Why to avoid Southern Thailand

The South is in a war and people should do something about.

An ethnic separatist insurgency is taking place in Southern Thailand, predominantly in the Malay Pattani region, made up of the three southernmost provinces of Thailand. Violence has increasingly spilling over into other provinces

Today: 
 
Three bomb attacks minutes apart killed 10 people and wounded more than 100  in the heart of Yala in the insurgency-hit far south.


A car bomb have caused the fire that killed five people at a Hat Yai hotel and sent more than 300 to hospital.


About:

More than 160 billion bath has been spent to deal with violence in the southermost provinces since it flared up eight years ago with little success to show for it. The insurgency flared on Jan 4, 2004, when a group of armed militants raided an armoury of the 4th development battalion in Narathiwat's Cho Airong district of and made off with a huge cache of war weapons.

The raid marked the renewal of insurgent violence in the southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and some districts of Songkhla. The violence has continued ever since with few signs of abating. The southern violence has claimed more than 5,000 lives and resulted in more than 10,000 injuries. The death toll includes ordinary citizens, religious leaders, Buddhist monks, local government officers, teachers, policemen and soldiers.

A total of 1,629 firearms have been stolen and used against state authorities and civilians since the raid. Only 484 have been retrieved so far.Various agencies have been set up to cope with the southern insurgency. But it appears there is little they can do to contain the violence. It also appears that Al Qaeda is helping this insurgency.

In early February, the ministry of interior proposed a 7.5 million bath to all victims of the insurgency including those from the Tak Bai Massacre and the Kru Se Mosque Incident

Hotel in Pattaya: Soi 7

 

Flipper House Hotel

About: 

This hotel is part of the Flippergroup, they have another hotel in this group: the famous Flipper Lodge on soi 8 next to the beach.

The first thing to mention: don't BF a girl from near the hotel!!

Location:

Flipper House hotel is located on soi 7, not far from Pattaya Memorial and famous bar: Anna Jet.

They are right on the beach and close to entertainment and shopping centres. And off course the soi 7 and soi 8 bars.

There is a Family Mart in front of hotel and close to 2nd road you have a 7-11 and a pharmacy.

The Hotel:

Rooms designed with comfort in mind, they are air-conditioned rooms and equipped with satellite-TV , telephone and mini bar, and attached bathroom fitted with hot & cold water, bathtub and shower installed.

There are many different kind of rooms and wings. The C-wing is the newest and I recommend that you stay there. There is a swimming pool & jacuzzi on the rooftop overlooking the sea so don't forget to check that out!

The rates go from 1300 - 2500. I always take a 1500 room at the C-wing and it's great!

Sometimes it gets a little bit noisy but you are on soi7 what can you expect? :)

The Restaurant:

They offer you a wide selection of Thai, Asian and European specialities to choose from at the restaurant. The foods is well cooked, beautifully presented and reasonably priced. A wide variety of food, both hot and cold dishes, with chefs cooking to your orders are available at our buffet breakfast. This breakfast comes for free when you book a room!

Just a short distance away is the cosy bar for a delightful evening before or after dinner. But you have a lot of choice for a good bar ;)

Links:  

Book Now
Tripadvisor
Website

Future Of The Bath

Bath going back to B50 for 1€ ?

The THB is decreasing in value all this week, and the budgetary 'crisis' in Thailand isn't looking good.

This is really bad for Thai people, because of the rising inflation. This is not going to be compensated by the change to the minimum wages in April, but this will actually speed up the inflation. Also the people that need this won't get it anyway...

On the other side of the story we have good news for the expat and tourists. These changes are good for foreigners who like to spend some $ or € in Thailand

and today I read in the papers:

The Bank of Thailand has dismissed proposals by the finance minister to stimulate the economy with a weaker baht and lower interest rates.

Some more recent news:

- Private hospitals are predicting chaos in the health service when free treatment for emergency cases begins on Sunday.

- Energy Minister Arak Chonlatanon affirmed the ministry has no plans at the moment to increase contribution from diesel and petrol sales to the Oil Fund, as the retail price for motor fuel is still high. (Bangkok Newsroom)

- Thailand's healthcare expenditure is expected to grow 8.4 percent a year from 2010-20 to reach US$25 billion (770 billion baht), according to business research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan.

Rest In Peace Pattaya

People moving out!


Everybody has seen Pattaya changing and it won't get any better!!!

There are too many Russians in Pattaya, the men are badly dressed, fat, disrespectful.. I just hate them.
And than you have the women and the kids. The women come in 2 categories: Big, fat and with kids and acting like they own the place. They take their kids to agogo bars to take pictures and such.... The second category are the beautiful Russian girls dressed sexy and sometimes even topless, I would definitely do them :) I wouldn't even care about their arrogance!

In the markets and shops they talk to everyone in Russian and get annoyed when nobody understands. Some bar girls are speaking fluent Russian but not many...
No smiles, no respect, no attempt to even bother, just "The Russian Attitude".

On Walking Street and the city’s sidewalks, you can see many Russian signs and shops and increasingly dangerous Russians barging their way past anyone in their way. Even when your on the bath bus the Russian won't stop! More recently the Russians are starting to hang out on the beach, making love and sleeping, then they get mobbed and Thailand got some bad 'news' again.

I hope for the people in Hua Hin that they stay away from there :)


Arabs and homeless are a problem too but nothing compared to these Russians!


Reason for Russians to come to Pattaya:

In my eyes the reason why these people came was the big problem in Egypt last year. I have been to El Gouna and around there, EVERYTHING WAS RUSSIAN even the airport... They made a mess over there and now they started in Pattaya

A great excess of the air transportation played its role as well.  The operators often had to sell the tickets for unprofitable price. According to the results of the year the tourist flow to Thailand increased but the profit of the tour operators reduced. So that's why tour operators got broke and Russians got stuck in Thailand!

Some more info i got from the net:

According to the data of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the tourist flow from Russia to Thailand increased by 57% in 2011. Thailand received 1 014 000 Russian citizens in 2011.  

Even the flood in Thailand didn’t affect the tourist flow from Russia. Every 20th tourist was Russian in Thailand in 2011. 

Russia took the 4th place in general rating of arrivals to Thailand. Just to note, the Russians took only the 8th place in 2010. Russia outstripped such countries as Korea, USA, Germany, France, UK, and giving way only for Malaysia (2.5 million people), China (1.76 million) and Japan (1.12 million).

PLEASE GO AWAY MOTHER RUSSIA!

Hotel In Pattaya

Klein Vlaanderen (Small Flanders)

About:

This hotel is small but has a family feeling! If you are from Belgium, The Netherlands or from Germany the boss will welcome you and hang out with you! Really fun hanging around in the bar and drinking some beers with the people here.

Location:

Klein Vlaanderen is located 100 meters from the famous Pattaya Beach on second Road. It's not far to the main entertainment and shopping centers of Pattaya. (Big C, Carrefour, Central, Mike's) If you cross the street you will be in soi 8 or 7, and i'm sure that's great for a lot of you :) 

Address: 328/18 Pattaya 2nd Road (opp.Soi 7) Pattaya City

The Hotel:

The hotel has 18 rooms with nice furniture and is equipped with:

        - Air-conditioner
        - Mini-bar
        - King-size double bed
        - 29' color TV
         - Bathroom with cold/hot water
         - Private safe

Deluxe rooms are B650 a night ( new room)

Standard rooms are B500 a night (older room)

I recommend the deluxe room, they are really good!

The Restaurant:

The restaurant is pretty basic, i just want to say you get a lot for the money you pay!

Definitely one of the best in the area!

Links:

Website
Book your room

Suvarnabhumi Waiting Queues

The last couple of weeks I have been hearing many complains about going to customs in Suvarnabhumi airport:

First the good news:

Because of the many complains there will be more people to man the offices! (23/03). 
This should reduce the queues immediately.

Arrival:

You can expect at least a 1 hour wait at best to clear immigration. You are lucky if you come in on night flight but during the day you can see 200-300 or even more people standing there and they won't even open all the offices. I have had times it took only 10 minutes to clear immigration!
Very unwelcoming start to your visit for most people!

Departing:
I heard people that were in the waiting queues for over 3 hours while departing. And don't forget we have Russians and Arabs in the airport so be ready to be annoyed! Queue jumping is the most annoying!!!! So when you arrive 1.5 hours before the flight you can still miss it! :)

 

Future:

The government will scrap its single-airport policy and encourage low-cost carriers to shift to Don Mueang airport to help ease congestion at Suvarnabhumi airport.

If all three major budget airlines  AirAsia, Nok Air and Orient Thai  shifted to Don Mueang, it would reduce the passengers at Suvarnabhumi by up to 17 to 18 million a year. 

Tips:
If you have a Thai wife/girlfriend or you travel in a group with Thai people you can queue in the 'Thai' line. This line is empty most of the time... Queue time reduced to 0 minutes!

Introduction to Bangkok

Welcome all!

Today I will talk a bit about the capital of Thailand: Bangkok
I will just mention some important points... :)

About:

Bangkok is the capital city of Thailand, it is also known in Thai as Krung Thep meaning "city of angels".
Bangkok was a small trading post near the Chao Phraya River during the Ayutthaya Kingdomand since then it always been one of the biggest city in the area.

Bangkok has 50 districts and is the economic center of Thailand. It houses 8 million people

The city of angels borders five other provinces: Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon and Nakhon Pathom; all five provinces are joined in the conurbation of the Bangkok Metropolitan Area.

Airport:

In Bangkok you find two international airports: Suvarnabhumi Airport and domestic Don Mueang International Airport.

Suvarnabhumi is used for international flights and mostly for tourists going in and out of Thailand. The main airline of Suvarnabhumi is Thai Airways International.

Don Mueang International Airport is now used for domestic flight. It was closed as an international airport in 2006 but re-opened in 2007 after renovation.

Transport (ground/water):

The most famous way to transport you around Thailand is the Taxi.
Bangkok has many taxis. Many roam the streets looking for customers, but there are also a number of taxi companies whose vehicles can be booked by telephone/internet. Taxis are metered, with a fixed starting fare, and charge by distance and waiting time.

There are also three-wheeled open-air motorized taxis called tuk-tuks.
They are really fun and make a lot of noise but they are more expensive than other ways of transport like motorcycle taxis.

Virtually all cities and provinces are easily reached by bus from Bangkok. For destinations in the southwest and the west, buses leave from the Southern Bus Terminal, west of the city in the Thonburi area. For destinations in the southeast (most popular, such as Pattaya, Ko Samet and Ko Chang, buses leave from the Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekkamai. ( BTS stop)

BTS is the official name of the two-line Skytrain metro system. This is for myself the best transport there is in Bangkok. It's cheap, fast and you can go anywhere! For an overview of stations: BTS MAP


The MRT subway system opened for use in July 2004. The MRT connects the northern train station of Bang Sue to the central railway station near the city centre, while also going through the eastern part of Bangkok. It connects to the BTS system at BTS stations Mo Chit, Asok, and Sala Daeng.

From these train stations you can go everywhere in Thailand, but be prepared: this isn't a luxury train!

There are plans to add additional lines for all of these 'rail' services

The wide river Chao Phraya, flowing through the city, has several cross-river ferries and the Chao Phraya Express Boat with as many as thirty stops along the both banks extending as far as the northern suburb of Nonthaburi.

Tourism:

Bangkok is considered to be one of the world's tourist hotspots. Bangkok is Thailand's major tourist gateway, which means that the majority of foreign tourists arrive in Bangkok. The city boasts some of the country's most visited historical venues such as the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun. There are numerous projects to maintain Bangkok's historic sites in the Rattanakosin area and river districts.
You will need weeks to checkout all the sites!

Shopping:

Shopping in Bangkok is an experience!
The market of all markets, Chatuchak Weekend Market is an absolute must to go to!
You can't go to Thailand without going to one of the many shopping malls. MBK Centre, Siam Paragon, CentralWorld are all in the Siam area (BTS stop SIAM)
But for me i like Pratunam the most, I like going to Platinum and get some cheap clothes and some easy food at the food market. It's up to you, you have so many shopping malls to chose from so enjoy!


Areas of Intrest:
Except for the cultural area's there are many area's to have fun in. Around Sukhumvit you have Nana Plaza and many really great clubs to hang out. I have to mention Soi cowboy here too... for an obvious reason.You will get reviews at this blog about some!

Water/flooding:

An elaborate network of canals known as khlongs gave Bangkok the nickname "Venice of the East" at a time when most transportation was by boat. Today, nearly all of the canals have been filled in and converted into streets. While many khlongs still exist with people living along them and markets often being operated along the banks, most are severely polluted.

Bangkok is still an island and this island is going under a little bit every year and with the climate change there will be more floodings if they don't find a way to prevent it. 'Impossible to protect'



Overall city score: 100/100

Hotel in Bangkok

Hi everyone!

I want to talk about this great hotel in Bangkok.

Le Fenix


Location:

Le Fenix is located in the heart of Bangkok, a five-minute walk from the city’s main artery, Sukhumvit Road, and the BTS skytrain.As you can see on the map:

The Hotel:

The best thing about this hotel is definitely the location. The location is in the hippest part of the city surrounded by iconic city hotspots and cool, stylish clubs like Q Bar – the New York style nightclub that attracts an international crowd and is the centre of Bangkok’s cocktail culture. A few minutes walk from the hotel are cafés and hookah bars of “Little Arabia.” It isn't too far from Nana Plaza too.

Here's an overview:

• - Art Galleries
• - Shopping Bazaars
• - Major Department Stores
• - Skytrain
• - Restaurant and Bars
• - Night Markets
• - Consulates & Embassies

• - Cafés
• - Convention & Exhibition Centres
• - Hospitals
• - Tourist Attractions
• - Theatres and Cinemas
• - Nightlife

The service is great in this hotel, a quick check-in, WIFI access , laundry, ...

A great thing is that they also got an indoor pool, its ideal for a quick swim. They have a small gym too if you want to work out.

The rooms are great and the entire hotel looks really nice. A special mention about the roof bar:
One of Bangkok’s most popular rooftop lounge bars. City panoramas from the top. Exotic drinks and classic cocktails from over the world . They do special parties here!


You can check all this by going on a virtual tour here: Virtual tour

Links:

Fenix Hotel

Facebook page

Bangkok Club

Hello dear people!

Today will be about a famous club in Bangkok.

Club Insomnia Bangkok

Location:

Insomnia is located on Sukhumvit soi 12. On the left hand side at the very beginning of the soi.

You can use the BTS: In the middle of NANA and ASOKE. Get out at one of those stations and walk approx. 250m towards SOI 12.

The Club:

After the famous and really successful club in Pattaya, ClubInsomnia Group now opened a brand new Discotheque in Bangkok. This club opened in November 2010 and it the opening was really great.

The club has got one of the best light shows in Thailand. They also have a great sound system.
This is certainly not the place to go if you want to relax with a beer and talk with your friends. The music is loud and you will have to shout to understand each other! But that's probably normal for this kind of club.

Most of the time this place is packed with local girls looking to pick up a tourist. I have seen it for myself!
Especially at the FULL MOON parties!!

Attached to Club Insomnia Bangkok you will find the all American V8 Diner, a 24 hour restaurant/bar to meet, eat, and drink. Make any purchase here and gain FREE entry to Insomnia.

It is also possible to get a membership card for all of the ClubInsomnia Group venues. You get a discount and it is probably worth it!

There are also a lot of promotions/special nights/events for example this one for tommorow!

 

This really is a great place to party !!!

Links:

Facebook group Insomia Bangkok 

Club Insomia Bangkok website 

Life in Thailand

Hi everybody!!

My topic of today is about the prices in Thailand. Were seeing that more and more basic products are getting more expensive. It isn't a lot for us 'farang' but for the people in Thailand is it isn't like that.

Reasons:

World oil prices have risen 25% over the past three months to $125 a barrel!
So many cars/motorbikes in Thailand, so much export towards other countries.

The rising cost of living. Almost every product got more expensive!
Eggs, pork, rice were never as expensive as now!
The rice price in Thailand alone has more than tripled since the beginning of the year.

The policy to raise the daily minimum wage will have an impact on the production costs of manufacturers.
This makes everything more expensive. The problem is that this will not be done gradually!

A big cause of all this are the floods, but we should be aware that these floods will be back in the future.

Results:

Poorest people suffer!! There will be much more poverty in Thailand and with the people being afraid and the political unrest we will have to brace for a worse future!

A GoGo Bar in Bangkok

Hello all!

Today I'm going to talk about the most famous bar in Bangkok.

Angel Witch

Location

Angel Witch is based on the second floor of Nana Plaza.

You can get to Nana Plaza by going to Sukhumvit soi 4. You can stop at Nana BTS station and walk a bit.
When you get at the big crossroad you go to the left and you'll get their easy.

The Bar


This place is all about shows, there are many different kind of shows. Dress ups, funny sketches, sexy shows....
You can just sit back with a beer and enjoy the show.  The shows start at about 22:00 and finishes around 3.00 at night.A beer is a bit more expensive here than at other bars(B120++), but you get a great show!

If you just want to see girls dancing away all night, this is not the place to be. Maybe once every hour or so some regular dancers will come on stage for 10-15 minutes or so. Angel Witch is probably the best a-gogo bar in Thailand for shows. It has pretty girls too of-course!!  ( BF will be high too!!!)

 Here is a picture I found on the net, but there are many beautiful girls there.

Tip

Be careful about the lady boys pickpocketing around this are. Especially when it gets late you should avoid groups of 'katoeys'



link to website: Angel Witch

Hotel in Bangkok

Hi everybody,

I want to talk about this great hotel in Bangkok.

The Hotel:

It's called Imm Fusion, it is located on Sukhumvit 50. The hotel is just 2 minutes from the BTS On Nut station.


If you walk to the right there is a big TESCO with Mcdonalds, food market,... If you walk the left there is a Carrefour with some shops and some restaurants.

In the evening you can walk to the BTS station and go off on the other side of the road. There is a nice evening market where you can enjoy music, drinks and a lot more!

The service in Imm Fusion is great and they are really helpful, you get free internet and wifi.

The rooms are really cheap and they look ok, the shower is very nice. They were remaking the floors and wall when I stayed there so they should look even better now.

 

There is a small pool and a small fitness area. Great for a quick run but not for long. I always grab a beer from their bar and relax on the seats. Also the restaurant is quite good for breakfast.

My Opinion:

In my opinion this is a great place to hang out for 1-2 days or for your first /last night in Thailand. This hotel isn't a family hotel. The best for young couples... I give this a 9/10 

The location is 10/10 and for sure the best budget hotel in Bangkok!

 The hotel got a 7.5 / 10 from agoda and it's ranked 3.5 stars at tripadvisor.

U can book a room from their website:Imm Fusion or from Agoda

First blog, first post

Hello all,

Im making a blog about all my experiences on Thailand, a blog for all news about Thailand.
I will be making posts about the good and the bad side of Thailand.

Sincerely
Jens