25 Sep

25 Sep - Coup fever has died down here on Koh Chang, where a warm welcome awaits all members of the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy. The tanks are off the streets of Kai Bae, the Klong Son militia is back in its barracks & life on KC is as normal as it ever was. But what passes for normality on Koh Chang if often rather unfathomable. As the following example will attempt to prove beyond all reasonable doubt:

In this role-play you put yourself in the shoes of a DASTA official. Remember, they're the guys responsible for building only half a road around the island, a monstrous concrete walkway though supposedly protected mangroves, building toilets without any water supply and generally making a balls up of any project they come within a mile of.

You are supervising the project to add visitor facilities to the view point above Sea View hotel, Kai Bae, which really does have great views. You decide that what the area really needs are two things in order to attract more visitors. The first is a no-brainer. There should be a huge concrete tower (see photo), as there aren't nearly enough of those on the island and tall structures are popular the world over. I'm betting that they'll be a large sign atop of this pole flashing 'Scenic Viewpoint' in blue neon.

The second is a postbox, so that people can drive up here and post stuff - it's obvious really. However, your challenge is to decide what design you should make the postbox. Something traditionally Thai? Something nautical? Something environmental? Something elephantine? But, if you work for DASTA it's pretty obvious that you want to go down in history as a forward thinking guy, and what's more forward thinking and up-to-the-minute than a scale model of Flash Gordon's rocketship from the 23rd century?

So, now instead of having any of that annoying scenery crap in your holiday snaps, you can pose next to a little red V2 flying bomb.

Good news . . . . 10 days ago the entrance fee to the waterfall was increased from 200 to 400 baht however, on 23 Sept, Thai National News Bureau & Bangkok Post reported that the National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation Department has now seen sense and postponed the increase until November 30, 2007. The department said it did not want the fee adjustment to affect tour businesses which sold the trips to these national parks at old prices. Why they didn't bother telling anyone that they wouldn't increase the prices on Sept 15th, before Sept 15th came around and not a week later is information that can only be divulged on a need to know basis . . . . and members of the public don't need to know, otherwise they'd already know, wouldn't they?

All of which begs the question . . . Why, as of today, is the sign at the entrance to Klong Plu waterfall still showing the entrance fee as 400 baht for foreigners and who's keeping the addition 200 baht/head that's being charged illegally?

Anyone interested in what I'm reliably told is the nicest coffeeshop / internet cafe on Koh Mak? It was built by the owner of a resort but she doesn't have time to run both it & the resort, so it's for lease. Annual rental of 200,000 baht. Brand new, got most of the equipment you need. Includes living accommodation for the owner, high speed satellite internet connection, large garden area, covered outdoor seating. Best of all, unlike every small business you'll see for sale on Koh Chang, there's no 'Key money' required. I'll have photos in a couple of weeks time when I go to Koh Mak. If you're interested let me know & I'll put you in touch with someone on Koh Mak who can provide more details.

Also 1 Rai of land to rent on Whitesands, koh Chang for the same price as renting a couple of shop units. Clifftop, with uninterrupted seaviews - ideal for a restaurant or long stay accommodation. 9 year contract possible.

15 Sep

15 Sept - On the right is the cover of the monthly magazine from DASTA, the Thai government organisation responsible for promoting sustainable development and basically protecting the marine national park from exploitation. So, it seems odd that they choose a cover photo that clearly shows a totally unnatural harbour and a long channel dredged through the seabed off Koh Kradad, near Koh Mak.

The big news this week that affects a lot of people across Thailand is the new limit on number of 30 day 'Visa on Arrival's that foreigners can get. If you're on a two week holiday this doesn't affect you at all, but there are a lot of people who are working, travelling long-term or are retirees etc and rely on the simplicity of being able to hop over the border every 30 days to renew their visas. From 1 October onwards they'll limited to a maximum 90 days entry on VOAs in any 6 month period, this can be 3 consecutive 30 day entries or a dozen or more shorter visits - but either way the total is 90 days stay in Thailand out of every 180 days. These border hoppers have to either pay some money and get a proper visa or find another country to stay in. On KC the businesses most affected will be dive schools as virtually all dive instructors in Thailand are employed on a cash in hand basis and so are continually making visa runs. This coming high season they'll have to get multiple entry tourist visas in advance. Not a major hassle but an inconvenience for many. If anyone is looking for a way to get a multiple entry, 12 month Non-Immigrant 'B' or 'O' visa, send me an email - I know someone who can help out.

Meanwhile, how are the efforts to transform Koh Chang into an upmarket paradise that Thailand can be proud of going?

Golf is a sport that attracts the high rollers with bad fashion sense, a love of plaid and a credit card. Phuket has several courses, amongst them Mission Hills - designed by the Nicholas family, Jack Snr was a well know player in his day. Samui has Santiburi golf club, rated by some as being in the top 25 courses in the world.

Not wanting to be left out, here on Koh Chang, a new crazy golf venue, in the old car park of the 3x3 Plaza, Kai Bae is being set up. I took a quick look at the course and it appears to be 9 holes, Par 27, roughly 40 yards in length. There's a dog leg, amongst other body parts, but I'm sure that will be cleaned up before the course officially opens. Miss it & miss out. (Tartan cap, stay-pressed strides and a fondness for Tiger Wood's balls are all optional.) No mention as to whether female caddies will be provided. For anyone new to golf in Thailand . . . if you thought 'the 19th hole' was the clubhouse bar, you're mistaken ;-)

But, apart from that one major attraction opening, a quick look at two recent posts on the Lonely Planet Discussion Board would seem to indicate that it's a while yet before 'Utopia' status is reached . . .

8 Sep - "Last night a group of backpackers arrived on Koh Chang with their latest purchase from Jartujak market Bkk. A baby monkey not more than 3 weeks old, it could fit in the palm of your hand. The stupidity of this blows me out of the water. Feeding it all kinds of junk food; being an instant source of attention and at the end of the day left with the only one option, leaving it behind in the jungle when they continued their travels. I am not David Attenborough but the chances of its survival and its acceptance by other closely knit wild monkey groups is virtually negligible. Please think!!!"

9 Sep - "I recently had one week off and spent it on White sands beach, Koh Chang. Seriously, what is up with the English guys selling drugs on the beach after hours? I met two idiots 25 something, on my way back home one night, trying to sell me ganja and xtc with an offer to join their party back at a bar/bungalow area they partly owned. I told them to **** off and went to bed. Next morning I asked my Thai hotel manager if local ?????? knew about them and he said something like "Yes, it's alright, they pay ?????? to be able to market their bar with drugs". That sounded unbelievable to me, could foreigners really be that stupid or ignorant? I presume they don't know the penalties for selling or using drugs in Thailand. How ****** up can you get? Paying locals to shut up about your drug scam, good luck...I hope they rot in hell"

( The ?????? is an edit on my part. Just say 'No' to drugs & corruption, kids.)

And finally, as part of the tourist authorities plans to encourage people to spend more money in Thailand, the price for entry to all National Parks has now been increased from 200 to 400 baht for foreigners. On Koh Chang, this will only affect you if you want to see one of the two waterfalls which visitors often go to - Klong Plu & Than Mayom falls. If you've seen a waterfall before, save your money or visit Kiriphet or Klong Neung waterfalls in the south east of the island - these are free.

28 Jun

28 Jun - As it'd be depressing to post a picture of incessant rain I've added an artist's impression of a sunny day on Koh Chang. (Note the ominous cloud.)

Good (?) news for Koh mak & Koh Kood, the Thai government announced that they intend to use the Koh Chang tourism management model to systematically develop other neighbouring islands. Cue the sound of the cheering masses.

This is the same tourism management model that allows developers to do pretty much what they like, oversees the building of public toilets that don't have running water, sees that way too many slummy shop units are erected, provided close on a million US dollars for a waste management plant - that's actually a large hole in the ground, and, after several years of half hearted construction never got round to completing the road around the island.

The brain factory behind the scheme is DASTA (Designated Area of Sustainable Tourism Administration) committee - headed by Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Environment Plodprasop Suraswadi. The report also mentions that the model will serve as the development master plan for the straw-clutching 'Riviera' project, which aims to promote the eastern seaboard as an international beach paradise. (All that's required are international paradise-like beaches.)

But, who is Plodprasop? A quick glance at his CV shows he's the right man for Koh Chang ;-)

He was Thailand's Forestry Chief and is the guy who in 2000 allowed owners of two illegally built resorts in Tap Lan National Park in Khon Kaen to continue operating despite a court order for them to close. At the time he was quoted as saying "How can we demolish their buildings? They have invested a lot of money." Fair enough and just to show he could stand up to encroachers the Bangkok Post, 2 Dec 2000, reported that he dispatched a battalion of 1,200 armed men to demolish four Karen shacks in Thung Yai forest on grounds of encroachment. "The law must be respected." Plodprasop insisted. Even though the forest dwellers argued that the area had been the home of indigenous Karens for generations.

He also, in July 2002, decided that all you tourists should pay 10 times as much as Thais for entrance to National Parks. (No, the extra money doesn't go direct to the Park as park fees have by law to be returned to the central agency, Royal Forestry Dept, which isn't exactly renowned for its probity in administering funds. High-ranking positions in RFD are known, according the boss of the Center for Conservation Biology, Mahidol University, to be bought and sold for millions of baht.)

However, later in 2002 he took 'early retirement' when the cabinet was reshuffled and he was out of a job. Oh, at the time there was a little matter of him being under investigation by seven different government fact-finding committees following several malfeasance complaints but that's probably only coincidence.

However, you cant keep a good man, or Plodprasop, down for long and he remerged, reputation intact to head DASTA.

He still knows how to wow foreign visitors, as, at the grand opening of Chiang Mai Night Safari in Nov 2005 he announced: “The zoo will be outstanding, with several restaurants offering visitors the chance to experience exotic foods such as imported horse, kangaroo, giraffe, snake, elephant, tiger and lion meat. We will also provide domestic crocodile and dog meat from Sakon Nakhon province."

Running a zoo isn't all about dog burgers and BBQ lion ribs you've got to know your market . . . the animal export market, and no one knows it better than Mr P., as in 2004 an inquiry by the Thai government panel on wildlife and plant protection, concluded Plodprasop broke the law by allowing a private Thai zoo to export 100 tigers to China for "research purposes". (Probably to see what they tasted like stir fried.) Fortunately, the illegal export of endangered animals merited no more than a judicial slap on the wrist, so didn't result in any loss of job this time round.

Plodprasop is also an excellent judge of character, or possibly recognises his own kind. In 2000, at a meeting to map a national tourism strategy, chaired by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, he called for a statue of Kanchanaburi Senator Chaowarin Latthasaksiri to be erected on account of his discovery of a huge stash of WWII Japanese gold & billions of dollars in US Treasury bonds hidden in a cave. Time magazine had this to say on the matter: "The lost treasure of Lijia Cave is now notorious as the biggest hoax in Thailand's history, a scam so brazen it came dangerously close to ensnaring the monarchy."

People are entitled to make errors of judgment, but so long as Plodprasop is liked by those on Koh Chang all should be well. Unfortunately, in May 2005, an adviser to Trat Environmental Conservation Group was reported as stating that "The organisation (DASTA) is killing our island" and had "Totally ignored people's participation in formulating the master plan". The report concluded by calling for the ouster of Plodprasop to ease local resistance to the project as the locals had questioned Plodprasop's transparency and his disregard for public opinion.

Will Plodprasop listen to the locals? Doubtful as this is what he had to say following criticism last year by Surapon Duangkhae, Secretary General of Wildlife Fund Thailand, over the transfer of wild animals from Kenya to Chiang Mai. Plodprasop was quoted in the Bangkok Post (9 Nov. 2005) as saying, "Mr Surapon is nobody. . . I'd like to warn him to stop making comments on the issue."

Methinks someone needs a spin doctor.

1 April

1 April - Koh Chang's first attempt at an Art / Craft / Music festival is being held on the 3 & 4 April at Hat Sai Noi beach near Bangbao. Find more details on the two days of events organised by Jambe House & Curlykez Gallery on flyers posted on literally every immovable object south of Kai Bae. Daytime events are free, evening stuff will cost you 250 - 300 baht to attend. Free pick-up service provided by the organisers to whisk people to Bangbao in style.

If the thought of staying roadside in Kai Bae is something you've always dreamed of and never thought would be affordable then think again - Baan Bo, Kai Bae have a webpage or two in English. (Also info in Japanese too.)

April's edition of 'Thai Travel Today' the Thai language travel news monthly carries an article regarding a recent meeting of DASTA, the government agency for developing tourism on Koh Chang. It appears that plans are afoot to make simple changes that should, the committee hopes, bring more visitors to Koh Chang. Chief amongst these is the plan to rename several popular beaches. DASTA officials noted a disparity between the number of tourists staying on beaches with 'western names' and those with harder to pronounce Thai names. Whitesands and Lonely Beach regularly see high occupancy rates whilst Klong Son, Klong Prao and Kai Bae beaches are often shunned by holiday makers, researchers found. Dr. Wichian, Directory of DASTA is quoted as saying "There are two reasons for the change. We want foreign tourists to be able to tell their friends where they stayed and the current names don't adequately reflect the natural beauty of the island." If the proposals are adopted, next high season expect to be offered accommodation at 'Hideaway Bay', 'Crystal Cove' and 'Six Islands Sands'.

'Moccachino' - the nicest coffee shop on the island is reluctantly up for sale by it's owners. If you're looking for a small well-located, well-designed space for an office or shop in Kai Bae then this is worth a look. Info & photos.

I have to update the Koh Chang info for May's edition of ' Untamed Travel' magazine - so if you've got any kind of event / promotion / happening planned for May let me know in the next week or so, and it can have a free mention in the mag.

Contrary to what I have mentioned in previous emails to several people - the nice plot of land, 1.25 Rai, and house with 40 metres beachfront on the east coast is still up for sale. The owner has now been persuaded to include land leading back to the road in the sale and so has re-priced the land at 6.25 million from 5 million previously.

If you like to spend your free time cruising, Seabourn Cruises run a Singapore - Vietnam cruise which stops off at Koh Kood on the way. The article on the cruise, from the Daily Telegraph website, gives a hint at it may not be a voyage for the budget conscious: "We snorkelled from a white sand beach on Koh Kood into clear waters where tropical fish glowed as if lit by internal light bulbs and a launch from the ship brought out caviar and Champagne served in the sea off a surf board."

And in Salakkok, south east Koh Chang, there are three fisherman's house for sale two at around 1 million each and one for 1.8 million. All have excellent views over the bay. If you're into scenic views, no tourists and need a place to moor a boat then they're ideal.