MarcelV

There are now several of these towns in Myanmar. The military coup has only sped up the process of leasing land to Chinese warlords and syndicates to build these areas. There is a lot of money made there on gamblers, drug traders and other various criminals (human trading, weapons, animals and more). 99 Percent of all tourists there are Mainland Chinese. As a farang you really stand out and most girls refuse to even speak to you. Still fascinating to witness it all. Do not expect any beer bars or agogos. Nighttime entertainment is concentrated in casinos and karaokes. Just like the Chinese love it.

Sure felt like it

Chinese everywhere. The whole town is basically owned by China and you need a special permit to enter from the Myanmar side. On the markets you can find endangered live animals, ivory, tiger skins and much more illegal wares. Prostution and kiddy porn is everywhere and little children are openly traded to buyers. I was offered a 12-year-old Vietnamese girl by the bellboy of my hotel. Heroine and other drugs are easily available and Afghan men run opioid shops where you can find everything under the sun. Furthermore, it is teeming with casinos, most of them shabby, sleazy joints full of working girls and a Chinese-Malaysian guy next to me at a poker game remarked he was trying to hire a hitman to take care of his wife. Regular holiday stuff.????

I went to Mong La in Myanmar once. What I saw there blew my mind amd made Pattaya look like kindergarten.

They're all from Isaan. Same same.

Season 2 and beyond zombies couldn't quite make it though.

Get ready for Thailand to move towards a future without any foreign teachers. Apparently, that is what the government wants. I cannot just leave here, but if were unattached I'd move to Siberia right now.

It is inevitable that something's brewing among the Thai people. One only has to look at the country's history of coups and unrest. When the S hits the fan and a new revolution happens, the blood of the martyrs will turn the Democracy Monument red.

Same is true in Yala and Narathiwat. No alcohol at all here, let alone in restaurants.

Anyhow, it all sucks and I wouldn't put up with it anymore if I hadn't burnt all my bridges in my home country and made a life in Thailand. I'd make more money as a factory worker back there.

38 foreigners took the test. All failed. Next chance might be in six months. My Polish friend decided he had had enough of Thailand's BS and moved to Yakutsk, Siberia, where salaries apparently start around 60k baht.

I hope the ceasefire will hold. I am located in Narathiwat and was always warned not to travel during Ramadan due to the heightened risk of attacks. I either traveled to a different part of Thailand or just hid at home. Now there may be some opportunities to go out safely without dudes blowing themselves up left and right.????

If sharia law is what the people want, isn't that what they should get? Let the Malay muslims govern themselves instead of holding on to the idea that Bangkok controls every corner of the country. But as Bangkok won't allow any autonomy, this conflict will continue indefinitely. There's a new juwae (fighter) born every minute in the south. No military force can ever stomp that out.

True. You don't even need a teacher license to teach at an international school. Of course, you do need to have the proper credentials. A bachelor in music history won't cut it.

Dannok has enough vices. I live in conservative Muslim Narathiwat though and this province is mostly dry and devoid of P4P fun.

I think there might be good demand from mainland Chinese, but the timing of this airport couldn't be worse in that regard. I've been to Betong four times, but as I live in Narathiwat it is not that far for me. Still, quite a trek through the mountains. About 5 hours by car is my guess.

Prayut and the PPP will sweep the next elections. Mark my words.

The next test will be scheduled in February 2023. I have been told it's gonna be a once-a-year thing now. My friend failed this year's test and has decided to work in Kazachstan instead, as TCT won't give him waiver no. 5. All the other foreign test takers also failed the test. Unless you can find employment at an international school or language institute, both of which do not ask for a teacher license, you're out of luck. It seems TCT are actively trying to drive out foreign teachers now.

Here we go again...

The Deep South. Muslims do not celebrate Songkran and will be fasting too, so they won't bother you.

I think you're confused with Dannok village. Betong caters to much more than pleasures of the flesh.

Betong is about 130 km south of Yala and is the southernmost town in Thailand. There is a border crossing just south of town, connecting with Pengkalan Hulu in Perak State. Betong is really remote, so an airport makes sense. However, a majority of tourists are from Malaysia and most of them drive across the border themselves.

I live in the south and things are not at all they way they seem from the outside. Shame this airport was opened at the tail end of the Covid pandemic. It could have been an instant success otherwise.

I checked the Nok Air website and there is no way to book a seat without contacting the airline directly by phone. Beyond March 14 there are no flights mentioned at all in the online booking system.???? I start to think this is a one-time flight, which is only flown for the PM, his entourage and some other invitees as a show of accomplishment. Not sure if there will really be regular flights after this one.

The location of the new airport might stimulate people to travel to the other two provinces on their way back to Hat Yai. I guess that's the idea. Even the trip to Yala takes well over two hours, so anyone wishing to travel to, let's say, Narathiwat, would just fly to Narathiwat directly.