Baht only,” the sign says. The tours run from 11am-4pm daily. Silversand also rent kayaks for 100 Baht per hour or 400 Baht for the day. And if you’re gagging for a sheesha pipe, drop in to Sheesha Cafe at Seabreeze bungalows.

Ao Pudsa
Sometimes known as Ao Phudsa, this stretch of blinding white sand has a sign hanging from a tree that says its a “Rabies Free Zone.” Yes, the sand dogs can be a nuisance when you’re not Cujo by any means. The best thing about this small and popular beach is that its faraway enough from Ao Phai to be quiet but close enough to walk and party there. For 500 Baht the bungalows at Ao Phudsa are a touch dirty and dilapidated. A better deal is Tubtim, right beside it, which has fan-cooled bungalows for the same price, or air-con jobbies for 1200 Baht. And their restaurant is one of the best on the island. Period.

Ao Nuan
To really get away from it all – even your irksome doppelganger Ernie – make a beeline for this small, secluded beach. Its just around from the boulder-strewn headland at the end of Tubtim. There’s only one bungalow operation here – Ao Nuan – which has nine charming old-fashioned bungalows in the 300-600 Baht price range. Even if you don’t stay over here, its a great place for swimming and rarely gets crowded.

Best of the rest
Ao Vongduean is the longest beach. It attracts a lot of Thais with money and families because of some outstanding mid-range digs like the Malibu Resort with air-con bungalows for 1200 Baht. One of the island’s better bars and restaurants Bay Watch is conveniently located on Vongduean for your partying pleasure. In general, the further south you go, the more Thai and isolated the island becomes. If you’re into camping and marine biology make footprints for Ao Kiu. Here you can rent tents and camp near the beach. On the other side of the island is Ao Prao, which boasts a very fancy resort and is otherwise a cool place to venture for a sunset.

How to get there
Public Bus: Departures every hour from Eastern Bus Terminal on Sukhumvit Soi 63, off the Ekkamai skytrain station. Tickets are 125-150 Baht. Bear in mind that the last ferry (50 Baht; takes 45 minutes) leaves Ban Phe at 6pm. In order to catch it you need to get the 2pm bus, because the journey takes around three-and-a-half hours. If you do miss that boat, then you can rent a speedboat for a minimum of 1000 Baht for four or five people.
Motorcycle Rentals: 350-400 Baht per day. Drive easy, because the roads are both sandy and will leave you with a serious case of hemorrhoids.

Koh Phi Phi
Probably one of the world’s most beautiful places, the area around Phi Phi was used in both The Man with the Golden Gun and backpacking odyssey The Beach. Phi Phi actually consists of two islands, both steep limestone formations with a small section of flat land between them, on which Phi Phi village was nestled before the wave hit. Sadly, the low-laying village was badly struck and many structures were destroyed, including the pier. At the time of writing, this part of the island was not recommended for tourists, although they are hard at work and things will improve. The northeast section of the island, where there are a handful of resorts was relatively undamaged and is operating normally.

Koh Samui
Once, years ago, Samui was a hippie travelers playground. Back then there was only one bar on Chaweng, nobody shaved and the only thing anyone wanted was peace and love. Yup, 1999 was quite a year. But most of the backpackers have grown up, put on shorts, socks and sandals, had a few kids and are back on Samui – now looking for peace and quiet. You can find that, but you can also find pizza places, nightclubs, Starbucks, tailor shops and all the other trappings of modern life. Some may hanker for the old days, but the beaches are still great and if you’re honest with yourself, air-con room beats bamboo shack every time.

Chaweng and Lamai
Lamai and Chaweng have the best beaches on the island. As the largest village on Samui, most of Chaweng’s accommodation is on the beach. Lamai is smaller than Chaweng, but it’s just as vibrant.

Big Buddha and Ban Rak
Know for its massive Buddha image at one end of the island, this is a tranquil area to get away from the nightlife and hooligans. While the beaches is nice enough, the swimming ain’t so hot but the sunsets are great.

Bophut village
A peaceful oasis, this quaint old fishing village is the perfect middle ground between Chaweng and Maenam.

How to get there
By Ferry: Seatram boats to Samui from Don Sak and Surat Thani start at 7am, and the Raja ferry starts at 5am and goes every hour until 7pm. The boats to Koh Pangan leave from Big Buddha and Bo Phut. The Lompraya catamaran (550 Baht) will pick you up from your bungalow and deliver you to Pangnan or Tao with frills like air-con and movies. Ferries to Surat Thani leave from Nathon.
By Plane:Bangkok Airways still has the monopoly on flights from Bangkok for now, leaving almost every hour until 9pm. The fare is 3500 Baht one way and 6500 Baht return. There are sometimes flights for 2000 Baht, usually the first and last of the day. Ring 02-265555 for details. There are direct flights to Singapore, Phuket and now Krabi. Don’t forget the 400 Baht departure tax and be wary of taxi drivers overcharging at the airport.
By Train: A sleeper ticket is 900 Baht between Bangkok and Surat Thani for an air-con, lower bunk, second-class berth and 1339 Baht for first-class. Prices vary for all sorts of odd reasons. Add 180 Baht for bus and ferry transfers. Booking in advance is recommended as it is often fully booked.
By Bus: 450 Baht from Samui to Bangkok, or vice-versa, takes 14 hours in total.

Koh Pangan
“Hand me another mushie shake before these pills kick in, would you? And stop Bogarting that joint. Is that Harry lying in a puddle of sick over there? Oh. my god! I think my face is melting!” Yup, Koh Pangan sure is a wild, drug-crazed, hedonistic pleasure boat for hippies, slackers and other layabouts. Home of the Full Moon Party and well, and you’ve heard what happens there!

Well, if that’s your bag, man, you may be headed for disappointment. Things sure aren’t like they used to be, and for most people it’s good riddance. Sure, you can drink and dance all night at Had Rin on the full moon, but if the local coppers catch a whiff of draw or you’re a little too artificially loved up, you’re looking at an extended tour of Thailands legal system.

The island boasts stunning beaches, good value rooms and a certain dreamy, isolated quality that has people staying for weeks at a time doing … absolutely nothing. Around full-moon time the island fills up and rooms are hard to get. There are also plenty of supporting parties to the full moon that are often better than the main event.

Ban Tai
Near the Full Moon Party – but out of hearing distance, Ban Kai and Ban Tai have some great resorts on never-ending white sand beaches.

Had Rin
There are untold places to rest your weary head in the island’s nightlife capital but it does get full a week before the party. The Had Rin Peninsula has two main accommodation areas, either on the busty east-side with the sunrise or the quieter bohemian sunset side of Had Rin Nai.

West Side
The west coast of Koh Pangan is a string of beautiful, white sandy coves; it has the best coral reef, great sunset views, loads of decent beach bars, and a giant freshwater lake.

Chaloklam
Chaloklam has some well-established resorts, a few cool bars and like many villages around Koh Pangan, there are some nice houses to rent.

Northeast
On the more remote side of the island there are three very popular beaches; Bottle Beach is Old School Pangan, Than Sadet is home to the island’s biggest waterfall, and Thong Nai Pan has all the trappings of bohemian island life. Further round, it becomes more rugged; here Hat Tien and Hat Yao East provide real castaway dreams. Bottle Beach is only accessible by boat from Chaloklum and there’s sometimes a waiting list for god rooms.

How to get there
By Bus: 350 Baht including ferry. Buses leave Bangkok about 7pm and get you to Surat Thani the next morning. Thefts on the bus are common.
By Train: First-class sleeper 1150 Baht and second-class 650 Baht. Trains leave from Hualumpong station at 5 or 7pm and get you to Surat Thani the next morning.
By Ferry: For a fast comfortable crossing, get the Seatran ferry to Koh Phangan, its half the time of the others for 370 Baht. The others are usually sold with a joint ticket, which are OK but not as luxurious. From Koh Samui (Mae Nam) take the Lompraha Catermaran for the quickest and most comfortable crossing or the Had Rin Queen for the most frequent crossings and a reliable service.

Krabi
When people talk about Krabi (its actually the name of the whole province) they’re usually talking about one of three places. Firstly, there’s Krabi Town, which is a charming seaport that serves as a ferry hub on the mainland and is famous for bargain accommodation and great food. There’s Ao Nang, not far away, which is a tourist town centered on the beachfront road with plenty of resorts, restaurants and tailor shops. Up the beach and accessible only by boat are Tonsai and world-famous Railay. Famous primarily among rock-climbers, that is, who scale the spectacular limestone edifices that encircle the beach. Although the great wave did wash up on Krabi’s shores, damage was minimal on Railay beach (despite the dramatic photos) and virtually non-existent in Ao Nang and Krabi town.

Ao Nang
Putting Ao Nang on the global tourist map has by no means become a difficult task given its breathtaking beauty which commands one’s attention instantly. With its rise to stardom being rapid and the dramatic increase in tourist arrivals looking more ‘promising’ each year, its no wonder low season is longed for, particularly if you enjoy being engulfed in the torrid steaminess of the monsoon. You can be guaranteed beach vendors or katoys won’t stalk you. Even at Ao Nang, still the most popular and developed of Krabi’s beaches, you will be left alone to work on your tan. These are the reasons why the same faces can be seen back in the province year after year. Other benefits at this time are the cheap hotel rates on offer. Try Krabi Seaview Resort from 625 Baht, the beautifully situated Somkiet Buri resort 300 meters from the beach for 1200 Baht, or Wanna’s Place, directly across from the beach for 900 Baht. Great for those traveling on a tighter budget, as you don’t have to dive so deep into the purse to get great accommodation.

Krabi Town
This once slow-motion town has grown in fame due to its tranquility, beauty and what some call ‘real Thai-ness’, the principal reasons why it so entices. The capital of Krabi province is managing to preserve its small-town charm even though its morphing into a busy hub. A flurry of new hotels now provide alternatives for travelers who have had enough of dank guesthouse rooms but don’t want to splash out. They’re all pretty much the same 2-3 star standard providing average service, the most central being Green House Hotel, a stone’s throw from the department store. Another is Krabi Loma Hotel on Chao Fah Road with twin rooms at 650 Baht with air-con, bath, satellite TV, mini-bar, Internet and pool. An oldie but goody is Grand Tower Hotel, conveniently located on the corner of Chao Fah Road, near the favorite bars, from 250 Baht. If you don’t want to dive into your purse so deeply then there’s always the guesthouses which Krabi has plenty. ‘Old School’ Cha Guesthouse offers the cheapest huts in town from 100 Baht. The charming Dukes Cottage has fan doubles for 280 Baht. a funky restaurant downstair, a guitar for anyone wanting to strum a tune and a jovial proprietor.

Railay
At the tip of Phra Nang peninsula are East Railay, West Railay and Phra Nang, the most popular stretch of Krabi’s coastline described as one of the most beautiful capes in the world, and rightly so. The powder white beach that is Ao Phra Nang with the sacred Phra Nang cave at its mouth now attracts the wealthiest visitors where the only place to stay is at the exclusive Rayavadee. But for those who don’t perspire money the more middle-class crowd hangout is at West Beach, sometimes referred to as Sunset Beach. Here big bungalow operations offer the same deals. Railay Bay Resort and Spa starts at 1200 Baht. Railay Sand and Sea from 900 Baht with fan and breakfast and Railay Village Hotel at 500 Baht are some options. The budget crowd tends to hug the mangrove-choked East Beach, where the greatest concentration of less expensive bungalows, bars and restaurants are located. Seafood is the best restaurant and Ya Ya Bungalows have rooms from 150 Baht.

Tonsai
Budget travelers or those with unconstrained spirits tend to gather at the small beach just a walk through the adjoining cave from Railay. There are several inexpensive bungalow operations starting from 150 Baht with standard restaurant fare. The main attraction is the rave party that goes off every night at Freedom Bar with super huge parties around full moon when longtail boats operate around the clock.

Khlong Muang
The latest addition to this spectacular coastal region is Khlong Muang. This unspoiled beach is just a stone’s throw from Ao Nang and yet, the peace and serenity is a million miles from the tourist traps and big brash resorts just down the road. Places to stay in the area are located directly on the beach. Luxury rooms and bungalows look out over the waters of the Andaman Sea, giving you the perfect view of a spectacular sunset. By far the cheapest place to stay is Khlong Muang Inn with fan rooms from 300 Baht. Krabi Sands Resort from 1400 Baht including breakfast. All lay in an area of hectic five-star resorts including the Sheraton, Nakamanda, Pulay and Taabkeak.

How to get there
By Bus: 350 Baht for a VIP bus via Surat Thani or 650 Baht for a government bus from the Southern Bus Terminal. Government bus costs more but are generally safer.
By Plane: 2560 Baht one way or 5120 Baht return. Expect to pay 200 Baht to extortionate taxi drivers for a lift into town.

Koh Lanta
Although only ‘discovered’ by tourists relatively recently and often picks up the overspill when Phuket and Krabi are full, Koh Lanta is a large and lush island offering a variety of accommodation and activities. The tourist infrastructure starts in the north with luxury resorts and gets more and more rustic as one heads down the main north-south road. Since the island basically shuts down during low season, when storms batter the seaward coast, Lanta remains thankfully ‘unsaturated’ with tourist development. Although the island did get hit by the tsunami, there was little damage, although the fishing fleet was badly mauled.

How to get there
By Bus: Many tour agents run buses to Lanta. Costs around 400 Baht for 15 hours of discomfort interspersed with white-knuckle terror.
By Plane: (to Krabi) 2560 Baht one way or 5120 Baht return.
By Train: (to Trat) 931 Baht second class air-con, lower bunk, 1480 Baht for first class.

Phuket
As Thailand’s largest island with a long and prosperous history, Phuket can seem like its own world. Connected to the mainland by a causeway, the north-south oriented island has a jungle heart surrounded by white-sand beaches. The most popular area for tourism is Patong Beach, where you’ll find bars, restaurants, hotels and shops all jammed together by what is actually a very nice beach. All the comforts of home are here, but if you’re after something more rustic there’s Pattaya Town, an old Chinese-style town, and plenty of other more secluded spots inland. Phuket has been on everyone’s lips since Boxing Day – but with the exception of the area immediately behind Patong’s Beach Road and most of Kamala – you’d be pretty unlikely to see any sign of a serious disaster on this island.

Patong
What was once party beach got hit pretty hard by the big wave, but Patong remains Phuket’s most popular beach with holiday makers and its there you’ll find all your water activities and tailor shops. Businesses opposite the beach may be closed for some time but the town is doing fine.

Kata, Karon
The second most popular beaches suffered only minor damage and continue to draw crowds. Although quieter than Patong these two beaches support an active bar-scene and have plenty of international nosh on offer. Its to here that surfers flock from June to November to ride the ocean swells.

Chalong, Rawai, Nai Harn, Ao Sane
Sailing, slacking off. The beaches of Chalong and Rawai are nothing to write home about but they’re both fine places to relax, chat with sailors, catch and island-hopping trip and gorge on seafood. Nai Harn is a stunning white beach favored by locals, while Ao Sane is a pleasant little cove with good snorkeling.

Kamala, Laem Singh, Surin, Bang Tao, Nai Thon, Nai Yang, Mai Khao
What was once the playground of the wealthy and well-known, Kamala and southern Bang Tao caught the brunt of the big wave and is undergoing reconstruction. That said, the other beaches are in fine shape and is still a beautiful area to visit.

Phuket City
Its official, the island’s main center is no longer a town, having been recently upgraded to city status. Plenty of funky shops/art galleries and historical Sino-Portugese buildings to see on an afternoon stroll. Gluttons take note – the range and quality of restaurants in Phuket City far surpass any of the resort areas.

How to get there
By Private Bus: From Bangkok, 480 Baht (with stopover in Surat Thani) departure 6am and arrives at noon.
By Public Bus: 630 Baht (direct) departure 5pm and arrives 6.30am.
By Plane: 2730 Baht one way or 5460 Baht return from Bangkok with Thai Airways, or 1820 Baht one way or 3640 Baht return from Samui with Bangkok Airways.

Pattaya
A couple of hours to the southeast of Bangkok, Pattaya is a lively town that caters to every whim. Notorious for its naughty nightlife, there is much more at this resort than its reputation would lead you to believe. Name a sporting activity or indulgent pastime (paintball, chopper riding, deep sea fishing, go-karting, drinking and eating sausages, to name a few) and they have it here. The beach is not spectacular in the town – you have to head to Jomtien for that, or out to sea, but it isn’t the sort of place where you come to tan – unless your hotel has a pool.

How to get there
By Bus: Normal and air-con buses leave from Mor Chit and the Eastern Bus Terminal on Sukhumvit Soi 63 regularly. Fares range from 70-90 Baht.
By Taxi: Impress your mates by hailing a cab and taking it to Pattaya, a bargain at 1500 Baht with beers and singsongs along the way. You can often bargain for 900 Baht on the way back.

Hua Hin
The first beach resort in Thailand, this is a more traditional-style resort town that is undergoing a bit of a renaissance these days. Only a few hours southwest of Bangkok, it is convenient, inexpensive (if you want it to be), surrounded by golf courses, and one of the few places in the country where you can ride horses on the beach. No beach bungalows here – you have to walk to the beach from the cheaper places, but accommodations cover the whole gamut from wooden cells to lavish five-star hotels.

How to get there
By Bus: Buses leave regularly from the Southern Bus Terminal (get there on #11 bus from Democracy Monument). Costs are about 200 Baht for a 1st class bus and 140 Baht for 2nd class. The bus trip takes around three hours. No matter what locals may tell you, the last bus back on Sunday leaves at 8pm, but its usually booked solid by 7pm. If you get stranded, ask the motorcycle taxi drivers out in front of the station about the minibus. Its only about three minute’s away by motorcycle, costs a bit less, and gets there faster. The last one also departs around 8pm.
By Train: Trains leave Hualamphong all day and take under four hours.

Cha-Am
Like its big brother up the coast, Hua Hin, Cha-Am is most popular with Thai holiday makers who want to get out of Bangkok for a weekend. The difference between the two is that Hua Hin is somewhat Royal, has many five-star hotels and people walk around in polo-shirts. Cha-Am is more popular with students and young Thai’s who go there to swim, flat around on inner-tubes and spend the night drinking and dancing, leaving the place deserted on weekdays. The township fronts onto the wide, white beach which is quite developed. No grass huts here. Certainly a cultural experience, just not the temple kind.

Khao Lak
What was once an up and coming resort town on the Andaman coast came to a grim end on Boxing Day last year. While most of Thailand suffered relatively little damage and repairs have progressed quickly, Khao Lak with its narrow bay and shallow beach focused the wave onto the land which flattened the place, taking many lives with it. It is difficult to say when things will get back to normal, but as an example, Le Meridian Resort have announced that they will reopen in November. For now, travel here is not recommended.

Source for this article is Farang magazine, a must for all young travelers to Thailand. Pick it up at most bookstores in the capital, and at selected shops elsewhere in the Kingdom.

If you pick up a tourist brochure, or look at a website, or even talk with one of the expatriates who live there, you’ll keep stumbling on the phrase “paradise” used to describe Pattaya. On arrival the casual observer may be a little mystified by this. The beach is rubbish, the whole town is concrete and there’s sleaze on a truly dumbfounding scale. Koh Phi Phi this ain’t. Yet the town has the highest concentration of expatriates outside Bangkok and sees two million visitors every year (second only to Phuket). So what draws people to this seaside resort town, just to the southeast of Bangkok?

Pattaya got its start during the Vietnam War when US used a naval base there and designated the town as an approved R&R destination. Hotels and tourist operators quickly followed and the rest is history. Indeed, the Royal Thai Navy continues to operate the base and sailors can sometimes be seen around town. Basically, its the tourist infrastructure that pulls in the visitors and the centre of town abounds with hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, bars, phone and Internet cafes, massage places and just about every other vacation convenience conceivable. Further down the coast there are many resorts for those who are on sun-and-seafood holidays, along with wildlife parks and dozens of other activities.

Pattaya is divided into two halves, covering two beaches. Pattaya beach is where the action is, the main night-district being Walking Street. Jomtien is further south and is a nicer beach with more accommodation, and it’s popular with Thai weekenders.

So is Pattaya paradise? Its a party town for sure. No matter who you are there’s something to occupy you, be it paintball, bungee jumping, kayaking or just loafing around getting drunk all day; Pattaya accepts all comers.

Places to crash
There are far to many places to list here. Pattaya’s room prices start at about 300 Baht and go up from there. There are the usual luxury hotels such as the Amari, the Ambassador or the Dusit. Odder exceptions are Hard Rock Hotel, featuring rock star-themed rooms and the Cabbages & Condoms Resort. The popular budget-traveller chain Sawasdee has five hotels in Pattaya town. Generally, the standards are high with even the cheapest rooms featuring TV, mini-bar and air-con, although some of the older buildings can be a little rundown. For a good night’s sleep, avoid hotels next to one of the ubiquitous construction sites, or hotels that offer hourly rates.

Daytripping
During daylight hours activity can be divided into two types: on land and on the water. Life is better out where its wetter and apart from the usual beachside fun of banana boats and paragliding there’s plenty of people to take you diving or on a day-trip to the offshore islands. For the livelier there’s water and cable-skiing, windsurfing and yachting.

On land you could take in the Sri Racha Tiger Zoo (actually 30 kilometres out of town), Underwater World Pattaya (an aquarium in South Pattaya), the Snake Farm or the Orchid Farm (both actually in Chonburi), the local branch of Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum (in Royal Garden Plaza), or shopping, shopping, shopping. If you’re the sport type there’s Thailand’s biggest bungy jump, which is just near the go-cart speedway (South Pattaya). Plus there’s paintball, horseback riding, skydiving and shuffleboard. Needless to say, the landscape around Pattaya is littered with quality golf courses.

Nighttripping
The main nighttime activity in Pattaya city quickly becomes obvious on arrival. If you happen to be a white male in town, a quick stroll around dusk will illicit several invitations for a drink or other offers hat may make you blush or tremble. Beer-bars sprout from every bit of available space in town and there seems to be another acre of them around every corner – plenty of go-go bars around the downtown as well. Two of the more famous clubs and hunting grounds for happy hookers, and the men who lust after them, are Walking Street’s Marine Disco and the Bangkok-based Lucifer’s. If that’s your gig then you’re not alone: Pattaya seems to have the highest concentration of overweight middle-aged men and you may feel out of place not wearing a mullet or moustache. There tend to be a lot of katoeys, or ladyboys, around town as well. Luckily they’re not all picking pockets and you can go to Alcazar, Simon or Tiffany’s cabaret shows for a gender-bending evening. In need of live music? Check out Blues Factory or Climax Bar, both on Walking Street. To stay away from the sleaze, hang out with a member of the opposite sex or try one of the better hotel bars.

Feeding time
If every second business in Pattaya is a bar then every third one is a restaurant. If you’re aching for a taste of home, Pattaya provides some of the best Farang food at far less than Bangkok prices. English-style pubs can be expected to provide excellent post-hangover fry-ups and there are several outstanding Japanese and Korean restaurants. For those Americans among us who long for Mexican food, the Blue Parrot on soi 13/4 is a godsend – great tacos and margaritas, and generous portions of home-made salsa.

Wind in your face
You’ll see songtaews all over town, offering short lifts for 5-10 Baht, depending on the distance and your gullibility. Motorcycle taxis are ubiquitous and about the same as Bangkok prices, around 20 Baht for a couple of kilometres. You can hire scooters and big bikes but unless you’re an experienced rider the traffic will eat you alive.Even so, you can take heart because Pattaya’s medical facilities are the best in the region. Hiring a car usually means a minimum of three days or more, and costs about 1000 Baht per day.

Way to go
Bus: Normal and air-con buses leave from Mor Chit and the Eastern Bus Terminal on Sukhumvit soi 63 regularly. Fares range from 70-90 Baht.
Taxi: Impress your mates by hailing a cab and taking it to Pattaya, a bargain at 1500 Baht with beers and singsongs along the way. You can often bargain for 900 Baht on the way back.

Source for this article is Farang magazine, a must for all young travellers to Thailand. Pick it up at most bookstores in the capital, and at selected shops elsewhere in the Kingdom.

Det går rykter her nede om at det har vært mer enn bikkjekaldt i Norge den siste tiden. Bildet ovenfor er så langt jeg vet ikke fra Norge, men får håpe at det ikke har vært så kaldt. I Pattaya er det sol som gjelder. Men vi hadde en og en halv dag med regn for ett par dager siden. Sist vi så regn før det må være noen måneder siden, så vi skal kanskje ikke klage over ustabilt vær. Håper at våren kommer hos dere i høye nord etterhvert.

Har skrevet en del om leilighetshotellet vi bor på tidligere. Men da vi tilbringer en del tid på det vil nok emnet komme opp med jevne mellomrom fremover. Det siste er at vi har fått besøk av kakkerlakker. Så langt er 2 drept i kamp og det gjenstår 2 som er lokalisert men som stadig klarer å komme seg unna. Har det for meg å ha lest ett sted tidligere at for hver synlige kakkerlakk er det tusen usynlige. Håper inderlig ikke det er sant. Uansett skal det litt til å gjemme fire tusen familiemedlemmer her siden alt er bygget i betong uten hulrom. Men krig er erklært så vi får se hvor mange som møter opp til kamp etterhvert. Skal holde dere oppdatert på skader og tap av liv i tiden fremover.

Vi har bestemt oss for å bli her i Pattaya iallefall i 4 måneder til. Grunnen til det er at det blir litt rimeligere husleie når vi bor på dette stedet i minst 6 måneder. Den 4 mars hadde vi bodd her i 2 måneder og ved å utvide avtalen med 4 måneder er vi nede i en husleie på 18000 Bath (som er rundt 2900 kroner) per måned. I det beløpet er det gratis trådløst internett (skal være 128kb, men tror det er litt mindre enn som så) samt alle andre tidligere nevnte fasiliteter. Det som kommer i tillegg er strøm, vann og telefon. Har ikke sett noe til regning for de 2 første her men fikk telefonregningen i går. Vi bruker nesten ikke telefonen da vi ikke klarer å oppdrive en prisliste, men allikevel var regningen på 4000 Bath. Hvorav 3700 Bath var for at jeg måte koble den bærbare datamaskinen min opp på internett via telefonregningen den første uken da trådløst internett manglet. Summen kom som ett sjokk i og med at jeg trodde jeg ringte lokalt, mens jeg tydeligvis ringte opp til Bangkok (som er 2 timer unna med bil, men i forhold til telefon er det long-distance). Vel, ikke noe å gjøre med det … fikk meg en ny erfaring.

For de sportsinterseserte kan det nevnes at Spurs hugget skog (Forest) i FA-cup’en og er videre til kvartfinalen. Det gikk dårligere i seriekampen mot Soton som vi tapte etter å ha hatt flere sjanser enn i en normal håndballkamp. Viking spilte to treningskamper på La Manga hvor begge ble vunnet med en målforskjell på hele 9-0. Så det ser bra ut med hensyn på serien.

Mer er det nesten ikke å rapportere hjem om. Det skjer en del her men det er mer rutine i forhold til studiene, litt jobb og diverse som det vel allerede er skrevet om. Kan kanskje nevne at Alisa var en tur i Bangkok i 3 dager for å treffe gode venner fra Buriram, noe som ga meg en del tid til fri disposisjon.

Noen synes at det er litt vanskelig å finne nettsiden min da adressen er litt lang. Til de er det gode nyheter på vei da ny adresse er innkjøpt og så fort den er aktiv vil jeg legge alt over dit. En lenke fra adressen dere finner nettsiden min på i dag til den nye vil bli lagt opp slik at alle skal finne frem også i fremtiden. Det kommer ellers stadig nye tjenester til her, det siste er at dere kan lese under hver post hvor lang tid dere må beregne på å lese posten. Alle disse nye tjenestene er positive men jeg tror at de gjør at førstesiden kommer opp bittelitt tregere nå enn før. Dersom andre har samme inntrykk så legg gjerne igjen en kommentar nedenfor.

I går morges satt jeg og leste på studiene mine i senga. I øyekanten så jeg en bitteliten mørk skygge som beveget seg sakte i ett sikk-sakk mønster. Prøvde først å få tankene bort fra denne skyggen og tilbake på bøkene, men da det ikke gikk måtte bøkene vike plass for nysgjerrigheten. Når jeg fikk fokusert øynene på skyggen viste det seg å være en mygg med altfor god matlyst. Den hadde tydeligvis hatt buffè på beinet mitt og var nå så full av blod at kroppen holdt på å sprekke. Noe som gjorde at jakten på den ble en enkel affære. For selv om den gjorde fortvilte forsøk på å komme i luften gikk det rett i buklanding etter et par centimeter.

Opplevd forholdsvis lite mygg her nede, men akkuratt i det området hvor vi bor, er det tydeligvis et feriesenter for mygg også. For det er godt om dem. Selv med innkjøpte hjelpemiddler og klappjakt før leggetid summer det noen små jagerfly over øret gjennom natten.

Skrev i forrige innlegg litt om leilighetshotellet LK Metropole hvor vi har forlagt oss i et studiorom. Har kommet frem til at jeg kanskje var en smule vel positiv til stedet. Det har nå åpnet en bar like rundt hjørnet så vi har fjortismusikk frem til iallefall klokka 1 om natta. Prøvde å få bytte rom til ett litt mer stille, men det viser seg helt umulig (sannsynligvis siden vihar sagt at vi kun planlegger å bo her en måned eller to til). Så vi får se hva vi gjør. Mulig det blir til at vi sjekker opp noen andre steder i nærheten. Men det er vanskelig å forlate dette leilighetshotellet. For det er mye positivt med det på tross av en rekke ting som ikke er like bra. Senest i dag for eksempel kom vi tilbake på rommet og i døra stod det ei thailandsk jente som hadde satt igjen et utall kofferter på rommet. Når vi ba om en forklaring viste det seg at hun hadde fått låne et rom av en venn (en utlending selvfølgelig), hun trodde det var 403 (vårt rom) og fikk uten videre utlevert nøkkel i resepsjonen. Når hun fikk låst seg inn ble hun usikker på om det var riktig rom, og etter mye om og men viste det seg at det var feil. Det var rom 304 hun skulle til. Ganske uproffesjonelt av resepsjonen å gi ut en nøkkel til vårt rom til den første og beste som ber om det, vi var heldige men her kunne bærbar PC, iPod, kamera og mye annet forvunnet. Har for øvrig fått et par eposter med spørsmål om hvordan rommet ser ut, så nederst finner dere noen bilder av det.

Ellers går dagene med til studier, oppgradering av noen nettstedet, strandbesøk også videre. Vel, i tillegg er vi fortsatt gode kunder i C4 baren her i Soi Diana Inn. Det skal kanskje nevnes at det som regel blir med appelsinjuice, med noe alkoholholdig en gang eller to i uka. Mens vi satt der i dag så jeg en ny matrett bli servert. Her nede spiser de det meste av insekter (ikke mygg, men det burde kanskje bli introdusert på menyen for å få ned bestanden litt), men jeg må si at jeg ble en smule forskrekket i dag. Noen av barjentene satt og spiste hva som så ut som en vanlig liten Thai salat, det uvanlige var at en av ingrediensene hoppet opp og ned. Jeg måtte selvfølgelig en tur bort og se … og det viste seg å være levende småreker på ett par centimeter som deseperat prøvde å komme seg ut av denne salaten. Men til ingen nytte for jentene fikk dem levende på gaffelen og med litt av salaten gikk de greit ned. Synd jeg ikke fikk tatt noen bilder av dette her, men jeg er på saken og skal prøve å få tatt noen som kan legges ut ved en senere anledning.

Som en avslutning kan det nevnes at Spurs slo Fulham 2-0 på White Hart Lane i dag. Det etter to sene mål av innbytterne Kanoute og Keane. Vi er i fremgang … neste år vinner vi hele røkla *s*.

Pattaya – Reputed to be the two best dive destinations in the area are a pair of shipwrecks: the Hardeep and the Bremen. But the Hardeep is numero uno. It sunk in 1942. This 40 metre long freighter from Indonesia now rusts in peace some 25 metres below the surface, between the isles of Samaesan and Chuang. For divers who enjoy a heady dose of fear along with adrenalin, you can now explore inside the hulk. Best of all, wrecks attract an abundance of fish and coral. The two aforementioned islands are also wealthy in hard and soft corals. For beginners Koh Kruk is the prime spot, and for middleweights its Koh Rin, replete with boulder-strewn swim-throughs.

Koh Tao – Within 45 minutes from turtle island are about 20 decent dive sites, ranging from sandy-bottomed beaches, to swim-throughs, soft coral gardens, and deep-water pinnacles. Sightings of pelagics, like whale sharks (the world’s biggest fish), are a common marvel. Many of the boats from Samui and Pangan visit the same places. Thanks to the ease of diving these reefs, washed by gentle currents, this is the premiere place in Southeast Asia for neophytes to get their fins wet.

Phuket – If you’re coming down here to dive chances are you’ll end up water-logging some time at the two most popular sites for daytripping divers: Shark Point and Anemone Reef. The former reef earned the moniker for its largesse of leopard sharks. Only two-meters long, they laze around on the sand, and are used to the divers approaching; but you should resist the urge to pet them, for fear they might be injured or infected. Also sure to spellbind is the slew of soft corals in pink and purple. Nearby is Anemone Reef, which teems with marine life. Alas, neither of these sites should be attempted by rookies; the currents can be swift and unpredictable, and visibility is often not that good.

Phi Phi Islands – There’s a sea of possibilites for aquanauts in this area of towering limestone crags. Koh Bida Nok, a sliver of an island, sees an awful lot of divers, enraptured by her plethora of staghorn corals and anemone fish, green moray eels and octobi. Also scoring high-water marks for marine diversity is Laem Tong, or Golden Point, near Koh Yoong. Trips here may include a plunge down to explore the pinnacle of Hin Jom – home to innocuous leopard sharks and stingrays. Schools of fusiliers, barracuda and jacks are repeat visitors, too.

The Similans – The reputation of these nine islands has made international waves, as they are one of the earth’s greatest living treasures for the amphibiously inclined. Situated around 100 kilometres northwest of Phuket, you’ll most likely have to book a liveaboard to navigate these pristine waters. Some of the more legendary sites here are Elephant Head, off island #8, which is renowned for its scenic swimthroughs and plethora of lionfish, coral trout, yellow goatfish, and on occation, the hawksbill or Ridley’s Turtle. Off the same island is Fantasy Reef, home to an array of clown and trigger fish and great swooping rays. But these sites are just rippling the surface – another 15-plus are waiting for you – varying in difficulty from intermediate to advanced.

Pattaya lies 150 kilometres to the southeast of Bangkok, less than two hours by road, and stretches for some 15 kilometres along the Eastern Seaboard. Thailands’s largest resort, shares the coast with traditional fishing villages, other resorts such as Bang Saen and Rayong, new industrial centres, the towns of Chonburi and Sriracha, and the port and naval base of Sattahip. Pattaya beach is a palm-fringed, sandy bay with a view of coral islands on the hoizon. Nearby are other cliffs and other bays, while inland, the region is rich in agricultural products including sugar cane, tapioca, rubber and fruit trees.

In the 1960s, Pattaya was just a little fishing village, until a few Bangkok residents began to take their weekends here and generated a modest local tourist industry. Even so, the only hotel of any size was the Nipa Lodge, other accommondation tended towards holiday bungalows and beach huts. The Vietnam War saw the start of Pattaya’s international reputation, for the fledgling resort was used as an official R&R centre for the US forces. They were flown into U-Tapao Airport which was built for American use at the time, and shops, services, bars and hotel accommodation grew to meet the demand.

Pattaya is now a city in its own right, with its own mayor and its own administration. This is not all due to tourism. The government development progamme for the Eastern Seaboard has transformed the region, and this rapid industrial and commercial expansion has led to many expatriates coming to live in the area. There is a new deep-sea port at Laem Chabang, 20 kilometres north of Pattaya with a vast industrial estate, and another development zone at Map Ta Phut near Rayong to the south. Pattaya city is well located to be a major business centre serving these two giant industrial communities. There are five international schools, and four international hospitals in the area.

Fun for all
As a beach resort with city status, Pattaya has something for everyone. Whereas most other beach resorts rely simply on natural surroundings for their charm, Pattaya makes an all-out attempt to provide the best of everything. There is just about everything you can think of for recreation, entertainment, sightseeing and fun. Pattaya can be whatever you want it to be. Such is its variety that it is ideal for all kinds of visitors. While there is plenty to keep the children happily occupied, there is also everything for the sport enthusiastic, for couples of all ages seeking rest and relaxation and for those who are simply looking for warm sunshine.

After-dark, options include open-air bars, nightclubs, cabaret shows and discos. The nightlife centre is south Pattaya, popularly known as “The Strip”, but if this is a trifle brash and noisy for some tastes, there are alternative, quieter spots for evening fun in a more relaxed style. Shopping too, can be an evening attraction. Most establishments close late, and the dedicated bargain hunter can find all of Thailand’s best buys – silk, gems and jewellery, tailor-made clothing, handicrafts and more.

Business venue
Pattaya is an increasingly popular venue for international conventions, conferences and seminars. Several of the larger hotels are fully equipped to host meetings or receptions for a thousand or more people, and even smaller properties offer a range of well appointed function rooms. Complementing the luxury of sheer space is a comprehensive selection of state-of-the-art equipment for audio-visual pesentations and other conference-related activities.

Accommodation
Pattaya boasts an incredible choice of accommodation to suit every pocket. Facilities range from luxury hotels with private beaches to bayside hotels and bungalows, and inland, economy class hotels and guest houses.

Getting there
The easiest and most popular way to reach Pattaya is by bus. From the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai) on Sukhumvit Road there are departures every 30 minutes by air-conditioned bus from 5am until 9pm. The one-way fare is Bt. 90. From the Northern Bus Terminal (Morchit II) there are departures again every 30 minutes from 5am to 7pm with a one-way fare of Bt. 97. Few visitors to Pattaya are aware that the city does have a railway station. It is north of Sukhumvit Road close to the Siam Country Club. One train a day leaves Bangkok’s Hualamphong station at 7am, and takes up to four hours to reach Pattaya, stopping at many stations along the way. U-Tapao aiport, which is located near Sattahip, has very few scheduled flights. Most visitors travelling this way are on chartered flights. Alternatively for those who prefer to arrive with more comfort and style, taxi companies (like for an example Image 5 Star Taxi Company) can transfer you to Pattaya, 24 hours a day.

Getting around
For getting around the main bay area, the baht buses charge a flat fare of Bt. 10 (well, the flat fare is actually Bt. 5 but baht bus drivers has come up with the idea that foreigners should pay Bt. 10. You can try to pay Bt. 5 as you are officially supposed to, but do expect some trouble). The run to Naklua is also bt. 10, and up to Jomtien Bt. 30. Drivers usually ask for Bt. 40 to travel up the hill to the Royal Cliff Beach Resort. Motorcycle hire will cost you between Bt. 150 and Bt. 700 a day, depending on size. Be very confident of your ability to handle the bigger bikes, including your skills in taking swift evasive action. Wear a crash helmet. A jeep from a beachside vendor is Bt. 1000 a day. Check that you have enough gasoline in the tank to get yourself to the nearest filling station, and satisfy yourself that the brakes are sharp. You will not be asked to show your driving licence, but most of these beachside hire places will ask that you deposit your passport with them. Ask where they are going to keep it, because it may simply be placed in the attendant’s pocket or shoulder bag and travel around with him. Bicycles can be hired from beackside vendors at Bt. 100 a day or Bt. 20 an hour. If you prefer to drive reputable vehicles with full insurance cover, and it is strongly adviced, Pattaya has a choice of car rental companies. Two leading names are Budget Car and Truck Rental at Thip Plaza and Avis which is based at the Dusit Resort in north Pattaya. In addition to international standards of service, these companies will also offer special deals, tour ideas, maps and other attractions to make your stay easier. If you prefer not to self drive then there are several companies who offer 1 way/return trips throughout Pattaya or hour by hour hire. They will pickup at your hotel or condo with their door to door service.

Climate
Pattaya has three seasons. November to February, when its hot; March to May, when it’s hot and humid; and June to October, when its hot and wet.

Clothing
Dress as lightly as possible. Because of the heat and humidity, man-made fibres are not recommended. Pack some cool cottons, and if you find you are changing your clothes at an alarming rate you will be able to buy locally made clothing very cheaply. Shorts and sandals are the usual daytime wear. In hotels and the more upmarket restaurants, wear smart casual. If visiting a temple the usual dress rules apply: gentlemen, no shorts please, and long sleeves are preferred; ladies, no shorts, short skirts or halter-tops.

Post and telecommunications
The Post Office and international telephone office are together in south Pattaya on Soi 15, known to all as Soi Post Office. There are also several privately run long-distance phone centres, most notably along Beach Road. These will be slightly more expensive than the government service.

Internet Services
As in Bangkok, the number of Internet cafes seems to increase every week. Most will post their rates in the window, and as competition is intense the prices are invariably low.

Health & Safety
Never drink tap water, don’t even gargle with it. Always use bottled water, which is readily available and inexpensive, particularly if you choose a local brand. The sun is strong, even during the rainy season and where there is cloud cover, so use a good sunscreen and limit your exposure time. Malaria is no threat, but mosquito bites can be a major irritant. Seafood is mostly caught locally and is of high quality, but given the spicy ingredients to almost any meal, the occasional upset stomach is a possibility. The most likely way of slowing down your vacation is by having an accident, so watch your step when crossing the road, even (or especially) at traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. Medicines for minor ailments are readily available at the many drug stores in the city, and a high standard of medical treatment for more serious problems can be expected from most of the clinics and hospitals. General practitioners, dentists, opticians and pharmacies are readily available.

Each of the private hospitals has its own ambulance service and 24-hour emergency facilities. Most medical specialties are represented: neurology, orthopedics, obstetrics, gynecology, pedriatrics, internal medicine, surgery, urology and dentistry. Cardiac patients will usually be referred to Bangkok. Note that an ambulance is not routinely called in the event of an automobile accident, and if you require assistance from the government service a Thai-speaking person should dial 191 in Pattaya or 193 on the highway to arrange an ambulance service.

For information and advice, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Central Office: Region 3 (Pattaya) is open seven days a week throughout the year, including public and national holidays, from 8.30am to 4.30pm. Their telephone number is (038) 428 750 or 429 113.

Residents and lifestyles
Pattaya has many expatriate residents, and is essentially an international tourist resort and expanding city, so the Thai population is itself very internationalised. Most notices are in English as well as Thai, and you will find plenty of signboards in German and even Russian. Most vendors are used to non-Thai speakers and are ready with at least a smattering of English or German, vigorous miming, a smile, and an ever-ready calculator. Few of the Thai residents can claim to be native of the locality. Even so, they haven’t abandoned their traditional culture, and beneath the glossy city veneer you will still find evidence of underlying ethnic beliefs and customs.

Action attractions
Pattaya is one of the oldest diving centres in this part of Asia. It has a year-round diving season with good visibility, the waters have a mean temperature of 28 degrees C, and there is a rich variety of marine life and coral. There are also two wrecks which experienced divers can explore: The Bremen, a 300-foot boat, lies upright in 25 meters of water off the Thai navy town of Sattahip, while the freighter Hardeep rests in 30 meters of water in a channel between two islands off Samae San, not far from Sattahip. Pattaya offers a wide choice of well-stocked and safe PADI and NAUI operators, with competitative prices and deals. Most of them have offices along the waterfront. Costs average at about Bt. 2900 per day, including transportation, food and equipment.

Visitors can windsurf, water ski, sea walk, swim, sunbath, snorkel, sail, or take trips to offshore coral islands. They can rent water scooters to explore Pattaya bay, and motorcycles and jeeps to explore neighbouring beaches such as the increasingly popular Hat Chom Thian (Jomtien) just south of Pattaya. Tennis enthusiasts can enjoy themselves at the courts of leading hotels. Further entertainment includes bowling alleys, snooker halls, shooting galleries, archery and much more.

Attractions outsite Pattaya City
Pattaya Elephant Village is on the road to Siam Country Golf Course. The elephants displaying their forestry skills, perform cute tricks, and even play football. There is a daily showtime. Panarak Park is to be found on the same road and has a tropical setting. The park is equipped with fishing gear and a well-stocked lake. There is also bungalow accommodation, restaurants, jogging and cycling paths, boating and water-cycling. Bira International Circuit located at KM14 on Route 36 to Rayong, offers international motor and motorcycle racing. The 2,4 kilometres circuit is ideal for Formula 3 races. If you want to experience speed, the circuit is open every day. Hat Chom Thien (Jomtien), located 2 kolometres from south Pattaya, is good for swimming. The beach has become popular for water sports and activities because it has a long straight coastline and there are less boats anchored in the area. Pattaya Park is between south Pattaya and Hat Chom Thien (Jomtien), and is a water amusement park with water slides, whirlpools and a large pool for children. Open from 9pm to 6am. Nong Nooch Village is about 15 kilometres from south Pattaya, and is a Thai village-style recreation park. The entire area of some 500 acres is beautifully landscaped, with an orchid nursery and other botanical gardens. There are also cultural performances and an elephant show. Wat Yansangwararam is a temple under the King’s patronage. Here meditation courses are offered for foreigners and Thai’s. Bang Saray, a fishing village located 2 kilometres off the main highway at KM164, offers deep-sea fishing opportunities.

Ko Lan, 45 minutes offshore by tourist boat or 15 minutes by speed boat, is the largest of Pattaya’s archipelago. Major attractions include viewing coral reefs from glass-bottomed boats, snorkeling, scuba diving, wind-surfing, skiing and parasailing. There are a lot of seafood restaurants on the island’s main beaches. Deep-sea fishing can be arranged to Ko Lan’s neighbouring islands such as Ko Khrok and Ko Sak. Beyond Ko Lan is Ko Phai, an island currently under the care of the Royal Navy. Visitors are not allowed to stay over night here, but it has fine deserted beaches that are accessible during the day. All the nearby islands are easy to get to and charters can be arranged through your hotel tour desk or by negotiating a price direct with the boat owners. Boat charters cost Bath 1,000-5,000 per day, depending on the season and size of the boat.

This week I was presented with yet another book about life in Thailand, and a side oflife that most of us would publicly shun. Written by Derek Sharron, My Name Lon – You Like Me? (ISBN 974-92721-5-3, publisher Bangkok Book House), claims to be a true story following the life and (mis)fortunes of Lon, a girl from Esarn.

In essence, at age 13, Lon runs away from her family in the province of Ubon Ratchathani and comes to Bangkok. To be able to do this, she steals some money from her family home, and that almost sets the tone for this book. Lon explains this saying, “I had nothing, therefore I had nothing to lose, so I ran away.”

The book then goes into a good description of village life and culture she had left behind. A culture where the males are raised as the indulged sex, while the females remain downtrodden. However, these same females grow up to be the mothers that dominate a family, as the males have all left on their own self-indulgent lives. The village families are then hierarchical female dynasties, where the elders have to be looked after.

To attempt to give the reader an inkling of why there are people such as the Lon’s of this world, an overview of the disparity in the distribution of wealth is given. Reference notes are given to lend credibility to this and other factors that are involved in the prostitution culture.

Lon’s story brings all the factors together, but after chapter five, the book becomes more of a Lon’s sorry diary of sordid sex. In that regard, it is certainly a sorry tale, but one that not only shows how these girls are manipulated, but also how they are prepared to use all the tricks of the trade to further their own causes (while at the same time use cultural heritage as their raison d’etre).

This book has tried to be all things for all people. A narrative, a reference source, a social commentary, a guide to the sex tourism spots you don’t want to visit, and a list of international males that are prepared to use greedy girls from underdeveloped countries. The Germans have a beautiful phrase for it – an “eierlegende wollmilchsau” which is roughly translated as an egg-laying, woolly, milking pig!

However, despite the above comment, the book does serve some purposes, and Lon’s tale might make some tourists to this country realize just how shallow some of the ladies of the night really are.

It is interesting that author Derek Sharron mentions Pira Sudham’s Monsoon Country, a highly respected Esarn commentary, in his list of suggested reading. Pira’s books (and look for the new anthology Shadowed Country) give a much better picture of the real situation and etiology in the poverty stricken North-East than does this book, but Sharron’s will give you a much better snapshot of how a culture can be twisted by poverty, and how psychologically weak individuals within that culture can become like Lon.