JULY 2015
KRABI magazine
Travel Guide and Maps Inside
HUAY TOH WATERFAL
A NATURAL BACK MASSAGE COURTESY OF MOTHER NATURE
FITNESS ANYTIME ANYPLACE
A PA R A D I S E O N E A R T H F O R N AT U R E S E E K E R S
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Open e Door To e World Of
KRABI VILLA COMPANY / КРАБИ ВИЛЛА КОМПАНИ
KRABI VILLA RENTALS Exclusive & Luxurious Pool Villa rentals. Krabi Villa Rentals can take bookings direct through their own exclusive network of websites and secure booking system, also they offer Krabi Holiday Homes and Krabi Villa Apartments for rent for alternative budgets.
KRABI VILLA CARE Krabi Villa Care provides a professional Villa care management team to provide an excellent service for each non - rental or rental villa owner, and if needed to all villa guests, "taking care" of the guests and all their needs, including krabi airport transfers and a range of in-house services allowing them to have the perfect holiday.
KRABI VILLA REAL ESTATE The Krabi Villa Company only lists & recommends through their Krabi Villa Real Estate sound property or land investments, gaining either through their own property rentals or as a solid real-estate growth investment.
KRABI VILLA BUILD What can Krabi Villa Build do for you : Land Purchase - Design - Planning Permission Construction - Project management - Property management.
КРАБИ ВИЛЛА КОМПАНИ Эксклюзивные и роскошные виллы в аренду. Компания Краби Вилла поможет сдать Вашу виллу в аренду используя свою систему бронирования, которая обеспечит Вам постоянный поток клиентов и стабильный заработок в любой сезон. Так же мы работаем с домами и апартаментами более бюджетного направления. Сервис в нашей компании соответствует самым высоким стандартам, что делает пребывание гостей максимально комфортным и оставляют исключительно пр положительные эмоции. В арсенале наших услуг есть все необходимое, от массажа на вилле до эксклюзивных туров на собственной моторной лодке, по лучшим островам Краби. Краби Вилла, это не только аренда, это полный спектр услуг в области недвижимости. Мы готовы использовать все наши ресурсы и опыт, для продажи Ваших проектов, а так же предложить и свои идеи. Используя услуги нашей компании, Вы построите качественную виллу, сэкономив на лишних расходах, а при Вашем желании, мы сделаем ее прибыльным бизнесом в сфере туризма. Чем Краби Вилла может быть для Вас полезна: Покупка земли - Дизайн - Архитектура - Участок под строительство - Управление 4 проектами - Управление недвижимостью.
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LAYANA RESORT & SPA IS GROWING
A visit to Layana Resort & Spa has always been designed around the meaning of Layana in ancient Pali Sanskrit, “A Pause in Time”. All of us at the resort take this meaning to heart in everything we do to create the perfect vacation experience. And while our ethos is “A Pause in Time,” it does not define our constant desire to create a modern luxury hospitality experience.
With this in mind, we are proud to announce our temporary closure this summer from June 10th until July 31st in order to undergo exciting new renovations and expansions. This summer’s renovation and expansion plan will us see improve the quality of the accommodations, add six additional rooms to our boutique resort, including a new luxurious category of “Grand Garden Pavilion Rooms” and create a true wellness sanctuary at Linger Longer Spa in our new “Wellness Zone” with an additional lap pool, new gym facilities and more.
We have taken careful consideration to maintain a “Pause in Time” during the planning of our upgrades and expansion. For our loyal and honored guests, we guarantee the same and even better adults-only, intimate boutique experience that has won their loyalty as well as numerous accolades and awards. And for our new guests, it is every bit the paradise you expect with even better rooms and facilities to enhance your upcoming Layana experience. Let’s begin with the award-winning Linger Longer Spa, where guests can expect a completely new experience at our “Wellness Zone.” After and invigorating workout in our completely new gym facilities with separate lockers, guests can relax and refresh at the new wellness pool. Should you need a healthy snack, a freshly squeezed juice or an energy boosting smoothie, our new juice bar ready to create a healthy pick me up during your wellness time. If you love the mild ocean breezes coming through our spectacular gardens mixed with the beach sunshine as a precursor to your incredible spa experience, our new “Wellness Zone” will suit your perfectly. And for those who rise with the sun, morning can now be spent with specially designed yoga sessions overlooking the new pool and our famous gardens. For our room expansion and upgrade, guests will enjoy a new room type, the two new Junior Suite type accommodations with a total of 60 sqm space, aptly named the “Grand Garden Pavilion Rooms.” While impressive overall, the real defining characteristic of these new rooms is the expansive outdoor living room and terrace with its own separate pantry and generously stocked minibar We looking forward to seeing the friendly faces of our return guests following the short closure as well as welcoming new faces to our incredible paradise on Koh Lanta. If you would like to know any additional information about our closure and renovation please feel free to reach out to us at any time.
Layana Resort & Spa, Koh Lanta Yai A haven of pampered indulgence, tranquil vistas, manicured landscapes and personalised service, at the Layana Resort & Spa you will find turquoise seas showcased by lush green vegetation and soaring blue skies. Nestled on Koh Lanta Yai island, this adults-only intimate resort sits on a three kilometre long white sandy beach and features accommodation in contemporary Thai style, complete with natural and luxurious décor and furnishings. Facilities include a stunning newly renovated Spa, library, infinity pool enjoying sea views, Sundowner bar and Tides restaurant, perched on the very edge of the beach overlooking the sea. An ideal choice for a luxurious and romantic stay.....
July | 2015
Tel: + 66(0) 75 607 100
WWW.LAYANARESORT.COM Fax: + 66(0) 75 607 199
Email: resa@layanaresort.com
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KRABI
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
magazine
EDITOR - Joe Alonzo info@krabi-magazine.com - 093-685-4415 PRESIDENT- Pamela Huxley pamela@krabi-magazine.com - 093 658 4415 MANAGING DIRECTOR - Joe Alonzo joe@krabi-magazine.com - 085 069 4752 FINANCE & ACCOUNTING - Punch Whitfield punch@krabi-magazine.com - 089 287 0163 OPERATIONS MANAGER- Pimpimol “Mem” Wongkajorn info@krabi-magazine.com - 093 658 4415 CREATIVE DIRECTOR - Paul Stretton paul@krabi-magazine.com - 093 658 4415 GRAPHIC DESIGNER - Bad Bull info@krabi-magazine.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Zina Docto Exotic Property Sal Alonzo Nezha Oucama Linsey Hurley Khao Sok Paradise Resort Doc Docto Wikipedia creative commons Abovekrabi.com Jerry Dingley flickr.com/unkle_sam
Published by: KitDee Media & Design C.o., Ltd Tel: 093 658 4415 info@krabi-magazine.com www.krabi-magazine.com online.krabi-magazine.com Please send submissions and subscription inquiries to info@krabi-magazine.com Krabi Magazine is published and produced by KitDee Media & Design Company Limited and is protected by Copyright. No parts of this publication can be used or reproduced in any form – printed, electronic, photocopy or otherwise – without the written permission of the publishers. The publisher reserves the right to refuse to publish adverts, texts or advertising features. Advertising terms and conditions are to be obtained at: info@krabi-magazine.com
DISCLAIMER
While great care has been taken in the receipt and handling of material, production and accuracy in this magazine, the publisher will not accept any responsibility for any errors, loss or omissions which may occur. The information and stories published are those of the writers and contributors, and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or the editor. The description of properties, the contents, whereabouts and price are given in this magazine as a guide only. Please request further details from the advertiser and seek legal advice before entering into any contract to purchase. All information and prices were correct at the time of going to press. In the April 2015 issue of Krabi Magazine, Dr. Note is not held responsible for anything published about his clinic.
Welcome! And thank you for choosing to read our pages on Krabi. Krabi a little gem in the Andaman region of Thailand has been growing as a tourist destination among a number of nationalities for the past 20 years and it shows no signs of slowing its shift from a backpacker beach hub to an international destination boasting a large number of 5 star resorts, restaurants and villa establishments among a number of other amenities. Krabi Magazine is your one stop guide for information on health and wellness, travel, dining, beaches and general Thai culture. Make sure to take a look at the feature this month on The Klong Saeng Wildlife sanctuary, we had the great pleasure of going to this wonderful national park and catching some glimpses of the beautiful and rare wildlife it is home to. We at Krabi Magazine are happy to bring you the information in these pages but we must take a second to thank our supporters as without them we would not be able to bring you the inirmation you are about to read. Therefore if you visit an establishment you have seen in our magazine please make sure you tell them you saw them here in Krabi Magazine. Thank you for reading and have a great day. Joe Alonzo | Editor-Krabi Magazine
Cover photo by KitDee Media LTD.
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CONTENTS FEATURE: 18. Hotel management - a better way to manage your boutique property 30. Fitness online - check out how you can get your exercise anywhere in the world 44. Klong Saeng - A nature lovers paradise, wild elephants and so much more
CULTURE: 24. Thai Customs - an inside scoop on what it means to be Thai 50. Language - a short lesson in Thai 66. Muay Thai - Thailand’s national sport, try out a lesson to wrap your head around this intense sport
FOOD: 26. Dining guide to Krabi 62. Dining guide to Koh Lanta
GENERAL: 32. Andaman Art Museum - Krabi’s newest museum featuring some great work 54. Huay Tho waterfall - how to spend your days in this amazing province 58. Interior Photography - learn a thing or two about what goes into a great photo 70. Property - thinking of buying something in Thailand? Read this first
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WINDOW ON KRABI 12
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AO NANG BEACH at 20km from Krabi Town is the most developed of Krabi’s beaches; a long stretch of white sand with limestone karsts as a backdrop. All of your accommodation, shopping and service needs are found here. This is the hub from which to plan your trip at sea and to the nearby islands on a typical longtail boat. NOPPHARAT THARA BEACH just around the corner from Ao Nang, is 3km long yet still undeveloped, with only a few resorts and bars. Attractive because of its natural setting, this is where local youngsters and families gather at sunset and on weekends with picnics. Savour some local Muslim snacks at the beach stalls, or fill yourself with seafood in the local restaurants at the very end of the beach, near the Noppharat Thara National Park headquarters. At low tide, walk out together with millions of small crabs on the sandy pathways to the small islands near the beach. KLONG MUANG BEACH is a further 20km away from Ao Nang; it is the up-market side of Krabi, the place to be if you are after a peaceful holiday. Catering to families and couples, it is here that you really get that well deserved repose, surrounded by pristine nature. RAILAY AND TONSAI BEACHES are split and separated from Krabi and Ao Nang by monumental limestone mountains. Railay has two sides, east and west, and its settings are simply marvelous: crystal clear waters, pure sandy beaches, lush mountains, and rocky islands emerging from the sea. Both beaches are known the world over for their majestic climbing routes. They can only be reached by boat, a 15-minute ride from Ao Nang or 30 minutes from Krabi Town. Enjoy a cocktail in one of the beach bars, visit the Phranang Cave, challenge yourself on a rock climbing or cliff jumping course (yes, into the sea!), hike the limestone massif to a lagoon and a viewpoint, or simply chill out. KOH LANTA BEACHES have a wide selection of resorts for all tastes and pockets. Lanta Yai June | 2015
island has long stretches of gleaming white sandy beaches and shallow emerald waters. Lined with tropical vegetation, a private spot is never more than a short walk away on a southern beach at Lanta Yai. TUBKAEK BEACH Another real place to hide away; long, clean and powerful, the area boasts breathtaking views over the Koh Hong archipelago and provides for wonderfully charming sunsets. From Tubkeak beach you can venture inside the National Park and try the nature trail to one of the most spectacular viewpoints in Krabi. KOH PODA This is the iconic island of Krabi and the first and most dramatic one you seem from Ao Nang beach. Hop on a longtail boat - the local wooden boats with their picturesque prow and sail away surrounded by turquoise waters. CHICKEN ISLAND This should be next on your list as it is right next to Koh Poda. From the right angle when passing Chicken Island (Koh Chicken) you can catch a glimpse of a chickens neck and head, some would argue more like that of a turkey but it’s up to you. You know those postcards with people walking on a sandy isthmus that connects to another island? Yep, here the second island is Koh Tub and is only accessible at low tide. THE KOH HONG This island archipelago demands everyone’s attention as it is one of the highlight of Krabi province. The Archipelago, a group of limestone islands with many a hidden caves and lagoons make it perfect for snorkeling and exploration. Make sure you stop at Lading island after Koh Hong as it is much less visited and sports a blend of both lush jungle and tropical waters. KOH PHI PHI Private bays, limestone cliffs, waters rich in marine life and caves where swallow’s nests are harvested are all here on the island that Leonardo Di Caprio once rolled his hot bod in while filming “The beach” at the now iconic Maya Bay. KOH JUM & KOH SIBOYA Both are unspoiled tropical hide-aways that have a unique atmosphere. Tune in to the slow culture here, imbibe the
peace, and recharge your batteries with the soundtrack of lapping waves. KOH LANTA the developing island at the southern end of the province known for its prime sunset viewing spots , heaps of activities, and glimpses into sea gypsy life, is where you will meet nature and tradition. It’s also a National Park area that comprises many different islands surrounded by coral reefs, such as Koh Ngai, Koh Mook and the remote Koh Rok. LIMESTONE MOUNTAINS or karsts characterize most of the inland Krabi area, the most spectacular being the crags of Sai Tai. Susaan Hoi is a 40 million yearold seashell cemetery; once a large swamp where freshwater crustaceans proliferated, today it’s home to 40 centimeter thick, shell encrusted limestone slabs, a geological uniqueness not far from Ao Nang. KHAO PHANOM BENCHA NATIONAL PARK at 20km from Krabi Town, comprises waterfalls, streams, lush forests and caves. It is home to all kind of flora and wildlife and to the highest mountain in the region from which it takes the name. One of the features of the park is Huay Toh Waterfall where water runs down onto several huge pools that you can swim in. TARNBOK KHORANEE NATIONAL PARK in the north of the region, consists of limestone mountains, verdant tropical forest, caves and beautiful islands. It is well known for its different species of trees growing around a large natural crystal clear pool, and for the hundreds of birds’ species. SA MORAKOT, THE EMERALD POOL is a natural wonder: a pond of turquoise water with an average temperature of 30-40C, fed by a hot spring in the middle of the jungle. HOT SPRINGS Hot Springs of Klong Thom, natural Jacuzzis that melt away tensions and relieve body and mind with the mineral enriched waters falling into rocky ponds.
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news
Cambodia is training an elite squad of rats to sniff out landmines A team of 15 rats, some weighing up to 1.2 kilograms, were imported from Tanzania in April with the help of a Belgian non-governmental organisation, which trains rats to sniff out mines, Heng Ratana, director general of Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), told AFP. “If the rats pass the test, we will use them... if they are not qualified, we will end the program,” Ratana told AFP. He said there have been claims of success in using rats to sniff landmines -- as well as detect tuberculosis -- in several African countries including Tanzania, Mozambique and Angola.
The rats are now being trained by experts in northwestern Siem Reap province, home to Cambodia’s famed Angkor temples complex.
leaving the poverty-stricken nation both one of the most heavily bombed and heavily mined countries in the world.
But one of the rodents has already died probably because of the change in climate, he said. Experts plan to begin testing the rats over the next few weeks.
Last month, a new Cambodian underwater demining team pulled an American-made bomb from the Mekong River for the first time as the country battles the wartime legacy of unexploded mines that have killed thousands -- detonating when trodden on.
The rodents will be put through their paces on a number of tasks, including to establish if they can sense all types of mine, whether they can detect buried ordnance and how fast they work, he said. “They will test the rats in actual landmine fields,” he said. “At this stage, it is too early to say if we can use the rats,” Ratana said, adding that two Cambodian mine experts had been trained in Tanzania and they were now sharing their expertise with their colleagues.
Teams of deminers face the unenviable task of trying to locate and safeguard huge quantities of unexploded ordnance that has killed nearly 20,000 people and wounded double that number since 1979. According to Cambodian government statistics, 154 people were killed or injured by leftover mines in 2014, and 111 the year before. www.thenation.com
Nearly three decades of civil war gripped Cambodia from the 1960s,
STUDENTS who took part in a recent climate change, agree that it is never too late to curb the impacts of environmental degradation. Natural Resources and Environment Minister General Dapong Rattanasuwan told a press conference of the seizure yesterday. The container-load of tusks was sent from Mombasa in Kenya via ship and transported to Laem Chabang Port on Saturday. It was initially declared as containing 11 tonnes of tea, Customs chief Somchai Sujjapongse said. Thai officials’ checking the container discovered the tusks among the tea leaves and seized them for legal action, he said. Dapong praised this and the department’s previous
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ivory bust which also seized 4 tonnes of African tusks on April 18. Dapong said Thai authorities had asked for co-operation from neighbouring countries to tackle the ivory trade. Police would now probe the origin of the tusks to try to catch traders and smugglers. Previous data from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has shown that Thailand - and Laos - are major transit points for African ivory to other countries. By. The Nation multimedia www.krabi-magazine.com
SAVE MORE UP TO 30% WITH CHIC APÉRITIF OFFER AT SOFITEL KRABI PHOKEETHRA GOLF & SPA RESORT Renowned as one of Thailand’s most luxurious tropical resorts, Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort is the perfect beach destination for families and romantic couples. Now you stay longer in paradise and save more with our irresistible offer. Book a 3 or 4-night stay at our renowned resort and benefit from a 25% saving on our Best Flexible Rate or save a fabulous 30% off your 5 to 7 night-stay at our magnifique resort and enjoy luxury accommodation, gourmet dining, Thailand’s largest free-form swimming pool, activities for the whole family, and much more, all just steps from the beautiful beach. Additional benefits of our “ Chic Apéritif ” offer include: Exquisitely furnished accommodation Enjoy one time Apéritif with canapés for one or two guests Guaranteed late check-out until 3 p.m.
NLA gives the ‘go ahead’ on drafting amendments for national constitution. the current post-coup government headed by general Prayut Chan-o-cha has been in power for over a year now, the national consitiution is still under the magnifying glass by all and yet still no settlement has been reached as to the final constitution. The current government has therefore drafted up amendments to the constitution that are expected to be some of the final touches to this timely and difficult process. The national Legislation Assembly was given these amendments for approval this past month for which they passed through the assembly with a vote of 203-0. Now the current prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will submit the documents to the royal family for endorsement within a month. Once endorsed the current government will have the right to remain in power until the February of 2016 when the new elections are scheduled to take place. July | 2015
The longer you stay, the more you save at Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort. Rates start from THB 3,127 +++ per room per night. Availability is limited, so book now to save from now – 31 August 2015! For more information and reservation, please call 075 627 800 or email to H6184-RE@SOFITEL.COM . Sofitel, World Class Hotels & French Elegance Sofitel is the only French luxury hotel brand with a presence on five continents with 120 addresses, in almost 40 countries (more than 30,000 rooms). Sofitel offers contemporary hotels and resorts adapted to today’s more demanding and more versatile consumers who expect and appreciate beauty, quality and excellence. Whether situated in the heart of a major city like Paris, London, New York, Shanghai or Beijing, or nestled away in a country landscape in Morocco, Egypt, French Polynesia or Thailand, each Sofitel property offers a genuine experience of the French “art de vivre”.
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TIGER CAVE TEMPLE
1,237-step climb to astounding views, the hike is a mixed bag of emotions: exhaustion, exhilaration, and bewilderment. The hilltop temple is worth the effort for the 360 view of the surrounding countryside laden with swathes of lush greenery by the monsoon rains. Although there are no actual tigers at the temple, there is monkey business (hold on to your cameras!). Visit the temple at the bottom, built into a cave, and for a small donation receive a blessing and a special magical bracelet from a resident monk or nun, sure to secure prosperity and health.Â
THA POM CANAL Rent a motorbike and enjoy a highly scenic drive through local villages to Tha Pom Klong Song Nam, where freshwater and seawater from nearby mangrove forests meet. Walk through the nature preserve and admire the beautiful blue water and maze of mangrove, and end it with a cool dip in the natural pool at the end. Rarely visited by tourists, its quiet and uncrowded, save for the few local families cooling off from the sweltering heat.
MARKETS Krabi and Ao Nang are blessed with some great markets everyday of the week, day or night, food or fun. Krabi Town boasts the largest covered market in southern Thailand. A visit to any of these is a real glimpse into local life and a chance to shop for something unique.
KAYAKING
Whether through mangroves and caves or over clear ocean waters amidst the islands, kayaking is a great adventure into the spectacular surroundings of Krabi. Hit up Ao Thalane bay or navigate into the open sea, the choices are yours and they are endless.
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HONG ISLANDS
The beaches of Koh Hong never cease to amaze with their crystal clear water and stunning white sand. With two glorious beaches, a lagoon and national park land, this is a real island paradise.
NAK HILL NATURE TRAIL
At the end of the road in Tub Kaek is a wellshaded hike up to yet another remarkable viewpoint of Ao Nang and Noppharat Thara beaches, and Ao Thalane Bay. For the decently fit, the ascent should take about two hours and is a wonderful exploration off the beaten path. Find the potato chip looking perch at the top and you’ve found your next profile pic. July | 2015
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Up close and personal with The Managing Director of the new HOTEL MANAGEMENT company based here in the south of Thailand. KM: Hello Daniel, thank you for taking the time to talk with us today, we would like to give our readers a little information about you and your company so lets get started getting to know you better. KM: Where are you from? Daniel: I am from a small town in the South of Sweden, so I guess you could say I come from proud Viking stock. KM: What brought you to Thailand? and when was that? Daniel: I was head hunted from my job as a hotel GM in Luang Prabang, Laos by the owner of Beach Republic Residences & Beach Club on Koh Samui. That was back in 2010 so I have been living in Thailand for 5 years now. My wife is expecting our second child any day now, a little brother for our young daughter. KM: What lead you to start the Hotel Management Asia business? Daniel: In my job as hotel GM I met and talked to many hotel owners who were having a hard time finding management for their properties because they where “too small�. I saw a great demand for small to medium resorts/hotels in need of a more flexible approach to property management. The idea is to share the cost of sales, IT, marketing, accounting and management between a few selected high-end resorts/hotels so each owner can benefit from a complete and professional property management without the need to build up and pay for a whole team which is often too expensive for a resort with 15-20 pool villas for example. KM: What is your background with the hospitality business? Daniel: I started in the travel business working my way up. In the end, together with several of the best and most prestigious travel agents in the world I operated world tours aboard private jet but also exclusive tailor made programs to South Africa and Seychelles. I started to work in the hotel business about 10 years ago. Mainly because I thought it could be done better as I had been disappointed so many times with the short comings from 5 star independent hotels. My guests were sometimes paying 100.000+ USD per person for a private jet tour and some of these hotels couldn’t even get the basics right.
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KM: What are your plans for Hotel Management Asia in the next 10 years? Do you have big expansion plans?
KM: Who is Hotel Management Asia a business founded to serve? Daniel: We are looking to connect with several types of Property Owners. Firstly the owner/investor who plans to take a back seat and let us manage their investment for them. Secondly, there are owners who are looking for the freedom to pursue new goals and projects and want a safe, professional team to take care of their property freeing them from the day to day operation. Thirdly, we have owners who want to get their property in perfect condition for sale by improving revenues and industry performance standards to show the resort as a turnkey operation for a potential buyer. KM: Why did you choose to open your business in Krabi and the south of Thailand?
Daniel: I really like this part of Thailand and living close to the sea is important to me. From a business point of view, I really believe in this area, especially Krabi. The natural beauty of Phang Nga and its islands such as Koh Yao Noi, Koh Yao Yai and Koh Jum to name just a few. There are so many great destinations in the world, Krabi is up there with them and has a great future on the map. KM: How many hotels do you have planned to be managing by the beginning of the 2016? Daniel: Happy customers is priority number one! I want to make sure all our customers get the attention they need so we will keep the “family” small at this point. We are looking to add one or maximum two customers/ locations this year. We don’t want to rush things. We are building solid foundations to take the business forward, growing organically. We already have 2 resorts in our portfolio and this beautiful part of Thailand is the focus of our future plans. KM: Do you offer a completely turn key management service so hotel owners don’t have to do anything they don’t want to? Can you take care of everything A to Z with hotel management? Daniel: Yes, and this is one of our strong points. We can take over or build up any resort/hotel operation with our present team. We even have an up and running food and beverage brand Hook Restaurant and Bar concept that can be applied to any location along with the hotel operation. A complete solution for hospitality property management.
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Daniel: I will not allow this company to grow too fast. Adding services and resorts will happen naturally as our reputation grows. I believe that our clients are our best source of referral, let the word go out. I want us to grow slowly and add services in the future, for example, a temporary GM to help independent hotel owners or family businesses to get things right. Especially if they feel that they haven’t got the full potential out of their property but still want to manage it by themselves. There are many hotel and restaurant owners in Thailand that have invested quite a lot of money, some have never been involved in hospitality before on any level. We can help give them a competitive edge. KM: What is it you like most about the hospitality business? Daniel: It feels great when you know you have a resort working like a Swiss clock and your guests are all having a wonderful time. For us in hospitality we have a big responsibility to make sure they get maximum value from their precious holiday time and money. The combination of being serious with a smile and giving great service beyond what’s expected is the core of hospitality. That is what motivates me. KM: I know that there are a number of other companies that offer management services to hotel owners, what makes your business different? Daniel: We specialize in boutique resorts under 50 keys which traditionally is an area ignored by nearly all the other management companies. We give owners the tools and know-how to compete with the big name brands without the huge investment.
If you want to know more about Hotel Management Asia please send your questions to: contact@hotelmanagementasia.com
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KRABI MUSIC FESTIVAL
This past month June 20th The Sofitel Phoketaha in Klong Muang, Krabi hosted it’s exclusive white attire music party, inviting to the event the renowned Thai superstar J-Jetrain. The Sofitel and all it’s ingenuity has been consistently hosting parties, wine tastings and various other social events, showing that it can not only host guests in a worldclass setting but it can also host great parties making it an attraction for all ages and people. The Sofitel will have a range of events and parties coming up over so stay tuned to their Facebook page for more information. www.facebook.com /SofitelKrabiPhokeethraGolfandSpaResort
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Located in the ground level of The Alisea Boutique hotel 098-548-3332 www.umbertorestaurant.com July | 2015
11:30am-11:30pm Thr-Tue
“Where people passionate about food gather to wine and dine in comfort�
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KHANOM
A blend of cuisines right into the dessert plate.
Since the fusion of two worlds happened centuries ago, people have been blurring the lines between both sides in the kitchen. Taking a little Kha-Pow and putting it in a wrap, mixing pasta with green curry, removing the inside of a pumpkin and replacing it with sweet custard, these are only some of the many areas of fusion in the kitchen since the blending of these two worlds. The blurring of cuisines is not limited to the main courses it has also transferred to the dessert menu. Now there are a number of things to try in your local market taking your palette on a roller coaster ride; sweet, salty, crunchy, savory, spicy (yes thats right - a spicy dessert!) are only some of the flavors your encounter with Thai desserts. Many of these delicious items are often wrapped in a pastry giving the illusion of a croissant-like
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item, but inside you are bound for a surprise. You might find any number of dessert items at any given market, we recommend you take a few of each, try the gamut of the lot and see what you like. Don’t worry about buying something you wont like as most of these deserts will cost you 15-20THB/each about .5-.7USD so go crazy, splurge and spend a few hundred baht and find what tickles your tongue.
Black beans; thought it was a desert item? Well here in Thailand it is, boiled in water and then mashed into a paste, it can often be found inside buns or pastries. Not a favorite but still an interesting item to try when in a foreign land. There are also a number of small cube-like deserts which have the consistency of a hardened paste, like rubber, that can be found in a wide variety of colors and shapes but typically bite sized and are very sweet to taste.
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290/19 Moo 2, Tumbon Ao Nang, Muang Krabi 81180 Tel: 081-2732-029 Fax: 075-695-134
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Dining guide / Krabi CARNIVORE | STEAK & GRILL Soi Klong Haeng opposite Thai Village Resort, Ao Nang. They say that the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and the same goes for steaks. The quality of what this kitchen produces is extremely hard to beat - and the experience of the owner Gidi is evident. Gidi worked for 15 years in the restaurant business before starting Carnivore back in 2003 - and he has never looked back. All main courses come with salad and a choice of six different potato dishes that include home-made french fries and mashed potato to die for. As well as the 5-star meat selection, Carnivore also offers some of the finest salads, soups, crispy baguettes, grilled sandwiches and warm starters around - as well as no less than 60 beers from around the world. Yes, 60.
Average price: 400-900+THB What to Try: The “Carnivore” signature Steak Free WiFi?: Yes Opening Hours: Open daily from 3pm - 11pm. Tel:+66 (0)75661061 Website: www.carnivore-thailand.com
DA CARLA | ITALIAN & THAI Noppharathara Beach, inside Sabai Resort. Nestled just off Noppharathara Beach and next to Sabai Resort, Da Carla & Poan is a small, informal place owned and managed by an Italian couple who are long-time residents here. As well as great Thai food, this is the place for some real-deal homemade pasta just like it should be made. The hand-filled ravioli and homemade desserts that are on the menu are very hard to argue with. Great meat selection too, with quality steak and the freshest seafood you could hope to find. As you would expect, a good selection of imported wine is also available, as well as imported Belgian beers.
Average price: 250+THB What to Try: The hand-filled ravioli Free WiFi?: Yes Opening Hours: Daily from 7:30am - 2:30pm and 5:30pm - 9:30pm Tel: +66 (0)75637791 Website: www.sabairesort.com
U & P | HOME MADE BAKERY 401/4 Ao Nang, Krabi. End of Na Thai Road. U&P Homemade Bakery has secured itself a place in the hearts and stomachs of many locals and ex-pats in the Ao Nang area. Being one of the very few bakeries in town that bakes a good loaf of bread, U&P also have a great array - and display - of pastries, cakes, flatbreads, rolls, buns and even breadsticks to choose from. They have a fairly extensive menu as well, meaning you can get more than just a decent cup of coffee and croissant in the morning. Lunchtime is sorted with a great selection of western and Thai dishes the sandwiches being a firm favourite thanks to the freshness of the bread being used and the decent sized portions served up.
What to Try: Sandwiches Free WiFi?: Yes Average Price: 100THB Opening Hours: 6am - 5pm Tel.: 081-8956670
TIP ANDA | THAI, SEAFOOD & FUSION 79/45 Moo 3, Nopparat Thara Beach Designed as an eclectic mix of modern décor and vintage flair (retro bicycles!) in an open concept, Tip Anda sits front and center on the tranquil beach of Noppharat Thara . With ample space on its large terrace, guests can enjoy views of the sunset while sipping that well-deserved cocktail. Average price: 100-300THB The menu offers a wide selection of Traditional Thai food , Seafood, and some international dishes including
What to Try: Tom Yam Pizza
a specialty fusion Italian-Thai dish, Tom Yam Pizza. The Chicken Cashew Nut is particularly delicious, and
Free WiFi?: Yes
the Steamed Fish with Lemon Sauce is one of the finest Thai dishes you can find. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the staff is attentive and ready to welcome you.
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Opening Hours: Daily 7am - 10pm Tel: +66(0)75661179
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VENEZIA {SOFITEL | ITALIAN & SEAFOOD 200 Moo.3 Klong Muang Beach, Tambon Nongtalay, Muang, Krabi Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort’s Ristorante Venezia serves up gourmet cuisine featuring traditional Italian recipes, pizzas straight from the wood-fired oven, and a large selection of wines from all over the globe. Dining is available either indoors or on the outdoor terrace, al fresco style, with panoramic views of the ocean and tropical gardens. Specialties include the Albero di Antipasti, at 600THB, a delicious selection of of of your favourite antipasti choices, perfect when you can’t decide from their extensive menu choices. Another must try is the Ravioli Frutti di Mare at 440THB; a delectable homemade ravioli stuffed with the Andaman seafood and served in a mouthwatering creamy crab meat sauce!
Average price: 400++THB What to Try: Antipasti & ravioli frutti di mare Free WiFi?: Yes Opening Hours: Daily from 6pm - 11pm Tel: +66 (0)75 627 800 Website: www.sofitel.com/6184
UMBERTO’S ITALIAN KITCHEN| ITALIAN & SEAFOOD Located in the ground story of Alisea boutiquw hotel, Klong Heang Rd. Ao Nang Where magic happens in the kitchen Umberto’s Italian Kitchen is a newly opened restaurant in Ao Nang featuring a wide array of traditional Italian dishes complimented of Fresh Andaman seafood and imported Australian steaks.
Average Price: 200 - 600+
Owner operated by an internationally recognized chef born in Italy and with long standing roots in Krabi.
What to Try: The Seafood pasta
A warm personal feeling descends over those who visit this wonderful eating establishment. Come and be amazed by the range of dishes, be careful though you might find it hard to choose from the number of tasty looking meals.
Opening Hours: 11am-10pm
Wifi: Yes Tel: 084 627 2991 Website: www.umbertorestaurant.com
SUSHI HUT | JAPANESE, THAI & WESTERN FOOD Muang Krabi, Ao Nang Krabi, Krabi, 81000 Are you craving that wasabi flare? Look no further than the The Sushi Hut and Grill, centrally located across from Krabi Resort on the main drag going through Ao Nang.
Average price: 200-450THB The Sushi Hut and Grill offers not only freshly prepared Sushi, Sashimi, and other traditional Japanese
What to Try: The Nigiri rolls
cuisine, but also a range of both Thai and Western food to keep the whole family satisfied and full, such
Free WiFi?: Yes
as Australian steaks, American burgers, and Thai curries. Come for a taste of Japan right here in Ao Nang.
Opening Hours: Daily 11am-11pm Tel: 075-637-0305
KRABI VILLA CAFE | COFFEE & SANDWICHES Klong Muang Beach Road Nestled next to the Krabi Villa Company Ltd. in Klong Muang, the Krabi Villa Café is a great little place to grab a bite to eat and some fresh coffee. Comfortable sofas and chairs are available for lounging in with your drink and the staff are friendly and very welcoming. If you want to take a load off for a while, high-speed Internet access as well as a selection of newspapers and magazines make spending an hour or 2 here as easy as pie. If you fancy more than a drink, there is an impressive array of sandwiches prepared with fresh bread, as well as cakes and muffins. Even breakfast is catered for, with a selection of pastries as well as eggs, bacon and toast to start your day in style. Fresh coffee, home made food, WiFi, sofas and magazines. What more could you ask for?
Average price: 100THB What to Try: Sandwiches, organic coffee Free WiFi?: Yes Opening Hours: Tues - Sun from 9am - 5pm Tel: +66 (0)75 600 141 Website: www.krabivillacompany.com
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Dining guide / Krabi DIVER’S INN | GERMAN & STEAKHOUSE Ao Nang, opposite the Siam Commercial Bank, Near Mc Donalds. The oldest German restaurant in Ao Nang focuses on hearty meat dishes and offers an array of savoury items on its menu. Enjoy one of the renowned juicy and tender Australian Angus steaks, duck or chicken breasts, or pork tenderloins, all accompanied by a selection of potato dishes and the famous salad buffet.
Average price: 150 – 900+ THB
You can also enjoy traditional German wheat beers or a nice imported wine like a German Riesling as you munch on tasty appetizers such as tempura shrimp or maybe a full plate of steamy spare ribs.
What to Try: The Angus steaks
For patrons who are not too much into meat dishes there is a selection of traditional Thai food and seafood as well as crispy and fresh salads.
Opening Hours: Daily from 11am - 11pm
Free WiFi?: Yes Tel (Th/En): + 66 (0)75-637 297 Tel (En/Ger): + 66 (0) 89 587 3533
ANDAMANA BEACH CLUB | THAI-BEACH CLUB 328, Moo 2, Ao Nang,, Krabi Town 81000 Looking for a cool place to relax and chill out beachside? Then look no further then the Andamana beach Club, Ao Nang’s first real beach club with a touch of Krabi flavor. With distinct architecture The Andamana Beach Club will impress anyone coming for a visit, as it has been built with twisted bamboo stalks and large overhanging roofs the beach club is truly a unique place to dine on those hot afternoons. If you’re looking to swing and sway then head to the beach where you can find beach lounge chairs and hammocks to relax in as you listen to the waves gently lap away at the beach. Open to the public all year round and only a quick 5 minute drive to Ao Nang towards the Fossil Shell beach. If you prefer you can use the free transfer service from Ao Nang Cliff Beach to The Andamana Beach Club every 2 hours starting at 9am-7pm.
Average price: 180 What to Try: Pad Thai Free WiFi?: Yes Opening Hours: Daily from 10am-7pm Tel: 096-371-4656, 092-995-2039 Website: No
FOODIES DELI AND CATERING | FRENCH & THAI Address: 290/19 Moo 2, Tumbon Ao Nang Muang Krabi 81180
Owner and head chef Fredric Molinie former head of the 5 star beach resort The Sheraton Krabi has opened his own deli and cataring restaurant in Ao Nang. Located just outside of the main area of Ao Nang on Na Thai road. He opens his ovens daily to serve you creative cuisine from Europe and Thailand giving you 5 star flavors at an affordable price. Cooking various daily specialties from Waugh beef massaman curry to a robust and hearty ratatouille, you’re sure to find your senses tested. Foodies also caters private functions and parties, so if you have a special party give them a call.
Average price: 120-500 THB What to Try: Lamb Provincial Free WiFi?: Yes Opening Hours: Daily from 9am - 6pm Tel (Th/En): + 66 (0)81-273-2029 Tel (En/Ger): + 66 (0) 89 587 3533
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JESEAO | ITALIAN, THAI & SEAFOOD Ao Nang beach road next to Ao Nang Princeville Resort. Jeseao was the first Italian restaurant in Ao Nang, established 1999, and has since developed a reputation for being one of the best in town. Since then it has undergone considerable expansion and has tripled in size. Jeseao stocks its kitchen with fresh seafood from local markets daily, so it can offer you nothing but the best of Andaman cuisine. Enjoy Italian cuisines, even hot wood fired pizzas, or Indian delights such as Tandoori and naan breads.
Average price: 150-500
Jeseao also offers traditional Thai cuisine from green and red curries to Tom Yum and everything in between. Come to Jeseao to experience a fusion of east and west, and offers something for all the family to enjoy.
Wifi: Yes
What to try: The traditional wood oven pizza’s
Opening hours: 11:00am-11:30pm Tel: 086-978-7949
THE HILLTOP | FINE THAI 99 Moo 3, Ao Nang, Krabi An idyllic dining spot with the breathtaking views of Ao Nang and Noppharat Thara beaches, the Hilltop Restaurant is located on one of the most phenomenal perches for a panoramic sunset. Furnished with a stylish and spacious design, both the restaurant and HIlltop Sky Lounge are perfect for hosting both romantic couples or big party groups.
Average price: 400-900+THB
Pamper yourselves with fresh Andaman lobsters, King prawns, crabs and giant oysters carefully chosen and prepared. The menu is always evolving in an effort to create new, mouth-watering dishes such as “Duck, the Hilltop Style”, “Southern Curry with Crabmeat & Local Herbs” & “Prawn Salad in Taro Pastry Basket”.
What to Try: Southern Crab Curry, Duck The Hilltop Style
There is a wide range of local brews, wines and thirst-quenching cocktails to soothe your throat. “Hilltop Sunset” & “99 Ao Nang” are among the list of signature cocktails that are a must try.
Tel: +66 (0)75 637 195
Free WiFi?: Yes Opening Hours: Daily from 11am - 12am Website: www.thehilltopaonang.com
AO NANG CLIFF BEACH RESORT | PLAZA BUFFET 328, Moo 2, Ao Nang,, Krabi Town 81000 This is a new venue at Ao Nang Cliff Beach Resort - The Plaza Buffet open Friday nights in the Ao nang Cliff Beach Resorts open air Cliff Restaurant which overlooks Ao Nang and affords stunning views of the mountains, the ocean and the sunset. The food is all delicious and abundant. This is an all you can eat buffet, so it is a wonderful way to spend a Friday night. There is a delicious selection of seafood, soups, curries, fresh and, raw vegetables to make your own salad with, as well as a beautiful array of desserts to finish off your meal. Also for an added variety there are delicious Thai-style oyster omelets with bean sprouts and scallions, made to order.
Average price: 400 + THB
Live entertainment is lovely to enjoy but it’s not over imposing so that you can still enjoy quiet dinner conversation.
Opening Hours: 6:30-10 pm every night
What to Try: Fish cakes, oyster omelet Free WiFi?: Yes Tel: 075-626-888 Website: www.aonangcliffbeach.com
July | 2015
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FITNESS ANYTIME, ANYWHERE CUSTOM CATERED TO YOUR NEEDS
American fitness enthusiast has started a new style of working-out, making it easier, simpler and cheaper. She’s done all of this by bringing the gym to you.
By. Linsey Hurley
W
ith technology moving at supersonic speeds, newer, bigger and better iPhones are released yearly, the electric car revolution is on the horizon, computers are getting faster and cheaper, its almost unreal how many advancements we make every year. With this added technology we have been gifted with our ever-increasingly busy lives. Daily obligations and family duties are some of the basic remedial tasks of our lives eating up a good majority of our free time, not to mention traveling, vacations, moving etc. This fast paced lifestyle often forces us to change our dietary schedules, often resulting in eating on-the-go, cramping a fast-food meal in seconds flat, or not eating at all. Eating at irregular hours, not eating at all or not taking the time to enjoy your food leads to undigested or under-digested food, which often turns into excess fat and usually a little extra weight around our mid section.
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I have always been an extremely active person, school, work, personal life and so on all demanding and pulling from all angles at the clock. Even with all of these obligations I have always tried to make time to get to the gym or at least go for a run, something to keep in shape. I see my friends who struggle with their schedules and making time to get the exercise their bodies need. A few years ago fitness slowly began to take over more and more of my days, tuning my body to be the tool I always wanted it to be. I started running marathons in 2012, having my premier marathon in Boston Massachusetts USA. Since training took over a more active role in my life people began asking for personal training sessions from me so slowly my clients built from just a few where I could take care of them on a daily basis to now where I have had to leave my full time job just to service all of my clients correctly.
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E
ven with the growing number of clients I still wanted to make things easier for each of them. Many of them still drove over 30 minutes each way to meet me at the gym or beach, this was just not convenient for people and I could see that although my clients were coming to work out with me they were still tired, late and then had to drive another 30+ minutes home afterwards. I wanted to make thing simpler and easier, so I decided to try a workout session over skype with a few of my clients who were a little dubious about the prospect as they didn’t have a gym at their house. I showed them a few household items (jugs of water, cans of food, bottles of wine) that we could use as weights. In addition, a number of the exercises we do regularly are weight free so they require nothing other than a yoga mat and some space in order to perform. The first class was a hit, my client got her usual workout, felt good in addition she saved a lot of time and money. She said at the end of our workout that she would like to continue using these skype classes instead of going to the gym for workouts. She now can even multitask with work at home as we workout. I really love working out, releasing endorphins, generating extra oxygen flow throughout my body helping others do the same is just perfect for me. Now I can offer this to people in the comfort of their home, they don’t need to be intimidated by other people at the gym if they are out of shape or don’t like the way they look. I work with people in the comfort of their own home where they can choose the time that best suits their needs. Krabi; the heat, sun, beaches and people all mingle to create a great place for relaxing yet suitable for getting exercise and in shape, you just have to watch your beer intake…
To get in touch with Liz about scheduling a free fitness lesson, check out her website: www.fitnesswithliz.com
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culture
ANDAMAN
ART
MUSEUM
Just last year, Krabi’s newest museum featured it’s soft opening and now plans are under way to have all of the exhibits open to the public later this year.
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Krabi in all it’s natural beauty has been a place of great inspiration for artists both locally and internationally to photograph, paint, sculpt and create art in many other forms. The natural landscape that makes Krabi so unique provides for truly stunning images. Thai people are extremely creative and have a large emphasis on visual arts and ingenuity. For example, look around you and notice the well-known tuk tuk; well let it be known that this is not a product manufactured in a factory, the modern day tuk tuk was created because of the necessity for transporting goods and people but created by those without the financial means to purchase a car or truck. Most tuk tuk’s are unique, this is because most of them are created individually, each having their own mark on it. In Thailand, even a mechanic can be an artist in his own world. It is no wonder than that Thailand is full of creative people who can take a simple medium and create a work of art. Krabi is home to a large number of these artistic people who can create wonderful works for the rest of us to enjoy but before now they have no place to showcase them. Now that the new Andaman Art Museum is open these artists finally have a centralised outlet for their work to be appreciated by others. The entrance to the museum is home to (like any other museum) the souvenir shop where you can pick up a postcard, T-Shirt, cloth bag or any of the numerous other items adorned with the images from around the museum. You can even get some framed copies of the most popular paintings found the museum, and the prices are very reasonable. The exhibit on Klong Thom beads is not yet open, but it should be by the
end of this year. Klong Thom beads are one of the famous historical items in Krabi, the beads themselves have been made for centuries by the locals people of Klong Thom (about 40 minutes from Ao Nang and Koh Lanta). The beads are made form the many various colourful rocks found in the area, they are cut in all shapes and sizes and when strung together in a necklace make for a truly amazing work of art. You can often see these beads adorn the necks of various government officials or those who have strong support for Krabi’s history and tradition. After the general entrance move back towards the end of the museum where you will see glass doors and a large sculpture inside. This is the painting exhibit, where you should plan on spending the majority of your time at the museum as the work found here covers a wide range of work. The Andaman Art Museum is located in a quiet area of Krabi, so you don’t need to worry about lines or crowds to push your way through to see the many paintings spread out over the three floors of this exhibit. The whole area is air conditioned and it’s a great place to stroll around, relax and look at the many different works of art. In this exhibit there are also a number of small sculptures throughout that range from the simple wooden statue to the more ornate, modern and interpretive pieces that would be at home in the Tate Modern! A great place to spend with your family and friends admiring the many different pieces of artwork. It is located in Krabi Town just after the sabertooth tiger traffic light on Maharat Road. The museum is open Monday-Friday 10am-5pm. July | 2015
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LET ME BE THE JUDGE OF THAT… By. Zina Docto The verdict is out and the judgment has been made. You feel the sting as the words of judgment are directed toward you. You might feel the hair on your neck begin to rise along with your temperature. Then suddenly the defense attorney within you begins to prepare an equally stinging retaliation. You wrestle with the choice of either reacting or responding to this judgment placed upon you. You look around the room as if to ensure that no one can see the different responses that are welling up within you. However, you are not in a courtroom; you’re in your living room. Nor are you standing before the Judge of the court; you’re standing in front of your spouse. People often ask the question, why I believe that relationships have true baring on our health. I cannot believe the hundreds of conversations that I have had discussing this very issue and how indeed, it has a tremendous impact on our health. Not only affecting us physically but with equal impact, emotionally. We’re in a day and age where judgments come with a price. People find themselves sensitive to criticism and judgment. You hear more and more people say to one another, “don’t judge me”. Retaliation comes quickly in defense of words that may appear to be judgmental. That is fair and well and it surely has its place depending on the circumstance two individuals are inferring to. However, there can be a very healthy place for judgment when it comes to relationships. The hard part is navigating this very sharp instrument; judgment.
A judge must go through years of training before he is able to take a seat in the high court. He holds a position that is crucial to lives placed before him. Just like a physician when discovering a tumor in one of his patients. He will refer the patient to a surgeon within this field to remove the object that, if not removed, could bring destruction and even death to his patient. The surgeon will take a scalpel and strategically and precisely remove this gnarly culprit from the body. He does this in hopes that the patient will recover from the pain and move forward to having an enjoyable life and furthered health. The same can be said of the judge. He must use his vast knowledge and diagnose, if you will, the evidence placed before him. As he strikes the gavel to the block, he does this in hopes that the individual will recover from the pain of judgment to move forward towards a productive life that will benefit himself and those around him. The same should be said in relationships; including those within a marriage. Sometimes the most painful words to hear from your spouse are words of judgment. I want to pose a serious question. What if the judgment is true? Are you willing to be the judge, “let me be the judge of that”, concerning your own behavior and actions? Recently I was having a conversation with my husband. I was sharing with him that I needed to get a few things accomplished that were on my ‘To Do’ list. Within the conversation my husband made the statement, “you procrastinate too much”. He further went on to add a few more comments in support of his judgment towards me and then kindly offered a few suggestions on how I could square off and have victory over my adversary, ‘procrastination’. I took a deep breath in as he finished his final comments; not quite sure in which way I wanted to respond. As I exhaled I envisioned my inner defense attorney taking
a seat, kindly looking up at me and saying, “He’s correct; you do procrastinate”. In this case his judgment over me was correct and I had to spend a few moments being the judge over my own circumstances and that specifically of my bouts with procrastinating. Most who know me see me as a very active, motivated, organized and determined individual. There is truth to this, but on occasion I procrastinate. When these moments come they can paralyze me to a place of being unproductive and unmotivated. The words my spouse offered me were words of truth, encouragement and resolve. He wanted what was best for me and was offering words of help. Yet, it was my responsibility to listen to his judgment, knowing that they were not presented to condemn. Many times when people appear to judge us we feel condemned when in many cases the person is out for our best interest. Again, only you can be the judge of that. In a healthy relationship we can offer words of wisdom to one another because sometimes we can see a bit more clearly standing on the outside looking in. There’s a wonderful quote that I cling to which has helped me many times in my relationships.
“YOU HYPOCRITE, FIRST TAKE THE PLANK OUT OF YOUR OWN EYE, AND THEN YOU WILL SEE CLEARLY TO REMOVE THE SPECK FROM YOUR BROTHER’S EYE.”
We will never be able to avoid stresses and challenges in relationships, including those of judgment but there are ways for you to begin to make changes towards making those relationships healthy and vital. Remember, your health depends on it. Here are a few tips to help you be the judge of that…
1.
Examine-recognize your emotions and begin to ask yourself why you are having them in relationship to your circumstances.
2.
Speak-express your feelings in an appropriate manner. Don’t avoid the initial onset of emotions, as they will trigger other emotions if left unaddressed. Communicate your thoughts around your emotions. This will help to keep your emotions balanced.
3.
Laugh- laughter boosts the immune system, decreases stress hormones, increases blood circulations, and relieves tension and stress. It increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies.
4.
Meditate-have those inner voice conversations. Don’t be afraid to evaluate and judge yourself. Allow your mind and spirit to engage with one another. Your spirit will never lead you wrong as it is the voice of truth and reason.
5. These words were penned thousands of years ago yet still hold true today. If I spend time judging myself; then I might be able to help someone else. You see there are two sides to a coin and two sides in relationships. The sooner we learn how to navigate the intentions of our own words and those of others, the quicker we can build healthy relationships. When our relationships are unhealthy our body literally becomes acidic and equally so can our emotions become as toxic as acid. Insurmountable emotional and physical side effects will begin to emerge. Here are just a few:
Emotional * Depression * Resentment * Anger * Violence * Anxiety and mood swings
Physical * Hair loss * Chronic fatigue * High blood pressure * Ulcers & IBS * Over eating/weight gain
There’s good news. When your relationships are healthy your emotions are free, your mood is elevated and your body produces endorphins; the body’s natural, feel good, pain killing hormone. When stressed our immune system is compromised and when happy our immune system is boosted. There is another quote I really enjoy that I believe simply sums up the difference between the two.
“A CHEERFUL HEART IS GOOD MEDICINE, BUT A CRUSHED SPIRIT DRIES UP THE BONES”.
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Keep a journal-write down your thoughts and feelings. Use this as a resource that you can go back to in order to address emotions that you may have ignored. It is a great tool to have as you can express yourself without doing anyone harm. You can return to the journal to discover new ways of communicating in a positive manner.
6.
Exercise- physical activities help you to feel better about yourself, improve your mood and give you a better outlook on life and relationships.
7.
Communicate with those in your life the importance of them becoming ‘safe’ people who you will allow speak in to your life. Practice becoming this person to others; safe people matter. They are out for your best interest. Zina is the founder of “i AM WOMAN”. Educating woman to discover their health and beauty from the inside out; overcome weight issues, sickness and disease. As well as providing Health & Fitness Retreats. Want to know more? Contact: info@getjuicedforlife.com or info@beautyfromtheinsideout.org www.krabi-magazine.com
July | 2015
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LAZY DAYS ON LONG BEACH. Ao Nang and Noparathara the two main beaches in the Ao Nang area and are both great for those looking to plop down, find a bit of shade and sip on beers while you watch the various beach sellers comb the beach days.
something silly like try to swim across. There are a number of long tail boats that can take you across the canal safely and quickly for around 50THB/person.
The main attraction to both of these beaches are their accessibility to other activities and attractions close by. You can usually walk to both of them from your hotel room, there area a number of restaurants only minutes from the beaches shore. You have the benefits of both worlds; accessibility and comforts, the main things lacking are more peace and quiet coupled with truly great water to dunk yourself in.
To get there by car, you should leave from Noparathara beach road heading back towards Krabi Town on the main road going through Klong Heang, on your left you will see a sign for Mandawee resort and spa, turn here and go straight until you come to the end of this road, turn left again and follow until the end, at the end of tis road turn left again and follow this road until you see the sign; Cha Da Bungalows. Turn left and follow this road until you start seeing signs for Long Beach Villas, you cannot miss everything if you drive slowly and keep you eyes open.
Now don’t it wrong Ao Nang beach and Noparathara beaches both have a number of great attractions but for me when I’m looking to truly get away form the usual bustle of Ao Nang or Noparathara beaches I head to Long Beach. It is directly adjacent to Noparathara, a waterway for long tails and larger boats separates the two beaches making Long beach significantly more isolated. Access to Long beach is most convenient by motorbike or car, but can also be done by crossing the canal, if you wish to do so, please keep in mind IT IS DANGEROUS so don’t do
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The more traditional way to access this beautiful beach is by car, motorbike or tuk-tuk, all of this will take you about 15 minutes driving from Ao Nang, but will provide some great scenery to gawk at on the way over.
When I go to Long Beach I prefer to spend time at The Long Beach Resort, don’t feel like you have to do the same there are a number of other great resorts and bungalows there, Long Beach Villas is just where I choose to go. Long beach villas has a number of hammocks set up, comfortable recumbent beach chairs and a shaded restaurant area all available for you to use no matter if you are staying in one of their rooms or not.
The beach itself it at a slight pitch making it an ideal place for running or jobbing. Close to the waters edge there are always a huge number of tiny crabs that emerge during low tide, each of them filters through sand searching for edible minerals leaving behind in their wake a huge number of tiny sand balls which make for a great photography subjects. There is a small island that is only a 10 minute swim (at a calm pace) off the waters edge that is great for exploring around, the broken shale of the island have broken and fallen apart which creates a more aged looking place ideal for nesting birds and small to medium sized reef fish. I enjoy taking my daughter here as it is away from the main body of tourist traffic, she can be free to play in the sand in peace and safety, while I can sit back in one of the hammocks at Long Beach Villas and munch on a Penang curry. You can get in touch with the resort by going to their website: or calling them, or just follow the above directions and find the beach yourself. Enjoy your time!
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July | 2015
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Klong Song Nam, or Thapom for short, is a great place for anyone interested in interesting things.
Set just outside Ao Nang around 30km north from Ao Nang up the coastline it is a place where both salt and freshwater collide to form a dichotomy of nature and numerous areas for small creatures to hide and take refuge. Mangrove forests make up the dominant foliage in the area, feeding of the minerals and nutrients brought in from the ocean daily. The roots of the mangrove trees are extremely twisted over one another creating some of the most amazing root structures for mangrove forests that exist in Krabi. Amazing for photographs, videos or just something amazing to feast your eyes on thats not a pictureseque postcard image of one of the many islands in Krabi everyone is so accustomed to.
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T
here are a number of tour operators that will take you to Thapom (they are available everywhere you can buy other tour packages) in a minivan or the likes which is by far the easiest way to get there, but by far the least interesting. We suggest you rent a car and follow the signs north of Ao Nang, there is a main road Rt. 4 which will take you to Krabi Town, you head away for Krabi Town past Nong Thale and eventually you will come to a tree junction, turn left and after that take your first right. There you will find an interesting little village where you can stock up on food and supplies and take some photos of this local area. You continue straight through this village and then start looking for the signs for Thapom. We don’t want to give you step by step directions, half the fun of going is making it a team effort, looking for signs and asking locals! So there you go We’ve gotten you 80% of the way there, the rest is up to you. We suggest you leave in the early hours of the morning and try your best to beat the crowds. Given that Thapom is around 40 minutes from downtown Ao nang if you leave around 7am this will be great as you will see this hidden gem in Krabi. Good luck and enjoy the waters, just make sure you ask the national park guards where you can swim as not all areas are allowed to do so in. Also don’t forget to charge your battery and come with en empty memory card.
July | 2015
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ST.AGNES CHURCH
Mandawee
TO KLONG MUANG
TO KLONG MUANG
Connecting Krabi Tour
HOLD ME CLOSE Tsunami Memorial Sculpture
Nadivan Apartm a ents
SO I8
Wangsai Seafood
TO KRABI TOWN
CTOP Nice Nature Homes Nice Day Resort
PhuPimaan Resort
1
I1
SO
DAILY MARKET
Smiling Dog Cafe’
Bamboo Restaurants
Entertainment
Ao Nang Haven GH Ao Nang Paradise Resort Chandee Buffet
Peace Laguna Resort Krabi Heritage Resort
man her t Fis t Cafe’ Las Las The
Ao Nang Villa
The
evil
TO KRABI TOWN
U&P Bakery
@AoNang Villas
Jungle Village
AO NANG SCHOOL
MONDAY-TUESDAY FRIDAY MARKET
TO KRABI TOWN
WEDNESDAY SATURDAY MARKET
TO SHELL FOSSIL
KRABI AQUARIUM
AO NAMMAO PIER
BOATS TO PHRANANG KRABI & RAILAY BEACH
AO NAMMAO VILLAGE
Centara Resort
Centara 2
Ao Nang Mountain View
Vipa Resort
TON Company
Red D Spa korn l & Tour e saba s Boos ang Trav Montessori Tattoo ltant Ao N International de cafe' Consu School Krabi Just Deli
Emerald GYM Muay Thai Center
German Beer Gardern
Krabi Apartments
Alongkorn Language School
The Art of Yoga Ao Nang Whisky
POST OFFICE Fullmoon House
AO NANG VILLAGE
Pams Pub
Glur Hostel
McDonalds Starbucks Subway
Cleopatra Restaurant
Lai Thai Apartments
Boat Noodle Restaurant SOI 13
Spaghetti House
The Massaman
The Earth Cafe The Dive
Yamaha Service Center
Ao Nang Mosque
CENTER POINT
The L Resort
Boat tickets
BOATS TO PHRANANG & RAILAY BEACH
BEACH ROAD
NIGHT FOOD STALLS Oceanmart t sor Re ant SK Optik r ng Bernies Na tau Krabi s o Re Resort nA CENTER POINT Ba Luna Beach La Irish Rover Terrace
The Longtail Boat
Boat tickets
BOATS TO PHRANANG & RAILAY BEACH
Somkiet Buri Resort Taj Palace
Vogue Pranang
Ao Nang Cliff Beach Resort
Azzurra Restaurant Jeanette's Restaurant
SupsaengDao Resort
Tattoo de Café
Boat Restaurant
Luna Bar
BOATS TO PHRANANG & RAILAY BEACH
Aning Restaurant Ao Nang Beach Resort
Kitdee Media & Krabi Magazine
Cobra Show
Thai Village Resort
Bergers
Klong Haeng Mosque
THURSDAY MARKET
KLONG HAENG VILLAGE SATURDAY MARKET
Palm Paradise Emerald Gardens ChaWan Resort Pavilion Queen's Bay
Baan Bandaley Krabi Spesialisten Carnivore Steakhouse
Burger King
The Hiltop Restaurant AO NANG Centara Bussaba Thai Restaurant BOXING STADIUM Lae Lay Grill AONANG Mercure Ao Nang Bay Restaurant VIEWPOINT t TOURIST Lazy Pub ale La Playa Resort Ch POLICE iss Sw
WALKING STREET MARKET ON WEDNESDAY
Ao Nang Gardens
Sabai Resort
Ben Beach Bar
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NATIONAL PARK
NOPPHARAT THARA PIER, BOATS TO KOH LANTA, KOH PHI PHI, PHUKET
Hippy Bar
Sabai Residence
Ayudhya Suites
COME TO WHERE THE PARTY IS
CENTER POINT
NIGHT CLUBS | LIVE MUSIC | BARS | DANCE
WALKING STREET
GREAT FOOD, LIVE MUSIC AND ALL YOUR SHOPPING NEEDS, COME AND TAKE LOOK AT THE NUMEROUS TREASURES THE WALKING STREET HAS TO OFFER.
July | 2015
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KLONG SAENG DIP INTO A MORE NATURAL SIDE OF LIFE
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Just a short 2-hour drive from downtown Ao Nang lays an oasis of wildlife preservation and untouched nature. This region has been preserved for decades by the Thai government, therefore allowing the wildlife populations to explode. This park is inside the Khao Sok National Park and is called Klong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary.
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K
rabi is a wonderful province, full of colorful reefs, green leafy forests, vast national parks, fresh air and so much more, but many of the true primary forests of Krabi have been replaced by ubiquitous palm and rubber trees which has supported growth in the local economy, however this growth comes with an ecological cost. The many species of plants and animals that live in our forests, deserts, oceans, and jungles and many other environments, have evolved to survive to in these environments. When their natural environment is changed the animals that live here either adapt or die off. In many places in Thailand and around the world, population growth has sparked global change, which has caused many of our planets species to die off. This is not the case in the Klong Saeng wildlife sanctuary. Klong Saeng is nestled comfortably on the edges of the Chaow Lern Lake, a huge manmade lake encompassing over 165 sq. kilometers. The lake was created in 1982 after the Rajjaprapha dam was built by the Electrical Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) for generating electricity from a hydroelectric power station. Originally the Klong Saeng river, which ran through this forest, was an untouched, slow moving, wide river which at some points extended to over 100 meters wide. Around 400 rural families lived by the rivers edge, fishing, farming and making their livelihood from the river. The Thai government decided to build the Rajjaprabha Dam (which in Thai actually means ‘The Light of the Kingdom”) in 1982. This necessitated the resettlement of people who lived on the rivers edge to areas in the surrounding regions. Each family was given approximately 20 Rai of land on which they could grow rubber, palm or other crops to make their livelihood. The homes and small villages, which were abandoned, can now be dived with proper SCUBA gear from one of the many scuba companies in the region. But be warned this lake is deep; some parts extend to over 100 meters deep! To enter the lake, you must go to the dam area and hire a long tail boat to take you to one of the 20 or more floating resorts on the lake or to just travel around the lake and explore, but either way this is the only entry/exit point. The dam is not located in the village of Khao Sok, which is about 60 kilometers away at the entrance to the Khao Sok National Park. Don’t get confused! On the Northern edges of the lake lays a small floating guard post which acts to monitor the incoming and outgoing traffic through the area, they are typically looking for poachers or illegal traders so you may have a short stop
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and chat with the guards. This is just so they can make sure you are not a threat and then you’ll be sent on your way. Immediately you’ll notice from the area that the lake takes on a smaller stature, the cliffs are shorter, the distance from one edge of the lake to another is much shorter and a much more intimate feeling descends on you as you venture further and further into the sanctuary. The edges of the lake has transformed from the towering monolithic limestone cliffs of the Chaew Larn Lake to grassy edges, which gradually slope away from the water’s edge. It seems as though this area allows for forest dwelling animals to gain easy access to the fresh drinking water. It is the main reason this area was selected as a wildlife sanctuary, and that makes perfect sense. We now pull into a small docking area alongside a number of other long tail boats, as we venture out with our guide to learn some of the secrets of the lake. Khun Nopporn, our guide and translator is a Khao Sok local who has travelled the forests of Khao Sok National Park for over a decade now and has intimate knowledge of it’s history, dangers but most of all wonders. As we climb up the sides of the main trail we take our first stop at an old tree with a large hole dug in the side of it. Some black hardened sap has covered the edges of the hole (this is a natural glue the locals use to plug up holes in their boats, bind ropes together or do any other number of tasks that glue is helpful for.) As we continue our trek through the jungle, Khun Nopporn collects a small seed pod, shows it off to us and explains that he and his friends used to gather bags of these pods together and fire them with large slings off into the forest canopy, the pods would land sometimes over 100 meters away. Getting back into the boat we travel further northwards in search of the renowned wild forest elephants (or any wildlife to be honest) and up at the helm Khun Nopporn shouts from behind his binoculars, “wild pigs up ahead”. I grab my camera gear and sure enough, off in the distance I can see a small herd of wild pigs, adults and babies alike drinking by the waters edge. The boatman cuts the engine and we drift towards them. Everyone on board is silent, hoping that we can approach without their hearing us. We get within 50 meters of the pigs then one sounds an alert and they disperse into the backdrop jungle. As we turn the boat back onto the main body of water, a great hornbill swoops overhead and finds a perch in a tree just above the pigs’ drinking hole. A loud cry echoes forth from the hornbill’s beak and fills the air with a powerful beauty. A sense of uselessness descends over me as I wonder how this bird can create such sounds with only its tiny body, which I can’t even do with any human’s invention.
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July | 2015
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“As a lover of nature, I feel at home here”
Around the next bend we encounter a water buffalo with its calf nearby, calmly grazing on the grass and reeds at the lake’s edge. They are half submerged in the fresh waters, absorbing the water through their pores and hydrating themselves for their journey back into the forest. “These animals come down to the waters edge every day to drink and take in the minerals from the lake.” Khun Nopporn tells us, “Everyday around 4-7pm the edges of the lake come alive with the many different animal species that call this forest home.” Arriving at 3:30, we are in place with perfect timing, to observe the prolific fauna of the region. Further up the waterway we venture, our eyes looking ahead as we are hoping to catch a glimpse one of the elusive forest elephants. Being the national animal of Thailand, elephants are revered throughout the kingdom. It is a tragedy that only 2,000 elephants remain in the wild through the kingdom. The Chinese interest in ivory has lead to increased poaching throughout the globe, and Thai/Asian elephants are not safe from this. Our spirits are high since we have already seen a number of wild animals from the region, and our boat is full of joyous travelers, With ear to ear grins pasted on our faces and the telephoto camera ready, we cross the next bend to find another group of water buffalos drinking their daily fill. “As a lover of nature I feel at home” I say to our Khun Nopporn, “I can’t believe all that we’ve seen in a short 2 hour trip”. As the sun approaches the horizon we begin to make out way back to Keerawarin resort, which is one of the many floating resorts on Chiew Larn Lake. As we round a bend on our way southward, Khun Nopporn shoots straight up in his seat, His binoculars are pressed hard against his eyes as he points to the opposite bank; “Elephant!” He whispers. The boatman turns the boat ever so gently and starts to cross the lake to get closer. Giving the boat one more jolt, the boatman increased the power to his engine then cuts it all together. “We can only hope the elephant doesn’t hear us or at least doesn’t feel threatened,” Khun Nopporn explains as we all sit motionless. As we approach the elephant, it turns its head up to meet our boat with its curious yet cautious gaze. Forest elephants have been known to charge and even sink boats so our eyes also contain a bit of the same emotions. We are lucky however, as this elephant not only doesn’t run, it lowers its trunk and continues to drink. Our boat gets within 20 meters of this amazing animal, my heart is thumping through my chest, and I can actually see the individual hairs on the elephants’ back. Later, back at the Keerawarin we all sit around the dinner table, devour fresh gourami caught just this evening, sip on some tasty French wine provided by the tour organizer and exchange stories on the emotions we all felt from this encounter. A truly amazing experience for anyone interested in seeing, first hand, the wonders of nature within a short two hour drive from Ao Nang. To get in touch with the operator and to arrange a tour yourself contact: info@khaosokparadise.com
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July | 2015
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thai talk
Hello (m) / (f)
Sawadee Krap / sawadee kaa
Thank you (m) / (f)
khopoon krap / khopoon kaa
How are you? I’m fine How much is this? What is this? Yes No
Sabai Dee Mai? Sabai Dee A Nee Tao Rai? Nee a Rai? Chai Mai Chai
I can’t speak Thai
Poot Passa Thai Mai Dai
Sorry/Excuse me
Kor Toht
Can you speak English?
Khun Poot Passa Angrit Dai Mai?
I don’t understand
Mai Khao Jai
Do you understand?
Khao Jai Mai?
Help!
Chooey Dooey!
Spicy
Pet
Not spicy Is that tasty? Hot (Temperature)
Mai Pet A Roy Mai? Rawn
Cold
Yen
Water
Naam
Where is the restroom/toilet? Can I have the bill/check? See you soon 50
Hong Naam Yoo Tee Nai? Kep Tang Pop Gan Mai www.krabi-magazine.com
Speak Like a Thai
Sawatdii ka , this lesson I would like to talk about useful expressions to use to ask someone out . When you want to ask someone out to do something together with you or going somewhere together, like in English you would say “Shall we…?” in Thai language we use a very simple pattern below;
ไป bpai + do something / somewhere + กันมั้ย /gan mái/? For instance; [1] ไปกินข้าวกันมั้ย bpai gin kâao gan mái? Shall we go to get something to eat together? To eat in general (not specify what to eat) in Thai is กินข้าว gin kâao
BOUTIQUE HOTEL MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST www.hotelmanagementasia.com
กิน gin (to eat) , ข้าว kâao (rice) ; we say eat rice (although we’re going to eat noodles or non rice dish) because Thai people mainly eat rice, [2] ไปดูหนังกันมั้ย bpai duu năng gan mái? Shall we go to watch a movie together? ดู duu (to watch, to look at), หนัง năng (movie, film) [3] ไปเกาะไหงกันมั้ย bpai gò Ngai gan mái? Shall we go to Ngai island together? เกาะ gò (island) [4] ไปดูพระอาทิตย์ตกดินกันมั้ย bpai duu prá-aa-tít dtòk din gan mái? Shall we go to watch sunset together? พระอาทิตย์ prá-aa-tít = the sun ตก dtòk = to fall, to drop พระอาทิตย์ตก prá-aa-tít dtòk = suset To answer to these questions, you just simply repeat the first verb you hear in the question. Example; Question: ไปกินข้าวกันมั้ย bpai gin kâao gan mái? The verb in the question is “ไป bpai” ‘Yes’ answer: ไปค่ะ bpai kâ (female speakers) or ไปครับ bpai kráp (male speaker) ‘No’ answer: You can directly answer ไม่ไป mâi bpai but it might sounds to harsh. You can say ‘I would love to go’ อยากไปค่ะ yak bpai kâ/kráp But I am not free แต่ไม่ว่าง dtàe mâi wâang (แต่ dtàe = but , ว่าง wâang = free, available) Kru Mod is a full time Thai teacher based in Bangkok, you can contact her through her website: www.learnthaiwithmod.com
July | 2015
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Splash into paradise at Andakiri Andakiri is leading the way with luxury pool villa developments in Krabi - its top of the hill property is currently underway in the heart of Ao Nang.
C
ome and be a part of the new wave of serious development in Ao Nang. Andakiri is the first pool villa development with a glorious sea view that everyone can appreciate. The developers taking on the project at Andakiri have been developing in the area for the past few years and they are excited about starting this new project in Ao Nang. There are 1 and 2 bedroom units with a variety of options for every buyer. Every unit comes fully furnished with everything you need from bed and dresser, to living room furnishings, TV and a fully furnished kitchen. The units at Andakiri are designed to make the whole process easier for the buyer. After construction, The Andakiri will be professionally managed and the option to rent each unit will be in place so owners can earn a substantial income while relaxing in their home countries. With prices starting at only 7.9M THB this is a great time to secure your piece of paradise To get in touch with the sales team at The Andakiri please email them at: sales@andakiripoolvilla.com
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GREEN CURRY RESTAURANT
UPSTAIRS BEACHFRONT DINING AT IT’S BEST July | 2015
GREEN CURRY SWEDISH HOUSE
JESEAO
AO NANG BEACH
AO NANG PRINCEVILLE
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Huay Toh waterfall. On the outskirts of Krabiown, just beyond the main junction of Talad Gao and the first settlement of Krabi lies a national park so vast and encompassing that it actually extends well beyond the boarders of Krabi Province.
A trifle difficult to find but well worth the time as this place has not become the target of the mass tours provided by a number of the local operators, keeping it remote and just under the radar. To get to Huay Toh waterfall you need to rent a motorbike, car or hire a tuk tuk to take you there. Take the main road going from Ao Nang to Krabi Town, at the first major four way intersection with a light you come to turn left, continue on until you come to your net light, turn right and go straight until you come to a major 5 way intersection at the bottom of a hill. Stay straight but bear left through this light and then keep your speedometer around 40km/hr so you will be able to see the approaching sign on your left. Once you see it (Huay Toh WATERFALL with an arrow to the left) turn left and stay on straight. Not is the slightly hard part… This road which will take you to Huay Toh Waterfall is long, and after driving for around 20 minutes without seeing your destination you might get a little distraught, don’t fear young explorer, continue on, persevere the potholes and manic motorbikes, white knuckle the wheel and continue on until you see your destination poke out from the forested depths of the National Park. A cheap 200thb/person fee will be asked of you upon entrance, we have tried to flirt our way out of this to no avail, so you can try but you probably will have little luck… I suggest you bring your camera and possibly a picnic if you can as the main area of the national park is a grassy field with various banyan and large contorted huge trees extend overhead and create a blanket like canopy. This is a perfect location for photos of you and your friends, as the backdrop is vibrant, dynamic and not overly populated. The main waterfall which is the primary destination of 90% of the visitors is just a 10 minute walk on a comfortable dirt road surrounded by primary forest and all the dwellers inside. Keep your yes open for tree frogs, butterflies, and beautiful songbirds whose calls can be heard echoing through the dense jungle, the chance remains to spot a forest tapir or spotted cat, although rare they do inhabit these habitat.
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The waterfall you emerge through the canopy cover to is the last tier of a 7 tiered waterfall system, it’s source is well up into the mountains, possible to trek to but not recommended. Water begins from the mountainside from rainfall which collects in the various pits and streams of the hillside in small bodies of water these smaller bodies merge and create larger and larger streams until they converge into the main body and cascade down from onto our heads from above. Huay Toh waterfall is part of the Khao Panom Bench National park, a park founded as a means to maintain some of Thailand’s true national land, instead of allowing it to be slashed and burned, turning it into just another part of the monogamous landscape of rubber and palm plantations. The national park as a whole extends over 3 provinces.
Come by and splendor in the magic of the water at the falls, open Monday-Friday 9am-6pm
Thai Restaurant & Bar Sky Lounge & Lush Garden Free shuttle service
Chill out with your friends or enjoy a romantic dinner at The Hilltop Open Hours: 11:00 - 24:00 T: 075-637-195
M: 084-455-0096
Email: hilltop.aonang@gmail.com Web: www.thehilltopaonang.com
July | 2015
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Anyavee Tubkaek Beach Resort The Tup Kaak Tup Kaek Sunset Beach Resort
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Hong Nak Nature Trail
Khao Thong
4034
Ban Khao Klom
Ban Chong Pli School
4202
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4034
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TO: Phuket
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Saitai Canooeing
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Lanta Indo Furniture
Krabi Green Bike
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Night Food Market
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Nathai Ro
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ELECTRIC BIKE
THAI HAWKER FAIR Experience the night of culture and delightful cuisine, presented in traditional Thai fashion
A special Thai Buffet is Served for 1,190 Baht per person with show Fridays @ 19.00 to 22.30 hrs.
ELECTRIC BIKES & SCOOTERS
RENT & SALE
WE HAVE : SCOOTER, PUSH BIKES, SOLAR BIKES
This price is subject to 10% service charge and applicable government tax
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4/23/15 1:12 PM
REAL ESTATE PHOTOGRAPHY EVER WONDER WHAT GOES INTO A GREAT PHOTOGRAPH? Brush aside the actual mechanics of the camera taking the photo and let’s look at composing a great photograph
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July | 2015
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The emotion of the eye. Humans; visual creatures wandering, searching for that fire of beauty they see in movies, magazine, paintings and photos. Colors flash in the eye, dazzle us when the dance among one another on screens. They ignite feelings or inspirations, intrigue, fear, amazement and many more emotions, but too many to list. Shapes make us wonder, ‘what is behind that box?’ or ‘the architecture of that building is amazing but it looks like it could fall at any moment.’ We are all influenced consciously or subconsciously by the shapes that make up our world, these emotions can be as powerful if not more powerful than those given to us by the many colors that make up our world. Texture, the other element our eyes use when creating a picture of a situation or setting drawing emotions, feeling, insight and so on. Texture, sure it should like something you can brush over but actually it has an extremely important effect on our sensory stimulation. If you look at this photo, what feelings come to mind? When we talk about different textures, shapes and color when considering composition of a room for photography or videography, each of these visual stimuli plays a huge role in giving the viewer an emotion or feeling. yellow, red and organ will give warm feels, when coupled with oblique soft pillows and a some plant or flower in the background the viewer will evoke a range of feelings but mostly retaining to warm feelings of being at home, bringing back memories of having dinner with their parents in their childhood homes or something of the sorts. When we talk about the desired sensation is clean, modern perfection, darker colors are
Why are these things important to us? Humans area visual creatures, they are most drawn to something that has something to say and it wide in the open. When you want to get the attention of the masses it is important to have a few tools in your toolkit on how to do this, how to capture the attention of a million eyes, how to grab them by the eyes but grab them with a feeling. How do you stop on this page and begin to read this article? Was it the title? I think not, it was most definitely the photo on the first page. more preferably with a strong gray undertone and more right angles are necessary and the textures of the room should not be warm at all, straight and to the point textures, if a plant is desired one with light bark, small leaves that don’t droop too far. AboveKrabi offers tips and advice to help you take better photos and improve your portfolio whether it be for your personal collection or maybe you are trying to sell or rent a room, house or restaurant. A significant number of us will need photos of one of these things at some point in our lives, for those of us that can get the best photo or video of our product we stand a significantly better chance to draw in the needed cliental.
Let the professionals at abovekrabi help you help yourself. To get in touch with a photographer for work or maybe just some advice, please email: abovekrabi@gmail.com
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Dining Guide / Koh Lanta LAZY DAYS BEACH RESTAURANT | WESTERN 775 Moo 2 T. Saladan Koh Lanta In our menu you will find a variety of western specialties such as fresh fish, meat or chicken as well as delicious salads and desserts. For breakfast we offer 4 different packages which always includes freshly baked bread, fresh fruit and western coffee. For lunch we serve cold dishes like chicken wraps and salads and from 17.00 we offer our full menu. Lazy Days restaurant is located on the beautiful Relax Beach and offers a stunning view at sunset, come join us for a sunset drink. Our professional and creative western chefs will do their best to satisfy your expectations and our staff will look after you with a smile
Average price: 150-400+ THB What to Try: Rack of Lamb Free WiFi?: Yes Opening Hours: 7:30am - 10pm (monday until 4pm) Tel:+66 (0)93-636-8003 | 090-157-0201 Website: www.lantalazydays.com
TIDES {LAYANA RESORT | FINE FUSION 272 Moo 3 Saladan, Phra-Ae Beach A formal restaurant perched on the very edge of the beach overlooking the sea and open to the cooling sea breezes. Guests have the choice of a cool interior venue or an al fresco beachside setting on the deck in front of the restaurant. Serving a mouth-watering a la carte selection of international dishes, as well as traditional Thai fare and seafood specialties all made from the freshest of ingredients.
Average price: 400-900+ THB
The chef, Khun Apichai, grows his own herbs in a beautiful garden right on the premises and the presentation of his food is straight out of a Monet.
Free WiFi?: Yes
The menu quality is matched by an extensive wine list to compliment the food perfectly.
Tel: +66 (0)75 607 100
What to Try: Healthy Spa Cuisine Menu Opening Hours: 6:30am - 10:30am & 11:30am - 6pm Website: www.layanaresort.com
TIME FOR LIME | THAI & FUSION 72/2 Mo 3, Klong Dao Beach, Saladan. Look for the “lime green” sign. Time for Lime is one of the very few restaurants on the beach that is open in green season (May-November). A small funky un-snobbish place with passion and soul, on the beachfront for over 10 years. Not only a famous professional cooking school, but also now a well known restaurant that serves a high quality 6-dish tasting menu (changes daily) with an extremely good value. They also serve great wine at low prices, and their cocktails are the talk of the town. In the tree-top adult zone you can relish at views of the sea while having a peek at what the cooking school “chefs” are creating down below. What also makes the place unique is that their profit goes to the charity Lanta Animal Welfare. So while you enjoy wining & dining, you support a great cause as well. We are located on the southern end of Klong Dao Beach - closed Sundays
Average price: 490 THB for 6 dish Tasting menu What to Try: The lemongrass or chili Margarita Free WiFi?: Yes Opening Hours: Happy Hour on cocktails 4 – 6.30pm Tel: +66 (0)75 684 590 Website: www.timeforlime.net
BEACHCOMBER {CASTAWAY RESORT | TEXMEX & THAI 299 Moo 2 Phra Ae, Saladan, Koh Lanta. If you’re searching for a laid-back, yet stylish beach-front dining experience , then Beachcomber is the place for you. The restaurant features a terrific menu selection and is best known for its authentic TEX-MEX dishes. You’ll also want to try the large selection of savory Thai, Western and Seafood BBQ dishes. The open-air restaurant is situated near the beach and there is also plenty of outdoor seating on the beach-front deck and in the garden. You’ll also want to enjoy a before and/or after dinner drink at the beach bar which serves up a wide variety of cocktails and delicious frozen drinks.
Average price: 250 - 350THB What to Try: The Tex Mex food Free WiFi?: Bungalow guests only Opening Hours: Daily from 7am - 9pm Tel: +66 (0)75 684 851 Website: www.lantacastaway.com
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DID YOU KNOW....
We have built LANTA ANIMAL WELFARE’s Center & our profits support their daily cost? So, come on join the fun Learn, Eat & Drink your hearts out AND FEEL so GOOD
cooking school beach bar & restaurant
The first on the Island. QUALITY - FUNKY & FUN ATMOSPHERE SINCE 2003
HAPPY HOURS 4 - 6:30 pm on our famous cocktails. Supurb Tasting Menu that changes every day! Serving from 5pm.
Bungalows
9 cozy air-con & fan
KLONG DAO BEACH FRONT - KOH LANTA Closed SUNDAYS Tel: 075 684 590
www.timeforlime.net
COME AND VISIT US! open EVERY DAY: 9.30 - 5 pm
Tours, Doggie Walking, Kitty Cuddles & Adoptions A non-profit Organization
Ferry to Mainland
Boat
• Keeping the Island safe with spay/neuter & rabies vaccinations. • Treating sick, injured and abused animals. • Please help us to continue this important work, as we don’t get any government support.
We’re in Pra-Ae opposite the school. Tel: 084 304 4331 If it wasn’t for Cooking School we wouldn’t be here. They are 3 km north from us on Klong Dao Beach front.
s to K Ao N oh Jum ,K ang, Raila rabi, Ph iP y, Ph uket hi BAN SALADAN
Koh Lanta Noi
Ferry to Mainland
Crawn Lanta Resort Oasis yoga Thanee Law
Time for Lime
Klong Dao Layana Beach
Lanta int. school
Mangrove Forest
Resort & Spa
Agrotourism Center longtail boat trips
Lanta Castaway Resort
Phra Ae
Thung Yee Pheng village
Long Beach Lazy Days Bungalows
Lanta Animal Welfare
Klong Khong Beach Koh Bubu
Jee Lee village
Klong Tob Beach Rawi Warin Resort
Lanta Old Town
Thai Island Dream Estate
Klong Nin Beach
Mai Kaew Cave
Pier
Srilanta Resort
Koh Por Tham Seua Cave
Lanta Hospital
Klong Nui Beach
Koh Lanta Yai
Klong Hin Beach
The Houben
Waterfall
Koh Klang
Pimalai Resort
Ba Kantiang Bay
Koh Lek Ao Nui Bay Klong Jark Bay
National Park Headquarters
Sang Ka U sea gypsy village
May Pai Bay
Koh Lanta
July | 2015
Lighthouse
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MUAY THAI In Thai Muay means to Fight and Thai well this is pretty self explanatory, so a proper translation means ‘Thai Fight’ Muay Thai or Thai fight is Thailand’s #1 National Sport.
T
he Sport’s history dates back about 1,200 years and it was the first lessons a Thai boy would learn at School which originally was often at times conducted at Thai Temples. Since it’s inception the sport has exploded throughout Thailand to where it is today with over 1,000 Muay Thai Gyms in Bangkok alone. Most of theses gyms do not look like what you might expect - sometimes. nothing more then a small area to work out and a ring; all of this is commonly held right inside a house or home. Thailand’s Grandfathers, Uncles, Dads and other males often teach their children as well as other local boys the sport of Muay Thai right at home from a very early age. When I first came to Thailand it took me a number of months to find the Real Deal Training Camps in the more rural areas of Thailand, simply because I did not know the gyms were often at people’s private houses, I was looking on main roads, for signs or actual stadiums where I could meet the right people. Going back about 100 years in Thailand, the word for Muay Thai Gym was actually ‘Kaay Muay’ which literally translates to ‘Fighting Training CAMP’. Everyone in a typical Thai Village would know the location of these training camps, but in order to obtain the various locations yourself, you must be able to ask the question to the right person in Thai. In my attempts to locate one of these local gyms I made many mistakes as I was always looking for a large sign or a typical gym building instead of asking the locals where I should go. Well to make things easier for those of you looking to find a real Muay Thai training camp, Sawasdee krab, Hello and welcome to Ao Nang, Krabi home to Southern Thailands largest Muay Thai stadium in the Paradise of Thailand. We like to share with the people who visit this fantastic destination some of Thailand’s culture and history. Muay Thai is an amazing sport that most country people of Thailand are involved in, in some way or another. Whether it be actual training, betting on matches or just getting together with friends and family the sport has become a staple of the country. It is an amazingly simple yet complex sport that requires many hours of training, for the committed fighter training can often be 8-9 hours a day, and now many Thai girls are getting involved as well. Almost all Thai people love or as least have to some degree experienced Muay Thai in one way or another. Today many foreigners are learning Muay Thai not only in Thailand as gyms are opening up throughout the world. Foreigners are coming to Thailand, learning this amazing sport and then taking it home with them bringing what they learned with them. Muay Thai is not only for those who want to enter the ring, it is one of the best ways to get fit and also learn some self-defense. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Daniel C. Docto, aka - ‘Khru Doc’ has been connected to Thailand for 22 years now, his main attraction and love for this country has been Thailand’s national sport, Muay Thai. To get in touch with Khru Doc to learn more about this amazing sport or even schedule an appointment email him at: DocThailand@gmail.com or call him at: 080 889 1779
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UPLUGIN IN KOH JUM KOH JUM ISLAND IS STILL THE QUINTESSENTIAL DESTINATION IN KRABI PROVINCE IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AUTHENTIC THAI VILLAGE LIFE AND DEVELOPMENT THAT IS STILL A SMALL FOOTPRINT.
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eography brought electricity to Koh Jum late in 2009 as the island was in the direct path of the new underwater electric cable connecting Koh Phi Phi to the mainland. So now that Koh Jum is plugged-in, has it lost its reputable character that has attracted intrepid travelers over the past couple of decades? 68
We are pleased to report that Koh Jum is still as tranquil and laid back as it always has been. In fact, what is most noticeable are the lack of noisy generators at most of the islands resorts. Folks come to Koh Jum to tune out; the island’s nature and culture dominate the minimal tourist infrastructure. The existing resorts on Koh Jum all have their own family-run character, ranging from the backpackers paradise to luxurious beach villas. Koh Pu Mountain is the dominant geological feature on the island at over 400 meters. It’s a great hike for the adventurous and a vital refuge of native habitat still harboring Asian Pied Hornbills and Burmese pythons. The three villages; Koh Pu, Ting Rai and Koh Jum are situated on the back side of the island, amongst the mangroves while the resorts are located opposite, facing the open Andaman Sea. This division allows the villagers to remain authentic without and significant tourist infrastructure while the resorts are all located on the beaches.
Koh Jum is predominately a large Muslim populated sub-district of Krabi, home to over 1,500 inhabitants. The locals of these villages engage mostly in fishing, rubber cultivation and the local crafts of cloth weaving and painting or ‘batik’ as it is known as here. While the north is mountainous, the south is comprised of dense jungle, cashew nut trees, rubber plantations, casuarinas and nipa-palms. Since all the resorts face West, there are epic sunsets to be had all along the island. Access to the island is by longtail taxi boats which leave from the mainland at the port town of Laem Kruat. There is now a songthaew you can take direct from Krabi Town to Laem Kruat. During the high season most visitors come to Koh Jum using the Krabi-Koh Lanta ferry which stops at two locations on Koh Jum, both of which are offshore so local longtail boats will come from the island to pick up passengers.
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The lack of any deep ports on the island keep the ferry boats out at sea and almost prevent large masses of tourists from overcrowding the island. Getting here is an adventure and this ends up defining the interesting community of resorts and visitors that have made this island their home and the place they return to year after year. Getting to Koh Jum can be very simple or a bit of a nightmare, it all depends on how much you know about it! This is where Krabi magazine can help, we recently took the trip to Koh Jum ourselves and have decided to share the adventure with all of our readers. There are 2 ways to get to Koh Jum- by passing ferry or longtail boat. There are ferries that leave from Koh Lanta at 8am and from Krabi at 11am, both ferries stop as they pass alongside Koh Jum and signal to longtail boats to come and pick up visitors to land ashore Koh Jum. Koh Phi Phi also has ferries which leave at 2pm and operate on the same principle as above. July | 2015
The second way to get to Koh Jum is to go to the port town of Laem Kruat, from where you can catch a longtail boat directly to Koh Jum- this was our favorite of the 2 methods of travel. If you are driving, it takes about 1 hour to get from Ao Nang to Laem Kruat. You just head to Tesco Lotus and thencontinue until you see the large overhead signs which tell you to turn right for “Koh Jam”. This road will lead to the small locality of Laem Kruat, where you will find a large pier with boats going to Koh Jum. If you don’t have transport of your own, you can always catch a blue and yellow “songthaew” - the local buses that have benches in the back. On the side of the “songthaew” will be written - Krabi,Bus Station, Tesco, Big C, Laem Kruat, they are frequent and easy to spot. These buses will leave from all of these locations at intervals throughout the day and will take you directly to the Laem Kruat pier. Now, the pier is a bit misleading. We waited at the end of the pier before
realizing the longtail taxis were passing us by and docking at the mainland. We then went back and followed our noses along past the shops until we saw a slipway with goods and people being unloaded. It was the second slipway we needed to get to “Moo Too”, the place on Koh Jum we were being collected from. If you know the name of the pier on Koh Jum you need to get to, just ask anyone in this area and they will direct you to the correct boat. We got on and soon were chugging along through the mangroves with a boat full of happy local Muslim women that looked as they hadn’t changed a bit since 1925. We arrived at Koh Jum just 45 minutes later, paid our 70thb Fare and were taken by “taxi” (a battered old pickup truck) through the winding dirt track until we reached our destination resort. Give it a go and you will see a different side of Thailand from years gone by. Well worth the experience!
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property
THINKING OF INVESTING IN THAILAND?
Now is a great time to invest in this quickly developing south east Asian country. With a number of improvements on the horizon for Thailand, namely the incorporation of the ASEAN community bringing together the collective strengths of all South East Asian countries. Also the continued growth of tourism in regions such as Krabi, Phuket and Pattaya with TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) numbers showing 5-10% increases year after year, Thailand is and will remain a main tourist destination. Companies continue to move their production to Bangkok and the surrounding cities thus increasing the work force demand in Thailand and increasing the skill level of the Thai people, thus the overall quality of work and availability ot skilled labor will continue to increase leading to more companies looking to outsource their production to look at Thailand as an option.  Since the 1979 Condominium act was passed foreigners have been allowed to purchase up to 49% of the total livable space in any given condominium and be issued with a title deed for the said condominium in their own name. Many people who wish to purchase property in Thailand are scared off by the difficulty of purchasing land, villas and such and while these types of property are possible to purchase, they do require a more significant amount of paperwork and hassle. A condominium purchase is recommend for foreigners considering investing in the Thai property market for the first time with it being the easiest and most straightforward way of approaching any potential purchase.  Krabi has been growing considerably for the past 10 years. Each year, more and more tourists visit our renowned beaches and walk our famous roads. Each year the infrastructure in Krabi grows, more streets, more direct flights to Krabi, more businesses opening giving more choices for activities and dining options, all of this coupled together allows for easier travel and staying in Krabi. If you are considering a condominium or just curious about property we suggest you get in touch with the real estate specialists at Exotiq Property Krabi who are more than happy to discuss any potential purchase and options in the market that benefit you personally. email: wlucas@exotiq.com
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our planet
PLANET EARTH, THE ONE AND ONLY FOR NOW‌
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arth, A place we all call home, a place where there seems to be great abundance for all, yet this haven of a planet is changing, not just in one place, but all over - the planet is changing. With developments in medicine and technology the rate of infant mortality has decreased dramatically over the past few decades, this has led to a population explosion throughout the globe but primarily in Asian countries. With the added population there comes the necessity for more food, more homes, bigger cities, more cars and so on. But all of this growth comes at a price. CO2 levels in the atmosphere have risen exponentially over the past two decades, to a level we have not seen in over 50 million years. Also with the increased temperature comes high sea level temperatures which in turns kills many of the underwater corals which are highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations.
this planet need to stand up; be the change we all want to see. Our society is largely based around a system of gross excess, plastic bags for every trip to 7/11, throw away water bottles, styrofoam take away boxes at restaurants and so on. Changing the way we all interact with the products we live with is the first step we can all take to make our planet a better place for ourselves and future generations to come. It might not seem like much to you but if everyone tries to make a change we can maybe slow or even stop the effects of global warming and ensure the future of our planet for future generations to come.
RECOMMENDATIONS: When shopping, bring your own bags to use Don’t buy bottled water-or at least try to reuse the bottles you already bought Start a compose pile at your house to allow food trash to decompose into healthy soil Carpool to work or the beach Ride your bike instead of driving to the gym for an exercise
if you are interested in learning more about how you can change your personal carbon footprint visit: www.300mpg.org
The corals of our planet are made up primarily of calcium carbonate (a member of the carbon family), so when they die and decompose they release this carbon back into the atmosphere therefore increasing the levels of CO2 in our atmosphere. This is an example of a positive feedback loop and it is happening in many different ways throughout our planet. The scientific community of our planet widely accepts this effect of global warming and has given many solutions to is but many of our governments are simple not listening to their cries. The powers that control our world are made up of in large by central banks and multinational oil giants. These oil giants are making fortunes from the planets dependence on this black sludge.
These oil titans don’t want to word getting out that the energy our civilization needs to function for an entire year can be taken from the sun 10 times over in a single day. The energy we all need to power our computers, drive our cars, heat our ovens is all around us every day, we need only tap into it. Many countries are signing incentive based policies giving government pay bask checks for those willing to install solar collecting devices on their homes and businesses, this is a start but it is not enough. We the people of July | 2015
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Nong Thale River Residence Custom designed villas & holiday rentals
........ just different
+66 (0) 818940675
l l l l l l l l l l
Quiet and spacious residential area Near Ao Nang beach and entertainment Krabi International Airport 25 kilometer Spacious plots 1100-1600m2 Custom built villas Quality materials Environmentally conscious construction Project management and rental service Good accessibility for seniors Opportunity to experience on site before buying 300
www.nongthaleriverresidence.com
Nong Thale River Residence
350 m
4034 Krabi
4024 Klong Muang
Wat Klong Son
Kamalot
info@kamalot-ltd.com
July | 2015
Co. Ltd. Land & Development
บริษท ั กมล๊อต จำกัด
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recipe of the month
T OMAT O SOUP. Ingredients 2 carrots 2 sticks celery 2 medium onions 2 cloves garlic olive oil 2 organic chicken or vegetable stock cubes 2 x 400 g tinned plum tomatoes 6 large ripe tomatoes 1 small bunch fresh basil sea salt freshly ground black pepper
Steps: 1. Peel and slice the carrots, slice the celery, peel and chop the onions, peel and slice the garlic. In a large pan on a medium hear and add a couple of splashes of olive oil and then mix together all of the above mentioned vegetables. 2. Cook for around 10-15 minutes or until the carrots have softened but are still in the shape they were when you cut them 3. Place the stock cubes in a jug or pan and pour 1.5 liters of boiling water from the kettle on top. Stir constantly until the stock cubes are dissolved, then add to the pan with the sautĂŠed vegetables. Add the tomatoes and stir until everything is mixed together. Reduce the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on. 4. Serve with a side of garlic bread, freshly picked basil and some cheddar cheese.
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