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But Thailand has other sides. You should spend at least a couple of days in razzle-dazzle Bangkok with its gleaming skyscrapers, girlie bars, and screaming tuk-tuks. Go north to Chiang Mai to discover another kingdom entirely--a kingdom of misty mountains and paddy fields; of hill-tribe villages and hot springs; of dragon-necked temples, saffron-robed Buddhist monks, and night bazaars overflowing with curios; of elaborately decorated spirit houses where the guardian spirits of the land reside… Like most visitors, I was bowled over by people’s warmth and courtesy. Everybody greets you with “Sawadee” (hello) and a clasped-hand bow called a wai. Yet there’s more to the Thais than their good manners. With their mobile restaurants and whirring sewing machines, they’re also some of the most industrious people I’ve ever seen. Handicrafts...silk...food...accommodation—everything is incredible value. Two people can eat well for less than $10—and you can have a two-hour traditional Thai massage for the same price. If you thought Thailand was only for student backpackers, you’re behind the times. Though it has Third World pockets, my overall impression was of a modern, sophisticated country. You certainly don’t need to compromise on comfort here. The big travel
question is how best to divide your time. If you have only two weeks or
less, this is what I’d recommend: Spend two or three days in Bangkok, then
go north to the traditional heartland provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang
Rai. Then head for a southern beach idyll on Phuket or Krabi for a few
days R & R.
Two Must-Dos In Bangkok 1. Bangkok is a huge sprawl of over six-million inhabitants. Everything you’ve heard about its bargain-price tailoring and cheap eats is true—but traffic jams, pollution, and the seedy sex trade aren’t exaggerated either. It’s not an easy capital to fall in love with, but spend a couple of days here. When noise and traffic gets too much, I recommend taking a long-tailed boat along Bangkok’s scenic backwaters on a Klongs and Wats (Canals and Temples) tour. You can do it yourself—hiring a long-tail boat along the Chao Phraya river costs around $10 an hour—or take a private five-hour tour for around $38. All major hotels arrange excursions. On both the river and its canals, photo opportunities come thick and fast. Stilted wooden houses, gilded temples and golden Buddhas, colonial-style mansions, spirit houses, a statue of a Chinese Dragon Lady. Miniature markets of floating shops row out to tempt you with everything from beer to bananas. Right on the
river, Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) takes exoticism to new heights. Below
a needle-point tower, its walls dazzle with mosaics made of hundreds of
thousands of pieces of multi-colored porcelain. Chinese trading ships used
old porcelain as ballast, and the Thais recycled it into temple ornamentation.
An ex-military intelligence agent from Delaware, Jim Thompson is credited with reviving Thailand’s hand-woven silk trade. (Hard to believe now, but after World War II, it had dwindled to cottage-industry status.) The story of what happened to Thompson is strange. He was born in 1906—and an astrologer warned him to be careful of events during his 61st year. Leaving no clue as to what became of him, Thompson disappeared during a visit to Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands in 1967. To avoid city
traffic, the best way to reach Jim Thompson’s House (6 Soi Kasemsan 2,
Rama I Road) is on the Sky-Train—get off at National Stadium station. It’s
well-sign-posted; opening hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is around
$2.
If you have $1 to $5 to spend on a gift, you can choose from woven bags, cushion covers, hand-painted umbrellas, opium-smoking artifacts, snake and monkey puppets, magic tricks, lacquer-ware boxes, fish mobiles, bamboo fans painted with golden dragons, and hemp serpents that can be twisted into a variety of shapes. Even genuine silk scarves are only $2.50. Don’t want
to spend as much as a dollar? Well, 50 cents buys a key-ring with a carved
wooden elephant. With most items—though not 50-cent key-rings—haggling
is the order of the day. And don’t be shy. My advice is to offer a quarter
of what the vendor is seeking—and never pay more than a third of the asking
price. Thankfully the market also has luggage shops selling bags to transport
your treasures.
From Chiang Mai, you can take excursions into the surrounding provinces of mist-cloaked hills and jungle. Go elephant-trekking, go white-water rafting, visit hill-tribes and craft villages. Day-trips don’t have to be by coach. For an equivalent $50 apiece, we hired a private guide and driver for a 12-hour trip to Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle. The car was air-conditioned, and a hotel buffet lunch was included in the price. Notorious for poppy fields and opium production, the Golden Triangle is where Thailand meets Myanmar (Burma) and Laos. But this trip packed in far more than just an opium museum and views across the mighty Mekong River. Visits to Yao and Akha hill-tribe villages...farmers planting rice...a Buddhist temple and a food market in the sleepy town of Chiang Saen...Ban Pong Num Ron where villagers boil quails’ eggs in hot sulfur springs...shopping for Burmese jade in the border town of Mae Sai… We arranged
the tour through the excursion desk of Chiang Mai’s Lotus Pang Suan Kaew
hotel. This four-star hotel offers excellent value. Booked through www.planetholiday.com,
the price of a double room—including breakfast—is $25.
Not so long back, Lisu families derived their income largely from opium production. Originating in eastern Tibet, the first Lisu settlers arrived in Thailand early last century. Many Lisu men wear western-style clothes, but women and kids wear bright blue and green pants and tunics. They have their own language—one useful phrase is “ah koo boo moo” meaning “thank you.” Thailand’s Paradise Island Baking under intense blue skies, Phuket satisfies those winter-time fantasies of white sands, coconut palms, superb seafood, and soothing spas. Roughly the same size as Singapore, it’s Thailand’s largest island and richest province. Best known as a sophisticated vacation paradise, it’s circled by 32 small islands rich in caves, cliffs, lagoons, and seabirds. The seascapes are surreal. Rising from waters that gleam jade, emerald, and deep turquoise are countless limestone pillars and bizarre outcrops smothered in jungle vegetation. Movie-makers drool—and it didn’t all start with Leonard di Caprio and The Beach. Phang-Nga Bay was chosen for the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun. Even in February’s “cooler season,” it’s hot—really hot. And humid. Washed by the Andaman Sea—part of the Indian Ocean—the island is only 8 degrees north of the Equator. That means a tropical climate, but sea breezes generally keep daytime temperatures to between 85° F and 90° F. The Andaman Sea is an aquatic playground, a yachtie’s dream come true. Swish marinas...big-game fishing for marlin and other monsters of the deep...sea-kayaking...snorkeling and diving trips...boat excursions across the bay to Krabi on the mainland...pearl-farming islands...sea-gypsy islands...completely deserted islands where you can beach-comb for exotic shells. Phuket’s population numbers around 300,000, so don’t think it’s a slumbery island for castaways. Flights to Bangkok take an hour, and it’s linked by bridges to southern Thailand’s mainland. Around 8,000 expatriates of all nationalities are resident here, including a few Americans. Resorts like Patpong, Kata, and Karon attract hordes of north European package tourists, but it’s easy to escape them. My favorite part of the island is in the south: Nai Harn. It has a white-sand beach, small bars and seafood restaurants, and a lagoon where locals go night-fishing and the cicada chorus erupts in full song. Sunsets are incredible. Fiery trails burnish the sky, and the red lantern of the sun dips slowly into a shot-silk sea. Absolutely gorgeous. Going Native You may be tempted by the idea of not returning home ever. You don’t have to. Phuket has an international school and hospital, good communications, and large supermarkets. Whether it be CNN News or shelves stacked with Pepsi-Cola, you’re rarely far from home comforts. Having bought a home and a car, a couple can live comfortably for well less than $20,000 per year here—and Phuket is one of Thailand’s most expensive provinces—go north, and costs are less. How much for a home on Phuket? $20,000 to $4 million. A furnished studio in a condo in Phuket’s largest resort, Patong, lists for $20,440. In the island’s center, small and simply constructed two-bedroom homes are often listed for less than $50,000. Between Patong and Phuket City, a two-bedroom home in a development with pool, tennis court, and sauna can be had for less than $40,000. For homes of better quality and finishing in an up-and-coming beach area like Nai Harn, $140,000 for a 1,300-square-foot house or condo is the norm. The Rawai/Chalong Bay area has three- and four-bedroom options for $89,000 to $100,000. Although more built-up, it’s only a short drive from Nai Harn. For a luxury house built of tropical hardwoods with dragon-necked roof gables, verandah-like salas (living pavilions), sunken Jacuzzi baths, and a swimming pool, you’ll have to increase your budget considerably. Depending on location, it’s generally $250,000 upward for a modern pavilion palace of 2,000 to 2,500 square feet. Needless to say, beachfront locations and ocean views dramatically increase prices. A good contact for Phuket properties is Lifestyle Properties (Ken Abday), 99/31 Chalemprakiet Ror 9 Rd. (Bypass Road), T. Rasada Muang, Phuket, Thailand 83000; tel. (66)164-935-57; e-mail: ken@phuketlifestyle.com. Foreigners Can Own: · A
condominium unit.
Condominium properties can be owned freehold, but buying land in your own name is problematic. One way around this is to set up a Thai company with a Thai partner or shareholders and then to purchase through the company. However, as a foreigner can own only 49% of shares, you have to be absolutely certain your partner is trustworthy. Or you can lease land. Leases can be structured on a 30-year + 30-year + 30-year basis. Most foreigners who “own” land and houses opt for 30-year leases with two 30-year renewals. Along with rights to sell/transfer the property, such leases generally include clauses that allow freehold ownership if laws change. Although foreigners
cannot own land freehold, you can own a house—or build one. Although
you’d have to lease the land it’s on, the building can be owned freehold.
New villa developments also have structured leases to ensure continuity
of ownership.
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