Patong Beach Nightlife

Patong, once known as the sleazy, red light district of Phuket, has undergone a period of transformation in recent years. The area's once notorious nightlife has been tamed somewhat to make it friendlier to women, couples and families and Patong now has something for everyone. That's not to say that you can't find some wild action anymore - you certainly can - but it does mean that a much wider variety of entertainment options exist to make your nights in Phuket as much fun as your days.

It all sounds familiar, right? Phuket has a few spots where you’ll almost forget you’re not at home, wherever home may be. But that’s not the norm … and not why you go on holiday. You want a different experience; something wild, in your face, unique. Dictionary.com has four definitions of the adjective ‘exotic’, and each suits Patong, Phuket’s party town, admirably.

Easy and Fun with shopping in Phuket

Whereas in the past you needed to go to Bangkok for any serious shopping, Phuket now has shopping oportunities to satisfy all but the most fanatical shopaholic. In addition to the roadside stalls and markets there are quite a few shopping centres and department stores, as well as a good selection of boutiques and speciality shops. Fine examples of traditional handicrafts, textiles, gems, jewellery and antiques, as well as clothing and everyday items are sold all over the island. The best bargains and widest range of goods are found in Phuket City and Patong, though there are plenty of shops and stalls to be found in beach areas such as Kata and Karon. For a complete list of all the shops in Phuket, take a look at our business directory.

BargainingPrices are fixed in department stores and larger shops, but at most other places bargaining is expected, especially at markets and shops where the prices are not displayed. Roadside stalls will often quote double the price, and sometimes even more, which the seller will accept. So start low, maybe at a third and aim for half.Some small shops that have prices marked can also be cajoled into giving a “special discount”. Don't expect to able to bargain down too much though. If the prices are already displayed, this should mean that they are fair. Nevertheless, its quite rare to find a merchant who won't budge at all. Generally, shopping in Thailand is easy and fun. But remember to shop smart, go around and compare prices and obtain a receipt for expensive items. Be wary of touts, tour guides, taxi/tuk tuk drivers or friendly strangers who offer to take you shopping. In nearly all cases they will receive a commision, which of course is added to the price you pay.
VAT RefundsTo encourage tourists to shop in Thailand a VAT refund for tourists scheme was introduced for tourists to be able to claim back the VAT paid on certain items.“Visitors entering the Kingdom on tourist visa are entitled to refunds of the 7% value added tax (VAT) paid on goods purchased at shops, department stores and other retail outlets displaying VAT Refund for Tourists signs, where tax refund application forms are available. Prior to airport departure, visitors must present a completed VAT refund form, plus passport information and purchase receipts, to a customs officer. Certain luxury goods, such as jewelry, gold ornaments, watch, glasses, or pen, must be shown to an excise official at the VAT refund office at the departure lounge after passport control. Refunds may be in bank draft form or credited to a credit card.”Source: Revenue Department of Thailand.

Spring Break Red Bikini Tan Goddess Koh Samui Holiday Island

Koh Samui Holiday Island
Koh Samui lies roughly eighty kilometers of the east coast of Thailand. Samui is situated surrounded by other Islands of the Ang Tong group. From the second a traveler arrives on Samui they will fall in love with Samui. Many travelers visiting Samui adore the wonderful atmosphere that can be found on Samui.
From nearly every position on Koh Samui, tourists are granted astonishing views of surrounding sea. The Samui airport will definitely be one of the most astonishing airports found any where on the globe. For those tourists arriving by boat to the wonderful Thai holiday Island, the ferry dock will steer them ahead instantly onto the white Samui beaches and its coconut trees.
Koh Samui Bungalows & Resorts
Koh Samui offers a remarkable selection and assortment of beachfront Koh Samui bungalows and resorts and is obtainable for virtually every tourist accommodation budget. Travelers will find on Samui a large offering of accommodation that ranges from standard beach bungalows on one of the beaches all the way up till incredible and luxurious Samui hotels and beach resorts.
The great thing about Koh Samui is that almost every voyager can find lodging right on one of the Samui beaches and at the budget available to the visitor.
Koh Samui Population
The population of Koh Samui is made up for the major piece of Thai Buddhists. Previous to the arrival of tourism dollars and the hefty number of tourists, Koh Samui has been living off coconut farming and fishing. Fishing and coconut farming are still an vital part of Samui however the vast mainstream of local residents are at present employed in the Samui hospitality and travel industry.
Samui Beach
The leading and most trendy Samui beach is of course Chaweng beach. Close runner ups are the Samui beaches at Lamai and the one at Maenam. Many of the beaches on Koh Samui have a huge number of bungalows and resorts however the Samui beaches by no means suffer from busy crows or noise as Koh Samui beaches are normally relatively stretched and spacious.
Acitivities on Koh Samui
Koh Samui offers tourists a lot of amusement and entertainment which ranges from the infamous Chaweng nightlife to relaxing trips by boat to deserted and fabulous beaches. Tourists visiting Koh Samui can also get pleasure from a wide choice of watersport options on Koh Samui. Visitors can also go one of the great trips to one of the beautiful waterfalls found all over Samui or go on an elephant ride through the natural rain forest.
Samui Weather
The ideal time of the year to visit Koh Samui is definitively during the dry season. The dry season on Samui starts in February and ends in June. If you stay on Koh Samui from March until October, you will experience temperatures in Samui which can get up to 35 Celsius. The Koh Samui rainy season lasts from early November until late February.

Travel to Phuket by Car

Phuket is about 867km (539 miles) from Bangkok, with a travelling time of approximately 10 hours. There are many car rental companies in Bangkok, both international firms such as Avis and Budget, as well as local companies.

Driving in Thailand is quite pleasant outside of town and cities. Motorways are in good condition and mostly well sign-posted in Thai and English. Driving standards are poor but better than many other developing nations. (See road safety).

Route
Take Highway 4 from Bangkok, passing through Nakhorn Pathom, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuapkhirikan, Chumphon, Ranong and Phang Nga. The highway between Ranong and Phang Nga is quite scenic with forest-covered mountains on one side and the Andaman sea on the other

If you are renting from a local company, make sure that full insurance cover is included. To be covered by insurance, you will need an international or Thai driving licence

Please help the dogs of Phuket - sign the petition

Phuket, a paradise on earth, the pearl of the Andaman Sea, a tropical paradise,

Not for those dogs who live here on the streets and beaches of Phuket, in a new local government sanctioned operation, dogs that are deemed to be stray are being darted and tranquilized by untrained garbage disposal employees and then dumped in the back of a garbage truck to be driven around in the heat of the sun until the end of the day when they are then taken to the Government Dog Pound at Mid Road, many do not make it and most die from tranquilizer overdose or from heat.

Read the full details here and please consider signing the petition to stop this.

Beautiful Patong Girls

As a woman of the world I found Patong particularly entertaining. The way the local girls were able to play the Western vacationers was quite astonishing. Without trying to understand Patong girls and their motives, I would say that Patong girls are some of the most devious creatures on earth. And good for them!

The attempts from the men at trying to understand Patong girls was largely – with a few honorable exceptions – pathetic. They were continually hustled at Connect-4 (of all things) and in the local game of hitting the nail into the wood block with the wrong end of the hammer (huh?). Trying to understand Patong girls was clearly beyond most men once they saw the pretty faces, lithe bodies and happy smiles. Something about these girls made men simply want to empty their wallets all over them.

The girls seemed to prey on those foreigners that appeared wide-eyed and curious. These were the ones that were the least likely to succeed when trying to understand Patong girls and the most likely to succumb to the ‘I love you’ line. These ‘gentlemen’ were invariably taken for a ride and no doubt not in the way that they would have liked.

This was an interesting trip, for sure.

Labor Day Summer Vacation White Thong Girl

Have You Considered a Summer Vacation in the City?


If you are looking to travel for the holidays then you should ideally check to see whether there is a good deal to suit your needs. However, whilst you may imagine the holidays to be Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas, there are also smaller holidays that many people also choose to celebrate. So if you are looking to do something different for the holiday period, then why not choose to travel on days such as the Fourth of July or Labor Day?

Travelling On the Fourth of July or on Labor Day

Generally no matter whether you are travelling on the fourth of July or Labor Day, there are a number of things that you really need to keep in mind. One of the main things which will affect your travels is the amount of other travellers that will be on the road. In the summer holidays that is when families most choose to take their vacations.

As for where you should go on your vacation, generally the beach tends to be a popular choice. There are many very popular beaches in the United States that you can visit such as Virginia Beach and Daytona Beach. Or perhaps you would prefer to leave for Europe to somewhere such as St. Tropez or Costa Blanca, Spain? Getting out of the US will not give you the Labor Day or Fourth of July atmosphere, but it will give you a chance to have a little holiday.

It all basically depends upon what you are looking for with your next vacation. Do you want somewhere quiet? If so then a city vacation would not be the best choice for you and neither would any popular beaches. Instead why not think of camping out? Not only would that be more private, but it would also allow you to get closer to nature and to forget about your everyday stresses.

However, perhaps you would prefer to just visit somewhere local and enjoy a nice family barbeque or picnic for the fourth of July? Campgrounds are often packed full of families cooking barbeques and enjoying picnics, so if you do want to go camping and you still want peace and quiet, you will want to consider less popular campsites.

Overall there are plenty of options open to you if you are looking to travel for the Fourth of July or Labor Day.

Patong Girls fun to visit

I absolutely love traveling; I especially love traveling to Patong. Besides the wonderful beaches, superb food and fantastic nightlife, there are lots and lots of very pretty girls. Now don't go trying to understand Patong girls; taking them at face value is wrong, but don't go digging around for the reasons behind why they do what they do.



And just what do they do, I hear you ask. They prey on the weak and pounce upon the naïve. Still, they're all great characters and there's lots of fun to be had if you know how to play them at their own game. As I said, trying to understand Patong girls is a purely theoretical exercise and one which is doomed to fail.



Now this is where trying to understand Patong girls comes in: these ladies don't actually love you. They probably don't think that you're handsome either. They do like the look of that bulge in your pants, though… the wallet I mean. And this is the key to trying to understand Patong girls: they really, really like money. Play them at their own game and you'll have a nice time.

Thoughts on Phuket nightlife

Thoughts on Phuket nightlifePhuket nightlife takes on many different forms. Phuket is one of Thailand’s top destinations and as such there is a diverse range of nightspots on the island. Although Phuket nightlife is not quite on the same level as in Bangkok, that doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to find somewhere to have fun.

Phuket nightlife is at its most lively in Patong. You’ll either love Patong or you’ll hate it. The bars are loud, the clubs are obnoxious and the streets are crowded. That being said, Patong is cheap and the bars and clubs stay open later than in other parts of Phuket.

Patong is famous for its nightlife. The center of the action is found on Soi Bangla, which is a hive of go-go bars, discos and stage shows. This is Phuket nightlife at its most seedy, but it can be a lot of fun if you go in the right frame of mind.

Generally speaking, the bars and clubs in Patong churn out hip hop and dance music hits. It can all be a bit predictable, so don’t go expecting anything special.

Patong is also known for its girls. Yes, it’s true, there are countless bar girls and sex shows in Patong, but the people of Patong make no effort to conceal these facts. Patong is what it is and it’s best not to take the whole place too seriously.

Perhaps the most fun that can be had in Phuket is at some of the local clubs. Phuket nightlife is at its most authentic in the small Thai clubs, where you can check out some of the local bands. Phuket Town is probably the best place to sample some Thai-style clubbing.

Also in Phuket Town there are lots of pubs and beer bars and much less of the seedy side of Phuket nightlife.

There are plenty of other areas where you can go and party, but usually they aren’t as busy and entertaining as in Patong or Phuket Town. There are a few exceptions scattered around the island in places such as Surin, Kata-Karon and Nai Harn.

The only area that Phuket really lacks anything in terms of nightlife is serious clubbing. There are a few Phuket clubs where you can hear cutting-edge music, but these are few and far between. However, it is possible to catch electro, techno, breaks, house and more in some Phuket clubs and bars.

Phuket could be a major clubbing destination in Southeast Asia, but the island has a long way to go before it can start competing with the likes of Singapore and KL.

For now, Phuket nightlife has enough depth to keep people entertained, but you feel as if there is more to come. The shining beacon of Phuket nightlife is that there is a great live-music scene around the island. There are lots of bands who can rattle out everything from rock and indie to jazz and blues. If you can get into it, there is a top indie scene in Phuket. Pick up some CDs in a local store to get a feel for the music.
For more info about Phuket nightlife visit the author’s website at Phuket Vogue.
Phuket nightlive Phuket nightlifPhuket nightlifee Phuket nightlifw Phuket ightlifr Phuket nightlifs Phuket nightlifd Phuket nightlif3 Phuket nightlif4

Trip to Phuket

took a small 10 day vacation near the end of July and went to Phuket island in Thailand. I had originally thought of going somewhere in the French Polynesians like Vanuatu, but coworkers and my travel agent recommended against it. Not that Vanuatu or any of the French islands, like Fiji or Tahiti, have anything wrong with them! Simply, since I was going by myself I might find those islands a bit 'boring'. You see, they are pretty small and don't have much of a night life; the beaches are exquisite and best enjoyed by honeymooners I'm told.

I've been to Thailand quite a few times, mostly to Koh Samui, and decided this time to give a different part of Thailand a try. Phuket is a well known tourist destination with good beaches and a happening night life so a good choice. I chose to go to Patong beach, the most popular beach on Phuket island.
The beach was quite nice, as good as what I remember the beaches in Koh Samui being. The only thing though, whereas the hotels/bungalows in Koh Samui are right on the beach, this is not the case in Patong. All along the beach there is a road; hotels are on one side and the beach on the other. This is not such a bad thing, but you can't just lounge out of your hotel onto the beach. A small convenience but one that was sorely missed.

BEST SPRINGBREAK SWIMSUIT MODEL

Puerto Vallarta - Living a Real Mexican Tropical Lifestyle


Puerto Vallarta is rich with so many things, such as culture, entertainment, and history. That’s why being here means living a real Mexican tropical lifestyle.

What to Do in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta provides several attractions and activities to their visitors. If you don’t know where to start, you can always refer to the list below:

1. Enjoy their annual festivals. You can begin at any point in Puerto Vallarta on the month of November. At this time, the weather may have been turning cold in preparation for December and the small towns are brimming with life because of too many festivals. The Cultural Festival, for one, is the most ideal time to see the fusion of culture and arts in the native’s performances. You can also get a taste of delectable Mexican dishes, in their annual international gourmet festival. If you have a soft spot for golf, you can watch their Vallarta Cup tournaments. For the film buffs, the film festival in Puerto Vallarta is the best time to grab a theater seat.

2. Explore San Sebastian. Tucked away in the valleys of Puerto Vallarta is the town of San Sebastian. This used to be one of the oldest homes of the first Mexican settlers in the city, back in 1605. Today, it is not a mining town for silver. The best way to travel to San Sebastian is by boarding a Cessna plane. This will also give you an opportunity to see Puerto Vallarta and even the magnificent seas on aerial view.

3. Take a half-day tour to Huichols. Back in the days, majority of Puerto Vallarta is occupied by native Indians. As time passed, however, a lot of them are already gone, and modern civilization took place. That’s why the trip to see the Huichols should be something you should not miss. These people are known to be the Aztec descendants. They have learned to keep themselves away from modernism and technology and thus are able to preserve their beliefs, rituals, culture, and history. Their houses still showcase the influence of Pre-Columbian era. If you want to experience a totally new way of seeing Mexican life, you can participate in a half-day trip to their territory. Don’t forget to buy a well-made handicraft in their souvenir shops.

4. Take the kids to the water park. The water parks are the best places to take your kids, especially during the summer months. There are wide varieties of wave pools and water slides, where they can play and just have some fun. They can also watch different performances and animal shows, such as dolphin and seal exhibitions.

5. Hit the beach. Puerto Vallarta is also well-known for their beaches, which are usually integrated in villas and hotels that are scattered all over the town. One example is that of Grupo Mayan hotel. You can enjoy different types of water activities, like parasailing, kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving. What’s more, you can purchase timeshares so you can have a nice place to stay while you’re in town while making a lucrative investment.


Puerto Vallarta is the best choice for fun in the sun. You can enjoy some tee time, watch concerts, explore natural sceneries and old towns, or hit the beach.

BEST MICRO BIKINI

Republic of Mauritius is situated in the American Indian sea just east of Madagascar. The island is just about totally rounded of lovely precious coral reefs leading in an astonishingly ample and diverse aquatic life and extraordinary dive opportunities. Republic of Mauritius is the idea marriage and honeymoon destination also for a great spot for a family holiday. Hotels and resorts line the shoring from this tropical heaven and offer everything from the comfortable to the prodigal accommodations. As this is a year-around vacation destination, it’s crucial that you reserve your way advanced.

The island is a heaven oasis perfect for scuba diving, sunning and also surfing. It is placed just Orient from Republic of Madagascar and international flights are common and precipitating in cost.

You likely found this page because you were searching Hotels or Cheap Hotels. Cheap rates on Hotels. Simply, the least rates and best deals with Hotels.

Formally, part from Africa, while it is 1200 miles away from the rest of it, Republic of Mauritius has the continent’s highest per capita income. Port Louis, the modern capital of this 38-mile by 29-mile island, is a active port with a revitalized waterfront and active marketplace. However, most visitants gravitate towards resort areas such as five-star Mont Choisy. Quiet Trou-aux-Biches and new destination Flic en Flac are popular with scuba divers. Rivi ’s Noire is ideal for those avid to do deep-sea fishing.

Republic of Mauritius Hotels - upon the occidental shoring from the island, secure by the Laguna, nests the Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa, immersed in the aromas from sugarcane and Creole spiceries. Absolutely incorporated into its exuberant environment with their sumptuous Flora, the hotel is framed in by a white sandy beach.

Magistrate Fekna tells he’s aware that, despite the divergence in names, Jugdish Moholu meant New Mauritius Hotels Ltd, owners of Le Mauricia Hotel, former employer of the plaintiff. He recognizes this since New Mauritius’ Hotels’ attorneys have accepted being the employer of Jug dish Moholu. Still the amendment was not admitted.

Le Touessrok is reborn afterwards comprehensive reconstructing and restyling. Acutely sensual, with contemporaneous haut chic, it has fresh rooms and suites, fresh cuisines, fresh Givenchy Spa relaxations, and afresh championship golf course. Set on the island of Republic of Mauritius in the scintillate American Indian sea, Le Touessrok is a pinnacle of tropic luxe and among the most romanticist places on earth !

Founded close to the old Chinese doctrine of Feng Shui and built up about a celestial little bay with a beach of golden sand, Legends hotel Mauritius is the Zen place in which to relax. The setting is pleasing, on the calm Laguna watching toward isles on enchanting names like ‘Gunners’ Point’, ‘Flat Island’ and ‘Sugar Loaf’.

Paradise Cove Hotel & Spa in Mauritius: The Hotel is noted because a individualized service, reminiscent of the warmness and elaboration of a ‘Mauritian residence’. This mansion ‘de charme’ is the coziest elegant resort in Republic of Mauritius and the only 5 star Boutique hotel on the island! Enjoy the “All inclusive bundles” or the perfect “All Inclusive experiences”.

A white sand beach, a Laguna with semitransparent waters? Republic of Mauritius offers you picture postal card scenes. But it will also attract to you by the fertility of the communities to be found present: Indians, Chinese, Africans constitute a singular aura. Upon the west coast, at Flic en Flac, the Sofitel Imperial hotel Mauritius receives you, on its zen architecture opening onto the sea and nature.

Patong girls

There’s something about Patong girls that seems to attract masses of people to the area. Patong is renowned for its lively nightlife scene where the parties go on all hours of the night, but what is it about the place that people find so attractive? It must be the Thai girls, right?

When people refer to Patong girls, they are usually speaking about the girls you find in the go-go bars and beer bars in Patong, mostly around Soi Bangla. These girls have the odd talent of being able to make men fall in love with them, give them all their money and buy them expensive jewelry, all without blinking an eye.

First thing you’ll notice about Patong girls is that they are incredibly forthcoming. There’s a reason for this. They’re confident because they are there for a purpose, which is to earn money. When people say “bar girls”, what they really mean is “prostitutes who work in a bar”, but “bar girls” has a somehow more appealing ring to it.

While not all girls in Patong are bar girls, a large proportion of them are. Phuket’s sex industry is based in Patong. As a result, you will come across all manner of weird and oddball characters.

If you’re primary reason for visiting Phuket is to sample the naughty nightlife, then you will likely be spending the vast majority of your time in Patong. Be aware, then, that Patong girls will try and wrap you around their little fingers from the moment you lay eyes on them. While Patong girls are all innocent and smiles on the outside, they have a devious side beneath the exterior.

Case in point are the games that Patong girls play. If you’ve never been hustled over a game of Connect 4 then prepare yourself. Patong girls love to play board games and bet drinks on the outcome of the games. You can’t win – ever. Another common game involves hitting a nail into a trunk of wood with the wrong side of a hammer. The girls seem to love this one.

While prostitution is technically illegal in Phuket and all of Thailand, it’s widespread in Patong and you aren’t likely to get into trouble unless you are up to no good. Most Patong hotels are aware of what goes on and so they will likely turn a blind eye if you stagger home drunk with a bar girl on your arm.

Cases of bar girls and ladyboys drugging foreigners are more common than you might imagine. When you’re engaging a Patong girl in conversation, you have to ask yourself what type of girl she is. Passing out for eight hours only to wake up with a banging headache and with the contents of your wallet removed is not a pleasant experience, but it happens. Vigilance is necessary.

Patong girls are a lively, fun bunch to drink with, but if you’re planning on getting a bit more intimate with them, then it can be a gamble, especially if you are new to Patong – the girls can sense a newbie a mile off.

Beach bums Patong beach bikini teens

Phuket is a tropical Thai holiday island and is one of the premier travel destinations in the world. The beaches of Phuket are well known for their white sandy beaches lined with gracious palm and coconut trees.

Most tourists staying on Phuket during their holiday unfortunately only visit the beach located closest to their hotel. It is a shame as there are so many beautiful beaches which the tourists could visit. The best way to see all the beautiful beaches is by renting a motorbike or jeep and by simply driving up and down the coast line as travelers will encounter countless beautiful and deserted beaches.

Some of the nicest beaches of Phuket are those mentioned below.

Bang Tao

The beautiful Bang Tao beach is located next to the upscale Phuket Laguna complex where a number of excellent 5 star hotels are located.

Kamala

Kamala beach is one of the most popular beaches and is located only a few minutes drive from Patong beach. Travelers looking for a beach area which offers a peaceful surrounding should consider booking a hotel or resort in the beach resort area of Kamala.

Karon

The most popular after Patong beach is Karon beach and is located just south of Patong. Karon has a long beach and numerous resorts line this beach. Tourists visitingwith children often prefer the somewhat laidback atmosphere that Karon beach has to offer.

Patong

Patong beach is the busiest of all the beaches of Phuket. The vast majority of entertainment and business venues are located in Patong beach. If travelers are looking for a beach resort area where they can party until the early hours of the morning then Patong beach is the ideal choice for them.

Surin

One of the most upscale Phuket beach areas is the area around Surin beach. If tourists do visit Surin beach then they should definitely try the excellent and inexpensive seafood which is served at the Surin beach side restaurants.

The dangers of Patong nightlife

There was another attack on a foreigner riding a motorbike in Patong last week. These attacks are happening more and more frequently. Patong nightlife is a whole lot of fun, but with these frequent attacks, the Patong scene is becoming an ugly place.

This latest attack happened on Nanai Road. Add this to one on the beach road and a handful of other attacks dotted around Patong and you have to wonder how safe it is to ride a motorcycle anywhere in Patong after dark.

On a personal level, we won’t ride a motorbike in Patong after midnight any more. It’s just not worth the risk. Patong nightlife is great and all, but it’s not so fantastic that it’s worth risking being mugged for.

While we aren’t sampling Patong nightlife as much as we used to, Phuket Town is still a safe place to ride around at night. There is almost never any trouble in Phuket Town after dark and we have never heard of attacks on foreigners riding motorcycles at night.

If you’re out enjoying the charms of Patong nightlife (and the Patong girls!), it might actually be worth enlisting the services of the tuk-tuk drivers rather than riding a motorcycle. The attacks are happening all over Patong and they are happening to foreigners, locals, expats and tourists.

Phuket bars weekend roundup

There are a couple of Phuket bars hosting some decent parties over the next couple of weeks.

Liquid Lounge, one of the hippest Phuket bars you could ever wish to go to, is having a Hed Kandi party tonight (July 25). Hed Kandi is basically soulful house party. Liquid Lounge at Surin Beach throws some decent parties every now and then. They’re offering 2-4-1 shots from midnight until 1 am.

Also tonight, Jon Bellagamba will be spinning at White Box, the restaurant that is sometimes a bar and club. It’s ladies’ night, so all the girls get two free drinks. If you’re planning on picking up a random girl at Bangla you can take her to White Box for free drinks. Only kidding. Expect some serious dancing tunes. Starts at 10 pm.

On Saturday July 26, Club Lime, the club that’s more like a lounge bar with a dancefloor, will have Steady Eddy spinning all sorts of funky and tribal house. Expect a busy one. Cover charge is 200 baht.

On August 2, Tapas and Wine is hosting an oyster party. We are big fans of oysters (and wine) so we are sure this party will be worth a look. There aren’t many Phuket bars that serve free oysters. It all kicks off at 8 pm and will no doubt be a riot. You can call Mona for more information about this one. Tel: 0848382685.

The Phuket bars seem to be coming good in terms of parties. Let’s hope it stays that way.

Patong nightlife video

If you’ve never been to Patong, then you might be unsure what to expect from Patong nightlife. We’re not going to lie to you: Patong nightlife is seedy and it’s obnoxious. It will either be your idea of heaven or hell. And don’t forget the Patong girls, who are pretty much everywhere.

The draw of Patong nightlife is that it’s cheap. You aren’t going to find any cosmopolitan places to wine and dine — those places are located at places such as Surin Beach and Mai Khao Beach — but you can find all-night parties, cheap beer and places to dance until your feet are sore.

We don’t head over to Patong all that much, but when we do, we try and do it in style, usually ending up Club Lime or BYD Lofts. Soi Bangla is always worth a look for some bargain drinks and to watch the traffic. The Patong girls are based around Bangla and they’re a rowdy bunch, but they’ll leave you in peace if you aren’t on some sort of pickup mission.

If you really have no idea what to expect from Patong nightlife then take a look at this video. It sums up Patong. We’re indifferent about the whole scene, but this is the way it is and you can’t escape that.

What to expect from Phuket nightlife by Prabhat

Phuket nightlife takes on many different forms. Phuket is one of Thailand's top destinations and as such there is a diverse range of nightspots on the island. Although Phuket nightlife is not quite on the same level as in Bangkok, that doesn't mean that you won't be able to find somewhere to have fun.

Phuket nightlife is at its most lively in Patong. You'll either love Patong or you'll hate it. The bars are loud, the clubs are obnoxious and the streets are crowded. That being said, Patong is cheap and the bars and clubs stay open later than in other parts of Phuket.

Patong is famous for its nightlife. The center of the action is found on Soi Bangla, which is a hive of go-go bars, discos and stage shows. This is Phuket nightlife at its most seedy, but it can be a lot of fun if you go in the right frame of mind.

Generally speaking, the bars and clubs in Patong churn out hip hop and dance music hits. It can all be a bit predictable, so don't go expecting anything special.

Patong is also known for its girls. Yes, it's true, there are countless bar girls and sex shows in Patong, but the people of Patong make no effort to conceal these facts. Patong is what it is and it's best not to take the whole place too seriously.

Perhaps the most fun that can be had in Phuket is at some of the local clubs. Phuket nightlife is at its most authentic in the small Thai clubs, where you can check out some of the local bands. Phuket Town is probably the best place to sample some Thai-style clubbing.

Also in Phuket Town there are lots of pubs and beer bars and much less of the seedy side of Phuket nightlife.

There are plenty of other areas where you can go and party, but usually they aren't as busy and entertaining as in Patong or Phuket Town. There are a few exceptions scattered around the island in places such as Surin, Kata-Karon and Nai Harn.

The only area that Phuket really lacks anything in terms of nightlife is serious clubbing. There are a few Phuket clubs where you can hear cutting-edge music, but these are few and far between. However, it is possible to catch electro, techno, breaks, house and more in some Phuket clubs and bars.

Phuket could be a major clubbing destination in Southeast Asia, but the island has a long way to go before it can start competing with the likes of Singapore and KL.

For now, Phuket nightlife has enough depth to keep people entertained, but you feel as if there is more to come. The shining beacon of Phuket nightlife is that there is a great live-music scene around the island. There are lots of bands who can rattle out everything from rock and indie to jazz and blues. If you can get into it, there is a top indie scene in Phuket. Pick up some CDs in a local store to get a feel for the music.

Phuket Steady as Pattaya Declines

When the Tourism Authority of Thailand recently announced that tourist arrivals in Pattaya fell by 30% year-on-year in the first quarter and will likely drop even more in the second quarter, the widespread assumption was all of Thailand was being similarly hurt by high airfares and fears of recession. Apparently that’s not the case.

At a conference this week, TAT said hotel occupancy rates in Phuket are holding steady compared with last year. Occupancy is running between 40% and 55%, which TAT says is about average for low season on the island. “Tourists visiting Phuket this low season are come mostly from Australia, the Middle East, India, Hong Kong, China, Korea and Japan. The number of Japanese visitors is increasing, partially in response to the reopening of the direct Narita-Phuket route in July, which has seen load factors averaging about 90%,” the Phuket Gazette wrote.

A TAT official did acknowledge tourists are spending less, but at least there are tourists there…

bangkok tonight classifieds

bangkok tonight classifieds Bangkok teen kills taxi driver, imitating online game Grand Theft Auto
Bangkok Post reports that a Polwat Chinno, a 19 year old Mathayom 6 (12th Grade) student stabbed a taxi driver to death in Bangkok yesterday, acting out a robbery he copied from the online game Grand Theft Auto (GTA). Police were called in by the neighbors to Soi Charan Sanitwong 77 in Bang Phlad district about 2.30 am after being woken up by a constantly blowing car horn and saw people struggling inside a pink color taxi.Police arrived and saw the student trying to steer the taxi backwards, but the soi (street) was a dead end. The teen had locked himself in the car but was finally persuaded to get out of the cab.The body of the taxi driver named Mr. Kuan Pohkang, 54, from Maha Sarakham, was on the back seat. He was stabbed about 10 times by two sharp knives that were found nearby. There was blood all over the vehicle.Police said Polwat confessed to being addicted to the online game Grand Theft Auto and said killing seemed easy in the game. He imitated a scene where a criminal kills a driver for his car to escape police. The game allows people to play the role of a criminal in a big city and climb up the criminal ladder. They are given various missions to complete, such as bank robbery and assassinations."I needed money to play the game every day. My parents give me only 100 Baht a day, which is not enough. I am also fed up with them fighting. They are civil servants and do not make good money," he said."Today (Saturday) my mother gave me 500 Baht, so in the evening I went to the Lotus superstore and bought knives." He flagged down one taxi near his house on Soi Charan Sanitwong 75, but the place was crowded so he did not make a move. He tried again and was picked up by Mr. Kuan the victim, hoping the older man would not resist him.When the taxi arrived at the destination, he pulled out a knife and held it against the driver's neck. He said he did not intend to kill him but the driver reached for a metal bar under a console and tried to hit the boy. He stabbed the driver several times, killing him, then dragged the body onto the back seat and sat behind the wheel. He could not drive, but thought it would be easy like in the game. He was still struggling with the car when police arrived.Mr. Manon Pohkang, 25, the victim's son, said he was shocked by the sudden loss of his father, who was the family's bread winner and was trying to repay loans to a bank and some loan sharks. "He was a nice man, who harmed no one," he said.Polwat was charged with robbery causing death and possession of knives.Teenage kids are so addicted to online games these days that they are mixing up virtual reality with the real world. It is such a tragic incident. I hope that the government takes stricter measures to control internet cafes to avoid such an incident in future. I used to enjoy playing GTA but not on the killing part, more of the relaxed driving part with my favorite music playing in the car, and then hijacking the next car that looks cooler.

bangkok tonight classifieds

bangkok tonight classifieds Bangkok teen kills taxi driver, imitating online game Grand Theft Auto
Bangkok Post reports that a Polwat Chinno, a 19 year old Mathayom 6 (12th Grade) student stabbed a taxi driver to death in Bangkok yesterday, acting out a robbery he copied from the online game Grand Theft Auto (GTA). Police were called in by the neighbors to Soi Charan Sanitwong 77 in Bang Phlad district about 2.30 am after being woken up by a constantly blowing car horn and saw people struggling inside a pink color taxi.Police arrived and saw the student trying to steer the taxi backwards, but the soi (street) was a dead end. The teen had locked himself in the car but was finally persuaded to get out of the cab.The body of the taxi driver named Mr. Kuan Pohkang, 54, from Maha Sarakham, was on the back seat. He was stabbed about 10 times by two sharp knives that were found nearby. There was blood all over the vehicle.Police said Polwat confessed to being addicted to the online game Grand Theft Auto and said killing seemed easy in the game. He imitated a scene where a criminal kills a driver for his car to escape police. The game allows people to play the role of a criminal in a big city and climb up the criminal ladder. They are given various missions to complete, such as bank robbery and assassinations."I needed money to play the game every day. My parents give me only 100 Baht a day, which is not enough. I am also fed up with them fighting. They are civil servants and do not make good money," he said."Today (Saturday) my mother gave me 500 Baht, so in the evening I went to the Lotus superstore and bought knives." He flagged down one taxi near his house on Soi Charan Sanitwong 75, but the place was crowded so he did not make a move. He tried again and was picked up by Mr. Kuan the victim, hoping the older man would not resist him.When the taxi arrived at the destination, he pulled out a knife and held it against the driver's neck. He said he did not intend to kill him but the driver reached for a metal bar under a console and tried to hit the boy. He stabbed the driver several times, killing him, then dragged the body onto the back seat and sat behind the wheel. He could not drive, but thought it would be easy like in the game. He was still struggling with the car when police arrived.Mr. Manon Pohkang, 25, the victim's son, said he was shocked by the sudden loss of his father, who was the family's bread winner and was trying to repay loans to a bank and some loan sharks. "He was a nice man, who harmed no one," he said.Polwat was charged with robbery causing death and possession of knives.Teenage kids are so addicted to online games these days that they are mixing up virtual reality with the real world. It is such a tragic incident. I hope that the government takes stricter measures to control internet cafes to avoid such an incident in future. I used to enjoy playing GTA but not on the killing part, more of the relaxed driving part with my favorite music playing in the car, and then hijacking the next car that looks cooler.

bangkok tonight one late night in bangkok

it seems that almost 3/4 of the population in bkk moonlight as an ah-go-go boy or girl. just like how we earn easy money by giving tuition. one late night over beer, fruit tea n coffee in a 24-hr joint off silom bangkok. we were attempting to make conversations with the ah-go-go boy, ahlong. luckily, ahlong was a thai-chinese so language wasnt much of a barrier since he could converse in chinese. jan wanted him to guess our occupation so she formulated an mcq n asked him to choose :-
a) insurance agent
b) teacher
c) zookeeper
d) dentist
doesnt need a rocket scientist (let alone an ah-go-go boy) to get the correct answer, right? :o)
last june’s trip to bkk was abt the best bkk trip that i’ve ever made. more highlights in future entries.

bangkok tonight one late night in bangkok

it seems that almost 3/4 of the population in bkk moonlight as an ah-go-go boy or girl. just like how we earn easy money by giving tuition. one late night over beer, fruit tea n coffee in a 24-hr joint off silom bangkok. we were attempting to make conversations with the ah-go-go boy, ahlong. luckily, ahlong was a thai-chinese so language wasnt much of a barrier since he could converse in chinese. jan wanted him to guess our occupation so she formulated an mcq n asked him to choose :-
a) insurance agent
b) teacher
c) zookeeper
d) dentist
doesnt need a rocket scientist (let alone an ah-go-go boy) to get the correct answer, right? :o)
last june’s trip to bkk was abt the best bkk trip that i’ve ever made. more highlights in future entries.

Tample in Bangkok Tours

Wat PhrakaewWat Phrakaew (with the Emerald Buddha)

and the Royal Grand Palace, are easily the most visited tourist sites in Bangkok. The complex was built during the Rattanakosin area (Bangkok), but incorporates various older architectural styles. Visitors are guided first to the Wat Phrakaew compound, and when exiting this compound enter the Royal Palace compound. Ideally one would need from 4-6 hours (with some drink stops) to cover the most important parts at leisure.Wat Arun or the 'temple of dawn' is located on the Thonburi site of the Chao Phraya river. It was once home to the Emerald Buddha. The major prang was built in the beginning of the 19th century, in what can be called Khmer-Thai style.Wat Traimit, Temple of the Golden Buddha, houses a 5 and a half ton Buddha image, which was only discovered some 50 years ago, having been plastered to avoid detection.

Wat Pho (Wat Phra Chetuphon)

BangkokWat Pho consists of a large compound just a few hundred meters south of the Royal Palace. It houses a marvellous 46 meters long, gilded reclining Buddha, in its own Vihara.Phra Maha Chedi Sri Rajakarn consists of four huge pagodas, corresponding to the reigns of the four first Thai kings of the Chakri dynasty.Wat Pho has long been involved in health. Different statues of hermits in exercise postures can be seen. At present Wat Pho is still a center for traditional Thai massage, which can be experienced in situ.The main chapel boundary wall is decorated with bas-reliefs from the Ramayana. You will see copies of the images on transparent pages all over Thailand.Wat Pho is a definite must on your visit to Bangkok.Wat Benchamabophit, BangkokAlso called the 'Marble' temple, since it is made of Carrera marble. Built by King Chulalongkorn (King Rama V) The main Buddha image is a copy of the famous Phra Phuttha Chinnarat at Phitsanulok.The gallery around Wat Benchamabophit has a substantial collection of Buddha images in different styles. They are both original Buddha images, and copies of original sculptures or bronze statues. (The image on the right here is in the 'Lopburi' style.Similar to other large temples, the compound around Wat Benchamabophit is quite spacious and makes for a pleasant walk. The monks' living quarters are quite colorful.Wat Bowonniwet, Loha Prasat, Golden Mount, Democracy Monument (Bangkok)As most other large temple complexes, Wat Bowonniwet offers, besides the religious buildings, gardens and greenery, and a possibility to get away from Bangkok's stiffling heat and congestion. An unusually large number of cats seem also to have found a home there.Loha Prasat, a quite original building, houses a Buddha relic.Golden Mount is most suitable for a visit in the late afternoon. Close to sunset, the light conditions are marvellous arond the gilded Chedi. Although only modestly elevated above the city, it offers a good view of the surroundings.Mahakan Fortress is a remnant of the old fortifications around Bangkok.Closeby is the Democracy Monument on a busy intersection. The central structure has a sculpture of a book on top, representing the constitution.Wat Suthat, Giant Swing

Wat Ratchabophit, City Hall, BangkokWat Suthat houses well known wall paintings (although rapidly deteriorating, with the best preserved ones high up the walls) and statues of Buddha surrounded by his disciples. There are some marvellous mother of pearl decorations on the doors.Closeby is a large square, with the Giant Swing, on which quite a few young men lost their live, before its use was prohibited. City Hall, a rather drab building is on the opposite site.Wat Ratchabophit is within close distance of the more visited Wat Pho. It has its own distinctive architectural style, small, with European influenced inside decorations.

Tample in Bangkok Tours

Wat PhrakaewWat Phrakaew (with the Emerald Buddha)

and the Royal Grand Palace, are easily the most visited tourist sites in Bangkok. The complex was built during the Rattanakosin area (Bangkok), but incorporates various older architectural styles. Visitors are guided first to the Wat Phrakaew compound, and when exiting this compound enter the Royal Palace compound. Ideally one would need from 4-6 hours (with some drink stops) to cover the most important parts at leisure.Wat Arun or the 'temple of dawn' is located on the Thonburi site of the Chao Phraya river. It was once home to the Emerald Buddha. The major prang was built in the beginning of the 19th century, in what can be called Khmer-Thai style.Wat Traimit, Temple of the Golden Buddha, houses a 5 and a half ton Buddha image, which was only discovered some 50 years ago, having been plastered to avoid detection.

Wat Pho (Wat Phra Chetuphon)

BangkokWat Pho consists of a large compound just a few hundred meters south of the Royal Palace. It houses a marvellous 46 meters long, gilded reclining Buddha, in its own Vihara.Phra Maha Chedi Sri Rajakarn consists of four huge pagodas, corresponding to the reigns of the four first Thai kings of the Chakri dynasty.Wat Pho has long been involved in health. Different statues of hermits in exercise postures can be seen. At present Wat Pho is still a center for traditional Thai massage, which can be experienced in situ.The main chapel boundary wall is decorated with bas-reliefs from the Ramayana. You will see copies of the images on transparent pages all over Thailand.Wat Pho is a definite must on your visit to Bangkok.Wat Benchamabophit, BangkokAlso called the 'Marble' temple, since it is made of Carrera marble. Built by King Chulalongkorn (King Rama V) The main Buddha image is a copy of the famous Phra Phuttha Chinnarat at Phitsanulok.The gallery around Wat Benchamabophit has a substantial collection of Buddha images in different styles. They are both original Buddha images, and copies of original sculptures or bronze statues. (The image on the right here is in the 'Lopburi' style.Similar to other large temples, the compound around Wat Benchamabophit is quite spacious and makes for a pleasant walk. The monks' living quarters are quite colorful.Wat Bowonniwet, Loha Prasat, Golden Mount, Democracy Monument (Bangkok)As most other large temple complexes, Wat Bowonniwet offers, besides the religious buildings, gardens and greenery, and a possibility to get away from Bangkok's stiffling heat and congestion. An unusually large number of cats seem also to have found a home there.Loha Prasat, a quite original building, houses a Buddha relic.Golden Mount is most suitable for a visit in the late afternoon. Close to sunset, the light conditions are marvellous arond the gilded Chedi. Although only modestly elevated above the city, it offers a good view of the surroundings.Mahakan Fortress is a remnant of the old fortifications around Bangkok.Closeby is the Democracy Monument on a busy intersection. The central structure has a sculpture of a book on top, representing the constitution.Wat Suthat, Giant Swing

Wat Ratchabophit, City Hall, BangkokWat Suthat houses well known wall paintings (although rapidly deteriorating, with the best preserved ones high up the walls) and statues of Buddha surrounded by his disciples. There are some marvellous mother of pearl decorations on the doors.Closeby is a large square, with the Giant Swing, on which quite a few young men lost their live, before its use was prohibited. City Hall, a rather drab building is on the opposite site.Wat Ratchabophit is within close distance of the more visited Wat Pho. It has its own distinctive architectural style, small, with European influenced inside decorations.

Thailand's airlines facing difficult times

By Nicholas Ionides
Thailand, one of Southeast Asia's most competitive markets for low-cost airline operations, is undergoing a period of major change as high fuel prices and weakening demand force much-needed restructuring.
The biggest change of late has been the recent grounding of domestic low-cost operator One-Two-Go. It claimed it was due to a need to restructure financially but Thai authorities insist it was a forced grounding due to preliminary findings of concern from the ongoing investigation into a fatal crash at Phuket a year ago.
A forced grounding or one that was coming anyway as a result of financial woes, One-Two-Go and most other Thai airlines have been facing troubled times of late, requiring quick corrective action. It is something they are not used to the country's three low-cost airlines - the others being Nok Air and Thai AirAsia - had all seen generally good times in terms of traffic growth since their launches in 2003 and 2004. The market has roughly tripled in size since then, from around 4 million passengers annually to more than 12 million.
In the weeks before its grounding, One-Two-Go had already parked some of its Boeing MD-80-series aircraft to help it cut costs. It said it was because of high fuel prices and weak economic conditions in Thailand that were impacting demand.
Udom Tantiprasongchai, chief executive of One-Two-Go's parent Orient Thai Airlines, told Airline Business sister publication Air Transport Intelligence that the carrier had been reducing operations "because the economy is so bad".
He said fuel price hikes had hit airlines in Thailand particularly hard as the country's carriers have to pay value-added tax on fuel, unlike in some other countries. But he also said the carrier will return some of its grounded aircraft to service when the peak tourist season begins later in the year. On its website it says it hopes to be flying again in September.
One-Two-Go is not the only Thai carrier that has radically reduced operations in recent weeks, however.
Nok Air, which is 39%-owned by national carrier Thai Airways International, has also been cutting back as a result of losses. It recently suspended its only international service, from Bangkok to Hanoi in Vietnam, and suspended services on several domestic routes. It also reduced frequency on many other domestic routes and will be reducing the size of its fleet.
The carrier, which has nine Boeing 737-400s and one ATR 72, is seeking to wet-lease aircraft out to other operators as a result of its cutbacks. It recently agreed a deal to wet-lease to Myanmar Airways International a 737 for international services between Yangon and both Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. MAI had previously been wet-leasing an MD-82 from Orient Thai but this deal ended when its One-Two-Go unit was grounded.
Nok chief executive Patee Sarasin, a former advertising industry executive turned airline boss, told local media recently that if oil reaches $170 a barrel "I am better off selling noodles" - a joking reference to the fact that he owns a noodle restaurant in Bangkok.
The Sydney-based Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation says that "Nok's outlook is tenuous", adding in jest that as food prices have also been going up "Patee Sarasin might have just as much trouble selling noodles".
Analysts say one of the problems facing Thailand's low-cost carriers is they have focused so heavily on winning market share in the domestic market, which is particularly price sensitive. This has made it difficult for them to pass on higher fuel costs through increased fares as this has a particularly harsh - and immediate - effect on demand.
Thai domestic market 2008-2004
Airline
ASK share August
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Thai Airways
52.8%
41.9%
44.9%
53.6%
59.2%
Thai AirAsia
23.2%
17.0%
13.4%
10.1%
8.1%
Bangkok Airways
15.1%
10.5%
11.9%
13.7%
11.1%
Nok Air
6.8%
14.1%
17.7%
10.6%
7.3%
Orient Thai/One Two Go*
0.8%
15.4%
10.3%
9.5%
9.2%
Others
1.4%
1.0%
1.7%
2.6%
5.1%
NOTE: *Orient Thai and One Two Go Airlines missing data for 2008.SOURCE: Innovata.
"The Thai domestic market is small and a big portion is transfer traffic from Bangkok which they can't get," says Mark Webb, a Hong Kong-based airline analyst. "It's hard to see how anyone makes money on it."
Nok and One-Two-Go have faced particularly tough times as they now rely exclusively on domestic operations (although One-Two-Go's parent Orient Thai operates limited international services).
Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia's 49%-owned Thai associate, Thai AirAsia, has also been losing money as a result of market over-saturation. Analysts have generally been critical of the carrier and its continuing weak financial state when compared to that of the main Malaysian operation, although some say it is in a somewhat better position than its rivals within Thailand as it also focuses on international services to better balance things.
AirAsia group head of finance Rozman Bin Omar says he sees things eventually turning better in Thailand as well as in Indonesia, where it has another 49%-owned associate carrier.
"Recently there have been some shake-ups in the industry in Indonesia and Thailand with some airlines cutting back capacity and even closing down," he says. "This bodes well for our Indonesian and Thai JVs. We remain strong in these two markets and our position will be even stronger as we replace the older 737s with the new Airbus A320s."
Full-service carrier Bangkok Airways, meanwhile, says it is not making cuts to domestic routes as a good portion of its traffic is feed from international services. It focuses more on this higher-yield traffic, much of it from foreign connecting passengers, and links several resort destinations. Analysts say this puts it in a better position than the budget carriers but they note that political instability could impact inbound tourism and in turn affect Bangkok Airways as well.
The airline says it is making some international route cuts to help it deal with increases in fuel prices, but stresses that this will enable it to allocate capacity elsewhere where demand is stronger. It adds that it will be suspending services between Bangkok and Shenzhen in China on 15 August and suspending services between Bangkok and Fukuoka in Japan on 1 October. In addition, Bangkok Airways will reduce frequency between Bangkok and Hiroshima in Japan on 1 October to two flights per week from three.
"Everyone has to tighten their belts now," says Bankgkok Airways. "We are going over all the routes that make the least money and we will adjust our network as we need to. But we are looking to increase our flights in other areas and we will announce those when they are ready."
Thai Airways, meanwhile, relies more than most other Thai carriers on international traffic, including those transferring to its domestic flights which it scaled back radically several years ago.
However, it too has been making international network cuts as a result of rapidly eroding earnings. It recently said it would sell its ultra-long-range Airbus A340-500s and has dropped non-stop services from Bangkok to New York. Bangkok-Los Angeles will also be switched to one-stop services soon and the carrier has reduced the frequency of services to several other international destinations.
Thai says that despite continuing increases in revenues, yields have been falling as its ticket and fuel surcharge hikes have not been able to keep up with fuel price rises.
Thai domestic market 2008-2004
Airline
Weekly seats available August
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Thai Airways
135,001
132,598
142,598
155,019
162,682
Thai AirAsia
54,552
50,820
38,962
26,866
22,344
Bangkok Airways
46,699
40,671
45,937
49,320
36,110
Nok Air
17,324
44,349
57,567
29,800
20,860
Orient Thai/One Two Go*
1,800
45,732
32,760
26,740
23,684
Others
4,880
4,354
6,352
8,890
17,116
NOTES: *Orient Thai and One Two Go Airlines missing data for 2008.SOURCE: Innovata.
Analysts say Thai's business model, which is focused largely on long-haul leisure traffic, leaves it at a disadvantage in the current environment to other Asia-Pacific flag carriers. Singapore Airlines, for example, focuses far more on high-yield business traffic, which allows it to pass on fuel price hikes to passengers more easily.
Thai's board is increasingly concerned about the carrier's deteriorating financial state. In June, at a tense board meeting at which directors discussed how the national carrier is in "crisis" due to rising costs, president Apinan Sumanaseni was abruptly stripped of his management powers, which at Thai is the equivalent of being sacked.
The airline's chairman stepped in and managed to convince several fellow board members to reconsider the move and Apinan was promptly reinstated. But whether he will survive another ousting attempt by board members opposed to him remaining in the job is still in question.
The carrier said in a stock exchange announcement that Apinan will from now on be under "close monitoring by the board of directors". With the market undergoing such a dramatic period of uncertainty, this is probably something all other airline boards in Thailand are doing with their top managers as well.

Thailand's airlines facing difficult times

By Nicholas Ionides
Thailand, one of Southeast Asia's most competitive markets for low-cost airline operations, is undergoing a period of major change as high fuel prices and weakening demand force much-needed restructuring.
The biggest change of late has been the recent grounding of domestic low-cost operator One-Two-Go. It claimed it was due to a need to restructure financially but Thai authorities insist it was a forced grounding due to preliminary findings of concern from the ongoing investigation into a fatal crash at Phuket a year ago.
A forced grounding or one that was coming anyway as a result of financial woes, One-Two-Go and most other Thai airlines have been facing troubled times of late, requiring quick corrective action. It is something they are not used to the country's three low-cost airlines - the others being Nok Air and Thai AirAsia - had all seen generally good times in terms of traffic growth since their launches in 2003 and 2004. The market has roughly tripled in size since then, from around 4 million passengers annually to more than 12 million.
In the weeks before its grounding, One-Two-Go had already parked some of its Boeing MD-80-series aircraft to help it cut costs. It said it was because of high fuel prices and weak economic conditions in Thailand that were impacting demand.
Udom Tantiprasongchai, chief executive of One-Two-Go's parent Orient Thai Airlines, told Airline Business sister publication Air Transport Intelligence that the carrier had been reducing operations "because the economy is so bad".
He said fuel price hikes had hit airlines in Thailand particularly hard as the country's carriers have to pay value-added tax on fuel, unlike in some other countries. But he also said the carrier will return some of its grounded aircraft to service when the peak tourist season begins later in the year. On its website it says it hopes to be flying again in September.
One-Two-Go is not the only Thai carrier that has radically reduced operations in recent weeks, however.
Nok Air, which is 39%-owned by national carrier Thai Airways International, has also been cutting back as a result of losses. It recently suspended its only international service, from Bangkok to Hanoi in Vietnam, and suspended services on several domestic routes. It also reduced frequency on many other domestic routes and will be reducing the size of its fleet.
The carrier, which has nine Boeing 737-400s and one ATR 72, is seeking to wet-lease aircraft out to other operators as a result of its cutbacks. It recently agreed a deal to wet-lease to Myanmar Airways International a 737 for international services between Yangon and both Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. MAI had previously been wet-leasing an MD-82 from Orient Thai but this deal ended when its One-Two-Go unit was grounded.
Nok chief executive Patee Sarasin, a former advertising industry executive turned airline boss, told local media recently that if oil reaches $170 a barrel "I am better off selling noodles" - a joking reference to the fact that he owns a noodle restaurant in Bangkok.
The Sydney-based Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation says that "Nok's outlook is tenuous", adding in jest that as food prices have also been going up "Patee Sarasin might have just as much trouble selling noodles".
Analysts say one of the problems facing Thailand's low-cost carriers is they have focused so heavily on winning market share in the domestic market, which is particularly price sensitive. This has made it difficult for them to pass on higher fuel costs through increased fares as this has a particularly harsh - and immediate - effect on demand.
Thai domestic market 2008-2004
Airline
ASK share August
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Thai Airways
52.8%
41.9%
44.9%
53.6%
59.2%
Thai AirAsia
23.2%
17.0%
13.4%
10.1%
8.1%
Bangkok Airways
15.1%
10.5%
11.9%
13.7%
11.1%
Nok Air
6.8%
14.1%
17.7%
10.6%
7.3%
Orient Thai/One Two Go*
0.8%
15.4%
10.3%
9.5%
9.2%
Others
1.4%
1.0%
1.7%
2.6%
5.1%
NOTE: *Orient Thai and One Two Go Airlines missing data for 2008.SOURCE: Innovata.
"The Thai domestic market is small and a big portion is transfer traffic from Bangkok which they can't get," says Mark Webb, a Hong Kong-based airline analyst. "It's hard to see how anyone makes money on it."
Nok and One-Two-Go have faced particularly tough times as they now rely exclusively on domestic operations (although One-Two-Go's parent Orient Thai operates limited international services).
Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia's 49%-owned Thai associate, Thai AirAsia, has also been losing money as a result of market over-saturation. Analysts have generally been critical of the carrier and its continuing weak financial state when compared to that of the main Malaysian operation, although some say it is in a somewhat better position than its rivals within Thailand as it also focuses on international services to better balance things.
AirAsia group head of finance Rozman Bin Omar says he sees things eventually turning better in Thailand as well as in Indonesia, where it has another 49%-owned associate carrier.
"Recently there have been some shake-ups in the industry in Indonesia and Thailand with some airlines cutting back capacity and even closing down," he says. "This bodes well for our Indonesian and Thai JVs. We remain strong in these two markets and our position will be even stronger as we replace the older 737s with the new Airbus A320s."
Full-service carrier Bangkok Airways, meanwhile, says it is not making cuts to domestic routes as a good portion of its traffic is feed from international services. It focuses more on this higher-yield traffic, much of it from foreign connecting passengers, and links several resort destinations. Analysts say this puts it in a better position than the budget carriers but they note that political instability could impact inbound tourism and in turn affect Bangkok Airways as well.
The airline says it is making some international route cuts to help it deal with increases in fuel prices, but stresses that this will enable it to allocate capacity elsewhere where demand is stronger. It adds that it will be suspending services between Bangkok and Shenzhen in China on 15 August and suspending services between Bangkok and Fukuoka in Japan on 1 October. In addition, Bangkok Airways will reduce frequency between Bangkok and Hiroshima in Japan on 1 October to two flights per week from three.
"Everyone has to tighten their belts now," says Bankgkok Airways. "We are going over all the routes that make the least money and we will adjust our network as we need to. But we are looking to increase our flights in other areas and we will announce those when they are ready."
Thai Airways, meanwhile, relies more than most other Thai carriers on international traffic, including those transferring to its domestic flights which it scaled back radically several years ago.
However, it too has been making international network cuts as a result of rapidly eroding earnings. It recently said it would sell its ultra-long-range Airbus A340-500s and has dropped non-stop services from Bangkok to New York. Bangkok-Los Angeles will also be switched to one-stop services soon and the carrier has reduced the frequency of services to several other international destinations.
Thai says that despite continuing increases in revenues, yields have been falling as its ticket and fuel surcharge hikes have not been able to keep up with fuel price rises.
Thai domestic market 2008-2004
Airline
Weekly seats available August
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Thai Airways
135,001
132,598
142,598
155,019
162,682
Thai AirAsia
54,552
50,820
38,962
26,866
22,344
Bangkok Airways
46,699
40,671
45,937
49,320
36,110
Nok Air
17,324
44,349
57,567
29,800
20,860
Orient Thai/One Two Go*
1,800
45,732
32,760
26,740
23,684
Others
4,880
4,354
6,352
8,890
17,116
NOTES: *Orient Thai and One Two Go Airlines missing data for 2008.SOURCE: Innovata.
Analysts say Thai's business model, which is focused largely on long-haul leisure traffic, leaves it at a disadvantage in the current environment to other Asia-Pacific flag carriers. Singapore Airlines, for example, focuses far more on high-yield business traffic, which allows it to pass on fuel price hikes to passengers more easily.
Thai's board is increasingly concerned about the carrier's deteriorating financial state. In June, at a tense board meeting at which directors discussed how the national carrier is in "crisis" due to rising costs, president Apinan Sumanaseni was abruptly stripped of his management powers, which at Thai is the equivalent of being sacked.
The airline's chairman stepped in and managed to convince several fellow board members to reconsider the move and Apinan was promptly reinstated. But whether he will survive another ousting attempt by board members opposed to him remaining in the job is still in question.
The carrier said in a stock exchange announcement that Apinan will from now on be under "close monitoring by the board of directors". With the market undergoing such a dramatic period of uncertainty, this is probably something all other airline boards in Thailand are doing with their top managers as well.

Home Mortgage Loans for Foreigners with Bangkok Bank

Home Mortgage Loans for Foreigners with Bangkok Bank
A foreigner in Thailand desiring to buy a house, a condo, or land must be in possession of a resident permit, passport, work permit, house registration, and foreigner voucher. They also need to have income of at least 200,000 baht per month. If a foreigner abides by these conditions, he or she can buy property in Thailand and mortgage the property with Bangkok Bank. The mortgage documents will not need to be sent to Singapore for review.
If the foreigner is not in possession of the required documents, yet desires to have property in Thailand, the foreigner will need to marry a Thai national, and have the Thai buy the property in his place. However, the foreigner cannot be owner of the property, i.e. claim title deed rights to the property. The mortgage documents will also need to be sent to Singapore.
Bangkok Bank will provide a loan of not more than 70% of the requested loan to foreigners for purchasing a house with property, a town house, a condo, or construction of a home. The bank’s mortgage assessment guidelines depend on the assessment of the Land Department and the market price. Processing a request for mortgage credit takes around 14 working days.
In the event a foreigner has possessory rights to Nor Sor 3 land, the foreigner can request a mortgage loan from Bangkok Bank if the foreigner provides evidence of land ownership or possessory rights.
The fee for registering a mortgage at the Land Department is the responsibility of the borrower. The rate is 1 percent of the mortgage price.
Request for mortgage credit for buying land must be for construction of a home on the land only, in an appropriate location, and not more than 1 rai.
For more information, please contact Bangkok Bank directly at 333 Silom Road, Bangkok 10500, email info@bangkokbank.com, tel + 66 (0) 2 230 1000 or 66 (0) 2 231 4333.

Home Mortgage Loans for Foreigners with Bangkok Bank

Home Mortgage Loans for Foreigners with Bangkok Bank
A foreigner in Thailand desiring to buy a house, a condo, or land must be in possession of a resident permit, passport, work permit, house registration, and foreigner voucher. They also need to have income of at least 200,000 baht per month. If a foreigner abides by these conditions, he or she can buy property in Thailand and mortgage the property with Bangkok Bank. The mortgage documents will not need to be sent to Singapore for review.
If the foreigner is not in possession of the required documents, yet desires to have property in Thailand, the foreigner will need to marry a Thai national, and have the Thai buy the property in his place. However, the foreigner cannot be owner of the property, i.e. claim title deed rights to the property. The mortgage documents will also need to be sent to Singapore.
Bangkok Bank will provide a loan of not more than 70% of the requested loan to foreigners for purchasing a house with property, a town house, a condo, or construction of a home. The bank’s mortgage assessment guidelines depend on the assessment of the Land Department and the market price. Processing a request for mortgage credit takes around 14 working days.
In the event a foreigner has possessory rights to Nor Sor 3 land, the foreigner can request a mortgage loan from Bangkok Bank if the foreigner provides evidence of land ownership or possessory rights.
The fee for registering a mortgage at the Land Department is the responsibility of the borrower. The rate is 1 percent of the mortgage price.
Request for mortgage credit for buying land must be for construction of a home on the land only, in an appropriate location, and not more than 1 rai.
For more information, please contact Bangkok Bank directly at 333 Silom Road, Bangkok 10500, email info@bangkokbank.com, tel + 66 (0) 2 230 1000 or 66 (0) 2 231 4333.

Bangkok Bistro: Thai Food at its Best

by Adam
I am rather reluctant to write this food blog because I don’t want to reveal this hidden gem to the Boston Food World-at-Large.Bangkok Bistro: Thai Cuisine. Do not be fooled by the restaurant’s décor. Outside the restaurant is pink. Inside, the walls are a turquoise green, there are fish tanks everywhere, pictures of Bangkok, etc. Endure this, and you will be rewarded with the best Thai food I have ever tasted. Seriously. If you can make it to the restaurant for lunch (they are not open for lunch on Monday, but these specials apply for the weekend as well), then you should order off of their lunch specials menu. For $8.95 (the price has gone up recently) you get a bowl of Tom Yum Soup (the best version of the soup I’ve ever had), an entrée and a side appetizer. Even at $9 it is still worth it. Even though I’ve had the Tom Yum Soup multiple times, every time I eat it I am still hit by the spices and immediately have a coughing attack that lasts for a minute exactly. But I can’t help myself…the soup is too good to let a little tickle in my throat stop me. The lunch version of the soup contains 2 pieces of chicken and 1 shrimp. If you order it separately you can specify chicken or shrimp and then you get more meat. They add mushrooms right before serving and, even though I’m not really a mushroom fan, I love them in this soup. A tip if you are ordering this soup to take-out is to ask them to include the mushrooms on the side and then they do not shrivel up in the hot broth! I know my stuff.For the appetizer sides, I highly recommend three: the spring rolls, the golden triangles, and the chicken wings. The spring rolls are crunchy and delicious…but after one of them I am usually satisfied. So what I like to do is ask for 1 spring roll and 1 golden triangle: the best of both worlds! The golden triangle is also crunchy but contains a vegetable puree inside that nicely offsets the sweet dipping sauce it is served with. While the chicken wings look very similar to a chicken wing you would order at a Chinese restaurant, the spice rub they add gives them a unique taste—I would say a little curry and a little cumin might be used.The entrée portion at lunch is nicely sized. I have 2 favorites—Pad Thai and Yellow Curry with either beef or chicken depending on my mood. The Pad Thai is slightly sweet and contains big pieces of chicken and small shrimps. They do not overload it with too many peanuts or bean sprouts—something I appreciate very much. The Yellow Curry is served with a generous portion of rice. The sauce contains potatoes and pineapple. Mostly I order the yellow curry because I like the pineapple and potatoes it comes with—there are many other curries (red, green, masaman, basil, “wild wild wild,” choo chee, mango, panang…) and they are served with other vegetables (eggplant, peppers, bamboo, onion, carrot, baby corns).I love the people that run Bangkok Bistro. I frequent the restaurant so much that they have come to recognize me when I come in. Their customer service is wonderful, and on occasion, they have provided us with a sampling of some of their favorites dishes: their shumai (shrimp dumplings) are tender little bites of goodness, the satay (both chicken and beef) are well flavored and come with cucumber sauce and peanut sauce. Tip: If you order the Bistro Sampler you get the best of all of their appetizers. Finally, their Thai iced tea (although too sweet for me) is a favorite with many other visitors.I have also been to the restaurant for dinner, and while you don’t get the same deal as the lunch special, the food is just as good at night! My advice for dining there at night is this: bring a friend or a date who will have a good sense of humor about the décor, order the Tom Yum Soup (if you cough like I do when you eat it, it will be a great ice breaker), order a sweet dish and a spicy dish (they can make their drunken noodle dish VERY spicy on request) and share a great evening of food and fun! Bangkok Bistro gets an A.

Bangkok Bistro: Thai Food at its Best

by Adam
I am rather reluctant to write this food blog because I don’t want to reveal this hidden gem to the Boston Food World-at-Large.Bangkok Bistro: Thai Cuisine. Do not be fooled by the restaurant’s décor. Outside the restaurant is pink. Inside, the walls are a turquoise green, there are fish tanks everywhere, pictures of Bangkok, etc. Endure this, and you will be rewarded with the best Thai food I have ever tasted. Seriously. If you can make it to the restaurant for lunch (they are not open for lunch on Monday, but these specials apply for the weekend as well), then you should order off of their lunch specials menu. For $8.95 (the price has gone up recently) you get a bowl of Tom Yum Soup (the best version of the soup I’ve ever had), an entrée and a side appetizer. Even at $9 it is still worth it. Even though I’ve had the Tom Yum Soup multiple times, every time I eat it I am still hit by the spices and immediately have a coughing attack that lasts for a minute exactly. But I can’t help myself…the soup is too good to let a little tickle in my throat stop me. The lunch version of the soup contains 2 pieces of chicken and 1 shrimp. If you order it separately you can specify chicken or shrimp and then you get more meat. They add mushrooms right before serving and, even though I’m not really a mushroom fan, I love them in this soup. A tip if you are ordering this soup to take-out is to ask them to include the mushrooms on the side and then they do not shrivel up in the hot broth! I know my stuff.For the appetizer sides, I highly recommend three: the spring rolls, the golden triangles, and the chicken wings. The spring rolls are crunchy and delicious…but after one of them I am usually satisfied. So what I like to do is ask for 1 spring roll and 1 golden triangle: the best of both worlds! The golden triangle is also crunchy but contains a vegetable puree inside that nicely offsets the sweet dipping sauce it is served with. While the chicken wings look very similar to a chicken wing you would order at a Chinese restaurant, the spice rub they add gives them a unique taste—I would say a little curry and a little cumin might be used.The entrée portion at lunch is nicely sized. I have 2 favorites—Pad Thai and Yellow Curry with either beef or chicken depending on my mood. The Pad Thai is slightly sweet and contains big pieces of chicken and small shrimps. They do not overload it with too many peanuts or bean sprouts—something I appreciate very much. The Yellow Curry is served with a generous portion of rice. The sauce contains potatoes and pineapple. Mostly I order the yellow curry because I like the pineapple and potatoes it comes with—there are many other curries (red, green, masaman, basil, “wild wild wild,” choo chee, mango, panang…) and they are served with other vegetables (eggplant, peppers, bamboo, onion, carrot, baby corns).I love the people that run Bangkok Bistro. I frequent the restaurant so much that they have come to recognize me when I come in. Their customer service is wonderful, and on occasion, they have provided us with a sampling of some of their favorites dishes: their shumai (shrimp dumplings) are tender little bites of goodness, the satay (both chicken and beef) are well flavored and come with cucumber sauce and peanut sauce. Tip: If you order the Bistro Sampler you get the best of all of their appetizers. Finally, their Thai iced tea (although too sweet for me) is a favorite with many other visitors.I have also been to the restaurant for dinner, and while you don’t get the same deal as the lunch special, the food is just as good at night! My advice for dining there at night is this: bring a friend or a date who will have a good sense of humor about the décor, order the Tom Yum Soup (if you cough like I do when you eat it, it will be a great ice breaker), order a sweet dish and a spicy dish (they can make their drunken noodle dish VERY spicy on request) and share a great evening of food and fun! Bangkok Bistro gets an A.

99 years Bangkok Hilton for teenage drug smuggler

Micheal Cornell, a 19 year old British youngster has been sentenced to 99 years Bangkok Hilton by a Thailand court, which translates in imprisoned for live at Klong Prem prison, nicknamed "The Bangkok Hilton".
The father of the British boy now starting to serve his 99 year "Bangkok Hilton" sentence in Thailand for drug smuggling said today he was "absolutely devastated" by the sentence past on his son.
Michael Connell, 19, was arrested at Bangkok Don Muang airport last November when 3400 class-1 ecstasy tablets were found hidden in 2 body lotion containers in his luggage.
Connell, from Bury, Greater Manchester, escaped the death sentence in Thailand, by admitting yesterday to the Bangkok court, that he was trying to smuggle 2,9 million Baht (US$ 74,500) worth of drugs into Thailand. The sentence passed on him yesterday, was 99 years imprisonment at the "Bangkok Hilton".
Micheal's father, Derek Connell, said the family had hoped for a sentence of only 25 years, after pleating guilty, and said they planned to appeal the judgment of the Bangkok court.
Derek Connell further said: "We had been told that the death penalty or live imprisonment would be reduced to only 50 years and even maybe to 25 years because of the young age of Micheal."
"But that didn't happen. Micheal admitted to his crime and the Thailand justice department hit him with the full 99 years. I'm devastated but what can we do? We will appeal the decision and just take it from there on.", Derek added
Mr Derek Connell, a 48-year-old British taxi driver, has visited his son only once in the prison in Thailand but could not be present for the sentencing yesterday. He was told the terrible news by a British Embassy official and has not been able to speak to his son since the sentence was passed yesterday.
He said his son, who is currently held at Klong Prem prison, which is dubbed the "Bangkok Hilton", writes regular letters to the family which describe the prison's conditions as "bad" but does not mention any further details.
"When I visited the "Bangkok Hilton" jail they take you to the prison area they want you to see, a little area which has tropical plants and little ponds with "Koi Carp" fish in them. But it is a complete different story in the actual jail. People who have seen the conditions say they are horrendous, worse than you can imagine Hell.", Derek Connell said.
Mr Connell, who lives in Bury, admits he believe his son tried to smuggled the drugs into Thailand to pay off a small debt.
He said: "Michael is 19 but has a mental age of a 14 old. From what I can gather, he got into debt, probably just a few hundred pounds, and he was persuaded to smuggle the tablets to Thailand to pay off the debt. Micheal is very naive and he has learning difficulties, so he was the perfect target for drug dealers that always need someone to do their dirty courier work.

99 years Bangkok Hilton for teenage drug smuggler

Micheal Cornell, a 19 year old British youngster has been sentenced to 99 years Bangkok Hilton by a Thailand court, which translates in imprisoned for live at Klong Prem prison, nicknamed "The Bangkok Hilton".
The father of the British boy now starting to serve his 99 year "Bangkok Hilton" sentence in Thailand for drug smuggling said today he was "absolutely devastated" by the sentence past on his son.
Michael Connell, 19, was arrested at Bangkok Don Muang airport last November when 3400 class-1 ecstasy tablets were found hidden in 2 body lotion containers in his luggage.
Connell, from Bury, Greater Manchester, escaped the death sentence in Thailand, by admitting yesterday to the Bangkok court, that he was trying to smuggle 2,9 million Baht (US$ 74,500) worth of drugs into Thailand. The sentence passed on him yesterday, was 99 years imprisonment at the "Bangkok Hilton".
Micheal's father, Derek Connell, said the family had hoped for a sentence of only 25 years, after pleating guilty, and said they planned to appeal the judgment of the Bangkok court.
Derek Connell further said: "We had been told that the death penalty or live imprisonment would be reduced to only 50 years and even maybe to 25 years because of the young age of Micheal."
"But that didn't happen. Micheal admitted to his crime and the Thailand justice department hit him with the full 99 years. I'm devastated but what can we do? We will appeal the decision and just take it from there on.", Derek added
Mr Derek Connell, a 48-year-old British taxi driver, has visited his son only once in the prison in Thailand but could not be present for the sentencing yesterday. He was told the terrible news by a British Embassy official and has not been able to speak to his son since the sentence was passed yesterday.
He said his son, who is currently held at Klong Prem prison, which is dubbed the "Bangkok Hilton", writes regular letters to the family which describe the prison's conditions as "bad" but does not mention any further details.
"When I visited the "Bangkok Hilton" jail they take you to the prison area they want you to see, a little area which has tropical plants and little ponds with "Koi Carp" fish in them. But it is a complete different story in the actual jail. People who have seen the conditions say they are horrendous, worse than you can imagine Hell.", Derek Connell said.
Mr Connell, who lives in Bury, admits he believe his son tried to smuggled the drugs into Thailand to pay off a small debt.
He said: "Michael is 19 but has a mental age of a 14 old. From what I can gather, he got into debt, probably just a few hundred pounds, and he was persuaded to smuggle the tablets to Thailand to pay off the debt. Micheal is very naive and he has learning difficulties, so he was the perfect target for drug dealers that always need someone to do their dirty courier work.