Tim in Thailand : May 2013

A trip to Chiang Rai in photographs

We visited Chiang Rai over 2 weeks ago and I have only just managed to transfer the photographs onto the computer - should I stick with the Social Media? - Twitter, facebook and foursquare? NO because this will always be there - SO...

What made us visit Chiang Rai? - a picture of Wat Chiang Rai on the front page of a magazine won it for me and then Chuen wanted to return there.

We stayed at Le Royal Meridian Chiang Rai - wonderful. We hired a car and drove to Wat Chiang Rai / Wat Phra Sing - beautiful but next time we are arriving before 5 pm when it closes....

We ate at a local restaurant - very nice - Sai Ua sausages were the winner for me.

The next day we drove to the Doi Tung Palace and the Mae Fah Luang gardens - both beautiful.

Then the rain poured and poured and then there was a power cut! - we found a restaurant from foursquare and the restaurant was dreadful but we were hungry! We found a small motel - La Belle and the power came back on as we drove in.

Lovely and clean - we left early to catch breakfast next to the klong - I felt old because everyone who arrived after us was about 20 years younger - with no children.

Fantastic -
- like an English country house and garden.

We rushed off quickly but we would return - see more on timinphuket - exploring Thailand.

We rushed off to get the flight to Bangkok - see you again.

The cutting of an elephant's tusks

all images - manager.co.th

After the latest round of politics and the discussion that trade in ivory which is from a Thai elephant I read about the latest.

Workers at an elephant shelter have cut back the tusks of an elephant which killed a Thai woman in Ayutthaya – in the hope of wiping away bad luck from the animal. - Breaking news.

But please remember that a great deal of money is made from these rides AND who is paying - the TOURIST - should we think about educating the tourist as well?

Ayutthaya Elephant Palace and Royal Kraal manager Ittiphan Khaolamai said about one-fifth of the animal's 3.2ft-long ivory was taken off, since it is believed the spirit of a person killed by an elephant would remain in the tusks - msn UK.

Is this standard practice in Thailand?

New App to improve Road Safety in Thailand

This is NOT the App!

I guess the best way to improve road safety is to tell the driver not to drive... but never mind.

I have visions of the tourist in flip flops, no helmet and trying to read the App at the same time as watching the road - then I thought it was an April Fool.

BUT I was wrong I searched for the App but to no avail BUT I did find a Widget and a posting on ThaiVisa which linked to the original posting.

I have contacted the Foreign Office for the App and for permission to use the widget here on the blog and I am still waiting - here is the UK advice.

So the best advice that I can share is don't drive if you don't have to!

Do you?

Where were these films filmed in Phuket?

movie camera @ the Thavorn Hotel in Phuket Old Town

My knowledge of Phuket was tested recently - where were these films filmed?

The Killing Fields; dir. Roland Joffe

The Phuket Municipal

The Beach; dir. Danny Boyle

On On Hotel

Heaven and Earth; dir. Oliver Stone

Chinpachra House

What other films were filmed here in Phuket and where?
Here are some ideas - http://phuket.com/magazine/phuket-movies.htm

Cigarettes and the beach

Okay I am writing for the companies who make cigarettes.
I am sick of picking up cigarette butts from the beach.

Phillip Morris

British American Tobacco

and others

When are you going to sponsor beach cleaning?
Or
Tell your smokers to dispose carefully.

Here is a template of the email sent - what was their reaction?

Here is Phillip Morris' response.

The Scene of the Churning of the Milk Ocean

I see this statue every time that I visit Suvarnabhumi Bangkok Airport. I was already fascinated by the Yuks outside but this topped it all - beautiful.

After visiting many of the Chinese Shrines scattered through Phuket and they are certainly worth visiting. What I uncovered more when I watched this and read the forum was that there are a plethora of influences on the culture of Thailand.

May be that is why the Thai people are more embracing of other people and their views?

I don't know...

Phuket Walk Rally 2013

Dragon Park was awash with Orange Shirts and it was nothing to do with Holland and the World Cup - it was the Phuket Walk Rally.

The day began with confusion for me because nothing was written in English and there were no instructions in English BUT I am in Thailand so I just watched. I think that there was only one more Farang in the park - but I am not sure.

The object of the Walk Rally (I think) was to raise the awareness of the culture of Phuket to the population. It involved us going from spot to spot, recording the information and then going to the second spot for the next clue.

Fabulous - but I was more of a hinderance so Jemma and I popped into coffee shops / toy shops / shrines and more whilst friends ran around finding out the answers.

I have designed a Phuket Walk on an App and I do enjoy investigating Phuket Old Town - there is so much to see and even though we live here we do not see. One activity was to look for patterns - fabulous. I will make a 'Seek and Find' map for this activity.

We wandered around trying to answer questions - well trying coffee and cake at each stop - i46 Coffee Shop and Mac-chiato House were just two.

I really should have set my iPhone on a walking Trail App but we did not follow a trail and the battery ran out...

After the photos were taken and the forms filled in we were all served dinner - Fabulous'. Again I was reminded how lucky I am to live here in Phuket and to welcomed to such events by the Thai people.

Thanks to the organisers of this special day...

Hokkien Noodles at Mee Ton Poe 3...

Things to do in Phuket when it Rains

We have not all come to Phuket for the rain but Phuket does have a rainy season (all be it of a changeable date but here are some suggestions from my blog

1) Dentist

- you can always use this App to find one

2) Cinema

- you can always use this App to find out what is showing

3) Nail Painting

4) 10 pin bowling

5) Drink Coffee in Phuket Town

6) Take a trip with John Gray Sea Canoe

7) Visit the Butterfly Garden and Insect Garden

8) Phuket Aquarium

- don't forget the Turtle Breeding at the back

9) Visit a Museum

10) Go to the Upside Down House

11) Visit the Trickeye Museum
12) Central Festival

Here are some ideas - Spas are another popular trip but I am not well versed in Spas - I would rather drink coffee and play Candy Crush. There there is shopping.

View tim in phuket - shopping in a larger map

Suspension

I do remember being suspended whilst at school but now I have

Twitter have...

(Sunday 12th May)

Hurrah - now I am back..
and so are my followers...

Phuket Walk Rally - Saturday 11th

This looks interesting - but everything is in Thai - I really should learn some...

I apologise

Children and their favourite airline

I am lucky to live in Phuket, Thailand and i am very lucky to be married to Chuen.

But what I would like to know is which airlines treats their children passengers the best?

The photo above is of the children's package that she was given by a passenger leaving Thailand. Jemma loved it and I had never seen one of these 'creatures' given on an aeroplane...

This was from Air Berlin...

Chiang Rai - how many beautiful places?

We kept finding beautiful places and the day hasn't finished yet!

Here's one...

A full report to come

Phuket Happenings - April 2013

So what do we have this month - still busy with the tourists BUT...

We managed an escape to Hong Kong for the weekend, there was Songkran and it was awfully busy.

Patong Mayor to 'talk to taxi club' about the bus
why the inverted commas?
did he talk?
LATER
Kata / Karon 'talk to taxi club' will block the bus

Unfortunately 'someone' spilled oil off Koh Sirey - 2,000 gallons...
but who - that's a lot of money?

A Russian arrested for not having the paperwork on her...
- is this the beginning of something?
- no they found it

BUT there is a raid in Patong which 'captures' 30 Russian Women!
- so the story continues...

Then a Russian Tourist won a cake eating competition
- how did they know about this?
BUT then I read of a Burger Eating Competition (4th May)
why do people join these things - am I getting old?

A 17cm long bone was found...
it may win the Sea Gypsy fight for the land...

more bones were found near Big Buddha
- do you think that we should stop building on land that has laid waste for so long?

A new App released for the Tourist - Tourist Buddy
and my review (not yet)?

Then another App found an iPhone which was stolen
do all police have an issued iPhone?

The Bodhi Tree crushes a car in a car park

- owner of building / car park not responsible

- the amulet protected the driver from being hurt

Legal matters are quite simple - Do not park close to a tree, it was there before you.

BUT if you do make sure you have the amulet on....

Tourists now ripped off for motorbike rental
- very similar to the Jet Ski....
- do you need to relinquish your passport if you rent?

A boat accident in Pattaya - Korean person who lost a leg threatens to sue
watch this space...

Klongs in Phuket are a health hazard
I noticed this when we had a coffee at Chic Room Cafe in Phuket Town :(

Polluted water sloshes over Bang Tao beach
- oh dear...

Child saved from drowning at Nai Harn Lagoon...
thought this had been addressed?

ATM scammers are out in Phuket
- 3 foreigners caught

Lee Aldhouse will not receive the death Penalty because
he confessed to the stabbing of Mr Longfellow.

Seawalking company denies damage
- is this the same company with the buried metal hand rail?

2 deaths by BIG (size) motorbike accidents.

View Accident black spots. in a larger map