Thailand Coup: Living in the South

At 3am on May 20th 2014 The Royal Thai army declared that the political protests which had plagued the country for the last six months had gone to far and declared martial law with the intention of bringing the bickering parties together for talks. Two days later and with seemingly no breakthrough in the talks the RTA (Royal Thai Army) decided to take over and mount a military coup d'état. The coup was the twelfth in the past eighty years creating a seemingly unbreakable cycle where coup's are an integral part of the Thai political system.

I am not going to use this blog to talk about political ideologies and the rights and wrongs of the militaries intervention in civilian politics. Instead I am going to talk about the ways in which the coup has had a direct impact on me, an expat living in the south of Thailand. Expats who are living in Bangkok have clearly felt the brunt of the coup far more then those living in the provinces, who unless they follow the news could actually be oblivious to anything that is happening.

The number one military order that is going to affect expats is the curfew which is currently in place. The law dictates that no one should be on the streets between the hours of 10pm and 5am. The army has also stated that it is illegal to gather in groups of more then five people. I can see from reports that this rule was being strictly adhered to in the nations capital of Bangkok, at least in the beginning. In the south of Thailand the rule seems to be lightly enforced at best. The large businesses (7-11 etc) and most large bars and pubs are enforcing the curfew and are closing before the designated time. I think the fact that the bars and restaurants are closed is leading to as much of a decline in people on the streets then the orders given by the military. Many small shops, markets and certainly street vendors are not following the rule at all. On the first day of the curfew I decided to go out slightly after curfew hours to see who was about and was able to buy my usual roti and chai yen with absolutely no problem. I have noticed that checkpoints are dotted around here and there but as usual they tend to just wave foreigners through. The checkpoints are administered by the police rather then the army down here and appear to be set up in rather random positions.

One positive I have noticed from the coup is that the army have removed all of the protest areas situated around the provinces city halls and given them a thorough clean. The actual protest areas were generally quite small but they always attracted a large number of market stools selling protest paraphernalia which usually blocked large parts of the roads. The towns certainly look cleaner then before the military had taken over. I can honestly say that I don't feel in danger living through the coup and there are both positives and negatives to the coup being enforced. Thailand will not only have to deal with the technicalities of enforcing martial law but also deal with the inevitable backlash which is likely to come. The political minefield and centre stage is firmly pointed at Bangkok though and I seriously doubt that we will see any sort of social unrest in the south. 

The truth is that the coup has not had too much of an impact on the daily life of the people in the south. The people are still going to work, socialise and discuss politics in the same way they were before. The military also hasn't imposed any orders which the average foreigner would find deeply unsettling either. The internet is still largely accessible and there has been no move yet to curtail and limit the use of social media. The army hasn't imposed alcohol bans or stepped up checks on foreigners yet so most people are generally content even if politically they don't agree with the coup.

7 Ways to Keep Cool in Thailand

Tourists and Expats come to Thailand for a magnitude of different reasons and all have their own stories and experiences to share, however there is one single experience that everyone who has ever entered the kingdom (or neighbouring SEA country) has had. That experience is the first time you emerge from the comfortable climate artificially maintained at the airport. Emerging from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport you are faced with not only an extreme heat but a heat that is intensified further by the humidity and pollution in Bangkok's air. I for one find the climate in Bangkok nearly unliveable but once you leave the capital you will soon start to see the difference not only in the air quality but a drop in real time temperatures as well. These are my top seven tips for keeping cool in Thailand

1. Water

Everybody knows that you should drink enough water especially when in hot weather and keeping rehydrated really in the best way to stay cool in this climate. Forget about targeting yourself to drink 8 pints of water today because this just isn't enough. It is true that you get a large percentage of your fluid intake from foods but the amount of sweating that you're going to do in Thailand is soon going to ware this pretty thin. Most Thai people will reach straight for plain water when they feel thirsty and this is exactly what you should do to. It is of course always tempting to have an ice cold beer at lunchtime as you lounge on the beach but what's not so nice is the dehydrating effects of alcohol which are intensified by the extreme heat. Being a Brit I would never advocate being teetotal just recommend that you do your drinking in the evening by which time the temperatures will have dropped dramatically.

2. Fruit

The importance of getting enough water really cannot be overstated which is why eating fruit is also a great way to keep cool in Thailand. Fresh fruit is found in abundance all over Thailand and best of all it is really cheap. I make sure that I always follow my lunch off with a small bag of either pineapple or watermelon which costs 10 baht. The fruit vendors can normally be seen at the side of the road and always have an abundance of different fruits to choose from. They also make for great snacks and for those on a diet the combination of readily available cheap fruit and a climate which encourages continuous sweating makes Thailand an ideal place for weight loss! (if you don't get to engrossed in delicious Thai food that is) 

3. Spicy Food

It really isn't a coincidence that most of the world hottest countries also have the hottest foods. The fact is that the spice from the ingredients commonly used in Thai cuisine promote perspiration. While this doesn't sound like the most desirable effect the spicy Thai food in combination with the magnitude of water you should be drinking will help you sweat off the heat in no time and also get rid of those unwanted toxins from the night before a little quicker. Be careful not to get to fond of the delicious Thai food though because even though you'll be shedding the pounds through sweat it's easy to pile them back on with rice!

4. Light Clothes

This is another obvious tip and even though some of the locals like to go out in the midday sun in their skinny jeans and tight shirts I really wouldn't recommend it for us. The best advice is to keep the clothes as light as you can and don't wear anything which is too slim fitting. That tight fitting designer t-shirt might look great back in London but here you'll be walking around a sweaty mess which isn't a great look for anyone. You really can't go wrong with shorts and a light t-shirt and remember unless you're at the beach ALWAYS wear a shirt, it is considered extremely rude to go topless in a public place (worse so if you're a women!) 

5. Shower

The cold shower will soon become one of your greatest pleasures in life. Unless you've had the air conditioning blasting out at 18 degrees all day a cold shower is always going to feel more refreshing then a hot one. I would recommend taking multiple showers a day depending on your activity levels even if it' only a simple rinse off. One of the great things about the south of Thailand is that when it gets too hot we can just head over to the beach and jump into the sea, that really is a great way to cool down. 

6. Air Conditioning (Use Sparingly) 

The air conditioner really is a useful piece of technology because it allows us to artificially simulate any climate we want (within reason). If you are visiting Thailand on a short holiday of course it's fine to be liberal with your use of air conditioning. I can see no reason why you would want to subject yourself to uncomfortable temperatures on your holiday, so just try to stay in the air conditioning when it's really hot and enjoy yourself. If you are travelling in Thailand and you find you are getting too hot you can easily jump into an air conditioned place to cool down (7-11 is a great place for this). I would guess that most people in the malls of Bangkok have no intension of actually buying anything and are merely lapping up the free air conditioning before they head off on their merry way.  Those of us who either live here or are here for an extended period of time really should try to avoid an over reliance on air conditioning and instead use it as either a quick cool down technique or use it at a higher temperature (28+). A quick blast of the air conditioning on the lowest setting for 10 minutes should be enough to cool you down from even the most intense heat. 

7. Adapt

The reason I said that people living here long term shouldn't overly rely on air condition is because they will fail to adapt to the climate. If you never embrace the heat and only spend your time in artificially temperate conditions then the moment you are forced out of that comfort you are going to suffer. I recently wrote an article on living in Thailand without air conditioning and while that may be a little extreme for some rationing your consumption even if only a little will help you to adapt to the climate better. I think that if you follow the first six tips then the seventh will come naturally and you will adapt to the climate very quickly. Adapting to the climate means that you will have far greater freedom and save money in the progress, surely a win win all round?

Living in Thailand Without Air Conditioning

Thailand is one of the hottest countries in the world so you know that if even the Thai people who are well adapted to the heat complain and suffer from it's effects then farangs (foreigners) would find it unbearable. White skinned foreigners in Thailand invariably come from countries with much cooler climates then Thailand and so it takes us quite a while to adapt to the tropical climate.  The vast majority of foreigners living in the country will spend most of their time in the comfort of air conditioning but if you can try to adapt to the weather and make some compromises then not only can you enjoy cost savings but you will  also be able feel much better when out in the heat. 

I would say that all foreigners who move to Thailand without recent previous experience of living in a tropical country will need air conditioning for the first few months, while they adapt to the heat. The heat felt in Thailand isn't the typical heat that you would find in southern Europe or America because although temperatures may be comparable the humidly felt here is far higher. The humidity combined with the increased pollution experienced if you live in the capital can make it physically unbearable for someone not used to this climate. I remember vividly the first time I came to Thailand I left Suvarnabhumi airport and the sheer heat was unlike anything I had ever experienced. At this time I was a smoker and I found it physically impossible to inhale my cigarettes outside for the first week or so. 

I have lived in two air conditioned apartments during my time in Thailand and to be honest at the beginning the comparably high electricity bills that come with running an air conditioning unit were totally worth it. The fact that both apartments were on the third floor meant that running air conditioning was an absolute must. The one downside to living in this air conditioned luxury was that I never fully adapted to the climate. I would say that most of my time was spent in air conditioning because I would spend most of my day in the air conditioned staff room at school. The fact that I never really adapted to the heat meant that when I was forced to go outside for an extended period of time I would suffer the consequences. I remember vividly the time when my first school had a sports day event and we were required to be outside for the whole day and all three foreign teachers came back bright red, dehydrated and physically sick. 

My decision to move to a place without air conditioning was not based on the fact that I wanted to adapt more. The reason I moved was that I could get much better value for money accommodation if I were to move to a place without air conditioning. I have previously written an article which explains my accommodation in more depth and that I was able to find a two floored, two bedroom house without air conditioning for roughly the same amount of money as a one roomed apartment with air conditioning. I moved into my house completely cold turkey and decided that I would only be using fans in the future. 

I have seen that some Thai people are happy to sit around without air conditioning and without fans in the most intense heat. I will never be able to do this and the fans that I own are probably the most important equipment that I have in my house. I could survive without a bed or a sofa but without a fan it would be utterly unbearable. I currently have three large portable fans placed strategically at the parts of my house that I spend the most time. I have one fan in my office, one fan in the kitchen and one fan in the living room pointed towards the sofa. I would say that 90% of the time I am at home I have the fan pointed directly at my face and although that sounds slightly awkward it soon becomes second nature. I also have a large ceiling fan in my bedroom which circulates the air when I sleep and I was very pleased that after I starting using the fan I was able to sleep much better and was no longer the victim of a horrible dry throat the next morning. 

Living without air conditioning is absolutely no problem for at least ten months of the year. The only time when I find that I miss it is during Thailand's summer months of April and May. On some days it is quite difficult to do anything other then lay in front of the fan during the midday hours in these months. If you can get through the period when the sun is at its most intense in these months either by going out or maybe taking a siesta then you will find that the rest of the day is easily bearable. If like me you are a teacher then you will probably have the month of April off so you will likely not be spending too much time at home anyway. I have found that since I have been living without air conditioning I have adapted to the climate far better. I am now able to undertake extended activities in the sun and no longer feel the need to crawl back to the air conditioning. I actually now feel cold in the rainy season and at times I don't even use my fans and even cover up under a blanket. I used to laugh when I saw Thai's in woolly jumpers in 25 degree heat but I know that now I would also feel a bit chilly especially if riding a motorcycle. 

I think that people who are looking for houses should not be immediately put off if it doesn't have air conditioning. Yes of course you will have to make some adjustments and yes you may sweat a little more then you're used to but the advantages can be huge. I know for a fact I would rather have a huge house without air conditioning then a small room which does but I guess this comes down to personal preference. I have previously compared the differences in electricity bills with and without air conditioning and the difference is humungous. If you are considering renting a house without air conditioning take a look at where heat may enter the house. I am lucky in the fact that my living room window faces out on to my drive which is covered so no sun ever reaches the room. This means that the room is always fairly cool and that if it really is unbearably hot at night I can at least sleep downstairs.

So I would say that if you are offered to view a house without air conditioning don't discard it immediately, go in with an open mind and you might just reap all of the benefits which come from living without air conditioning in Thailand.

Songkhla

I recently went on a short bike trip to discover some of the southern provinces. I decided to take a circular route which went through the provinces of Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla and Phattalung. I spent the first day in Nakhon Si Thammarat and had a really good time taking in the sights and exploring the town. The next day was to be spent in the coastal town of Songkhla. Songkhla is situated on the east coast of Thailand and is an important port city which is popular with Malaysian tourists. The town is much smaller and less developed then its next door neighbour Hat Yai and consequently doesn't perhaps get the credit it deserves. 

The journey between Nakhon Si Thammarat and Songkhla took the best part of four hours to complete on my little Honda Wave. I decided that instead of taking the boring route on highway 408 I would take the 4013 instead. The 4013 is a coastal road, which later joins with 408 and runs the entire length of the east coast. I really enjoyed the ride and having the ocean to the left of me for the entire trip made for not only some beautiful sea breezes but some awesome scenery as well. In order to enter Songkhla from the north you are required to cross over to Ko Yo and then finally into Songkhla over the large bridges which have been constructed. The views from these bridges are fantastic and they give you some excellent shots across the bay to Songkhla Town. I made a mental note that I wanted to come back and visit Ko Yo the next day because it looked so beautiful. 

(Songkhla at Sunset)

I arrived fairly late in the day so I decided that I would do most of my exploring the next day and head to the bay to get some sunset shots. The bay area of Songkhla is visually stunning and reminded me very much of an underdeveloped Singapore. The area is home to a number of family orientated tourist attractions such as an aquarium and a zoo. There was as to be expected a large number of Malaysian families here with its close proximity to the border. I think that Songkhla is a really good family destination for Malaysians because it has quite a lot of family attractions but doesn't have that over the top seedy vibe that is often seen in border towns.

I stayed at the Queen Hotel which is located in downtown Songkhla but not on the main tourist street. The hotel was nice enough and at 380 baht for an air conditioned double was very good value. The one negative was that absolutely nobody could speak English in the hotel and this could be a problem if you needed help at some point. That evening I explored the town a little on my bike and I could see that although the town sprawls out, all the tourist attractions and the main centre of activity was all confined to a relatively small part of town. The town is home to a number of tourist bars and restaurants where all the staff can speak English and where farang food can be ordered. I stuck to the Thai food and after dinner headed to a market on the other side of town to look for some snacks. Songkhla is like most towns in Thailand and features numerous markets which mostly sell the same things but they are all delicious. 

(Statues at the bay) 

The next morning I headed back the bay area to get some more pictures. The place was a lot quieter the next day with only a few tourists mulling about taking photos. One of the most striking attractions was the giant monk statue which bad been erected. The model in extremely intricate and great care and attention must have been taken when creating it. Behind the giant monks head is another visually striking monument. The giant dragon which spits water out into the bay has a very similar feel to the Merlion in Singapore. The fact that they are both mythical animals which spit water out into the bay and that both the areas in which they are located are spectacularly beautiful lead me to make the comparison that this area of Songkhla is like a poor mans Singapore. 

(Samila Beach)

I decided that after I had visited the bay and the adjacent park that I would head to Songhkla's primary beach resort of Samila Beach. The area was nice enough but when comparing it to some of the great beaches in Thailand this one doesn't even come close. I would say that as a general rule the beaches on the west coast of Thailand are far better then those on the east. The west coast has beautiful unspoilt beaches all the way up the coast from Satun to Trang, Krabi, Phang Nga and of course Phuket. While the beach didn't compare favourably to my local beaches it was nice enough and was certainly clean enough to swim in. The area around Samila beach was well catered for by vendors selling the usual array of food, drinks and souvenirs. There was also a team of salesman patrolling the beach with their horses selling rides. I didn't enquire into the price but I imagine this would be a nice activity for a young family.

(Ko Yo)

I had promised myself earlier when passing over Ko Yo to enter Songkhla that I would go back and have a closer look. So the next day I headed over to Ko Yo on the same bridge that bought me into Songkhla and took off on one of it's smaller roads to have a look around. The island is situated in the middle of the Songkhla lake and the people who live here are primarily fisherman and weavers. The island and the structures built in the sea to help the fisherman have a really rustic look and are the perfect backdrop for photography. I spent over an hour riding around the island and taking pictures of the beautiful natural landscape. The island is also home to Wat Phra Non Laem Pho which is a large temple. The primary focus of your attention at the temple is going to be the giant reclining buddha which is absolutely stunning and can actually be seen from the main road which passes right by it. The temple is also home to a number of other giant buddha monuments and is clearly very popular with locals of whom I saw numerous making merit. 

(Boat on Songkhla Lake)

I have to say that I really enjoyed my time in Songkhla and for me it was the highlight of my trip. I think that a lot of the time Songkhla gets lost in the shadow of its larger neighbour Hat Yai. Hat Yai is the forth largest city in Thailand and is a big draw for Malaysian tourists for a number of reasons not all of which are wholesome. There were a large amount of Malaysian tourists in Songkhla though and most of them were families taking advantage of the laid back family friendly environment. I would urge anyone who is visiting the south of Thailand especially if you are visiting Hat Yai to make the effort to check out the town of Songkhla. The town is about 20km from Hat Yai and has more then enough activities to keep you busy for a short break and the atmosphere is far more tranquil then its next door neighbour. I will definitely be visiting the area again because I want to climb Tang Kuan Hill, a large hill with a temple on top which has awesome views of the surrounding areas.

I think that Songkhla would be an ideal town for expats live in. It's close proximity to Hat Yai means that you would have to make no sacrifices on western amenities whilst you would still take full advantage of being able to live in a small town which has beautiful attractions. I know that a large number of offshore oil workers live in this region and that there are many schools within the town so I imagine the expat community is quite large which is also a plus for many expats. I would say that this would be one of the top five places I would consider living in the south of Thailand and I would recommend that you check in out too if you are considering becoming an expat in Thailand.

Nakhon Si Thammarat

I recently decided that with only only a couple of weeks left of the school holidays I would take the opportunity to head out on a short bike trip and visit  some of the southern provinces. I had previously visited Nakhon last year but I was working on the trip and didn't have the advantage of a motorcycle to fully explore the town. The first time I visited I was using the excellent songthaew service as my primary mode of transport and despite it's convenience it does limit you slightly in terms of what you can explore. 

(Clock Tower 1)

The town of Nakhon Si Thammarat is located on the east coast of Thailand but the town is not situated by the sea. The first thing that stuck me about the town was it's sheer size. The main road heading towards the train station up through the old town literally goes on for miles and suffers heavily from traffic congestion. After a very long drive up through Nakhon Province I arrived in town at around 2pm and immediately set about looking for my hotel. I had originally planned to stay at the Siam hotel but for the life of me I could not find it. I was determined to find it because they had air conditioned rooms available for only 300 baht but after nearly an hour of searching I decided to stay somewhere else. I ended up staying at the Nakhon Hotel which is only a stones throw away from the train station. The fan room was basic but generally clean and although the bed was extremely hard it was fine for one nights stay. The room cost 200 baht and they even let you park your bike in reception which was good for me.

(Nakhon Hotel)

After a shower and a quick nap I decided to explore the town a little and find some dinner. The last time I stayed here I only visited one part of town so I was shocked to discover how big Nakhon really is. I spent nearly an hour just driving around town and exploring before getting dinner. The town is very well developed and has every possible amenity under the sun. The town has large shopping centres, tons of markets and is full of places places to eat and drink. The town even has a stand alone McDonalds complete with drive through and delivery service. The town also sprawls out far and it was clear to see that the people living in the centre are very wealthy and affluent. There are some of the most beautiful houses you are ever going to see on the small Soi's linking the two main roads. I ate a standard dinner at a small restaurant and then headed to one of the cities numerous markets to get some snacks. Once snacks had been attained I headed back to my hotel room and called it a night because I wanted to be up early to check out the historic part of town. 

(Clock Tower 2)

The next day I woke up early and headed out to explore more of the town. My first task was to get some breakfast and then take it to Thalad park which I had found on my previous trip to Nakhon. The park is located about 2km north of the city on a small road on the left just before the entrance to the army complex. The park is extremely quiet and peaceful and does actually have roads running through it, which you can take your bike on if you don't fancy a stroll. The park is home to various lakes and picnic spots as well as a fairly well maintained Japanese garden. I would recommend that anyone who is looking for a quiet spot to relax in Nakhon should check out Thalad Park after all it is free. 

(Thalad Park)

The rest of the morning was spent discovering the old town. The old town is home to a number of tourist attractions such as relics and temples. I would say that the best way to see the old town is on foot by simply walking from the area around the train station south on the main road. There are various venders selling cold drinks and fruit along the road but the area isn't overly touristy so you will be free to make your own way without being hassled or caressed by touts or people trying to sell you things. One of the first attractions which will take your eye is the old city wall which was used to protect the town in case of attacks in times gone by. The place is full of statues and memorials to historic people connected to the town and of course Thai Kings, Princes and Princesses. I spent about an hour pottering around the old town and thoroughly enjoyed taking in the sights and taking advantage of the beautiful scenic photo opportunities. 

(Nakhon Si Thammarat Old Town)

One of the main attractions of Nakhon is its beautiful temples and the town is easily one of 

the best places for 'temple hopping' in the south of Thailand. The most visually striking temple is located right in the centre of the old town and is considered one of Nakhon's primary attractions. Wat Phra Mahathat Woromaha Vihan (วัดพระมหาธาตุวรมหาวิหาร) was constructed at the time of the towns founding and features an extremely large and striking chedi. I have been to the temple once before with my girlfriend who seemed very excited about visiting it and I would say this is the primary attraction for Thai's visiting the town. The temple has huge religious importance and is considered the most important temple in the south of Thailand. The temple grounds are also home to a large number of buddha statues and a small museum and is certainly one of the more impressive temples I have visited during my time in Thailand.  

(Wat Phra Mahathat Woromaha Vihan)

I really enjoyed my time in Nakhon Si Thammarat and would definitely recommend the town to potential visitors. The town has more then enough attractions for someone visiting for a few nights and I actually wished I had a little longer to stay here and explore more. The temples are absolutely beautiful and the relics found in the old town are more then worthy of a visit. I think that where Nakhon truly excels is in combining these old traditional parts of town with the new modern areas which feature every convenience you could possibly hope for. The town is awash with hotels and it is clear that the tourist industry is very well developed but I can honestly say that I barely encounted another western tourist during my entire stay there so I am guessing that most visitors are Thai. The prices in town are typical of a provincial capital so a trip here won't break the bank and the town is an ideal stop off point from either north to Surat Thani or south to Songkhla or Hat Yai. 

I think this would be one of the most ideal towns for an expat to live in Thailand. The town is extremely well developed and western amenities are well catered for but the costs are low and you could easily get by on a small budget if you lived here. Although I didn't encounter many westerners during my time here the fact that there are so many schools and the town is so developed leads me to believe that there is probably a sizeable expat community living within the town too. I would definitely consider living here if I were to move to another province although it's sheer size is a negative factor for me because I would prefer to live in a smaller town with slightly more character for example Satun.