The Thai Pirate - Thai Blog and Travel Stories

Chula Street Food at Night

2010-03-07T10:56:32+00:00

When Sutiya checked into Chulalonghorn Hospital to give birth, we stayed for 4 nights in the Red Cross Building linked to the hospital.

During those hazy evenings, I would venture out and buy up some street food from the dozens of stalls located around the busy sois to take back to eat .... in doing so I discovered some of the best food I've ever tasted.

(fresh meat, packed on top of ice) The food really made those evenings more memorable; fried sweet bananas, sticky rice, hot spicy noodle dishes, crispy chicken, fresh fish, juices and fruits......

My parents flew out as soon as they learned that baby was due, and stayed at a rather nice hotel opposite the hospital on Rama 4 (p an pacific hotel). Great hotel, with excellent facilities.

What made me chuckle was the price of the (very nice looking) cuisine offered in the pan pacific's rather plush restaurant; ranging from 2 to 3 thousand baht per person; whereas, a freshly cooked pad kapow gai, complete with polystyrene container, cost a whopping 30 baht a throw...

Is the 'high-end' cuisine of the pan pacific a hundred times better than the Rama 4 street food?

Not a chance....

If you find yourself staying at the pan pacific on Rama 4 near Chula Hospital, I'm sure the hotel food is great, but try taking a stroll just outside for some truly excellent, real Thai dining ....

A room with two views

2010-03-01T11:44:09+00:00

We stayed at a cheapish hotel in Cha Am not too long ago. Here is a fantastic view from the window.

Unforutunately, this was a picture I took from the room across the corridor (the door was open and room was vacant). This was our view.

Not so spectacular I think you'll agree (but still, bundles of character). This example is typical of how many of these Thai beach resorts develop; packed lines of buildings along the sea shore, with vast tracts of vacant land behind them, with long, straight and occasionally very busy roads leading up to the main sukhumvit.

A favourite conversation between farangs often takes the line of 'one day that land will be worth fortunes' and 'we should buy lots of it now' etc etc.

Perfectly true, probably, although I'm sure the land prices are not as low as some might like to believe ....

I'm no expert, but I do think Cha-Am is an excellent investment area for those with the resources...I mean, look at all that land.... one day that will be worth fortunes blah etc.

Hard Day at the Office

2010-02-21T13:36:50+00:00

Chip off the old block.

Rugby game in Pattaya

2010-02-04T07:09:18+00:00

I got together with the Panthers again for a match vs. the 'Goosers'.

(check the backdrop - you don't get those in Ilford) All I knew was that this team were associated with the British Club, a popular expat organisation based in BKK. When they turned up there was a little confusion, mainly because they were all Thai(!) (I was expecting a bigger expat contingent, like us).

We didn't care, either way we were going to get a game. You can imagine the scenario, a side made up of about twenty 30-40 (50?)-ish expats from all walks of life, vs. a gang of about thirty young Thais, all in their late teens to early 20's, of whom had traveled down from BKK, and who weren't intending to go home without a win.

(one spectator enjoys the game) The Panthers started well; with initiative, experience, and the odd spurt of energy... Alas, these spurts rapidly diminished, and initiative and experience couldn't keep up... after a bit, the 'collective' fuel in the tank was running close to the red; as the Panthers attack wore down, the nippy Goosers gained in confidence and began to 'get their game on'...

Just goes to show, as you get older, you have to 'get them in early' ... the rest of the game was largely a defensive demonstation put on by the Panthers, with the Goosers managing to squeeze through 'a few times,' shall we say.

(a Thai panther heads for the try line) But all in all a great game, the weather wasn't too bad either, kick off at 4.30 in the afternoon is a bloody good idea, and the game was mercifully separated into 4 x 15 minute quarters... The Panthers also put three tries on the board, and had some solid team effort in defence....

Against a much fitter, younger and more drilled side, not a bad effort by any stretch.

Great place to stop in Pattaya - Aiyara Palace Hotel

2010-01-31T11:10:44+00:00

There are two main reasons we visit Pattaya these days, work, or rugby. This one was rugby (yeees). We hit the streets of Pattaya early to find somewhere half decent to stop; somewhere that wasn't too divey, nor expensive (tricky as it was a Saturday, when prices are higher). Having checked out a couple of semi-grimy, overpriced resorts, we had a stroke of luck and stumbled across a real gem, the Aiyara Palace on Nagula Road.

I admit when I got out of the car to fetch a price list I thought, probably 3000 odd baht, out of our budget... so I was a little shocked when the girl behind the jump said 1800 B (around 30 quid a night).

You find this sometimes in Pattaya. Some hotels / resorts will stick to the book price, come rain or shine. Others will do a deal on the door, and sometimes a very good one (depending on how full they are) so if you have the time, it's often well worth driving around a bit, checking the nicer looking resorts, to see if they want your business (this applies more in low season, and not on a weekend). The great thing about the Aiyara is that this seems to be the book price in low season, and on a Saturday...

This place is in North Pattaya, so a bit away from the crazy stuff (but only a short walk / bus ride if that's your poison). It's clean, well put together. The pool and jacuzzi on the top floor are smashing, with great views of the town, all finished in a clean, traditional Thai modern style.

I confess, I'm starting to like Pattaya more and more with each visit. It has everything, so much to do and see, and you can have a pleasant family break here.... When you find a good place like the Aiyara, at such good value, it really gets you off to a flying start..

(one view from the pool) The food is a bit special as well, very tasty Thai and European / American cuisine, plus, included in the 1800 B you also get good parking under the hotel, free breakfast and free internet access in your room (so take your laptop).

If you are digging around in Pattaya, looking for a nice place to stop during the low season, head for the Aiyara Palace for a great deal.

Worrying division

2010-01-27T16:33:01+00:00

The politics of Thailand.

What am I to tell my son?

1 - support a power clique, a privileged few; only interested in maintaining status quo and their own means,

or:

2 - support champagne socialism, at its most absurd; purporting to be an advocate of the majority, but in truth, only interested in power and wealth...

In a Buddhist country, where so much emphasis is given to 'finding the middle way', how ironic this philosophy doesn't exist in the political realm..

The 'Pearn Wan' Centre, Hua Hin

2010-01-24T13:55:20+00:00

Pearn Wan translates roughly as 'enjoying yesterday'. The Pearn Wan Centre in Hua Hin is a small collection of streets and stairways built to mimic the old style streets of yester-year.

At first sight, the dramatic front to the building makes it look as though you are entering a modern art gallery.... which is basically what the Pearn Wan is. The old shop fronts and streets have been well constructed, largely from reclaimed wood and other materials, with lots of colour provided by the various offerings and bright attire of the patrons.

The place pulls in the crowds too, mostly Thai's, and of all ages. There are tonnes of food stalls specialising in cakes and dishes that 'granny used to enjoy,' and you often observe the more senior Thai's getting excited and nostalgic at the varied food and desserts on offer.

The Pearn Wan Centre isn't exactly a 'must see', after all, many of these old style markets still exist for real (where we live in SB, markets at Sri Prachan or Samchuk immediately spring to mind) but it is well worth a stop, if only to experience the friendly, fun atmosphere, with lots of smiling Thai's taking lots of pictures of each other, and the opportunity to have a nice sit down lunch in the restaurants inside.

(Noon with Aiden) But if you're in a rush, maybe heading home after a weekend in Hua Hin, the Pearn Wan is still worth a brief stop, if only to pick up an iced coffee for the journey, and some vintage sweet treats for the family.

Adopt a Thai (clay) bear....

2010-01-17T13:10:50+00:00

The Burmese haven't bombed the place. This is a Thai style demolition..

Bertie looks devastated.

Birthday Ceremony

2010-01-11T06:16:00+00:00

Every year, on my youngest sisters birthday, the family invite monks to the house to make merit. Work is off the agenda, but everyone mucks in to cook, clean, organise and be happy and social. This being little sister's 20th birthday means that this is probably the last occasion this type of ceremony will take place.

So I took the chance to take some footage of the day.

In the foreground, you can see one of the head monks melting candle wax into a pot of water; this is to bless the water so it can be used to bless the congregation.

After the chanting is finished, the food that has been prepared is given to the monks, who all tuck in and have a good lunch. There will be plenty leftover for everyone else after they have finished.

Finally, everyone has a little sing song to celebrate Noon's birthday, and she cuts the cake (warning: singing is included in this video)

New TEE Coffee Shop

2010-01-08T04:50:37+00:00

Some time ago, we had a bit of a bombshell. The owners of the land the TEE Coffee Shop is situated on informed us that they wanted the land back....

We recently discovered that the land is going to be a warehouse of some description....

My mother in law took about 2 months to get over it (see wasn't happy!) But, where there is a will, there is a way..... and after lots of searching, we have now found this new plot, only a very short distance from the original coffee shop..

So, the new shop is currently 'under construction'. Taking what we have learned from the first outing, I believe this new shop will be more successful than the last.

Watch this (currently derelict) space..