The following is an article about Thailand submitted to a Florida travel magasine by a retired friend of mine. Thought it might be interesting to a few ppl here to see how the other half 'lives.'
Trip over to Pattaya, Thailand and change your life.
I'm going to try giving you an idea what it's like being in Thailand, as it still amazes me that I am spending so much time here now.
Are you bored with your lifestyle? Is it tiresome doing the same thing everyday? Reportedly, Pattaya has beer bars full of beckoning girls, crime, and an active Thai Mafia; true but that part of Pattaya is easy to avoid.
Pattaya does have marvelous International restaurants, the food can be elaborate or simple and is always inexpensive. Thai food as a whole is fabulous, and cannot be duplicated in America. The warm comfortable weather here, the white sand beaches and a flurry of activity, make each day a pleasure. What about pollution? New drainage pipes and filtering plants are
currently under construction but there are some polluted beaches, mostly downwind from the factories in the North. These beaches have given Pattaya a bad name; but the warm clear water beaches to the south and the opportunity for a gentle massage under a shade tree next to the blue sea, make each day in Thailand worthwhile.
As I wake up in the morning and walk into the living room, I feel a cool breeze blowing through the apartment and look out onto the pool glistening in the sunlight filtering though the palm trees. Hey, it's a brand new day and I look forward to adventures and fun; I pickup the extension phone to call XXXXX and XXXX, living above and below me, to see what's going on.
A walk outside, crank up the Honda motorcycle and I head down Beach Road next to the Gulf, feeling the cool early morning breeze in my face. The small red Honda Dash is fast and fun, having six speeds and a water-cooled engine. A stop at the Shamrock Bar for breakfast produces a platter of Italian sausage
and eggs cooked perfectly with home fried potatoes and mushrooms, beans and a broiled tomato, heavenly. Read the morning paper. Pay $2. Back on the bike and that feeling of freedom, racing down Pattaya 2 Road with no traffic in
sight.
Are there really a lot of girls here? What about Pattaya being one of the sex capitals of the world? Yeh, probably true. Sex in Thailand is not considered a major decision, as it is in the States. It is pretty much taken for granted like brushing your teeth or having a glass of wine. I hear Stateside, "those Thai ladies only want your money". Women have always sought security from men and men have always paid for any relationship. A wife still costs far more than any lover. Sometimes a Thai gal will need
help with her rent or money to send to her folks in the North. When beautiful young girls pamper me, fix dinner and caress me while watching a good video, it is my pleasure to slip them a few Baht when they leave. (joke: My friend Joe says he never pays a girl to stay over, only to leave)
The Thai smiles are everywhere. I have never had so many girls flirt with me and try to make conversation. It happens in the supermarket, the malls or on the street. Thai people respect age, experience and maturity. An older man is attractive to a younger Thai female and she parades him among her friends
as a badge of honor. She enjoys the good times he shows her and respects his decisions. This is a definite positive for an older male living in Thailand.
The cost of living in Thailand is a fraction of what it is in the West. I stay in a great one bedroom furnished apartment with a pool and located only two blocks from the beach. With hardwood floors throughout, an outside deck and spacious rooms with high ceilings, I pay only B9,000 a month (or about $235). A dinner over the water downtown with fresh seafood and a dynamic
atmosphere costs about $6 per person. A normal Thai dinner close by is an unbelievable B40 or about a dollar.
Medical Facilities are modern and carry a higher rating for professionalism and new facilities than the United States. Both medical and dental costs are a fraction of what you pay in California. If I need an operation or have a serious illness, I would much prefer to have the treatment be in Thailand.
Corruption in Government is the one serious weakness in Thailand. It is prevalent in all Asian bureaucracy. When stopped for a traffic violation, one negotiates with the officer and pays the fine directly to him, which he pockets. To get an item through Customs or extend a travel visa, a present or cash will open doors and solve problems. This has long been the case in
Asia and is a difficult problem to correct.
The cost of getting here is far lower than you would think. Consolidators in California offer me round trip airfare for about $480, depending on the time of year. The Royal Asia Hotel in Bangkok provides deluxe accommodations with a pool for $22.00 a night. A two-hour ride in an air-conditioned tour bus puts you in the heart of Pattaya for B77; there are currently 38 Baht
exchanged for one dollar.
Stay at the Prince Hotel or the Flipper Lodge next to the Gulf, enjoy luxurious rooms and two grand swimming pools with delicious food served poolside or in your room. The room rate at these hotels runs about $18 per night.
Enough of Pattaya, although it is my favorite place to live. How about a remote south sea island (transplanted to the Gulf of Siam), with no high-rise buildings and little commercialism? Koh Chang in the south fills that bill exactly. A four hour drive from Pattaya, ("Koh" pronounced "gaw" in Thai means "island"). Long remote powdered white sand beaches await your pleasure. Warm clear blue water, perfect for diving or snorkeling waits just
outside your bungalow. Fresh seafood is grilled over charcoal on the beach and a walk up into the mountains is an event to look forward to. Virgin waterfalls flow into a calm blue lake providing a secluded and private setting for an afternoon picnic. Imagine staying here for a week or so for the unbelievable price of $10 a night for your own tropical bungalow. Spend early morning in a hammock on your deck watching the sunrise.
Inject some real fun and enjoyment into your life, don't you deserve it?
Okay, here's another of my favorite places here:
A tropical island in the Gulf of Siam much like Hawaii was seventy-five years ago; impossible to find? Try traveling to Koh Samui.
Samui is located off the coast of SuraThani in the southern part of the Thai Gulf on the Western Seaboard. It has seen little development over the years but unfortunately development is now escalating and many changes will be forthcoming. The time to travel to Koh Samui is now.
An American named Guy Hopkins discovered Koh Samui twenty years ago and he and his Thai wife, Toi, built a beachfront resort called "The Spa". Guy is a health addict and The Spa is designed to promote fun and relaxation, while furthering the desire to stay healthy.
Deluxe tropical bungalows with grass roofs and wood floors are built along the sandy beach. With the tall trees and ideal setting, one can relax on the surrounding deck and read a book or partake in an afternoon mountain bike ride to the mountains, or schedule a daily health treatment with one of The Spa professionals. The bungalows have that Polynesian feeling with grass fabric walls and no need to lock the doors. No TV's or noisy air conditioning interrupt the sound of the soft waves on the beach. Would you enjoy a class in meditation, a jog on the long beachfront or a short walk into Lamai town to bring back a freshly baked loaf of banana bread for a late night snack?
An important factor is the food, which after extensive Thailand travel, I find to be the best in the Country. Sitting out in the evening on the open deck, the platters of fresh food coming out of the kitchen are announced by the fragrant aroma of garlic and spices and Toi's mouthwatering fresh whole fish steaming in lemon sauce or garlic and butter. Guys special homemade
pasta with large local shrimps and warm oven baked garlic French bread will be remembered all the next day. Of course the health drinks and special prepared vegetarian food is also a welcome change. The reasonable prices are added when you leave, so don't worry about signing anything or looking for currency.
In the morning, prepare yourself for being indulged, pampered and treated like Thai Royalty. The traditionally dressed Thai staff will prepare your steam bath with herbal warmth and flower-strewn aromatic water to the soft background of Thai traditional island songs. A shady teak massage area under the trees is the next step in heaven. You are offered a Chiang Mai honey mud
wrap or an aloa butter oil facial wrap with your head wrapped in warm plush towels as you receive the relaxing tonal body massage. All this in an atmosphere of Thai love and gentleness and afterward you will swear that it has taken ten years off your looks.
Trip over to Pattaya, Thailand and change your life.
I'm going to try giving you an idea what it's like being in Thailand, as it still amazes me that I am spending so much time here now.
Are you bored with your lifestyle? Is it tiresome doing the same thing everyday? Reportedly, Pattaya has beer bars full of beckoning girls, crime, and an active Thai Mafia; true but that part of Pattaya is easy to avoid.
Pattaya does have marvelous International restaurants, the food can be elaborate or simple and is always inexpensive. Thai food as a whole is fabulous, and cannot be duplicated in America. The warm comfortable weather here, the white sand beaches and a flurry of activity, make each day a pleasure. What about pollution? New drainage pipes and filtering plants are
currently under construction but there are some polluted beaches, mostly downwind from the factories in the North. These beaches have given Pattaya a bad name; but the warm clear water beaches to the south and the opportunity for a gentle massage under a shade tree next to the blue sea, make each day in Thailand worthwhile.
As I wake up in the morning and walk into the living room, I feel a cool breeze blowing through the apartment and look out onto the pool glistening in the sunlight filtering though the palm trees. Hey, it's a brand new day and I look forward to adventures and fun; I pickup the extension phone to call XXXXX and XXXX, living above and below me, to see what's going on.
A walk outside, crank up the Honda motorcycle and I head down Beach Road next to the Gulf, feeling the cool early morning breeze in my face. The small red Honda Dash is fast and fun, having six speeds and a water-cooled engine. A stop at the Shamrock Bar for breakfast produces a platter of Italian sausage
and eggs cooked perfectly with home fried potatoes and mushrooms, beans and a broiled tomato, heavenly. Read the morning paper. Pay $2. Back on the bike and that feeling of freedom, racing down Pattaya 2 Road with no traffic in
sight.
Are there really a lot of girls here? What about Pattaya being one of the sex capitals of the world? Yeh, probably true. Sex in Thailand is not considered a major decision, as it is in the States. It is pretty much taken for granted like brushing your teeth or having a glass of wine. I hear Stateside, "those Thai ladies only want your money". Women have always sought security from men and men have always paid for any relationship. A wife still costs far more than any lover. Sometimes a Thai gal will need
help with her rent or money to send to her folks in the North. When beautiful young girls pamper me, fix dinner and caress me while watching a good video, it is my pleasure to slip them a few Baht when they leave. (joke: My friend Joe says he never pays a girl to stay over, only to leave)
The Thai smiles are everywhere. I have never had so many girls flirt with me and try to make conversation. It happens in the supermarket, the malls or on the street. Thai people respect age, experience and maturity. An older man is attractive to a younger Thai female and she parades him among her friends
as a badge of honor. She enjoys the good times he shows her and respects his decisions. This is a definite positive for an older male living in Thailand.
The cost of living in Thailand is a fraction of what it is in the West. I stay in a great one bedroom furnished apartment with a pool and located only two blocks from the beach. With hardwood floors throughout, an outside deck and spacious rooms with high ceilings, I pay only B9,000 a month (or about $235). A dinner over the water downtown with fresh seafood and a dynamic
atmosphere costs about $6 per person. A normal Thai dinner close by is an unbelievable B40 or about a dollar.
Medical Facilities are modern and carry a higher rating for professionalism and new facilities than the United States. Both medical and dental costs are a fraction of what you pay in California. If I need an operation or have a serious illness, I would much prefer to have the treatment be in Thailand.
Corruption in Government is the one serious weakness in Thailand. It is prevalent in all Asian bureaucracy. When stopped for a traffic violation, one negotiates with the officer and pays the fine directly to him, which he pockets. To get an item through Customs or extend a travel visa, a present or cash will open doors and solve problems. This has long been the case in
Asia and is a difficult problem to correct.
The cost of getting here is far lower than you would think. Consolidators in California offer me round trip airfare for about $480, depending on the time of year. The Royal Asia Hotel in Bangkok provides deluxe accommodations with a pool for $22.00 a night. A two-hour ride in an air-conditioned tour bus puts you in the heart of Pattaya for B77; there are currently 38 Baht
exchanged for one dollar.
Stay at the Prince Hotel or the Flipper Lodge next to the Gulf, enjoy luxurious rooms and two grand swimming pools with delicious food served poolside or in your room. The room rate at these hotels runs about $18 per night.
Enough of Pattaya, although it is my favorite place to live. How about a remote south sea island (transplanted to the Gulf of Siam), with no high-rise buildings and little commercialism? Koh Chang in the south fills that bill exactly. A four hour drive from Pattaya, ("Koh" pronounced "gaw" in Thai means "island"). Long remote powdered white sand beaches await your pleasure. Warm clear blue water, perfect for diving or snorkeling waits just
outside your bungalow. Fresh seafood is grilled over charcoal on the beach and a walk up into the mountains is an event to look forward to. Virgin waterfalls flow into a calm blue lake providing a secluded and private setting for an afternoon picnic. Imagine staying here for a week or so for the unbelievable price of $10 a night for your own tropical bungalow. Spend early morning in a hammock on your deck watching the sunrise.
Inject some real fun and enjoyment into your life, don't you deserve it?
Okay, here's another of my favorite places here:
A tropical island in the Gulf of Siam much like Hawaii was seventy-five years ago; impossible to find? Try traveling to Koh Samui.
Samui is located off the coast of SuraThani in the southern part of the Thai Gulf on the Western Seaboard. It has seen little development over the years but unfortunately development is now escalating and many changes will be forthcoming. The time to travel to Koh Samui is now.
An American named Guy Hopkins discovered Koh Samui twenty years ago and he and his Thai wife, Toi, built a beachfront resort called "The Spa". Guy is a health addict and The Spa is designed to promote fun and relaxation, while furthering the desire to stay healthy.
Deluxe tropical bungalows with grass roofs and wood floors are built along the sandy beach. With the tall trees and ideal setting, one can relax on the surrounding deck and read a book or partake in an afternoon mountain bike ride to the mountains, or schedule a daily health treatment with one of The Spa professionals. The bungalows have that Polynesian feeling with grass fabric walls and no need to lock the doors. No TV's or noisy air conditioning interrupt the sound of the soft waves on the beach. Would you enjoy a class in meditation, a jog on the long beachfront or a short walk into Lamai town to bring back a freshly baked loaf of banana bread for a late night snack?
An important factor is the food, which after extensive Thailand travel, I find to be the best in the Country. Sitting out in the evening on the open deck, the platters of fresh food coming out of the kitchen are announced by the fragrant aroma of garlic and spices and Toi's mouthwatering fresh whole fish steaming in lemon sauce or garlic and butter. Guys special homemade
pasta with large local shrimps and warm oven baked garlic French bread will be remembered all the next day. Of course the health drinks and special prepared vegetarian food is also a welcome change. The reasonable prices are added when you leave, so don't worry about signing anything or looking for currency.
In the morning, prepare yourself for being indulged, pampered and treated like Thai Royalty. The traditionally dressed Thai staff will prepare your steam bath with herbal warmth and flower-strewn aromatic water to the soft background of Thai traditional island songs. A shady teak massage area under the trees is the next step in heaven. You are offered a Chiang Mai honey mud
wrap or an aloa butter oil facial wrap with your head wrapped in warm plush towels as you receive the relaxing tonal body massage. All this in an atmosphere of Thai love and gentleness and afterward you will swear that it has taken ten years off your looks.
