grumpyoldman

On the roads into Ao Nang, not quite Ao Nang, yes, you can get fan rooms at 350thb.

Phi Phi in March? I think the cheapest you'll find will be 600-800.

Probably the cheapest rooms in Phi Phi Don are up on the hill by the Laleena guesthouse where the people died last year due to toxic fumes from the scheit stream that runs by. So if your life is worth less than 1000thb a night, enjoy the nightmare that is Phi Phi Don Village. Otherwise skip it and go to Koh Lanta where there are plenty of rooms under 1000thb, but not the nightlife of PP.

thanks for the info. i may actually try ko lanta instead of phi phi based on your recomendation.

Just depends on what you're after.

If you are the backpacker type and want to meet other farang female backpacker types, do Phi Phi Don, I don't mean to steer you away from a good time. Lots of kids there partying it up with their buckets of booze.

Lanta is just nicer, nicer beaches.

Glad you guys had a good time. Your words are echoed by pretty much everyvisitor I encounter here whether they be friends, family, or my dive students or other tourists. When I travel around Thailand for my other job, after two or three days I really start to miss Phuket for all it has to offer when compared to any other area of Thailand. Despite the need for a complete transportation system overhaul, there is much to love about visiting and living here, as I do.

Good point Ping. There is one explanation for the anti's. Some of these Phuket bashers have been exposed as having interests in other areas in Thailand outside Phuket, and so troll the Phuket threads in an attempt to steer tourists their way.

in all honesty it sounds like you and only acouple of others are out to promote negatives and disharmony in the very place you call home.How ironic .My impression is that mabe you are either a very bored oldy with little else to do and passed your use by date or you are just making waves to promote other self interests.

These are my observations from a student ot human behavioural studies, and i found that this forum offers a lot of opportuneties in regards to quirky behaviour patterns.All great for my planned thesis i might add.

1. you are completely off the mark regarding ScubaBuddha

2. just because you are studying something doesn't make you an expert, you haven't even done a thesis and you are judging?

3.yes, SB points out negatives about Phuket but his post here is positive, "there is much to love about visiting and living here, as I do"

You might put these points in your pipe and smoke it, student.

On the roads into Ao Nang, not quite Ao Nang, yes, you can get fan rooms at 350thb.

Phi Phi in March? I think the cheapest you'll find will be 600-800.

Probably the cheapest rooms in Phi Phi Don are up on the hill by the Laleena guesthouse where the people died last year due to toxic fumes from the scheit stream that runs by. So if your life is worth less than 1000thb a night, enjoy the nightmare that is Phi Phi Don Village. Otherwise skip it and go to Koh Lanta where there are plenty of rooms under 1000thb, but not the nightlife of PP.

Palai as said before, Rawai anywere on the beach, Lem Hin the one you go with a longtail and the best of all Pak Nam in Phuket town.

Laem Hin, that's the one I couldn't remember, thanks Phuket1.

I take the car ferry all year round, don't worry about it not running, for sure it will still be running.

Also, you need not call them, you just pull up to the booth and pay, que up.

North of Phuket is still 3 hours away, Ao Nang is only 50 minutes and will have cheaper accomodations for you.

Enjoy, Kantiang Bay is excellent.

I totally agree that it isn't all that nice to look at. The same has happened on West beach too.

I heard that they have done it this way so the vendors are not walking up and down the beach plying their goods anymore, keep it in one place and reduce the amount of garbage, apparently. I'm not sure but would assume the hawkers are paying "someone" rent money for that space??

I know the governor will be on Railay launching a sustainable tourism project on 27th February and members of the press will be there too, this would be a good time to bring it up and see where it gets you...

dam_n, I'll be in Bangkok, but I will let some people there I know, thanks for the info.

The thread that had to do with the ideal day in Phuket sure brought out a lot of *****rs.

I think it's they just want to vent their frustration, the people that don't like Phuket probably go to Patong and figure the whole island is like that.

Thanks for the post Sir Kiwi, you also live in a fabulous place, I had a fantastic time in NZ.

Parlai Seafood.

Chaofa East Road from Hayaek Chalong direction Phuket town. Turn right at the traffic light direction Zoo. Follow the road till it ends.

Mostly Thai people there. Some Expats.

I love the Pla Samlee (Cotton fish)with green mangoes.

In the same region are 4 or 5 other seafood restaurants.

Roi chang hoo!!

I confirm, take all roads to the Phuket Zoo and look for the Palai Seafood signs.

Also the Phuket town pier that is just up past Supercheap (someone help me with the name, Alzheimer's moment....) you jump a little boat out to these restaurants where you can actually pick your seafood out of the pens. Lots of Thais there, bring your own booze as they are Muslim.

Enjoy!

This is bad.

This is what will make the kids violent, coming down off of this type of Cr*p. Also a lot of emergency room visits when they stay up for days......

Definitely need to try and do something to put a stop to this.

reminds me of that Monty Python movie, where the Python guys have their faces imposed on the fish that were to be eaten.

They are swimming around "hey, there's sal getting eaten"

RIP Richard,

I used to see you around, you always looked like you were having fun dancing with the girls at Freedom, you seemed like a good guy.

Highly doubt you killed yourself, yeah, you pulled the cord from both ends and strangled yourself, unbelievable geniuses these cops here......

Just had a friend go there, he told me he was the only Farang in the casino.

Everybody was playing Pai Gao poker and other Asian card games.

He said they did open up a blackjack table for him though, but he ended up being the only player.

He said "o.k. fun", not anything to write home about....

Sorry but my ideal day in Phuket involves head to the airport!

Good riddance !

Coffee

internet surf

Nai Hairn Beach

Massage

relax in the sun after massage

read the paper or my book

swim

notice the hot ladies in bikinis

off the beach for volleyball with my pals

drinks with my pals after volleyball

dinner

shower

more drinks

oogling girls

decide whether or not to proposition said oogled girl (s)

rest

Hands down Layana.

Tub Kaak Resort is nice for sure, but isolated and not a lot to do on that property (boring).

Amari, you have two, Ao Nang (for sure not), Tub Kaak, overall that Tub Kaak area is a bit ruined by the lime mining pier that has you looking at these giant tanker ships, just not as nice as Lanta.

Also, Saladan town on Lanta has these great seafood restaurants over the water, that rock with the tides as you sit and eat. So when done with the romantic setting at Layana, back it up with another pretty romantic scenario in seafront Saladan town.

Also a plus, lovely people at Layana, The Guthries are gems and the GM Michael really nice guy.

Enjoy.

I dont get it, why would flying in on that weekend or not make any difference?

Thaksin asset case to be concluded on 26.

In the Saints victory over the Vikings, they basically won it because Farve should have ran the ball instead of throwing that interception near the end of the game. Watching the Colts, Manning is unstoppable quite a bit of the time. I don't think the Saints have enough offense to go against Manning and the Colts. Saying that, with this being the best showing ever by the Saints, I would like them to prove me wrong.

That is how I think. Then again, I couldn't see any way for my Cowboys to lose to the Vikings.

Romo is a massive choker, that's all there is to it.

Lets hope the Who Dat D-Line does the same number on Manning that they did on Favre, that's why he threw that last pass, tired of getting thumped.

Who Dat? Who Dat Parade baby, can't wait !!!!

Monkeys and baboons often throw their excrement, I guess we know now who's wearing the red shirts.

Just make sure to check in a place with helipad... Closest one from Cowboy is the Windsor Suite (Suk.22)

Otherwise, do not worry to much about partying in Soi Cowboy, two panzer will block each end of the road to let the revelers able to spend their last satang before evacuation.

Actually was joking regarding Cowboy, am serious though on your thoughts of whether or not to chance flying in and out that weekend......anybody?

Was thinking of coming up to BKK on the weekend of 27-28 as I have Monday the first as a holiday.

What's the opinion there? Will the decision on the 26th cause big rioting?

Will they be shutting down Cowboy?

Hi Andy,

please know that those of us in Phuket have always appreciated your efforts toward this music fest. We need more of this type of thing in Phuket and I sympathize with the economic predicaments you've encountered, in my professional life here I have been subject to the same.

My only comment is that it's always called the Phuket Blues Festival, but ends up a lot of the bands bust into Rock and Roll. Why not call it The Phuket Music festival and open it to all types of music? I believe this would help with sponsorship and attendance. Maybe the first day could be Reggae/Hip Hop (get the younger people out), and the second day could be Rock and Blues (for us geezers).

Cheers Andy and thank you for your efforts.

I'd love to pick up a bug, so if anyone knows of one at a good price PM me.

Thanks, GOM

Hi all, my wife and I are booked in to stay there in 3 weeks - we just paid 2 nights ago. F'kn yikes. Thanks for the updates everyone. It's interesting to note that I trust the reliability of the comments in here considerably more than the info I've read in the news (gas bottles exploding, hotel gutted, etc.)

This will be the 3rd or 4th time we've stayed there - excellent spot. Thank god/buddha/invisible-overlord that this fire happened after the recent renovations (remember when it used to have a facade of split bamboo? ...and looked like a tree-house?).

Any more info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

...now back to the spelling nazi-ing

You'll be fine, I'm just off the phone with them and they say all repairs underway and should be completely normal by mid-next week.

Great location, enjoy your stay, try the noodle soup in front of the minimart up the street.

Lucky enough for the kid, diving for bearded clams is year around in Patong.

I was told they expect all repairs to be done in the 5 days

(so whats this about the fire being next door?).

well, someone said that it was the fire next door....

and another important person categorically surmised:

"A fire in a hotel is the subject and, apparently, the conclusion was that the fire was next door, the hotel is ok and nobody was hurt."

so it was assumed that it was the fire next door....

until you showed up and said that you personally visited the place and that it was the fire on premise, and not the fire next door....

now LOL.... are we to believe you or the other posters.... LOL

Ok, lets get this straight...maybe the fire started next door (not yet confirmed) but I was def told by reception staff that they expect repairs to be done within 5 days so you can draw your own conclusion from this, the place looks great and appears to be working normally. I was simply trying to stick to the topic started by Sumuiseagull and help him out as I understood this forum is all about...so whats all this LOL <deleted> ?

Hi Ray,

as my Dad once advised me, don't sweat the petty stuff and don't pet the sweaty stuff. You have first hand account we appreciate that, let these other goofball posters pop off and don't let it bother you.

Cheers mate, GOM

if you dont like it you could move to pattaya

yes, I've been debating between Patters and Baghdad..........