Lesley Naylor

[snoop1130]

 

When did you first come to Thailand?

First trip was in 2010. My partner (he had already fallen in love with Thailand and been visiting for years) and I made the three hour bus ride from Bangkok to Ban Phe and then the boat ride on to Koh Samet. Having lived in East London for the past 20 years, a place dear to my heart but high in crime and deprivation, I was impressed by the friendliness of locals, the cheap availability of delicious foods, the lack of crime and the rocky and isolated beauty of the island with its forest covered coast and sandy beaches. I went to my first and only full moon party, joined by a coach load of ladyboy revellers and had the time of my life! 

 

What has changed here the most?

We moved to Phuket in 2012 and it has since changed dramatically. The airport was a one terminal building, there were no streetlights over much of the island, no dual carriageways and no Makro or Villa Market’s near us. You could drive from one end of the island to the other in an hour. Over the past decade we have seen the airport expand to an international hub capable of bringing in five times as many tourists (about ten million people) pre-Covid. The frenzied development of villas, hotels and beach clubs and subsequent removal of flora and fauna has been shocking to witness.

 

What has changed here the least?

In spite of all the commercial development there are still local vendors and restaurants that remain unfazed, particularly in Phuket town. 

 

What are you working on now?

I am writing academically for the first time in 20 years as I complete a master’s module in Education, specifically on raising the achievement of learners. 

 

What do you do for fun?

I love yoga, music, reading, roaming beaches, swimming in the sea and hanging out with friends.

 

Where are your favourite places to visit?

Since Covid, our world became very small, and we have not left the island in almost two years. Pre-Covid we loved driving to Penang in Malaysia and flying to Cambodia. Within Thailand we loved spending time in Khao Sok with its ancient tropical rainforest and multitude of animals.

 

Full Story: https://expatlifeinthailand.com/lifestyle/lesley-naylor/

 

-- © Copyright Expat Life in Thailand 2022-01-18

 

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