Paragliding and Planking - a connection?

We tried on Thursday but it was too windy so...

I took my daughter to Cape Phromthep the early Sunday morning to watch me take a tandem jump off the edge - there was not enough wind, then too much, then it rained, so I went to work.

A wonderful and enthusiastic group of people and I hope that they were able to have a go - maybe another day...

So what did we have a go at? Planking!

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Phuket Indy Market

This was certainly something different - Phuket Indy Market on a Thursday and a Friday - from about 5 pm.  It is set up next to Lemongrass in Phuket Town and next to the Sofa Disco on Thalang Rd.

This was for the younger people and it was clearly a place to hang out after school - there was only smiles and young people relaxing with one another - I did feel old.

The bits and pieces to buy were handmade AND / OR trendy and there was a large selection - we found the sticky rice and pork at the back - wonderful - a quick nip to Lemongrass for a cold Singha sealed the afternoon for us.

We missed the Planking however....

Big Buddah - was it all done properly?

Big Buddah was always an attraction that was an attraction only for it's merits - until Absolute was there - but then I read that the concept is behind time and there are planning permission issues..


The foundation must pull down all unauthorized buildings at the site that are not directly related to authorized construction, said Phoppol Sirilugsanapong, head of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment office in Phuket.

Buildings that would need to be dismantled include kuti (sleeping quarters for monks) and a large hall used to sell souvenirs such as Buddhist amulets, stage dhamma talks and offer visitors numerous ways to “make merit”, Mr Phoppol said.


Text is from the Phuket Gazette.


It is a real shame that something that was a celebration of the Thai Buddhist Faith is being dragged through this!

Phuket Fun Fly (23 - 26 June)

I am looking forward to this one and having a go.
Must remember to charge the batteries but is it a silly idea to try and film it?

Activity by PhuketPhotoPROjects

The World Record for biggest mass massage

As I read this article I was amused to the thought of a long line of people...


Then I read the comments regarding the pretty Asian girl in the photograph and laughed and then I read an negative comment from a woman (avatar below).

The mass massage is in Karon Beach on August the 19th.
Does the woman work for the TAT?

Timeshares are back

It is wonderful to read in the ThaiVisa Forum a crackdown on the illegal timeshare - but this has been written about a number of times - my last blog was in February and it was the same sign.  Still torn at the left hand corner - I wonder what is missing there?


The forum has two interesting comments  in it


POINT 1....
Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukkaban identified three types of timeshare companies operating on the island.

“There are genuine timeshare companies that are registered and have their own offices, such as the operation run at the JW Marriott [Resort & Spa in Mai Khao]

and which are the other 2 types, or cant you mention them? name and shame? Nice back hander from Mr Marriott?

POINT 2...
The complaints alleged that more than 100 foreign workers were on the streets of Patong selling timeshare without work permits.


let's see what happens...

Baba Weddings in Phuket - a special event

The Baba Wedding started on the 10th of June in Phuket Town - the event was the Tam Nom Sod Day and took place at the Phuket Merlin Hotel.  It was attended by a great number of Thai people but it looked like there were more women and their finest clothes were out for this evening.

Early the next morning - I nearly didn't make it after a wonderful dinner at Siam Indigo - there was a Tea Ceremony at Hongyok House where thanks were shared with the families of the bride and the groom.

After this there was a plethora of photographs taken and I sat in the lawn with a coffee that I had nipped out for.  Things began to change when the elders of the community (those which were respected the most) were put on rickshaws and the parade through Phuket Town started.

The roads were decorated and there were a plethora of young children dressed in Traditional Thai costume and they waited for the lucky couples to walk by an scatter them with flowers - beautiful.

The parade finished at the Thaihua Museum where photographs were taken - a beautiful building.  Following this short stop the couples were each led to a car and they were driven around the corner to the Chinese Temple where candles were lit and blessings were shared.

Lunch was at the Phuket Governor's house, 
who was one of the lucky couples that day.


Here is a link to read about the history of the Baba Wedding.
This was the event in 2010.

more photographs

Baby Surrogacy in Thailand

14 women were deported from Thailand recently - well reported in the Phuket Gazette.

A group of Vietnamese women were recently 'repatriated' to Vietnam from Thailand and the reason (I believe) is that the women were being paid to carry the babies  is that they did not have a work permit?

Logically then if they were Thai women then they would be allowed to carry the baby? Do Thai women need to have a work permit for this?

I do not understand why the Vietnamese women came here to have their babies? Is the Health Care here superior to that of the Vietnamese - after all it is an investment?

So what happened to all the monies that were being paid for the unborn / born children?  Who will take care of the children - what is their future? That is not an issue for those who decide and of course the parent was in Thailand illegally so the child has no support - where is the middle man with the money (Lau Pun - The Boss)  Where are the people who are purchasing these babies?

Baby101 (a eugenics service) was the company linked to this and I would tell the company to a teacher to look at their English - it is supposed to be a company which deals a sensitive issue - not reading their website!

Important Notice：
Babe101 Not Use Thailand surrogacy mother. The protection of the law is absolutely. Hundred percent peace of mind you have no worries.

a surrogate for you?

Babe101 do not use Thailand Surrogacy - the women were Vietnamese! - so that's okay?

BBC.Co.UK report

Crackdown on Religious tattoos

Crackdown ordered on Religious tattoos in Phuket.

Interesting - there has been an increase in the amount of these icons being painted.  Clearly there are restrictions on a religion - such as the lowest form of the body in Buddhism is the foot so to have a Buddhist Icon tattooed on your foot would be deemed an insult.

Here are some examples of Temple Tattoos 

- but why are they on the person?

But tattoos are fashionable.  They were a small item, concealed (mine is) or brutally done somewhere. The tattoo is now a fashion - I remember when David Beckham had the name of his child tattooed on him and the outcry then - also recently when you could see a tattoo above his collar when he attended the Royal Wedding.

The tattoo is now a work of art - Phuket and Thailand does receive revenue from overseas travellers, indirectly and directly - if the traveller does not come to Thailand there will be other places in Asia which they can travel? 

Topix forum

Thaivisa Forum

Asian Correspondent 

Phuket Wan

Needles and Sins

I wonder what the charge will be to...?


Note: I now I read that Angeline Jolie is blamed for this rise and the issue has made the front of the Bangkok Post (Sunday 5th June).