Hot topics this month on the Hua Hin forum were actually wet topics as there was plenty of discussion on the recent deluges we have had. Several tropical storms have caused heavy rainfall in the area and some flooding along Petchkasem Road and down town. The concern is that this is the beginning of the rainy season and we have another four months of it to look forward to!

The theme park saga raises its head again with reports in national newspapers of large expanses of land in Cha-am being earmarked for development. Plenty of discussion on this as the arguments for and against such a large development and impact on the local community are laid out. Another related topic is the future of Hua Hin and what it will be like in the year 2029 some have visions of a great Riviera of resorts and high rise condos stretching from Hua Hin to Cha-am, high speed monorails linking it to Bangkok and international air connections. Others see it as possibly going back to its old quiet fishing village origins following an economic and political collapse in the Kingdom. Either way change is inevitable and it made for an interesting discussion.

Accommodation hunters have another option as we welcome Putahracsa resort to our booking system, luxury villas are on offer here however they also have a fine restaurant and bar and welcome local expats. Accommodation will become scarce for the Hua Hin jazz festival weekend so get online and book early. The organizers finally unveiled the press release and official dates of 8^th and 9^th of June. It seems to be a smaller affair this year with only one main stage and two nights. Hope to see you there.

Speaking of events there were a few additions there with parties at Johnnie Walkers bar, planning for this years dragon boat race, and plenty of talk about local trips and tours. Hua Hin tours can now be booked through www.tourismhuahin.com who have partnered up with leading tour operators in town to offer trips to National Parks and other places of interest.

The legal and visa section has been busy with lots of confusion and conflicting information regarding visa extension requirements. People have also had difficulty opening bank accounts and transferring money overseas, whether this is another clampdown slowly being enforced has yet to be seen. The forums just give expats and visitors alike an opportunity to share experiences and ask for advice.

A few concerned parents were asking about the location of the new Somtawin school, there is a complete schools page on www.expathuahin.com and we shall endeavour to keep readers updated with the latest details if we can get them.

Internet censorship came under the spotlight last month as a number of news articles highlighting the increase of website blocking in Thailand were posted. We hope that this trend that will not continue and take Thailand into the same category as China, Burma and North Korea, three of the highest repressed countries in the world for internet freedom. On the subject of websites a new, handy one page resource of all Hua Hin websites has been launched, you can find it at www.hua-hin.in.th and get yourself included if you run a website about Hua Hin.

HHAD forums are the definitive online message boards and discussions for the area with over 2,400 members. There are sections for finding and booking accommodation, seeking out bargains, and exploring the local area and beyond. There is also a nightlife section for the night owls, a restaurant and feeding guide along with an online meeting point for visa runners and clubs. The ever popular “Ask the expats” section is great for quickly getting the answers you need from the people that live here. Logon and find out what is happening in Hua Hin: www.huahinafterdark.com/forum/

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 17th, 2007 at 6:26 pm and is filed under Hua Hin. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.