The Enchanting Koh Lanta Old Town

[Thailand Explore]

 

This was my first ever visit to Koh Lanta and it certainly took on a very different appearance to other Thai islands I have visited. For starters it was a longer and thinner island and much flatter than, say, Koh Samui or Koh Chang.

 

It took me around 50 minutes to drive from North to South, yet the East to West was around 20 minutes.

Exploring this region of Koh Lanta on the East coast, and especially the Old Town, really complimented the world class beaches found on the East. Lovely way to spend a couple of hours and a nice place to grab some food and drink too.

 

To read the rest of this blog by Dan about Thailand visit https://danaboutthailand.com/2020/08/29/the-enchanting-koh-lanta-old-street/

[LivinLOS]

On 8/31/2020 at 4:58 AM, Expat Explore said:

Exploring this region of Koh Lanta on the East coast, and especially the Old Town, really complimented the world class beaches found on the East.

erm.. yeah.. OK !! 

These videos, showing how 'magical' and appealing it is when its quiet, probably is why the 80% of Thais who dont earn thier income from tourism, and in fact have thier incomes threatened by a second wave brought on from restarting tourism, and often pay the penalty in terms of being priced out of travel within thier own country, seeing environmental destruction, and the damage of mass tourism to thier country, are reluctant to reopen. For sure those tourist enclaves where almost everyone makes money, one way or another through tourism and its second order effects, are desperate for the gravy train to restart, but as much as its the majority many westerns see, that section of society is a minority overall. A minority that also may not be much loved or respected by 'normal' Thais who choose not to engage in the rampant hustle that tourism places live by. 

Edited September 1, 2020 by LivinLOS

[sikishrory]

Let's see the enchanted pile of filthy garbage because the place has no waste management system. No tourist would do the island a favour

[zaZa9]

I know the rule is 'i' before 'e' except after 'c' LiL , but their  is one of those stupid exceptions that somehow is  supposed to 'prove' the rule ... ( I never 'got' that idea btw ) 

However , I totally agree that Thais living in untourized areas , even  Nakhon Nowhere  cities , have little interest in seeing tourism return. To them , nothing affecting their incomes has to do with the farang , even though some of it may, international markets and all that.

Much is made by farang on this board of how very IMPORTANT their money  and  , farang tourism,  is to the Thai economy .

And ,  if it truly IS 15% as bandied about on here   , then 85% is NOT. 

85% is a screaming majority in anybodies books.

I recently took to the road  both out of boredom , and because I expected they'd be empty , and they were , all the way to Ao Nang  ( a toursit hotspot )   , but at the  Krabi Town crossroads  , where Thais all live , there was a traffic jam. Every shop was open , and the market  and mall packed.

At another major town , much further South and rarely tourised ,  Thais stood back from me , and my Thai partner was asked if I had been made to have a Covid test before entering their muang  !

 

Judging the impacts of the loss of tourism , from a foreigners perspective and  while standing in the streets of the very desolate beach roads of Patong , Chaweng or Patts , may have an impact , but the conclusions drawn are not anything like the perspective of the  85% of Thais in Thailand that are living  pretty much as they always have.

[petermik]

On 9/1/2020 at 2:04 PM, sikishrory said:

Let's see the enchanted pile of filthy garbage because the place has no waste management system. No tourist would do the island a favour

Add to that little or poor street lighting pot holed roads and non existent pavements in many areas....