Photos of Hua Hin, specifically historical and old ones, were discussed as a few long term residents shared their images. The difference between the town now and say 15 years ago is astonishing, for one you could actually walk across Petchkasem road without risking death! The one time sleepy fishing village has been transformed into a modern metropolis in no time, much of which can be attributed to the 2007-8 property boom. Even in today’s tough times new resorts are springing up such as the Intercontinental, Best Western and a number of new properties in Khao Takiab. Hua Hin’s boom is not over yet, it has just taken a nap for a year or so.

The number of tourists this high season has also been observed with many stating that Christmas and New Year have been very quiet compared to previous years. Some major hotels were running at only 60% occupancy which seems to be a result of holiday cancellations last year. The good news is that January started to pick up in terms of numbers and this month should be good too so optimism for 2010 is gaining momentum.

A few property questions were posed last month as confusion arose over leaseholds, land title deeds and company ownership. The resident property gurus were at hand to set the record straight. The old discussion over buying versus renting sparked up again however there are no winners to that argument, it all comes down to the individual and his or her current situation.

A few events were held in January including a number of festivals at the newly opened Cicada Market in Khao Takiab, a Swedish music festival at Black Mountain and the Asian PGA qualifying school which took place at a number of Hua Hin’s golf courses. This month we have the Chinese New Year festivities to enjoy and next month sees the return of the Hua Hin Kite Festival which will be held at the Naresuan Camp on March 13-14.

A whole range of questions and bizarre requests were posed to the expats last month including some about picture frames, cleaning toilets, terminating termites, saving Koi Carp, finding a public fax machine, and renting a small plane. Whatever your request and no matter how weird or wacky you’ll get an answer on HHAD.

A 50 classic car procession will be on the move from Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok on Friday morning (18th) and will drive by King Rama II Park in Samut Songkram before lunch in Phetchaburi. The parade will arrive in Hua Hin for the official ceremony in the evening.

The rally will be on the move around Hua Hin throughout the Saturday (19th) and will be based at the Sofitel. More information on the event and images can be found here: [Hua Hin Vintage Car Parade 2009].

A golfing trip to Chumphon was taken by one reader who was fed up with Hua Hin’s extortionate green fees. For approximately the same cost (around 3,000 baht) you can drive to Chumphon, have a night in a four star hotel, have breakfast, and play around of golf. There are also a number of other well priced golf courses in Chumphon and Prachuab for those that can no longer afford the expense of playing in Hua Hin. Heading north Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi have a few great courses, its just a shame that Hua Hin is now so far up its own hole that residents are forced to seek their golfing elsewhere.

Seeking a teaching job in Hua Hin was the subject of a discussion following one reader’s requests for information. As expected the general response was that these days you need have completed the right courses and have the right paperwork, then you have the hassle of finding work and jumping through the work permit hoops only to get a job that is unlikely to pay very well anyway. Where Thailand expects its English literary standards to go is anyone’s guess, when they keep making it harder for foreigners to work here there is only one direction it can go.

Entertainment venues were also discussed and it seems most are getting tired of Hua Hin’s strip of girlie bars and are seeking alternative watering holes. Khao Takiab is rapidly developing in terms of nightlife with new bars opening up all the time, one to look out for is Beer O’clock, a new sports bar with pool table and well priced guest rooms. A new night club type venue has also opened in Hua Hin called Cheeky Monkey 2 offering decent DJs and music and well priced drinks. It’s about time an alternative to the Hilton monopoly appeared. The Paleo beach bar also got a mention, it is the only bar of its kind in Hua Hin which is a shame as there is nothing better than a cold one on the beach as the sun goes down.

The American holiday of Thanksgiving was also mentioned by a number looking to find the best meal for the occasion in Hua Hin. The day will be celebrated by Americans across the world on November 26 this year and it symbolizes gratitude for the harvest in days gone by, it is generally a time for close friends and families to get together. The Marriott came up a number of times as a suggestion to get a traditional Thanksgiving roast.

Book shops and book swaps are always popular topics between expats and there is no shortage of decent reading material around town for those that don’t spend all day on the internet! Many bars are now offering book swaps for their customers; it is a great way to get new books without paying new prices. Board members often arrange their own book swaps at Dick’s Office down Soi 80; these have increased in popularity over the years so check the forum for details of the next one if you’re looking for new reads.

Prospective news of new regulations and price hikes for work permits also made it onto the forums. As usual things are not going to get easier; a new secret list of prohibited jobs has been drafted and prices are set to increase by a whopping 600% from the current 3,000 baht renewal to around 20,000 baht. The idea is probably to stop people working illegally and reduce the number of foreigners working in Thailand. The reality is that there will be fewer teachers so English literacy is likely to fall and more foreigners on lower incomes simply won’t bother with work permits at all.

The draconian 24 hour reporting problem, which seems to apply only at Hua Hin immigration office, reared its head again. The total inconsistency of this ‘rule’ is mind-numbing; some are fined for not doing it whereas others escape without being questioned. If there was a guideline for foreigners to follow then some of the confusion and anger would be alleviated, as we are well aware though, this is far too much to ask for!

The weather seems to have taken a turn this week as cooler winds came in from the ocean urging those hardened long-term expats to dig out their sweaters. This usually marks the start of the dry season although we have had very little rain this year so something still maybe around the corner. November also marks the start of the high season however tourist numbers are still slow compared to previous years. This hasn’t stopped Hua Hin’s hotels and golf courses hiking up their prices though despite the obvious lack of patrons this year.

A trip to the local shooting range produced a good report and some photos from one member, there are a couple around but the most popular range can be found along soi 6. There are a number of activities in and around Hua Hin that rarely see the action because they are not promoted, marketed or publicised. In addition to shooting ranges there are paintball parks, ATV courses, gyms, sports centers, and a number of golf ranges.

Loy Krathong, which was celebrated on Monday, had its usual discussion and aside from the beach there is no real good place in Hua Hin to celebrate this. Khao Tao and Pranburi seem to be the places to go and with large lakes and rivers they are very popular spots for the raft floating festival. The annual event is held on the first full moon of the twelfth month of the Thai lunar calendar (which is November for us), its origins are Hindu however Thailand’s Buddhist populations celebrate it to venerate Buddha with light and release their grudges and anger and start anew.

Finally a mini-van accident in Hua Hin also made the news, details were sketchy but we do know that there were fatalities. Our thoughts go out to those families and friends that have lost loved ones.

Normality returns once again to Hua Hin and the traffic levels are back to those where you can cross the town in under an hour. The ASEAN cleanup was swift and efficient, all of those cones and roadblocks disappeared as quickly as they arrived and apart from the odd upturned car and flattened cop the entire security setup went according to plan. That plan was a trouble free conference and to repair some of the damage caused by political protestors last time, Thailand got some of its cred back.

A question was posed about a British Embassy representative in Hua Hin and although such a person may exist you still have to get visa letters and the like yourself however this can be done by post. Financial requirements for retirement visas were questioned again but as far as forum gurus are aware the goal posts haven’t been moved for a couple of months which makes a nice change.

A new English language Rotary Club for Hua Hin was announced as the world’s first civic service organisation welcomes foreigners. A Thai Rotary already exists here and they, along with the English language Rotary Club of Bangkok South and helped to set this one up. More information and details on meetings can be found on the forum.

Halloween had a mention as readers enquired as to whether there would be any frightening activities in Hua Hin. The big hotels may put something on but aside from that you can always get a fright in the late night karaoke bars in the Bazaar area.

The launch of Windows 7 last week sparked a new poll on whether people would upgrade to it from their existing operating system. It was no surprise that the majority either said no or wanted to wait until the bugs were ironed out, it seems that confidence in Microsoft to build a bullet proof system is still wavering. Those that have tried the new Windows were impressed and have posted reviews and reports on the forum in an effort to help others with their adoption of it.

The whole registration and processing system was quite efficient so there is really no excuse for anyone permanently residing here not to have their little green security clearance. The military seem to have more of an air of approachability about them and often flash the occasional smile, maybe they don’t see many farangs. The police on the other hand also have a smile but it’s because they know they’re about to get a little tea money from you!

Petchkasem Road is now a long strip of orange with four confusing lanes and fewer opportunities to turn on or off it – that will definitely be one to avoid this weekend unless you wish to spend most of it staring at the car in front! It sounds the perfect opportunity to get out of Hua Hin, drive down the coast and find a secluded beach to chill out on.

That is exactly what one reader did with a trip to Ban Krut. The area is very popular with domestic tourists and takes about an hour and forty five minutes to drive from Hua Hin. It is probably the first spot on the coast line heading south from Bangkok where the beach is clean white, powdery sand the sea that clear blue/green color usually reserved for the Andaman side. A large temple complex offers views across the bay and a number of small farang-style bars and restaurants have started to spring up. Ban Krut is worth a night or two away from Hua Hin any day (especially weekends), more info on the area and accommodation bookings can be found on www.bankrutinfo.com

There were a couple of grumbles about the Hua Hin post office and its inherent inability to deliver mail properly. It seems that a disproportionate percentage of overseas mail destined for homes in Hua Hin either doesn’t make its destination or ends up in a large room full of undelivered mail at the post office. A good gauge is if your postie can read English you’re probably getting most of your mail.

Security around Hua Hin is about to be beefed up as the government enforces the Internal Security Act from Monday 12th. They are taking no chances for the ASEAN summit which will be held from October 25 to 27 in Hua Hin and do not want a repeat of the circus caused by the red shirted Thaksin mob in Pattaya last time. Measures will include restrictions on movement in and out of the city and there will be a heightened police presence so all those that will be using the roads be aware.

Registration for Hua Hin residents to get vehicle stickers has been going on and collection should start this weekend – it looks like we will need them!

Buying a motorbike was the topic of discussion for one reader and many offered a response on their choice of two-wheeled transport. Some have decided to avoid motorbikes all together due to the dangers and the shocking standard of driving in Thailand and others take it all in their stride. One common thought was that small scooters such as Honda Waves and the new range of fully automatic bikes are great for short trips around town but not really suitable for longer journeys where you’re likely to get knocked off by idiots in pickups doing 140 or hit enough potholes to give you a hernia!

An aging discussion generated a good response despite being a little morbid at times. The question was essentially where do you want to be buried, here in Thailand or in your home country? Seeing as the majority of forum members and Hua Hin expats are ‘playing their second halves’ and many have more ties here than their homelands it was no surprise that they wanted to be buried or cremated here in Hua Hin. Many have lived in town for numerous years, have families, and have grown to call it home … it’s just a shame that immigration will never see it that way!

Two converted railway carriages near the station also drew some attention as roads were blocked and general mayhem ensued. The end result was worth it though as Hua Hin has another attraction in the form of these beautifully restored rail cars that may end up as reading rooms or a restaurant.

Alcohol abstinence was discussed as one reader decided to embark on a month off the sauce. A poll on drinking habits produced some interesting results with over 55% of those who responded admitting to drinking at least 3 or 4 times per week and even daily. Living in Thailand offers a number of temptations and a cold brew (or twelve) now and then is one of them. A number of reasons can cause people to stop drinking for a while namely health, cost, and behavioural adjustments.

The cost of living cropped up again but this time with a difference, the majority of these types of questions are from people looking to move to Hua Hin on a budget, this one was looking for a high-end lifestyle. As nice as Hua Hin can be it cannot really offer a lot more than a beach and some golf courses so those seeking a more vivacious existence would be better off in Bangkok or Phuket … or both!

The conspiracy buffs have had a ball this week with a whole range of subjects, none of which have anything to do with Hua Hin. The current affairs section of the board is getting a bit of a reputation as a conspiracy corner and a number of heated debates usually end up with those that can’t accept opposing opinions going off in a cyber-sulk. Recent topics have included Osama bin Laden, the 9/11 attacks, swine flu, and the possible discovery of a HIV vaccine as reported in local media. See, HHAD is more than just a forum to ask about furniture, bar fines or the cost of living!

A lot of discussion was generated over a British documentary called Big Trouble in Tourist Thailand. The production depicted life in some of Thailand’s livelier tourist spots such as Pattaya, Phuket and Koh Pha-ngan and followed some farang volunteer tourist police on their beat. The usual troubles involving corruption, drugs, alcohol and hookers dominated the documentary but a couple of scams including the jetski damage trick were also uncovered. Thailand has had a lot of bad press in the last couple of years so instead of trying to improve its image and tackle the problems the Thai authorities, according to Phuket based internet sites, tried to stop production and further episodes being broadcast.

A startling report on the state of Thailand’s coral reefs appeared in the mainstream media this week and while there are no reefs around Hua Hin the article did cast a shadow over the future of the marine ecosystems further down the coast south of Prachuab. As usual some of the blame for coral degradation was put on foreigners and the diving industry; they neglected to mention the primary cause of coral damage in Thailand which is destructive fishing practices. The coral reef is an entire ecosystem which relies on the fish to be there and local fishermen generally do not respect the ocean they depend on for their livelihood.

There are a couple of islands off the coast of Chumphon with good coral growth and while it was good that they had designated the area a marine national park, it was deplorable that the authorities were all too keen to deprive the farangs of 200 baht to visit the islands but still allowed locals to anchor on the coral and fish using nets.

Many beaches off the tourist trail are fringed with a tide line that comprises of a trail of plastic, polystyrene, bottles, fishing nets and general trash just carelessly cast overboard by local fishing boats. Only when Thailand stops its money grabbing and starts caring for its environment through education will these reports show something positive, and maybe the reef ecosystem will survive for our grandchildren to enjoy.