Changian

One of those rare suicides where the guy slices his own head off whilst jumping from a bridge. Pity the police cant find the sword, probably swallowed by a large catfish. Mai pen rai.

Case closed.

see www.kachapura.com ( Warapura is the same owner.)

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Fair enough to look after your own interests. But it is strange that that a site that supposedly encourages expats to share info and find their way around the good, the bad & the ugly of living in Thailand has a policy that basically encourages anyone with a dodgy business to pay to promote themselves knowing that they will be immune from criticism and will have their reputation defended staunchly by Mods. Whereas other, possibly better, companies who don't advertise are open for criticism.

I knew Christian years ago in Bangkok. Very nice, laid back, down to earth guy. Speaks Thai fluently as he was a Buddhist monk for a few years. (Kind of ironic given his forename)

I haven't been in touch with him since I moved from Bkk 5 years ago. Back then he wasn't organising any parties, but I guess it's got to be more fun than teaching English, there again most things are.

Unfortunately I have a feeling he's not going to be let off with a fine & slap on the wrists as given the current clamp down on internet porn / prostitution someone has to be made an example of, regardless of whether everyone involved were consenting adults or not, and locking up a long term expat to prevent them from corrupting chaste Thai folk is a double bonus.

Had my pick-up washed at Laem Thong in the past and it was around 300 baht or so. Pricey but they did a good job. The prices are listed, everyone pays the same - no farang prices. So it shouldn't be a surprise when you get told how much. You pay for the convenience of getting it washed when you do a bit of shopping, rather than sitting for an hour on a dusty garage forecourt.

But other times have been to, I think, the same place Zaphod describes. Or somewhere similar in the same area. Also around 120 baht to do inside & outside properly.

The price was 200k for 20 rai.

Nice price. Por Bor Tor Ha land where I live is well over 2 million/rai now, some is around 4 million/rai.

The Breaking News section is always the best source as the articles here are posted before the token native English speaker wakes up or gets back from their late lunch and has a chance to give them a quick glance and remove the most obvious errors.

But you do have to love the 'We know throughout Thailand' at the top of this page. I'd have been more impressed if Thaivisa had launched a tie-up with 'NottheNation'

Bhumiyama is right on the beach. Warapura is by the sea but 5 minutes walk from the sand. Both are nice but Warapura has less of a package tourist feel about the place and rooms are good value for Koh Chang.

Thanks Bizz & Cuban.

There's not a lot of 1 Rai plots around. Avoid the farmland - PBT5 wont be upgraded for years, if ever, according to the Land Office.

On the west coast you are pretty much stuck with Klong Son Valley. (Which fortunately is a nice place if you want land for a quiet house. We've got some by the river there.) You're looking at 3 to 4 million for 1 Rai with a Chanote though. Not cheap but that's supply & demand for you.

There are a couple of small plots for sale in Klong Prao area with Chanote titles and frontage onto the main road. One is in the village, so no good for a quiet house - 3.8 million for approx 1/3 Rai. The other is 6.5 million just over 3/4 Rai not too far from the Amari and Dewa. But most other land isn't for sale, only for rent or doesnt have any title deeds.

Occasionally see 1 Rai plots by the sea on the east coast. Figure on the asking price being 5 million from a local owner. Most sellers pefer to sell 2 Rai (minimum) 40 meters on the shore & 80 metres deep. A once the seafront has been sold, no one will buy the land that lies between it and the main road.

Also see www.kochanghouse.com, the developer has some beachfront plots for sale for 3.9 million ( around 600sqm) on the east coast. 5 mins drive south from the ferry pier.

If the murdered had smashed a plate the police would probably have guests from a Greek wedding as top of their list of suspects.

Door to door, from a hotel in Bangkok to a hotel on Koh Chang, flying is about 30 mins to an hour quicker than travelling by taxi / private car.

The songtaew should be no more than 50 baht to White Sand Beach - 100 is way too much.

Bailan is about 15 mins walk along a windy narrow road to Lonely Beach. No pavement so you will be dodging trucks and crazed pick up truck drivers. It's Ok in the daytime, but at night you might want to splash out a few baht and pay for a songtaew.

Doubt that you can be on Koh Chang within 3 hours if you drive from Bkk. Foot down you're looking at 3 & a half hours driving time from Bkk to the ferry pier. I usually figure on 4 hours. Then 30 mins ferry crossing. ferries every 45 mins. Then 15-45 mins drive to your hotel once you are on Koh Chang.

kbvicar said:

Do you mean SRV now has to refund the buyers' money?

They offered to refund money to people who bought in the valley a few months ago, which was good of them. (Although the two people I know who bought there are happy to keep their plots for now though, rather than sell them back.) Note that the main SRV development is totally unaffected by this.

If best = quickest then either fly Samui - Bkk - Trat or Samui - Pattaya and then by road to Koh Chang.

As to whether White Sand beach or Lonely Beach is better it kind of depends on what type of accommodation you are looking for. Also consider Klong Prao and Kai Bae beaches.

Still worth calling the Land Office. See what they say regarding will the Chanote only be issued to the original holder of the SK1 land or their dependent as, technically, SK1 can't be sold, only inherited by family members.

So how would it work if you bought it when it came to the upgrade? Would/Could the 'sale' be declared invalid by the Land Office? As you ( i.e. your wife), according to the letter of the law, couldn't have bought it legally.

+++

PBT5 has to be in a Thai name. Cant own it in a company name or do any form of long registered lease. The only documentation is a slip of paper that's a receipt for the land tax you have to pay annually. This has the owner's, the person who pays the tax on the land, name on it. But the receipt doesnt even say where the land is or give any hint of dimensions, boundaries etc. When you buy it need to get the Pu Yai or Kamnan to witness the sale and say they agree that the seller isnt trying to sell a bit of the neighbours land without his knowledge.

I see now why your land was so cheap - PBT5, not NS3 as you thought. If the owner is telling you it will be upgraded soon they are bullshitting you. Simple as that.

PBT5 on Koh Chang isn't going to get upgraded in the next 5-10 years, if ever. The surveyors confirmed that yesterday when we met them In Klong Son, as did the boss of the Land Dept when we were then in November. Sor Kor 1 land is different, that will be upgraded to Chanote on Koh Chang within the next 18 months.

To get PBT5 upgraded you need all of Koh Chang to be resurveyed, something that isn't scheduled to happen as the last full survey was only a few years ago in 2002, when all the current Chanotes were issued.

( Just get your wife to call the Land Office in Laem Ngop and they will confirm all of the above in 2 minutes on the phone.)

The lack of an upgrade in the near future was why your developer neighbours stopped selling their plots in the valley and offered buyers their money back.

You should be able to find something if you just turn up. Koh Chang wont be so busy, but White Sand is the busiest beach. 800 baht for AC room by the sea including breakfast is a pretty good deal. Even if you do save money by just turning up, you wont find much cheaper on the beach. If you head up the road leading south out of White Sand beach, away from the sea, you might get cheaper but there again you have 10 mins walk to the beach.

The regular buses leave at about 1200, 1400 & 1600 from the mainland piers. 250 baht / ticket. These all go to Ekkamai. But if you have to get back to Bangkok by mid afternoon then unless you are up at the crack of dawn and head into Trat town to get a public bus I don't think you'll make it.

You could get a minibus for 750 baht that would pick you up from your hotel on KC around 9.00-9.30 and drop you off at Ekkamai in the mid afternoon.

Hotels arent full on White Sand beach right now but I'm sure they will be near enough 100% occupancy for the long weekend. Especially in the 2000 baht/night range which is what most Thai visitors will be looking at paying.

Wait till everyone goes home on 4/5 January then you'll be able to get a room much cheaper.

Remark puzis Ok for a night if you are on your way to/from Koh Mak for example. But if you are looking for a hut n a beach to spend a holiday it isnt the ideal spot. Not much of a beach and being so close to Bangbao village means the sea isnt ideal for swimming in.

Look for a cheap hut on Klong Prao , Kai Bae or Lonely beach and you'll be better off. Easy to find a room anywhere on the island at the moment, very quiet here. Cheap places right on the beach:

Klong Prao - KP Huts, Tiger Huts

Kai Bae - Porns Bungalows. Siam Cottage

Lonely Beach - Siam Hut, Nature Beach

talking about stopping the ferries in demonstration.

I doubt many people would be willing to go up against the owners of the ferries and taxi mafia, plus piss of all the resort owners and business owners on the island with an action that wouldn't affect the army (or whoever is claiming the land) in any way. I think they have been watching too much coverage of the PAD airport take over and have lofty ambitions.

I was at the house of an English guy who lives near the waterfall yesterday afternoon and he didn't mention it at all. His house, like many in the area, is on untitled land on a dodgy 10 year unregistered lease

Dont know anything specifically. But virtually everything on the inland side of the west coast road is built on Por Bor Tor 5 land which, according to the letter of the law, cant be developed. But this has been done simply because the land inland which isnt in the National Park hasn't been surveyed. Cant really blame people who want to build a house or small business on their own land

When I was at the Land Office in Laem Ngop last month they said the Navy wanted to stop development in some areas of the island - such as Klong Son and the far southern end of White Sand beach as they have a long standing claim on the land and didn't like he development that was going on. Also said virtually no chance of any untitled land being upgraded in the next 5 years.

Can buy milk from one of the seven 7-eleven's or from a supermarket. The bottles with dark blue labels/tops are the regular full fat milk.

Irepleid to the email you sent via my site. But in case you didnt get it:

It's still open - www.lonelybeach.net.

Dozens of cheap places to stay on Lonely Beach - don't worry about not being able to find a room. But most cant be booked in advance, walk in guests only. Have a look at www.kachapura.com - very close to Lonely Beach Resort or Oasis -www.oasis-kohchang.com

Warapura Resort, very nice rooms LCD TV, DVD etc by the sea for 1500 - 2000 / night. Or Kachapura on the main road.

Any hints as to what type of restaurant? Budget?

Eg good cheap food - Kai Bae Hut Noodle Shop, Kai Bae. If a place attracts Thai restaurant owners then it must be good. Noodles plus all your regular Thai dishes. Very nice friend bananas too.

Thai food - Kati Culinary, klong prao. On the main road, only a handful of tables but some of the best Thai food you'll have anywhere in this small place run by a mother & daughter. I know one expat family who ate here and reckoned it was as good as they have had in Thailand, and they have lived in bangkok for almost 20 years.

Seafood - Ruen Thai in Bangbao, dont advertise as much as some of the restaurants and so arent as high profile but if you want to stuff your face with fresh fish 7 crabs then this is a good palce to do it.

Farang food - Invito, White Sand beach for a very nice Italian meal in lovel surroundings. Also has a nice garden area if you want to dine alfresco.