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.

15 Jun - Wonder how many of the people watching HM the King's 60th anniversary dinner TV special last night - shown exclusively live on every Thai channel - could name more than three of the assembled royals from 26 countries.  (I got Prince Andrew, the Swedish King & Queen and Prince Albert of Monaco. Not a clue on the others.) But the King of Tongo appeared to be having the most fun on his river boat ride up the Chao Praya whilst the Japanese emperor visited what appeared to be a museum to dead fighting cocks - skeletons, stuffed birds and all.  (If I was a Japanese tax payer I'd be wanting to know if this was really necessary.) The Danes sensibly visited a shoe factory which made sensible Danish shoes and quite a few minor monarchs went shopping at the Jim Thompson house of silk. 

No more updates for a couple of weeks as I'm out of the country and will have better things to do with my time.

You'd be amazed by the number of people emailing and finding it surprising that there might be rain in August, apparently many travel agencies fail to mention that pretty much all of SE Asia is rather damp between June-September.  Clue: this time of year is known as the rainy season or, in more tourist friendly terms, as the green season i.e. the season  when green stuff grows a lot.

Before I left KC I went to see a couple of plots of land that are now up for sale.  On the east coast you can get several 2 Rai plots by the beach for 6 million baht each - with Chanote land title.  And . . .  at the southern end of White Sand Beach, on the west coast you can get a 1 Rai plot with  uninterrupted sunset sea view.  The photo opposite was taken on the land, more info here. (Not sure of the price yet though.)

8 Jun - As Koh Chang is officially hibernating at the moment. We've decided to have June as a holiday month which means spending a bit of time on KC, a bit in Bangkok, a bit in nearby parts of Thailand and a bit out of the country.

The photo on the right is a vision of Koh Chang in the future, a beach populated almost entirely by hoards of Chinese day trippers.  Behold the beauty of Koh Larn, a 20 baht, 1 hour boat ride away from beautiful downtown Pattaya if you do it yourself, or a few hundred baht by a far faster speedboat.   

Highly recommended if you love travelling as part of a shepherded tour group, swimming in petrol fumes, paying over the odds for everything. (The exception being the guy selling 'Nam Kheng Sai'  - shaved ice dessert - for 10 baht.) 

This was only my 3rd or 4th visit to Pattaya in  9 years, and we only went because I can get a  free hotel room there easily.  On the plus side - Gullivers at the northern end of Beach Road does very good Thai and western food & cheap cocktails, we had delicious Vietnamese food at Vientiane Restaurant on Walking Street and Angelwitch, just off Walking Street is the place to go to see naked girls cavorting in foam, if such a thing takes your fancy.

Want to do something to help the local community on KC? Travel to Teach run volunteer programs throughout Thailand. I had an email from a recent volunteer couple relaying their experiences:

"The reality is that this program was started more as a place for volunteers from other part of Thailand to come for a free vacation. The program coordinator was leaving Thailand for England in 2 weeks and was more concerned with how to get a free bucket at the Sabay Bar than running a worthwhile program. When I asked her about the purpose of the program and why we weren't doing any environmental work which is what we had been originally promised her response (as  a Thai person) was that Thai people don't want westerners help. True or not it makes me wonder what the point of the program was in the first place."

The couple were also supposed to be doing some  English teaching for local kids, something  worthwhile.  In reality they taught two classes at 4 star hotels on Klong Prao beach for hotel GMs who are too miserly to pay for proper training for their staff.

However, the head of T-to-T, after hearing of their time on KC, agreed to refund most of the fees paid to the couple and reports on various discussion boards seems to indicate that the organisation does a lot of good work in the North of Thailand.

30 May - Just thought I'd add a photo showing the view over the southern end of Klong Prao beach taken a few days ago when the clouds broke and the sun came out.

There's a nice little cafe for lease in Kai Bae.  If you don't want the hassle of setting up your own business then it's worth a look as this is a turn key business.  Located opposite two large resorts, it's fully furnished & equipped, all stock included too. You get everything you see in the photos - with the exception of the owner's wife.  650,000 Baht includes rent paid until January 2007. 

The new PNN Spa at Sea View Resort, Kai Bae is a good place to visit if you need to kill a rainy afternoon.  Not particularly cheap but well run and with a wide range of treatments / massages available.  For a cheaper alternative - i.e. without the jacuzzis, steam baths and trappings of luxury; try Sima Massage, Klong Prao on the roadside near Chang Chutiman Elephant Camp.

+++

And last, but definitely not least is news that affects every foreigner, across Thailand, not only Koh Chang, who has bought property through a Thai registered company that was set up for this purpose. 

As of May 26th the Interior Ministry decided to crackdown on this practice and it's now no longer possible for any company with a foreign shareholder to buy or sell property through a company if it appears that the company was set up  specifically for this purpose.  I.e. you'd have to prove that all the nominee shareholders actually knew what was going on and invested their own capital in the company etc.

This method of owning land is very common, but the laws haven't changed it's just that officials at the Land Registry departments nationwide have now been told to actively enforce them.  The setting up of companies in order to buy land was so common that virtually all law firms in Thailand did this - despite it being technically illegal.  It'll be interesting to see how this pans out especially with regards to the large housing developments, such as Siam Royal View on Koh Chang where foreign ownership of all plots is via the Thai registered company route.

There are still ways for foreigners to 'own' land - such as buying it in a Thai's name and then entering into a 30 year renewable lease with them.  Of course doing this requires a watertight contract and the services of a good lawyer . . . not to mention a Thai in whose name to place the land. 

Expect this topic to dominate the expat discussion boards in the coming weeks.

27 May - It appears that some of my fellow countrymen are made of sterner stuff than myself, as the results from the KC Triathlon bear out.  Englishman Peter Gibney (not pictured right) proved to be the toughest competitor at the Koh Chang International Triathlon on Sunday, leading all legs of the event before winning the title and 150,000 Baht in prize money. (I have a feeling that this wasn't his first triathlon.)  

In second place was another Brit, Simon Thomas. All in all, around 150 people took part in the event which cot around 3 million baht to organise.  Unfortunately, none of this amount was spent on informing locals that the road outside Chang Park Resort in Kai Bae would be sealed off for an hour or two whilst the cyclists U-turned there - resulting in a tailback.

Yesterday, I went to see the GM of a resort to get some info for an article I have to write about them for a tourist mag.  She wasn't there but an underling was dispatched to speak to me and let me know that "we" didn't know what she wanted to say about the resort as "We haven't had a meeting about we what to say yet." I went away fearing the worst . . ."we" will want to use the word 'paradise' way too often; will make repeated references to a 'pristine, palm fringed, white sand beach' that exists only in the eye of your graphic artist; and will probably expect me to include some slogan that your marketing department came up with that has zero meaning to anyone with English as a first, second or third language.   Fortunately, that didn't turn out to be the case when I went back this morning I had  a cup of tea, a nice tour with her and permission to write whatever I wanted, with the proviso it was all positive. :-)

'The Nation' newspaper will be running a Koh Chang special shortly. Their salesgirls are currently phoning businesses on KC to try to sell advertising spots and mentions in the upcoming  feature. Another option for anyone wanting to see their resort or business's name in the national media is the offer from TATV - (Tourist Authority TV, on UBC Channel 9) to make  25 minute long TV show about your place, and just how great it is, for only 35,000 baht - discounted from 45,000 baht.  On the face of it it sounds like a good deal but I've yet to meet someone who's actually sat through a program on this station.

22 May - Seems like quite a few people had questions about the rabbit. No, it's not mine.  Yes, it looks like a 'Dutch'  -but I cant be sure.  No, they're not crumpets, they're pancakes.  If you have an opinion on this, or any other topic that's totally unrelated to this site, feel free to email me.

21 May - It's now been raining solidly for 4 days.  Definitely the worst weather so far this year.

Today is also the day of the Koh Chang International Triathlon, so I hope participants have adequate insurance as the sea is pretty choppy at the moment.  No doubt the last minute offer of a free Koh Chang to Trat ferry ticket (one way only, value 50 baht) for all participants, Thai and foreign, will have swelled the  number of entrants significantly.  When it comes to slick marketing, you know who to call. 

However, organising the event on the same day at the well-established Chantaburi half marathon, taking place an hour's drive away perhaps wasn't wise, neither was giving athletics clubs around Thailand only one months' advance notice of the event.  What you need time to train?  Surely, it's only swimming, jogging and riding a bike?

I had toyed with the idea of heading down to see the start at 8am but as it was raining so much I decided that the better option was to scour the internet for a photo of a rabbit with a pancake on its head. Infinitely less off putting, to anyone  thinking of visiting Koh Chang, than a photo of incessant rain over a stormy sea.

15 May - Count the monkeys and win a prize . . . or maybe not.  We saw these monkeys on cliffs in the south west of Koh Chang when we were out on the boat last week.

For anyone interested in 6-star luxury getaways, Six Senses Resorts now have a webpage for their new Soneva Kiri Koh Kood resort, which is opening next year.  Lots of blurb on the eco-friendliness of the resort which guests will be able to travel around by electric golfcart or  bicycle. This is in an effort to compensate for the guilt they must feel about the amount of fossil fuels burned in transporting them by private plane to a newly built airstrip, on the nearby island of Koh Mai See Lek, and then being whisked by private speedboat for the last 2 kilometres of the journey to their 'green' hideaway.  One final thought . . . would Six Senses sue if you named your resort 'Soneva Bitch'?

Interesting info for anyone worried about malaria . . . . the Thai Red Cross recommends against taking anti-malarial drugs for several reasons including:

1) Ineffective prevention of an infection allowing for a sub-symptomatic infection that delays diagnosis and treatment. Treatment during the early first stages of malaria is very effective, but it gets more difficult as the infection and life cycle of the parasite progresses.

2) Contribution to the development of resistance pools to anti-malarials that are also used for treatment

3) Side effects from the anti-malarials. Rather, they recommend that you use bite prevention and if you have the slightest doubt that you might be infected, report to the nearest clinic or mosquito control office (there's one in every small town in Thailand) for a diagnostic test, followed by immediate treatment on the one in a million chance that you have actually contracted malaria.

8 May  - Photo on the right taken at Klong Son, there's no need to head to Bangbao to see fishing boats and locals doing local things.

The Koh Chang International Triathlon organisers have surprised everyone by getting a website (www.kochangtriathlon.com) up & running before the event actually takes place on May 21st.  It includes all the information any potential competitor needs . . . in Thai.   But worth checking back as the event draws closer as content seems to be added every few days.

The three killers of Jimmy '"The best pianist I've ever played with" says Elton John' Hall, who was murdered on White Sand Beach in late 2005, were sentenced to 30 years in jail last week. His mate Stevie Strong bought out a tribute CD 'Rainbows Cafe' containing the last recording Jimmy ever made.  Try as I might I cant find it in iTunes, maybe not as popular as Elton's 'Candle in the Wind' which, no doubt, would have benefited greatly from having Jimmy tinkling the ivories.

Had an email from the boss of Siam Beach Resort on Lonely Beach, assuring me that they are going well and truly upmarket with a 4-star resort being the aim.  No doubt complete with guards to shoo away unwanted backpacking types.  24 new rooms have already been built with another 60 on the way next year. Take a look at the new website: www.SiamBeachResort.in.th.  A site that is actually well written and interesting to read, which makes a change for a resort webpage. 

Get your handkerchiefs ready, the Associated Press ran the tear jerking story of Bangkok woman Ariya Manee who was planning to drive down to Koh Chang for her honeymoon.  Due to a rise in the price of gasoline she was now seriously considering abandoning her dream honeymoon.  (Apparently, this was the best case of an oil price rise induced hardship the journalist could find in a city of 12 million.) My first thought was, gasoline cost to drive Bkk-KC-Bkk 6 months ago  = around 800 baht.  Cost now = around 1200 baht.  So, this woman will consider cancelling her honeymoon for the sake of 400 baht, but she can afford to own a car which I'll bet she still drives to work everyday, rather than taking the bus.

3 May - < Start of educational paragraph. > What's a flicking shrimp? . . . I hear you ask.  Bob, pictured right, is one such crustacean, he was dug out the the muddy mangrove roots near our house in the name of science (and a curiosity about what  BBQ flicking shrimp tasted like).  Flicking shrimps make an audible  'clicking' noise - a bit like someone snapping their fingers - with their one large claw.  You often hear them in mangroves but rarely see them - except, as in this case, when displayed on a plate.  < End of educational paragraph. >

There was a big travel fair in Bangkok last  weekend, quite a few Koh Chang resorts were represented one whom who's  brochure included such gems as: 'We invite you to spend your vacation with us and let the stress of daily life drift away on the sea breeze.' . . . .what a load of bollocks, who wrote that?  Oh, yeah . . . I did, think yourself lucky no-one is paying me to write this site.

I need a holiday, it'd be great to get away from the beach and just spend a couple of weeks sitting in a homely cubicle in a sterile office, whiling away the hours surfing the web. 

An English translation of Koh Chang's land usage regulations is now on the site. Plus scans of the original documents.  (Thanks to Ron at Morrissey Fashions, near the Amari, for letting me have them.) The translation isn't word for word but you should get the gist, which is basically that you can't just go and build the meat processing factory of your dreams without first considering the zoning laws.

More 'recently opened but failed after 6 months type' of businesses are for sale - a restaurant/bar in VJ Plaza, Klong Prao and Koh Chang's first paintball arena - which must hold the record for having the shortest time between opening and being put up for sale.  I expect to see  a lot more 'For Sale' signs on shuttered shop units in the coming months.  If you're interested in starting a business there's very little reason to pay over the odds for a few tables and chairs in a shop unit when there are plenty of vacant units around.  (Unless of course you're getting something that really is well designed / decorated and has potential.) And as anyone in VJ Plaza will tell you, it's all about location.  Unfortunately, the arse end of a half-rented out plaza isn't the location for a restaurant or a bar.  The only place that's ever busy in the evening is the 20 baht  a bowl noodle stall near the entrance.

A very nice, 29 bungalow beach resort on 9 Rai of land (6 Rai owned & 3 Rai leased) Koh mak is for sale for 30 million baht.  Much better designed that the majority of KC beachfront resorts and very well priced for the location and land size. Serious enquiries only to me and I'll put you in touch with the seller who wants confidentiality.

April 24 - The Koh Chang International Triathlon Championship, is set for May 21st. Competitors will start at White Sand Beach with a 1.5km swim, then cycle 40km before a 10km run to the finish line at the Koh Chang Lagoon Hotel. Prizes, medals for participants and no doubt lots of posing and handshakes from  local dignitaries. No idea how you can enter though as the tourist authority's finely tuned publicity machine hasn't made this info public yet.

Spa Samui, will open their new Koh Chang operation aimed at the healthy and want to be healthy sections of the tourist market, on May 1st.  The new venture is named either 'The Spa Koh Chang Resort' or 'Seamazon Spa the Health Resort Koh Chang' depending on if you read the info on www.spasamui.com/spakohchang.htm or www.seamazon.com.  It's located down in Salakkok, hidden away amongst the mangroves.  I had a quick look in when I was in the area the other week and very nice it is too but still needs quite  a lot of work doing if it really is opening on May 1st.  But it may well be the resort to put  Salakkok on the tourist map.

Anyone want an internet cafe on White Sand Beach?  Good location, well known, everything in place - just turn up, hand over 320,000 baht and it's yours.  Photos here.

Anyone want to rent a bungalow long term.  A friend has one for 10,000 baht/month to lease long term - 6 or 12 month renewable contract.  Bedroom, bathroom, living room and additional room that can be used for storage/spare room etc.  Quiet location, off road parking, and has a private swimming pool you can use. (We lived in the bungalow next door to this when we first came to Koh Chang.)

Lots of traffic jams on Koh Chang over Songkran, the Thai New Year holidays.  The Bangkok Post reckoned on over 2,000 cars coming onto the island.  The traffic flow wasn't  helped on the day when everyone was leaving, as a Thai royal decided to come here for a day trip which resulted in roads being cordoned off for her and her entourage.   The party ate at Aana Resort, (wouldn't be my choice for a mid-afternoon meal) and I'm sure my excitement at seeing her matched her delight at watching the farang opposite.

The second installment of my 'Koh Chang Real Estate' trilogy for Thailand Real Estate Magazine is online now at their site and in print in the magazine.  Click here to read it or visit www.thailand-property-guide.com.

Down in Bangbao it appears a new housing project is underway, a couple of signs for 'Aana Resident Project' have appeared.  Call me cautious but it's always a worrying sign when a developer doesn't make any effort to check the three words of English on the sign.

A new coffee booth opened a week ago in Kai Bae, Sawasdee Coffee. The good news is that it's cheap - 35 baht for iced coffee.  The bad news is that it's undrinkable.

14 April -  As a few of you found last week's business advice from expat expert Bob, author of 'How to lose your life savings in 30 days or less' useful.  So, he'll be back later this month with some tips taken from his latest work 'The art of selling loss making small businesses to unsuspecting newcomers' which shot straight to the top of Koh Chang's best seller list recently.

Why do people remove their brains once they get onto an island? I met a girl who 'bought' a small business and now wants to sell it.  She owns the fixtures & fittings but pays rent to a landlord for the shop space:

"How long is the lease?"
"I pay rent every month."
"Yes, but how long is the contract for?"
"As long as I want, I pay every month."
"So, what does the contract actually say? 1 year?, 3 years?"
"What contract?"
"Your rental contract."
"I don't have one, but the landlord is a nice guy so it's OK."

A new contender for the title of 'Best small plot of land currently for sale on KC'. Here's the view from a lovely bit of land for a house or small quiet resort.  9 million baht will get you 2 Rai of 'Chanote' titled beachfront land near Bangbao which stretches up a hillside with views over the bay and private beach below. (More photos & info)

If bay views are your thing, a budget version, aso 2 Rai, but no beachfront is available for 1 million baht down in Salakphet. Farmland but with sunset views over the head of the bay. Email me if you're interested.  

The Independent newspaper (UK) had an article on Ethical Travel the other week.  Koh Chang got a mention as a good place to go in Thailand for the 'conscientious tourist'.  So if you're the type of person who feels guilty about all the jet fuel that's used to transport you to Thailand, let me know and you can plant  a mangrove tree at our house in order to say 'Sorry' to Mother Nature for only 1,000 baht. (Who said absolvence should be free?). 

The lovely Lek, from the Project Department of the IMPACT Exhibition Center, would like everyone, or, more probably, only people with money to spend on yachts and condos, to know hat the 'First Pattaya Boat Show & Premier Living Exhibition' will take place between  29 April - 3 May 2006 at Ocean Marina Yacht Club.  More details at: www.impact.co.th/pattayaboatshow.

'Bunting' - there's a word I haven't used for a while, and have only used now as Aana Resort today have put up the saddest example of bunting I've seen since my primary school's Sports Day in 1976, which took place at the height of a national strike by the Union of Bunting Makers.

Big thanks to Nick for making a phone call to enable me to get my 1MB ADSL hooked up in under 24 hours (after over 3 months of waiting). Next high season they'll be a free wi-fi hotspot at our place for any laptop carrying guests.

April 6 - It's too hot to do anything outdoors on Koh Chang today.  So far I've answered emails, written a press release on peripheral vascular disease for a stem cell research company, churned out an article on real estate on KC for a property mag and drank far more fruit shakes than most doctors would recommend.  So, it's time to take my brain out and do  a quick update of the site.

I get quite a few emails from people considering moving to Koh Chang to open a small business and asking for my opinion (for what it's worth) about their projects. 

I thought it'd be interesting to highlight step-by-step, how the locals do it.  I've enlisted the help of expat expert Bob, a representative of the Koh Chang Amateur Businessman's Club and author of 'How to lose your life savings in 30 days or less', the popular guide for expat bar owners and restaurateurs, to talk us through this case study which explains the process of how one arrives at the decision to open a particular type of business in a particular area.

Somchai arrived on Koh Chang with nothing more than a smile and the contact details of a T-shirt & beachwear supplier, he setup shop in a small corrugated iron shack roadside.  Business was good.  Somchai invited his friend, Narong, to open a shop next door.  Seeing the success Somchai was having the two decided that they could double their sales if Narong also opened a t-shirt & beachwear shop.  A week passed and Narong's cousins, Nit & Nat, who was visiting from Isaan suddenly had the idea that what the area really needed was a third beachwear shop.  Two weeks later they were in business.  However, due to a dispute over the overcharging of tourists - Nat insisted prices should be double what locals paid, Nit insisted on triple.  The two split and Nit went solo, setting up 'Nit T-shirts and beachwear' next door.

Meanwhile, in the paddy fields of Isaan, Somchai's younger brother had heard tales of his brother's booming t-shirt and beachwear emporium.  And, as it was conveniently located in the midst of a thriving expat Isaan community, he loaded his wife, kids, dog, and mother-in-law in the back of the Isuzu and drove south.  Within a week, this 50 metre stretch of roadside had it's fifth t-shirt and beachwear vendor. For a while business was good with some shops seeing daily profits of well over 120 baht. However, the bubble burst in March with the end of the high season and the arrival of Narong's aunt who after researching her options carefully over the course of a 2-hour somtam and sticky rice business lunch with Somchai's wife, decided that the current investment climate could support a sixth t-shit and beachwear shop, albeit one that focused on beachwear more than t-shirts, which would set her shop aside from the others, thus 'Same same but different beachwear and t-shirts' opened for business. Despite insisting that she hardly made a profit, the other traders placed the blame for their drop in sales on this new arrival, who didn't display a plastic, paw waving Chinese 'welcome cat' in the shop, and thus placed a jinx on all other traders in the vicinity.  Somchai is rumoured to be mulling a move into the lucrative sunglasses and sandals market for the 2006-07 season.

And just to prove that the truth is often stranger than fiction, a new bungalow resort has recently opened on the roadside several kilometres south of Dan Mai, on the unvisited east coast. Its name . . . . 'White Elephant Resort'. (Really)

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.  White Sand Beach 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.  Photos here.

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.

25 Mar - Day 4 of the Klong Prao garbage dump fire and as with previous mornings, I saw a cloud of grey smoke with distinctive 'burnt plastic' aroma hanging  over the village and down to Barali & Tropicana Resorts when I took the dog for his morning walk.  Anyone know how long piles of household and hotel waste can smolder for?

Assisting in my bid to be an omnipresent media whore, John at 'Thailand Real Estate Magazine' recently asked me to churn out a series of lengthy space filling articles on real estate on Koh Chang. Seeing this as an opportunity to use the phrase 'your very own home away from home on a tropical island paradise' at least one every paragraph, I jumped at the chance.  The first of three monthly articles is in the April issue of the free magazine which has just hit newsstands and estate agency's coffee tables around the Pattaya area.  Anyone not fortunate enough to be able to get their hands on this limited edition copy can download my article in pdf format here if they have nothing better to do.

Whoever is in charge of PR for CocoCape Resort on Koh mak obviously knows that they are doing as their resort keeps popping up in UK newspapers.  Most recently in The Times where Koh mak was recently recommended as the ultimate away from it all island with CocoCape being the place to stay. 

Anyone want to buy an island? If you have around US$3 million in your pocket then Koh Man Nai, pictured left giving subtle come hither looks to potential suitors, can be yours. The catch is that you can only build on a little over 4 Rai of the island, the rest is designated as National Park land.  But you can't get much more exclusive than a small island a few hundred metres off Kai Bae beach.  However, you may have to mine the waters nearby to prevent daytripping kayakers from ruining the calm during high season.  

18 Mar We had some free time a couple of days ago, so we went out on the boat.  A couple of photos taken on Koh Rang, where we stopped off for lunch.  We had this small bay with views of Koh mak, the island in the distance, to ourselves. 

Gulf Charters - www.GulfChartersThailand.com are organising a 'Songkran Flotilla'  over Thai New Year.  A 5-day cruise around Koh Chan, Koh mak,Koh Kood and all islands in between.

Itinerary
12th - Get together at Gulf Charters Koh Chang Base at Salakpet on Koh Chang
13th - Overnight at Koh Mak, Dinner ashore at Koh Kham
14th - Overnight at Koh Kood, Dinner ashore at Captain Hook’s
15th - Overnight at Koh Kood, Dinner ashore at The Beach Natural Resort
16th - Overnight at Koh Wai or Koh  Ngam
17th - Return to Koh Chang

Visit their website for prices, more details.

9 Mar - Our humble guesthouse made the front cover of top bi-lingual Thai travel mag 'Places & Prices' this month.  OK, so you can can only see the deck over the river, as the majority of the photo shows the view from one of Aana Resort's 'Top View villas'. (If you're a voyeur these would be good rooms to book as you can peer into other guests' supposedly private balconies & plunge pools from them.) But a front cover is a front cover.

Congratulations to Michael & Heather on their   engagement last week.   Michael asked for my help in rounding up a wild elephant, spraying it with a message in  indelible paint  expressing his love for his wife-to-be and then chaining it to a tree so the loving  couple could pose for an album full of photos.  And I was more than happy to oblige.

Photo gallery for Wai Chek beach added.  Wai Chek is so far off the beaten track that it's virtually on the unbeaten track. But it can be reached by motorbike or pick-up without too much effort if you know where to go.

Couple of interesting resorts for sale, one large & one with three rooms, the first is a lovely resort but in an awful location.  The guys at Sunbelt in Bangkok are doing their best to convince anyone with a few million dollars in their pocket that 'Koh Chang Grand Orchid' in Klong Son is worth buying. Maybe they should mention you get good views of the nearby cement factory from reception and it's within easy walking distance of the electricity office, a real lifesaver for any Thai guests who may have forgotten to pay their electric bill. And if you're wondering how little 27 million baht  will get you on the west coast of Koh Chang click here to see this advert from a Pattaya based property agent.

Visitors staying at the southern end of Kai Bae beach need no longer endure a walk of over 10 minutes in order to reach the nearest 7-eleven minimart.  A new one will open in the coming days opposite the turning to Kai Bae Hut. 

Important news for people who share single plates of fried rice and will happily a mile in order to buy a bottle of water for 5 baht instead of 10. Down in Bangbao 'Hippy Hut' have rooms for 100 baht/night.  Also in Bailan one roadside bungalow resort is already advertising 'low season specials', also 100 baht/night.

Here's a fun quiz to end with . . . the girlfriend of which European business owner, based in the south of Koh Chang, was going round telling everyone that she met in the market, how she is going to wreck his business and teach him a lesson? (It's a long & rather interesting story and, knowing who the guy is, doesn't really surprise me at all.)

3 Mar - 'Untamed Travel' magazine, for sale at all good bookstores in South East Asia and V-Mart, Koh Chang, are revamping their Koh Chang page. If you think your business, bar, restaurant or resort deserves a mention let me know.  Also they'll be a monthly section on 'happenings' - which is 'young person speak' for parties/events etc.  If you want the world to know about your next party night, event or special offer for the magazine readers send me an email.

In what one Koh Chang based website has described as "the biggest night of violence since, ohhh, I don't know when but it wasn't like this when I was a lad", all the roadside mirrors located on hairpin bends along the hill between White Sand Beach and Klong Son were smashed a few days ago.  Police have ruled out youthful hijinx and are looking for ugly people with a  grudge or closet vampires.

If you enjoy irony, you'll like this . . . On a road in the south of Koh Chang there's a new 'archway' built over the road that welcomes visitors to the area of Koh Chang that was the site of  naval battle between the French  & Thai navies in WW2. 'Wel Come to History Navy' reads the sign over the road.  The politically correct way to describe the battle is that the Thais fought bravely (i.e. the Thai navy was wiped out).  Therefore, it is a tad ironic to see on the reverse of the overhead sign the words. . . . .  'Bon Voyage'.

Any divers on Koh Chang on 11 March are invited to get their diving trousers on for the 'First Annual Underwater Clean Up' which is being organised by people who like to organise stuff in return for pats on the back from  DASTA officials. (Google it) Contact dive operators for more details and don't forget to ask why they chose the same date as the annual Queens Cup Elephant Kayaking event when there are 364 other days it could have been held on.

More land etc . . .

I've now added info about small plots of land for sale from a half rai to 6 Rai.  The most expensive being 8 million baht.  See all the listings here.  Also, if you're into teak wood houses, you'll like the photos of the  three houses for sale on about 1500sqm  of land for 5.5 million baht. Pics here.

28 Feb - 'Youths hide anti-tank missile launcher near Ambassador Hotel' A recent headline from the Pattaya Mail - no real reason for mentioning it other than it does offer a timely reminder for owners of battlefield munitions. Remember, to lock up your shoulder fired guided missile launchers again after use.  I find a length of chain and three-digit combination lock, readily available from your local haberdashery store for around 120 baht, does the job adequately.  

More hotel feedback, this time from Val - praise for Tropicana and you're left with the feeling that Grand Lagoona has some room for improvement:

"We were meant to stay at the Amari, but cancelled when they announced a final rate that was doubled compared to our pre-booking rate the day before!

We followed your advice and choose to stay instead at the Tropicana. We completely agree with you, we loved it, thought it was really excellent. We would go back very happily.

One day we stopped at the Grand Lagoona, Bangbao for lunch and it was a complete disaster.  The food was so bad that even some drinks had to be sent back. We can take some pretty average food, but that was probably the worse I've had in years, all countries considered. The place in itself was dirty, empty and had an eerie, spooky feel."

Land for Sale on Koh Chang . . . In response to emails I've received recently, I went off on a hunt for land the other day.  Not just any land but the aim was to find small plots of 'Chanote' titled land with beach frontage and easy access to the main road i.e. land, suited to building a nice house on.  This criteria ruled out the west coast, so we headed east and  came back with a handful of places that anyone interested in living on Koh Chang should seriously consider plus a few other interesting bit & pieces.

Here's a taster . . . want to be able to walk out of your house & onto the sand? 

A two storey concrete beachfront house, (needs renovation) built right on the shoreline on around 1500sqm of 'Chanote' titled land with private access.  And it has about 40 metres of beachfront.  Price: 5 million baht. 

I'll be adding photos and info about ten other good value plots - some by the beach, others inland in the next few days

23 Feb - Another unreported death on Koh Chang.  I had a call a few days ago from the friends of a Taiwanese girl who drowned off Kai Bae beach on Feb 9th.  The family suspected it was more than an accident as she was a good swimmer.   We checked and the hospital where she was taken confirmed that it was accidental, although the doctor who saw her did admit that it was very strange that she drowned in mid-afternoon, in calm seas, not far offshore and no-one noticed.   Take care if you're swimming at the southern end of Kai Bae beach. 

I had quite a few emails as a result of the advertising from Harlequin Properties in a couple of British Sunday newspapers last weekend.  Apparently, they're selling the Siam Royal View development in Klong Son where 10 million baht will get you a house on 330sqm of land in a compound with 400 fellow homeowners. 

My general dislike for large housing developments aside, it was interesting to see on www.harlequin-property.com the statement: 'Thai shareholders all sign undated share transfer contracts at the time the company is being registered.'  Whilst this may be common practice  - when a foreigner is setting up a Thai registered company to buy the land - and most lawyers will say "Don't worry about it.", it's still odd to see a developer actually coming out and stating it on their website for the simple reason that  it also happens to be, technically, illegal.

If you've got a resort or any type of business you want to sell, let me know.  I get quite a few emails from people with cash in their hands and who are looking for businesses to buy outright or to invest in, on Koh Chang.

And finally . . . If you're in Trat town you might fancy a visit to 'Trat Food Safety Street'.  Look left, look right, look left once again and if there are no motorbikes racing through the food stalls, dig into your bowl of noodles.

19 Feb - Thanks for the cheese . . .whoever sent me the package of Anchor mature cheddar from somewhere in Thailand (cant read the postmark on the parcel.)

Quote of the day is from a guy who was staying at Klong Prao Resort who described it as being like "Colditz".  He wasn't referring the standard of accommodation but to the sunbed war which has broken out between the British and Germans.  Neither group is in the right, with members of both nationalities throwing their beach towels over sun loungers as soon as the sun rises.  When someone famously asked "Why can't we all just get along?" they obviously hadn't just seen their sunbed snaffled by a lobster-red European tourist.

If you've got 550,000,000 baht to spend on a hundred room resort, let me know as I know a family who want to sell their very well known resort which is sitting on 31 Rai of prime beachfront.

A few places you lot reading this have told me you liked on Koh Chang . . .

First up, 'Sea Hunter', sea fishing tours. 1,200 baht per person for a day at sea on a fishing boat.  Friendly staff, good food, good quality equipment, knowledgeable captain and the guarantee of catching loads of fish. 

'Slick Willies' - The themed American diner in VJ Plaza that three people have mentioned in the past week. Huge burgers and milkshakes the way milkshakes should taste. Not cheap, but you're paying for quality (and the decor).

'Bread & More' - Bakery, sandwiches etc in VJ Plaza, near the apartments.  again, a couple of people have mentioned the place in glowing terms. Also focuses on quality, so expect to pay 100 baht+ for a sandwich using imported fillings. (But don't order the iced coffee, it's crap.)

Try the excellent ice cream at 'TeTeCaCa' or 'Titicaca', in 3x3 Avenue, Kai Bae - it's one of those places where the staff don't really know to spell the name of the place.  Two things to avoid are 1) the rather sad attempts at coffee and food; 2) asking the staff why this coffee, snack & ice cream place has a Mexican name.

Finally, just opened last week is 'Moccachino', roadside at Kai Bae Plaza which is already my favourite coffee shop on Koh Chang simply because they actually know how to make good, strong coffee which is sensibly priced plus the coffee shop is very nicely designed.  The place also doubles as an internet cafe with a choice of Macs or PCs, both with large LCD monitors. 

11 Feb - I just discovered, from Alexa.com, that this site is the 721,066 most popular on the web. My aim is to be in the top 721,000 within the next 6 months.

There's less than a month to go until the annual Koh Chang Queen's Cup event which involves kayaking for elephants. (As they cant do it themselves, their trunks aren't quite as flexible as they'd like to think.)

The good news is that the format has been changed from previous years.  (I wrote an article last year about the crap format - teams of 3 people competing for 3 days which was about as  un-tourist friendly as you could get).  This year lucky participants get to kayak across the open sea from Bangbao to  Koh Wai and on to Koh Kham.  It'd make for an interesting paddle and I'll be taking bets on how many people actually make it alive if the wind picks up, as the two person teams have only around 6 hours paddling time to make it across nearly 20 kilometres of open water. 

It is a very good cause though, and it'll definitely be an experience to remember so why not give it a try if you're on Koh Chang on 11 March and have 2,000 baht entry fee to hand.  For more info call: 01 919 3995.  You could visit the event website - www.kohchangqueenscup.com, but that would be a waste of time as it hasn't been updated for the 2006 event yet.

Of all the posh hotels on Koh Chang 'Nirvana', in Bangbao is the one I receive most complaints about.  They're often minor niggles but they shouldn't occur in a place costing well over 5,000 baht/night. 

A guest who contacted me a few days ago started by commenting that "Nirvana is a wonderful example of original style and design, truly inspired by its creator, the gardens are lovely and the setting is delightful - a haven of peace and tranquility"  So far, so good.

But the positives were followed by a list of negatives. Among the small quibbles the guest had, the one that amused me was: "There were tea and coffee sachets (and mugs) in the room, but no means of heating any water.  (Luckily we'd brought our own travel kettle)"

However, it was the fact that the guest contracted a rash which was later diagnosed as being due to bed lice, which they re convinced must have come from an unwashed duvet cover. The guest's conclusion: "Fantastic accommodation, setting etc.  HOTEL MANAGEMENT SKILLS NON-EXISTENT!!"

Nirvana bosses should also note that charging walk-in guests around 1,000 baht a night less than those who book in advance online also isn't a way to win friends and keep guests happy.

10 Feb - Breaking News, a ferry capsized at lunchtime today (no foreigners  - other than Burmese - dead so it isn't really news).  The boat capsized and sank 300 metres off the mainland.  Three people drowned, a dozen were injured.  The cause was overloading the boat with construction materials which were heading for a resort on Koh Kood.  Be sure to ask how many concrete poles your ferry is carrying before buying a ticket.

10Feb - Was there a rape in Lonely Beach recently? 

An emailer wants anyone staying around the area between Siam Hut and Treehouse to be careful if they're walking home alone at night as his friend was raped there by a Thai guy. She went to the international clinic and a report was made to the police, what if any action was taken to find the culprit remains a mystery.  But if it's anything like the murder of a Thai  woman in Klong Prao last year, when locals were told to keep quiet in order not to frighten tourists away, then it's a pretty f&$ked up state of affairs but not one that should surprise anyone who's lived in Thailand for a while.

Also from my ever expanding Inbox . . . here's a link that's interesting: http://www.geocities.com/jesada2080/passport_info.htm  Apparently the guy/gal is now in Kai Bae, a fact that I believe as I've had an email from him asking for info about renting restaurants, bars etc.  It's a small world.  If you need more info contact < cubriant@yahoo.co.uk > and not me as I really don't care. 

Cheerier news . . . .  yesterday Steve from the UK bought the funky house for sale in Dan Mai, which I only put on the site 10 days ago.  Proof if it were needed that the good stuff for sale sells quickly and the un-sellable overpriced crap takes months or years to sell . . . basically as long a time as it takes for a sucker with cash to come along. 

One local is living the high life after entering into a small hotel project with an Italian guy.  Building costs were figured at 14 million baht with he Thai 7 Italian sharing the cot.  However, in reality the cost was less than half this.  Guess who pocketed 7 million? 

I had a couple of days in Bangkok recently, the end result is that I'm probably the only person on Koh Chang who's doing a bit of work for a company offering 'no option' heart disease patients treatments using stem cells derived from their own blood.  More info at www.theravitae.com or www.vescell.com.  It's interesting stuff and the proof that the experimental treatment works is pretty overwhelming.

4 Feb - Call it becoming a fashion victim, call it the influence of western civilisation, call it a sad attempt to blend in with hip young backpackers . . . but I actually saw a local fisherman wearing fisherman's pants yesterday.  What's wrong with 99 baht polyester football shorts?

Best Western, the traveling salesman's choice of expense account accommodation, will soon be opening 3 star resorts on Koh Chang and Koh Kood, according to recent reports.

A few months ago I mentioned that Jim and his 42' schooner 'Remington' were heading to KC to offer adventurous types liveaboard trips around the archipelago.  Jim's now here, with his yacht, which can be seen moored off Lonely Beach.  For info on charters and the boat in general see www.sail-remington.com

First it was 'The Times', then 'The Independent' and now 'The Observer' has printed a full page article on Koh Chang which, as with he two other articles, is little more than a thinly disguised advertorial for the Amari Resort and Kuoni holidays.  Surely it's time for a few other hotels to get together an organise a press junket? 

There are a few good lines in the article.  A nice contradiction to begin with: "There is little resort-style development on Koh Chang  . . . because it is a protected marine national park - although not protected from earth movers on every corner helping to throw up new hotels."

And proof, if it were needed that travel journos don't really have clue where they are when they're enjoying the freebies on offer from the likes of Amari & Kuoni Corp.: "A seven-night stay at the Amari Emerald Cove resort costs from £756.50 per person. This includes international flights with Thai Airways to Bangkok and onwards to Phuket and transfers to and from the resort" That's a hell of  along transfer from Phuket to Koh Chang :-)

Fortunately the write up does  a pretty good job of not going overboard on the tourist brochure bull that is usually associated with this type of write up.

San Miguel beer is now brewed in Thailand and San Mig Light  and San Mig Pale Pilsner are available in V-Mart supermarket, Klong Prao for 55 baht per 640ml bottle.  The latter tastes particularly good, it's very smooth and far superior to Thai beers in the simple fact that it's drinkable.  The former has no taste but being a Light beer I guess that's the point. And, using that reasoning, it must be good too, although it still tastes like piss to me.

Samui's tourist arrivals from the UK were down 30% in January following the murder of a good looking young female visitor a month ago.  Koh Chang's arrival figures were unaffected following the murder of an old bloke a month ago.  The lesson from this is that if you're old or ugly, then no-one cares if you get murdered abroad. Unless it's a particularly bizarre death, 'Bob Thompson, 59, died after inadvertently swallowing a parrot fish whilst snorkelling off the paradise island of Koh Chang, Thailand.' -this stands a change of being considered newsworthy by sub-editors.

30 Jan - I was over on the east coast of the 'Oriental Eden of the East' the other day and was struck by how dead the three resorts I visited were - I expected to see some signs of life.  One was a rather expensive western run place, (lots of local gossip about problems with the lease, rip offs, unhappy landlord etc) and the other couple were Thai run, one very nice and one best described as 'homely'. So, if you're looking for a bed on the east coast  - take a look at Suan San Chan, (www.suansamchan.com) about 2.5km south of Centrepoint pier ad only been open for a couple of months.  Three types of very tastefully designed bungalows from 800 - 1,200 baht/night all have hot water, AC, satellite TV; in this small 18 room resort.  Bungalows are in a shady garden area and here's a small private beach - so it's a good place to get away from the tourist masses for a day or two or, if you arrive on the island late and just want somewhere comfortable to stay.  Call Khun Paiboon, who speaks English & German, for a free pick up from the ferry pier. Tel: 07.137.5854

If staying on the east coast isn't your thing, but finding a small friendly place for a beer is - try 'Souk Bar', about a kilometre south of Centrepoint ferry.  Run by a young, arty Thai guy called 'Ed' who's got a very nice little bar right on a small sandy beach, where you can listen to chill out music until the early hours.  He's been open for 6 years but only recently got round to putting up a sign, that's how laid back it is.

And finally, if you don't want to stay on the east, don't want to eat & drink on the east but do want to live on the east, there's a funky house for sale right on the beach, literally a couple of metres from the sand.  It's been recently rebuilt - supposedly as a  guesthouse but the Thai owner now doesn't have time to run it, so it's for sale.  1.25 Rai of 'Chanote' titled, beachfront land and this 3 bedroom house for 5 million baht.  Located 5 minutes drive south of Centrepoint ferry.

24 Jan - Imagine you're the owner of a beautiful boutique hotel on Koh Chang and you decide to have a very tasteful brochure printed to advertise it.  You've spent millions of baht on your hotel as so it's only right that your brochure oozes sophistication.  You decide on a minimalist approach, letting the photos speak for themselves without unnecessary text, but you're lost for words about how to describe your little diamond amongst Koh Chang's rough.  You only need one exquisitely crafted paragraph. What would you do? I've no idea, but when I saw the text below it was like deja vu all over again . . . . as I originally wrote it!!!

Note how the ending of one sentence is removed to avoid referring to lack of a sandy beach in the vicinity.  Now if only I knew the Thai for "cheeky bastards" :-)

White Sand Beach land update . . . After asking a few questions I discovered that the lawyer acting for the sellers cant actually provide a 'cast iron' 30 year lease for these plots.  They can be leased in renewable 3 year contacts, but any buyer won't be able to get a 30 year lease.  Instead they have to just trust that the government wont take the land back.  To be honest, this is unlikely.  Koh Samet is an example of an island where many resorts are built on land leased in the same manner as the plots here. But, you'd have to be happy to do things the Thai way if you wanted to lease one of these plots. 

19 Jan - If you were in the vicinity of Laem Ngop the other day you'd have seen warships from the Royal Thai Navy parked offshore as part of the celebrations of Thailand's naval "victory" over the French in WW2. As with many  battles, there are differences of opinion over who actually won.  Thailand officially claims victory which is fair enough, but naval historians tend to hold a different opinion.  This is mainly based on the fact that no French ships were sunk whilst the Thai fleet, despite their bravery, was only saved from being wiped out by a ceasefire brokered by the Japanese.   Here end's today's history lesson.

Last update I mentioned that the island seemed pretty quiet considering it was high season.  I received an email from a guy who has a business here saying I shouldn't say things like that as it might put visitors off coming. (?!?) Fair enough, the island is packed with visitors, there are no rooms available anywhere, there are traffic jams of mopeds on the roads.  OK? Rushing to book your flights?

If you're staying in a fancy hotel it's worth shopping around for your tours.  Visit any tour agency outside the hotel and you'll find the exact same tour or trip at half the price that is advertised within the walls of the 4 star.  Luxury hotels seem to think that if you're paying a lot more than most for a room then you should also pay far more for an identical tour. One emailer learned this recently when, having paid 900 baht for a snorkelling trip booked through their hotel, they found themselves on a boat where the other people they spoke to had only paid 500 baht for exactly the same trip. 

And finally, an early contender for Koh Chang's wedding of the year , taken from the Thai language press . . .

15 Jan - More crime on Koh Chang.  A well known bungalow resort had their restaurant trashed by 16 Russian guests who were visiting from Pattaya.  The restaurant closed at 10pm which was too early for the group, who came back and reopened the bar . . . with large pieces of wood.   The owner wasn't too happy when he found out in the early hours of the morning and let off a couple of rifle shots to end the revelry before calling the police. They came and the end result was the group apparently paid 30,000 baht for the damage and were repatriated to Pattaya.