Apr 26

Trip to Trang and Satun in Southern Thailand

By Richard Barrow Email

Monday 26th April, 2010 | 304 words | Category: General | 4 feedbacks »

I have just returned from a three day trip to Trang and Satun in the South of Thailand. I was invited by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to join them to do "Product Testing for Quality Tourists". It sounded like fun so I jumped at the chance to go. We flew down to Trang early Friday morning and then basically spent three days on boats and islands in both Trang and Satun Provinces. While I was there I did my best to post live pictures and comments on Twitter and also on my moblog. For those who don't know, Twitter is micro-blogging where you can only post 140 characters at a time. On the other hand, moblogging can be a bit longer, but as it is posted from my mobile phone, in my case an iPhone, I am limited to how many words I can tap out on the touchscreen.

All the pictures in the moblog were taken on the iPhone and uploaded to the Internet as and when I could get Internet access. The following are my moblogs posted from Trang and Satun:

I will be posting longer reports here on www.thai-blogs.com later this week using pictures from my DSLR. You can visit my Twitter Archives for a summary of what I have been doing every day. The first picture above is a foreign couple watching the sunset on Koh Lipe. The bottom picture is snorkelling in the Tarutao National Marine Park.

Do you have any questions about Thailand? Maybe you are planning a holiday or just want to learn more about Thai culture. Have all of your questions answered for free at ThailandQA.com. These forums are part of the family friendly Paknam Web Network.

« Parade of the Pagoda PinnaclesArmed and Dangerous in Silom »
Comment from: Paul Ian
*****
Your photos are always great. Your philosophy on Thailand sucks.

How can you publish images of children having fun during Songkran, as you did, "Thailand's Holiday of Uncontrolled Drinking, Deaths and Injuries." 75% of Deaths and injuries on Motorbikes. Do you think it may have something to do with the fact that the photos you show of young children having a great time throwing water on motorbikes traveling at 25k or up to 45k ? The same people they are killing by causing accidents are the parents of other children. Get Real ! Many may understand your photos as Thailand as being a great place to visit, however, we both know the real truth and what the City Thai's really think of Westerners ! Unfortunately as much good as you think you are doing, it's people like you that keep Thailand as a third world country by distorting the truth. I love the country since my first visit in 1968, however, I do not distort the truth about it.


28/04/2010 @ 00:23
Comment from: Richard Barrow Email · http://www.richardbarrow.com
Thanks for your comments. However, I am not sure if I agree with them entirely. I think you yourself are distorting the truth. By far the majority of accidents and deaths on roads during Songkran are because people are driving while drunk and because they were driving too fast or through red lights. No where in the statistics for top causes of deaths were throwing water a category. I understand what you are saying and I have blogged warnings about the dangers before. However, in Samut Prakan Province where I took these pictures (and we are the most densely populated province in Thailand, there was only ONE death on the roads for the entire seven days of Songkran. And this was due to speeding.
28/04/2010 @ 09:38
Comment from: Phil
I do not understand Paul Ian's criticism.How would your photos of kids at Songkran make any difference one way or the other.You are just showing it like it is and any person who lives here knows there are much more dangerous practices, such as 13 yo kids riding motorbikes at all times.
Loved your report from the south.Wife and I had one of best holidays ever at Koh Ngai in Trang last year staying at Coco Cottages.
29/04/2010 @ 15:19
Comment from: Robert Weller · http://www.allvoices.com
*****
Richard. I write for allvoices.com of san francisco. we would very much like to use your material. is that okay? and would it be possible to get it by email. you could go to allvoices.com and sign yourself up then would be able to file directly with no one touching your stuff. rgds. rw.
16/05/2010 @ 03:32

Leave a comment


Your email address will not be revealed on this site.

Your URL will be displayed.
PoorExcellent
(Line breaks become <br />)
(Name, email & website)
(Allow users to contact you through a message form (your email will not be revealed.)
« Parade of the Pagoda PinnaclesArmed and Dangerous in Silom »