My Thai Life

I guess you could say that I’m a Thai expat living here in Bangkok. I guess you could also say that I’ve assimilated nicely to the Thai lifestyle. Although I’m not Thai and far from it, I think that I was Asian in my past life. Considering I’m the whitest guy you will ever meet. I do have a little American Indian in me but I’m still white and I sure can’t pass for a Thai person. Even my Thai isn’t that well. It’s more like Thaiglish if I could coin that word as my own. Provided it hasn’t been trademarked yet!

So, I wanted to let you know about the Thailand things that I love. This is my list of favorite things to do in this country they call the Land of Smiles. Oh and for the record, I’ve been here for over 7 years now. I keep forgetting how long but that’s about how long it is.

I started coming to Thailand many many years ago after a few friends took a trip here. I wasn’t even going to go but last minute decided to do it. One I hit the airport I was hooked. The sites and smells, even the bad ones, had me from Sawatdi (Hello). Since then I’ve been here living the Thailand life. It’s been quite good to me and I’ve only had a stomach ache 12 times. That’s not bad for a 3rd world country. I suppose it’s not so 3rd world anymore but the Internet access sure makes it seem that way.

Now on to the things I love. I love going to Trang. That’s down south of Phuket. Not so many tourist there and you can actually enjoy being in solitude for a bit. It’s a great way to get away from the fast paced lifestyle of Bangkok and Phuket for that matter too. If you do go to Trang, check out the Sukorn Islands.

Even though I do like going to Trang, I sure like to stay a few days in Patong every once in a while. It’s got a great vibe and post tsunami, it’s gotten a lot better looking too. Tons of things to do and see and the nightlife is awesome. If you need a good hotel in the center of all the action, check out “The Beach Resortel”. Great food and clean rooms right on the beach. Love that place!

Sure Bangkok is fun but sometimes you have to get out of the city. If you travel Thailand then you have to check out all the little places like Khon Kaen, Rayong, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Sukhothai, Loei, Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi, Hua Hin, Pattaya (Careful) and Lampang. There are tons of little cities inside these provinces and each one has it’s own unique feel to it. Travel to these places is dirt cheap and you can get a bus going to each one of them from Bangkok. But if you decide to go further north then do take the train. Get yourself a first class sleeper. You will thank me later for it.

I love Thai food. Love Tom Yum, Pad Thai, Sattay and all the colorful curries. Mostly red and yellow. Nitnoi on the spices! Nitnoi means little. If you ever get hungry, do try stall food. Just be careful, you could get sick. Try to find one that looks clean.

Love Thai music too. There is a cool band called “Ebola”. They are a Thai rock band and they have hard music and some softer stuff and it all rocks. They play all over Thailand so if you can, check them out. Don’t get them confused with Ebola in America or Europe. So just Google “Ebola Thai” and you’ll find them or check out their site at EbolaSound.com.

I could go on and on about the things that I love about Thailand and believe me, there are tons to talk about. This should get your started if you wanted to travel Thailand. So, hope you do. It’s been fun for me…

MyThaiLife

Let’s see, I can surf porn in Thailand and that’s OK. I can surf terrorist websites and that is ok too. But for some reason the Thai government is going to spend about 500 million baht on blocking sites that talk bad about the Royal Family. Somehow this doesn’t even seem right. Forget the fact that talking bad about the Royal Family is bad for a minute and obviously doing said talking breaks lese majeste laws but come on. We are living in the information age people. I can’t believe they are spending that much money on trying to block websites that talk bad about the Royal Family. I do believe that 14 million dollars should be spent on fixing a lot of the things that are wrong in Thailand.

I for one would never talk about the family in a bad way. I think the King has done a lot of good for the country but come on! These sites being blocked will just pop up somewhere else in just a matter of time. Do they think they will get them all? That is absurd.

Why is it that the government of Thailand can’t seem to do the right things? Why do the consistently try things that we know will fail? Why are they not putting that money to better use? Talk about pork barrel ear marks!!!

Just my opinion…

MyThaiLife

Hey everyone, I’ve just come back from my favorite place here in Thailand. Spent a week down in Trang. Just had to get away. I spent a couple days on the beach in Trang and spent a few more days out at the Ko Kradan beach. It’s a bit strange that place but has a really cool vibe to it.

While the Island has a rubber plantation on it, it does offer a nice place to stay there. If you have been to the Sukorn Islands then you know what this place could be like. It’s very quite and the beaches are some of the best beaches that Trang has to offer. It’s about 35 miles from Trang and only way to get there is by longtail or some other private boat.

If you are going down there you could also check out the Ko Muk and Tham Morakot Islands as well. Very beautiful beaches. I think these Islands are some of the better Islands on the Adaman Sea side. Very beautiful indeed. You’ll need to catch a boat from Khuantungku Pier and it’s about a 30 minute boat ride as well.

So, yeah, love Trang. Love going there and spending time. Now I usually take the train out of Bangkok and that is really my favorite way to travel in Thailand. Although it takes longer, a lot longer, than the plane, i do prefer that route. Cheaper and you see tons more than the 2 hour plane ride.

Enjoy,

MyThaiLife

I get a lot of questions about how one can live in Thailand and be able to see all the sites and do it all on a tight budget. If you are looking to live in Thailand then I might suggest checking out a guide that I wrote about how to start an Internet business and make extra money doing it. From starting a social community, blog site or dating site or to just starting a website to promote other peoples products (Affiliates).

So, if you are wanting to live in Thailand, be sure to check out my Live in Thailand page.

MyThaiLife

This is kind of interesting. The Thai police on Friday arrested Chaiwat Sinsuwong, one of the nine leaders of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD). What’s really funny is that the criminal charges include insurrection, which carries a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment. If you don’t know what “Insurrection” means, here you go. It means “Mutiny”. So, buck the system and you die! LOL

I supported the PAD in the beginning but they seem to now want to destroy what little democracy Thailand has left now. It’s time for these guys to move aside and let the new PM try to do his job.

Just my thought for today…

MyThaiLife

Thailand’s 26th Prime Minister was elected by parliament on Wednesday morning with 298 votes from the PPP and the coalition.

If you don’t know who Somchai is, he’s the brother-in-law to ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. I think that is freaking funny as shit. The Thai politics just get funnier and funnier.

Shortly after the vote, the leaders of the PAD, Chamlong Srimuang and Somsak Kosaisuk held a news conference and said that the group does not accept Mr Somchai because he is still a part of Mr. Thaksin. I do have to agree but why do these lackys get put into the spotlight? Why are they even becoming PM’s when they are clearly tied to a man that is under arrest for corruption. Doesn’t make any sense. Maybe it does and I just don’t want to hear it. Let’s hope that the PAD can meet with Somchai and they can find a common ground. The Thai people sure need it right now.

MyThaiLife

The State of Emergency in Bangkok has been lifted and it’s business as usual. Well, I hope it is. Being here I never saw anything out of the ordinary. Not to say that the political unrest didn’t happen. It did. Just not as big as some other countries government made it out to be. Anyway, it’s all good for now.

I do hope that Thailand can now pick a PM that will have an overall “Comfy” effect as the Thai people do need that stability in their lives right now. Tourism can not take a long term hit. This short time hit had the TAT scrambling to get money back into the Thai economy.

I have faith that it will all be just fine. It’s the Thai way. Thailand can’t afford not to be the Land of Smiles…

MyThaiLife

I know a lot of people were a bit nervous to travel to Thailand because of the politics and the demonstrations but believe me, they were small. Sure a person died but to be fair, hundreds more die everyday in Thailand. Not to sound evil or anything but it’s just the facts.

Thailand is safe to travel to. Samak, who has since been forced out by the High Court for having taking a job with another company, which is against the rules of being PM as well as the PAD wanting him gone because he was just another Thaksin wannabe. People were concerned because he issued a State of Emergency. This was only to try to save his ass which didn’t work. So, that will be lifted in a couple days and it’s back to business as usual. So, don’t worry about Thailand. I live here and it’s been safe for over 7 years. Even the Military Coup that happened 2 years ago was really non-eventful. I was on the streets that night and I saw the takes rolling into the capital but it was only about 3 takes and that was it. No one died and nothing really happened.

Thailand is safe so do Thailand a huge favor and help out the economy. Make that trip. Spend a little bit of money and help the Thai people out. They have such a beautiful country and beautiful people, it’s only right.

MyThaiLife

I’m a huge fan of South East Asia. I have traveled all over South East Asia and I have come to love the Asian people and their culture. Don’t like China though. Been to many cities in China and it’s the same thing over and over. Rude and disgusting. But anyway, back to my story.

I love Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Korea. Now, I especially love Thailand where I have lived for the past 7 years. I love the Thai people and I really like their Thai Girls but again, on to my story about Burma. LOL.

Burma, not that new name that I will NEVER mention, but Burma, it’s a very beautiful country to the North of Thailand. The Burmese people are being repressed and no one is doing anything about it. Aung San Suu Kyi is still under house arrest and now it appears she is on a food strike. Not good. She is the only democratic voice of the Burmese people. If she dies then you might as well say that all the people in Burma have died. What the hell is being done about it? Why aren’t other countries doing shit about it? In the recent months and years for that matter, many Buddhist Monks have been killed and imprisoned and it’s not right people. It’s so wrong and we aren’t doing shit about it.

America is a very large country. We have over 140,000 soldiers fighting a STUPID battle in Iraq. We had no business being there. Sure Saddam was a bastard but WTF? If I were president I would have invaded Burma and released Aung San Suu Kyi and done away with the Junta. They don’t deserve to be in power. They lost the election in Burma and the United States will not do anything about it. I do appreciate Laura Bush’s interest in Burma and I know she wants Aung San Suu Kyi out of house arrest and she wants Democracy back in the country. Laura, tell your husband to invade Burma and get rid of the Junta. LOL, like that will ever happen. Will Obama do it? Who knows.

One thing that I can’t stand is that powerful countries have the power to do this. To get rid of the Junta and have the Burmese people have their Democracy. But no one does anything. China won’t do it because the Junta buy weapons from them. It’s all about power and money. When do the people have a say in their country? They did, it just got suppressed. It’s wrong people. It’s wrong down to the core.

Change can happen and I suppose it can only happen within. Junta, lay down your arms and fight with your people. The name is Burma and nothing else…

MyThaiLife

Well I guess that’s what we all get for listening to the rumor mill. Rumor had it that Samak would resign today but it didn’t happen. I’m actually quite glad. If he was to step down from pressure from the PAD then it would mean that he caved under pressure. Now how is that democracy? It’s not. For those that do not like Samak, including me, we have to realize that he was elected with the majority of the Thai vote. Yep, that is democracy and whether we like him or not, he’s in charge of the ship and like he said today, he will see it to the end of the voyage.

I’ve always loved democracy and at times called my American democracy “Democrazy”. Because it is. I do think now that because Samak is under pressure and the whole world is watching him then I think he has no choice but to do good by the Thais. How can he screw up like Thaksin if everyone is watching? Well, let’s all hope that the protests die down and that normalcy returns to Bangkok. That’s if you call Bangkok normal. Living here in Bangkok, it’s safe to say, there’s nothing normal…

MyThaiLife