Bookings for Christmas 2013

I am not going to bore you with a graph showing visitor numbers to Thailand. Since 1998 the Kingdom claims it has seen year on year increases in visitor numbers. Starting in 1998 with 7.76 million foreign arrivals to 2012 when 22.3 million came to the Land of Smiles.

Many involved in tourism in Thailand feel that the good times will never end. Despite blips caused by the SARS epidemic and the Bird Flu epidemic, the flooding in 2011, the tsunami in 2004 and the coup in 2006 Thailand is more popular than ever. The massive downswing in the world economy in 2008 might have seen a drop in visitors from Europe and the US but it looks like the shortfall was made up for by large numbers of Russian and Chinese tourists. It is thus curious that authorities have been clamping down on Russians and Koreans working as translators and tour guides illegally. The assumption that they are taking jobs away from Thai people is spurious.

This year (2013) has seen the government propose another airport tax to cover unpaid medical expenses. It turns out that most of these expenses are from illegal immigrants. The policy is unclear as if the payment would provide any health cover and how the money would be distributed.

More seriously the Shinawatra government has been trying to push through an amnesty bill that would allow Thaksin Shinawatra to return to the Kingdom. Nothing is more guaranteed to stir up the feelings of the divided political activists in Bangkok and the country as large.

To a casual observer, it seems like the powers that be are testing whether they can do anything to stop the escalating tourist numbers. It also seems that inflation can’t curb the influx of visitors.

However, I’ve been checking the Christmas and New Year bookings in Koh Phangan this year and it is clear that Christmas bookings are down, but New Year is sold out as usual.

Although there is a Haad Rin ‘Moon’ party at Christmas, it is clear that Christmas is more of a family time for hotel bookings. These people are staying way from Koh Phangan this year. Maybe the problems in Bangkok are causing this, or perhaps the continued squeeze caused by the rocky economic recovery in Europe.

In contrast the young people, the backpackers, the gap –year people and the ravers are undeterred by the politics in the capital and the rising prices.

The trouble for Koh Phangan is that it is becoming too dependent on the Full Moon Party for its revenue. If something were to happen to the party then the visitor numbers could half within a month. Last New Year a young Brit was shot. More such tragedies could conceivably close the party down. After all, this is Thailand – not the most predictable place in the world.

And by the way the fish and chips in the place in the photo is not bad at all.

East Coast vs West Coast

The east and west coasts of Koh Phangan vary considerably in terms of geography and culture. It is instructive to compare these two areas of Koh Phangan.

East Coast: no corals, good swimming and boat access

The east coast of Koh Phangan is the most mountainous region of the island and contains the most remote and inaccessible beaches. Than Sadet is reached by a rough track (that is being improved); Haad Nam Tok is down a very rough path and has only camping; Haad Yuan East is only reached by jungle foot path or boat; and the same is the case for Haad Yao and Haad Thian.

And yet these beaches are gorgeous. They have perfect white sands and are ideal for swimming as the seabed is sandy and they get deep fairly quickly. There aren’t any coral reefs on the east coast and there isn’t a large tidal difference. For these reasons the east coast beaches are often considered better than the west coast ones. And, of course, the two beaches of Thong Nai Pan are often cited as the best on the island.

The potential to develop the east coast as a major up-market tourist destination has been realized in Thong Nai Pan Noi; behind the scenes negotiations are on-going to develop other east coast beaches. This is all underlined by the placement of Koh Phangan airport at Than Prapad on the east coast.

West Coast: good roads, coral reefs, poor swimming in the sea

The west coast in contrast does not receive the same spot light in terms of tourism. Many of the beaches on the west coast have large tidal variations. From May to October those wanting a paddle in the sea need to walk out a long way. The beaches are very long on the west coast. The bay containing Hin Kong and Wok Tum is the biggest on the island. Much of it turns into mud flats that form a habitat for birds and other animals. Haad Yao on the west coast translates as long beach because it is 1 km long.

There is about 15 kilometers of coral reef running parallel to the west coast from Haad Chao Phao to Mae Haad. It is a big draw for the area as it attracts snorkelers. However, for many it is just an annoyance as the sand gets rough as it is mixed with dead coral. It also creates a rocky sea bed in parts that makes getting in and out of the water uncomfortable. Reviews of popular beaches on the west coast such as Haad Yao and Haad Salad make frequent reference to the dead coral in the sand and the problem with swimming in the sea.

Despite the success of Yao and Salad the beaches of the west attract fewer tourists than Thong Nai Pan, Than Sadet and the party beaches in the south (Haad Rin and Ban Tai). The west coast is flatter, less scenic but more convenient. On this side of the island are lots of bungalows and houses for long term let. This has been the traditional ex-pat area, away from the holiday makers. Places like Nai Wok, Sri Thanu, Wok Tum and Hin Kong are just a few minutes away from all the facilities and amenities of Thongsala. If you are living and working on the island it makes sense to live on the west coast. They also experience less power cuts, water shortages and have the lowest rainfall.

The west coast of Koh Phangan has more markets, temples and places of interest to visit including the island’s largest lake, Laem Son. It is an area easier to get around, to beach hop. You feel more connected with the rest of the island when you stay on a west coast beach. Staying on east coast beaches give you a feeling of being cut-off, isolated. There are few things nearby that are easy to visit and people tend to stay put and just enjoy the beach.

The prices for cheap bungalows are about the same on both coasts. Camping on Haad Nam Tok is the cheapest option but virtually nobody gets to this beach in the east. Haadlad Prestige (Salad beach) Mae Haad Bay Resort (Mae Haad), See Through Boutique Resort (Haad Yao) and Kupu Kupu Phangan Beach Villa (Plai Laem) offer luxury but they cannot compare in either price or style with Santhiya, Rasananda or Panviman in Thong Nai Pan Noi.

It is worth trying to spend time on both sides of the island just so you can enjoy two different experiences and perspectives of Koh Phangan. Probably the side you like best says something about your personality.

Bushmeat

Local markets are fascinating places in Thailand. These are groups of small stalls that are intended for Thai consumers with little money to spend. The items are often parceled into small servings to reduce cost. For many of these items the price is fixed or the price is at least commonly known. Stall owners are not used to dealing with foreigners and probably couldn’t explain in English what a lot of their wares are.

The market running along the top road of Thongsala that starts at the large bar on the corner of the main road is very much a local market.

I have been down the stalls many times over the years and I have purchased the odd vegetable or bag of bean sprouts. The other day I was with a Thai friend. We were strolling down the line of stalls, killing time. I spotted something strange in a plastic bag. It looked like, no it couldn’t be, yes it was…

A rat.

My Thai friend asked the stall holder, and yes it was a rat. In fact a whole stack of grilled rats. They are very common on the island and for those old skool Koh Phanganers living in the jungle and using a handmade rifle grilled rat makes a good meal with a bit of rice and no doubt a liberal amount of chilli.

Getting over the initial shock, it makes sense to me to eat ‘bushmeat’ in Koh Phangan. The animals are straight from the jungle and not carriers of disease; also, one hopes, not rubbish scavengers. There is apparently a rodent bigger than a rat found not only in Koh Phangan but all over Thailand that is something of a delicacy.

The picture above is of turtles in the market place in Thongsala. Turtles are meant to be protected animals as their numbers have declined sharply. Many people fear certain species could soon go extinct. I was surprised to see turtles in the market. Maybe I shouldn’t be since turtle soup is a Chinese favourite.

I have never seen deer meat. I presume the injunction to not kill the royal animal generally prevents open sale of the meat.

I have seen locals chowing down on giant lizard and I’m sure snake is also sometimes on the menu.

It might all sound a bit grim but until fairly recently Koh Phangan was a remote part of the Kingdom that did a bit of trade in coconut and squid but whose inhabitants were mostly self-sufficient. They lived off the land and the sea. That is real island life.