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Jessica Biel Keeping it Together
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Contents 8 W h at ’ s On Upcoming Events in Thailand
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H e a lt h & W e ll- b e in g Eranda Herbal Spa
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o v e r F e at u r e C Jessica Biel
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T H E D EAT H RA I LWAY Kanchanaburi
IMAGE: Featureflash / Shutterstock.com
42 T r av e l St Helena the Island on the Edge of the World 56 YAcH t t r A I N I N g W H e e l s Buying a Yacht 62
Ko h K r e d Hidden Peace of the City
68 CyClin g t h e Ci t y o f An g e l s Cycling Tours in Bangkok
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W ELCOME TO ABSO LUTE T H A I L I F EST Y L E MAGA Z I N E a u g u s t/ s e p t e m b e r 2 012
Sawadee kup, and welcome to our late summer edition of Absolute Thai. We cover a lot of great things to do, and interesting articles to read while enjoying the lazy days of summer. For those who are a study of history, the piece on the construction of the Death Railway is very eye opening, and it is impossible for us to imagine what life must have been like during that time. The article on St Helena is amazing. The history of this little island and how it became what it is today is a very interesting read. So is the story of Koh Kred. Imagine Bangkok having a small island in the center of it, literally, that contains its own culture and its own way of life. And Cycling the City of Angles article is there for those brave enough to tackle Bangkok traffic.
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Jessica Biel graces our cover this issue. She is one of the most beautiful women we have every covered, and it is a shame she is soon about to marry as I was sure I had a chance. Oh well, at least I am in a country where it seems every other woman I see could grace the cover of her own magazine.
TIM KNIGHT EDITOR
CRE D I TS CHAIRMAN: Bryan Lunt Bryan.Lunt@AbsoluteThai.com EDITOR: James Chanodom Editor@AbsoluteThai.com FEATURE EDITOR: Tim Knight TimKnight@AbsoluteThai.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Jason Hull Advertising@AbsoluteThai.com PUBLISHER: San, Sea and Sand Co. Ltd. PRINTING: Phongwarin Phongwarin@inet.co.th
Ad v e r t i s in g S a l e s GENERAL MANAGER: Callum Mckay Callum@AbsoluteThai.com Mobile: +(66) 083 596 7537 Loran Wanigasooriya: Media Consultant Loran@AbsoluteThai.com Mobile: +(66) 086 267 8235 Vinda Kallayanamitr: Media Consultant Vinda@truemail.co.th Mobile +66 (0)86 355 6218 Paul Eastland: Media Consultant Paul@AbsoluteThai.com Mobile +66 (0)80 826 2315
Absolute Thai is published by San, Sea and Sand Co. Ltd. Registration Number 8837354810366. Registered address 42/11 Taveewong Road, Kathu, Patong, Phuket Tel: 076 342 147. Printed by Phongwarin LTD., Samutprakarn. All material is strictly copyrighted and all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior permission of the copyright holder. While every care has been taken in the production of this publication, the publisher takes no responsibility for an errors, loss or omissions that may occur.
ABSOLUTE THAI WHAT’S ON
What’s On
Upcoming Events in Thailand august – september 2012
Blooming Krachiao Flower Festival The Siam Tulip Festival of Chaiyaphum June 1 - August 31, 2012, Pa Hin Ngam National Park, Ban Rai district and Thep Sathit sub-district, Chaiyaphum province.
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he unique geographical landscape of Chaiyaphum Province in the northeast of Thailand gives rise to a range of natural attractions of exceptional beauty. Of these, the fields of pinkish-purple Siam Tulip, or Dok Krachiao, come in to full bloom in the early part of the rainy season from June to August.
Contact information: Tourism Authority of Thailand, Nakhon Ratchasima office Tel: 0 4421 3030, 0 4421 3666 Fax: 0 4421 3667 E-mail: tatsima@tat.or.th
Also commonly called patumma, bua sawan (heaven lotus), or bua bok (the land lotus), the Siam Tulip is a member of the ginger genera – Curcuma or Zingiberaceae.
IMPORTANT Event dates and program details may be subject to change. Many of the festivals and events listed on Thailand’s official calendar of annual events are traditional Buddhist or folk festivals, the date of which is either determined by the Buddhist lunar calendar and waxing and waning moon. These are not staged events. The festivals reflect the rhythm of life in rural Thai villages and local traditions as observed in times past. To ensure you have the most updated information, please reconfirm details prior to travel.
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IMAGE: gopause / Shutterstock.com
IMAGE: Lilyana Vynogradova / Shutterstock.com
Bhumibol Dam Invitation International Mountain Bike Championship 2012 August 25 - 26, 2012, At Bhumibol Dam, Tak province. IMAGE: gopause / Shutterstock.com
PHICHIT BOAT RACE
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humibol Dam in Tak province will be hosting the Bhumibol Dam Invitation International Mountain Bike Championships for the fifth consecutive year in August 2012. Noted for its scenic landscape, Bhumibol Dam provides an ideal setting for the mountain bike races.
September 1 – 2, 2012 Nan River in front of Wat Tha Luang Temple, Phichit province.
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total of 40 traditional long boats will be participating in the traditional long-boat races divided into four categories:
The event is being jointly organized by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in cooperation with the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) and Bhumibol Dam to promote ecotourism in tandem with outdoor sports at both a national and international level.
• Traditional long-boat races with 41-55 paddlers • Traditional long-boat races with 31-40 paddlers • Traditional long-boat races with fewer than 30 paddlers • Traditional long-boat races in the kor song category Contact information: Tourism Authority of Thailand, Uthai Thani office
Contact information: Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tak office
Tel: +66 (0) 5651 2916 Fax: +66 (0) 5651 4982 E-mail: tatuthai@tat.or.th
Tel: 0 5551 4341-3 Fax: 0 5551 4344 E-mail: tattak@tat.or.th
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ABSOLUTE THAI WHAT’S ON
Nakhon Chaisri District Pomelo Fair September 2012, on the grounds of Wat Rai Khing temple, Sam Pran district, Nakhon Pathom province.
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he district of Nakhon Chaisri in Nakhon Pathom province is famous for two varieties of pomelo: som o khao nam pheung and som o thong dee.
The Green Season during August-September is the peak of pomelo season, and it is customary for visitors to stop by Nakhon Chaisri district to shop for freshly-picked pomelo from the surrounding orchards as a gift for family and friends.
Som o khao nam pheung is pear-shaped with yellowish green skin and sweet succulent honey-coloured flesh as its name in Thai suggests, while the pink juicy sweet flesh of the globular-shaped som o thong dee (brilliant gold pomelo) makes it easily recognizable.
The upcoming Nakhon Chaisi Pomelo Fair will be held on the grounds of Wat Rai Khing temple in the Sam Pran district of Nakhon Pathom province during September 2012.
As its scientific name, Citrus Grandis, indicates, the pomelo is the largest of the citrus family. This round citrus fruit with a slightly flat ‘bottom’ is native to Southeast Asia and Thailand.
Contact information: Tourism Authority of Thailand, Samut Songkhram Tel: 0 3475 2847-8 Fax: 0 3475 2846 E-mail: tatsmsk@tat.or.th
Although pomelo is available all year round, it is in plentiful supply from August through to November.
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ABSOLUTE THAI eranda herbal spa
Experience Nature at Eranda Herbal Spa
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Services at Eranda When guests arrive at Eranda they will be greeted with a smile and a refreshing ice-cold ginger and tamarind juice while the receptionist takes them through the various treatments, oils, and massages available. Once the guest has chosen their preferred treatment, they
randa Herbal Spa boasts a stunning location on the side of a towering mountain with spectacular views out over the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Thailand. Offering its visitors a natural yet luxurious spa experience, Eranda Herbal Spa has a vast array of amenities and facilities available to its guests including stone pathways, fertile gardens, pagodas with thatched roofs, splashing waterfalls and highly attentive staff.
The soft rustle of swaying palm
The spa has an exclusive personality that can be felt throughout the immaculately maintained and extensive lush tropical grounds. The soft rustle of swaying palm trees combined with the delicate trickling sounds of flowing water are interrupted only by the smooth sounds of Thai music subtly playing in the background.
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trees combined with the delicate trickling sounds of flowing water are interrupted only by the smooth sounds of Thai music subtly playing in the background.
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will be guided to their own private changing area where they can shower and get ready for their treatment. A personal expert masseuse will assist guests to select their own sala where they will enjoy their chosen pampering spa experience. Eranda Staff All of the expert staff members at Eranda Spa have been privileged to receive training at Wat Po; a Buddhist temple in Bangkok that teaches massage to its pupils. All of the treatments and techniques at Eranda are traditional and highly skillful and the resident massage trainer is on hand to make sure that only the very best services are always provided. Massages at Eranda Every massage available at Eranda Herbal Spa uses various techniques, herbs, oils and other natural ingredients that provide each guest with a unique and memorable experience.
Eranda herbal Spa on Koh Samui was awarded “The Award of Outstanding Performance for Health Tourism” by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and is a member of the Thai Spa Association and the Samui Spa Association. Here are some of the most popular treatments: • Eranda Signature Massage • Ancient Thai Massage • Sport Kyo Dai Massage • Hot Stone Therapy • Head, Neck, Back, and Shoulders • Luk Pra Kob Hot Massage • Foot Reflexology The duration of the treatments varies from 30 minutes to two hours, and the spa is open from 09:00 to 21:00. Awards Eranda herbal Spa on Koh Samui was awarded “The Award of Outstanding Performance for Health Tourism” by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and we are member of the Thai Spa Association and the Samui Spa Association.
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ABSOLUTE THAI eranda herbal spa
Huge windows allow unobtrusive natural light to creep into each sala and provide views over the tropicalgardens out towards the emerald green sea beyond.
Massage Salas The salas set the perfect scene at Eranda, and singles and couples can sit back and relax in a choice of settings. Private Salas: Every private sala is fully equipped with cooling air conditioning, a bubbling Jacuzzi filled with essential relaxing oils, beautifully scented flowers and a private steam room. Huge windows allow unobtrusive natural light to creep into each sala and provide views over the tropical gardens out towards the emerald green sea beyond.
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Big Sala: The big sala is located close to a soothing herbal steam room and a cooling plunge pool and it boasts eight beds and four massage tables that canhandle up to eight people at any one time. The whispering sounds of Thai music blend seamlessly with the smell of essential Thai oils that can be enjoyed in the big sala. History of Eranda Spa The spa has been running since 2002 after it was established by Mrs Panchan and Mr Vincent Mathon. Natural products are used together with traditional treatments, and only the most qualified, friendly therapists are part of the Eranda Herbal Spa team.
Open 9:00 am - 9:00 pm For reservations and future information please Call:
Green Living Eranda actively promotes green awareness and prides itself on its natural setting that is only available at the best spas in the world. It has won various awards including “The Award of Outstanding Performance for Health Tourism� from the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The spa is also a proud and dedicated member of the Thai Spa Association and the Samui Spa Association.
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Tel: (66)0 7742 2666, 0 7741 3828, 0 7741 3899, Mobile: (66) 81 894 6702 Office: (66) 0 7742 2563 Fax: (66) 0 7742 2665 E-mail: info@erandaspa.com, www.erandaspa.co.th, www.erandaspa.com, 9/37 Moo 2, Chaweng North Road., Koh Samui, 84320, Thailand
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ABSOLUTE THAI COVER FEATURE
Jessica Biel
Keeping it Together words: Tim Knight
IMAGE: s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
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alk about multitasking, this outlandishly hot woman, soon to be Jessica Biel-Timberlake, is currently acting in an ongoing American TV show (Always Open), has already had a movie released this year (The Tall Man), and has five more to be released later this year; one of those being a remake of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Total Recall (which should be in theaters as you are reading this). And she already has an extremely highly anticipated role in Hitchcock, a biography of the famous man, played by Sir Anthony Hopkins, to be released in 2013. And you thought you had a busy life! If you are not familiar with Jessica, and I cannot imagine anyone not being, you may recognize her from films such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Illusionist, Easy Virtue, or The A-Team. IMAGE: Featureflash / Shutterstock.com
At twelve, Biel attended The International Modeling and Talent Association conference in Los Angeles where she was discovered and signed by a talent agency. Jessica Claire Biel, 30, was born in Ely, Minnesota. Her mother, Kimberly, is a homemaker and spiritual healer. Her father, Jonathan Biel, worked for GE and was also an entrepreneur and business consultant. She is of German, French, English, and Choctaw ancestry and has a younger brother, Justin, born in 1985. Biel’s family moved frequently during her childhood, living in Texas, Connecticut, and Woodstock, Illinois, before finally settling in Boulder, Colorado. While growing up, Biel played soccer and also trained as a gymnast. From 2000 to 2002, she attended Tufts University near Boston, Massachusetts. Biel initially trained to be a vocalist. At age nine, she appeared in several musical productions in her hometown, playing lead roles in productions such as Annie, The Sound of Music, and Beauty and the Beast. Biel auditioned for the Tufts Amalgamates, a coed collegiate a cappella group, but was not accepted. At twelve, Biel attended The International Modeling and Talent Association conference in Los Angeles where she was discovered and signed by a talent agency. She began modeling for print advertisements, and appeared in commercials for products such as Dulux Paint and Pringles.
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IMAGE: s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
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ABSOLUTE THAI COVER FEATURE
Biel also played the character Regrettal, a lead role in a low-budget musical short titled It’s a Digital World. At fourteen, after auditioning for several television pilots, Biel was cast as Mary Camden, the second oldest child in the family drama 7th Heaven. Biel was cast in her first top-billing role in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The film met with negative reviews but it was a commercial success, scoring the number-one spot in its opening week and going on to earn more than $80 million in the U.S. In 2003, Biel began work on the third installment of the Blade film series, Blade: Trinity. Almost immediately after finishing it in 2004, she headed to Australia to shoot the action-thriller Stealth. Biel’s film career blossomed when she played a turn-ofthe-century duchess in the period piece The Illusionist, co-starring Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti. Biel played an Iraq War veteran in the 2006 film Home of the Brave, a drama about soldiers struggling to readjust to society after facing the hardships of war. In Next, Biel played alongside Nicolas Cage and Julianne Moore. She then played in the summer comedy, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, co-starring Adam Sandler and Kevin James.
Biel’s film career blossomed when she played a turn-of-the-century duchess in the period piece The Illusionist, co-starring Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti. In early 2007, Jessica co-founded the Make the Difference Network with her father and another business partner, Kent McBride. In late 2007, Biel signed on to play a stripper in Powder Blue, alongside Forest Whitaker (who also produced the film), Ray Liotta and the late Patrick Swayze. In 2010, Biel climbed to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro with members of the United Nation Foundation to raise awareness of the global water crisis. That same year, Biel’s humanitarian and charity work (as well as her popularity with young people) earned her a nomination for a ‘Do Something Award’. Currently, the actress is in Puerto Rico with her fiancé Justin Timberlake, 31, who’s in town with the crew of IMAGE: s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
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his new movie, Runner, Runner. She is in Puerto Rico to wrap-up filming the Hitchcock movie. While on the tropical island, Jessica also obtained her SCUBA diving license. To get a stunning physique like Jessica’s does of course involve a lot of sacrifices. She probably would not be top of your list for a wild night out (yea right!). Biel says she walks out of parties when they get wild and they start becoming drug fests. “If there is a huge drug fest happening and everyone is getting it on in the bedroom, it is probably time to leave.” “For me, getting enough sleep, drinking lots of water, having a healthy diet, and staying away from alcohol are musts. It’s so boring, I know, but doing those things really helps,” she recently revealed. The actress is also a fan of boxing, martial arts and yoga. “Yoga is a constant for me because it keeps my muscles long and flexible,” she explained. “But now that summer’s coming around, I’m planning on spending more time outdoors playing volleyball and jogging with my dog, Tina.” IMAGE: Featureflash / Shutterstock.com
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IMAGE: s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
The actress also maintains a healthy, balanced diet, frequenting places like Real Food Daily, which specialize IMAGE: s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
The actress also maintains a healthy, balanced diet, frequenting places like Real Food Daily, which specialize in organic vegan cuisine.
She also describes herself as “someone who lets things happen naturally,” saying she is not sure if she wants to have a child right away.
“But you can find healthy food pretty much anywhere. I do a lot of cooking at home using grains and vegetables. I especially love making cupcakes,” she says, while admitting that when she attempts to customize recipes, “it’s a total disaster, but I’ve also had some pleasant surprises, like recently when I managed to make zucchini fritters.”
“For me, getting married doesn’t mean we should limit ourselves to some pre-defined idea. Rather, it’s an opportunity to explore new things in life,” says Biel. And while fans may ogle Timberlake’s good looks and hot moves, for Biel, there are three distinct qualities she finds admirable in her future husband, 31: “The ability to communicate well ... to be able to express his feelings. Then, loyalty. And, finally, honesty.”
Biel began dating singer and actor Justin Timberlake in January 2007. After four years together, the couple announced their split in March 2011. However, by fall 2011, the couple reunited, and in late December 2011, Timberlake proposed to Biel in the mountains of Jackson, Wyoming with a diamond ring estimated to have cost the singer $130,000. The couple are in the midst of planning a big wedding for family and friends this summer.
For several years it has been clear that Biel is one of the great, beautiful babes of her generation. But if her abilities as a spirited, sharp-witted comedienne with a smart sense of timing had not frequently been demonstrated, it’s only because she had seldom been asked to display them. Without a doubt, Biel has a long road ahead of her in Hollywood. Hopefully her marriage to a super mega star will not distract her from showing both her acting abilities and her magnificently toned body.
“I don’t think our marriage will change anything,” she says. And while that may turn out not to be true, she does think “it will be a challenge finding a balance between my private life, family and work, and I’m ready.”
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in organic vegan cuisine.
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Located on one of the most beautiful paradise shores in the world, is Chaweng Noi’s idyllic resort. An unspoiled beach-front setting, overlooking lush tropical gardens, endless turquoise lagoon, and luminous white sands, it pampers you with the ideal ambience of tranquility and romance. And not to forget, we offer you the very best location to suit all tastes. Whether you want to get away from it all and relax or shop till you drop! www.impiana.com.my 91/2-3 Moo 3, Chaweng Noi Beach, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84320 Thailand Tel: 66 (0) 77 448 994 Fax: 66 (0) 77 448 999 Email: info.kohsamui@impiana.com
ABSOLUTE THAI Serenity Resort and Residences
Serenity Resort & Residences b y: D a n W h i t e
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erenity Resort and Residences is uniquely placed for those who wish to enjoy something different. Phuket’s Eastern shores are a wonderful alternative to what have now become the busy streets of its glorious west facing beaches. Here things are quieter, more spread out and to all intents and purposes more ‘Thai’. Chalong is a fascinating combination of a maritime crossroads, laid back residential area and convenient shopping hub. It is also the cultural and spiritual heart of the Phuket with the awe inspiring Big Buddha crowning the Nakkerd Hills and the exquisitely ornate Wat Chalong nearby. Chalong Bay is also the jumping off point for the many spectacular islands nearby, such as Coral Island with its pristine white beaches and world class diving and snorkeling opportunities. This is also one of the yachting capitals of the world.
of and more. They also offer incredible views of the ocean and surrounding islands. Rooms range from the Serenity Room through to the Serenity suites that are really more like an apartment than a typical hotel room. Both employ an exquisite mixture of traditional Thai and modern styling. The rooftop located Serenity Sea View Suite offers a stunning panoramic view of Chalong Bay from its balcony and rooftop lounge. The Grand Suites and the Penthouse Suites are large, fully equipped apartments featuring two or even three bedrooms with bathrooms, a living and dining room area with a fully equipped European style kitchen. Finally there is the Pool Residence just steps from the water. Here you can enjoy your own private pool and sundeck with direct access to the beach.
Set right on the beach one can
For the complete freedom and comfort to enjoy all Phuket has to offer, the five star Serenity Resort meets the many varied requirements of each and every guest. Set right on the beach one can lounge around the pool enjoying the beautiful views. The rooms are vast and come equipped with every amenity you could dream
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lounge around the pool enjoying the beautiful views. The rooms are vast and come equipped with every amenity you could dream of and more.
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Then there is the spa. Highly trained wellness practitioners whose sole aim is your wellbeing, health and relaxation staff the Senses Spa. Your stresses and strains will fade gently into the ether as they skillfully apply ancient Asian healing arts mixed with more modern treatments from around the globe. These include traditional Thai massage, Himalayan hot stone therapy, detoxifications, purifications, salt, honey and herbal scrubs, full body wraps and much more. The spa also offers Yoga classes taught by experts.
Serenity Resort is more than simply a resort, a restaurant or a spa. It is an amalgamated tropical lifestyle experience. This restaurant is one of the finest on the island and is the place to enjoy fine wines, a tantalising mĂŠlange of Traditional Thai dishes and western haute cuisine as the light fades, the waves gently lap the bay and a cool breeze soothes the skin.
Serenity Resort is more than simply a resort, a restaurant or a spa. It is an amalgamated tropical lifestyle experience. The East88 Beach Lounge integrates all these constituents around the swimming pool and central area. Come for the afternoon. Bring along the kids. Make a day of it relaxing by the pool, taking a gentle stroll along the beach or enjoy coffee or cocktails at Balu’s Lounge and Bar right by the pool looking out to the beautiful islands beyond. If the thought of enjoying those islands more intimately becomes tempting, take a traditional long tail boat to see them, snorkel and flippers in hand - a journey of only fifteen minutes.
14 Moo 5 Rawai, Muang, Phuket, 83130, Thailand T: +66 (0)76 371 900 E: rsvn@serenityphuket.com W: serenityphuket.com
Whatever it is you have spent the day doing, the place to be in the evening is the East 88 Beach Lounge itself.
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IMAGE: LiteChoices / Shutterstock.com
Holding to Tradition The Hilltribe People of Thailand
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ill tribe people can trace their origin from the southern Sino-Tibetan geographical area. Though all have legends that speak of their particular tribe as being the “original people� of this area, it is more practical to think of them as part of a continuing exodus of ancient peoples out of China as far back as 2,000 years.
that cloaks their valleys. Most of the hill tribes came from the interior of southern China. These seminomadic peoples moved slowly, driven by their need for new land to replace that exhausted by their slash and burn farming techniques. They eventually arrived on the northern borderlands of Thailand, called the Payap. For the most part, tribes still remain concentrated on the northern borders of Thailand, but with the passage of time increased internal migration has gone as far south as Bangkok. It is now impossible to outline distinct areas of a particular tribe’s district. Some places you may find all six major hill tribes living on the same mountainside or valley.
Their history is shrouded in myth and legend; a beginning as hazy and dim as the early morning mist
For the most part, tribes still remain concentrated on the northern borders of Thailand, but with the passage of
Now living in close proximity to their Thai neighbors, the hill tribes are in danger of being completely assimilated into the general culture; losing their
time increased internal migration has gone as far south as Bangkok.
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heritage, self-identity and expressive artifacts; for so long a part of their life. Another generation will likely see most of the hill tribe culture vanish, like most ancient peoples, and their rich legacy a matter of history. The Mien Tribe: The Mien likely originated from southern China about 2,000 years ago via Hainan, Guangxi and adjoining provinces. They were referred to by the Chinese as “barbarians”, which is reflected in their name. These tribal peoples are the only ones to have a written language, Chinese. In recent years, both a Romanized and Thaibased script have been added by Western missionaries. These peoples have a series of ancient writings which organize their day to day living and include items such as worship and medicine. A series of pamphlets have been devised over the centuries to help their groups become accustomed to their environment and the people they live beside.
Another generation will likely see most of the hill tribe culture vanish, like most
IMAGE: Olga Yarovenko / Shutterstock.com
ancient peoples, and their rich legacy a matter of history. More is known and understood of the Mien because of their written language; hence, their history is more readably available to both scholars and students of Asian Culture. From such rich chronicles the tribe has been able to save the legend of its beginnings. The Lahu Tribe: Like most hill tribes, the Lahu have their origin in southwestern China. By 1870 the Lahu had moved across the northern Burmese border in fear of their lives from the government of Burma. They moved into the northern highlands and valleys of Siam, as Thailand was then named. By the 20th century Lahu villages were discovered as far south as Fang, just 70 km north of Chiang Mai. The Lahu have now embraced many of the ways of missionary peoples that have lived among them since the end of World War 2. It is a fact of social change that in the near future many of the customs of the old Lahu will have given way to the “consumer passion” that is now evident in Southeast Asia. Radio, television and print media are fast altering these tribal people.
IMAGE: Olga Yarovenko / Shutterstock.com
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The Lisu Tribe: Like all but the Mien hill tribe people, the Lisu have no written language. Their legend tells of their migration from the Salween River, located in Burma. They have less Chinese features than other hill tribes, and it is thought that they have been moving from the interior of Burma for at least a century. Among all of the hill tribes, the Lisu have the least known about their origins, and their legends do not specifically tell of any other history than that from the Burmese interior. Historically, the Lisu villages have been built near high fresh water streams, but not too close for fear of the mystical powers that they believe reside in the stream itself. Bamboo piping will be used for an aqueduct to carry water from one side of a mountain ridge to the other in order for a village to have an abundant supply. IMAGE: Muellek Josef / Shutterstock.com
Like most other hill tribes, the Akha have no written language so their history was carried to this century on the backs of many colorful legends, proverbs and rituals handed down from one generation to the other.
The Akha Tribe: Like most other hill tribes, the Akha have no written language so their history was carried to this century on the backs of many colorful legends, proverbs and rituals handed down from one generation to the other. Akha are able to at least recite the male line of their family back to the “beginning.� Their migration routes have been similarly remembered. Like most other hill tribes, the Akha have been occasionally persecuted by the countries they passed through. Family history is very important when it comes to marriage for it is considered a taboo to be too closely related to another: repeating a family lineage to seven patrilineal generations without finding a common ancestor is advisable. Akha today can meet others of their tribe and always have a distant ancestor in common. The Hmong Tribe: Legend puts the Hmong coming from an icy land to the north. It is suspected that they migrated from the steppes of Siberia, Tibet and Mongolia. Centuries of Chinese subjugation have given rise to periodic migration for their quest for freedom. IMAGE: Simone van den Berg / Shutterstock.com
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During WW II, Chinese nationalists tried to stop the Hmong from speaking their own language and practicing any other aspect of their culture, but without much success. This action only fanned the flames of mutual disrespect and drove the Hmong further south in search for better living conditions. The Hmong in the Thai Payap have been present for an estimated 200 years. Coming over the political borders of Laos, they established villages high in the mountains and remained comparatively independent of any other tribal group. The Hmong are now found in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Burma. During the Vietnam War, many Hmong worked for the U.S. and many were air-lifted to North America; unfortunately some were left behind.
During WW II, Chinese nationalists tried to stop the Hmong from speaking their own language and practicing any other aspect of their culture, but without much success.
IMAGE: Muellek Josef / Shutterstock.com
The Karen Tribe: Karen settlements are normally at a lower altitude than other hill tribes, approximately 500m above sea level. Karen villages don’t move their location often, and many villages have been in the same place for hundreds of years. They have clear boundaries and rights over agricultural land and practice land rotation, leaving land fallow for recovery. They raise many kinds of domestic animals including elephants. The Karen are renowned for their skills with elephants. Karen women are skilled at weaving. The young women wear long white dresses and married women wear sarongs and shirts, mostly in a red color. These are woven by the tribe women as well as bags and clothes for the men. You can often see the women working on their backstrap looms. Men are skilled at basket weaving and produce large baskets to store rice or clothes. While it is easy to lump all hill tribes together into one group, it would not do them justice to do so. Each tribe has their own unique and distinct history and culture. While they enjoy visits from tourists, it is hoped that it is the tourists who change after their visit and not the tribe people.
IMAGE: Muellek Josef / Shutterstock.com
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ABSOLUTE THAI THE DEATH RAILWAY
THE DEATH RAILWAY A
lthough it is close to Bangkok, Kanchanaburi is often though of as the ‘wild west’ province of Thailand. Mountainous and gloriously beautiful one heads northwest out of town into some of the most stunning countryside the country has to offer. Sai Yok national park, through which the River Kwai flows, is a place of deep ravines, forests and waterfalls. The road leads on up to Thong Pha Pum and then on along winding roads up to Sangklaburi. This rough and ready town is on the Burma Border near Three Pagodas Pass, sitting on the edge of a man-made lake with a Buddhist temple eerily submerged in its midst. This journey of 170 kilometres may take you past stunning beauty, but it is also a place of deep, deep tragedy – a place where the full truth of the horror that one man is capable of inflicting on another was played out.
with them came huge logistical problems of supplying Japanese forces in all these far-flung territories. A transport route through Burma between Siam and China became imperative for them to maintain the momentum of their war effort. This had been recognised well before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour and tentative plans for a railway along this most vital of routes was planned as early as 1939. The railway had to be built fast in order that the Japanese could continue their expansion and it was a vital part of the planned invasion of India.
This journey of 170 kilometers may take you past stunning beauty, but it is also a place of deep, deep tragedy – a place where the full truth of the
In 1942, the forces of Imperial Japan swept across Asia with lightening speed, conquering all those in their path until they were very nearly poised to take Australia. The swiftness of their victories was astonishing, but along
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horror that one man is capable of inflicting on another was played out.
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To get the job done the Japanese press-ganged vast numbers of labourers. Most of them, about a quarter of a million in all, were Asian from Burma, Malaya and Java. The rapid victories across Asia had also led to the Japanese finding themselves with huge numbers of allied prisoners left behind after the fall of Singapore and the overrunning of the Dutch East Indies. As the railway was built, over 60,000 of these prisoners were put to work. The conditions under which they lived, toiled and died were indescribably brutal. The cruelty inflicted on them and the terrible loss of life amongst all nationalities meant that these two metal tracks that stretch into the mountains of Western Thailand came to be known as the ‘Death Railway’. In Kanchanaburi Town there are two main cemeteries where the non-Asian victims of the Death Railway are laid to rest. For anyone from the USA, Melbourne, Manchester or Amsterdam, wandering around them is a sobering experience. The names on the tombs are of ordinary men from ordinary places. One can only speculate what they went through and, what in the end, it was that finally carried them away – starvation, disease, beatings, torture or arbitrary murder at the hands of their merciless captors.
As the railway was built, over 60,000 of these prisoners were put to work. The conditions under which they lived, toiled and died were indescribably brutal. The first group of 3,000 POWs to work on the railway were dispatched by ship from Singapore. Work started in June 1942, under the auspices of the Imperial Japanese Army’s 5th and 9th Railway Regiments. Over the next three years, over 13,000 prisoners of war died or were killed. The number of deaths amongst the Asian labourers is not easy to work out but is usually estimated at about 100,000. The pace of construction was sped up from July to October 1943, the Japanese engineers were under intense pressure from Tokyo to get the job done. During this time, men were forced to work for 62 hours out of 72 in intolerable jungle heat with little or no food to sustain them. There were no rest days and it was during these months that the tragedy of the Thai Burma Railway reached its pinnacle. One survivor, George Aspinal from
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ABSOLUTE THAI THE DEATH RAILWAY
Australia, describes the conditions, “We used to cover about twenty-five or thirty miles each night. We tried to get some sleep during the day, but it was usually impossible because the Japanese always wanted to have a tenko - a check parade. So every few hours they would line everybody up and count them to see if they were all there. There was nothing much in the way of huts in the staging camps, and we used to try and snatch a few hours’ sleep under a bush or anything with a bit of shade. If any straggler did fall behind, he got belted by the Japanese guards. I’m sure a number who could not keep up were beaten and left to die in the jungle. Some of the people who dropped back were never seen again and we did hear shots fired on a number of occasions. The guards might have been firing at wild animals, but we suspected a number of the stragglers were shot by the guards.”
The men who worked on Hellfire Pass were driven for 18 hours a day to complete the excavation of the 17 meter high and 110 meter long cutting through solid quartz and limestone. It took them only 12 weeks.
When one drives up the main road to Three Pagodas Pass now one is following the line of the original railway. About 70km up, one comes across Hellfire Pass, and one look into this fetid abyss gives you some inkling of what these men went through. There is a little museum there now and one can stand on the viewing platform, looking down below into what was the deepest cutting through rock of the whole line. The men who worked on Hellfire Pass were driven for 18 hours a day to complete the excavation of the 17 meter high and 110 meter long cutting through solid quartz and limestone. It took them only 12 weeks. Sixty-nine of them were beaten to death by the Japanese during this time, and many more died of exhaustion and disease. They were forced to work at night, which is why it was dubbed Hellfire Pass, the mixture of dim illumination from oil fired bamboo torches and carbide lamps created an eerie light resembling the fires of hell. For the Japanese engineers, all this brutality yielded results. The line was being built from both ends at the same time, and the Thai and Burmese sections of line finally met in October 1943. The period of actual construction was only sixteen months. Once the job was finished, those who were left alive were put to work
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For the Japanese engineers, all this brutality yielded results. The line was being built from both ends at the same time, and the Thai and Burmese sections of line finally met in October 1943.
elsewhere. As the war drew to a close and the Japanese were driven back, the railway and the bridge over the river Kwai were bombed and disabled. The men who survived were found smiling but emaciated and disease ridden dressed only in tattered loincloths. Their spirits remained unbroken. Now Kanchanaburi is a popular stop over on the tourist trail, and a reconstructed bridge over the River Kwai draws in the crowds who pose for pictures halfway up its length, the beautiful mountain scenery serving as a backdrop. The area around the railway all the way to the Burma border is replete with resorts, and it is a popular getaway destination for both Thais and foreigners alike. There has been some reconciliation between some of the men who inflicted the horror and some of those who were on the receiving end of it. Many, however, do not forgive. As time passes the past may recede from living memory as a generation passes on. Time may pass, but the suffering of the thousands, both Asian and non-Asian, will never be forgotten. It is a living lesson in just how evil men can be, and just how determined others are to survive that evil.
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ABSOLUTE THAI ST HELENA
ST HELENA
The Island on the Edge of the World b y: P e t e r H o l t h u s e n
S
managed by the Saint Helena National Trust. The highland areas contain most of the island’s endemic flora, fauna, insects and birds, including the national bird of St Helena, the endangered St Helena Plover, known locally as the Wirebird.
t Helena lies 15˚56’ south and 5˚45’ west, and is one of the most isolated islands in the world. It is 1,200 miles from the nearest major landmass, Angola, and 1,800 miles from Brazil. At 47 square miles, it is also one of the smallest permanently inhabited islands in the world, with a population of only 4,255. The island is of volcanic origin and is little more than 10.5 miles in length and 6.5 miles wide, consisting of steep, sub-tropical, rocky terrain.
The only scheduled transport service to the island is on the RMS St Helena – a spectacular 6 day voyage from Cape Town which in itself is an experience to behold. She is now the only ocean-going vessel in the world to still carry the venerable title “Royal Mail Ship.” Uninhabited at the time of its discovery in 1502 by the
The interior of the island is covered by forest, of which some has been replanted, including the beautiful Millennium Forest, a project which began in 2000 to replant tracts of the lost ‘Great Wood’, and is now
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Galician explorer João da Nova sailing at the service of the Portuguese Crown, the island was named “Santa Helena” after the Empress Helena of Constantinople, who is traditionally credited with finding the relics of the True Cross, with which she is invariably represented in Christian iconography. This isolated outpost in the middle of the South Atlantic would have probably remained as anonymous as it is distant from any mainland were it not for its most celebrated resident captive. In 1815 the British Government selected St Helena as the place of detention of Napoleon Bonaparte. He was brought to the island in October 1815 and in his first two months there, lived in a pavilion on the Briars estate, which belonged to a William Balcombe. Napoleon became friendly with his family, especially his younger daughter Lucia Elizabeth who later wrote Recollections of the Emperor Napoleon. This friendship ended in 1818 when the British authorities became suspicious that Balcombe had acted as an intermediary between Napoleon and Paris and dismissed him from the island.
This isolated outpost in the middle of the South Atlantic would have probably remained as anonymous as it is distant from any mainland were it not for its most celebrated resident captive. In 1815 the British Government selected St Helena as the place of detention of Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon moved to Longwood House in December 1815, where spent the last six years of his life writing his memoirs in relative confinement before he died of stomach cancer on 5 May 1821. He was initially buried on St Helena in the peaceful Sane Valley, but in 1840, Louis Philippe I obtained permission from the British to exhume Napoleon’s body and return his remains to France, where they were entombed in a porphyry sarcophagus in the crypt under the dome at Les Invalides in Paris. However, his original tomb can still be seen on St Helena and Longwood House, with its ocean views and veranda of filigree balustrades is now arguably the finest Napoleonic museum in the world. In 1890 the British also used the island as a place of exile for Chief Dinizulu, the son of Cetewayo, King of the Zulu Kingdom and their leader during the Anglo-Zulu War (1879), and from 1900 to 1902, more than 5,000 Boer prisoners of war were camped on Deadwood Plain and Broad Bottom.
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ABSOLUTE THAI ST HELENA
A full island tour which usually lasts about 4-5 hours is a great way to view the entire island; and see the varying contrasts in geology, flora and fauna, architecture and historical attractions.
Napoleon’s Tomb and Longwood House are just a few of the attractions well worth a visit during your stay and are among a group of sites widely promoted as the ‘7 Wonders of St Helena’. The remainder are Diana’s Peak, the highest point on St Helena at 823m above sea level, which was proclaimed a National Park in 1996, the spectacular cascades of the Heart-Shaped Waterfall, named for the falls that cascade through the centre of a heart-shaped cliff face, High Knoll Fort, which was built in 1894 as a redoubt for the islanders in the event of an invasion, St James’ Church, a prominent feature in Jamestown which boasts a fascinating history and is reputed to be the oldest surviving Anglican Church in the Southern Hemisphere, which dates from 1774, and of course, the famous steps of Jacob’s Ladder.
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The capital Jamestown lies cradled at the bottom of a steep sided valley and has the atmosphere of a small English country village. It has a tightly packed row of colourfully-painted houses on both sides of Grand Parade and Main Street. The view of the island’s capital and James Bay from the top of Jacob’s Ladder are simply breath-taking. Built in 1829 it was originally an ‘inclined plane’, with tracks on either side of the steps which were used to haul manure up from the town and send goods down. The ladder is an iconic landmark in Jamestown with its 699 steps, stretching 600ft high. Located at the foot of the ladder you will find the Museum of St Helena, which has an impressive collection of artefacts, portraying the island’s geological origins, history, culture, unique flora and fauna and its people.
Lawrence Durrell once wrote: “Islomania is a rare affliction of spirit. There are people who find islands somehow irresistible.”
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St Helena is also reputed to be home to the world’s oldest living animal. At 180 years-old, Jonathan the giant tortoise was brought to the island from the Seychelles in 1882, along with three other tortoises.
FURTHER INFORMATION St Helena Tourism sthelenatourism.com
St Helena is also reputed to be home to the world’s oldest living animal. At 180 years-old, Jonathan the giant tortoise was brought to the island from the Seychelles in 1882, along with three other tortoises. He was named in the 1930’s by Governor Sir Spencer Davis. He continues to live in the grounds of the official residence of the Governor, at Plantation House, and is very popular with the tourists.
HOW TO GET THERE RMS St Helena rms-st-helena.com A 22-day package to St Helena costs from £2,521 per person. The Explorer Tour package includes two nights’ accommodation in Cape Town (pre and post voyage), passage to the island on board the RMS St Helena in a T2H Cabin on A Deck and eight nights in St Helena.
A full island tour which usually lasts about 4-5 hours is a great way to view the entire island; and see the varying contrasts in geology, flora and fauna, architecture and historical attractions. All of the tours are very well planned and can be booked through your hotel or the Tourist Office in Jamestown. One can easily explore St Helena by walking, hiring a car, using a taxi or public bus.
WHERE TO STAY There is plenty of accommodation on St Helena to suit your style and budget. The majority of the larger hotels are based in Jamestown, but there are some splendid guest houses in the countryside offering a variety of bed & breakfast and self-catering packages.
Lawrence Durrell once wrote: “Islomania is a rare affliction of spirit. There are people who find islands somehow irresistible. The mere knowledge that they are in a little world surrounded by sea fills them with an indescribable intoxication”. If like me, you share a lifelong ambition to visit some distant island such as St Helena before they change forever, you’ll be well rewarded for charting a course to her shores.
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WHEN TO GO The climate of St Helena is mild year-round and there are no drastic weather patterns. The hottest months, and the best time to visit, are between January and March.
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ABSOLUTE THAI Yacht Training Wheels
Yacht Training Wheels by: Michael Aumock
W
hen most of us are children, we dream about the things we will buy when we are older and successful. So when we finally make it to the point where we can actually afford our dream “toy”, we pretty much have known exactly what it will be for years. We make it a goal in life to own THAT thing. Though most of us never get it…some of us do. For most people that ‘thing’ is a car… but for some people, that toy will be a boat.
If you didn’t grow up around the water and boats, you have a lot to learn about them. But there is one universal truth about yachts: they cost a lot of money. And it’s not just the purchase, which can easily run into the tens of millions, it’s the maintenance, upkeep, storage, mooring, crew etc. If you spend $2,000,000 on a small yacht, you can expect to spend 15-20% per year to keep it in proper running order. Now, all of that is fine and dandy if you love the boat and you use it all the time and it’s great and you’re happy. However, the fact of the matter is that you are going to use that yacht about five weeks per year.
Now, almost everyone reading this can drive. But unless you come from a boating family, even if you come from money, you might not have a clue how to go about getting a yacht. So, if you are self-made, and it’s time to buy your first yacht, and know nothing about boats or the ocean, what do you do? You buy a fraction. I know it might seem a little counter-intuitive at first, but bear with me for a minute.
unless you come from a boating family, even if you come from money, you might not have a clue how to go about getting a yacht.
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So most of the time, you are paying for a boat you don’t use and a crew who stays home playing video games. Enter the fractional yacht program. A fractional program is designed to let you pay for what you use, while still having ownership of a tangible asset, and is beneficial in several ways. First, there is the financial benefit. Let’s say that instead of 100% of a yacht for $2 million you buy a 1/6th share (i.e., 8 weeks) for $400k. I realize that $400k is more than 1/6th of $2 mil, but there are sales and management expenses with a fractional program. You will still be way ahead in the end. After the initial investment, you have monthly fees that cover the same things you would have to pay for yourself: crew, insurance, mooring, etc. Let’s use the same number from before and call it 20% or $80k/ year. So we have brought our baseline down from $2,000,000 and $400k per year to $400,000 and $80k per year.
A fractional program is designed to let you pay for what you use, while still having ownership of a tangible asset, and is beneficial in several ways.
Now, fractional programs have a management component that oversees the operation, making your life easier. They take care of paying all the bills, scheduling maintenance, and making sure that all the owners have an enjoyable time on their yacht. They also take care of scheduling when each owner gets to use their time on the yacht. The only downside to fractional ownership is you can’t use your yacht whenever you want. You have to plan a little, and you have to be a little flexible. If you have 8 weeks, you can probably take them 2 weeks at a time in each season. It depends on the program. But the bottom line is this: fractional ownership allows you to pay for the time that you use, and not worry about the time that you don’t. But that’s not the benefit I want to talk about. I want to talk about the unique opportunity fractional yacht ownership gives the future yacht owner.
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ABSOLUTE THAI Yacht Training Wheels
You might think that 20 meters is plenty of yacht, and then decide you can’t possibly live with less than 30 meters.
Opportunity? Yep. The opportunity to try out yacht ownership for a fraction of the cost. To see what you like, what you don’t like, what you would do different, what you wouldn’t do at all. Fractional yacht ownership gives you the chance to make all of the same mistakes everyone makes with their first boat, without making the biggest one, the financial one. If you have never owned a yacht before, how do you know what you like? You might hate sailing, or you might love sailing and not know it because you’ve only ever been on powerboats before. You might think that 20 meters is plenty of yacht, and then decide you can’t possibly live with less than 30 meters after spending 8 weeks on a 20 meter. The key is that you actually spend time on the boat as an owner; not a charter, not a friend’s yacht, but your yacht. And it gives you a different perspective. It also gives you
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someone (the program director) to ask silly questions. You can ask me anything you want, and I won’t judge you. My job as Program Director is to design a program that fits your needs, then educate you on the program and the yacht…make sure you understand every aspect of the boat, the program, the bills and how they are paid and why we pay for “anti-fouling”. You might never ask the guy in the next berth what anti-fouling or bunkering means, but with fractional, you’ve got someone who has a vested interest in making sure you know everything you want to know about your boat.
In the end, fractional is the best, easiest and least expensive gateway to the magnificent world of yachting.
than one yacht around the world. Let’s say you live in London, so you keep your Sunseeker moored in the Mediterranean. But it’s a fraction so you have it 4 weeks per year. You send your darling children to the British International School in Phuket, and travel to see them throughout the school year. You could buy a fraction in Thailand, and use it with your kids and their friends from school, and you’d be the coolest parents in the school, because you have 2 yachts; even though you only paid for about a third of one. Plus, that would give you the opportunity to have a motor yacht and a sailing yacht.
Most fractional programs have a 3 or 5 year expiration date. This means that after the allotted time, there is a call to action. Depending on what you agreed upon in the beginning, you either sell the boat and go your separate ways, sell the yacht and buy another (usually bigger) boat, vote to keep it and then vote again in a year, or keep it and buy another bigger boat and add more people to the group. The latter seldom happens, but I have seen it. Four of the six owners loved the yacht and had adult children old enough to use it, so they kept the 52’ and bought an 82’. Why choose one when you can choose both?
In the end, fractional is the best, easiest and least expensive gateway to the magnificent world of yachting. As more and more people in Asia and across the globe become interested in the sea, more and more people will be able to gain access to the significant benefits of fractional yachts with considerably less commitment than a whole-ownership yacht.
Another wonderful part of the fractional program is that with the limited use comes the opportunity to keep more
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Absolute Real Estate T: +66 (0)76 346 282 M: +66 (0)84 445 9595 E: info@absoluterealestate.tv W: absoluterealestate.tv
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ABSOLUTE THAI Koh Kred – Hidden Peace of the City
Koh Kred – Hidden Peace of the City B
angkok must be one of the busiest cities in the world. Thundering trucks, speeding taxis, screeching motorcycles and buses belching smoke, roar up busy highways that crisscross the city in a vast network of chaotic, concrete madness. Gleaming skyscrapers and glittering temples overlook these busy streets, sidewalks crowded with vendors, shoppers, commuters, tourists and loafers. In the centre of town, neon blinks and flashes, and PA systems blare out shrill advertisements. Blind singers from the far-flung provinces wail through blown out speakers that have long since seen better days. It is noisy, frenetic, and incredibly exciting.
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Some days however, one craves the peace of a place where one is not deafened by the sound of combustion engines or forced to negotiate speeding vehicles, crowded escalators or hustling vendors. If this is the mood that suddenly strikes you it is time to make your way to the north of the city where there is a bend in the river that holds what is, quite literally, an island of tranquil calm. Koh Kred is the only island in the Chao Phraya River, and it is only thirty short minutes from bustling downtown Bangkok. It was actually created by men. In 1722 King Thaisa of Ayuthaya ordered a channel cut
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to ease the congestion of ever increasing river traffic, and in the process Koh Kred came into being. It is now home to some 5,000 people; largely the descendants of Mon refugees from lower Burma driven from their homes two centuries ago by war. In settling in this secluded place they brought with them their culture, their cooking, their language and, most importantly, their traditional skills in the art of creating beautiful ceramics. For all intents and purposes, Koh Kred is an island of potters. To get to Koh Kred, one takes a rickety little wooden ferry from Wat Sanam Nua. There will be some daytrippers like you interspersed with locals bringing their supplies. One alights at the little pier, and the first thing that strikes you is quite simply the peace. To be in Bangkok, in a place with no traffic at all save for a few low powered motorcycles and lots of no powered bicycles, is liberating. That doesn’t mean to say there is nothing going on though. Around the pier is a hustle and bustle of food stalls and the smoky perfume of delicious fishcakes and other wok fried treats to make the mouth water and fill the nostrils. Although very Thai,
To be in Bangkok, in a place with no traffic at all save for a few low powered motorcycles and lots of no powered bicycles, is liberating. much of the food has a Burmese touch making use of sweeter spices that one finds in Burmese and South Asian food. In many ways, the most important thing the island has to offer, apart from ceramics, is food. Try the island specialty of khao cher. This is a particularly Mon specialty of rice served with chilled perfumed water and a number of side dishes. It was once a royal favorite in the heat of summer, but now it is difficult to find anywhere but here. Tod mun pla nor gala is another local delicacy. This is a spicy fish cake flavored with ginger. The central area of Koh Kred is dotted with some very old and very beautiful temples. Lining the paths in front of the temples are blossoming bougainvillea and frangipani trees, the colorful flowers standing out against the whitewashed plaster of the ancient walls and the faded wood of the traditional Mon houses. Crumbling plinths are etched in stone, but the script is not Thai;
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ABSOLUTE THAI Koh Kred – Hidden Peace of the City
the looping characters are Burmese. Mon influence is evident in all of the island’s six Wats - Wat Poramai Yikawat, Wat Chimplee, Wat Sao Thong, Wat Pai Lom, Wat Pa Laylai and Wat Salakul. All are atmospheric, but perhaps the most important historically are Wat Sao Thong Thong, with its Ayutthaya-era chedi, and Wat Poramai Yikawat which also houses a small museum with, amongst other things, a replica of Phra That Chedi Mutao situated in Hongsawadi, Burma. Wat Chimplee is the main functioning temple on the island. On festival days, it is busy with worshippers lighting incense and making merit whilst the monks chant hypnotically in Pali. Circumnavigating the island is a roughly concreted path. One can negotiate it either clockwise or counterclockwise, but clockwise is best since one starts with the temples and the sites and finishes in the market where one can relax with a cold drink. The total circuit is only a few kilometers, and it is easily done in two hours. One starts at Poramai Yikawat, and the path then passes first through the main village where the narrow street is lined
One is perfectly able to watch the skilled people of Koh Kred at work, wandering from potter’s wheel to fiery furnace and on past those applying delicate decoration absorbed in focused and skilled concentration.
with traditional wooden houses. Along the way, one encounters one pottery factory after another. Their product is everywhere; stacks of urns and vases line the route and stand guard at doorways. This Kwan Anam is very traditional Mon in character. It is also very reasonably priced given the exceptional quality. There are about twenty working kilns on the island and plenty of others that are now abandoned, half consumed by the fast growing tropical plants. While many of the island’s youth have not chosen to earn a living from traditional crafts, the island’s cultural heritage and sense of community remains close to their hearts. Although many of the children go to university, quite a number return here once their studies are completed to use their skills creating or continuing family businesses.
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One is perfectly able to watch the skilled people of Koh Kred at work, wandering from potter’s wheel to fiery furnace and on past those applying delicate decoration absorbed in focused and skilled concentration. The huge kilns are made of clay bricks and are heated most of the time. To cool things down, sprinklers are placed on the roofs of the factories and water trickles down constantly onto the path. As one continues around the island, the real peace of the place starts to hit home. One feels as if one is in the middle of rural Issan or far away in the countryside of the central plains. The sound of Chirruping cicadas is broken only by the occasional tinkling bicycle bell. As one walks back into the town from the other side, one encounters a plethora of little riverside restaurants, cafes and shops selling curios; a great place to sit and relax with something very cold as you contemplate the peace of the river.
Once one has wandered the paths of Koh Kred, one can take a boat trip up the river into narrow inlets where old wooden houses are built out onto the river on stilts. Once one has wandered the paths of Koh Kred, one can take a boat trip up the river into narrow inlets where old wooden houses are built out onto the river on stilts. Here, there is a tradition of sweet making. Doi fong, meaning ‘golden threads’, is a favorite, although probably best avoided by those on a diet since it is a heavy mix of duck-egg yolks, sugar and jasmine water. These are beaten into a batter then refrigerated before being dripped into a heated cauldron. A good way to end the day is to take a long-tailed boat back down the river while the sun is going down in an orange ball of fire, and the sites of Thonburi are silhouetted against the shimmering rouge backdrop of early evening.
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Green Snorkeling, Green Scuba Diving during the Green Season @ Green Pimalai… Leisure & Activities… When at Pimalai, a range of activities and excursions are accessible from the resort and our Guest Services Officers will be delighted to guide you in your choice. A number of small islands are part of the Lanta Marine National Park; they are protected islands and offer great snorkeling trips! Regular excursions are arranged throughout the week to Koh Rok, Koh Kradan, Koh Haa, and Koh Gnai where vast coral reefs with brightly colored fish and sea life can be seen. Koh Muk is also renowned for its Emerald cave; a 60 meters long tunnel that runs through a mountain and leads to a lagoon at the bottom of sheer vertical light shaft within the mountain. Trips to all island destinations are subject to weather and sea conditions. While at Pimalai, the Koh Haa Discovery & Sunset Cruise is a highly recommended activity to experience! Leaving in the early afternoon, this is a
99 Moo 5, Ba Kan Tiang Beach, Koh Lanta, Krabi 81150, Thailand Tel: +66 2 320 5500 E-Mail: reservation@pimalai.com www.pimalai.com
halfday cruise to a cluster of five small picturesque islands which can be seen directly out from the resort. There you can swim, snorkel and maybe even spot one of “Nemo’s” clown fish. Afterwards you may wish to meet on board to compare experiences with fellow guests while enjoying a fresh beer or a glass of wine and a serving of delicious canapés. We leave Koh Haa late in the afternoon and cruise back while watching the sun going down; “Haa…bsolutely” magic!. During the green season, Pimalai also offers a comprehensive PADI dive center program, using great dive boats, and a team of professional divers to help you to relax and enjoy your dive in comfortable and safe surroundings. Our dive boats head towards Koh Haa, Koh Rok, Koh Kradan, Hin Daeng & Hin Muang which are nowadays recognized as being some of the very best diving spots. Come and experience the real green and luxury hidden-paradise at Pimalai where you can totally relax and at the same time experience various choices of activities.
ABSOLUTE THAI Cycling the City of Angels
Cycling the City of Angels W
ith its truly demented levels of traffic one might think that cycling in Bangkok is a suicidal no-no on a par with attempting yoga sessions with a flock of angry hippos. The fact is though that under the canopy of buzzing concrete exists a city of quiet pathways, canal tracks, parks and even jungles. If one is well guided one can navigate the city on two wheels taking in quiet temples, long standing
neighborhoods of traditional wooden houses, waterside restaurants and floating markets.
The fact that Bangkok is hot and humid is counteracted by the fact that it is also very flat. Also, although at first it seems confusing, the city is laid out, mostly, on a grid system so travelling between or avoiding the major arteries does fall into a pattern – even if it is a slightly insane one. If you also want to see Bangkok at some speed but don’t want to be confined to a taxi for hours on end, then a bicycle is a pretty useful way to go about it. As long as you are aware of the right routes, then you can cover a lot of ground and see a great many sites within the city in a short space of time.
The fact that Bangkok is hot and humid is counteracted by the fact that it is also very flat.
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Unless you know the city well, the best way to make the most of your time is to travel in the company of experts. One of the most established companies running cycle tours, not just of Bangkok, but the whole of the Asian region, is Spice Roads. Struan Robertson, the General Manager of the company and a fanatical cyclist himself, explains, “Having lived here for 7 years, one might think that I have covered most of the city while looking for new bicycle routes around Bangkok. But it’s not true. Places change and new roads get surfaced, or one can just take a wrong turn and find a whole new path. It’s a constantly evolving city, and there is always something new and often exciting just around the corner. We are constantly adjusting our tours to take this into account.” Thai people have an innate and good natured sense of jovial hospitality and the sight of a bunch of sweating foreigners riding two wheeled vehicles without engines is likely to mean you are mostly greeted with a smile
One of the most established companies running cycle tours, not just of Bangkok, but the whole of the Asian region, is Spice Roads. and a wave. The people you meet along the way are half the joy of the journey. Once one actually sets out, helmet on head and lycra hugging torso, a secret city is unfolded before you. Just across the Chao Phraya River, a very short distance from busy Sukhumvit Road is Bang Khra Jao. One can only reach this wilderness by boat, since no bridges span the river this far down. In a town where the main accompaniment is the rumble of cement trucks and where new skyscrapers, malls and condo blocks are being built all the time, Bang Khra Jao remains an isolated island of unspoiled tropical jungle. There is no traffic, but above the treetops one can see the tower blocks that surround you – a surreal reminder of the proximity of this forgotten haven to the busy streets of the 21st Century. A ride here takes you through local communities and also takes you into a working floating market and an Ayutthaya period temple dating back more than 250 years, with a teak roof and Burmese /Mon shutters. Chinatown is in many ways the throbbing heart of downtown Bangkok. A longtime commercial centre, it has its own unique character with small streets lined with busy shop fronts, ancient temples and shrines
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ABSOLUTE THAI Cycling the City of Angels
billowing incense flanked by higgledy-piggledy Chinese signage. Markets are everywhere with crowds bustling about, parted by aproned men intently pushing trolleys piled high with impossibly large loads. A cycle tour here starts right in the middle of the early morning commotion. Having explored the street markets and negotiated the crowds one can cross the river to enjoy more peaceful rides along the winding back roads of Thonburi – a place of obscure but important temples, busy markets and, as the final treat, the Princess Mother Memorial Park. This beautiful leafy space is a well-kept secret having only been opened in 1997. Past here one can continue on to the Santa Cruz Catholic Church and sample a Portuguese dessert, the recipe passed down through generations.
This low-lying land is crisscrossed with canals traversing the fertile green of the paddy fields. This is some of the finest cycling in the area with plenty to see. A short ride down to Wat Arun with its porcelain covered Khmer Prang takes you back to the river and once you have crossed back over you are in place to witness one of the most magnificent sunsets in Asia as the sun sinks behind the soaring stupa of Wat Arun. East of central Bangkok is the largely Muslim suburb of Minburi where the urban and the rustic meet amongst a patchwork of canals and rice fields. The main canal through the heart of Bangkok, the Klong San Saeb, connects the city’s two main rivers, the Bangprakong and Chao Phraya. Minburi is peopled by the direct descendants of Southern Thai Muslims invited by King Rama III to defend the city against Khmer invaders attempting to navigate their marauding boats up the waterways in conquest. On the other side of the city to the East, the Mae Klong River meanders into a sprawling delta as it reaches the Gulf of Thailand. This low-lying land is crisscrossed with canals traversing the fertile green of the paddy fields. This is some of the finest cycling in the area with plenty to see. Even though one is so close to the city, life here continues at a distinctly rural pace with floating markets and some splendid temples. Wat Amphawan Chetiyaram is the birthplace of King Rama II. Wat Bang Kung is simply very odd, since it is only kept standing by a huge banyan tree big enough to step inside.
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Of course the main issues when touring Bangkok on two wheels are those of heat and safety. Struan explains, “It’s the heat you really have to be careful of. In the humidity of Thailand you have to be constantly aware of the need to rehydrate. It’s something our guides keep an eye on all the time. In terms of safety we insist on everyone wearing decent protective gear and our routes are designed to minimize exposure to busy traffic. It’s actually easier than one might think once one has pinned down where all the warrens of back roads go.”
It’s the heat you really have to be careful of. In the humidity of Thailand you have to be constantly aware of the need to rehydrate.
If for some reason you do start to flag, just hail one of those two-stroke, three-wheeled, screeching symbols of all things Thai, the ubiquitous tuk-tuk. For an extra tip the intrepid pilot will strap your steed on to the back of his vehicle with ropes and bungee chords and speed you homewards in smoky splendour. For some, all this becomes quite addictive. Bangkok is a vast city and there always seems to be more to explore, more klongs to cross, more markets to wander around, more temples to contemplate and more delicious local delicacies to taste. From point to point, experiencing every mile of the way vividly first hand in the open air, there is no better way to enjoy the City of Angels less travelled then jumping on a bicycle.
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ABSOLUTE THAI JLL Review
The Rental Market Survival Guide: Creating Realistic Expectations b y: D e x t e r N o r v i l l e
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ith more rooms being offered for rent every year, the holiday rental market in Phuket has become increasingly challenging.
There was a time not too long ago when owners of holiday properties be they villas or apartments could easily generate income stream by putting their property up for rent on a short and long term basis. The units available back then were all in prime locations, holiday units for rental was an emerging market in the tropics so it was a new option away from traditional hotel offerings and it did represent good value for money. Owners were happy to receive a few bookings and obviously revenue which went some way to cover the annual maintenance costs of the estate.
Things have changed in a short space in time too. Let’s take Phuket for an example. The continuation of residential resort development has meant more supply available to tourists to choose from. Around every corner of the main beach resorts like Patong, Karon, Kamala and Surin you can find the next new thing. Many of the new developments are being sold with the promise of providing a fixed rental return. Most developers will offer these units to wholesale agents to provide a hedge for the financial guarantees made and then sell room nights to the highest bidder during the high season through online travel agents or through their own estate websites.
Owners that do wish to rent out their units need to be aware of the above facts. In this increasingly competitive environment, seeking help and advice from a professional rental manager is a sound idea. A qualified rental manager can advise on current market conditions, price trends and general occupancy rates in similar properties, all of which are factors in helping owners set realistic expectations.
Let’s not forget the rise in the number of new hotel rooms each and every year. The figure in the past 4 years is staggering over 25,000 rooms! Hotels have the ability to be more flexible and aggressive with pricing. With the advantage of global branding and huge market reach these are the dominant players in holiday accommodation and rightly so.
Dexter Norville is a director of property and asset management at Jones Lang LaSalle.
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ABSOLUTE THAI promotion
Serenity Resort & Spa Luxury Weekend
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irport Pickup, FREE upgrade to a 1 bedroom Suite, daily breakfast, FREE spa session, dinner for 2 and a late check out (18:00 hrs) Interested?
Package Conditions • Subject to 10% Service Charge, Government & Provincial Taxes • Offer Valid until October 31st 2012. • Based on min. 2 nights stay (Friday-Sunday) • Based on 2 people sharing per room
Serenity Room: THB 5,900 +++ per night Features • Late check out until 1800 hrs on Sunday (subject to availability) • Private Airport transfer (one way) • Complimentary set dinner for two • Complimentary breakfast at EAST 88 • Complimentary 60 minute Thai massage for 2 persons • Upgrade to our Serenity one bedroom suite • Complimentary WiFi- hi-speed internet access
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14 Moo 5 Rawai, Muang, Phuket 83130 Thailand T: +66 (0)76 371 900 E: rsvn@serenityphuket.com w: serenityphuket.com
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ABSOLUTE THAI promotion
Wellbeing Aromatherapy Experiences at Spa Botanica, The Sukhothai Bangkok
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ndulge in The Sukhothai Bangkok’s own haven of wellness and pampering in the lush garden surroundings of its luxurious Spa Botanica. Choose one of our selected exclusive 90 minute treatments, Age Repair Facial or Immune & Stress Recovery, at Baht 4,500++ per person, and receive a complimentary 30 minutes Bespoke Skin Polish to leave the skin looking radiant and feeling wonderfully smooth or Intensely Nourishing Hair Treatment to release tension, condition the scalp and leave hair super-shiny, glossy and nourished, valued at Baht 1,700++, FREE from now - 30 September 2012.
Immune & Stress Recovery Keep your respiratory tract and sinuses clear and your immune system strong with this purifying, fortifying upper body treatment. Perfect for those recovering from seasonal allergies or chest complaints, or anyone who spends too much time in polluted or stuffy environments, this treatment uses inhalation and pressure point massage to open up airways and maximize effective breathing. Cleansing, clearing and decongesting, this upper body treatment helps clear the mind and support the immune system.
Let our highly-trained spa therapists assist you in your selection: Age Repair Facial This is a natural, highly effective skincare to reduce the signs of ageing without using harsh chemicals. An intensive treatment for ageing skin, including a unique dual layering of intensive masks, with specific lifting, plumping and firming massage, it delivers instantly visible results.
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For reservations, please call Spa Botanica: 66 (0) 2344 8900 or email to spabotanica@sukhothai.com.
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ABSOLUTE THAI news
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BIMC Hospital teams up with Courtyard by Marriott to offer the first medical tourism packages in Bali
IMC Hospital Group has announced a partnership with the Courtyard by Marriott Bali to provide the country’s first ever medical tourism packages and services to inbound travelers visiting Asia’s most popular island destination. Inaugurated on May 5 by Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Mari Elka Pangestu, along with officials from the Ministry of Health and the Balinese government, the internationally managed BIMC Hospital is well equipped to offer visitors the country’s most advanced dialysis treatments, surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures as well as dental care. Located along a palm-lined boulevard neighboring BIMC Hospital in the integrated resort complex of Nusa Dua, the Courtyard by Marriott Bali has added specific aftercare services to its range of hospitality in preparation for the launch of the medical facility. Along with in-room and resort-wide comfort and facilities, the resort is furthermore the first property in Indonesia to coordinate specialized medical services such as aftercare visits by BIMC Hospital nurses. BIMC Hospital Chief Medical Director, Dr. Donna Moniaga, presides over a team of medical professionals from Australia, Indonesia, USA, UK, Germany, Sweden and New Zealand. “The hospital is equipped for complex surgeries with three operating theatres along with our CosMedic™, dialysis and dental facilities all of which could easily rival any hospital anywhere,” said BIMC Chief Marketing Officer, Roland Staehler. “We refer to our elective programs as our three ‘centres of excellence’ and true to the nature of medical tourism, we are further distinguished by offering affordable healthcare.” The 50-bed hospital is set in a lush, one-hectare site planned with a 24-hour medical emergency entrance and hotel-like foyer at the front of the building servicing the hospital’s medical, dialysis and dental centres. The facility is also designed with a private entrance that leads to the CosMedic Centre with its contemporary interior and views onto a serene golf course. “I can’t think of a better place in the sun to visit for medical reasons,” said Tyler. “With the convenience of BIMC’s location and professional services within what is a completely integrated resort experience, medical tourism in Bali will no doubt add to the long list of reasons to visit the island.”
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ABSOLUTE THAI news
Anantara Announces 2012 King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament Dates
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nantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas has announced the dates of the highly popular King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament for 2012. The charitable event, now in its eleventh year, has to date, raised over half a million dollars in charity to help Thailand’s elephants. This year’s event will be held in the Thai royal seaside town of Hua Hin from September 12-16 and promises to have more nail-biting action both on and off the field.
support research and clinics using elephants in therapy sessions for children in Thailand living with autism. In addition, the money raised has also been used to launch the first and only elephant hospital in southern Thailand, as well as a human-elephant conflict project between the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF) and the Elephant Conservation Network (ECN) charity who works in a wildlife reserve in Kanchanaburi.
The event has gone from a small two-day event in 2001 to one of Thailand’s major and internationally best loved events. Last year’s tournament featured 12 teams encompassing over 40 players, including German royals, Prince Carl-Eugen Oettingen-Wallerstein, his wife Princess Anna and daughter Princess Joanna along with members of the New Zealand All-Blacks rugby team. A celebrity auction was also held with international celebrities including Olympic 100 metre Gold Medalist Linford Christie, Grammy Award winners Lady Antebellum, UK fashion designer Anja Hindmarsh and Korean Pop Star Park Jung Min.
“The eleventh year of the tournament promises to be bigger and better in terms of teams, fun and activities,” said Mr. Bill Heinecke, CEO Minor International and owner of Anantara. “But we must never forget the true meaning of holding the event and that is to make a considerable donation to the conservation and welfare of the Thailand elephant population and this year we are determined to raise more money than ever.” For more information on King’s Cup Elephant Polo, please visit www.anantaraelephantpolo.com
Fundraising from last year’s event has been donated to three projects in Thailand. The first is to continue to
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