Tourism Authority of Thailand and and National Geographics Launches “The Beach”

Jun 24, 2014

Thailand’s magnificent beaches were the focus of an hour-long documentary broadcast by National Geographic TV channel worldwide on 20 June, 2014. The programme marks the start of marketing campaigns to be launched by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to help the travel and tourism sector make a quick recovery from the impact of the recent political unrest.

Appropriately entitled “The Beach,” the TAT-supported documentary presented the story of Thailand’s beaches as depicted through the eyes and perspective of Mr. Ben Horton, a Nat Geo emerging explorer and professional photographer.

Mr. Horton travelled to Phra Nang, Ao Nang, Ko Phi Phi, Ko Phangan and Hua Hin, covering beaches along the coastlines of both the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, to capture their pristine beauty and record the experiences of both foreigners and local Thai people.

Continued

http://www.eturbonews.com/47260/tourism-authority-thailand-and-and-national-geographics-launches

http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/eco-tourism/photos/15-travel-destinations-being-ruined-by-tourism/phi-phi-islands

to capture their pristine beauty

Spent a few weeks here recently. Definitely pristine. Plenty of nice beaches if you avoid the more touristy spots.

I'm glad the focus is on the same old Islands to preserve lesser known places and avoid over exploitation.

Hua Hin beach pristine, my foot(he said, scraping something nasty and smelly off the sole).

I have been to Hua Hin's pristine beach and the first thing I saw was a dead rat lying on the sand, put me clean off..., and to be honest it was nothing special, Phuket for me Is so much nicer....

I'm glad the focus is on the same old Islands to preserve lesser known places and avoid over exploitation.

you people prefer to get robbed / mugged / scamed (taxi, jetski, tuk tuk) on a clean beach (phuket) or a dirty one (all the rest) ?

Pristine beach in Thailand......that's so funny.

Few of you you obviously don't get out much. There are some amazing beaches in Thailand and you know it. Get a life, quit old lonely men sarcasm and anti-Thai rhetoric and try to enjoy what this beautiful country has to offer. Otherwise just leave and spare us from immature and inferioty complex ridden remarks.

http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/eco-tourism/photos/15-travel-destinations-being-ruined-by-tourism/phi-phi-islands

I bet there was no discussion of martial law, suspension of the democratic process, failure of waste management and pollution control, slavery or the like though.

Few of you you obviously don't get out much. There are some amazing beaches in Thailand and you know it. Get a life, quit old lonely men sarcasm and anti-Thai rhetoric and try to enjoy what this beautiful country has to offer. Otherwise just leave and spare us from immature and inferioty complex ridden remarks.

You are right there are much more nice and real not over crowded beaches in Thailand as the standarts Like Phuket, Samui, Phi Phi, Khao Lak or Hua Hin.

Anyway I will not publish here the hidden pearls.

Thailand having much more offfer as only beaches.

I made about 10 years ago a ride with my new 125 ccm Honda Wave most of the time alone.

The Story in short:

Phuket - Surat, by Bike

Surat - Bangkok by Night train 2 class + my Bike

Bangkok - Srisaket by day train 3 class over Khorat, Burirum, Surin + my Bike

Srisaket - Khao Phra Viharn, Emerald triangle, by Bike

Then Ubon floating Restaurants, but not were the tourists go, thai style, 2 colour river, by Bike

Along the Mekong Mukdahan - Nakhon Phanom - That Phanom, by Bike

Sakon Nakhon - Seka - Phu Tok, by Bike

Udon - Nong Bua Lamphu - Loei, by Bike

Lom Sak - Phitsanulok - Sukothai Historical cities(Khmer Style), by Bike

Sukothai - Tak - Mae Sot, by Bike

Then for a while along the Burma Border, Mae Sot - Mae Sariang

along the Karen Camps refugees from Burma.

Mae Sariang - Doi Inthanon - Chiang Mai was too crowed I was going thru.

Chiang Mai - Ban Thaton(Mae Nam Kok), by Bike

Wat Prathat Doi Tung with an incredible View over the river plains(Mae Nam Kok)

a long stairway to walk up.

Mae Sai, Tachilek, Mae Nam Mae Sai, Golden Triangle by Bike.

Chiang Rai - Phu Chi Fa top of the Hill with also an incredible view into Laos, by Bike.

Then along the Laos Border total country side direction Nan, Mae Nam Nan, by Bike.

Nan - Phrae - Uttaradit by Bike

From Uttaradit (a short cut by air), but a long ride over small roads to Loei, by Bike

Loei - Khon Kaen - Roi Et - Yasothon - Ubon - Khong Chiam, by Bike

then Road No .24 and No. 2 to Bangkok by Bike

Bangkok - Hua Hin - Ranong - Phuket by Bike

With a lot of nice landscapes, Mountains and ppl by the way.

In 1.5 month over 10,000 km on the bike.

I will never forget it, I kept this Story a short a possible, but I could write a book only about Journey.

I would never say, I know Thailand or the Thai ppl.

In general Thai ppl as 1 Type don't exist a lot of Tribes and I mean not only the hill tribes.

The same like in the most of other countries.

If I read a lot comments and I don't mean explicit this forum in general, then I getting sick.

When a lot of ppl talking about their Holiday main subject.

Airport stress, beaches, bars and complaining about the bad service.

This is why I will never tell in Thaivisa or in another forum about still nice and unknown places, caused I will not meet the crowd over there.

Carpe Diem

Few of you you obviously don't get out much. There are some amazing beaches in Thailand and you know it. Get a life, quit old lonely men sarcasm and anti-Thai rhetoric and try to enjoy what this beautiful country has to offer. Otherwise just leave and spare us from immature and inferioty complex ridden remarks.

You are right there are much more nice and real not over crowded beaches in Thailand as the standarts Like Phuket, Samui, Phi Phi, Khao Lak or Hua Hin.

Anyway I will not publish here the hidden pearls.

Thailand having much more offfer as only beaches.

I made about 10 years ago a ride with my new 125 ccm Honda Wave most of the time alone.

The Story in short:

Phuket - Surat, by Bike

Surat - Bangkok by Night train 2 class + my Bike

Bangkok - Srisaket by day train 3 class over Khorat, Burirum, Surin + my Bike

Srisaket - Khao Phra Viharn, Emerald triangle, by Bike

Then Ubon floating Restaurants, but not were the tourists go, thai style, 2 colour river, by Bike

Along the Mekong Mukdahan - Nakhon Phanom - That Phanom, by Bike

Sakon Nakhon - Seka - Phu Tok, by Bike

Udon - Nong Bua Lamphu - Loei, by Bike

Lom Sak - Phitsanulok - Sukothai Historical cities(Khmer Style), by Bike

Sukothai - Tak - Mae Sot, by Bike

Then for a while along the Burma Border, Mae Sot - Mae Sariang

along the Karen Camps refugees from Burma.

Mae Sariang - Doi Inthanon - Chiang Mai was too crowed I was going thru.

Chiang Mai - Ban Thaton(Mae Nam Kok), by Bike

Wat Prathat Doi Tung with an incredible View over the river plains(Mae Nam Kok)

a long stairway to walk up.

Mae Sai, Tachilek, Mae Nam Mae Sai, Golden Triangle by Bike.

Chiang Rai - Phu Chi Fa top of the Hill with also an incredible view into Laos, by Bike.

Then along the Laos Border total country side direction Nan, Mae Nam Nan, by Bike.

Nan - Phrae - Uttaradit by Bike

From Uttaradit (a short cut by air), but a long ride over small roads to Loei, by Bike

Loei - Khon Kaen - Roi Et - Yasothon - Ubon - Khong Chiam, by Bike

then Road No .24 and No. 2 to Bangkok by Bike

Bangkok - Hua Hin - Ranong - Phuket by Bike

With a lot of nice landscapes, Mountains and ppl by the way.

In 1.5 month over 10,000 km on the bike.

I will never forget it, I kept this Story a short a possible, but I could write a book only about Journey.

I would never say, I know Thailand or the Thai ppl.

In general Thai ppl as 1 Type don't exist a lot of Tribes and I mean not only the hill tribes.

The same like in the most of other countries.

If I read a lot comments and I don't mean explicit this forum in general, then I getting sick.

When a lot of ppl talking about their Holiday main subject.

Airport stress, beaches, bars and complaining about the bad service.

This is why I will never tell in Thaivisa or in another forum about still nice and unknown places, caused I will not meet the crowd over there.

Carpe Diem

Since we talk about bike touring....did all of above and more...fantastic way to explore the country. Wish some of these old grumpy men get of their bar stools and instill basic sense of adventure and follow your suit.

However, here is one fantastic beach....barely 90 minutes ride/drive north of Phuket. Simply paradise....Hapla & Hula Beaches at Koh Kho Khao. 20km long and I have never seen more than 10 people at any time.

Hi Crobiker,

I was about 12 years ago on this Island only 1 resort was there, took the small ferry to go over there, was 2 years before the

Tsunami. I took my mountain bike from Germany by plane to Phuket.

HQ 1 in Phuket then only with my small backpack and explored almost the whole province Phang Na.

HQ 2 in Takua Pa I was invited there and lived about 1 month with the natives.

I made daily tours from HQ 2 about 40 - 80 km with my Mountain Bike to explore the small Mountains over there with a lot of small hidden Waterfalls and nice mostly empty beaches along the Andaman Sea .

I have a Question, when was you the last time on this Island, caused I see on google earth there are now several resorts.

Is it still nice and not crowded over there.

I have a lot of unforgettable impressions around Thailand.

Tschok dii

I was there 3-4 months ago. There are couple of resorts but very isolated and difficult to find. You can jog down the beach 10km and hardly see 10 people even in high season.