Reviews - Ken S.

Hi Francesco,

Having recently returned from our stay in Phuket, I want to compliment you and your company for the very reliable service we received regarding return transfers from the airport to our hotel. Even though I made the booking well in advance there was absolutely no problem with us being met at the airport and picked up from the hotel. It certainly gave us a great deal of reassurance to know that we were in such reliable and capable hands.

Many thanks for the service which I will have no hesitation in recommending to friends.

Very best wishes for your continued prosperity.

Regards, Ken S.

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The Thaihua School Museum in Phuket Town

Learn About Phuket’s Chinese Heritage.

Thai Hua School Museum

 Interested in Phuket’s Chinese heritage, not sure why there seems to be such a Chinese influence in and around Phuket Town?   Well here is a great way to learn more about Phuket’s history so you can impress your family, friends and expand your knowledge in general.

I do remember always trying to take the kids to interesting museums when on vacation to widen their general knowledge while enjoying a fun family outing.

Upon entering the museum after paying the 200 baht entrance fee you are greeted by a beautiful room with multiple piano’s that have played roles in Phukets history.
While enjoying the ambiance of this room, take a few minutes to look through the pamphlet given to you as you paid.  This will give you an understanding of the museum, its purpose and history.

Briefly, the build was established as a Chinese language learning center, the oldest in Phuket.  The school was originally established in 1934 and was only recently converted in 2010 to a museum to showcase the Chinese-Phuket people’s way of life from their early arrival to work in the tin mines to a position of prominence and patronage in Phuket.

The objectives of the Museum are clearly outlined on a sign in this lobby area:

In the thirteen exhibit rooms the various aspects of this progression are displayed as to how these immigrant people became the model of success.  The first set of rooms you mainland China to Phuket, where did they come from and why did they come.  Which parts of Phuket did that choose to settle and why.  The migration is broken in multiple periods, starting as early as 1,000 years ago lasting through the Ayudha era (about 300 years ago) and the Rattanakosin era (about 200 years ago) until now.

The second and third rooms contain displays outlining the various alliance’s and close relationships existing between China and the Chinese residence of Phuket.  These rooms contain displays showing the supporting associations of the overseas Chinese with organizations here in Phuket and demonstrate the good relationships that existed and still exist between Phuket and mainland China.  The fourth room follows this same theme, in the specific role that patrons played in establishing the Thaihua School.

The fifth room displays continue the focus on building the history of the school, presenting the principle of Chinese housing construction, and architectural identity.  The sixth room concentrates on displaying the various ways the Chinese influenced the Phuket way of life, including the occupation and livelihoods; literature and intellect.  There are histories of common Chinese people from the past 100 years that made Phuket their home.  A prominent point is the display of the 3 Phuket-Chinese intellects in puppet (Kateh) form.

The seventh room displays the importance of tin mining to the migration of the Chinese to Phuket.  In here are exhibits of mine construction and what role these mining operations played in the development of Phuket city, chronicled are the various periods in the development and decline of tin mining in Phuket.  In the eighth room displays of the attire worn by the Chinese people from over the centuries are presented.  Display on one wall is a mural of a Chinese wedding and many pictures of various manner of dress.

The ninth and tenth rooms again focus on portions of the history of the Thaihua School, the ninth concentrating on the biography of the first headmaster, Master Surpin.   How he helped navigate the school through troubles and problems related to foreign country policies of the western superpowers of that time with sacrificing the integrity of the teachers.  The tenth focusing on the feeling of the actual classrooms from the school, including the desks and chairs from the classroom, with pictures of students prominently displayed.

The eleventh room focus’s on the influence the Chinese people and their knowledge had on the buildings in Phuket city, with many pictures of the various homes and buildings highlighted on a map of the old town area.  The twelfth room refocus’s on the valued heritage the Chinese people brought with them in their traditions and ceremonies.  The displays chronicle many such ceremonies, from birth to the death; with a set of photos of the annual Phuket Vegetarian festival help in Phuket Town. Finally the thirteenth room shows the various influences that the Chinese had on the local cuisine, both ingredients and cooking methods.

The Thaihua Museum runs under the management of Kusonsongkhroh Foundation (aka Lok Xian Kok), a charitable organization with a long history dating back to the mining era in Phuket. It was set up by a group of the local well-to-do immigrant Chinese businessmen. Their original plan was to help their unfortunate fellow immigrants and to help improve living conditions for the islanders by building hospitals and schools. They still carry on the same mission today.

OK, now we know what is in the museum’s thirteen separate exhibit rooms, the question looms, do you have to start in room one and go consecutively through the various displays.  No, actually the museum is not laid out in a manner conducive to ding this; rooms 1 thru 7 are located on the second floor along with the library and the stairs to the second floor are on either side of the entry lobby.

 I actually started my tour in room 10 while trying to find the stairs and then wondered around the first floor until heading upstairs.

The museum is not very large, but the exhibits are very nice and informative.  The building itself is located on Krabi Road and was not difficult to find and I often get lost in Phuket town so it must have been simple.  It is not far, within walking distance ( keeping in mind that I don’t like walking) of the last stop of the Patong-Phuket Town bus, just ask when you get off the bus.

Adventure in Phuket – Bus Between Patong and Phuket Town

OK, OK, so it is not a BIG adventure, but it is a good way to spend a couple of hours on a rainy day and it will not cost you an arm and a leg.  And you will get to see some of the scenery between Patong Beach and Phuket Town as well as a good overview of parts of Phuket Town.

Need a Taxi? Than check out our >> Phuket Airport Transfer 

Just head on down to Beach Road and you will see the bus coming on a semi-regular schedule (after all this is Thailand and the buses run on Thai’ time like everything else.).

"Bas Stop" at the southern end of Patong Beach

You can’t miss the bus, it is big and blue and has Patong – Phuket written across the wind shield.

The actual start of the bus route is at the south end of Beach Road where you will see several sitting waiting their turn to make the journey over the mountain.

The trip to Phuket Town will take about 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic and weather conditions, plus how many stops the bus makes along the way.   If you have been close to one of the stops along the way as you have walked on beach road, you have heard the driver yelling out the window that the bus was heading to Phuket Town.

These are now your big luxury buses that you may have experienced before, heck these are not even buses like you might ride in most major cities around the world.  These are quaint, almost cute buses that you have probably seen in old movies; one of my friends did comment that he has been riding the same bus back and forth for over 23 years.

I saw the same bus displayed in the Tin Mining Museum as an antique.  As you can see in the pictures there is no air conditioning in the buses, only some small fans in the ceiling if you are lucky with all the windows open, just like cars from my childhood.


Once the bus begins its run to Phuket Town, it slowly crawls along Beach Road, stopping occasionally to pick up passengers that have flagged it down, or at proscribed ‘bus’ stops.  At the far north end of Beach Road, the bus make the turn and heads toward the three way intersection to travel over the ‘mountains’ to Phuket Town, be prepared for sudden stops along the way as many drivers seem to have trouble seeing the bus coming right at them and turn in front of the bus.  At the three-way intersection at the base of the mountains, near the Temple, a pickup truck did just that in front of the bus I was on, but our driver skillfully avoided hitting it and we proceeded merrily on our way at a snails pace up and over the mountains.
At the bottom of the mountains we enter the Kathu area and pass the one of the go-cart tracks on our right and the beautiful offices of Easy Day Thailand on the left (notice our luxury van parked in front).   If you get off at the stop just past the office with the Caltex Gas station  across the road on your right you can walk up to the Kathu Market for some real Thai Style food shopping and then just cross the road to stand in front of the station to wait for the return bus to Patong.  But remember the market does not get into full swing until around 5 – 5:30 pm and the last bus heads back over the mountains from Phuket Town at 6 pm and you don’t want to miss that last bus because it gets expensive in a taxi or tuk-tuk and it is a long walk back over the mountains.

The bus makes a right turn at the intersection and heads through several smaller towns, by the Damn and then stops at the Central Festival Shopping Mall (another great place to spend a rainy day and it rivals JungCeylon in size and number of stores).  Once past Central Festival, the bus makes its way through the narrow, crowded streets of Phuket Town, stopping along the way to discharge passengers.  It passes Chinatown, one of the older parts of Phuket Town into the center of Old Phuket Town, which is the last stop.  Notice your surroundings, the return bus leaves from the ‘Family Mart’ across and up the street from where you get off.

The lady on my bus that collected the fare, all of 25 baht per person is extremely helpful and will be happy to help you find places in Phuket Town, she has a map that shows the actual bus route through town and knows where most things are in town.  She speaks good English and is very pleasant and more than willing to help you out, even pointing out specific stops along the way if you have asked her to.

Once off the bus, I suggest you wonder about to see the sights in town, it is quite different then Patong and has multiple shopping areas within walking distance, if you like walking in the rain or heat depending on the conditions.  There are also a number of local taxi’s and tuk-tuks available at a price to take you to specific locations for the right price (negotiate).  But be sure you are aware of how to get back to this spot to catch the bus back to Patong, and as I mentioned it leaves at 6 pm, so if you don’t want to be stuck in Phuket Town or spend 400 to 500 baht to take a taxi back to Patong, don’t miss that last bus.

Please be aware that Phuket Town can be very confusing once you start wondering about, I know I always get lost there, regardless of how many time I go.  After a few minutes it is evident that many of the streets and areas look similar, even if the are not and although there are some signs in English, don’t count on it.  But as I said, this is a mini-adventure and you are on vacation after all and here to experience all that Phuket has to offer.


The return trip on the bus retraces the same route back over the mountains, if you sit next to the window, don’t look down while traversing the mountain curves unless you like getting a bit scared.  Once back in Patong the bus makes its way along Rat-u-tit Road (Second Road) making several stops along the was, one right in front of JungCeylon, for those passengers wishing to stop there.  Once past JungCeylon the bus returns to its original starting point at the south end of Beach Road.

All in all, it is a good way to spend a lazy afternoon seeing parts of Phuket you may not have had the opportunity to visit as a tourist.  You will notice that there are many locals and long time expat residence that use the bus, which tells you a little about it.

Reviews - Michelle

Sunset Tour in Phuket

"Good Morning Francesco:

Hope that you are well.  It was great to meet you.
I have to tell you that we enjoyed Thailand and it was our favourite stop on our tour.
Tee was a absolutely wonderful guide.
I actually got sick when I arrived in Hong Kong - not sure what I ate along the way but it really set me back for 2 days.
But we were able to salvage a day in Hong Kong and see some sights.

Thank you again for your help.

I have friends that will be coming to Thailand in August for their 1st wedding anniversary so I told them about you and will forward your contact info to them
Their names are Lisa and Danny.  I think they want to do both Bangkok and Phuket and will be there for a week.

Have a great day.

Michelle"

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The Mysteries of Thai Immigration

written by Douglas Flynn June 2012

Whether you are outside Thailand planning your next fabulous vacation or already here contemplating staying longer; you are going to run across the Thai Immigration officer(s). One of the most important thing you should always remember is Thailand has a variety strict set of rules and regulations regarding issuing Thai visas. The other equally important fact is these rules and regulations are implemented and enforced at the whim of whatever office and officer you are dealing with. I have visited several different offices regarding obtaining a visa and not matter how much research I did in advance to ensure I was prepared it usually ended up with the officer I was speaking with had just one or two more requests for additional forms to be completed or an extra copy of some miscellaneous page from my passport.

For those of you lucky enough to still be planning your vacation to Thailand you have several advantages, first, if you are coming from a recognized country (one giving automatic ‘upon entry visa’s) and staying less than fifteen (15) or thirty (30) days in Thailand, you don’t have anything to worry about. Flying into country you can apply for and get an immediate fifteen to thirty day visa upon arrival at the airport, problem solved. Just clear customs and head for you hotel, put your feet up and relax.

For those of you not in this category but people that do have to worry about making special applications for longer term visas; you have some additional work ahead to ensure your stay in Thailand is peaceful and uneventful as far as Thai Immigration is concerned. First decide how long you wish to stay in the kingdom and then determine if it is possible to obtain a visa for that period. I have found that the website Thai Visa is very helpful with many questions and helpful visa tips, plus there are far too many variations in the rules and length of visa’s per country to list here. And since the implementation of the immigration rules do have a tendency to change unannounced and on a whim it is best to always verify what you think you know and what documents you will need, then be prepared for potential changes when you are face to face with the Thai Immigration Officer. An important rule to remember is to always keep smiling, be respectful and give them whatever they want, no matter how silly it may seem. Remember this is their job; they know/make the rules and have all the power and you must never seem to be challenging their power, otherwise you are in for a long process and potentially a denial of your request.

Let me give you a few examples from my experience to give you an idea of what I am talking about.

1. The first several times I came to Thailand, I flew in from Tokyo where I had been living for over 6 years and I never really gave a visa any thought, heck I was an American and we are ‘welcome; everywhere, right? As it turned out since I was only staying a week or two, I had no problem clearing immigration, obtaining the necessary visa upon arrival. Hey this is easy, no problem….
   
   
2. My stupidity show itself on my third trip to Thailand from Tokyo. I was actually coming for two months, one as a vacation, the other to take a course to learn to teach English as a second language (big mistake). About half way through class, which was four weeks long, I discovered that my original 30 day visa was about to run out and that I must make a “visa run” out of the country to get a new visa stamp. Well I was ‘lucky’ and was able join a planned ‘visa run’ (there are lots) to Ranong on the Myanmar border, there to exit and re-enter Thailand getting the necessary new visa stamp. This is not the most fun experience; the trip was an all day affair in a minivan over very uncomfortable roads. Any plans I had of studying or even reading or sleeping went out the window quickly after a few minutes on the road. At the time I was also very lucky since they were still giving 30 day visas even if you entered the country via road; the rules have now changed and you can only get an additional 14 day visa utilizing the overland method. I must admit, even this simple task was not without a bit of drama, while at the border, re-entering Thailand the immigration officer went through my passport and started adding up the days I had been in and out of the country in the prior 6 months. It seems there is a rule that you can not just keep going back and forth across the border to maintain and endless visa. It was quite upsetting at the time as he pointed out I had spent too much time in country and not enough out. This appeared to be a problem until I pointed out to him in a very polite way that the other trips had actually been in 2006 and since it was June of 2008, not really a problem, to which be begrudgingly agreed.
   
   
3. My third trip to Thailand was to actually take up residence and work out the remainder of my life. Why I chose Thailand can be found in another blog article. But this was to be my new home. I had finished my English Language Teacher training successfully, but had chosen a slightly difference career path, one that offered (at least in print) great rewards. I was told that to obtain a working visa and work permit, I must leave the kingdom, submit the necessary paperwork at a Thai’ consulate, obtain the correct stamps in my passport and then return. The company that was kind enough to hire me did provide most of the necessary paperwork to obtain the work visa, but since I was in Tokyo, gathering my belongings, I double checked what the Thai Government Website listed as the requirements. Luckily I had taken this precaution since in addition to the company paperwork I also needed a Japanese Guarantor, copies of my bank account and copies of my flight to and from Bangkok ( not sure why since my intention was on staying a long time). As are most things in Japan, the workers at the Thai Embassy were sticklers for paperwork, every “i” had to be dotted and every “t” had to be crossed, and low and behold I had forgotten some piece of paper that was most important to the process and would have to return to next business day (and I say business day because I had chosen a week in which there was not only a Japanese holiday, but also a Thai holiday. Now I had a problem, my flight back to Phuket was on Sunday and I couldn’t go back to the embassy until Friday and they stated that it took two working days to get the visa, which meant I couldn’t pick it up until Monday. When I asked if they could potentially rush it so I could get it on Friday, they answer was a very unfriendly NO, so I had to pay to reschedule my flights. And after all this hassled I only got a 90 day visa, so I was already looking at having to go through all this again in three months.
   
   
4. The visa run from Phuket just to renew my work visa was the worse trip as far as transportation and accommodations, a friend at work suggested the cheapest way to make a visa run was to handle everything myself as far as booking the minivans and hotels in Penang, Malaysia, about a ten to twelve hour trip through southern Thailand. Don’t get me wrong, I like an adventure as much as the next guy, but to me Holiday Inn had always been considered roughing it, boy have my values changed since living here. Getting the visa was easy, I had the company paperwork and the nice desk clerk at the Banana Republic Hotel took it and my money and did everything else, all I had to do was stop by the next day and pick up my fully stamped passport, again a 90 day visa. However, as I said the rest of the trip was a nightmare, the vans were old and the air conditioners didn’t work; the area of Penang where I was forced to stay was the lower end of the backpacker’s area, so you can image the accommodations were not that great. To top off this experience, once back across the border in Thailand with my 60 day stay on a 90 day visa we were forced to take an unplanned detour thanks to rebel activity along the road just south of HatYai. The problem came when our driver got lost; it seems detours are not well marked for avoiding rebel attacks.
   

Now this was the cheapest way to go, but I would not recommend it to anyone, I later found Bangkok Legal offers a very nice “Visa Run Package” for around 4,500 baht that includes transportation in a luxury minivan (limited seating), a night stay in a nice hotel in Penang, plus multiple meals. Heck they even take you to the Thai embassy and help make sure you have everything you need including copies and most important pictures.

I did make several visa runs to Penang to renew my work permit and then switch to a tourist visa once I got fired, I was a lousy timeshare salesman, too honest I guess. Each was easy, but beware, Penang does at time clamp down on renewing your tourist visa multiple times there.

5. Once I got my pension all set and was ready to switch to a retirement visa I went to the immigration office in Phuket Town to double check the rules. The government website states that you must be over 50 years old and have either 800,000 baht in a Thai bank or proof that you get the equivalent of 65,000 baht a month income from a pension. I had no intention of putting 800,000 baht at zero interest in a Thai bank for the three months required nor did I get 65,000 baht a month in income. So I asked if I could use a combination of the two and was told “yes” by the nice officer in the well tailored uniform. I did forget to ask if I could do it all right there, which I could have, but thought I still had to leave country to get it done. I booked the flights hotels to Kuala Lumpur and headed off with all my paperwork, including a notarized paper from the US Embassy stating how much money I got monthly in pension, plus an official paper from my bank stating how much I had on deposit. I had booked an inexpensive air carrier to Kuala Lumpur, but did not realize there are actually two airports there, one for full fare carriers and a second for the low cost carriers and you can guess which has the fuller services and is nicer.
   

The real importance of this tail is that once I reached the Thai Embassy and waited forever for my turn, the nice official behind the bullet proof glass told me that he would not except my documentation, that it had to be EITHER 800,000 baht in a Thai bank or proof of 65,000 baht per month income, NOT a combination there of. I did mention that the official at the Thai Immigration service in Phuket had told me that a combination was acceptable, he said not to him and as I have mentioned it does you no good to argue! So I ended up with yet another 90 day visa, which got me a 60 day stay upon arrival at Phuket airport.

I went to the Phuket Immigration office to complain, knowing it would do little good, and was told I never had to go to Kuala Lumpur, that they could and would do it all right there. With little to no trouble since I already had everything, although I did need one additional copy, never entirely easy, I had my retirement visa good for a year. All I have to do is report to immigration every 90 or so days to tell them I plan on staying another 90 days. Don’ ask why, there is no reason, just another rule!

I now go once a year with all my paperwork, yes I have to get a notarized paper from the US embassy stating my monthly pension income which costs me 50 USD, and the retirement visa itself costs me 1,900 baht, but that is it. No more three day visa runs all over Asia or hassles with multiple different Thai immigration offices, I just have to deal with the one office and they now know me on sight, so do not give me any problems.

The one conclusion that I can draw from all my experiences and those of others I have heard about is to always be RESPECTFUL to the immigration officers and NEVER challenge their authority, all that will get you is more trouble and a refusal for a visa. Also keep in mind that if you do make a visa run to get a 90 day tourist visa, that will only get you 60 days upon entry into the country, to get the other 30 days you must go to the immigration office and pay an additional 1,900 baht, rules are rules!

Need help with your Phuket Visa? Read more...

Reviews - Lavinia

Comments after a Phuket Multi Adventure Safari & 2hr ATV



"Dear Francesco,

Thank you for your help with this tour. We had a great day!!

Kind Regards,

Lavinia"

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Under discussed topic - Health Care in Phuket

Here is a subject you won’t often here much about or see many blogs on, health care in the Phuket area.  I know it is not a great subject and sort of a downer if you are anxiously planning your dream vacation to paradise, but let’s face it, sh*t happens sometimes and it is helpful to know a little in advance of needing these services.  I am by far no expert on the various services here in Phuket, although through experience I have had a chance to sample several of the hospitals and dentist.
Let’s start with the easy one, dentist; there are lots of them spotted around Patong and Phuket Town as well as all the other areas of the island.  Of the ones I have used, they are all quite competent and seem to specialize in pain free dentistry, a high priority on my list.  Some, perhaps over half specialize in teeth whiting services and of the people I have talked to that have utilized these services were quite pleased.  The good thing is the prices are very reasonable, as example, I had one tooth pulled for less than 1,000 baht and several filled for under 800 baht each, don’t try doing this in the US.  So if you are here and have any kind of tooth discomfort or pain, I would not hesitate going to one of the local dentist.  As a side note, most speak very good English, which is most helpful when explaining your particular problem.

For small ailments or cuts and scrapes, a visit to the local pharmacy may be all that is required.  Most of the pharmacies I have stopped in have staff that speaks at least a bit of English and some are excellent English speakers.  Here in Phuket you can get many medicines and drugs that you can not get elsewhere without a prescription.  The pharmacists I have spoken with are usually very knowledgeable about simple remedies for minor ailments or minor cuts and bruises.  And as with the dentist, the cost of medicines at your local pharmacy is very reason, to the point of perhaps being considered cheap.  Don’t worry about finding a pharmacy when you need it (except in the very early morning hours, they do have to sleep), there are countless pharmacies all over the island and most are open from 9am until 9 or 10pm.  Some do stay open later, but that is usually in the Patong night life district around Bangla Road (hey some men need a little help after a successful evening on Bangla Road).

Heaven forbid you should have something major happen concerning a medical condition, there are several world class hospitals located here on Phuket.  I have personally had experience with four of these hospitals and will not comment on those that I have not visited.  As a bit of history and to put my comments in some context, I have lived in Phuket for the past four years and have experienced two major heart attaches as well as other minor aches and pains, including two minor and one not so minor motor bike accidents.  I have also spoken to friends that have had other medical conditions as well as motorbike accidents and been to the local hospitals.

By far the best hospital as far as services offered and comfort is the Bangkok – Phuket Hospital and is rated as one of the top hospitals in the world.  This is where I went with each of my heart attaches and am still here to write this blog.  OK, maybe I am being a bit sarcastic but with the one in 2009, I actually did died some 15 times, the heart stopping completely, but was able to survive thanks to the doctors and care at Bangkok Hospital.  I say this not to down grade International Hospital, located up the road from Bangkok-Phuket Hospital on the bypass, but as an illustration.  When I first present with my symptoms at International Hospital, they though it was a stomach problem and attempted to treat me for only that.  Since I had already had 3 previous heart attaches, I knew it was more than just a stomach problem.  But the doctor there tried to insist on doing an Endoscopy (where they shove a tube down you throat), which I refused.  He kept insisting saying he needed to see what was in my stomach, to which I replied, ”Wait a minute and I will show you!” since I was throwing up so much.  They did keep me over night to be on the safe side and charged me about 30,000 baht, not inexpensive.  Next after my heart attach the following evening, I eventually ended up at Bangkok-Phuket Hospital where they went all out to save me, immediately implanting a temporary pacemaker.  After many tests and diagnostic procedures and some wrangling about costs we went ahead and did an angioplasty and a permanent pacemaker implant.

Cost was an important factor for me since I do not have health insurance, so luckily Bangkok-Phuket Hospital’s doctors’ worked with me to keep the costs within my budget.  Now I do not want you to think that Bangkok-Phuket Hospital is inexpensive and is by far the most expensive one of those I have experience with.  And the added expense does show when you first walk in the door there, it is by every standard a modern, clean, well run hospital, right down to the comfortable waiting areas and central air-conditioning.

About a year after my heart problems, I experienced a liver and kidney infection, which Bangkok-Phuket Hospital cured immediately.  And I continued to go there for my quarterly heart checkups.  So this past January when I again felt the symptoms of a heart attach, rushed back there for treatment.  This time the situation was a bit worse and I needed a triple bypass, which should have cost 500,000 baht all in.  But again lacking insurance and being way beyond my brother’s ability to cover, I had to tell the doctors no.  They were quite upset, mentioning that without it I would die, but facts are facts and I could not afford it, so I figured it must be my time to go.  But the leader surgeon intervened and went to the administrator and got him to waive the fee (nice!).   So I had the operation, not really any fun and seemed to be recovering OK, so they released me, but not before demanding I pay the remainder of the 500,000 baht.  I mentioned that the surgeon had gotten the fee waived, which he confirmed, so they let me out paying only for the room and associated services, about 35,000 baht.
The recovery process at home did not go well and I returned to Bangkok-Phuket Hospital to be re-admitted, but was refused, saying I still owed the balance of a couple hundred thousand baht.  After some discussions, this didn’t go well partially because of language and partially because I was in no condition to argue; I took an ambulance to the government run Vachira Hospital down the road about 3-5 kilometers.  To say the least Vachira Hospital is different in appearance than Bangkok-Phuket Hospital, no shiny reception lobby, no comfortable seating anywhere to be found, generally not as modern a hospital.  Plus it is crowded; being the government run hospital it is much less expensive and for the Thai’s in some cases offers free medical help.  But given these differences does not affect the level of care provided by the staff, although the number and level of English speakers in limited.  After several hours of being shuffled about in various halls within the hospital, I was placed in a ward with 15 other people in various states of health.  I was in Vachira Hospital for about a month and a half and the last 2 weeks actually had a very nice private room with air conditioning, private bath and a couch where my girlfriend could sleep.

This is a very important point in Thai hospitals, having your significant other stay with you is essential.  I discovered this on my first visit to the hospital, but it became abundantly clear while recuperating in Vachira that without Oi (my Thai wife) I would not have survived.  Unfortunately the Thai hospitals appear to be under staffed in nurses and nursing assistants.  But in the long run I recovered completely while at Vachira due to the fine care of the doctors and nurses and thank in no small part to Oi and the best part of the experience was the cost, only 32,000 baht for a month and half of round the clock care and medicines.  This included the charge for the private room for two weeks.  If you were to compare this to the cost of Bangkok-Phuket Hospital, the cost would have been at least 3 or 4 times as much.

The fourth hospital I have had experience with is the Patong Hospital, which is conveniently located in the heart of Patong.  It is also a government run Hospital and is similar to Vachira Hospital although not nearly as large or extensive.   I have never stayed in Patong Hospital over night but do go on a weekly basis to treat and dress the remaining surgical scars on my ankles from the triple bypass.  These wounds are very deep and taking a long time to heal, obviously since it has now been almost 5 months since the surgery.  Again like the other hospitals I have received excellent care from the staff.

OK to recap, the hospitals on Phuket are very good and if cost is no object, I would recommend Bangkok-Phuket Hospital in terms of services provided and efficiency.  To be honest the biggest drawback to Vachira and Patong Hospital are the wait times, because they are government run and inexpensive, they are crowded causing long waits to see doctors.  If you have an emergency, it is no problem because they will take you in through the emergency room.  But for minor problems or illnesses there is definitely a much longer wait at the government run hospitals, but the up side to waiting is the lower costs.

I feel that I should also mention that because it is a commercial hospital, Bangkok-Phuket Hospital does offer elective type surgeries that I am sure are excellent and less expensive than other parts of the world.  Of course in my experience I have found that the cost of the services offered at all of the hospitals in Phuket are far less expensive than any other part of the world.
Please if you are planning a vacation in Phuket, do your homework and get the necessary vaccination and bring any prescription medicines.  It would be a good idea to have a brief discussion with your doctor about you trip and any precautions you might need to take.  IF you are already here, don’t worry, the medical establishment can take care of whatever ails you and probably for a lot less than at home.

Ao Nang – the peaceful village in Krabi that people miss.

Phuket too full during high season to enjoy a relaxing vacation?  Heard others mention Krabi, but not sure what is there?  Well the answer may just be as close as Krabi province across the bay on the mainland.  The lovely, peaceful village of Ao Nang may be just the place you are looking for to spend some time away from the crowds.

Due to its central location along the Andaman Sea and to its fabulous geography and multiple sporting opportunities, Ao Nang is currently one of Thailand’s best all-round beach destinations. It is predominately a family and sports destination. It does lack a wild nightlife and young party travellers will find it boring, it does have a few relaxed bars and two nightclubs for the more mature adults to enjoy.

Many beach destinations get ruined by over-development and the resulting over-population results in excess of pollutants in the environment. But before reaching this situation there is an optimal state, where there are sufficient facilities, but a still ecologically-sustainable tourist population.  Ao Nang is now at this point and represents an ideal compromise between a pristine but boring destination and a fun but polluted one.

The southern half of the beach is not accessible by road, yet the town has a wide range of facilities, for example six Italian restaurants, which will keep most visitors happily occupied for a while.  Ao Nang is active but hasn’t lost that laid back, friendly small-town feel; it is developed but still retains its original beauty and charm.

Ao Nang has numerous spas, beauty shops and massage parlors to offer you a Thai full- body massage, lasting an hour and will cost around 250 Baht and, though you may feel that you have been pushed and pulled in improbable directions, you will feel rejuvenated afterwards.

It is one of Thailand’s most exciting soft and extreme adventure sports destinations. The town’s location on the eastern coast of Phang Nga bay puts it within easy reach of all the fishing, diving and kayaking sites in the bay.

Ao Nang has all standards of accommodation, from traditional wooden bungalows to luxury 5 star spa resorts.  Here are a few that we can help you book: 

• Phra Nang Inn is one of Ao Nang's first resorts (built in 1987) which is why it's in one of the best locations, right on the beach and close to the everything.  It's an old resort that has been renovated to modern standards but still has it's rustic charm. It is nestled under the limestone cliffs that Krabi is famous for.  The resort is separated from the beach by a small path so there is no road to cross to get to the beach. It's ideal for kids who also have their own pool in the resort (there are two pools).   Phra Nang Inn serves excellent seafood.    

• Ao Nang Sunset Hotel is located on Ao Nang beach, at the north end, just steps from the beach. It's the perfect base for whatever you want to do in Krabi. During the day enjoy the beach or a local tour and in the evening stroll along the promenade past the local restaurants and shops.  it is a small hotel of 3 star quality and offers good value for its location. Most hotels in this price range are not right on the beach.  Request a room on an upper floor and have a view across the Andaman Sea.  The hotel is spotlessly clean with all the facilities that you would expect.   Ao Nang Sunset is a very popular hotel with families.  Children under 12 stay free if sharing a bed with parents. Connecting rooms are available and the staff are friendly and attentive and on call 24 hours per day.

• Green View Village Resort is a beautiful tropical garden resort that offers seclusion without you feeling isolated. The resort is 15 minutes walk from Ao Nang beach (or 3 minutes drive in the free shuttle). The lush gardens create a relaxed atmosphere in harmony with nature and the dramatic limestone mountain views will refresh your senses.  The rooms are all individual bungalows and there are different budget options available. You can enjoy the exotic flora and fauna from your balcony or from the open air restaurant pavilion.The large free form pool is surrounded by a wooden deck with sun loungers and sun umbrellas. A great place to relax.

Ao Nang itself has two idyllic, unspoiled beaches, which are lapped by clear, warm water. Other, pristine beaches are located on a number of outlying islands which can be accessed cheaply and quickly from Ao Nang by local long-tail boats.

Thai food is abundance and is available 24 hours a day. So be sure to visit one of the traditional Thai restaurants and stop by the local market to sample the wide variety of food or experiment with one of the many street vendors, who are based on every street corner.  The smell and taste of the Thai dishes are enhanced by a variety of fresh, local ingredients; just don't forget to ask for non-spicy (mai pet) if you have a delicate, Western palette.   For those people who need a break from Thai food, a whole host of Western options are available in Ao Nang; these include traditional English food, Indian Food, Scandinavian food, steaks, pizza and pasta (there are 6 Italian restaurants).

Ao Nang offers a wide range of activities and attractions, including snorkeling, kayaking, island-hopping, climbing, diving, spa/massage/beauty, shopping, white water rafting, hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, temple visits, fishing parks, elephant trekking, cooking classes, massage classes, market exploration and fishing.   Nopparat Thara beach is good for children and is only a few minutes away from Ao Nang.  In addition there are numerous offshore islands, some of which are not too busy, even in high season.  You can schedule a 4 island tour that leaves from the beach in Ao Nang.

Ao Nang to/from Phuket

The ferry service leaves at 3:30pm from Had Nopparat Thara pier and costs 650B, Children 3- 10years old at 500 Baht. Private taxis will take you to Phuket town for 3000B. Contact us to book.
To catch a public bus to Phuket you must first go to Krabi bus station. The public bus service leaves Krabi bus station hourly and takes 3 hours to reach Phuket. This trip costs 170B but the roads are very windy and it is a most unpleasant experience.

There is a much more enjoyable option available in the form of direct speedboat transfer to Bang Rong pier, which is 2/3 of the way up Phuket’s coast. From this pier taxis will take you into the town for 100B. The speedboat leaves at 11am and travels across Phang Nga bay, winding its way through the multitudinous karst islands that rear sheer from the sea. It is a beautiful trip which arrives at 12:15pm and costs 950B. Contact us to book.

From Phuket to Ao Nang, the ferry leaves Phuket town at 8:30am  and arrives in Ao Nang at 10:30am. The public bus leaves every hour to Krabi for 170B. See the above section entitled Ao Nang to/from Krabi for how to get from Krabi to Ao Nang. The speedboat leaves Bang Rong pier at 3pm returning to Ao Nang at 4:15pm. Contact us to book.


     Note: In the low season (May-November) only the over land option is available.

Lets recap the pro’s:

• Lots of beautiful natural settings and activities, both on the mainland and the offshore islands.
• Nice Hotels, perfect for families.
• No Traffic.
• Fair rates for transfers.
• Nice people
• Very relaxing

Now let’s review some of  the con’s:

• Offshore islands are National Parks and there is an entry fee.
• Very small area (walk side to side in 40 minutes).
• Shopping limited and expensive ( half the businesses closed during low season).
• Very tourist oriented place, not a sample of real Thai life.
• .Not a good place for pack backers or bargain hunters.

Easy Day Thailand Developing New Family Tours

Are you and your family thinking and planning your next vacation and considering stunning Thailand?  You have heard that Thailand is called the “Land of Smiles” with warm, constant weather, beautiful beaches, lush tropical jungles, delicious cuisine and wonderful people.  But you have also heard it is not really a family destination, rather a sex destination for men of all ages; WRONG Easy Day Thailand offers family oriented tours and vacations and is currently developing an entirely new set of family tours to expand its repertoire of offerings.  I have lived here in Thailand for four years and can enthusiastically recommend you contact Easy Day Thailand (EasyDayThailand.com) to help you plan and execute your next and future vacations.  Diego and Ingo, two of the owners, both long time family men married to lovely Thai ladies will be more than happy to work with you in putting together an absolutely tremendous vacation for your family.

Khao Sok National Park

Easy Day Thailand already specializes in providing great diving adventures on a variety of live a board yachts and have always provided themselves in giving outstanding customer service, offering essentially everything you need to make your vacation worry free.  They have continually grown and enhanced there product offering with families in mind and have the following new tours on the planning table:



Day trips to the Khoa Sok National Park for a peaceful day relaxing in a lush tropical jungle setting while taking a lazy ride on the river.


Trips and stays in Ao Nang, a quite, peaceful, real Thai town in the Krabi province, including a tour of the four islands just off the coast.

Stays in Koh Lanta or Khoa Lak, both small, uncrowded, under-developed Thai villages where you can kick back and relax without the burden of huges crowds of people or over baring shopping plaza’s.

"Death Railway" along  River Kwai

Visit and explore the River Khwae Yai better known by westerns as the scene for the block buster movie “Bridge over the River Kwai” centered during World War II.  This magnificent river runs thru Kanchanaburi Province, flowing through Sangkhla Buri, Si Sawat, and Mueang Districts of Kanchanaburi Province, where it merges with the Khwae Noi to form the Mae Klong River.   Please note that in Thai it is pronounced ‘quay’ not ‘qui’ as was pointed out to me by my long time Thai girlfriend while actually watching the movie one night.

Stay here in the island paradise of Phuket and enjoy all that it has to offer – Beautiful beaches, National parks, shopping centers, tropical jungles and a spectacular night life for those so inclined.

Phang Nga Bay

Tour South Central Thailand – enjoy Phuket for a few days, then a quick1 or 2 day trip to Phi Phi island off the coast to perhaps take in some scuba diving or snorkeling; next head to Ao Nang to relax in its quiet uncrowded atmosphere; next if you are up to a very relaxing time in a very laid back Thai village you can head over to Kao Lanta before returning to Phuket.

Stay tuned to this blog for future details as we roll out these and other new trips and adventures!  If you would like Easy Day Thailand to get started planning your next vacation, do not hesitate to contact them directly through their website EasyDayThailand.com

New, Fast, Easy way to get in and out of Bangkok Airport!

Travelling to Bangkok?  Many of you have been here before or perhaps this is your first trip to this exotic Asian city and I want to make the experience easier, perhaps more enjoyable and even less expensive.  Let me first explain a bit about your arrival to Bangkok Airport, Suvarnabhumi  especially if this is your first time. Suvarnabuhmi  is a big airport with a spread out terminal divided into either international or domestic flights.  That is not to say that it not an easy place to get around, well designed with signs in Thai and English, as well as some other Asian languages, but its mire size can be some what imposing to the first time visitor. 

I will assume you are flying in from overseas, so you will arrive on the international side of the airport and need to clear immigration and customs.  After what seems like a very long walk (they do have moving side walks to make it easier) you will reach immigration.  Be prepared for long lines at immigration and be sure to have all relevant paperwork filled out, along with you travel documents and passport (this being the most important).  If you are travelling as a family, immigration will want to see all of you at the same time.  After clearing immigration with at least a thirty day visa in your passports you will proceed to baggage claim on the lower level.  Once you have all of your luggage, you must pass through customs, usually no problem. 

At this point you exit into a large lobby and are faced with getting ground transportation into the city since the airport is located in the western suburbs of Bangkok, about 26 kilometers from the center city area.   Now here is where my recommendation comes into play; just follow the signs to the Skylink station, by far the quickest, easiest, most comfortable and by far the least expensive method for getting into Bangkok.  Your other options are taking an expensive taxi (possibly getting scammed by one of Bangkok’s less scrupulous cab drivers), which could mean a long uncomfortable ride depending on time of day and traffic patterns, plus many of the taxis have limited space for large families or large amounts of luggage.  You definitely do not want to take one of the bus services, not with any sort of luggage, or multiple family members.  The local buses are definitely out of the question and the airport express bus will cost you more and take you far longer to get into the city, plus these are not very comfortable.

To get to the Skylink station you proceed to the B1 level after exiting customs, it will be in the center between the Domestic and International sides of the airport, so again assuming you just arrived from overseas, it will be to your right once you get to the B1 level (also quite easy, both elevators or moving side walks down are available).  Once at the entrance to the Skylink station, you will want to stay to you left to get to the express trains.  I would not recommend using the City Line service since it is a local type train and can get very crowded with locals and is pretty much like any subway cab in many other cities.  The express trains are much nicer, larger seats and more room for families and luggage, plus the express train gets you there faster since it is a direct run to a single station in downtown Bangkok.  There are two express trains and you should choose the best for your situation, depending on where you are staying in downtown Bangkok, although the two stations are not really that far apart.

The Makkasan Station is located closer to the center of Bangkok near Sukumvit area and the PhayaThai Station is a little further east, close to the Siam Shopping complex.  It might be best to ask you hotel which station is closer.  I mention these stations because they give there names to the express lines, i.e., if you want to go directly to Makkasan Station, you get on the Makkasan Express and to get to PayaThai Station you take the PhayaThai Express, logical.  Both trains will cost you 90 baht  per person one way or 150 baht round trip; travel time is under 20 minutes to PhayaThai Station and under 15 minutes to Makkasan Station.  Both trains run every 30 minutes and start very early in the morning and run until midnight.

Once at either station, you make you way to street level, a sometime daunting task if you can’t find the escalators down or the elevator, but both stations were designed with airport passengers in mind, so just ask if you have difficulty.  At street level, hail a taxi to your hotel, unless of course you chose a hotel right near the station.  I recommend you ask your hotel several questions when making the booking, before paying:

1. Do they have an airport pickup service, eliminates all of this?
2. Which station is closer, Makkasan or Phaya Thai to the hotel?
3. Do they have a pickup service at either of these stations, again eliminates the need for a taxi?
4. Direction from the station to the hotel to help prevent the Bangkok taxi driver from scamming you, something many of them will attempt.  To this end be sure and ask the approximate fair from the station to the hotel and then be sure the drive engages the meter.

Ok now you are ready to leave Bangkok and head home or your next destination and my recommendation is when you leave the hotel, take a taxi to the Makkasan Skylink train station.  I recommend this station because it is the city airport terminal and you can even check in for your flights there, including your luggage.  After checking in, buy tickets on the Makkasan Express train if you didn’t buy round trip tickets on arrival.  The express train leaves every 30 minutes and will get you to the airport in less than 15 minutes.  Once at the airport, you arrive back in the B1 level station, from there you go to the fourth floor for either domestic or International flight departures.   Since you were able to check in at Makkasan station, you can go directly to the gate,  if you failed to checking at Makkasan Station, then you will have to check in at the airport.

As you can see, the whole experience is quite easy and eliminates many of the hassles of getting to and from the Bangkok airport, no long traffic delays on the way, a common experience in Bangkok; fair inexpensive rate with no chance of getting scammed by the train operator; comfortable seating with plenty of room for you, your family and luggage  The train cars are air conditioned, a very important fact in Bangkok.