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2 July 10
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The Gold Rush
hua hin, thailand It was a defining feature of 19th century America and Australia, and to many it would seem to be a thing of the past, but rumours are emerging of a modern day gold rush on the outskirts of Hua Hin. While the prospectors themselves are obviously keen to play down the idea that a rich gold seam may have been discovered in the area, the sight of pick ups loaded with people heading off to the west armed with pans, picks and shovels suggests there may be ‘gold in them thar hills’. Certainly some foreigners are keen to investigate the claims, and we spoke to an American expat, Tony Hallmark, who is a self proclaimed expert in panning for gold, and he told us that gold fever had struck among the locals about 50 kilometres west of Hua Hin, although he was obviously coy about revealing the exact location. He said, ‘There is a great deal of excitement there, and everybody
who can is heading to the spot where the first gold was apparently discovered; the local shops have completely sold out of metal pans and there is a complete frenzy there.’ In these times of economic hardship, it is clear that people are desperate to grab any chance of riches, and gold is already a prized item in Thailand anyway. Another foreigner we met, Chuck Chaplin, intimated that his wife’s family have moved completely to be near the site, but apparently there are already problems brewing as
prospectors compete for what are seen as the best positions, and many fear fighting could break out. Mr Chaplin, resplendent with his bowler hat and walking stick, was reticent about speaking to us, and quickly waddled off when we pressed him for the precise location, but it seems to be only a matter of time before more discover it. AWOL cannot confirm that the stories are true and suspects that there is more chance of England being reinstated at the World Cup than finding any gold, but good luck!
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