Now that we’re deep into the low and wet season more and more Hua Hin expats and visitors are turning to the internet for both information and entertainment. HHAD forums continued to grow during July and August with the addition of new sections and plenty of new members.
Crime continued to be a hot topic with more break-ins reported, possibly linked to the downturn in the economy and the rising cost of living. A number of foreigners have also been attacked while traveling home after dark by teenage gangs on scooters. We always advise caution when traveling late at night in areas out of town where inebriated patrons can often be encountered. In general though Hua Hin is a very safe place to live aside from the occasional soi dog!
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Running from July 30th to August 3rd the 2008 Hua Hin Regatta will attract competitors from all over the world. The Hua Hin Regatta has been organized since the year 2000 in honour of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej who excels in sailing sportsmanship in Thailand. This year’s regatta will be specially organized as a competition for several Royal Trophies, namely:
Royal Vega Rudder trophy of His Majesty the King for varies sailing classes,
Super Mod National Championship trophy from His Majesty the King,
OK Dinghy National Championship trophy from Her Majesty the Queen,
Princess Cup for Optimist Championship of the late Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana.
Spectators will have a good view from Hua Hin beach around the Sofitel. More information and a schedule on the Hua Hin Regatta can be found here: Hua Hin Regatta and Photos from last year can be found here: Hua Hin Regatta Photos.
HHAD enjoyed a record readership month in May topping 58,000 readers, more and more people are logging on to the forums to find out what is going on in Hua Hin. The figures were boosted by interest in the poorly promoted annual jazz festival and a number of heated property debates. We are constantly amazed at how many people were leaving it to the last minute to book their accommodation for the jazz festival only to find that most places were full.
Plenty of warnings are given to book ahead but the problem lies with the organizers who are always reluctant to release any information – including the actual dates of the event – until the last minute. Every year we are baffled by the complete lack of promotion and marketing for what has become Hua Hin’s largest annual event. It seems that Bangkok wants to keep it to themselves and keep Hua Hin in the dark.
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Well its been and gone leaving a beach covered in plastic and a trail of SUV’s heading back to Bangkok. This year’s jazz festival was a mixed bag, the single venue was a long way down the beach past the Sofitel leaving a long walk back to the toilets, hence most people went behind the stage! The tide was coming in again and a lot of the beach was sectioned off for “VIP’s” so it was a bit of a crush as predicted. Due to poor promotion and marketing and a lot of confusion over whether it was going to be a paid entrance I’d guess there were less people at the festival than last year.
Now onto the music, in my opinion a lot of the early performers were a little bland – I’d class it as ‘elevator music’, the stuff that sends you off to sleep. Thankfully Kenny Garrett and crew came on and livened things up a bit, the highlight of Friday night though were Thai reggae/ska band T-Bone who had the crowd on their feet with a great performance.
The weather on Saturday was a little disappointing with incessant drizzle and low grey clouds always threatening with a heavier downpour. The afternoon bands matched the weather unfortunately and were also a little dull. It seems that the organisers are forcing the genre on the festival, possibly to attract an older crowd and deter the youngsters. Leaving early we did not get to see the final act, Mike Stern, Dave Weckl, Chris Minh Doky and Bob Franceschini who were reportedly a little more livelier.
There is also jazz all week in Hua Hin at the red cross park and railway station though we’re not expecting big names in attendance, it seems Hua Hin wants to do its own little thing to keep up with the Bangkok dominated main event.
More photos from the Hua Hin Jazz Festival can be found on www.jazzfestivalhuahin.com
Life in Hua Hin is starting to slow now as ,the low season is upon us; the advantage for those visiting and resident is that the town and beaches are a lot quieter and more serene. That was until one of the multiple long weekends last month, which drew convoys of shiny new SUV’s down from Bangkok clogging up Hua Hin’s road system. The new mayor promises change and improved road management, which is desperately needed in Hua Hin. Driving standards, or lack of, are always a hot topic on the forum as we all need to travel from time to time. A number of complaints were aired about the taxis clogging up the streets and charging over inflated fares to tourists. Solutions were suggested which included parking meters, taxi ranks with standard fares, park and ride systems and congestion charges. We have taken these measures for granted in the west and although they may not always be popular they certainly ease the traffic problems that have become so prevalent here lately.
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As usual the Songkran festivities last month went off with a blast, downtown Hua Hin was a throng of activity over the main wet day on the 13th. Fortunately for many though the water throwing only lasted one day in Hua Hin and life returned to normal on the Monday. A couple of the braver members took a stroll around town and caught some of the action on camera; the results are on the forum. The town has been busy last month but mainly with Thais from the big city enjoying a number of public holidays.
Although Hua Hin is definitely slowing down in terms of tourism the forums remain busy as ever with a lot of often heated debate on issues revolving around life in Thailand. Many of the topics discussed affect most expats living here, which is why they can frequently go on for several pages online. Both pros and cons of life in Hua Hin are examined by those that live here, those that want to and those that simply enjoy the destination as a holiday. Many quickly realize that the holiday romance with the place can rapidly give way to a more frustrating experience when living here full time. That said though it is still one of the best places in the region to be based, which is why foreigners continue to flock to Hua Hin.
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Well its that time again, the 7th annual Hua Hin jazz festival is almost upon us. As usual there is very little information or promotion for the event, they seem to like leaving it until the last minute which doesn’t help anyone planning a trip from overseas. What we have found out is that the dates will be the 13th and 14th of June and there is likely to be one stage again so expect some of the overcrowding problems we had at last year’s jazz festival. The lineup has now been posted on HHAD so check it out. See you on the beach!
More photos from the 2007 Hua Hin Jazz Festival can be found at www.jazzfestivalhuahin.com
Firstly we would like to wish all of our members and readers a happy Songkran and hope you enjoy the festivities in April. The fun only lasts for one day in Hua Hin so make sure you’re prepared. Speaking of events we had a grand time at the kite festival and have the photos to prove it online. The attendance was good and there was a lot to take in with stunt kites, formation flying, balloons and some large airborne sea creatures!
The forums have attracted a lot of readers and new members in March with topics ranging from jellyfish on the beach to seasonal differences and as always the weather. If you don’t know by now this month and next will be scorchio! April to June is the hottest time of the year in Hua Hin.
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Managed to find it this year for the first time, as usual very little promotion in town and local media and I only heard about this annual international event the day before. The road out of town was very busy with confused drivers looking for the site of the kite festival which also wasn’t sign posted at all. It was held in the Rama IV camp around 15km north of Hua Hin where a wide open space played host to all manner of kites ranging from a huge octopuss, to pandas, Chinese dragons and parrots. There was also and impressive display of stunt kite flying and formation flying. The heat however was quite punishing and the only option of shade was a series of tents under which the locals huddled on the floor out of the searing tropical sun. The event is definitely worth a visit but like many held in and around Hua Hin it could do with better organization and promotion.
More images of the Hua Hin kite festival 2008 can be found in the Hua Hin photo gallery.
Another busy month all round on the forums as people login from across the globe to find out what is happening in Hua Hin. We had some interesting first impressions on Hua Hin from recent visitors and some varying angles on them from the old hands and expats. Hua Hin seems to be slowly becoming a more family orientated resort; evidence of this can be seen in high season as more families flock to the beaches of Hua Hin. The emergence of a number of luxury boutique hotels and resorts also appears to be changing the direction of the town and aiming at more affluent visitors. This can only be good news for Hua Hin and we hope the authorities will keep up with the pace.
Back to the forums again where a couple of readers had tough times getting visas in neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, we all hope that the new government won’t continue the trend of clamping down on visas but nobody is holding their breath. There has also been a lot of news discussion on the new iteration of TRT and how, if at all, they will be an improvement over the old government … only time will tell.
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I sometimes eat dinner at the restaurant at the corner of Naresdamri Road. In addition to providing a passable pizza, it was a pleasant place to take in the passing scene. Running past the Hilton and restaurants catering to tourists, Naresdamri Road is the main tourist drag and it is always bustling in the early evening as night falls and the sunbathers go looking for their evening meal. The restaurant has a thoroughly European ambiance with its red-checkered table cloths and chianti bottles on the wall. The only suggestion that one was in Thailand was the Thai staff. The restaurant was packed with patrons, virtually all of them European. It was the height of the tourist season.
As I watch from my perch at one of the restaurant’s outdoor tables, I can see dozens of European tourists ambling down Naresdamri Road. I listen to the voices trying to discern their nationalities – German, for the most part, but also some unfamiliar tongues. Danish？ Finnish? Most tourists in Hua Hin are from northern Europe. They are mostly middle-aged couples, the men wearing shorts and flowered shirts and sandals, the women in shorts and halter tops. Hua Hin tends to attract older visitors since it is quieter and more laid back than some of the flashier tourist spots such as Pattaya and Phuket.
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For many years getting a decent map for the Hua Hin area was an arduous task. Hannes at Pasta Factory has done about the best drawn maps and these can be found around town or online at HHAD – the rest of the mapping efforts have been very amateur and far from accurate. Keeping a map updated is a lot of work as the town is ever changing. Google Earth maps have never been usable as it was always low resolution for Hua Hin so no detail can be made out … until now! They recently upgraded the satellite imagery for the Hua Hin area with covers from the airport to just beyond Khao Takiab and about 15km west to the bypass. You can get to an elevation of 300 meters with a clear view of the town showing vehicles, buildings and all natural features. What would be grand though if there was an online version of this with all of Hua Hin’s accommodation, shops, services, property, attractions and golf courses accurately marked. Well its just arrived and can be found online at www.maphuahin.com
High season is in full swing both in downtown Hua Hin and on the forums. Many new members logged in to meet and greet the old hands and to find out about visiting and living in Hua Hin. Hot topics of the month included the ever present danger of traffic and driving on the roads in Hua Hin. The town has expanded at a phenomenal rate however the roads sadly haven’t. Nearly everyone who has driven in Hua Hin has at least one horror story about reckless driving and road accidents, we cannot stress it any further; stay safe, have eyes in the back of your head and drive sensible. The phrase “when in Rome” definitely does not apply to driving standards in Hua Hin if you want to stay alive!
Also on the subject of dangerous motorized menaces was a discussion on jetskis at the beach in Khao Takiab. These have really got out of control lately and are simply an accident waiting to happen, plenty of complaints were voiced on the board and we hope something will be done about them soon. There seems to be very little regard for swimmers by the people renting them and the people riding them.
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Firstly the staff and moderators at HHAD would like to wish all of our readers and sponsors a Happy New Year. We have many things planned for 2008 with the introduction of a number of new websites and online services. Our sales and marketing group at HuaHinMedia.com have reported that our readership for 2007 exceeded 500,000 making HHAD the best read website for the area.
Plenty of topics on the forum last month with the most popular discussions being about the current high season and events and activities over the holiday period. A number of bars and restaurants put on Christmas and New Years dinners, the most popular being Crawfords, Jungle Juice, Johnny Walkers and Coco 51. As usual local fine food purveyors Hua Hin Ham & Bacon Company were flat out supplying the expat population of Hua Hin and beyond with Turkeys and Hams for the festive day.
There was also a lot of discussion on the alcohol ban and the unfortunate situation in downtown Hua Hin where the farang bars were ordered to close and Thai venues seemed to remain exempt. A disappointing turn of events for tourists who have spent a year saving for a holiday to Hua Hin only to be told that bars will be shut over the Xmas weekend for an election that they cant vote in. Many places were sympathetic and continued to offer alcoholic beverages to tourists albeit disguised in a coffee cup though the majority in Hua Hin’s busy centre simply remained closed in fear of large fines from the local constabulary.
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On Wednesday 12th December 2007, the ‘Jazz train’ made its inaugural journey from Hua Hin to Baan Krut. The idea came from Khun Ray, the owner of ‘Ray’s Place’ bar & restaurant and a selection of musicians who jam in the restaurant on Monday evenings, for patrons’ enjoyment.
At about 11am, passengers started to congregate at Hua Hin Railway Station. We signed in with our tickets and received our name badges and information sheet. Then we waited for the train’s arrival. Many passengers found that their friends were fellow passengers, and the buzz of greeting and chatter mixed with the sound of music, being played live on the platform. Refreshments were already being served and some passengers eagerly partook of the cool beer or soft drinks, while waiting in the heat.
At about midday the train arrived and the 68 and a half (my little boy) passengers and the musicians and staff got onto the train in a surprisingly orderly fashion. One 3rd class car was reserved for us, and it was definitely a bit of a squeeze to get us all in. I found myself near the centre of the car & sitting with complete strangers, with my little boy perched on my lap. I admit to dreading the journey, fearing my legs would go to sleep before an hour was up.
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