craigt3365

I didn't really believe it, but there are now lots of news items out there about this. If true, and only a few really know, it's crazy.

http://www.businessinsider.sg/russia-using-mobile-crematoriums-in-ukraine-2015-5/#.VWev20a3v9A

. Thank You for Investigating...

Still none of NATO's business.

Violations of the Geneva Convention should be investigated, stopped and eventually prosecuted by the UN (a stronger UN than today)

A stronger UN would be great. But now, just look at the debacle we have next door in Cambodia. An absolute disgrace and waste of money.

If you can, pre arrange a taxi with your hotel. We got scammed there and are relatively well seasoned travelers. They are good! Plus, did the ol' change of hotel tricks. Took me to a hotel and swore it was the one I had a reservation at. Name in the front didn't even match! Super long yelling match to get him to take me where I asked.

If someone approaches you on the street saying they want to practice English, or are selling Nike tennis shoes, keep walking. Great scams.

If you can, get a copy of the Lonely Planet guide book. It's not only got a lot of great info, but has a wonderful walking route of the old town. Excellent walk.

I quite liked the day trip to some village outside town, down a river, and to a cave. Absolutely wonderful. Halong bay is great also, but best if done overnight.

Have some wonderful local beer while you are there!

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They should lock up the drunk driver for years. Sick.

I didn't really believe it, but there are now lots of news items out there about this. If true, and only a few really know, it's crazy.

http://www.businessinsider.sg/russia-using-mobile-crematoriums-in-ukraine-2015-5/#.VWev20a3v9A

Yeah, okay, so that's going to be a problem.

Okay, I know I titled this Southwest, but let's just toss that right out, and let me ask a more generalised question:

Taking into account the weather situation, and my previous description, or should I just give up on the idea of any beach and chill in Chiang Mai instead?

Chiang Mai will be getting quite a bit of rain also, as you well know. Depends on what you like. If you don't mind a bit of rain, sitting on a porch and looking out to see during some rain storms is not a bad way to go! It will stop eventually. And you might luck out and have 3-5 days of great weather!

Excellent discussion regarding what Nepal did. Relatively easy to do the same here if the politicians got on board.

+1. And think of all the part time jobs they'd create for designated drivers.

I'll repeat what I've often said. When I started driving, I was a hazard. Young, bulletproof and (I thought), an excellent driver. Had the best driver's ed classes in the country. But I was still an accident looking for a place to crash until I got a few years of driving experience and developed proper driving habits. It was only the fear of tickets that instilled in me the driving habits that kept the gendarme off my case and (not so coincidentally) kept me out of accidents.

Without enforcement, I just don't see the roads getting any safer here.

Well said. In our early days on the road we thought we were great drivers and have no idea how incompetent we were. Fear of loss of licence kept us saf(er).

With the local cultural environment, genuine traffic enforcement will be a long hard row to hoe.

A side issue. As reputedly people who do not die at the scene are not included in road death stats, if we included them, could we be first in the world? Thailand is always so proud of it's "firsts in the world." This one might make some of them think after scraping through another death defying blind passing maneuver. Nah, I'm kidding. Just buy another overpriced amulet from the temple and drive even faster. Remember, it's ME first, YOU always second, that's important, because I am always more important.at everything than you. THAINESS personified!

China under reports also. I'm sure many countries do. Or at least "massage' the numbers a bit!

http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2011-01/07/content_11808453.htm

The study's researchers, from Johns Hopkins and China's Central South University, compared police data with death certificates from doctors logged between 2002 and 2007. They found that police statistics showed a 27 percent decrease in traffic fatalities, while those recorded on death certificates increased by 8 percent.

In 2007, for instance, police logged 81,649 deaths, compared to 221,135 listed on death certificates, said the study, whose findings were released this week.

September is even worse, but August can have quite a few rainy days. We were in Phuket several years ago for the entire month of August. We had a few nice days, but most were on and off rain. No fun for a beach vacation. Plus, the sea was really rough.

I looked up Krabi as I thought it would have better info, and not too far away:

http://www.weather2travel.com/august/thailand/krabi.php

http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/thailand/krabi.php

With that being said, we've had the same issues on the East coast also. A few years ago went to Koh Chang for a 4 day beach holiday in August. Rained every day...miserable.

lol, my step-son just paid 3,000 baht (tea money) to get his drivers licence, just north outside of Phichit.

When I found out that his Mom gave him the money, I was mad a hell. And she said this is the Thai way!

They stopped this practice quite some time ago here in Pattaya. I failed one part of my scooter driving test. I was on a rented scooter, the helmet didn't fit, and I was first one off. Fell off the elevated plank about 1/2 meter before the end. Wifey tried to offer a bribe for a pass. No way. Luckily, he gave in admitting it was just a small mistake and seeing how well I did with the rest of the test, let me pass. But NO tea money was allowed. Fine with me.

Enforcing the "drink and drive" laws is an excellent idea, but to make it effective, there must be other ways of coming home from restaurants etc. Only Bangkok has a reasonably efficient, reasonably priced public transport system, and as far as I know, only in Bangkok, taxis use meters. Most places in Thailand, finding transportation home after a night out can be a hassle if I'm not on main street, and when at last I find a taxi, he charges more than the meal cost me.

So they have to do two things: enforce the laws and establish systems that makes it easier to follow them. Kill the transport mafia.

Almost every bar I used to frequent in the USA had a sign saying they'd call you a taxi if you didn't want to drive home. Maybe the bar/restaurant operators can be part of the solution?

I believe part of the reason for this was police going after bars that allowed patrons who were obviously drunk to leave and drive home?? At least lawyers did go after them from a civil point of view if an accident happened.

Here's some more food for thought!

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/827920-nice-quiet-beach-area-between-ratchaburi-and-surat-thani/

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/827950-clean-beach-not-far-from-bangkok/

Excellent discussion regarding what Nepal did. Relatively easy to do the same here if the politicians got on board.

There are lots of places that match that description. And not just in the southwest. Some islands off the coast of Cambodia are great. Many very nice beaches south of Hua Hin all the way down. From Ranong down to Phuket has mile after mile of beautiful beaches. Even Phuket has some nice isolated beaches. Krabi, the dozen or so islands from there all the way down to Langkawi. Some nice spots on the various islands of Samui, Tao, KPN. Wow...so many!!!

Here's a good site for reference:

http://tezzasthaiinfo.blogspot.sg/

Be aware of the monsoons in the west. You can have day after day of rain. Not normally a full day of rain, but it can mess up a planned holiday just sitting on the beach. The east coast doesn't seem to be hit quite as hard.

Can you be a bit more specific? How far south will you go? Near Phuket or down towards Satun? Flying? Driving? Local transport?

One time we arrived by bus and had a scooter taxi take us to a hotel. Worked out great! Eventually rented a scooter for a few days so we could explore.

In case you've not found it, it's just past the first overhead pedestrian bridge as you are coming into Ban Amphur and just before the small bridge that's right before the next ped bridge. On the left with a pink/purple sign. Go slow and you can't miss all the furniture inside. Seems like they've got some nice stuff!!

We're behind quite a bit. I think this weekend is Justified! LOL Just finished downloading the last season.

If you've not watched it, Chef is a lighthearted, feel good movie. Not amazing, but good entertainment. I quite like the main actors.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2883512/

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Best of luck getting it sorted out. Our friends recently lost their 2 year old in the pool. Mother was asleep with the boy and he was able to climb over the barrier they had setup. A wooden fence, but only 1M high or so. Horrible.

Boonies is correct. There is nothing out there ... a long way to go if you want an alternative to Tesco and Big C south. I think it's a very strange site for such a supermarket. Foodland's main clientele is foreigners, most of whom live a bit closer to Jomtien/Pattaya, I would have thought. Let's not forget Villa had a store in Khao Noi (aka Soi Wat Bunsampan) where there is a fair concentration of foreigners. Yet it failed.

There are many foreigners living south of Pattaya and with the ever increasing traffic situation in Pattaya this could very well work. Najomtien with places like Ban Saree, Huay Yai, Ban Amphur, etc. Has countless villages and condos with a lot of foreigners. I bet even many people from Jomtien will go to this location. It will take some of the public that comes to the current Central Pattaya location, but with the IT mall opening next to it it will be hard to get there.

It's not just foreigners who shop at Foodland. Many Thais do also. The one in Thonglor gets way more Thais than foreigners. The area you mention is getting quite an influx of well to do Thais. Stop by the Glass House on the weekends. The parking lot is packed with Bangkok vehicles.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed it will open soon! LOL

I know not the area I specified but maybe Koh Samet a better option for us and driveable from Chaiyaphum where we live. Looks like can avoid Bangkok and drive down through Korat. Anyone ever go this way?

It's a relatively easy drive. A bit of a mess going over the mountains just south of Khorat (due to the crazy drivers passing on blind curves) and 331 can be really jammed with big trucks. But other than that, not a bad drive. And yes, you avoid Bangkok!!

You have to park your car at the ferry terminal and take the boat over. No cars on Samet. If you don't like that, not much farther is Koh Chang. There are some nice day trips you can take around the island if you have your own wheels.

Navy area beaches in Sattahip would be closest to BKK, they are clean and the water is clear.

Nobody allowed unless accompanied by Thai service man/woman. Patrols operate and make checks.

My friend goes there all the time. No Thai escort. Rules are a bit different on weekends and it's PACKED! Water is pretty good though.

The best beaches are at least 3-4 hours from the mouth of the Chao Praya. Samet is quite nice, but I've not been in several years.

On Monday DNP official Somsak Poopet told AFP the department was still considering issuing new rules to the temple including seizing the tigers and banning the monks from putting them on show.

Incredible this is still "under consideration".

Understood! When we travel out of Thailand, we try to do a bit of both. Travel by public transport as well as renting a car. The area you mention is not covered very well by public transport. Yes, you can get to a city, like Bang Saphan, but if you've got no wheels, you are quite limited in where you can go. Resorts tend to be spread out quite a bit. Some quite a ways from "downtown".

As you say, not like going to Samui where you really don't need wheels. In Bang Saphan, when we went there by bus, we just rented a scooter for a few days. Worked out great. Great part of the Kingdom to explore.

How long do you have? Only public transport?