Last week I talked about divorce between Thai women and western men, and even though I know it is a sad subject I think it is an important one so I did a little more research and I found out some interesting information.

Did you know that according to some recent statistics from the Bangkok district office the amount of marriages between Thai and Farang has been rising at about 10% per year over the past decade and with a very interesting 50% of marriages registered at this office being between Thai and Farang. Remember though that not all marriages between Thai people are registered because quite often marriages between Thai and Thai are either Buddhist ceremonies or just recognized between families.

It would seem about 6% of these registered marriages (approx 6500 marriages registered) end in divorce and that 10% of those are cross cultural marriages. Some more statistics are that USA, UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia all finish in the Top 15 or 20 highest divorce rates with the USA taking top spot!!!…Thailand comes in at 22^nd behind Singapore and China.

This is why I want to give you the secret  what I have proved to be the tips of…

“How to save your marital life in a secure place of love forever”

With a Series of Tips called…  “ Look after love and love will look after you”

So how do you look after love, well…..Do you have love?…are you sure?…I am joking a little here but what I mean is that if you are not really serious to give your love to someone then to be honest you may not have a real interest in these tips.

“Because it’s not fun to play with LOVE when it can hurt people, be careful with that! “

My experience about love and relationships spans more than 20 years. I have learned and tested from good and bad, bitter and sweet, hope and hurt, happy and sad with many mistakes along the way and let me tell you the taste is not always delicious but it keeps me lively….ha ha ha

I really found out what love is and what really works for not only my self but my friends and many couples who took my advice to sort out their relationship issues and It really worked for them too.

“Wow!… Can you imagine how great?  Yes, well done!!…

I was so excited for them and happy to be someone who could help save their relationships.”

So if we think of ” Love as a Food ” then love is cooked by 2 people and when it comes to the recipes of love I want to share with you the many ingredients I have discovered so you can cook for yourself any taste you want to make you happy and enjoy life together.

It is very interesting right?  To follow this series,…..See you next week!

Angella Quote of the week

“Love can be a tonic or a poison, it depends on you”

With love, hope and solutions

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• Contemplations of Thai Love

The book is quite good and well worth reading and as you’ll see below James is quite well spoken and still maintains a strong connection to Thailand. In fact her wrote the previous post on Thailand Musings called Thai Cultural Observations, a bit of a teaser and lead in to this interview. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I enjoyed conversing with the interviewee.

When you moved to Thailand in 2002, what made you choose Chiang Mai as your home?

I’d read quite a lot about the best places to live in Asia and at the time Chiang Mai was in the top 10 list. I wanted to live in a place where I wasn’t going to be swamped during the tourist season, somewhere more akin to the real Thailand.

Did you plan on staying longer in Thailand? What made you leave in 2005 rather than staying on in a country you seem to love so much?

I did plan on a longer stay but I got offered a job in the US which was too good to turn down. That combined with some personal circumstances and the sense of a new adventure made it the right time for a move.

Based on your book it seems as if you are fairly fluent in Thai. Did you find the language easy to learn? How long did it take you to become at least conversational?

Well, I’m not sure I would claim any fluency in Thai, but yes I can have a reasonably detailed conversation. I found the language extremely challenging, certainly the most difficult language I’ve ever attempted. It took a long time to become anywhere near conversational and even then you would have to define ‘conversational’. I still have difficulty with the TV news for example. Having a Thai girlfriend helped enormously and I refused to speak English in my day to day life in C.M. which made for some very amusing exchanges! It was perhaps a year and a half of that kind of daily determination before I could hold down a conversation.

Would you consider moving back to Thailand full time? Why or why not?

Absolutely. I certainly want to get a base back in Thailand in fact I’m considering properties right now. It’s still my favorite place in the world and I would probably move to Bangkok next time I think. For all its faults it is one of the world’s great city’s.

Do you ever get back to Thailand? How often and for how long typically?

Less and less these days unfortunately. I haven’t been back for about two years due to my filming commitments. My last time there I think was for six months. My shortest time visiting will usually be a couple of months, so eight weeks or so.

I have to ask because so many of my readers are interested in Thai-Farang relationships; what is it

about Thai girls that make them so attractive to Western guys in your opinion?
It is different things for different people I imagine. Certainly they are more respectful and demure than women have become in the west and I think that is appealing to some. Although I personally think that Thai women are anything but subservient. I think their gentle demeanor is sometimes mistaken for that, but in my opinion it is (or should be) a two way street of mutual respect. Compliment a Thai girls respectful nature with some reciprocal manners and life can be very nice indeed. Don’t…and be prepared for fireworks!

What things do you feel have changed the most in Thailand since the time you lived there?

I think there is more understanding of westerners now, of our cultural differences. Obviously there has been a drive to modernize the outlying provinces in many ways. What has continued in Bangkok and Chiang Mai is the relentless upward trend of consumerism. I hope that last one doesn’t de-rail the Thai sense of ‘Sanuk’ because that would be a shame.

I see on your website that you are trying to establish a charity to help the children in Thailand who have little or nothing. I think this is a very worthwhile endeavor and wish you all the good fortune in the world in making it happen. Can you tell us a little more about the charity, what you’ve done so far and what your plans are for expanding it in the future.

At the moment I have just established the mechanism for fulfilling the objective. So, we are ready to start accepting donations. The idea is to grow it according to the resources. As you say, It is focused on children. In the first instance we will probably be supporting existing structures in Thailand (Orphanages for example) to provide additional food, clothing, educational material etc; But the hope is to be able to provide our own infrastructure to facilitate growing the child’s own capability to provide for their own future. That would include access to education and trade skills, technology, that sort of thing. It’s a long road to get to that point and we may struggle to get there. But, I think it is important to help in areas where small things could possibly make a big difference.

At the end of “Beyond the Comfort Zone” you allude to further stories from the Indian Ocean tsunami that devastated parts of southern Thailand in December 2004. Are you currently working on that book and if so when do you think it will be published?

I was toying with the idea of a fictional book centered around the event. But I have several T.V. and film projects in the works at the moment as well as two other book ideas, so I don’t think that the Tsunami idea will be something that is going to end up on that list. But, never say never!

What further advice can you give to someone who is planning on living in Thailand long term? What things should they focus on and which can they say “mai bpen rai”" to?

I think one has to try and maintain a sense of self which, on the face of it, should seem an easy thing to do but isn’t. At the same time one has to try to embrace the Thai way of approaching things. Avoid direct confrontation and always, repeat ALWAYS leave people a way out of a situation with their feelings and face intact. Learn the language – that should be an imperative. Say “Mai bpen rai” to as much as you can get away with; the heat, the rain, the illogical approach to problem solution and the fact that your thirty five year old girlfriend is always going to cover the bedroom in stuffed toy animals and hello kitty memorabilia.

One can walk down a soi in Bangkok complaining about the smell and the cockroaches and the heat – or – one can look above the smell and admire the spirit houses, bougainvillea, coconut palms, blue skies and even in Bangkok everyone is always smiling. I know which version of that walk I will be focusing on.

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I will be bringing you more about Jim in the form of an interview early next week, but he was kind enough to write a short post about his own observations of Thai culture, developed during his 3 years living in the Kingdom, as an introduction. So, without further ado here you go.

Hi Steve thanks for the chance to talk about my experiences living in Thailand.

I’d actually been coming to Thailand as a tourist since probably the late 80′s early 90′s. When I eventually decided to move away from the UK (2002) it seemed only natural to head to Thailand as my next home.

I think I probably made the same erroneous judgment call that many people make when they move to another country, in that I assumed I ‘knew’ the country because I had made several trips here for a month or more as a tourist. Well, let’s just say that presumption on my part was quickly squashed!

Some of the challenges we have all faced as expats in Thailand are fairly obvious. The language, lack of friend’s, infrastructure and so on. Others however are much more subtle in their manifestation. The cultural differences between, not just Thais, but all nations in Asia and our western cultural upbringing are enormous. The whole experience can be hugely frustrating. The loss of face issue can be maddening at first – until you realize it actually cuts both ways. Nobody wants you to lose face either and they will bend over backwards for you to ensure that does not happen.

In my experience you have to accept that you are in someone else’s country and it is not for us to judge whether we would do things differently, thus that the Thai way of doing things is wrong. On the contrary, I find the Thai way of approaching interpersonal relationships to be far preferable to the way we do things in the west. I think there is much more respect in Asian cultures for one another and that is very evident in Thailand. At least that has been my experience. Trying to impose your own culturally pre-programmed moral compass onto the Thai landscape will only result in friction and unhappiness. We are never in our lifetime going to change the thinking of a nation – best just to focus on the positives…and smile of course!

I think the singular most important thing to do upon arrival in Thailand is to start learning the language and persist at it. Unless one does that, one is never going to fully enjoy living in the kingdom. Personally I think it’s great fun and definitely makes for a much more rewarding time in the LOS. By the way, I notice you also try and expand your reader’s Thai vocab on your site which is a great idea.

Moving to a new culture is a challenge wherever you end up in the world and Thailand is no different. On the whole though, I have found the Thais to be warm, friendly and accommodating to those who are willing to develop a genuine interest in their culture. I know it is still my favorite place in the world and although I am not currently resident, still consider Thailand to be my home.

Prepare to have your compass moved and your preconceptions shattered. Now, repeat after me. Relax, smile, breath, be patient…….and repeat..Relax….

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I am writing this post for you wrapped up in a blanket next to a fire because outside is under 8 degrees and right now I am in Perth, Western Australia and it seems too cold for me but Perth is still such a beautiful place to be .

There are many things different here in Australia from Thailand and because one of my favorite subjects is love and relationships something I have found sad but interesting is about divorce here in the West.

Don’t get me wrong because this makes me sad, love is beautiful and this has inspired me to look at this in more detail.

You know that compared to the system in Thailand it is quite difficult to get a divorce here, for a start you have to be separated for 12 months before you can even apply for one. It’s like they want you to think it over first before making the final decision. Not like Thailand where you can get married one day and divorced the next without any question.

At first I thought that maybe it’s too easy to get married and divorced in Thailand and so that’s why there are many marriage break ups, but what I have found is that even though it is more difficult in the West it doesn’t really make an difference…there are just as many divorces if not more than Thailand.

This makes me think that when love is gone, when the flame has gone out of a relationship and two people no longer love or understand each other it doesn’t really matter how long it takes…the result is the same and they will break up anyway.

So what does it take to make relationships really work, to keep the love burning brightly everyday as if that day was the first day you fell in love. What does love mean, what does it take to have successful intercultural relationships especially for Thai people and Farang?

I will talk about how to look after love and many other things here at Angella Talks and I welcome you to follow, read, and enjoy and I look forward to hearing your comments.

You can also find out more about relationships with Thai people at my own Blog Thai Girlfriend Advisor

With Love, Hope and Solutions,

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While I feel fully confident in my own advice, thoughts and musings about Thailand, relationships and the wonderful gentler sex in Thailand I totally believe that a balanced view should always be taken. Being able to include the thoughts of a Thai girl regarding Thai-Western relationships is a huge help to all my readers, but where could I find a Thai girl willing to write about relationships on a regular basis?

Fortunately I have been able to find someone who has the same passion for Thailand, relationships between Thai’s and Westerners and love that I have. Bonus #1 it’s a female, bonus #2 she’s Thai and bonus #3 she’s spent time in both Thailand (obviously) as well as Australia.

Who is this mystery woman you are probably asking by now. Her name is Angella and she has graciously agreed to guest post a column here on Thailand Musings that we are calling “Angella Talks”. The column will be about her thoughts on Thai-Western relationships, Thailand vs. the West, Thai culture and that sometimes elusive and bittersweet emotion love. I think she will bring something truly unique and positive to Thailand Musings and after you read some of her columns I hope you agree with me.

You can learn more about Angella on the bio page she wrote for us, but even better would be to read her column on a regular basis. That way you will be able to develop a conversation with her as she will also be answering questions and comments on all her posts.

Please take a moment and join me in offering a warm welcome to Angella by leaving her a comment below. And please stop back tomorrow to read her first post here at Thailand Musings.

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To say that I am flattered is quite an understatement. This marks the first interview I’ve given online and I have to say it was fun for me and also a bit enlightening. It made me think about things that sort of sit in the back of the head, but never get fully examined and I feel like it was a good exercise for me as well as making sure the interview itself turned out to be full of useful content and interesting. Of course the bulk of the credit for that goes to Jon who came up with very insightful and probing questions.

So, if you have a few minutes why not head on over to Jon’s blog where you can learn a bit more about what makes me tick as well as having the chance to see never before published photos of both myself and Golf. Oh, maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned that…I think it could end up driving people away :>)

Anyway, just go check out the interview, leave a comment there and then come back here to let me know what you think or what questions might have been left unanswered in your mind.

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Education (#57) – Determined using combined universal score on TIMSS and/ or PISA tests or by doing a regression of literacy rate (CIA World Factbook) and average years of schooling against the universal score for those countries that don’t administer these tests. The score is meant to measure educational achievement and differentiate between developing countries.

Health (#66) – Based on healthy life expectancy and meant to capture the efficiency of the health care system. It takes into account years that are lived in less than full health due to disease or injury.

Quality of Life (#55) – Measured by five different criteria. Inequality as measured by gender, extreme poverty defined as the percent of the population living on less than $2 a day, standard of living which is determined by private consumption, physical environment determined by homicides per 100,000 population as well as air and water pollution levels and economic security which is measured through the countries unemployment rate.

Economic Dynamism (#39) – Also measured by five different criteria. Productive growth which is the growth in GDP expressed as an incremental US$ growth per person over the past 10 years and extrapolated forward for the next 10 years, diversification which measures the percentage of GDP that comes from services and manufacturing, innovation which measures the amount of capital invested in R&D throughout the manufacturing, university and government as well as the availability of scientists and intellectual property, business vitality which measures the ease of doing business in each country including the time required to start a new business and the number of bankruptcy filings and finally stock market capitalization which measures the equity market capitalization as a percentage of GDP.

Political Environment (#74) – Measured by three different criteria. Freedom house rating which is based on a variety of things and is meant to assess the perceived level of democratic freedom in a country, global peace index’s political participation rating which measures voter turnout and citizens participation in the political process and political risk service’s political stability rating which is a measure of the risk to individuals, businesses and the government due to political decisions and actions.

As you can see this survey and determination is based solely on the conditions for the countries citizens, not tourists and expats. Even so, I think it sheds some light on what life in Thailand is like for those of us visiting or living there permanently, even though we are simply guests.

Even though Thailand ranked #58 overall I found that digging a bit deeper into the numbers painted a slightly different picture. For example, when sorting for just the low income countries (defined as Gross National income per capita under $3946) we find Thailand ranked #4 out of 38 countries. Ukraine, Jordan and Albania are the top three, however you find many Asian countries including China and India ranking lower than Thailand.

When looking at the ASEAN countries Thailand ranks 3rd, only Singapore and Malaysia (both former British colonies) rank higher than Thailand. When including all of East Asia and the Pacific Rim Thailand drops to #7 out of 11, but all of the countries above them are considered to be “developed” nations (Australia, New Zealand, Japan, S. Korea, Singapore and Malaysia). What this indicates to me is that Thailand is likely much closer to developed nation status than many other countries in SE Asia. Of course only time will tell and considering the current political climate in Thailand this could be delayed or derailed for some time, but overall it gives me hope for better conditions for the majority of Thai people in the near future.

While no list like this can be perfect I think it is a fairly good representation of the quality of life around the world. Even more interesting to me will be follow up surveys, assuming Newsweek chooses to repeat this on a yearly basis. I am very curious to see how the rankings change for each country as the world economy changes. After looking at the rankings how do you feel Thailand should stack up against other countries? What about future rankings, do you think Thailand is gaining in each area or do you think they are falling behind?

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Koh Chang lies just off Trat in eastern Thailand and close to the Cambodian border. It is part of a range of 52 islands that are off the coast of Trat, like a string of sparkling jewels. The island is 30km long and 14km wide, but most of the resorts are along the west side of the island and getting around is quite simple. Koh Chang has a much more intimate feel than Phuket in my opinion.

Reaching Koh Chang is quite easy from Bangkok. I would recommend taking the bus, it is comfortable and cheap and doesn’t take too long at all. You can get the bus almost every hour from 6:00am until midnight at the Ekamai Bus Terminal which is located at the Ekamai section of Sukhumvit Road which is easily accessible by the BTS Skytrain.

Round trip tickets cost 456 baht (US $13) and one way tickets are 241 baht (US $7) on first class air conditioned busses. The trip takes about 5 hours and the busses are definitely comfortable enough to sleep on.

Once you arrive at Trat you’ll have to take a shared taxi from the bus station because it is located about 1km outside town. The cost is just 40 baht to the pier. Please note that after 5:00pm you may need to rent a private taxi which will cost you 300 baht so it is in your interests to arrive early.

Ferries depart from the pier about every hour during the high season (Nov – Apr) from 6:00am until 7:00pm. The ferry costs just 50 baht per person and takes around 30 minutes. Once you land on Koh Chang you will be able to get a songthaew to anywhere on the island. Please note that when returning from Koh Chang there are no Songthaew available to Trat after 6:00pm and you could get stranded at the pier. Make your plans accordingly.

You can find very detailed information at Koh-Chang.com

The atmosphere on Koh Chang is very relaxed and laid back and both Golf and I like it a lot. I’ll be posting photos from our last trip there later as well as more detailed information about places we’ve stayed, eaten and partied.

Is there anyone else out there that has been to Koh Chang and has something to share with us? I would love to hear your stories.

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Have you heard the term katoey or ladyboy before? These creatures have been encountered by many first timers (and even some second and third timers) in Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya, much to the chagrin of the unsuspecting mark. What is a katoey? It is quite simply a transsexual or transvestite and they are quite common in Thailand.

The thing is that many of the Thai ladyboys are actually quite beautiful and unless you know what to look for can be easy to miss, even if you are close up and personal with them. Of course copious amounts of alcohol doesn’t help matters, so here I’ve put together the top 10 ways to spot a ladyboy or katoey when you’re in Thailand. Avoid reading this list at your own peril.

1. Look at your new friends hands and feet. Thai girls typically are small and their hands and feet are very small and petite to match. If the girl has lumberjack hands or size 12 heels on there is a distinct possibility she is a he.

2. Look for an Adams apple. Girls don’t have them, not ever.

3. Too much makeup. Thai girls generally wear very little if any makeup. If the girl has a thick layer of foundation on and enough makeup for a Vegas dancer then she is probably a ladyboy.

4. Tall. Thai girls are generally short, 5′ 4″ or less. If the girl is near to 6′ tall then either she is a model or a katoey. If she’s flirting with you (a foreign tourist), then the odds are she is NOT a model (unless you look like Brad Pitt), you are very likely being targeted by a ladyboy.

5. She is more beautiful than you can believe. If the girl is tall and beautiful and is NOT a model then it’s a good bet she is a ladyboy. Katoeys work very hard to make themselves as beautiful as possible, even going to the length of having surgery done. Eyes, lips, breasts, and even the cut and tuck, though from all accounts most katoeys are cross dressers without the final surgery.

6. If she has facial hair she is a katoey. Don’t laugh, I’ve actually seen guys dancing with girls that have a 5 o’clock shadow. Thai girls are for the most part hairless, even on their arms and legs and certainly on their faces.

7. Thai girls are very feminine, quite likely some of the most feminine women on the planet. If your girl is muscular or has a hard athletic body there is a chance that she is a katoey. This can be sometimes confusing because Cambodian girls are typically more muscular than Thai’s, but they are also generally very short and dark skinned.

8. If the girl has a penis (not TOO hard to figure out is it) then she is a ladyboy. Many katoeys will go for a grope of your crotch shortly after meeting you and this is the perfect chance for you to return the favor. Sometimes it isn’t as easy to tell if there is a bulge there or not as some ladyboys will go as far as to tuck or even tape their privates up underneath their crotch.

9. If she won’t undress in front of you or wants to have sex in the dark all the time she may be a katoey. Thai girls are shy in public, but can be quite forward in private and most have very little shyness when it comes to sex. I’ve heard stories of guys who had no idea they were with a ladyboy until the next morning which is actually believable if the girl wants to suck you off all night or do it from behind or if you’re that drunk. If there is a question in your mind do a quick grope or throw some surprise light on the subject, it may be YOU who ends up with the bigger surprise.

10. Take a look at her friends. Ladyboys tend to run and hunt in packs like wolves. If her group of friends are obvious katoeys themselves then your little lady may be one as well.

I’m sure this list isn’t comprehensive and there are other ways to tell if your prospective hookup is a katoey or ladyboy. Please leave a comment if you have other ways that you use to figure out if she is really a he or if you have some interesting or fun stories about the katoeys and ladyboys of Thailand.

Special thanks to Conan Stevens for providing the inspiration for this ladyboy article.

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Haad Yao (literally Long Beach) is the type of beach that postcards are made from. The kilometer long beach is wide and slightly curving, giving perfect vistas and fringed with tropical foliage, making it what some consider the “perfect” beach. While it has developed some over the years, it has mostly retained the original natural surroundings and beauty as well as the laid back feeling that has made it so popular with visitors since its discovery.

Because Haad Yao has become popular with a wide variety of travelers you are able to find the same variety of accommodations. Everything from cheap budget bungalows to luxury villas are available for rent, making Haad Yao a diverse and vibrant community during the high season. It also means you’ll be able to find a nice variety of great restaurants on the beach as well as in many of the hotels. Three good choices are Long Bay Resort, Haad Yao Bayview Resort and Haad Yao See Through Resort.

While night time is much quieter than Haad Rin beach, you can still find nighttime activities. There are numerous beachside bars, including the famous Eagle Pub, which has been built right into the rocks on the southern tip of Haad Yao. The pub includes great drinks, a wonderful steakhouse and an in house DJ playing some great tunes. If you’re still craving a huge party, Haad Rin is just a short ride away so you can have your quiet time on Haad Yao and still party the night away if you prefer.

Those looking for something to do during the day other than lying on the beach (which isn’t a bad pastime at all!) can find many activities around Haad Yao. The west and south coasts of Phangan are surrounded by coral reefs rich with diverse marine life. Diving and snorkeling are a great way to immerse yourself in the marine life and there are a variety of operators offering half and full day diving and snorkeling trips, either around Phangan or around nearby islands like Koh Ma, which is part of one of Thailand’s National Marine Parks.

In addition to diving you’ll find loads of great trails to hike through the tropical jungle and since the island is fairly mountainous you will likely get a pretty good workout. There are also waterfalls to visit such as Wang Sai and a fresh water lake called Laem Son, which is a short trip away and has giant rope swings over the lake which are a blast!

So, don’t think that the only reason to come to Koh Phangan is the Full Moon Party. The island still has quiet retreats and natural beauty for all to enjoy.

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The traffic in Bangkok is the stuff that legends are made of. Imagine waking up at 4am so you can be off to the office by 5am and arrive near 6am and then wait for 2 hours because your office doesn’t open until 8am. This is commonplace in Bangkok as is the fleets of cars lining up outside schools as early as 5:30am with bleary eyed mothers watching over their seemingly still sleeping children. Anything to avoid the rush or rather the gridlock of rush hour.

Rode tid mak mak the Thai’s will tell you. It means “traffic is bad, very bad”, but that is normal for Bangkok. I once came out to Silom Road at 1:30 in the morning to see taxi’s lined up in both directions as far as the eye could see. What city has grid lock at 1:30am? And what looked like a short trip from Khao San Road to our hotel across the bridge in the Pinklao district regularly took up to an hour after 1:00am. Just a few miles and on the outer perimeter of Bangkok to be sure, but still a major undertaking at any hour of the day or night.

And yet even so Thai’s continue to buy cars because they are status symbols. The Thai government has a 100-300% tariff on auto’s which means a Toyota Corolla (or something similar) will cost up to $35,000. It hasn’t stopped car buying in the least. I can tell how important they are to Thai’s especially younger Thai’s as a status symbol by listening to Golf and her friends. Even though the public transport in Bangkok is faster and so much cheaper they all want the status that a car exudes.

Personally I would rather spend $0.25 to get across town on a bus (scary) or ferry or the Bangkok BTS or even spring a whole $3.00 for a taxi, but I think I will end up falling prey to the need to increase our status when we move back to Thailand. I may even end up driving the beast, but I don’t think I will have the same patience that the Thai’s have on the road. Maybe I need to cultivate the mai bpen rai attitude so common in Thailand. Why have a stroke over something you can’t change? Rode tid mak mak. Mai bpen rai…

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Calling a songthaew is quite simple, actually the same as calling a taxi. You simply wait by the side of the road until you see one coming and then gesture for it to stop by holding out your hand with the palm down. In some towns the songthaews actually follow a regular route and there are set stops for them (Chiang Mai and Pattaya come to mind).

You will find that the songthaews can operate differently in different towns. In Pattaya, where the songthaews follow regular routes, all you need to do is jump in once the songthaew has stopped and then ring the buzzer in the back when you’re ready to get off. Fares can vary as well from town to town so it is often a good idea in most towns to ask about the fare before entering the songthaew. It can also be a good idea to ask about your destination to make sure the songthaew is going that way. If not, the driver will shake his (or her) head and drive on. Simply wait at the same spot for the next songthaew to come along which will likely be within minutes.

Fares for the songthaew are usually in the range of 10-20 baht, although prices can be significantly higher in tourist locations. Even a short trip could cost you 40 baht or more in places like Samui. While some people like to complain about this rise in prices I like to remember that 20 baht is only US$0.50 so it’s really not that big a deal and certainly nothing to get upset about. The fact is that the drivers are running a business and they will charge whatever the market (you and me) will bear. Capitalism at its best even in the Far East.

If you happen to see a parked songthaew you can often charter it just like a taxi to take you wherever you need to go. Because you are the only passenger the price will be higher than normal though. Expect to pay around 100 baht or so. You can even charter some songthaews for a half day or entire day, just negotiate the price with the driver and pay at the end of the day. Great if you have a large party of people. And don’t worry if you can’t speak Thai, most drivers have some English skills and often the combination of their limited English and sign language will be enough to come to an agreement.

One word of warning about the songthaew – it can be dangerous depending on your driver. Some drivers drink while driving the songthaew and some tend to drive very fast since the amount they can make is often dependant on how quickly they can make a circuit of their route. Golf was actually thrown out of the back of a songthaew when she was 15. The driver was speeding and he hit a bump while making a turn. The combination of the bump, the speed and the turn threw her up into the air and right out the back of the songthaew.

I still recommend that you use the songthaew to get around as it is quite cheap and in most cases is safe as long as you have your wits about you. If the driver is visibly intoxicated take a pass, but otherwise you should be fine.

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• Thailand Wins Six Travel Awards
• Bangkok Top City for Vacation Travel
• Do’s and Dont’s for Happy Traveling in Thailand
• ‘Flashpacking’ Redefines Budget Conscious Backpacker Adventure Travel
• Is Pattaya the Biggest Brothel in the World?

Getting to Koh Phangan from Bangkok

I’m sure many if not most of you will be interested in how to get to Koh Phangan from Thailand’s capital city of Bangkok. As the hub of transportation for Thailand it’s a logical place to begin your travels through the Kingdom.

Obviously the quickest way to get to Koh Phangan from Bangkok is going to be by air. You have two choices here, either fly to Surat Thani and take the boat from there or fly to Koh Samui and take the boat from there. The quickest method is to fly to Koh Samui as the boat from there to Phangan is only 90 minutes or so. Ferries from Surat Thani will take in the neighborhood of 4 hours.

If you plan on taking the quickest route then you can fly to Koh Samui with either Bangkok Airways or Thai Airways. I personally recommend Bangkok Airways as the prices are 60-70% less than Thai Airways. Off season flights are as low as THB3600. Once you land in Samui stop by the limosine counter to get your boat and bus tickets for Koh Phangan.

Those preferring to fly to Surat Thani can get there flying with Thai Airways or Air Asia, again the price for Thai Airways is 30-40% higher so unless you have some reason to fly with them I would choose Air Asia. Also take note that when booking air tickets during the high season (November-March) it is recommended that you book several weeks in advance.

If you are looking for a cheaper way to get to Koh Phangan and don’t mind taking a bit longer then a bus is a great way to go. Busses for southern Thailand destinations leave from Sai Tai Mai bus station (Borom Rachachonnanee Rd, Bang Bamru, Bang Phlat, Bangkok, 10700) each night at 19:30 and cost THB895. The trip takes about 12 hours and you can also get the boat tickets when purchasing your bus ticket. Thailand’s long haul buses are pretty comfortable and you might even want to take a sweater because they really crank up the AC!

Another inexpensive way to get to Koh Phangan from Bangkok is by train leaving from the Hua Lumphong station several times a night. Purchase a combination ticket for onward bus and ferry travel to get you to Phangan early the next day. Cost for the train is THB519 for 1st class A/C and THB248 for 2nd class A/C. You can get time tables and rates from the State Railway website.

Boat Schedules for Travel To Koh Phangan

KPG = Koh Phangan / KS = Koh Samui / KT = Koh Tao / ST = Surat Thani

Check out these similar posts:

• Phangan Beach Resort Koh Phangan Thailand
• Full Moon Partying on Koh Phangan
• Seaview Bungalows Thansadet Koh Phangan Thailand
• Havana Beach Resort Koh Phangan Thailand
• Palita Lodge Koh Phangan Thailand

Now you can find full moon parties on other islands throughout Thailand for sure, but none of them even come close to what has become the world famous quintessential beach party on Koh Phangan. It is believed that the party started sometime in the late 1980′s (1988 or 1989) as someone’s birthday party and was so great that they started coming back each month to party again. Slowly the party grew as more travelers heard about it until today when it has become a virtual city of party people each full moon.

You really can’t imagine what it’s like without experiencing it yourself. Haad Rin beach is now home to 10 different sound systems pumping out all kinds of music from techno to drum beat to rave and everything else you can think of. People fueled by vodka and Red Bull buckets (a combination of Red Bull, Coke and vodka or whiskey), among other things, dance on the beach from sunset until sunrise and even after. Everyone is friendly and happy and it is like no other vibe you’ve ever experienced.

Of course the popularity of the Full Moon Party can make it difficult to find a room on Koh Phangan, so I would suggest getting there a few days before the full moon. It will be fine because the Full Moon Party usually gets started a few days before the full moon anyway. I have more detailed instructions on the post Getting to Koh Phangan including air travel, buses, trains and ferry schedules. You can find a great list of Koh Phangan hotels at Hotels.com or alternatively find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor.

Full Moon Party Dates 2010

• Wednesday 28, July
• Wednesday 25, August
• Thursday 23, September
• Saturday 23, October
• Sunday 21, November
• Tuesday 21, December
• Saturday 25, December
• Friday 31, December

Full Moon Party Dates 2011

• Wednesday 19, January
• Friday 18, February
• Saturday 19, March
• Monday 18, April
• Tuesday 17, May
• Wednesday 15, June
• Friday 15, July
• Saturday 13, August
• Monday 12, September
• Tuesday 11, October
• Thursday 10, November
• Saturday 10, December
• Sunday 25, December
• Saturday 31, December

And don’t forget to stay safe while you’re partying. Follow these common safety rules for the Full Moon Party and you’ll have a much better time.

Enjoy the Full Moon Party Safely

1. Take a copy of your passport with you, and keep original passport in your hotel’s safe.
2. Take the hotel’s business card to contact them in case of emergency.
3. Don’t take bags with you, it’s likely you’ll lose them.
4. Take enough pocket money and keep it in 2-3 different pockets. It’s about 2,000-5,000 Baht.
5. Wear shoes to protect your feet from broken bottles.
6. Set a time and place to meet up with your friends, you WILL lose them in the huge scale noise and partying going on.
7. If you don’t want to be jailed, avoid bringing drugs to the party

There now you have the info to get there and you have the party dates. Don’t be like Golf and myself. We’ve wanted to go to the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan for several years and every time we’ve been in Thailand we’ve missed it be a few days one way or another. Ahhhhh…well it gives us another reason to keep coming back to Thailand.

Check out these similar posts:

• Phangan Beach Resort Koh Phangan Thailand
• Palita Lodge Koh Phangan Thailand
• Haad Yao Beach
• Getting to Koh Phangan
• Seaview Bungalows Thansadet Koh Phangan Thailand

Last time you’re already known the recipe for boil rice and this time I’m going to show you the recipe for everyone in your family. One of my favorite dish and it’s going to be one of your family favorite dish too. We call “Peek Gai todd” in Thai.

Peek Gai = chicken wing
Todd = fry

(2 servings)

• 10 chicken wings
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped garlic
• 1/3 cup Thai Rice Flour
• 3 tbsps Thai fish sauce
• 1 tbsp coriander root, chopped finely
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• * 1/2 tsp Thai seasoning powder (Rod dee) – you may skip *
• 4-5 cups cooking oil, for deep-frying

Cut the wings into halves and put in the big bowl. Pound coriander roots, garlic and pepper finely to obtain a smooth paste, add into the bowl with wings. Follow with rice flour, fish sauce, seasoning powder and mix well. Marinate the wings with all ingredients for 1/2 day or over night in the refrigerator (I usually let it sits for over night because it will get a great taste).
When you’re ready to fry please take the wings out from the refrigerator and let them sit in the room temperature for about 10 minutes. Heat the oil over medium heat until hot, deep-fry the wings until brown and cooked through (8-10 minutes). Remove from the oil and drain. Serve with rice or boil rice.

Everything in this recipe not that difficult to find and really easy to prepare, but just the only thing that I couldn’t find in here or either from Thai grocery’s online is Thai seasoning powder. You can try to find it in an ethnic grocery store such as Thai, Vietnamese or Chinese, but if you can’t find it then it’s ok to skip it.

Please drop me a comment if you try this recipe…I would be glad to share.

And before I leave, next Wednesday I will present how to the make the spicy dish “Neua Naam Tok” or spicy grilled beef. If you love spicy food you won’t want to miss it…

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• Speaking of Thai Food
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• Khao Man Gai – Thai Rice Steamed with Chicken