Animal Abuse in South-East Asia

Animal rights laws are not yet reinforced strongly in many south-east Asian countries. Going to Phuket Zoo with my students turned into quite a traumatizing experience for me (lucky the kids were young enough not to realize how poorly the animals’ conditions were). Attractions such as animal shows are popular all over the world and Thailand is no exception.  

Elephants are a large part of Thailand's tourist business, and the mistreatment of elephants for tourist attractions is unfortunately very common. As a foreigner arriving in Thailand, one of the most iconic things I had on my to-do list was to go elephant trekking. I did it twice and got amazing photos which made the envy of my Facebook friends. To be honest, apart from the initial thrill, I didn’t really enjoy sitting on the huge magnificent creatures and seeing first hand their bleeding ears from where their trainer pulls them with his metal hook. It didn’t feel right.

There's a dark side to riding elephants in Thailand

It wasn’t until I went to Chiang Mai’s Elephant Nature Park that I found out the hard truth about elephants’ mistreatment. Indeed, I learned how they are cruelly trained under captivity. ‘’Breaking’’ an elephant to accept a person on its back is no small task and doesn’t happen overnight. After many days of torture in a tiny cage, the elephant is forced to learn to respond to certain calls from its mahout (trainer).

Elephant begging is still common on the streets of Bangkok. The mahouts walk around and get tourists to buy bananas or take a photo with an elephant for a small fee. The poor creatures are visibly distressed under the conditions of the big city.

Feeding an elephant in Chiang Mai's Elephant Nature Park

Many other illegal animal products are sold throughout Thailand. It has often saddened me to see rare and endangered species sold at markets for pets. Gibbons and slow lorises are often used as a photo opportunity for uninformed tourists. Their owners drag them around beaches or busy nightclubs and charge money to take pictures with them. These precious species are not meant to be pets, they should be protected. In captivity, their life expectancy is greatly reduced, their teeth are often filed down or removed and their sleeping patterns changed.

Then, there are the controversial Tiger Kingdoms which are starting to pop all over Thailand. People who have gone are all convinced the animals aren’t drugged because of the signs claiming so in the attraction park. I personally can’t believe that huge predators such as tigers would allow tourists to pull their tails and cuddle them for hours on end if they weren’t drugged.

I don’t think tourists mean harm, but they are uninformed and unknowingly contributing to animal endangerment and abuse. If you are travelling in a country with such attractions, please don’t support them and spread the word to fellow travellers. There are many well-reputed zoos and conservation parks to visit instead.

In Phuket, visit the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project http://www.gibbonproject.org/. In Chiang Mai, Elephant Nature Park www.elephantnaturepark.org/.

Khao San Road, Bangkok's party street

After a week in the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok, we went to meet up with friends down Khao San Road. There is no metro connection to Khao San Road but you can go with the taxi boats, public bus or taxi.

Khao San is the famous backpacking district in Bangkok. It is very busy and unfortunately has gotten more expensive over the years. It is the inevitable area you end up in when you have friends visiting the capital. Over a couple of blocks, you find bars, food stalls, restaurants, shops, ATMs, massage parlours, tailor shops, laundry, guest houses and hotels. Since Khao San is not that cheap anymore, I prefer wandering towards Soi Rambuttri, a small street parallel with bars and restaurants that spread onto the sidewalk.

Hotels appear and disappear frequently in the area, but there are more than enough options for all budgets. We tend to go back to Khaosan Palace, right in the middle of Khao San Road. It is a basic guest house but it has clean rooms and a small rooftop pool. There is cable TV and decent air-con rooms. When looking for a room, a rule of thumb would be to always check the room first as many places are dingy and unclean. Consider the location of your room as if it’s facing Khao San, you won’t have a quiet night. Music plays until 2:30am and the festivities on the street won’t stop for another couple of hours after that.

For anyone who hasn’t been, a night on Khan San Road may include: excessive drinking; meeting fellow travelers, young or old; eating strange creatures such as grasshoppers or scorpions; buying bracelets with rude phrases or other ridiculous souvenirs; eating 30 baht pad thais; smoking apple-flavoured shisha; dancing on the street; buying a beer singlet.

Chok dee!

The famous buckets on Khao San Road!

You either love or hate Khao San!

Public Transport in Bangkok

After living in Phuket for 4 years, I have been faced with the difficulty of getting around the island. Public transport is highly inefficient and virtually nonexistent outside of Phuket town. Tuk tuks in Phuket are run by mafia and prices are exorbitant. Taxis do not have meters so bartering is essential, but you won’t go anywhere for less than 200 baht. Motorbike taxis are dangerous and only a few have helmets for passengers.

Phuket tuk tuk

Needless to say, Bangkok is a million times more efficient in terms of transport and it is such a joy to get around the capital.

First, there is the Sky train (BTS) and the underground train (MRT) which are safe, clean, fast and cheap! They have plenty user-friendly ticket machines and staff booths, maps and signs to direct you.

Then, you have the public buses. To use them, you have to know where you are going or have been given clear indications, because the drivers don’t speak much English and the schedules maps can be hard to read. If you are on a very tight budget, they are the way to go for only a few baht!

There are also taxi-boats on the Chao Phraya River which are super pleasant as well as affordable. English speaking staff can be found at the docks. There are tourist boats for 40 baht which include a tour guide and are generally less crowded, or local boats for half the price that get very full during peak hours. The boats are great because you avoid the traffic and get a wonderful refreshing breeze, much needed in the city!

Also, you have motorbike taxis which are virtually everywhere! They were colourful bibs so they are hard to miss. They will barter with you, ride on the side walk, and will not offer a helmet so use at your own risk!

Taxi boat on the Chao Praya River

Of course, there are the infamous tuk tuks! With their colourful tin exterior and cartoony look, you will sure want to try them at least once. Watch out for the ridiculously cheap offers (10 baht rides) as you will most likely be stopped at a couple of tailor shops or diamond factories along the way, where your driver will receive a commission, generous if you buy anything. Once you bargained a fair price for your ride, you will experience insane speeding between lanes and inhale petrol fumes for sure! Go with the flow!

 

Bangkok Tuk Tuks

Finally, you of course have meter taxis. They are fantastically affordable, starting at 35 baht and going up nice and slowly until you reach your destination. Be sure to confirm the driver will start the meter, however, as they tend to prefer a fixed price with tourists instead. You may have to reject a few of them until one accepts to put the meter on – not big deal.

Meter Taxis in Bangkok

I am very impressed with the public transport in Bangkok, but I also enjoy walking around this amazing city, where poverty meets extreme extravagance. I recommend using your own two feet a lot, which can lead to rewarding little finds.

Life as an Expat in Phuket

The good

Phuket is the perfect mix of “East meets West”. There is cultural life with local markets, temples and authentic villages, beautifully breathtaking beaches, modern malls and fancy restaurants as well as wild nightlife options. You can either live on a budget, eat with locals and shop in Thai markets, or eat in western restaurants and hang-out with expats or tourists. Chris and I are able to live in a nice house, rent a new car and overall live a much better lifestyle than we would in any other European or American country. We both manage to save money from our salaries, while travelling on weekends and never worrying about our bank balance! We basically eat out every single meal and never think about how much we spend. We can even afford hiring someone to clean the house and do our laundry! I think it's no surprise why we haven't left for four years... it's almost impossible to walk away from this lifestyle.

The bad

I find communicating with locals very challenging. It is both a language barrier and a cultural barrier. My Thai has come a long way since living here and I can use basic conversational skills to communicate. However, Thais don’t like telling you when they don’t understand so their natural response to questions is usually “cannot” or “no have” which is very frustrating when you know they could help you if they wanted to and tried. Customer service is virtually non-existent so it can be frustrating when you go somewhere expensive and expect a higher level of service.

The ugly

Another problem is the corruption. Getting help from the police is a utopia here. The roads are a complete mess and instead of controlling speed and general road safety, policemen arrest tourists for not having an international driver’s license to get the find money directly in their pockets. If we had traffic control of speed, a lot of accidents could be avoided. Locals can get their driver’s license in a day. No driving classes are required, which explains the randomness of road rules here. Little to say it is extremely dangerous to drive here! This is why I have never wanted to drive a scooter like most tourists do. I would rather have a car which offers more protection in the case of an accident. It is mind-blowing to see a family of 4 on a motorbike, with babies and children not wearing a helmet. 

In conclusion

I think that living in Thailand has amazing advantages which are undeniable. Personally, I am ready to move on and I have been ready to leave for a while. I would not want my children growing up in Phuket because of the many outrageous things which are considered normal here. Perhaps once they had a basic education elsewhere, lived in a country where you can generally trust institutions, I could consider coming back with grown-up children as I would be able to afford a better lifestyle but for now, it's time to move on!

Elephant in Khao Lak

Teaching in Phuket

Many people come to Thailand to teach English. They can teach in Thai schools as the English teacher. Those kinds of positions only require a TEFL or TESOL course. You don’t need to be a qualified teacher but your salary won’t be great. As a qualified primary school teacher, better work opportunities opened up to me. There are about 5 big international schools in Phuket, and a few more up-and-coming western schools. I was lucky to get a position at HeadStart International School (www.headstartphuket.com) as soon as I arrived in Phuket.

 

Year 2 class - 2010-2011

There is a huge gap between the International and the Thai educational system and values. Generally, we consider their teaching style to be outdated. Teachers usually write the lesson on the board, and then require students to copy it in their notebooks. Little emphasis is put on problem solving or reasoning, but the focus is on memorising. Also, learning English in a Thai school will result in mediocre results. I think that most foreigners would want their child learning in an International school because of the up-to-date teaching practices and possibility to reintegrate a school in another western country along the way if needed. Some wealthy Thai parents choose to send their children to International school for those reasons as well. For Thai students, daily Thai lessons are provided in order to follow the country’s curriculum and cultivate their identity. The student population at HeadStart is about 1/3 Thai nationals, 1/3 foreigners, 1/3 mixed Thai-foreigners. It is a very diverse environment with about 30 different nationalities.

Year 2 class - 2011-2012

Year 7 class - 2012-2013

Year 2 class - 2013-2014

From my experience, teaching is the same everywhere. Children are children and when you are in your classroom, you will have similar difficulties no matter which country you are in. Every new year group will pose its challenges. One noticeable difference is that an international school is a business. In that respect, parents normally have a say in decisions and they become a big part of the school. Therefore, the relationship between parents and teachers is very different than in a public school. I saw most of my students’ parents every single day! Such a change from the twice a year parent-teacher meeting at home!

I know that I will most likely continue teaching in international schools, given my passion for travelling. I have been blessed to work at HeadStart International School in Phuket and to have been a part of its growth over the past 4 years. I will never forget the amazing children I taught there.

Beach Hopping in Phuket

One of the best things about living in Phuket is the amount of beautiful beaches at your door step. With my own car to drive around the island, it is so easy to get around. Just tune in one of the three English radio stations, blast the aircon, avoid the motorbikes and drive!

It is virtually impossible to pick my favourite beach on Phuket. In July 2014, following the military coup, Phuket underwent a huge clean up and all beach chairs, bars and restaurants got taken away from the beaches. Not only a few of the touristy beaches, every single beach on the island is now chair-free. The government's plan is to slowly organise the beach vendors, legalise their businesses and open back government run restaurants and chairs. I am curious how long this will take, so for the time being, all beaches are back to their natural state! It is stunning. Here are a few of the beaches I enjoy visiting in Phuket and a quick overview.

Yanui

This small beach is tucked away between Rawai and Nai Harn. It is amazing for snorkeling because it has a big rock formation right on the shore and lots of corals. The downfall of this is that you have to watch where you step! In high season, the water is flat, turquoise and see-through so it is easy to avoid the rocks, but when it’s windy and the big waves arrive during rainy season, it can be hard to navigate. Yanui has a great restaurant with cheap, tasty local food too! It might be my favourite place to get pad thai on the island!

Yanui Beach

 Nai Harn

This beach is the expat’s favourite. It is nice and wide, perfect to swim with its clean and soft sand. There is a great restaurant tucked in the rocks on the far East of the beach which serves great crab! I enjoy it in a simple sandwich or in a tasty spicy red curry!

Nai Harn is also called Sunset beach - one of the best spots to watch the sun go down on Phuket

Kata Noi

Nestled away from the bigger and more famous Kata beach, Kata Noi is beautiful, although gets very busy with tourists in high season. The water is absolutely amazing and clear!

Kata Noi's white sandy beach

Karon

I love Karon beach. It is huge (around 4 km) and provides great walking opportunity along the shore, or jogging for the brave souls. If you get to the far West of the beach, near the Centara Grand Hotel, it gets very quiet and you will be secluded from the touristy area. If you are feeling a bit cheeky, pop over the Centara Grand for a quick swim in their lazy river. Pool crashing at its best!

Karon beach - It doesn't get much better than this! 

Ao Yong

What a gem is Ao Yon, although very hard to find if you are not familiar with the island. It is near Phuket Aquarium, in the Cape Panwa area. There are 3 small bays on the coast which are all called Ao Yon (how convenient). The first one has a few restaurants and many locals enjoy swimming there. It is the only beach that has a road access. The next bay is my favourite, where Coral Seekers and the Sailing club are located. You have to park up the road and find a small side street which winds down to the beach. The third bay is also nice although a bit murkier bottom in the sea. There are a few long-term condos there. I used to go to Ao Yon a lot when I worked part-time, enjoying being alone on the beach!

Deserted Ao Yon

Sailing Club on Ao Yon Beach

Nai Yang

Beaches up northern Phuket are absolutely fantastic, quieter, bigger and overall dreamy. However, I have lived down South for the past 4 years so I don’t usually drive up there much. Nai Yang is right by Phuket Airport and it is lovely. Lined with trees and protected by a National Park, it is the perfect beach to have a picnic and splash around the beautiful sea.

Natural Nai Yang

You are spoiled for choice on Phuket. Beaches are everywhere and I haven’t seen them all in my four years on the island. Every time I lay in the warm sand, glance over at the blue ocean and feel the warm breeze on my face, I remind myself how lucky I am living in paradise.

Life's a beach!

What to do on rainy days in Phuket?

A problem you will encounter when living on a tropical island is the limited options as far as entertainment. I have always complained about the lack of cultural events on Phuket. Indeed, very few art exhibitions, plays or concerts come along our little corner of paradise.

Phuket’s climate goes as follow: dry season, monsoon, dry season, monsoon. During rainy season, there are days when you are more than happy indulging in cocooning at home, snacking on local treats and enjoying the breeze coming through the windows. You may even want to wear those jeans moulding in your closet, or a nice cozy scarf around your neck! Such a novelty! If you are anxious to get out of the house, however, here are your options.

A storm is on its way! Run for cover!

Bars

One way to drown your sorrows while the rain is pouring down: drinking! Phuket is known for its nightlife and there are plenty of bars for all wallets and styles! Go-go bars and ladyboy cabarets are quite a sight in Patong’s Bangla Road. Funky jazz bars and small themed drinking holes are found all around Phuket Town. Expat-filled pubs in Chalong can make you feel at home. Posh beach clubs are scattered around Surin Beach – make sure to dress up! After being greeted by the famous Thai  ‘’Hello welcome!’’, you can choose from oversized buckets, cold local beers or sweet cocktails and forget about monsoon until you stumble back out on the street with a cheap poncho or an umbrella if you’re lucky! Now good luck with negotiating a taxi back home!

The classic outfit of any person in Phuket when it rains: 7 Eleven poncho!

Patong's Bangla Road - anything goes!

Fill a bucket with alcohol... why not?!

Cinema

Phuket has two major cinemas which are very comfortable and affordable (on average 180 baht per ticket). SF Cinema City is located in Patong while SFX Coliseum Cinema is on the edge of Kathu and Phuket Town. About 3 or 4 western films are shown at the time and change every week, although major blockbusters stay on for a while. You can choose from normal seats to double lazy boy sofas. One thing which doesn’t change is the King Royal Anthem sang at the start of every movie. Everyone is expected to stand and pay respect. It is a very unique experience.

Shopping Malls

There are two big malls where you can show till you drop, drink your Starbucks coffee and forget you’re on an island. Jung Ceylon in Patong has it all: restaurants, food court, massage parlours and extra cold aircon, the ladder being quite inconvenient when you are wet from the monsoon! Central Shopping Mall has all the bells and whistles, as well as an upscale supermarket and delicious bakery. Both malls only open at 11am and have large underground parking space.

Massage

Another nice treat on a rainy day is to get a Thai massage or other spa beauty treatment. They are so shockingly cheap in Phuket that it is barely a luxury anymore. I haven’t found that price is relative to good service as far as massages go. You can have an amazing experience in a small, basic massage parlour on a back street, or a terrible one at a fantastic upscale spa. Trial and error is all I can suggest, and when you found that one excellent spot, ask for your masseurs’ name, memorize it, and go back again and again!

Getting a pedicure, one of the many luxuries I have succumbed to in Thailand. 150 baht! So cheap!

To sum it up, apart from drinking and spending money, there isn’t a whole lot to do when it rains in Phuket! So grab a book, wear your warm clothes and enjoy! 

House Hunting In Phuket

After a wonderful time travelling, it was time to go back to our little island of Phuket! This time, we decided to live in Chalong, which is a more suburban area where many expats settle. It is famous for its roundabout which gets traffic jams daily and Chalong pier, where many boat trips depart from. We booked a room at Happy Days, a popular drinking joint on the pier road which also offers a few cheap rooms (http://www.happydaysguesthouse.com). We assumed we would need at least 10 days to visit houses and make a decision.

Phuket has accommodations for all budgets and all standards. The prices vary a lot according to area and location. It can cost the same to live in a studio apartment in Patong, or a 2 bedroom house in Chalong, or a pool house in Paklok! Long term rentals are very common as Phuket hosts many expats. You can easily find furnished rentals too. Buying is another story. Foreigners aren't technically allowed to buy land in Thailand, they can only own 49% of a property. There are ways to go around this using property lawyers but I don’t have enough inside information to post on here.

The first day of house hunting, we walked around Chalong by ourselves. Many neighbourhoods are easily accessible on foot near the pier if you don’t mind sweating a bit under the Thai sun! Armed with our local cell phones, we called houses with For Rent signs. Most were really Thai style inside, decorated poorly with old school furniture and pastel coloured curtains and tiles. We did visit a beautiful property but with its 4 bedrooms, it was way too big for just two of us.

On the second day, we had arranged for an agent to show us around a few properties. We met Wellta from House in Phuket (www.houseinphuket.com). We had fallen in love with her website which allows you to search through properties according to location, budget or amenities. It is very user friendly, with many pictures. We saw 3 houses that day. They all had pros and cons, but Chris’ heart was set on the very first one we visited. It had a big outside area with grass; the inside of the house was bright and airy, with cheerful yellow paint and modern furniture. After one day to ponder our decision, we agreed to rent this cute 2-bedroom house for 1 year! We had to leave 2 months deposit and we moved in within a few days!

Our house in Chalong, Phuket

Our house-hunting saga only lasted a couple days! How simple was that?