Happy Sunday, Bangkok!
Another busy and bizarre week in Thailand: we’ve had a bitcoin robbery in Phuket, a flurry about a supposed medical marijuana farm in Sakhon Nakhon, and a huge hullabaloo when a Thai person was inadvertently charged the higher, foreign price for some street food when the vendor thought she was Chinese.
Classic Thailand.
Let’s see what else has been entertaining and enraging Bangkok this week…
Post Contents
News
Tourist couple under fire for graffiti on Koh Lanta
In yet another story of tourist vandalism in Thailand, this week saw a couple caught spraying graffiti on a wall on the island of Koh Lanta in Krabi province. The tagging was videoed and uploaded to Facebook, where it unsurprisingly generated a head of steam from netizens. The couple are yet to be identified.
As people have commented — why not do this in your own neighbourhood, instead of that of another culture?
Koh Phi Phi speedboat fire kills 1, injures 11
Tragic news from Koh Phi Phi this week where a speedboat carrying 31 passengers caught fire following a fuel leak on board and subsequent engine explosion. 1 person sadly died from their serious burn injuries and 11 others sustained injuries. Those with severe burns were treated at hospitals in Krabi and Phuket while the rest were attended to locally.
Farang tries to woo Thai girl by referring to his small penis in Isaan dialect
Going viral this week is a video of a Western Muay Thai fighter named Ryan, who was caught on camera hitting on a Thai woman by referring to his, ahem, ham noi.
Ham Noi is used to Isaan to denote a small penis.
Our hero Ryan really hammered the point home by saying to the woman, “I have a ham noi but I bang well. It’s not big or long at all.” Ideal. What more could a woman want?
Blogs
35 signs you’ve spent too long in Thailand
Aimed more at backpackers rather than long term residents, this is nevertheless an amusing list of signs and experiences you’ve had when you’ve spent a tad too much much time in the Land of Smiles. Hitting close to home are: you can cross the road without fear of imminent death, you consider 80 cents expensive for a 1.5 litre of water and, of course, you’ve been ‘templed out’.
10 ecotourist adventures on Koh Phangan
Koh Phangan is most famous for its Full Moon Parties down on Haad Rin, but it’s actually an incredibly beautiful island with a huge amount of almost untouched nature to explore. This list uncovers 10 of the best eco-friendly adventures to indulge in on the island — including experiencing the sunset at Zen Beach and trekking through the mountains to the Tri-Bay lookout.
Island hopping from Koh Chang to Koh Kood
Another great Thai island tourism post here on The Guardian — this time focusing on a few beautiful Kohs in the eastern part of the Gulf. Chang, Mak and Kood aren’t exactly the undiscovered hideaways that some tourists think they are, but they’re undoubtedly in possession of glorious scenery and a more tranquil atmosphere than the more popular islands in the west of the country.
Forum Threads
Where are the ethnic enclaves in Thailand?
If you’re interested in experiencing the full melting pot of cultures and ethnicities that blend in Thailand, you might find this Reddit thread on the different ethnic enclaves quite useful. From the hot Japanese spots (hello, Sukhumvit 31), the UN enclave in Ari and the ‘fat girl’ village in Phuket to the Muslim enclave near Hua Chang Bridge and the, er, poor expat teacher hordes in On Nut.
Why trips back home aren’t the same anymore…
For some expats, so glowing and wonderful is their new life in Thailand that they find very little joy in returning to their home country for a short break anymore. This Thaivisa thread documents exactly that — and for some members, it’s not even that their new life overshadows their old life, it’s that they’re simply unable to reconnect with life back home anymore. Once the catching up with friends and family is done, what is there left? According to most of these replies, not a lot. Quite a sad and sobering thread.
YouTube
Someone really missed merry old England. The Mason’s Arms English pub on Koh Phangan. pic.twitter.com/5YOvXvgMLA
— Tracy.3 (@TracyVanity) January 17, 2018
“ITS NOT MY FAULT WE OVER CHARGED A THAI. SHE LOOKED CHINESE”
Absolutely no shame. pic.twitter.com/cPiNGIcqh2
— Somchai the Dog (@bkksomchai) January 17, 2018
The Ministry of Tourism and TAT are seemingly only interested in increasing the number of tourists and tourist dollars. But is this really sustainable tourism? These are pictures of the Similan Islands this week. Something needs to be done (FB Torphong Wongsathienchai) #Thailand pic.twitter.com/LCXyiFJIn7
— Richard Barrow in Thailand (@RichardBarrow) January 15, 2018
At my condo. #mail #Thailand pic.twitter.com/s5rQSiXTNV
— Signore Sammy (@signoresammybkk) January 17, 2018
Woke up to see the air quality in Bangkok this morning. If this is accurate, it’s shocking pic.twitter.com/ljeBsThhkf
— topquark (@topquark) January 17, 2018
And that’s been The Week On Sukhumvit — see you next time!
Featured photo by Geoff Greenwood on Unsplash
