Bo Fai Blog

Kiteboarding World Cup Hua Hin March 11 - 20 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:40:00 +0000

There will be two events:

The first event will be the PKRA Thailand competition March 11-14. The top 2 male and top 2 female finishers will automatically be entered in the main event of the PKRA International freestyle competition! This event will be run by the PKRA international judges and a PKRA contest director which means the highest quality of judging.

Monday, March 15 through Saturday, March 20 the top riders in the world will compete in this Grand Slam event, featuring Freestyle, Course Racing, and Board Off disciplines. It will be the first professional kiteboarding event in Asia in the history of the sport, and it promises to be a new beginning for the sport in the region, as it is expected to become an annual kiteboarding mega-event in Thailand.

A little late on posting this but if you live in Hua Hin you'd have to be more of a hermit than this guy to have missed all the signs and the PKRA has a good web site about the event so the news is out.

So, all FBF will try to do here is make it a bit easier for those NOT staying at the Intercontinental to view the event.

The maps on both the PKRA and Intercontinental sites are a little vague on where the event will be held so FBF reconnoitered the area today, mainly for selfish reasons (2 boys who need to wash up after visiting any beach) but will share what was learned here...

A platform/stage/viewing platform is under construction roughly just north of Soi 79, which is the northern boundary of the Intercontinental Hotel. There were no kiteboards visible at that site this morning but there were several working out on the beach east of the Condochain at Soi 75/1, which is probably the BEST place to get a bird's eye view of the festivities though would imagine the Intercontinental will probably offer some most comfortable viewing areas also.

There are a few small food stalls at the end of Soi 77 complete with umbrellas, tables and chairs and an abundance of massage ladies with their amenities. One would assume that many more will be setting up shop in the next few days.

There are also a few restaurants in more permanent structures along the beach in this area and south ie, between Sois 75/1 and what would probably be Soi 83/2 for those preferring tiles under their feet rather than sand.

Denizens of Bo Fai don't often go wandering through the rabbit warren of Sois on the Southside so there are probably more places in that area since FBF last visited the beach in that area.

Parking

Parking is not going to be fun. Unless you're a high-roller flying in for the event and staying at one of the resorts in the area or willing to fight the Scandies in their Speedos at the Condochain, be prepared for a hike.

The Sois in the area are barely wide enough to handle both pedestrians and moterbikes at the same time so there will obviously be a few folks from you-know-where who will park their cars there, further complicating matters.

Petchkasem has limited street parking in the area and that will go fast. The vacant lot just north of the Hua Hin Sports Villa at Soi 104/2 may be opened up for parking and this page will be updated if that proves to be the case.

A closing thought on local publicity:

[editorial mode ON]
For many years it has seemed that local hotels and resorts and even the TAT have gone out of their way NOT to publicize (IN HUA HIN) events being held in Hua Hin. Whether it be a music festival, food festival or special concert held in a local hotel, there have been many occasions where residents of Hua Hin first learn of something going on in town when the traffic builds up on Friday afternoon with cars from Bangkok asking where to find so and so.

The Intercontinental Hotel has only been in Hua Hin a few months but have already held two international scale events and the local publicity has been nothing short of amazing. They've done a excellent job of keeping locals in the loop and that effort should be commended.
[editorial mode OFF]

Plearnwan or A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words...

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:23:00 +0000

FBF has made a few less than complimentary comments about Plearnwan but folks continue to be drawn to the odd looking structure; thousands of folks every day. There are many expensive cars from Bangkok, VIP buses from the boonies and school kids by the classroom full. In fact, FBF Jr's class is there as this is being written.

The place is so popular that a cottage industry has grown up between the parking lot (second only to Market Village in capacity) and the entrance, selling everything from soft drinks, t-shirts, and sun glasses to noodles and True SIM cards.

Still can't imagine why but did run across a site that pretty much sums up why FBF doesn't intend on going back AND why so many others are continually drawn. It's said that a picture is worth a thousand words so be prepared for 107,000 words from Khun Pan.

11th Thailand International Kite Festival 13-14 March 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:51:00 +0000

Painting The Sky

The 11th Thailand International Kite Festival will be held 13 - 14 March at the Rama VI Camp in Cha Am. This is the camp about 15 km north from the Hua Hin Clock Tower on Petchkasem Road.

In past years kite flying clubs from around the world have attended and there are demonstrations of many types of kites.

According to TAT the events begin at 0930 on Saturday and end at 1230 Sunday afternoon. While formal events may end at noon, one would imagine that there will still be many kites aloft throughout the afternoon as the kite flyers will want to take advantage of a (hopefully) beautiful day.

The site is not the Narasuan Camp which is conveniently located opposite a couple of well known Essan Restaurants but the Rama VI Camp which is the home of the Ratchaniwet Marukhathaiyawan Palace (or Teak Palace) just north of the Narasuan Camp.

A few years ago the organizers seemed to be more intent on getting the kites in the air rather than providing amenities for the on-lookers. Food and drink stalls were noticeably absent on Day 1 but were there in force for Day 2. Should that be the case this year, it might not hurt to stop by the Essan places on the way and grab some Gai Yang, Somtom and Sticky Rice (or beer), or even some Naem Nuang before entering the camp to see the kites. Gai Yang and Somtom will never go to waste, even if there is food available at the festival...

Also, in case some members of the party get sore necks from watching the kites, they can always go over and see the beautiful teak palace on the beach. It shouldn't be missed.

Both activities are great for children and families.
Nueng

Satukarn Square Parking Lot

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:59:00 +0000

First off, Happy New Year to everyone. FBF hopes it's a good one for all.

It got off to a good start in Hua Hin as the Satukarn family did a good deed and made good use of their empty lot downtown for a few days. It became a temporary parking lot over the New Year break which helped with the severe lack of parking available in Hua Hin.

Why don't they do this all the time? The lot has been an eyesore since May (some might say long before that!) and certainly hasn't made them any money. We've all heard of their plans for a hotel, shopping mall and plaza but the site isn't big enough for all that and it's difficult to figure where that kind of money is going to come from when tourist arrivals are down, down, down.

At the very least, keep it as a parking lot and gain the merit OR, charge 10 Baht an hour, hire a guard, and get less merit but a little income. OR, build a 2-3 story parking lot with lights and a guard and charge 10-20 Baht an hour and still gain merit and get more income.

The new government building across Petchkasem started construction about the same time as Satukarn Square shut down all the shops and is almost complete but Satukarn eyesore still remains.

If they don't do something with it soon, another Top Charoen will probably pop up one night...

New Butcher in Hua Hin

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:40:00 +0000

The Boucherie - Jean Pierre is now open on Petchburi Road. It is at the Hua Hin Tansamai intersection, next door to the Sri Ayudhya Bank on the east side of the road. They carry Thai French Beef from Sakhon Nakhon along with pork and poultry and home made sausages.

Open mornings and evenings with a late afternoon break. Closed on Tuesdays. Phone 032-511-894.

Great looking beef. FBF is having pot roast tonight.

Art & Culture Come to Hua Hin At Wik (Vic) Hua Hin

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:18:00 +0000

The brain cells must be going faster than realized. Had driven by Vic Hua Hin several times in the past few weeks and couldn't figure out why they would build a club/disco so far south of town. It looked like something more for the Bangkok crowds so didn't think much more about it but did note that at least it wasn't as ugly as Plearnwan and certainly had much better parking facilities.

Then last week observed that the new buildings going up just south of Vic were to be a school for the performing arts--Patravadi High School no less and couldn't imagine why anyone would build a high school next door to a club/disco.

But then late, late last night had an epiphany and realized what was what.

It had been years since FBF had commuted in Bangkok. This was long before our current wireless days with iPhones and netbooks so there wasn't much to do while stuck in traffic but read. Long traffic jams often made short shrift of magazines and books and sometimes one had to resort to reading the Post. Even on a good news day it didn't take long to read the first section and one was then stuck with their Arts section. That's where he'd seen the name Patravadi.

The Judy Garland of Thailand. Hair the opposite of Khunying Porntip, often on TV in a special with her name in the title. The name that comes to mind when putting the words Thailand and Broadway together.

The Vic isn't going to be a club or disco. It's either a super club or theater, in the live, so close you can smell them, sense of the word. Original name too, if ว was pronounced like a V.

Late night/early morning research then led to the fact that the Fringe Festival 2010 will be held at the Vic. (It was so late that FBF kept reading the venue in the Thai flyer as Wat Hua Hin rather than Vic Hua Hin and was wondering why all these concerts where being held in the Hua Hin Temple...)

The festivities kick off on the 22nd of January and continue most weekends through late February. There will be concerts, plays, musicals, puppet shows and comedies. Tickets are from free to 1,200 Baht, depending on the show.

There will even be a Thai-US Country music battle with the US represented by a Kyle Dillingham from Enid*, Oklahoma, that little zit off the panhandle of the Great State of Texas.

Kyle ain't no Johnny Gimble or Doug Kershaw but he's one of the featured performers in Patravadi's Phra Lor which debuted last summer at the Patravadi Theater in Bangkok and will be presented in Hua Hin January 29-31, 2010.

So, polish your shoes and iron your suit and get ready to get cultured. If you have teenagers who are aspiring entertainers, check out the high school.

Art and Culture are coming to Hua Hin.

*Two old wildcatters, Wiley and Will, had dug their last dry hole and had just gotten plumb tired of Champlin getting all the good leases. They decided to head west where they'd heard that Okies were treated right nicely in CalifornIa. It was a particularly windy day in the Dust Bowl, and as they headed west they passed a wide place in the road and noticed a couple of buildings almost covered in tumbleweeds. Wiley asked his buddy, Will, "What in blazes was that?" Will was driving as it was the only way he could get even with Wiley for the way he flew, so he looked in the rearview mirror and replied, "eniD."

Curiouser and Curiouser

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 10:35:00 +0000

FBF has two ISPs, one is the TT&T/CAT combo and the other a fallback Hutch CDMA dongle. The latter tends to go out when there are two many folks down from Bkk using theirs and the system is apt to get overloaded. The former goes down whenever someone at either organization takes a coffee break.

They seldom are down at the same time.

This afternoon, they both shut down at exactly the same time, around 1530. Both were not allowing traffic but there was a signal from both.

Was sure that TETCBM had occurred. Paces for a bit and then called a buddy using TT&T. No problems at his end so paced a bit more.

About 1615, all was back to normal...

Who's paranoid?

Hua Hin Rock Festival Review

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 19:37:00 +0000

Would anyone who went to the rock festival be willing to write a short review? Very interested in learning how it was.

Thanks

Children's Day: January 9, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 06:36:00 +0000

Children's Day is coming up on Saturday, January 9, 2010--not that the other 364 days wouldn't be considered pretty much the same, but on Children's Day there are special activities.

Local schools and the city government usually have a small fair at 19 Rai where local school's have displays and games to play. There is free ice cream, cakes, balloons and other treats for the kids.

Problem is, some years they hold this in the early morning, and other years, just after lunch. Your child's school probably has better information than this old Dad.

In addition, there will be activities at the Hua Hin Market Village and many government offices, especially military camps have shows for the children. With as many forts, bases and camps as we have in this area, there's bound to be something going on.

If anyone knows of any specific activities being held for Children's Day in Hua Hin, please leave a comment here and FBF will update the post.

Also, Teacher's Day is the week after so keep your eyes out for a pretty apple...

Long Boat Racing at Khao Tao 24 - 27 December 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:44:00 +0000

Long Boat Racing will be held at the Khao Tao Reservoir, about 12km south of Hua Hin from the 24th through the 27th of December.

There hasn't been ~~much~~ any news about this but FBF has been able to learn that the event will be held with the following schedule:

24 December: Opening ceremony and music
25 December: Judging of boats for beauty and craftsmanship
26 December: Boat Races
27 December: Boat Race Finals

Khao Tao has beaches, restaurants, sea temples and is convenient to Hua Hin. If you're looking for something to do after too much Christmas stuffing, a trip might be in order.

Hua Hin Countdown & Food Festival 28 December - 5 January

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:17:00 +0000

The Hua Hin Countdown & Food Festival will be held at 19 Rai from 28 December 2009 through 5 January 2010.

These events are usually pretty good. There's plenty of space and ample parking. The music might not be the Luk Tung headliners like at the music festivals but there's usually a different band or two each night doing Thai and Western covers. Other entertainment is also provided by various schools featuring dancing and singing by students.

All types of foods are available from the stands surrounding the seating area offering everything from satay to burgers to grilled seafood, somtam and chicken. Portions are small and inexpensive so it's an ideal opportunity to sample a variety of dishes without breaking the bank. Singh and Leo beer are in abundance and there are plenty of tables and chairs. The facility has improved greatly over the years as it's now sealed, has a large permanent stage and toilet facilities.

It's also very family friendly and there are small toys, balloons and other trinkets for sale to keep the children busy while the adults munch out and people watch.

19 Rai is near Queen's Park, across the road from the beach, roughly behind Klai KangWan Temple or Index, accessible from Phetkasem Road via Soi 19 or Soi 35.

UPDATE--Odds and Ends for December

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:13:00 +0000

The Hua Hin Bike Week 2009 was a raging success. Many, many bikes and bikers from all over the country and Malaysia and Singapore. Lots of Chang, food, music and old friends catching up. Hats off to the Vampire MC of Hua Hin.

Billy's Birthday party was also quite a night. Biggest crowd this party goer has seen since Randy's Birthdays at Goldfingers. The band was excellent and still had the crowd going long after FBF headed home. The biggest surprise was that locals were heavily outnumbered by tourists and passersby. Will try to post some photos on the Billy's Bar page. Can't wait til next year.

The Hua Hin Rock Festival is this Saturday, the 19th, and there are sound trucks up and down the Sois reminding folks. Posters are everywhere so the road to Khao Takieb should be quite backed up all day Saturday. Too bad the road to Khao Takieb is the only road through Hua Hin...

It looks like the Intercontinental Hua Hin is finally open. At least all the trucks are off the street and traffic is much better in that part of town though the Marrakesh down the road has a long way to go and the earthmovers are still quite busy.

The new golf course at the Suan Son Army Camp seems to be coming along. Sprinklers are going full throttle and the heavy equipment seems to have all moved up to the Marrakesh operation in town. Shouldn't be too long before the course opens.

Speaking of the Intercontinental, Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams will be celebrating New Year's Eve at the new resort before facing off in the Hua Hin Centennial Invitation tennis match next year. This event is being organised by the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand under the patronage of His Majesty the King and the city of Hua Hin.

The Hua Hin Centennial Invitation will be held at Centennial Park* (currently under feverish construction at Soi 112), on Saturday 2 January 2010 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the seaside resort and usher in the New Year in exciting fashion with two of the most popular tennis players in the world.

After their singles match, Maria and Venus will combine with local stars Paradorn Srichaphan and Danai Udomchoke for a set of mixed doubles.

There are other activities and festivals coming up over the holidays so there are places to go and things to do other than the mandatory gala dinners at the big hotels. Additional posts will be added soon with the details.

*Centennial Park is south of town at Soi 112, just past the big curve to Pranburi. It's just south of the ramp of the overpass, across from the Mobil station. As it's still under construction, it's difficult to be sure, but it appears that parking will be limited.

Too Much Work Getting Done

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:52:00 +0000

Started to call this Thai Government Declares All of April Songkran Holiday but guess should better leave that story to NotTheNation.

However, the government has just announced that in addition to April 13, 14, and 15th being official holidays for Songkran, Friday the 16th will also be a government holiday. So, by merely taking the 12th off without pay, one can enjoy from Saturday the 10th through Monday the 19th as the mother of all long weekends.

Make your travel plans accordingly and think about getting out of Dodge for a while.

You Are Being Monitored by MICT

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:58:00 +0000

FBF uses a utility that allows JavaScript, Java, Flash, and other plugins and scripted content to be selectively executed. In other words, activities other than just cookies can be monitored before they have access to the browser or the computer while surfing the web. For example, whenever a web site tries to inject HTML or JavaScript code inside a different site, this utility filters the malicious request, neutralizing its dangerous load.

Yesterday, when accessing the Bo Fai Blog, a flag went up saying that our friends at mict.go.th were watching that website. This obviously was a bit of a surprise as had always assumed they were watching the bad guys like Youtube and welovetaksin.com and had better things to do than monitor nonpolitical sites like this one. It was quite a jolt to see that the Bo Fai Blog was now on their radar.

A little later, the same flag came up when going to Yahoo so will now assume that some engineer over at the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology isn't putting enough cream in his coffee or that they are even more paranoid than we thought they were.

You might want to check your cookie folder to see how many cookies you have from mict.go.th.

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't watching. The question now is, why?

Baja Taco Is Back in Hua Hin!

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:44:00 +0000

A very reliable source tells FBF that the Baja Taco Mobile starts touring the Sois of Hua Hin tonight, the 14th of December.

It was rumored that the Baja Taco Mobile was seen at the Hua Hin Bike Week on the 5th but that may have been a practice run out of sympathy for the bikers.

Here's hoping for all the best for Fred and that he will send a menu this way for posting and give us an idea where the Baja Taco Mobile might be found.

At the very least, keep your eyes out on Bintabaht and probably near Billy's Bar in the Hua Hin Bazaar.

Rotary Club Hua Hin Festivities 28 December 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:17:00 +0000

From: Admin Chair, Provisional RCRHH

FESTIVE FELLOWSHIP

Dear Fellow Charter Members, Rotarians and potential Rotarians.

The Provisional Club Rotary of Royal Hua Hin invites you, your friends and family for a festive fellowship at Sunset Boulevard Bar in Khao Takiap on Monday 28^th December 2009 from 7.30pm

There will be live music from Howard Harper with his guitar and his famous repertoire of blues and old classics.

Why not come and get to know your fellow members a bit better and have a great evening out!

We will have a complimentary buffet and 10% of all receipts for the evening will be donated to the Rotary Club of Royal Hua Hin.

We would be grateful if you would let us know if you are coming and how many guests so that we can cater for the right amount of people.

HOW TO GET THERE!

Sunset Boulevard lies directly opposite Wat Nong Kae just past the Chiva Som on the left hand side of the Khao Takiap Road. There is ample parking on the main road.

Billy's Having A Birthday @ Billy's Bar

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:07:00 +0000

Billy is having a Birthday Party at Billy's Bar and Restaurant on Monday the 30th of November.

Not lots of time to make plans but it will be the place to be on Monday evening. Live band, some food and lots of drinks and a good crowd of Billy's friends.

Check in with those you haven't seen in a while and wish Billy and Davey a Happy Birthday!

If someone else is there, Billy's not responsible...

Hua Hin Bike Week: 4th - 5th December 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 06:31:00 +0000

The Hua Hin Bike Week is this Friday and Saturday the 4th and 5th of December. It will be held at the same place as last year, 48 Rai field, along the klong, roughly even with Soi 33 on Petchkasem Rd. or roughly across the klong from the Mooban Karet.

If you drive south along the klong from Soi 10 or north along the klong from Soi 56, it's about half way between the two sois, on the east side of the road. Just listen for the sound of sweet pipes.

Haven't been to one before but reports have always been very positive so will try to take the family this year. Lots of bikes, food and music. Tattoos and T-shirts and other things to decorate your body or ride are also available.

Lots of bikers and Motorcyle Clubs from all over Thailand will be there with their machines and probably some from S'pore and Malaysia.

If you like bikes, beer and good food, be there.

It's been family friendly in the past and will assume it will remain that way this year as the MCs provide their own security and they like being able to come to Hua Hin.

The photo above is from the 2008 Bike Week and is provided by On The Road Thailand.com

Reds vs Yellows In Hua Hin

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:58:00 +0000

Somtawin and Pratana Kindergartens battled it out again this year at their annual Sports Day hosted at the new Somtawin campus in Nong Plop. Red, Yellow, Blue, and Pink shirts, ages 2 through 5 vied for no trophy or rewards, just a good time.

Here we see the Reds were a little confused during the tug of war competition, or perhaps the fellow on the right was a plant from one of the other teams.

November Odds & Ends

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:52:00 +0000

Word is that there's going to be a Rib Night at Billy's Bar on Thursday but the bad news is that it's already sold out. There must be some Canadians in town. Hope there are pictures.

Reliable sources were saying a couple of weeks ago that the Baja Taco Mobile would be up and running in a few days. It must have booked passage on that Hi Speed Ferry from Pattaya as neither have been seen or heard from.

Unless TETCBM occurs, it looks like the Hua Hin Rock Festival is still a go. Seeing posters and sound trucks around town talking about it so keep 19 December open.

Rotary Club of Hua Hin will be having their weekly meeting at the Grand Hotel on Friday in preparation for the December 4 elections. Last day to accept Charter Candidates is 18 December. There will be no meetings on 25 December or 1 January.

New Naem Nuang (แหนมเนือง) Place North of Hua Hin

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:15:00 +0000

Discovered this shop a couple of weeks ago during the ASEAN summit but figured that wasn't a good time to be sending folks out on Petchkasem Road.

Naem Nuang is an Essan version of a Vietnamese dish based on Vietnamese pork sausage. As with many Vietnamese dishes, it is served with a wide variety of rabbit food. This includes a type of leafy lettuce, mint leaves, bits of green (as in unripe) bananas and green mango, and other things that lovers of Vietnamese food would recognize but this refugee from Texas just knows as weeds. The combination does taste interesting though and this dish is the most greens that FBF ever eats at one sitting. There is also chopped garlic, cucumber, and chilies.

Pictured (sorry for the lousy photo but was in a hurry) above is the grilled naem in the lower right of the dish. Above the naem is a pasta something that looks like kanom jin but isn't. In the dish below are moistened squares of rice paper and the bowl of red above is a chili sauce with ground peanuts that is amazing.

Naem Nuang is sort of a roll your own spring roll. To make it, one takes a lettuce leaf and flattens it out and places a square of rice paper on that. Then you add a bit of garlic, green banana, green mango, a pinch of the kanom jin, various weeds, a couple of good chunks of naem and top that off with a good dollop of the chili sauce. Then you attempt to fold it into a container that will fit in your mouth without the sauce dripping everywhere.

This is not a good meal to eat with Maekong. Beer's OK but a good hotter-than-hot chili sauce needs chasing with liquid and too much Maekong and you'll soon have chili sauce in all the wrong places. Stick with beer or water as the chaser.

The unnamed shop with this delight is located about half way between Cha Am and Hua Hin across the road from the Narasuan Camp which houses the Ratchaniwet Marukhathaiyawan Palace. Across the street from the entrance to the camp and the helicopter pad is the well known Essan restaurant, Sap Eli. Just north of the Sap Eli parking lot is a small shop with a few salas with tables. In addition to Naem Nuang, they also sell some OTOPS type products from Mukdahan where they get their Naem.

We've always gotten it to go but they offer to heat the naem for you so I would assume that you can eat it there in the salas as you watch the traffic go by. Grabbing a box and eating it with your Gai Yang and Somtom at Sap Eli is probably doable also.

An order includes 5 large skewers of naem and all the rabbit food you'll need and goes for only 150 Baht. Not a bad deal at all for naem imported from Muk.

They open around 1100 but sometimes the naem isn't delivered until closer to noon.

Nueng

Who's Been Sleeping in Thaksin's Bed?

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:01:00 +0000

FBF wondered the other day if Cambodian PM Hun Sen would be taking advantage of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra's Cha Am - Hua Hin retreat during the ASEAN Summit after offering Thaksin a home in Cambodia.

Now, The Nation (no, not Not The Nation, the real one) quotes Pheu Thai MP Surapong Towijakchaikul as saying yesterday that Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, chose to be a guest at Thaksin's seaside home, close to the summit venue, during the meeting. Bolkiah did not attend the opening ceremonies on Friday either.

The government has had no comment.

English-speaking Rotary Club in Hua Hin

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:10:00 +0000

English-speaking Rotary Club in Hua Hin

The world’s first civic service organization, Rotary International, is expanding in Hua Hin with the formation of an English-speaking Rotary Club – “The Rotary Club of Royal Hua Hin”. The new Club is being jointly sponsored by the Rotary Club of Hua Hin and the English-speaking Rotary Club of Bangkok South (RCBS). So far, more than 30 people have indicated their intention to join the new Club.

The prospective member group meets weekly for lunch (12:00 – 13:00) at the Hua Hin Grand Hotel on Petchkasem Rd., immediately south of San Palo Hospital. If you or someone you know might be interested in becoming a Charter member of the new Club, please pass the word and plan to join them at the next lunch meeting.

There will be a meeting of the formative Rotary Club of Royal Hua Hin on 30 October 2009 at 12:00, Grand Hotel -- follow the lobby signs, for they may not be in the same room as last time.

There will be voting to accept the Rotary International Club Constitution as well as the Club Bylaws. Please review the documents emailed last week and either bring questions with you or email them to this e-dress by close of business, Thursday, 29 October.

Meanwhile if you have any questions, please email to rcorhh@gmail.com. To learn more: Rotary International.

Saturday: ASEAN Summit in Hua Hin Traffic Report

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 08:54:00 +0000

Didn't fancy fighting the Summit's first day of traffic so stayed at the house.

This morning did a little drive and it was pretty much smooth sailing. It looks like most folks that would have come from Bangkok have stayed home, which is probably what the authorities wanted.

Was going to try going down the Klong road to Chomsin and come back up Petchkasem but traffic was really backed up, as it usually is so turned around and took the road from the Klong Rd. to Hua Hin Tansamai and headed north on Petchkasem.

The road between the Klong Rd and Petchkasem is now one way heading west--you can't turn off Petchkasem onto Soi 56 so that very narrow road was unusually clear of traffic.

Once we got on Petchkasem, it was like a ghost town. Very little traffic in any of the lanes and the No Parking is strictly enforced. Any shops without parking are suffering.

As we headed north noticed the usual crowds at the Rust Stop so either the ASEAN folks are there or some folks from Bangkok did make it down.

Noticed lots of places to make U-turns along Petchkasem so it seems they've loosened up a bit on that.

Decided to keep heading north just to see how it was and noticed lots of troops and police. Many, many troops on the airport runway, around and above the tunnel.

Cars parked everywhere at the Dusit, even the Polo field.

Few customers at the Essan places near Saep Eli.

Got almost to the Regent/Holiday Inn and decided we'd seen enough police and troops so headed back to Hua Hin.

Never saw a check point and no one gave our vehicle a second look.

Very quiet so expect just the opposite next week.

It will take some time to remove all the traffic cones however, as they are ALL nailed to the road. If they merely rip the cones off the nails and don't either drive down the nail or remove them, there will be many punctures.

Me Casa Su Casa

noreply@blogger.com (Falang Bo Fai) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:23:00 +0000

The local main stream press is making much of Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh's claim that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen informed him during Chavalit's recent trip to Cambodia that Hua Sen had presented former Thai Prime Minister (and, not forgetting, current fugitive) Thaksin Shinawatra with a beautiful home if Thaksin decided he wanted to stay in Cambodia.

Both the Post and Nation have had several stories on this issue and now report that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has said Thailand would seek Thaksin's extradition under a treaty between the two countries should the former prime minister take Hun Sen up on his offer.

With all this huff and puff over the purported gift, it makes one wonder if Thaksin has responded in kind and offered Hun Sen the use of his Cha Am - Hua Hin summer home during the current ASEAN Summit. The fugitive's former prime minister's not-so-humble summer retreat is conveniently adjacent to the Dusit Polo Club and just a few hundred meters south of the Sheraton, the venue of the ASEAN Summit.

Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that Hun Sen will not be attending the opening of the Asean summit on Friday as he will be enjoying the privacy not possible at either the Dusit or Sheraton...