Bangkok is home to several cooking schools and if cooking is one of your hobbies or loves then it will be well worth it for you to check out one or more of the cooking schools. One of the top programs is the Blue Elephant Cooking School. One great benefit of taking a class with them is that they will pick you up and drop you back off at your hotel.

Located in the heart of Bangkok, opposite the Surasak Sky train station, the Blue Elephant Cooking School is housed in a stunning century old mansion where you will discover and experience the culinary wonders of Royal Thai Cuisine.

It takes just under four hours for the Blue Elephant Cooking School chefs to have you cooking like a pro. The restaurant has morning and afternoon cooking classes during which you will be taught to produce a four-course meal.

There are staff members on hand to avert disasters, and everyone graduates with a Blue Elephant certificate, souvenir apron and box of herbs to help demonstrate your new skills back home.

Itinerary

• You will be welcomed with a fresh Thai herbal drink and discuss with the chef the 4 course meal that will be prepared by you during the class.
• You, along with other members of the cooking group, will take a ride by Sky Train (Saphan Taksin) to the Bang Rak morning market. There is no market visit for the afternoon session.
• The instructor will advise and guide you in discovering and selecting Thai fruits and vegetables and the multicoloured spices!
• Then it is time to take a ride back to the Cooking School on the Sky Train.
• Arrive at the Cooking School where a refreshing drink and towel is waiting for you.
• You then move to the theory class, when the instructor will present a cookery demonstration of the dishes that you will have to prepare!
• Each student will receive a booklet with the recipes of the day.
• It is now time to roll up your sleeves and lay your hands onto the cooking utensils at the Practice Room.
• Each student has his own table and wok. Assisted by the instructor you will learn and experience the culinary technique of Thai cuisine.
• You will have to prepare four dishes.
• Now you can taste and enjoy your own culinary creation in a friendly Thai setting at the Blue Elephant Restaurant.
• The class will be followed by a meal in our delightful restaurant sampling your own cooking as well as additional Thai dishes.

Fortunately for me I am married to Golf and her Thai cooking is superb. If you love Thai food like I do then it is definitely worth your time to check out a cooking school like the Blue Elephant next time you’re in Bangkok. It’s something that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

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Several weeks ago I wrote a post “What Do You Want to Know About Thailand” and I got some very good questions. I know I’ve gotten a bit sidetracked since then and I still have a few questions hanging out there so I want to finish answering those and if anyone else has any questions about Thailand or Thai culture please go back to that post and leave a comment or contact us with your question. I’ll be posting all of the answers here at Thailand Musings so don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of the great questions and answers.

Here is another question regarding Thai culture and the willingness of Thai women to meet and marry significantly older western men. I find this a particularly good subject because it is exactly the question that Golf asked me when we first met on ThaiLoveLinks. I think her question went something like “Why do so many old guys try to chat the young girl on here”. Needless to say I took this a bit personally and felt it necessary to explain. The rest is history.

Question about age differences: Let’s face the facts, I am a 55 year old guy talking with a 30 year old Thai woman. I am well aware that I could produce children. But I may not be still around past age 75, who knows? And I could have ten year old kids when I reach retirement age. I do not want to put a woman and kids at risk, and can certainly make provisions for their support after I am gone. I’d be interested in any success or failure stories you have encountered regarding this. Of course, here in the US, this degree of age difference in marriage is relatively rare, and perhaps even somewhat scandalous. Not that I am ungrateful, but why is a large age span seemingly so acceptable for many Thai women?

Stories regarding Thai women and western men meeting and dating or marrying are very common on the internet and will run the gamut from wildly successful to depressing failures. Do a Google search for Thai women + foreign men and you’ll find hours of reading material. For success stories go to the testimonials of ThaiLoveLinks (where Golf and I met) or simply read about Golf and I. The International Herald has a good story about this subject as well. For failure stories you’ll find plenty, but most of them involve Thai bar girls. By meeting a good Thai girl you can avoid a lot of the common pitfalls you find on the internet.

The reason a large age span is acceptable is often very personal to the girls and I hate to generalize, but if I have to do so then there are several commonly accepted reasons that Thai girls date and/or marry foreigners so much older than themselves.

First, many Thai girls are looking for stability, both financial and in the relationship, and older foreign men are typically able to provide both. They are in general financially well off, especially by Thai standards and this is viewed as a definite positive. They are also more settled and less prone to wander than their Thai counterparts. Add to that the western cultural ideal of monogamy and they become even more attractive to Thai women who are used to seeing Thai men that are promiscuous and prone to having mistresses.

Thai’s also value white skin very much and in fact those with darker skin are perceived to be of a lower class in Thai society. Typically children of Thai/western marriages tend to be much lighter skinned and thus more accepted in society. The Thai’s even have a name for such children of mixed parentage which is ‘Luk Kreung’ and literally means ‘child half”. You’ll find many famous Thai actors and models are luk kreung including pop singers Tata Young and Lanna Cumming.

One aspect that is often overlooked by westerners is that traditionally Thai marriages were often arranged by parents, not on the basis of love, but for mutual benefits between the families such as a property tie up or business merger. Westerners don’t understand this type of arranged marriage and often don’t consider this aspect of Thai culture yet it is very ingrained and accepted in Thailand. Because of this Thai women can sometimes view their bodies as property (Thai men view them this way as well which is a reason Thai women don’t care for Thai men) and as such have no problem using it to gain a better social or financial standing.

In the beginning the Thai girl may not even like her husband much, but over time a love and mutual respect grows. As the two get to know each other better an assimilation of each others culture begins to occur and the bonds between a Thai woman and her foreign husband can grow very strong. It’s good to understand these dynamics better, but I think we older western guys should just be thankful for our beautiful Thai ladies and not question too much. After all, it sure beats the alternative.

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This is bad news for Thailand. Last time the bird flu was found there it had a significant impact on tourism to the country. Considering the current strength of the Thai baht which is already curbing tourism combined with the anti-foreign business climate brought on after last years coup, this could cause a definite drop in Thailand’s GDP for 2008.

Let’s hope that this is an isolated case not only for Thailand’s tourism, but also because of the very deadly nature of the H5N1 bird flu virus. Most of us know that avian flu is being watched very closely, but do we know why. The reason is that this particular virus has mutated in the past and was extremely deadly. During the period of 1918-1920 the virus mutated and caused the Spanish flu which was responsible for 50 million deaths worldwide. Those interested can learn more here

Source: Reuters – 24 January 2008 The H5N1 bird flu virus has re-emerged in a northern Thai province for the first time since March last year, forcing the slaughter of 10,000 chickens, an Agriculture Ministry official said on Thursday.

The outbreak occurred on a farm in Nakhon Sawan, 240 km (149 miles) north of Bangkok, where the owner reported 4,085 chickens had died earlier this month, senior Livestock Department official Nirundorn Aungtragoolsuk told Reuters.

“The H5N1 virus was found on the farm and we have culled the rest of them,” he said of the birds slaughtered in one of four closed chicken houses on the farm.

The others house 45,000 chickens which had shown no signs of the deadly avian influenza virus, he said.

The virus last reappeared in northern Thailand in March 2007, but there have been no new reports of human infections in the country, where the virus has killed 17 people since 2003.

Of the 351 human cases recorded since H5N1 re-emerged in Asia in 2003 and spread to parts of Africa and the Middle East, 219 have died, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The virus does not currently spread easily between humans, but scientists fear it could mutate into a form that would trigger a global pandemic, killing millions of people.

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It appears the military backed coup is finally over as the military leaders have stepped aside as previously promised now that elections have taken place. The Parliment has convened for the first time since the coup and it appears that a pro-Thaksin Prime Minister will be elected.

Does this mean that we will see all of the changes made by the coup disintegrated and Thaksin will come back into power of some sort in Thailand? I think it is highly likely. Thaksin has a large degree of support, especially in the provinces of Thailand. Meanwhile the middle and upper class Thai’s in Bangkok will very likely protest once more.

It is difficult to see when stability will return to Thailand considering the current situation. One can hope that the return of the Thai Rak Thai party (under the guise of PPP) will also see the return of a more pro-business and foreigner friendly Thai government.

BANGKOK: — The military council which ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a 2006 putsch disbanded itself on Tuesday and promised there would be no more coups as a Thaksin-backed coalition prepared to take office.

The Council for National Security (CNS), widely derided for presiding over an inept government, also called on politicians to stay out of military affairs, suggesting it feared vengeful Thaksin supporters in office.

“Everybody in the CNS, especially the army commander-in-chief, insist there will be no more coups,” CNS spokesman Sunsern Kaewkumnerd told reporters.

“In a political transition into a full democracy, which is a sensitive period for all sides, the military should not be involved in politics and politicians should not interfere with the military,” he said.

“Therefore, we need a politically neutral person to be defence minister,” Sunsern said a month after elections in which the openly pro-Thaksin People Power Party fell just short of an overall majority.

That call followed newspaper reports that Samak Sundaravej, the firebrand PPP leader determined to become prime minister, would also become defence minister.

But the military is in a weak position after the elections proved Thaksin’s abiding popularity in the countryside where the majority of Thais live, despite CNS attempts to eradicate his influence.

The PPP campaigned on Thaksin’s populist platform and told people a vote for the party was a vote for Thaksin. The former prime minister was ousted months after street protests began against him in Bangkok and faces corruption charges when he returns from exile.

Political analysts saw the results of the December 23 election as a vote against the coup and criticism of the military is becoming ever more trenchant.

“The generals have proved unfit in their handling of post-coup Thailand,” Chulalongkorn University political scientist Thitinan Pongsudhirak wrote in Tuesday’s Bangkok Post.

“Policy directions have been murky, leadership incompetent, overall administration inept. The generals have made themselves obsolete by botching their latest putsch,” he said. The generals accused Thaksin of presiding over rampant corruption and of disrespect toward revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej — charges he denies — but an anti-graft panel they appointed has come up with only one case against him.

They also failed to eradicate his Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party despite its court-ordered dissolution for electoral fraud and the banning of Thaksin and 110 senior party members from politics for five years.

Thai Rak Thai members simply took over the almost defunct PPP, which is expected to take office at the head of a coalition government and occupy the most powerful ministries some time next month.

–Reuters Jan 22, 2008

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An interesting recent addition to Bangkok (December 9, 2005) is Siam Ocean World which is located in the basement level of Siam Paragon. Siam Ocean World is the largest aquarium in SE Asia and includes penguins, sharks and a variety of offbeat sea creatures. It is great for kids and even adults will find something interesting here. Plan on spending 1-2 hours to see the entire exhibit. Admission is 750 baht for adults and 600 baht for children which seems a bit expensive to me, but what the heck you’re on vacation right? Oh, if you’re Thai then you pay 280 baht for children and 450 baht for adults which is a bit more reasonable. Isn’t dual pricing wonderful?

Siam Paragon is huge with a total area of over 300,000 sq. meters about 1/3 of which is devoted to department stores. It is an upscale mall catering to wealthy Thai’s and foreigners and has many luxury brands including Gucci, Hermes and Burberry. You’ll also find many small Thai traditional arts stores carrying everything from tiny items to very expensive and highly decorative silk, ivory, and antiques, ostentatiously geared towards the extremely wealthy.

Especially interesting, especially to car afficianados are the autos on display at Siam Paragon. Kids may not be that impressed, but many adults will enjoy it much more than Siam Ocean World. Ferrari’s, Lamborghini’s and Maserati’s are on display which is even more impressive considering the high auto import tax in Thailand makes these cars 50-100% more expensive than they would be in the west.

Siam Paragon and Siam Ocean World are located in the large mall area on Rama 1 Road in the Pathum Wan district of Bangkok. It is quite easy to get to either by Skytrain (Siam Station) or by taxi. Next door to Siam Paragon you’ll find Siam Center and Siam Discovery. MBK Shopping Center is also within walking distance and other nearby centers include Gaysorn Mall which is the most upscale of the Bangkok malls and Central World Plaza. Considering all of the nearby options you could easily spend the day in this area and 1 hour or so to investigate the aquatic displays at Siam Ocean World is worth it.

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Previously I told you about the Best Paradises in Thailand, a book released by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, which gives recommendations for the best hotels and resorts in Thailand. Well, being the beach person I am I thought I would kick off the review of hotels with the section on the Best Beach Hotels and Resorts.

Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort & Spa – Koh Phi Phi, Krabi

The stunningly beautiful Phi Phi Islands are a tiny group of islands blessed with soft powdery sand beaches set against a back drop of soaring limestone cliffs and hills rolling down to pristine ivory beaches. Nestled amidst the towering coconut palms and rich vegetation of Phi Phi Don’s Loh-Ba-Gao bay is Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort & Spa. The resort is set in an area of spectacular natural beauty and overlooks 800 metres of private beach.

Of course the stunning scenery of Koh Phi Phi simply adds to the magical atmosphere of this resort, but all is not heaven. Yes, the staff and the rooms are superb. The grounds and the waiting Andaman Sea are like a paradise on Earth and the quiet and serenity are relaxing beyond belief. This is a wonderful resort for a honeymoon and in fact they do have accommodations for weddings at the resort.

Now for the downside. The restaurants are overpriced with food that is ho-hum compared to real Thai fare. Not to worry though. Just a short walk off the hotel grounds and you’ll find lots of small authentic Thai restaurants to satisfy your hunger.

Room rates run from about $200-400 a night depending on the season and room type. Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort & Spa also has a return visitor Privilege Club which offers discounts of 10-20% on rooms, food and services for guests after their third stay and onward.

Ramada Resort – Khao Lak, Phang-Nga

Fabulous west-coast, white-sand beaches on the doorstep of your five-star hotel, close to an international airport and kilometers oh natural rainforest. If you hadn’t guessed by now, it’s the northern neighbor of Phuket – Khao Lak. The Ramada Resort is a new property on Khao Lak and it shows. Everything is clean and well kept and the rooms are a funky minimalist design. Really quite nice in my opinion. Another big plus is the beach which is private and quiet.

Pros -
* Really well-laid out resort – obvious a lot of thinking has gone into its design
* Great swimming pool
* Very friendly and helpful staff
* Great location – Khao Lak is just a very relaxing place to be!

Cons -
* Not especially “Thai”, if that’s what you’re looking for.
* Quality of breakfast not quite up to standards shown at restaurant lunch and dinner.
* Spa a little overpriced – by Thai standards!

Source (TripAdvisor.com)

Rates at the Ramada Khao Lak run from $100-$400 depending on room type and season.

Thapwarin Resort – Koh Ngai, Krabi

I know this hotel is being recommended by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and for sure Koh Ngai is a paradise, but after doing research on Thapwarin Resort I really can’t recommend it to anyone. There seem to be quite a few issues surrounding the resort including wasps, jellyfish and even breaking and entering! If you’re set on Koh Ngai try CoCo Cottage instead.

Katathani Phuket Beach Resort – Phuket

Katathani Phuket Beach Resort is located on the Southwest coast of Phuket Island in secluded Kata Noi Bay, less than an hour from Phuket International Airport—and a world away from all care. That’s what their website says and by all accounts it’s true. The Katathani has won numerous awards as a top hotel and it is a great place to get away from it all.

This is not a 5 star hotel, but it is a very good 4 star hotel. The staff and the restaurants are wonderful. Where the resort slips is in upkeep. The location can be considered good or bad. If you want to get away from it all then Katathani is great for you. If you want to be closer to the nightlife and shops then the location of Katathani will be a negative for you.

The very best feature of the hotel is it’s beach. Katathani is situated on one of the best stretches of beach on Phuket. They also have 6 pools onsite so you’ll never be at a loss for a place to swim.

Off season rates aren’t bad at around $120, but expect to pay upwards of $340 a night during the high season. If you can afford it and you want to get away from it all, go ahead and indulge yourself for a few days.

Twin Lotus Resort and Spa – Koh Lanta, Krabi

Twin Lotus Resort & Spa is located on 12 acres of tropical gardens in the heart of Klong Dao Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches on Lanta Yai Island’s west coast, Krabi, Thailand.

Again the focus for this hotel is the beach. They do have one of the best beaches on Koh Lanta, however the reviews regarding the service, cleanliness and food at the hotel are mixed. If you’re going to Koh Lanta nd want the most beautiful beach possible try out the Twin Lotus Resort, otherwise stay somewhere else such as Chaw Ka Cher, Best Western Maya or the Relax Bay Resort. All three are half the price of Twin Lotus and offer similar service levels.

Khaolak Resort – Khao Lak, Phang-Nga

If you choose to stay at the Khaolak Resort you’re best bet is to choose one of the pool villas. They are mere feet from the beautiful pool and the beach and are a step above the standard rooms. Guests have complained about the musty smell in the standard bungalows which may be true, but is very common in the hot and humid conditions of southern Thailand. Expect to pay between $100-200 depending on the season which is inline with similar resorts on the island.

Khao Lak itself is a beautiful paradise. If you’re looking for natural beauty you won’t have to look any farther. The island is characterized by rainforest jungle and some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world. The beaches and sunsets are simply amazing and have to be experienced to be believed.

Khaolak Bayfront Resort – Khao Lak, Phang-Nga

Khaolak Bayfront Resort is located in a secluded area with a golden beach frontage around scenic mountain backdrop, the resort is just one hour away from Phuket International Airport . Other than the hotels website I was unable to find much in the way of guest reviews for Khaolak Bayfront Resort. If you’ve been there maybe you can leave us a review here in the comments. The hotel does seem to be fairly reasonably priced.

I must say after reading reviews and researching these hotels I am quite surprised that these are the hotels that the Tourism Authority of Thailand have chosen as the Best Beach Hotels and Resorts. I know of many beach hotels and resorts that are better, I guess TAT wanted to stay away from the most expensive high end hotels for some reason. Or maybe these are actually paid reviews? Well, for what ever reason I would say to stay away from at least one of the hotels here completely. Both the Ramada Resort (Khao Lak, Phang-Nga) and Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort & Spa (Koh Phi Phi, Krabi) sound very nice to me and Golf and I will be making an effort to try them both.

Who has suggestions for other Thailand Beach Hotels? Leave a comment and let us know which beach hotels and resorts in Thailand are your favorites.

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Som Tum or Som Tam according to Thai dictionary means a kind of Thai food salad made from fruits such as payaya etc. pounded and combined with ingredients, sour taste and for some locality calls “Tum Som”.

Som = orange or to have sour taste
Tum/Tam = to pound

Som Tum is a highly popular food for Thai people especially in northeastern Thailand (Issan). Som Tum is a Thai common central language but for Issan people they call Tam Buk Hoong because Buk hoong is the Lao/Issan word for papaya. Som Tum from Issan people have so many varieties because they will use so many kinds of vegetables or fruits for making Som Tum like papaya, yard-long beans, raw banana, banana blossom, star gooseberry, cucumber, pineapple, tamarind etc. Besides there are so much variety in Som Tum itself too like I’m going to give you some idea about them now.

Som Tum Thai – not add salted crab (Bpoo kem/Bpoo Dong) or pickled fish but add dried shrimp and roasted peanut instead. The taste will be more sweet and sour. Some people like to put salted crab into too so we call Som Tum Thai Sai Bpoo.

Som Tum Bpoo – add salted crab instead of dried shrimp and roasted peanut, get a little salty taste from salted crab.

Som Tum bpla-ra – add pickled fish instead of dried shrimp, very popular in Issan area.

Tam Sua – add Thai fermented rice vermicelli instead of papaya, this one also quite popular in Issan.

Som Tum Lao – add Thai olive

Other than that at the present some place also add another material like roast neck pork, horse crab or pickled mussel.

Som Tum is also just like the second main dish from sticky rice for Issan people, can eat every time and every meal. The one of common civilization of Issan people is if they’re making Som Tum they will call the neighborhood for joying. They have the word that say eat alone not so tasty like jointly with others.

In Thailand we will be able to find this Thai dish really easily because it is a very simply food and you can get it anywhere, either from restaurant or even vendor shop beside the street. It is held that Som Tum is the favourite food for everyone.

Traditionally Thai people will have Som Tum with sticky rice as a meal accompanied with vegetables and also roasted chicken (Gai Yang).

Som Tum is one of my favourite dish while I was in Thailand too. I don’t know why I didn’t crave for this dish so much while I’m here though. Maybe because I couldn’t find any place in here that they can make a good Som Tum just like when I got from Thailand. Or either I have to make it myself but you know every time I will end up disappointing myself…because I couldn’t make it so tasty like what I used to get in my motherland. It’s the right recipe, but just something not right or missing I don’t know why …maybe just not the same atmosphere I think. Anyway Richard and everyone I apologize if sometime in the future you will get to try the original Som Tum in Thailand that will have a better taste than my Som Tum recipe.

Som Tum Thai recipe (2 serving)
- 1/2 cup raw papaya, peeled and shredded
- 1/2 cup carrot, peeled and shredded
*or can use 1 whole cup of papaya but this one will get more varities and the color*
- 2 tbsp dried shrimp, soaked in water and drain
- 3 yard-long beans, cut into 1 inch length
- 1 medium sized tomato, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic
- 5-6 Thai hot chilies (Phrik Khee Nuu)
- 1 tbsp roasted peanut
- 3 tbsp palm sugar
- 3 tbsp Thai fish sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp tamarind juice

Pound the chilies with garlic thoroughly in a mortar, follow with dried shrimp and pound again just for softly. Add yard-long beans, papaya, carrot into the mortar. Pound to be crushed.

Add tomato and roasted peanut, and use a pestle and a spoon help to mixed up together in the mortar.

Season to taste with palm sugar, Thai fish sauce, lime juice and tamarind juice into the mixture, stir well. This step you can try and see if anything you want to add more…some like more sweet, some like more sour.

And finally you will get Som Tum Thai serve with sticky rice (if you have) or can have like a snack with fresh vegetables like Chinese cabbage, cabbage, yard-long beans. Or some people will have it with roasted chicken and cool beer depending on your suitability.

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I got to know a Thai girl who has lived here for 5 years. She invited us to her house which is 15 minutes away from our place. She cooked 3 dishes of Thai food for our lunch on that day. They’re fresh spring rolls (for an appetizer), Som Tum and also Thai beef Salad. We really enjoyed them and had a great time with her family.

Especially Thai Beef salad made me think about Thailand a lot. And surprise myself too that I didn’t think about this recipe at all until I got a chance to try from her place. It might be because of every time when I make grilled beef I will think about Neua Naam Tok only and didn’t realize that grilled beef can also make Thai beef salad too.

The recipe of Thai beef Salad is almost exactly the same as Neua Naam Tok. So if you’re the one who is crazy about Neua naam Tok just like us I’m pretty sure you will love Thai beef salad also.

Thai Beef Salad recipe
- 200 grams beef top round
- 7-10 Fresh Thai Chili (Phrik Khee Nuu) depending on how hot do you want…
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup coriander, coarsely sliced
- 1 tbsp spring onion, coarsely sliced
- 1 sweet onion, cut into wedge
- 1 medium sized tomato, sliced
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp Thai Fish Sauce
- 1/4 tsp sugar
fresh vegetables : lettuce, cabbage

Wash the beef and grill over medium heat until medium rare. Slice into bite-sized pieces and transfer to a mixing bowl. Pound finely Thai hot chilies and garlic and add them in the mixing bowel. Follow with sweet onion, tomato, coriander and spring onion.

Season to taste with Thai fish sauce, lime juice and sugar, toss well to combine. Arrange on a serving dish. Garnish with lettuce and cabbage and then serve.

Alright I hope you’re enjoy with Thai Beef salad and like I said take it easy with spicy taste. And will see you sometime this week with the recipe for Som Tum…make a reply for Richard who asked for this recipe. So Richard I will get back to you as soon as I can…see you!

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As I look through my logs it seems a lot of people are finding Thailand Musings looking for information about Thai girls, specifically bad Thai girls, katoeys and Thai bar girls. Since I am not one to judge I am going to take the time to give you a bit more of what you are looking for.

Keep in mind that there is already a good amount of information about good Thai girls in the section on Thai ladies, Thai dating and Thai marriage. As the husband of a good Thai girl I know that you could do much worse than getting a Thai girl as your wife. If you’re unfamiliar with Golf and myself take a look at About Golf and Steve for more information.

Now on to the ‘bad’ Thai girls…

While you can spend weeks in Thailand without ever seeing a prostitute there are some areas of the City of Angels that are designed with nothing more in mind than the sex tourist. There are also some other places that tend to draw Thai girls who are looking for involvement with a farang – Khao San Road immediately comes to mind. Today’s post will focus on the largest of the pay4play entertainment areas in Bangkok known as Nana Plaza.

Nana Entertainment Plaza (or NEP) began 25 years ago when several bars on Soi 14-Soi 16 were forced to close indefinitely because of construction on Sukhumvit Road. In mid 1982 the Rosemarys (1&2) , The Three Roses and The Rainbow Bar all moved into Nana plaza which was formerly your normal run of the Thai strip mall and parking area. Since that time it has grown to almost 40 bars packed into the central court area of Nana Plaza.

For almost 2 decades now Nana Plaza has been the center of naughty nightlife in Bangkok. It does see some competition from Soi Cowboy area bars, but Nana Plaza is the top of the heap when it comes to A-Go-Go bars, with stages and shows throughout the complex. Nana is famous for it’s Go-Go bars where you can find scads of scantily clothes Thai girls gyrating on stage and around shiny poles, all meant to excite and titillate the variety of visitors that come just for that purpose. Nana Plaza is also famous for the katoey or ladyboy bars in the area. Many are the man who hasn’t understood the difference between the lovely katoeys in Nana Plaza and been handed a large surprise later.

Nana Plaza does seem to fluctuate in popularity from year to year with the expatriates and sexpatriates visiting Thailand. One year you can go there and find the area packed to capacity and another year will see NEP almost empty. 2007 was a slow year and 2008 looks to be the same with many of the bars reporting their take to be down 20-30% from normal. Some of this is due to the strength of the Thai baht which is affecting all areas of tourism in Thailand. Other reasons mentioned are the declining upkeep of the clubs, the rising price of the girls and the poor attitude of many of the staff and girls. Another hit is coming in the form of a smoking ban in all restaurants and bars in Thailand which is supposed to take effect February 11^th, 2008. It will be interesting to see if this ban is actually enforced.

The first time visitor to Nana Plaza should be prepared for a surreal experience with the area looking like a neon lit circus midway in full swing and music pumping from the various bars surrounding Nana Plaza. Bible thumping missionaries, prostitutes, western sexpats, camera wielding Japanese tourists and curious tourist young and old fill the area making it a great place to sip a beer and watch the diversity of humanity in all its forms. No matter how far and wide you travel you are unlikely to see another place even remotely like it.

With dozens of bars, brightly flashing neon, hundreds of girls and all the sights, smells and sounds of Nana Plaza I have only scratched the surface of what Nana Plaza is. Go and see for yourself, you’ll be amazed and possibly shocked, but it will be different than any other experience of your life.

If you’ve been or plan to go to Nana Plaza I’d love to hear from you. Leave us some comments below specific to the bars you’ve been too or an update of the current party scene in Nana Plaza.

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Thai tourism spans the spectrum from budget travel to luxury hotels and resorts. For a long time there have been scores of backpackers coming to Thailand during their gap year to take advantage of the value and culture in Thailand. Now that these backpackers are growing older there is a new type of tourist that combine the independence of the backpacking lifestyle with discerning taste and a desire for more comfort and ease.

These new tourists are being called ‘flashpackers’ and they are typically professionals in the 25-45 year old age bracket with large discretionary incomes. They may come alone or in groups, may be gay or hetero or may even be extending a business trip. The one thing they all have in common is that they soften the Lonely Planet type quest for authentic adventure with a preference for comfort, convenience and occasional indulgence.

The flashpacker is also often a veteran backpacker and very experience with independent travel. This experience combined with their increased spending power has created a market in Thailand for places with reasonable rates for a 5 star experience as well as a higher standard in the cheaper places such as Khao San Road and Thailand’s outstanding streetfood. One final requirement is that there is an emphasis on energy, style and cultural sensitivity.

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
This new segment dovetails with Thailand’s new emphasis on visitor quality over quantity in arrivals. As defined by Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports, Dr Suvit Yodmani, quality tourists are environmentally aware, responsible individuals who take a keen interest in learning about the places and communities they visit. As a result, they tend to stay longer.

That reflects a mainstream adoption of values pioneered by backpackers, who sometimes get misread as being ‘low quality’ in a culture that judges dress as a social indicator. In fact, backpackers are generally well-raised, well-off graduates, who happen to relish dressing-down during their gap year travel or sabbatical from a smart-dressed job. By contrast, flashpackers typically pack both casual wear for active pursuits as well as fashion wear for high-living and nightlife.

Backpackers who feel well treated in places often go back there as professionals, with families, for business, or on further flashpacking escapades.

DESIGNED FOR SPEED
Backpackers spend a high budget gradually over a long period, treating intervening travel as key to the experience. Flashpackers, they say, have less time but more dime. So they skip to an increasing number of regional airports like Krabi, Trat, Samui and Hua Hin, via the burgeoning no-frills airlines — Nok Air, One-2-Go or Air Asia, or the boutique carrier Bangkok Airways. They may however splurge on premium jaunts like the Eastern & Oriental Express train, Oriental Balloon expeditions, or live-aboard diving yachts like Panunee.

Since flashpackers are wired and gadget-laden, even cheaper locations often provide wi-fi internet access or even iPod docks. Invariably their tightly scheduled trips were pre-assembled and booked online.

Trendy urbanite travelers also minimize commutes to sights. In Bangkok’s downtown that means access to mass transit from the posh hotels or boutique beds like Luxx, Rose or Siam at Siam. Staying in the Old Town once meant slumming in dowdy digs until Buddy Lodge started upgrading Khao San Road guesthouses. Now at Aurum, Arun Residence or Old Bangkok Inn, flashpackers sleep chicly amid the ancient communities they explore by day. And connoisseurs of Chinatown’s alleys can finally stay stylishly in situ, thanks to Shanghai Inn.

TREKS APPEAL
A similar surge in designer accommodation now enhances Chiang Mai’s second-city status. Hikers returning to the northern capital from treks among hill-tribe villages or white-water rafting previously put up with rather bland rooms. Now boutique hotels exemplify the neo-Lanna design wave.

Chiang Mai has evolved a restaurant scene to match. Foodies may lunch the local way at ‘khao soi’ noodle stalls then dine with panache at The House, Baan Suan or Le Grand Lanna. Wised-up trekkers head further north to Chiang Dao, where hill tribe and elephant experiences contrast with the surprisingly refined cuisine at Chiang Dao Nest guesthouse. Hundreds of bends to the northwest, mountain-ringed Pai provides more flashpacker fusion. Joining its renowned quirky hostelries and galleries, swish new resorts will soon to be served by an airstrip.

REFINED RUSTIC
Trekking itself has become more accessible to those with less time but an undiluted thirst for the real thing. Jungle Rafts, floating on a Kanchanaburi river in the West, pioneered the concept of comfy yet conscientious accommodation in remote forests, as did Treetops with treehouses in the Khao Sok National Park to the south, and the northern tribal village residences of Lisu Lodge and Khum Lanna. And in Bangkok’s fringes, the Thai House not only teaches Siamese cooking, but offers a chance to sample canal life in a teak stilt home.

COASTAL CONTRASTS
The ultimate backpacker grail was the ‘undiscovered’ island idyll, as immortalized in the book and film The Beach. An exclusive beach now tends to mean a gated jet-set resort. Many bamboo bungalow operations remain, though no longer on Phuket or increasingly Samui and Krabi. Islands where these extremes co-exist include Lanta and Phi-Phi in the south, Chang and Samet in the east. Flashpackers relish the contrast, chilling with beach dudes at Crusoe-esque huts before treating themselves to a private pool villa.

PARTY PRIORITY
Koh Pha-ngan not only serves both markets, but adds a factor crucial to lifestyle-oriented tourists: nightlife. The island’s celebrated Full Moon Parties virtually invented the idea of people traveling specifically to party. Nightlife tourism’s gone beyond hippies spaced-out on the beach. Globalized young professionals often select cities by the quality of their bars and clubs. Despite a social order crackdown, Bangkok retained its after-dark frisson. Venues like Bed Supperclub, Q Bar and Club Culture program globally famous DJs as well as homespun talent. Where ramshackle bar beers once set the tone, now hip bars with mixologist waiters feature in backpacker handbooks like the Rough Guide.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
Another inheritance from the backpacker ethos is a sense of responsibility, especially ‘fair trade’. Flashpackers tend to favor community operators and independent hotels over corporate chains. That spurs an incentive for diversity rather than generic brands. Jungle Rafts supports a marginalized Mon settlement. Phra Nakorn Norn Len interprets the shop house lifestyle and encourages guests to buy rather than bypass neighborhood services like meals and laundry. The individually-created interiors at Reflections’ Rooms provide international exposure for emerging Thai artists. Increasingly, affluent young tourists devote part of their up market holiday to labor on voluntourism projects. Today’s packers might be flash, but they are still fair.

LIFESTYLE IN YOUR LUGGAGE
To recover from an arduous trek, dive or shopping marathon, these active explorers may reward themselves at a sumptuous hotel spa. Alternatively, those splashing out on an opulent hotel room can stretch their baht with a cheaper treatment at one of the independent spas thronging every tourist locale. That’s the beauty of flashpacking — choosing to skimp or splurge according to taste. It is tailoring Thailand to your lifestyle.

I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did, it gave me some great ideas for my next trip to Thailand. I definitely want to check out Phra Nakorn Norn Len and will also be making an effort to have dinner at La Grande Lanna in Chiang Mai. Jungle Rafts also looks mad cool and if I can convince Golf to go I think we’ll be making our way there as well. And finally I will be picking up a copy of The Beach to help me through the cold winter here in the States.

Does all of this make me a Flashpacker? Probably, I do fit the demographic and much of what I read here and in the accompanying links resonated with me. What about you? Are you a flashpacker? Do you think this kind of tourism is good for Thailand and the rest of the world? Let’s hear your thoughts about flashpacking.

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Thai food is known around the world as spicy beyond compare. My wife Golf has been kind enough to add to Thailand Musings by sharing her wonderful authentic Thai recipes with us and as a small thanks I am doing a Thai recipe roundup for her tonight. But not just any Thai recipe roundup, no these are the top 5 recipes rated in terms of hotness. I guarantee they will have you running for the water pitcher (unless of course you’re Thai).

The five recipes below are arranged from spiciest to most mild, but even the mild recipe will be spicy for most people. Recipes can be altered to some extent to make them more or less spicy by changing the amount of chili’s you add, but you run the risk of compromising the authentic Thai flavor.

Give them all a try and then come back to let us know what you thought. I know for me I was hardly able to eat Laab Gai 18 months ago and now I beg her to make it. Spicy food may be an acquired taste, but I think once you acquire that taste it becomes almost an addiction.

So, here they are without further ado…the top 5 Thai recipes hotter than global warming from Thailand Musings. I am not responsible for any pain you may experience through trying these recipes.

Laab Gai (Thai Spicy Chopped Chicken) – Thai’s have many variations of Laab, this one is made with chicken and is not for the faint of heart. Make sure you serve with plenty of rice and water.

Neua Naam Tok (Thai Spicy Grilled Beef) – One of my first and still favorite spicy Thai dishes this will knock you’re socks off. I love the combination of shallots and lemongrass with the chili and smoky flavor of the barbequed beef.

Naam Prik Ong (Thai Tomato Chili Sauce) – This is not meant to be eaten by itself, but should be served with white rice (preferably jasmine) and fresh vegetables such as cucumber or long beans.

Lon Dtao Jieow (Coconut Soup with Fermented Soybeans) – For those that like coconut (like me) this soup is great. Just be careful – if you breathe in while sipping this soup the chili aroma hits your lungs like a whiff of fire. Coughing is guaranteed to follow.

Khao Man Gai (Thai Steamed Rice with Chicken) – This recipes comes last as the most mild of the spicy dishes and if you make it as written it is pretty mild with just a slight kick. Of course you can always add more chili’s to kick it up a notch!

Thai Chili’s – This is not a recipe, but rather a short guide to Thai chili’s. Knowing a bit about what you’re eating sometimes enhances the eating experience.

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Recently the Tourism Authority of Thailand released a new book titled “Best Paradises in Thailand” which is being used to provide a showcase for 70 of the best hotels and resorts that Thailand has to offer. These are the most unique and notable Thai properties and locations.

The guide has been broken down into 10 different themes with 7 properties in each theme. Certainly this will make it much easier for you to narrow down your choices based on what type of vacation you are planning. The themes are: Best Luxury Hotels and Resorts, Best Small Luxury Hotels and Resorts, Best Romantic Hotels and Resorts, Best Spa and Wellness Hotels and Resorts, Best Boutique Hotels and Resorts (my personal favorite), Best Hip Hotels and Resorts, Best Golf Hotels and Resorts, Best Beach Hotels and Resorts, Best Nature Hotels and Resorts and Best Culture Hotels and Resorts.

I want to take the time to introduce you to some of the best properties Thailand has to offer and I will be doing so over the next month or two. So, if you’re interested in traveling to Thailand anytime in the next year you may want to subscribe to Thailand Musings so you don’t miss any of the updates concerning these top notch properties.

If you simply can’t wait for me to post more you can get copies of “Best Paradises in Thailand” at Thai embassy’s worldwide as well as through select travel agents that promote travel to Thailand. It is also available in Thailand for 300 baht at Suvarnabhumi airport and leading bookstores.

All I can say for now is that there are some truly amazing hotels and resorts profiled and you won’t want to miss hearing about them.

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Cody asked how to find an apartment in Thailand recently.  Sorry Cody that it has taken so long to get back to you on this, but I know you’re traveling in Spain right now so I figured there was no rush.  Hope you’re having a great time!

The answer to this question has always been just go and start looking once your there and that is still the best answer to finding an apartment in Thailand.  Actually the very best answer is to get to know some people, preferably Thai’s, who are already resident in Thailand and enlist their aid in finding an apartment.  They typically have at least some leads on available places.

Apartment hunting can be a bit different in Thailand for sure.  Many cheap and good places are not even advertised.  The only way to find out about them is by word of mouth or by stopping in the lobby of a building and asking.  Of course the local Thai’s are going to have the very best information about available apartments, but even resident expats can sometimes steer you towards a very good deal in a nice place.

If you want to do some preliminary research these are three decent sites that have condo’s listed for rent and for sale in bangkok:

Thai Apartment.com
Sunbelt Asia Properties – Tends to be more upscale
Bangkok Condos

This should give you some idea of what you can expect in terms of price, size and amenities when you go apartment hunting in Bangkok.  Of course if you can use your networking skills to get to know some people you can find much better deals than you’ll ever find using a broker like this.  Plus, if you are looking for really cheap places (less than 10,000 baht a month) you’ll never find them listed here.  In that case your only real option is to go looking once you’re already in Thailand.

Another very useful resource on the web is at the Thai Visa forum Thailand Accommodation Finding Forum.  You can sometimes find good deals and you can also post an ad looking for a place.

My advice would be to take some time and look around at the resources I’ve given you, but don’t commit to anything until you get to Thailand.  You’ve given the impression that you don’t really want to stay in Bangkok for the entire year and may even continue to travel in which case you would be looking for short term leases in a variety of places.

Cheap rooms are not hard to find in Thailand whether long term or short term.  With a small bit of looking and talking with people you should easily be able to come up with something that serves no matter where in Thailand you are.

I for one am looking forward to your trip to Thailand and I hope you keep reading Thailand Musings and even come back to let us know how it’s going once you get there and get your feet on the ground.  Good luck and keep in touch.

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Question from Garry in Australia:
Hello, Just Started to investigate the possibility of going to Thailand and experiencing the culture. I spent a month in Laos in December 2007 and loved it but it is a different experience. I wish to Holiday in Thailand and have started to try to find a friend on the dating sites. I have a background in Engineering, as a tradesman and also I was an instructor of Hand skills for Apprentices and Adult Trainees. My question is besides teaching English do they instruct students in other skills and if so how could I find a network to advise me?
Thanks

Answer: It’s a very good question. Many of us have skills other than the fact that we are native English speakers and let’s face it, not everyone has the desire to teach English as a second language anyway. So, what do you do if you’re not the type who wants to teach English as a second language to a group of bored kids? Do you really have any other options to teaching English or is that it?

You are actually asking this question at a very good time because Thai schools are requiring instruction in English for more and more subject areas. Computers, math and sciences are becoming more common areas for native English speakers to find jobs in Thailand as teachers. Still, that doesn’t mean they are common.

One good place to find jobs teaching subjects other than English is the jobs board at Ajarn.com. The job is primarily English teaching jobs, but jobs in math, computers, science, editing, writing and even acting are sometimes found there.

You can also find some jobs other than English teaching jobs at the ThaiVisa.com teaching forum.

Of course these jobs aren’t plentiful and the competition is pretty heavy. Also, don’t expect to get paid much. The going rate for starting jobs in these areas is no better than English teaching jobs averaging around 35,000 baht a month.

If you’re really set on going to live in Thailand you can easily teach English at least until you are able to find another job. English teachers are currently in huge demand, especially in Bangkok and finding a job teaching English is pretty easy. If you’re not sure how to go about finding the right job take a look at my guide to getting a job teaching English in Bangkok in 10 days.

I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but the truly best way to get a job in Thailand is to simply show up there and start looking. There are many more jobs available that you’ll never see on a website. The only way to find them is to get to Bangkok and start pounding the pavement and networking. You never know what you might find. I’ve heard of people being offered all kinds of jobs from bar and restaurant management to acting to sales jobs. The catch is you have to be there to hear about most jobs outside of the typical English teaching jobs.

Don’t get discouraged because finding a job in Bangkok really can be easy. All you need is the courage to get there and a little bit of persistence and you should be fine. Hopefully this post will give you some ideas and a starting place in your quest to live in Thailand. I have no doubt that you have both if you’ve already spent a month in Laos so all you need now is the airline ticket. Good luck to you with everything and let us know how things turn out. Maybe you can even do a guest post here at Thailand Musings once you get to Thailand, that would be cool for all of us.

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Because I’ve been working like crazy and now finally I’ve just have time for myself to post the Thai recipe now.

Khao Man Gai is one of the favourite dish for Thai people and when you’re there you can get this dish like 25-30 baht from many street vendors. When I was there I have 2 favourite Khao Man Gai places that sell awesome Khao Man Gai. Both of them are mostly like a vendor shop nearby the street. So if you’re not a Thai residence probably you won’t find them unless somebody tell you or take you there.

One was close to the apartment (in Rama IV Rd.) where I used to live while I worked at BNH. This one they open quite early in the morning and usually by 9-10 o’clock will be all gone. So if I wanted it I have to make sure I get up early enough. Another one is in Thanon Dinso (close to Sao Ching Cha) where I had my English class. This one I found unexpectedly but for the food is just like a top-flight restaurant.

They boil the chicken themselves, the chicken gets really tender and they also make a wonderful sauce. Everytime I was there I will order extra sauce. And for the sauce will cost like 5 baht for each small tiny bowl. Unfortunately in here I couldn’t find any Khao Man Gai even Thai restaurant in my town. That’s why I have to try and make Khao Man Gai myself in case I was craving it again! I think I did a pretty good job and if you follow my recipe you can have Khao Man Gai just like in Thailand.

Khao Man Gai Recipe ( 2 servings)
- 2 pieces chicken breast or thigh
- 1 1/2 cups Thai Jasmine Rice
- 3 crushed coriander roots
- 2 coriander roots
- 1 coriander plant, leave only
- 3 cloves crushed or pound garlic
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 4 cups of water
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 2 sping onion, finely sliced
- 1 slice of mature ginger (pound lightly)
- 1 tbsp mushroom flavored soy sauce

Khao Man Gai’s Sauce
- 4 tbsp fermented soybean
- 6 tbsp mushroom flavored soy sauce
- 4 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh hot chili (Prik khee nuu)
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 4 tbsp peeled garlic, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp mature ginger, finely chopped
- 2 coriander roots

- Wash chicken, wait until dry and sprinkle with salt all over.

- Place the chicken in a pot, add 4 cups of water, 3 crushed coriander roots, cook over medium heat. Wait until water starts to boil then add the ice cube 4-5 cubes(add everytime when the water starts to boil and all together will take about 30 minutes or so until the chicken done and cook thoroughly). And please make sure to skim off any broth to get the clear broth.

- When the chicken cooked well, take them out from the broth and paint the skin with vegetable oil (for protect from dry skin). De-bone and cut into thin slices. Strain the broth and set aside.

- Now we’re going to make rice. Wash the rice with water before cooking, rinse about 2-3 times, drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Saute garlic until fragrant and turns golden brown. Add the rice, 2 coriander roots, ground black pepper, stirring well and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer the rice to an electric rice cooker, pour 2 1/4 cup of chicken broth over the rice, add one piece pound lightly slice of ginger and cook until the rice is done.

- While waiting for the rice we can start making the sauce for Kao Mun Gai. Put all ingredients for the sauce except fermented soybean in the blending machine. Blend until everything is mixed thoroughly then stop, add fermented soybean and start blending again about 5 second. Serve with the chicken rice. This sauce has a combination taste of a little bit salty, sour and also sweet. And you can keep in the refrigerator about a month if you can’t eat it all at once meal.

- Normally I serve this dish with a chicken broth too. So you can just heat the broth until it starts to boil again. Add 1 tbsp mushroom flavored soy sauce and add finely sliced sping onion.

- Spoon the rice onto a serving dish, arrange the chicken slices at the side or on the top, garnish with coriander leave. Serve with the sauce, chicken broth and sliced cucumbers.

Alright I hope you enjoy with Khao Man Gai style Golf. Please let me know what you think about it by put some comment for this and will see you next time with Yum Neua – Thai Beef Salad.

Take care…

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