Thailand Land of Smiles» Thailand Travel

You Haven’t Seen “The Real Thailand”

Talen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:40:33 +0000

I wish I had ten baht for every time I heard that phrase, or something similar, uttered by everyone from expats to first time travelers to the Kingdom, I’d have enough money to ride the baht bus 50 times a day for a year. Apparently certain areas are designated “Not the Real Thailand”, areas I have heard mentioned include, Pattaya, Bangkok, Koh Samui and Phuket just to name a few.

I’ll use Pattaya as a reference since that is where I am at the moment enjoying a beer and writing in a quiet corner of the Pattaya Beer Garden. Last night I overheard a conversation between two men with one telling the other “you haven’t seen the real Thailand”, because the other gentleman had only been to Bangkok and Pattaya. I thought about that for a moment and smiled. What exactly constitutes “The Real Thailand” anyway? Here I am surrounded by Thai’s who seemingly outnumber the falang by a good number, I hear the Thai language everywhere I go, I can only smell Thai food and oddly enough the stamp in my passport says I am in Thailand…Have I been scammed?

Now, I have been to a fair few places in Thailand from Bangkok to Mukdahan and in between and damned if I haven’t noticed Thai people, Thai food and Thai hospitality in all of them. I have been to Buddhist Wats in at least 11 provinces and have broken bread with Thai’s in just as many and I never felt like I wasn’t in “The Real Thailand”.

Obviously there are differences from a tourist town such as Pattaya to the farm in Issan but to say Pattaya or Bangkok aren’t really experiencing Thailand is like saying you really haven’t experienced America if you have only been to New York. I don’t know if this is a game of one upmanship people like to play or if they genuinely believe it.

Now I am really starting to question just what does constitute “The Real Thailand”, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time In Mukdahan and Nakhon Phanom where there is more Lao and Cambodian heritage with a little Vietnamese thrown in for good measure. The food is more Lao and the look of the people is more Lao so this can’t be “The Real Thailand”, can it? Of course now I am befuddled because many of the Thai’s That work in Pattaya come from Issan and since We can rule out Issan as being “The Real Thailand” then I guess they are right that Pattaya isn’t either.

From what I have heard, in the “The Real Thailand”, all the Thai people are simple folk without a care in the world and always have a smile for a passing stranger. It should also be noted that in “The Real Thailand the falang is God like and is treated in a God Like manner. Sounds like a nice place, doesn’t it?

We’ll I am just about finished my beer and I think I am going to head out in search of “The Real Thailand”, if any of you find out where it is send me a note and aim me in the right direction otherwise I’ll be running around the country for years aimlessly in search of the promised land. I better hit the hongnam first…

What are your thoughts? Are certain provinces or towns more Thailand than others?

Taking Pets to Thailand

Talen — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 01:39:11 +0000

While I’m still in the middle of wrapping up my parents estate with my brother and sister I am also doing what I can to wrap up my travel plans to Thailand. Even though it might seem crazy to take my cats with me there is just no other option. They have been with me through thick and thin for a decade and all the other options just seem cold and uncaring.

Luckily, Thailand is a country you can bring your pets into and as long as you follow the rules there should be no reason for a 30 day quarantine on arrival. Aside from the list of things you need to get done to bring pets into Thailand you also need to check with the airline you’ll be using as to their rules for pet travel.

Most airlines will let you bring up to two small pets aboard the plane as long as they are under 20 kg, larger pets must travel either in excess baggage or as cargo. Pets also must have a recent health certificate from your vet. If cargo is the only option you need to find another carrier as the cargo hold of planes is generally not pressurized and not climate controlled. The excess baggage hold is pressurized and climate controlled. Please check with each individual airline you intend to use on their requirements

Below is what is needed to bring your pets into Thailand per the Thai embassy.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE IMPORTATION OF DOGS AND CATS INTO THE KINGDOM OF THAILAND

1. A health certificate in English, signed or further endorsed by a full-time authorized veterinary official of the government of the exporting country, if it is previously acknowledged by a veterinary surgeon, stating :
1-1. number and species.

1-2. breed, sex, age and color or animal identification.

1-3. name and address of the owner OR the kennel of origin.

1-4. certification of condition items 2-5.

2. The animals must come from an area where animal diseases are under control. They are found to be healthy, free from signs of any infectious and contagious diseases including ectoparasitism at the time of export and fit to travel.

3. The country has been free from Rabies for at least the past 12 (twelve) months OR the animals are vaccinated against Rabies with an official approved vaccine not less than 21 (twenty- one) days prior to the departure.

4. Either the dog is vaccinated against Leptospirosis at least 21(twenty-one) days preceding departure OR The dog is subjected to a test for Leptospirosis with negative result during the 30 (thirty) days prior to the departure.

5. The animals shall be vaccinated against other significant infectious or contagious diseases i.e. Distemper, Hepatitis, and Parvovirus, with an official approved vaccine at least 21 (twenty-one) days prior to the departure.

6. The animals must be conveyed in nose-and-paw proof crates designed to avoid any risk of injury or unnecessary suffering.

7. The animals are not allowed to expose to other animals if they have to be landed in transit at any approved intermediate port. They shall not be allowed to leave precinct of the port except to an officially approved transit quarantine area.

8. The animals are subjected to quarantine at approved premises for a period of at least 30 (thirty) days upon arrival during which they shall be submitted to tests and/or treatments deemed necessary. The importer/owner shall be fully charged for the incurred expenses.

9. Failure to follow the import procedures may result in returning the animals to the country of origin or destroying without compensation.

Thailand Tourist Visa’s Free Again

Talen — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:19:34 +0000

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports have asked the government to extend the tourism stimulus measures for another year and yesterday deputy government spokesman Watchara Kannika confirmed that the the measures will be extended from April 1, 2010 and go through to March 31, 2011.

The free tourist visa measure was set to expire on March 5, 2010 and it looks like it still will and there will be a period of 3 weeks where the tourist visa will again be charged for before the April 1st stimulus measures start.The good news is that coupled with the free tourist visa initiative each foreign tourist will also be granted $10,000 of free riot insurance which will cover their trip in the event that things get dicey on the political front. The insurance policy provides for payments of up to $10,000 in the event of death, injury, and/or trip inconvenience, and will only cover people in possession of a 60-day tourist visa.

The Riot insurance was first instituted last year between the months of May and October when many foreign tourists complained that they couldn’t buy trip insurance due to Thailand’s ongoing political instability. The trip insurance will cost the Thai government $1.00 per tourist or about 15 million dollars over the next year.

Full measures cited in this stimulus package include:

Visa fee exemption for foreign tourists.
Helping state agencies hold seminars and field trips in the country to boost domestic spending.
Cutting the electricity consumption guarantee fund for hotel operators.
Reduced aircraft landing and parking fees.
Providing free-of-charge riot protection insurance worth US$10,000 for each foreign tourist.
Allowing business operators who organize domestic seminars, training courses and tourist destination trips for employees to deduct the cost for tax purposes.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports noted that tourism was down by 3% from 2008-2009 and they feel that continuing the stimulus measures will help bring tourism numbers back up to where they are expected to be for 2010. It’s estimated by the Ministry that 15.3 to 15.5 million foreign tourists will visit Thailand in 2010.

All in all some very good news to anyone visiting the Kingdom of Thailand this year for an extended stay.

No More Free Tourist Visa’s to Thailand

Talen — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:53:34 +0000

Update: Thailand’s tourist visa’s free again until 2011

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok have confirmed that tourist visa fees will be reinstated as of March 5, 2010.

Thailand’s tourist visa fee’s were removed last year in a bid to revive travel and tourism to the kingdom. Since June 25, 2009 all tourist visa’s from anywhere in the world were free and will remain free until March 4, 2010.

Apparently the Foreign affairs Ministry, who oversee the Royal Thai Embassies and Consulates worldwide, believe that Thailand tourism in 2010 will be booming, or at least that is the hope. While there has been some grumbling across the net due to this news you can hardly blame the ministry as they said last year this would only last until March of 2010. Apparently some people can’t get over the fact that they will once again have to pay the princely sum of $35 to enter the country again on a tourist visa.

The Thailand tourist visa allows for a maximum stay of 60 days with extensions available at local immigration offices.

Passport holders of the following countries may enter and stay in Thailand without a visa for a maximum stay of 30 days for purpose of tourism only. This can be extended by 7 days at a local immigration office or 15 days by crossing a land border:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, *Brazil, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chili, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Qatar, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel,. Italy, Japan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Lao, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Monaco (effective 26 Oct 07), Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, U.A.E., U.K., U.S.A., Vietnam.

List of countries whose nations may apply for visa at the Immigration checkpoints for the purpose of tourism for the period of not exceeding 15 days (Visa on Arrival)

Bhutan, China (including Taiwan), Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Maldives, Mauritius, Oman, *Peru, Poland, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine.

If you are not a passport holder of the above countries or you are going to go Thailand for other purposes than tourism, you need a visa.

List of countries whose nationals are exempted from visa fees:

Rep.of Korea, Malaysia, *Philippines, Singapore, Tunisia.

More info can be found in the Thai Visa section.

Boosting Thailand Tourism?

Talen — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:46:24 +0000

With tourism down dramatically many Thai companies are trying new advertising to combat the the ever growing slump they are seeing in their bottom line. It’s not enough that the world wide economic situation is keeping tourists away, Thailand can’t help itself when it comes to making even dedicated travelers think twice.

Thai politics have been a major concern since the coup in 2006 and the recent events regarding Cambodia have some travelers on edge. The continued violence in the South of Thailand with the Muslim community and the recent attacks on freedom of speech have been keeping Thailand in the news for all the wrong reasons.

You would think the easiest way to go would be accentuating the beauty and diversity that is Thailand and calling out the cultural aspects of the country. Instead the advertising that has been coming out just leaves potential travelers scratching their head.

Medical tourism has long been a strong suit for Thailand with procedures generally being one third of those in the West. A good dental bridge in America might cost you $4000 once all is said and done but in Thailand the same bridge would cost $600.00.

While the majority of tourists are aware of these deals the advertised deals usually draw the wrong attention. Local ads like the one below are a usual sight. I have to admit though, the ad is compelling. Come to Thailand for a short stay and for under $10,000 you can go home a new man…don’t want to be a man anymore, go home a new woman.

Thai Air is also rolling out new advertising but one might wonder what demographic they are targeting. The new ads, while very well done and quite beautiful, don’t really convey Thailand, do they? They have opted to leave out their planes or pictures of Thailand for beautiful pictures of Thai women in flowing colorful gowns.

I’ll give them this, it does make me think of orchids and beauty so it does draw me to Thailand but I’m an easy sell and usually ad campaigns aren’t there to preach to the chorus. These ads will be rolling out to America and Europe soon.

It’s not easy for any country in the current economic climate but at the very least most countries know their strong points and aren’t struggling to find their identity or appeal.

Thailand should take a cue from The Australian tourism campaign of the 80′s and 90′s. Find a well liked Thai comedian and have him throw a shrimp on the barbie while extolling the great diversity and beauty that Thailand has to offer. Well, they might need to change it to a grasshopper in the oil or a rat on the barbie but you get the idea.

I haven’t seen a Thailand tourism ad in America for a long time but they may want to start with the company that did the below ad back in 2007. Someone there understood marketing.

Fallout From Big Trouble in Thailand Documentary

Talen — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 01:10:30 +0000

Photo Courtesy Phucket Wan

Since the airing of the first episode of the documentary filmed for the Bravo Television channel in the U.K there has been a lot of discussion across Thailand blogs, forums, Thailand news and in Thailand itself.

There seemed to be a even divide amongst watchers as to whether or not parts of the documentary were staged. The Thai police have had a viewing of the first episode and promptly arrested Winai Naiman ( JJ ),the jet ski operator that appeared to have threatened Royal Navy personnel with a rifle. The rifle has since been discovered to be a BB gun.

The scene involving the jet ski incident has drawn the most commentary due to the fact that it happened at the jet ski owners house/boat yard instead of on the beach. The Royal Navy Police officer who decided to go it alone instead of involving the Thai authorities, which one would think is proper protocol, added to the debate.

One good thing that has come of this is that Thai authorities seem to be cracking down on the jet ski operators and the scams they perpetrate on the tourist community.

The Governor of Phucket, Wichai Praisa-nob, has also responded stating:

Jet-skis are allowed to operate as a sport in Patong, not as a business. Unless this kind of activity stops, we will ban them all.

At a meeting with Phucket’s jet ski operators yesterday at Patong Municipal offices the governor told the assembly that they will all be required to have their jet ski’s insured for damage at their expense. Hopefully this will filter throughout Thailand’s beach destinations and the scams will stop for good. Although I’m sure the more industrious operators will find new scams to employ.

Good or bad the documentary has received a lot of press recently and we all know there is no such thing as bad press. You can be assured the next installment of the 8 episode documentary will be very heavily watched.

The Producer/Director of the Documentary, Gavin Hill, has also responded on a few blogs to clear up what he believes are misconceptions about the documentary as well as stating that no scenes were staged.

Gavin Hill also went as far to say that he will release all the raw footage of the jet ski incident to show it wasn’t staged. He has since released the raw footage of the incident, while it does make the incident more believable it still doesn’t answer the question of how this came to take place at the boat yard of the business owner which is reported to be 10 minutes away from the beach.

There is the possibility that JJ somehow talked the young marine into going back to the boat yard to get an estimate which would make this just a very foolish mistake on the Marine’s part. As an interesting aside if you watch the raw footage from JJMarines 2 at the 5:30 mark the marine admits to crashing into another jet ski but then quickly doesn’t remember crashing. Apparently his friends also left him on the beach to deal with this alone.

The one troubling aspect of the original footage where JJ gets a rifle out is oddly absent from the raw footage and seems like it may not have been part of the confrontation but spliced in to look as it was. Hopefully that isn’t the case and more raw footage is forthcoming that explains the rifle. The jet ski operator, JJ, has been arrested and charged due to the rifle scene in the documentary.

Gavin Hill’s full statement can be read here: From the Producer/Director of Big Trouble in Thailand

The first episode of the 8 part documentary can be seen in the video gallery.

Thailand’s Tourist Police Volunteers

Talen — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:05:48 +0000

In my previous post, Big Trouble in Thailand?, I related my opinions on a scene involving the Pattaya Tourist Police Volunteers in the British Documentary Big Trouble in Thailand, which was aired on Bravo TV.

Mr. Howard Miller who is the head of the Pattaya Tourist Police Volunteers responded to my post and I thought I should further clarify some misconceptions about the Tourist Police and it’s volunteers as well as give some further opinions on this matter.

I believe that the volunteer tourist police perform a vital function in regards to helping to assist tourists who have found themselves in need of assistance in Thailand. I respect the fact that these volunteers give of their free time to perform these duties, and likewise I think over all they provide a much needed service.

The tourist police volunteers are there to assist the regular tourist police in aiding tourists who have had a problem with a merchant, a Thai national and or any manner of crimes they may have committed or had committed against them. Assisting the police can come in many forms from playing the role of interpreter to simply calming down a distraught individual and giving them a degree of comfort that they are not alone when dealing with the Thai authorities.

The problems start to arise when there is no clear line drawn and the perception becomes that the tourist police volunteers are actual police. Mr. Howard Miller will tell you himself and he has stated on this blog that he is not a police officer and I don’t have any qualms with Mr. Miller or any member of the tourist police volunteers in that regard.

While the tourist police volunteers will tell you they are not regular police their dress and demeanor often belie that fact. They dress in police like uniform, They wear the embroidered badge of the tourist police, they wear the medals and insignia of the regular tourist police as well as don hand cuffs and batons as the regular Thai tourist police do. These items are not provided by the Royal Tourist Police but purchased by the volunteers themselves.

The tourist police volunteers are a constant presence in Thailand’s popular tourist destinations. On one hand it gives you the reassurance that they are there and ready to help if you should need it but on the other hand you get the impression that they are acting like real police . The addition of the para military style uniform and wearing of handcuffs and batons infers that they have the authority to to arrest, detain and or subdue you. The tourist police volunteers do not have this authority at all as per Thai law or per the Royal Thai Tourist Police.

As per the Royal Tourist police website application:

1. Volunteers clearly understands that this program is purely volunteer, no payment in kind or cash for contribution what-so-ever
2. TPD will not be held responsible for any loses or accidents during volunteer work
3. Volunteer must pass probabtion period of 3 months to be fully endorsed as a TPD assistant
4. Volunteers understand that being a volunteer is to assist the work of a police officer and not act on behalf of a police officer
5. Volunteers should not be involved in activities such as arrests, interrogations, investigations or inspections.

The below video was taken in March of this year by a gentleman filming on walking street. While I don’t believe the video is as bad as some would suggest I do think it illustrates that the Tourist Police volunteers in Pattaya act as if they have authority that they clearly do not have. The tourist police in this situation had no authority to stop this man, question this man and or tell this man that he had to ask before filming on walking street.

A month before this incident the Tourist police volunteer identified as Mr. Harrison in the above video, who was out of uniform, was involved in an altercation on beach road while off duty. Mr. Harrison saw an arguement happening between Thai nationals and tried to intervene. Apparently 2 ladyboys were trying to close a deal with a tourist for sexual services when a Thai woman told the tourist that they were in fact men. At this point an arguement ensued between the ladyboys and the Thai woman.

As the arguement became more heated Mr. Harrison, who was walking by, stepped in to break up the fight. Mr. Harrison pulled out a can of pepper spray and used it on one of the individuals. Mr. Harrison was off duty and out of uniform at the time. He was called to the police station later that night to give his statement. While his intentions may have been good in helping to diffuse an arguement his actions were not in line with his duties as a Tourist Police Volunteer. An off duty volunteer at that.

This incident and others like it have called into question the role Tourist police volunteers provide in helping to assist the Royal Thailand Tourist Police in their mission of helping tourists and promoting Thailand tourism.

While I think there is a place for the tourist police volunteers they need to be identified clearly as volunteer personnel, which means having a look that is distinguished as different from actual Thai tourist police officers. They should not be allowed to dress in uniforms or carry handcuffs and batons which they are not legally allowed to use.

The biggest problem with this program is that there is no iron clad set of standards enforced from city to city in regards to the Tourist police volunteers. Each departments mission statement reads differently. For example:

In Chiang Mai Lieutenant Col. Nattawut Chotikanjanawat, inspector of the Chiang Mai Tourist Police states in an interview with the Nation:

These volunteers are not here to fight crime. They are here to serve as an intermediary between tourists and the Thai culture and police. They translate between various languages and Thai, they teach our tourist police to speak English, they tell tourists where to find certain things, or what to do under various situations.

While the Phuket branch of the tourist police volunteers defines the role of their volunteers as:

FUNCTION & RESPONSIBILITY

Functions and responsibilities of the Tourist Police Division are as follows:

To suppress and to protect criminal problems affecting international tourists.

To facilitate and to provide both Thai and international tourists with the security and protection of their interests.

To promote the Thai tourism industry.

To join with or to support any activities of the authorities concerned.

The duty of the Tourist Police is to help and care for tourists throughout Thailand. We would like you to enjoy your trip in the Land of Smiles. We can advise tourists about how to take care of themselves, as well as alerting them to some common problems that they should be aware of when travelling in Thailand.

And then back in 2005 we have a Stickman Bangkok interview with an Australian Tourist police volunteer who states:

Stickman: What are the roles of the farang tourist police? Just how much power do the farang tourist police volunteers have? Can you arrest people? Can you detain people? Are you equipped with equipment or weapons of any kind?

Volunteer: We are regulated by a long list of rules. We can arrest anyone. We can detain an offender (like a ladyboy who steals the wallet from a farang and wants to run off) until a regular cop turns up. We need to speak at least a reasonable amount of Thai. We cannot carry firearms, but we do carry handcuffs, a baton and a radio, as well as some of us who are first aid officers and carry medical kits.

Remember, the official line from the tourist police themselves in the the application for becoming a tourist police volunteer states:

5. Volunteers should not be involved in activities such as arrests, interrogations, investigations or inspections.

There needs to be a clearly defined role for the volunteer tourist police assistants throughout all of Thailand and they should have a clearly defined mission statement that explains exactly in what capacity they are acting when the are wearing the badge of the tourist police.

I think in the majority of cases the Thai Tourist Police Volunteers perform a much needed service and should be applauded for their work. Even so I believe they would be doing themselves and Thailand a huge favor if they dressed more appropriately to their role as assistants to the Royal Thai Tourist Police. Handcuffs and batons should give way to notepads and flashlights and the para military style uniforms should be orange vests with tourist police emblems. Not only would they become more visible to tourists they would also be much more inviting to a tourist who may feel threatened at the time of contact.

For another view of the Tourist Police Volunteer program please read this article published by the Bangkok Post:

Farang “squad” a force to be reckoned with

Wat Pho, Temple of the Reclining Buddha

Talen — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:10:49 +0000

While I was in Bangkok in April I wanted to visit as many important landmarks as I could in the short time I had. At the top of the list was WatPho, better know to the Thai’s as Wat Phra Chetuphon. Everyone else will know it as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

Wat Pho is the largest and the oldest temple in Bangkok, sitting on 20 acres and predating Bangkok being named as the capital city of Thailand by 200 years. The temple not only holds the largest reclining Buddha statue in Thailand it also boasts the most Buddha images of any Wat in Thailand, having over 1000.

As a tourist attraction it is among the most impressive in the world. The gold plated statue of the reclining Buddha represents the passing of Buddha into Nirvana and measures in at an amazing 15 meters tall and 46 meters long. Aside from the gold plating the Eyes of the Buddha and the bottom of the feet are made of mother of pearl. The soles of the feet are inlaid with intricate designs showcasing the 108 characteristics of the true Buddha.

While the main Wat complex is made up of two walled compounds, the North compound is where you will find the temple of the reclining Buddha while the Southern compound is still a working monastery. You’ll know exactly where the North compound is when you see throngs of people gathering at the entrance. The entrance fee for western visitors is 350 baht while Thai’s are alowed in for free. Before entering the temple you will remove your shoes and store them in special shoe boxes outside the temple.

Once inside the temple you basically follow the flow leading down the front side of the Buddha and then back towards the exit from the rear of the Buddha. There is no time limit so you can wait out the crowds to get the best photos. While waiting for the best shot you can take in the beauty of the wall murals finished in gold leaf.

Once you round the feet of the reclining Buddha and move towards the rear of the statue you will see a line of brass pots against the wall leading to the exit. A small desk behind the feet is where you will get a handful of prayer coins for a 20 baht note and as you exit you place one coin in each brass pot for blessings to be bestowed upon you. This really adds to the ambiance of the temple.

This is really the one attraction not to miss when visiting Bangkok. The temple grounds are very beautiful and the statue of the reclining Buddha is amazing in all it’s splendor. More photos can bee seen in the gallery Wat Pho-Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

The Port of Nakhon Phanom

Talen — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:16:26 +0000

The road along the Mekong in Nakhon Phanom proper is where you will find most if not all of the government offices and about the midway point of the Mekong prominade you will see a long line of trucks waiting at the Port house for the ferry across to Laos.

Trade between Laos and Thailand is very high and the ferry across the Mekong is evidence of that. The Port operates 6 days a week from sun up till sundown. Most days there at least three ferries in operation taking anywhere between 5-10 trucks and cars each trip.

Now, you might think this is a great way to go over and explore Laos as I did but the crossing can be complicated for the falang. Although the Nakhon Phanom Immigration offices are directly across the street from the customs house there is no immigration checkpoints on either the Thailand or Laos side. The closest route across the border to Laos that has an immigration checkpoint is in Mukdahan via the Friendship 2 bridge.

Even though there isn’t an immigration checkpoint at the ferry dock in Nakhon Phanom all is not lost if you are planning on living or spending a considerable amount of time here. You can apply for a crossing permit through the immigration office that, if granted, will allow you to cross the Mekong into Laos via the ferry. From what I understand the permit can take up to three months to obtain because of the paperwork involved. No only does Thailand have to approve the application but it then needs to be sent to Laos for their approval.

I have heard differing prices on the application for permit but 3000 baht seems to be the number that comes up the most.

So, if you are considering using Nakhon Phanom for a visa run you may want to re-think your plans and head across to Laos from Mukdahan, which is only 20 minutes away, where there are immigration checkpoints. Apparently some people got the information that they could use the ferry because while I was in Nakhon Phanom last time I saw a few falang trying their best only to be turned away.

Tomorrow I’ll write more about the Immigration office in Nakhon Phanom as it was without a doubt one of the easiest and fastest immigration experiences I have had while in Thailand.

Phonetic Spelling in Thailand

Talen — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:35:12 +0000

Soi Bukow Soi Bukaow Soi Bukhao.

The Thai language is a tonal language so it doesn’t lend itself well to phonetic spellings due to the fact that the Thai alphabet is centered moreso around sounds than letters like most western languages. So, it’s always funny to me when I see an arguement pop up on a Thailand based forum or website claiming a correct phonetic spelling for a certain Thai word or place.

Just look at these pictures of a popular road in Pattaya named Soi Bukow or if you like Soi Bukhao. If the Thai’s can’t claim a correct phonetic spelling for it then how can we. Then again, looking at the different mispellings of English signs in Thailand maybe that arguement falls flat as well

Like many I am learning the Thai language and phonetic spellings of the words really help me sound them out properly. I’ve found that the best phonetic spelling is what works for me not what may be accepted by others.

For instance whenever you see the phonetic spelling for the polite female/male ending of a sentence it’s almost always ka for the female and krup for the male. Ka works because it sounds as it reads and as a Thai female would speak it. Krup on the other hand doesn’t work. Whenever I have heard a Thai male speak it I never hear the R so the the word sounds like cup. Of course there are the words with R sounds where the Thai’s are using an L sound. So the word for foreigner can come out Falang or Farang and in the case of my girls Aunt it comes out Fallung.

As far as phonetic spelling is concerned there is no right or wrong. Whatever works for you and sounds correct when speaking it is fine. Getting the sound and the tone correct is the most important thing and learning from Thai’s is usually the best way to really get the tones correct.

By the way the correct phonetic spelling of the road above is Boocow

Thailand Land of Smiles» Thailand Travel

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Boosting Thailand Tourism?

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