Cha-Am blog by onlychaam

Suvarnabhumi airport has been closed after protestors from the PAD invaded it. The PAD is demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister, who is still in Peru where the APEC summit took place. Many inbound flights have been diverted and many outbound flights have been cancelled. Thousands of foreign tourists were stuck in the airport, with very few information from the airlines and very difficult access to basic facilities (in spite of being a brand new airport, Suvarnabhumi has many flaws and problems, like not enough toilets and not enough seats). We have just learned that the tourists have now been evacuated to various hotels near the airport.

If you are a tourist planning to arrive or depart from Bangkok International airport, check and double check that your flight is still scheduled, and check the news frequently to be alerted of further developments. Reports also mentioned clash between PAD demonstrators and taxi drivers, as well as bombs exploding, but as usual information is very confusing. Foreign tourists are not a target, so there is no need to panic. Just make sure you avoid being caught in the protestors’ crowd or in any confrontation.

You can check your flight status by addressing your airline company or by checking Thaivisa’s website. To follow the news in English, we suggest the Bangkok Post or the Nation online. For some pictures, check out Thaiphotoblogs.

Cha-Am Traffic Police has been doing roadchecks quite actively these last days, mainly on Narathip road (the main road leading to the beach and coming from highway #4 - Phetkasem - junction). If you ride a motorbike, make sure you wear a helmet! And if you drive any vehicle, make sure you have your papers in order (international driving licence or Thai driving licence). If you don’t, you should expect to pay a fine (usually 300 baht).

When driving in Cha-Am, you should also mind the stray dogs. They are all over the place! Yesterday I ran into a dog while riding my motorbike. My wife is a bit worried, as she says it’s a sign of bad luck. I think it is mostly bad luck for the dog, and rather good luck for me that I didn’t fall over the bike! But my bike is heavy and the dog was not. I was not driving fast, but the dog crossed the road then changed its mind suddenly and I couldn’t avoid it. I checked in my rearview mirror and saw that it was lying flat dead. เรียบร้อย!

Last night was the first full moon day of November and the Loy Krathong festival took place. It is by far the most spectacular, touching and romantic festival in Thailand.

Here are a few pictures taken at Wat Neran (on North Cha-Am beach, where there is a six-armed Buddha statue).

For two days now there has been a clear change of weather. It is much cooler in the morning and in the evening, and dryer too. This probably marks the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the dry and cool season. At the moment (10 am) the sky is partly cloudy and the temperature is only 25°C, which is actually cool for Thailand.

If you are planning holidays in Cha-Am, it’s a great time for outdoors activities like cycling. You don’t need to bring along any winter clothes, except if you plan to ride a motorbike early in the morning or late at night. If you are on the budget, you can save money by renting a fan only room, as you probably won’t need to turn on A/C. But you may also want to check for hot water, as it is more comfortable for your morning and evening shower.

Today I went for a ride in the countryside, on the other side of the railway, between Cha-am “moo-ban” and Hup Ka Pong. It’s a very quiet and scenic area, as you can see on the pictures. I rode my motorbike, not my bicycle, as I am a lazy dude and the weather was hot.