Thailand: A Tour of the Northeast - Phuket to Surat Thani

By Christopher Evans

This is the journal of a 16-day, 4,500-kilometer adventure we undertook to discover some of the least-known areas of Thailand. We were a little apprehensive about leaving the tourist towns and venturing into what was, to us, the unknown. Each day was an e

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hunter Publishing
• Release date: Jun 15, 2012
• ISBN: 9781556504624

Christopher Evans

Christopher Evans has been the Member of Parliament for Islwyn since 2010. Currently he serves as the Shadow Minister for Defence Procurement. His first book, Fearless Freddie: The Life and Times of Freddie Mills was published in 2017 and shortlisted for The Times Biography of the Year at the 2018 Sports Book Awards. Christopher Evans lives in South Wales and is married to Julia and has two children. @Chris_EvansMP

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life.

Facts & Figures

Exchange Rates

With exchange rates fluctuating every day it is difficult to give costs in currencies other than the Thai Baht. Throughout the guide we have given most of the prices in the currency of Thailand. In our price guides for hotels, however, we have priced accommodation in US dollars since many of the major hotels quote prices on their Websites in US dollars. In June 2005 one US dollar was worth 38 Baht, one euro bought 53 Baht and the UK pound 75 Baht. We find it best to create a simple worksheet giving the various currencies. Once you've established the formulas it is easy to update every few weeks. You may also check current rates at www.exchangerates.com.

Geography

The country has the Andaman Sea on one side and the Gulf of Thailand on the other. It borders on Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia. Border skirmishes are not unknown but normally only last a few days. Less than 4% of the population is Muslim; most of that group lives in the south of the country and there have been problems with demonstrations over neglect and lack of understanding by the Bangkok-based government. The problems are not new. There has been unrest for over 40 years. To date, the fighting has only affected tourism in the far south and the situation is being closely monitored by foreign governments.

Tourism

Modern-day tourism got a shot in the arm back in 1974 when part of the James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun was filmed on an island named Ko Ping Kan. The scene featured Roger Moore and Christopher Lee. Today, tourists swarm to be photographed on the spot where the two men faced each other. The island has been renamed James Bond Island and now boasts 52 souvenir shops. More recently, another island was used for the movie The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Local conservationists are delighted that access to that island is very difficult and as a result tourist vessels stay away.

Thailand's Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, says Thailand should attract 20 million foreign tourists a year to Thailand by 2008. To achieve this he is preparing to spend 40 billion Baht ($1 billion) on promotion.

Climate

If you don't like it hot you have made the wrong decision by coming this far from home. Snow gear is as much use here as an ashtray on a Harley Davidson. Without doubt, the best time to visit the resorts of southern Thailand is between November and March - and this is the most expensive time too - but do not be put off by the rainy season. Climate does vary from north to south (you will find more details about local climate in the destination chapters). Obviously nobody wants to suffer through a typhoon, and fortunately typhoons are very much a rarity in Thailand, but we have spent weeks when it has rained a little every day. Most times we were on the beach and just enjoyed the natural shower. Minutes later we dried off in the sun.

Prices

Where else in the world can two people dine well and walk away with change from $5? And low prices abound everywhere. Obviously, the copies of brand-name products are extremely inexpensive. But everywhere you will find excellent value for money. We do not know of another country that has so many truly luxurious hotels and, here, the finest hotels with their impressive service cost a fraction of what you would pay in other countries. The business hotels in Bangkok and throughout the kingdom are second to none and we know of nowhere in the US or Europe that has the quality of tourist resorts and spas that you will find here. You'll find that the word wellness has crept into the dictionary here. Not to content to tack the words and spa onto their names, the resorts now have wellness centers and wellness menus.

Public Holidays

Holidays listed without dates are Theravada Buddhist holidays; the date changes from year to year based on the lunar calendar.

January 1 New Year's Day (Wan Khun Pee Mai)

February Makha Bucha

April 6 Chakri Memorial Day

April 13-15 Thai New Year (Songkran)

May Visakha Bucha

May 1 Labor Day (bank holiday only)

May 5 Coronation Day

July Khao Phansa

August 12 Mothers' Day/Queen's Birthday (Wan Mae)

October 23 Chulalongkorn Day (Wan Piyamharat)

December 5 Fathers' Day/King's Birthday (Wan Pot)

December 10 Constitution Day

December 31 New Year's Eve (Wan Sin Pee)

Practicalities

Visas & Immigration Laws

On arrival you will be granted a visa for 30 days. On one trip we planned to stay longer and we explained that to the immigration officer. He smiled and said yes, as is the custom for those not speaking much English, and we assumed all was well. It was not. On departure we were fined for each day we had stayed over the one-month limit. We were not alone; there was a line of offenders waiting when we went to pay for our error. And to aid those, like us, who had let their supply of Thai Baht dwindle, there was an ATM close by. On subsequent extended stays we resolved the problem by making a visit to the local immigration office and having additional time granted. You can also leave the country and re-enter, whereupon you'll get an additional 30-day visa; on one occasion we made a trip to Singapore, which gave us an extension. If you are planning a longer-than-30-day visit it is worth checking with a Thai embassy for details about various visas that are available. The regulations do change.

The Embassies of Thailand

In the US

Royal Thai Embassy, 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007, tel. [phone].

Royal Thai Consulate General, 35 East Wacker Drive, Suite 1834, Chicago, IL 60601, tel. [phone].

Royal Thai Consulate General, 801 North LaBrea Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038, tel. [phone].

Royal Thai Consulate General, 351 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022, tel. [phone].

In Canada

Royal Thai Embassy, 180 Island Park Drive, Ottawa, ON K1Y 0A2, tel. [phone].

Royal Thai Consulate, Campus Tower Building, 8625-112 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 1K8, tel. [phone].

Royal Thai Consulate, 1155 René-Levesque West, Suite 2500, Montreal, QC H3B 2K4, tel. [phone].

Royal Thai Consulate, Scotia Plaza, 40 King Street, West, 44th Floor, Toronto, ON M5H 3Y4, tel. [phone].

Royal Thai Consulate, 736 Granville Street, Suite 106, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1G3, tel. [phone].

In the United Kingdom

Royal Thai Embassy, 1-3 Yorkshire House, Grosvenor Crescent, London. SWIX7EBP, tel. [phone], fax [phone].

In Europe & Elsewhere

The following listings are locations of the Royal Thai Embassy:

Australia, 111 Empire Circuit Yarralumla, A.C.T., 2600, Canberra, tel. [phone], fax [phone].

Belgium, 2 Square du Val de la Cambre, Brussels, tel. [phone], fax [phone].

Denmark, Norgesmindevej 18, 2900 Hellerup Copenhagen, tel. [phone], fax [phone].

France, 12 Rue Lord Byron 75008, Paris, tel. [phone], fax [phone].

Germany, Ubierstasse 65, 53173 Bonn, tel. [phone], fax [phone].

Italy, Via Nomentana, 132, 00162 Rome, tel. [phone], fax [phone].

The Netherlands, Buitenrustweg, 2517 KD, The Hague, tel. [phone], fax [phone].

New Zealand, 2 Cook Street, Karori, POBox 17226, Wellington, tel. [phone], fax [phone].

Norway, Munkedamsveien 59B, 0270 Oslo, tel. [phone], fax [phone].

Portugal, Rua de Alcolena, 12, Restelo, 1400 Lisbon, tel. [phone], fax [phone].

South Africa, 840 Church Street, Eastwood, Areadia 0083, Pretoria, tel. [phone], fax [phone].

Spain, Joquin Costa 29, 28002 Madrid, tel. [phone], fax [phone].

Sweden, Eloragatan3, 11431, Stockholm, Box 26220 100 40, tel. [phone], fax [phone].

Switzerland, Srd Fl., 60 Eigerstrasse (5th Fl.), 3007 Bern, tel. [phone], fax [phone].

Safety & Crime Prevention

Crime can be a problem, but a little forward-thinking can help avoid difficulties during your trip. Here are some suggestions:

•  Beware of unauthorized people who offer their services as guides.

•  Use common sense when it comes to personal safety. Walking alone through quiet or deserted areas is not recommended. Be sure that all your valuables - passports, money, jewelry, and airline tickets - are properly protected. Most hotel rooms have personal safes; if yours does not, the hotel will most likely have a safe at reception. The tourist police (see below) do a superb job and are there to assist you. In each destination chapter we will give a phone number where they can be contacted.

•  Do not get involved with drugs. Penalties for drug offences are very severe in Thailand, and range from life imprisonment to death. Checks are made when you enter and leave the country that you are not carrying illegal drugs. If you are carrying legitimate medicines be sure they are correctly identified.

Tourist Police

Should a problem arise, the government, through the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), has bi-lingual tourist police stationed throughout the country. Their sole job is to assist tourists who run into problems. They have a 24-hour emergency number - simply dial 1155 - or look them up at www.tourist.police.go.th.

Medical Attention

We have been very impressed with medical care in Thailand. Should you become ill while visiting you will find excellent facilities in all the major cities and towns. We have found charges to be extremely low and the cost of prescription drugs significantly lower than in the US. Doctors we have visited all spoke impeccable English and were extremely efficient. Many people come to Thailand for medical care, be it a simple health check-up or major surgery. We have devoted a chapter to The Medical Vacation.

Money

This is one thing we all need while visiting Thailand. There are exchange bureaus in all the major towns, which readily change US dollars, pounds and euros. Most will cash travelers' checks and some will give advances on major US credit cards. We have found it better to use ATMs, or cash machines, which are everywhere. Most major stores and hotels accept credit cards but you will not be able to use them at the street markets or smaller restaurants. We have found that, when using a US credit card, the exchange rate applied when the charge reached the US was extremely good. The same holds true for the rate we have obtained by using cash/ATM machines.

Telephone Service

Keeping in touch with home or the rest of the world is not a problem today. The telephone system in major towns is greatly improved and you can make direct calls to the rest of the world from most hotel rooms. In September of 2004 the Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) cut its rates to six Baht