October 20
Sunset Seen From The Ferry A Few Days Ago
Koh Chang Clean Up.
Every year hotel staff get dropped off by the roadside and told to spend a few hours in the baking sun picking up the litter they have dropped on their way to work during the past few months. This spruces the place up a bit and also adds to the island’s green credentials. An annual clean up is better than no clean up at all. The only other option would be to provide more litter bins and employ a few people to keep the roadside free of plastic bags but that novel solution doesn’t seem to be something anyone has considered yet. But I noticed that this year’s clean up, that took place on 15 October, seemed a little different to those in the past.
Then it clicked and I realised that most people picking up the litter weren’t actually hotel staff. Other people also noticed this and after a bit of asking around it became clear that many hoteliers had just paid Cambodian labourers to do the job, rather than divert their staff to this mundane manual task. Kind of defeating the ‘Let’s all work together to keep the island clean and green’ ethic that was being promoted. Maybe next year they can get some Burmese to help tidy this part of Thailand too.
Slang . . . and why you shouldn’t use it in your advertising. This has lost me.
What’s the ideal location for a business?
I guess as this is an island, you’d say right on the beach, ideally with several large resorts within five minutes walk. And the ideal business to run in this spot? A large beach bar / restaurant . . . like the one below which is available for rent now on a year by year contract. Either with a higher annual rent or a much lower rent but with profits shared 50/50.
These photos were taken last high season, the bar/restaurant needs week spent tidying and cleaning it as it has been closed for the past 3 months. The current owner doesn’t have time to run it himself. The only beach bar you’ll find for rent on the island and for the same price as some shop units. Email me if you’re interested
Of course not everyone wants to be by the beach, some prefer to rent a shophouse. These are going up everywhere on Koh Chang now and in some areas, Pearl beach, springs to mind, there don’t seem to be many takers for completed units which isn’t surprising If you want to rent a shophouse you also need an ideal location. In Thailand the idea location for a shophouse is next to a 7-Eleven. The good news is that there are two, 2 Bedroom shophouses next to the new 7-Eleven in Klong Prao, which will be the largest on the island, occupying four of the six units. The bad news is that the other two units have already been reserved. The good news is that one is available for sublet.
So, if you are looking for a place to live and run a business and a guarantee of lots of foot traffic right outside your front door, let me know. The unit is yours for 240,000 Baht/year. No key money to pay. It will be completed and ready to move into by late November / early December.
Another one bites the dust.
Baan Nuna, a popular restaurant on White Sand beach for over a decade has now gone. Only three things are certain in life, death, taxes and landlords wanting their patch of land back eventually.
The word ‘for’ seems redundant
Next time – It’s Loy Krathong on 2 November and any traditional festival where you are encouraged to get drunk and play with fireworks must be worth a mention. The temple fair in Klong Prao begins on 29 October, worth going to if you are staying in the area.
