Never be rude & raise your voice
by ASTRAMISH
We found that a lot of tourists from european countries ( not all & yes my parents are european/australian) tended to be very rude & treated the thais like slaves, when ordering food at eating places & whilst bartering. we found this extremely off putting & felt sorry for the Thais who had to put up with this unexcusable behavior.
we went to the trouble of learning a little Thai & always respected that we were visiting another country. We didnt raise our voices or lose face as the thais say even if we were upset( like when we were bartering for a tuk tuk or shopping & we knew that they were trying to rip us off) we treated it all as fun & if u laugh & smile you will go a long way inj Thailand as opposed to being rude. I miss the beautiful warm hearted thais & their smile.
The only other country where i have felt welcome & at ease with the local people is Bali in Indonesia.
Thai script -just lovely
by Myndo
I wish I could read what is written here... although this is just a cut out from a newspaper.
The Thai "ABC" consists of 44 consonants and 32 vokals or Diphtong-signs.
There are always different ways to write something, so the names can vary from travel book to travel book, although they mean the same places.
Phang Nga Bay
by PotatoChips
A trip out to Phang Nga Bay is highly recommended if you find yourself in Phuket. Local tours can be booked from the airport and the coach usually picks you up in the morning from where you are staying. Unfortunately it's been awhile and I don't remember too many details of the trip but the photos below should say something :)
Will Drive You Nuts!
by KookieDough about Sri Burapa Cashew Nut Factory
I went here with a group from the cruise. It is always interesting to see how things were made, especialy stuff that you normally just see in packages in grocery stores. The cashew nut factory is open to tourists so you can see how they processed their products. I also got a taste of all their cashew nut products here and more! All the varieties tasted delicious.
Of course, I ended up buying a lot for myself and for gifts for family and friends back home. Call it a tourist trap, but, hey, the products here are really good and worth buying. Cashew nuts - they've got pure nuts and the brittle ones. Also, the spicy tamarind here are the best ones I've tasted ever - and I am a fan of spiced fruits! I can't remember exactly how much I spent here, but I know that prices are quite reasonable, because I didn't complain :)
Speedys Bar
by Cathy&Gary about Clubs, bars, go go
Speedy's Bar is one of the oldest Aussie bars in Phuket and Speedy is very well known among the expat community and also has a large following of both past and present serving Military personnel.
'Speed' was a Vietnam Veteran serving more than 30 years in the Australian Army as a medic.
Gary first met 'Speed' in Watsonia Army Barracks before they were both deployed to Cambodia for a year with the Australian Force Communications Unit (FCU) as part of the UNTAC (United Nations Transitional Authority Cambodia).
Speedy's Bar is one of the oldest Aussie bars in Phuket and Speedy is very well known among the expat community and also has a large following of both past and present serving Military personnel.
'Speed' was a Vietnam Veteran serving more than 30 years in the Australian Army as a medic.
Gary first met 'Speed' in Watsonia Army Barracks before they were both deployed to Cambodia for a year with the Australian Force Communications Unit (FCU) as part of the UNTAC (United Nations Transitional Authority Cambodia).
They spent a year living together in a small room and became friends and have stayed in touch ever since they were discharged from the Australian Army.
'Speed' has always loved SE Asia and it was no surprise to anyone when he retired from the Army and headed to Phuket.
We have had many good nights at Speedy's Bar over the years and hope to have many more.
His partner of over 10 years Porn (One of these days he's bound to pop the magic question) who manages the bar is the most lovely lady you could meet.
The working girls there are great fun and many an hour has been spent playing dice games etc with them and getting thrashed!!
One of the best nights I have ever had was when we went to Speedy's Bar last year (2006) and Speed and Porn had organized a surprise birthday party for my 50th.
They had a huge banner made which everyone signed once it was taken down, organized a beautiful cake and invited everyone.
It was a night I will never forget.
So call into Speedy's Bar and say hello, the drinks are icy cold and cheap, plus you can also order snacks there if you are feeling hungry.
It's a very honest bar and you will never have to worry about extra drinks being added to your bill!
Speedy's Bar has had a few changes.
The bar area is now bigger and there is also a pool table. Absolutely no dress code.
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Caffe Latte 70baht
Foot massage in Soi Post Office
Sunset at Karon Beach
The mens....
