Just Chillin on Koh Samet

Many first time visitors (or even second and third visitors) to Thailand want to know which is the best island or the best beaches. Thailand has hundreds of islands so choosing the best one is at best a subjective practice. :>)

Certainly the islands on the Andaman Sea have the clearest water and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Think of Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phi Phi and the Similan Islands and you’ll certainly have images of crystal clear water and limitless white sand beaches.

However, the islands in the Gulf of Thailand are quite nice as well. In addition, they are closer to Bangkok and less touristy. I’ve already written some posts about Koh Chang which is near Trat. Today I want to let you know about the little gem known as Koh Samet (or Samed).

Koh Samed is a small island just 30 minutes boat ride from Ban Phe which itself can be reached by bus from Bangkok in just 3 hours. Not bad that you can go from the congestion and pollution of Bangkok to this wonderful little natural hideaway in just 3 1/2 hours.

Compared to other Thai islands it is a bit quiet on Koh Samet thanks to the fact that it was declared a National Park in 1981. Khao Lam Ya - Samet Archipelago Maritime National Park to be excat. While it is popular with locals and expats it doesn’t get nearly the tourist traffic of other Thai islands like Koh Chang and the islands near Krabi, Phuket and Surat Thani - which is just fine by me.

What is there to do on Koh Samet? Obviously there is swimming and sunbathing. You can charter fishing boats, take a snorkelling or scuba trip or even parasail. Beach massages and pedicures/manicures are cheap as well. All of the restaurants we tried were great, if a bit expensive for Thailand. A good alternative is to get the food from the streeet vendors or from the restaurants outside the park. I had some of the best bar-b-que chicken EVER from them. The island is fairly small, so walking the beach can be fun and it doesn’t take long to get to most of the popular places. And at night there is a decent selection of bars, some quiet and some a bit more party oriented to pick from. One thing I definitely recommend is the fire twirling guys at Ploy Talay. They were great and one of them is only 13 years old!

We had a great time on Koh Samet and plan on going back many times in the future. The closeness to Bangkok and the laid back beach atmosphere combined with good food and just enough partying makes this a top pick for a weekend away from Bangkok. I’ll post more in the future including some of our own pictures.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Thailand December 2007 Election Results

With the elections recently completed in Thailand it looks like continuing political instability will be the norm for Thailand.

The newly formed pro-Thaksin People’s Power Party (PPP) is said to have gained 232 seats in the parliamentary election on December 23rd. The Thai parliment has 480 seats so the PPP is just 9 seats short of a majority and they are already claiming coalitions with smaller groups to ensure they gain the majority they need.

This is a huge blow to the military backed coup that was conducted in September. That coup ousted the then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra amid claims of alleged corruption and abuse of power. Since that time Thaksin has been in exile in the U.K. although spokepeople of the PPP claim they will have him returning to Thailand by early in 2008, however Thaksin has not yet given a comment.

All is not rosy with the PPP either. Sodsri Sathayatham, a member of the Election Commission, said at least 24 winners could be disqualified, while new voting might be necessary in a dozen cases. The commission was barraged by hundreds of complaints of vote-buying and other violations of electoral law. It did not specify which parties’ candidates were involved.

Vote buying in Thailand? It’s hard to believe isn’t it? Seems that the current instability in Thailand will be maintained for at least a bit longer until the election results are sorted out.

Even if the People’s Power Party do maintain a majority it is likely that they will have difficulty. If the PPP comes to power, said Nakarin Mektrairat, dean of Thammasat University’s Faculty of Political Science, “there will be tension and conflicts,” in part because of its lack of support from Bangkok’s residents.

On a positive note for those vacationing in the kingdom, the political situation hasn’t had much effect on tourism in Thailand. Those with business interests in the kingdom, however are best to stay on the sidelines until the smoke clears as the current instability and constitutional changes have been bad all around for foreign business interests.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Guay-Dtieow Rad Nar Moo Mug - Thai Noodle Dish with Pork Gravy

Hi everyone, I’m really sorry that I didn’t post this recipe 3 days ago because I’ve been sick since Sunday and just feel little better by today. Alright now it’s time for Lad Nar Moo Muk - Thai noodle dish with pork gravy. Let’s see how it’s going to be…

This recipe will be a little complicated because have to prepare noodle dish, vegetables and gravy separately. Also it will take time for fermented pork because have to marinate them overnight. But its worth it, especially for the taste of gravy…It’s just about right, get a little
bit sweet and tender from pork mix with noodles and veggies. Just the only one word to say is AWESOME!!!

Recipe for noodles (serve 2)
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 200 grams Pad large strip rice stick noodles (or if you can’t find you can use any
kind of rice noodle and should be soaked in warm water for about half an
hour or so depending on your preference).
- 2 tsp Thai Dark Thick Soy Sauce
- 4 medium-sized Chinese kale plants (normally I use Kale that I can get from grocery
in here because Chinese Kale hard to find either from Chinese grocery or
Vietnamese grocery)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp soybean paste
- 1 1/2 water or pork broth
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp Thai seasoning sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp Tapioca Flour
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Seasoning : chili powder, pickled chili, fish sauce and
sugar

Recipe for Moo Mug (fermented pork)
- 150 grams sirloin pork
- 2 tsp Tapioca Flour
- 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 egg (white egg only)

First cut the pork into thin and small pieces ( about 2 inches length). Toss with light soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. Then mix well with
white egg and tapioca flour. Put the pork in the refrigerator and marinate overnight.

Next day take the pork out and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or so.

Wash the kale thoroughly, peel off old leaves and the tough skin covering the stems. Cut the kale into 2-3 inches length. Bring the water to the boil, add 1 tsp of salt, add the kale and blanch until just done. Transfer to soak in cold water until cool, and drain. Put aside.

Toss the noodles (after soaked in the warm water) with dark soy sauce until thoroughly coated. Place the wok over medium heat until hot. Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and spin the oil all over around the wok. Put the noodle in and stir until it is soft and cooked. Sometimes you have to add a little bit of water to make the noodles soft and cook thorough. Put the noodle onto the plate and wait for sauce.

Place the wok over medium heat until it is hot. Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil and then put the mixed pork and stir until pork start to cook. Add soybean paste, water (or pork broth) and season to tase with light soy sauce, seasoning sauce and sugar. When the soup starts to boil again
put the tapioca flour in mixing with 3 tbsp of water into the wok. Stir until the tapioca flour cooked and become thicken then turn off the heat.

Put the cooked kale on top the noodle dish and pour pork gravy on top of those. Before serving garnish with pepper and serve with the seasonings.

I hope you enjoy with Lad Nar Moo Mug and will see you next week with Khao man Gai - rice steamed with chicken!
Take care…

Popularity: 33% [?]

Laab Gai (Thai Spicy Chopped Chicken)

Sometimes make me and Steve surprise ourselves a lot that we both want to have spicy food almost everyday. The answer is maybe we’re just addict for spicy and that’s why he have it almost everyday but still crave for spicy food (on and on). I made Laab Gai for both of us yesterday and also just like I have promised with you guys before I left to Thailand trip that I will present Laab Gai. So let’s see the recipe…

Laab Gai (Serves 2)

- 200 gram breast chicken coarsely chopped
- 1/3 cup shallots, sliced thinly
- 2 spring onions, coarsly sliced
- 2 tbsp coriander, coarsly sliced
- 2 tbsp mint leaf, coarsly sliced
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 1/2 tbsp Thai Fish Sauce
- 1 tbsp (or less) Thai chili powder
- 1 tbsp Roasted Rice Flour (can use breadcrumb)
- 1/4 tsp seasoning powder (Rod Dee)
- 1 cucumber, sliced

Put the chicken in a wok, fry over medium heat until it is white and done. Turn off the heat and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add shallots, spring onion, coriander, and mint leaves and toss lightly. Season the chicken to taste with lime juice, fish sauce and Rod Dee. Sprinkle chili powder and ground roasted rice over the mixture and mix well.

Arrange on serving dish and serve with fresh vegetables like cucumber.

And will see you next week with Lad Nar Moo Mug (Thai noodles dish with pork gravy)…really delicious, can’t wait!

Popularity: 38% [?]

Of Tempers, Tigers and Thai Brides (or Why Thai Women are Explosive)

I found this great little essay on the explosive nature of Thai women and simply had to share it with all of you. Hopefully it provides a nice filler while I recuperate from my jetlag and the cold I got when we returned back to Farangland and the wonderful -3C temperatures. Enjoy!!!

By Andrew Hicks

Somebody has asked me why ‘Thai girls’ are so explosive. Are they really?

The archetypal ‘Thai girl’ is sweet-natured, even-tempered, passive and gentle, a petite, purring pussy cat whose only pleasure is in pleasing her man. True or false?

So who’s kidding who? Like hell she is! All the most powerful and fiery qualities are focused in Thai womanhood. It’s they who’ll fight most furiously for their families and for this strength of character as well as for their feminine qualities I salute them.

It sometimes happens that when I say “Thai girl”, people think I’ve said “tiger”. How apposite that is! Man eaters every one!

Thus, if William Blake had made it to Nana Plaza in Bangkok before London zoo, his famous couplets might possibly have run something like this.

“Thai girl, Thai girl, feisty, fit,
In the sois of Sukhumvit.
What immoral hand or eye
Can frame thy fearless symmetry.”

Tigers of course are dangerous and it’s often asserted, fairly or otherwise, that Thai women are not merely fiery, they can sometimes be positively explosive. If so, a farang thinking of taking one as his sweet little wife had better think twice. Foreign men who think they are escaping the rigours of feminism for a much softer version may find an assertive woman of a very different kind.

My expertise on whether Thai women are explosive is extremely limited, but that’s never stopped me speculating about something, so here goes, a brief and superficial dissertation on the nature and qualities of Thai womanhood.

A thesis like this one always raises a host of subsidiary questions. Isn’t it the case that in all cultures and creatures, the female of the species is deadlier than the male? Who’s to say that Thai women are any more dangerous than the rest of them. In the animal kingdom, after mating the female praying mantis is said to kill and eat the male as he’s now of no further use to her, so things could be far, far worse than an exploding Thai lady as one’s mate.

It’s a nice coincidence that the Latin for wife is uxor, while in NGO-speak, UXO means unexploded ordnance, a landmine that blows your foot off when you tread on her toes!

Another question is whether the volatility of the puying Thai is regional… for example is it more extreme in the case of women from Isaan who make up a good proportion of farang wives. Then are Chinese Thai women the same as other Thais? What are the differences between rural and urban women, the educated and the poor farmer’s daughter? And how about women from neighbouring countries? Is not a Burmese, a Malay or a Lao likely to be similar to a Thai?

Is this alleged explosivity a general characteristic of all Thai women or is it a special quality of farang wives who are a self-selecting group. These particular women are not shrinking violets but powerful personalities with get-up-and-go and the potential for self-assertion and fireworks.

If explosions are about conflict, is conflict the particular way in which Thai women handle difficulties in their relationships? Or could conflict with farang husbands be a consequence of the particular pressures of these cross-cultural relationships? The questions are endless.

Thailand draws some of it’s cultural influences from India and one thus thinks of a philosophy that accepts the hardships of life as they come and which cultivates an ascetic stoicism in the face of all adversity. Perhaps there’s an acceptance of hardship in Thailand too, until such time as it becomes intolerable. Then when there’s no place left to turn, the only option, like a Malay villager, is to run amok and to sink a parang, either of sharpened steel or hard words into the thick skull of an unfeeling husband.

The status of women in this very hierarchical society is undoubtedly low. Money is paid to a girl’s parents when she marries and her duty to her husband is to produce and raise children, to keep house, to produce and prepare food and to wait upon and pamper her man, while he most probably philanders with other women and drinks himself insensible.

A Thai wife may be expected to tolerate this situation in silence. She cannot negotiate or remonstrate with her man if she’s dissatisfied as there’s nothing for her to negotiate about. There’s no culture of husband and wife talking things through as equals. Her only option therefore, other than chopping off his chopper, a crime with a high incidence in Thailand, is to fly off the handle and make a big fuss from time to time.

At its extreme, this is a desperate step to take as it’s an admission of failure, a breach of the culture of compromise that so values harmony in personal relations. However, handled well, open conflict can be a useful tactic, a strategy that can produce results. If it proves particularly effective, it becomes habit-forming and patterns of volatile behaviour are established and taught down the generations of women.

While Thai men can be weak, much is expected of Thai women who have to learn to be strong and who, when needs be, sometimes express that strength through aggression. Modesty, passivity and subservience are a female ideal but especially in gritty rural societies, women probably learn the value of assertiveness from watching how their fathers behave. And if they’ve been beaten by Papa and they’ve seen it happen to Mama too, how can they learn more sensitive ways? Nobody has taught them to mediate a way through a potential conflict, so it seems a useful tactic to get their retaliation in first… to throw some verbal punches, just when farang Dave’s least expecting them.

If a farang’s perception of his Thai wife is that she’s moody, hot headed and unpredictable, perhaps it’s true, though maybe there are pressure points in the marriage that partially explain it. There are many tensions in Lek’s relationship with Dave, a relationship that’s rewarding but also is high risk. She has a long way to fall, and having flaunted her gold to the village, the loss of face will be traumatic when he walks out on her.

First, she has no control of the purse strings and so money can be a constant source of friction. She has an abiding fear of poverty, of slipping back to the time when she had to eat rice with salt, when Papa was always drunk and Mama always pregnant, when they were still in debt even though Papa had sold almost all his rice land, when her older brothers were not sending money home and when they then looked to her to leave home to sell herself however she could.

Her recent alliance with big, cuddly Dave is substantially an economic exchange. From the time he handed over the sinsot on their wedding day, the question of how they spend his money is an unavoidable and ever present issue. As there’s no common ground and nothing’s ever hammered out, the problem of money is a ripe source for conflict. One day somebody’s going to call him mean as sticky shit, and having built her a palatial house on her family’s land, Dave’s not going to be a happy bunny.

Then there’s the problem of language. Dave and Lek can’t understand each other properly, so things are always tense, tense, tense. There are twelve tenses in English. Present tense, but maybe future perfect… if Lek can learn enough English to communicate properly with Dave who’s never going to get beyond saying sawaddicup and cowpat ghai. Misunderstandings are endemic and so the tensions slowly accumulate.

There are many cultural differences that lead to friction as well. Dave walks into the house with his shoes on because he says the floor’s dirty. He tells her not to wash his clothes every five minutes and she calls him dirty. He can’t eat chili like the rest of the family, so she has to cook special dishes for him. And instead of politely picking his nose or spitting on the ground, he blows it with a tissue… shock horror! Farang nagliat!

Perhaps most difficult of all is that, because of the language problem, Lek is the exclusive interface between Dave and the rest of the Thai world. She has to mediate between her husband and her family’s expectations of him and inevitably she’ll offend one side or the other. No ambassador could have the diplomatic powers to deal with this intractable situation.

Thus, as Dave’s interpreter and negotiator, she has to act as intermediary in all his petty disputes with traders and workmen and with the rest of the province. The painter’s smeared paint all over the woodwork of the doors, his satellite internet’s a disaster, the top of the table he bought has dried up and split, the noise from the neighbours’ sound system is deafening and somebody in the soi has eaten the cat and he’s very upset. Lek now has to deal with all these issues while Dave stands threateningly behind her, egging her on, pushing her, willing her to get the result he’s demanding.

But no, says Lek, mai pen rai. It’s not that important. The work’s acceptable and you can’t be that fussy. You’ve just got to swallow your anger and pay up. And the noisy neighbours. Graeng jai! You’ve got to be considerate to them and shut up even when they’re being inconsiderate to you. And you can always get another cat.
But Dave’s out for blood and he’s going to make her push, push, push until he gets full satisfaction from all of them. He’s a nice guy but this time it’s a matter of principle.

‘Cannot, Dave. You farang, you talk too much!’ she says loudly. Dave dares to answer back and then she explodes, a fearful sight to behold.

‘Dave, you farang… jai rorn, jing jing. You buffalo, no good, no good!’

And let’s face it, to be fair, sometimes Dave explodes too. Lek doesn’t have a monopoly on being explosive in this particular family.

Thus, stress and provocation can cause explosions, but sometimes they are primarily a tactic, a conscious form of manipulation. The more histrionic the explosion, the more effective it’ll be for getting Lek what she wants. Keeping Dave in fear of the next display of fireworks is a handy way of making him more compliant.

When a wife keeps changing her mind about small things all the time, flies into jealous rages, is petulant and moody and is a pain in the proverbial, it can be a bigger issue. Perhaps she has serious problems and is damaged goods. In so many poor families anywhere in the world, a child has to compete with her siblings, looking after the younger ones while Mama is pregnant or out in the rice fields and gets no parental attention herself. Papa is drunk and violent or has fled the scene, so there has been no role model to show her how to behave in a marriage. Nobody has taught her what behaviour’s reasonable and what is unacceptable. She just copies the way her Mama used to scream at Papa.

And one last thing, if Lek once worked in the bars, her life defined by her monthly tally of lady drinks and bar fines, who knows what experiences she might have had and what resentments she harbours against those responsible for them. Dave will never know as she’ll never tell him, nor can he ever discover how it now affects her behaviour towards him.

Marriage has never been easy and as between farang and Thai there are certainly some massive cultural incompatibilities. Nonetheless, learning about each other and coping with the difficulties is all part of the fun.

Though as I said earlier, I’ve little insight into such marital conflicts as my own Thai wife is always, always sweet and wonderful. You see, Cat never ever explodes!

Popularity: 38% [?]

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