nomad4ever

Ahhh! Thailand, the famous Land of Smiles. A wet dream for many, yet a fulfillable one if you see the influx of Farangs, who find a place to live long-term in Thailand over the last couple of years. Great tropic weather, friendly and beautiful people, relaxed beach life and a cuisine to die for – are there any more reasons to retire in Thailand?

Maybe cheap Costs of Living, compared to your motherland in Europe, the US or Australia. And surprisingly, Thailand can even score in this regard. Here is the latest update of prices for day-2-day items, in our tradition of cost of living comparisons for Asian holiday destinations:

written by Chris

As the election booths were closed earlier today following the first election after the Coup of the Thai Military – the smoke is slowly starting to clear up. It looks now like the Allies of then deposed former PM Thaksin Shinawatra are headed for a victory.

This would come as a double blow to the Military who executed the ‘bloodless Coup’ accusing Thaksin of Corruption and robbing money from the people. They basically took over the country, when the PM was on a business trip in Europe to meet with other leaders.

Seems that the people have a different opinion:

written by Chris

In Thailand’s current political arena, things don’t look so bright after all anymore – just 6 months after the ‘bloodless coup‘ over there. Of course Tourism seems to look stable and the Sex Industry isn’t effected at all – as usual.

After the first doubts, if Thailand has a democratic future; the view of the Thai People obviously changes, they demand more clarity on how things will progress further. There are even the first demonstrations in Bangkok and the reputation of the Coupsters vanishes more and more.

Will there be truly free election again soon?

written by Chris

What’s the fuss?

Laos is still a mysterious country, dominated by sheer nature, dense jungles, vast empty spaces and remote villages, ‘Karst’ mountains, waterfalls, hot springs, bat swarms, endless muddy rivers and rice paddies. It only opened up from communist isolation in recent years in the 1990’s.

Through Laos runs the mighty river Mekong, which is one of Asia’s largest and longest rivers. It starts in higher Tibet and is finding its way through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Ready to go backpacking in time?

written by Chris

It’s funny to watch and compare the two genders dance around each other in Thailand and Bali. While in Thailand, mainly in Bangkok, Pattaya or Phuket; most of the sex tourists are usually the old, saggy type of men in their late 50s up, it’s almost unheard of that women travel to Thailand for Sex.

Right?

The show is completely different in Bali: Here you usually see a younger crowd of men, but most of them bring ‘beer to Munich’ or ‘owls to Athens’, as they travel with girlfriend or wife. Rarely you see typical male sex tourists (in the classical sense) flock to Indonesia.

written by Chris

Pay Hike For Thai Coup Leaders, New Cabinet under fire for approving salary increase, top posts in several state firms – coupsters seem pretty close to expiry date…

BANGKOK – The Thai coup leaders, who removed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to stop “rampant corruption”, are now facing growing criticism themselves for receiving a salary increase and also for being appointed to
top posts in several state firms.

Thai newspapers reported that the new Cabinet decided to give the leaders of September’s coup an additional pay-out on top of their monthly military salaries.

written by Chris

After 8 months Thailand, mainly around Phuket, but with short visits to Koh Phi Phi, Bangkok and Chiang Mai, we are restless again.

Nomads have to travel, so we decided to move on -> direction Indonesia.

This sunday evening we will depart, with a 1-week stopover at our old home turf Singapore, to secure my Social Budaya Visa for Indonesia – thus avoiding having to leave the country every month.

The good thing about Bali is, besides being a (mainly) peaceful Hindu island, that it’s in the middle of Indonesia’s 17.000 islands, with Lombok, Komodo, Flores and Java in its closest proximity.

written by Chris

This interesting letter from Jacob Tan was published in Singapore’s Today Newspaper. It refers back to an article of Tham Chen Fye “Why this coup is different” (Sept 27):

While I agree with some points he raised indicating that this coup is distinctive from the other coups in Thailand’s history, I believe the dangers that this coup brings have been downplayed.

The recent coup undoes all the progress of democracy in the past 15 years. The resulting uncertainty will cause more instability – in the region as well as the country – as long as this issue remains unresolved.

written by Chris