Huai Yang 'Secret' Thailand / Svenska Beach Gem + Namtok, Waghor & more 

In this case, the agencies were headed by foreigners. As you say, shrug and move on.

You'd get arrested in many places looking like you do in the public toilets 😊

In Mexico we just say manana... What's the Thai word for it?

prugnee thai tomorrow

​@@timwalker2458 I thought I looked ok?? Btw, where ya been Tim, hope all's well? (not 'pointing' out your absence, just noticed, cheers)

My exact plan: explore the coastal towns

xclnt plan, enjoy :) STL

If it were me, would keep a foothold there too. Okanagan & Thailand 6 x 6 = near perfect.

@@SideTripLife I agree with you 100%, we have a beautiful townhouse in Penticton overlooking the lake in the mountains, we are planning on keeping it and renting it out when we move full-time to Thailand, it’s going up $50,000 a year. at least, there’s no way I would sell this townhouse, and when we are older and need to move back to Canada, we will already have our place with all of our stuff in a storage room in the basement, plus we will be getting $2500 a month in rental income when we rent it out, WIN WIN

My, my I was living in Penticton 30 years back when it was fruit orchards and Saltys Sea Bar, half price cinema on Wednesdays and a burger from TastyFreeze. Happy memories!

@@kleerogers - I was just there for the Kelowna fires. Thinking of maybe moving there? Not so sure now. Far too many vagrants and the realtor couldn't even bother to show up. All and all it wasn't a good experience. I've been going to the Okanagan for decades and It seems to have gone down. If Trudeau left maybe I'll rethink it. I love Thailand fanatstic prices, but I also love Montenegro. Good Luck with your adventures.

Thank you! STL

She really was a sweetheart and as you say, so representative of friendly Thai people. For a better look at that hotel, see prev vid. Cheers, STL

Thank you :)

Thanks, will do!

Thanks Nicky 👍 I see on your vids it's still quite warm in the UK (checked & weather says 30's this week). If it gets too hot, maybe bring Buddy here for a walk up that waterfall lol. Cheers, STL

@@SideTripLife 😁He's sitting in the air con as we speak. 🤣Wouldn't that be lovely. Have a great week

Merci Cherie! STL

Thanks Andrew! Here's a tour of Sunbeach (the yellow hotel, my fav too;) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-P3xQA9a8Mig.html Retiring to Asia? Fantastic, enjoy!

Thanks Howard. Just a few clicks outside of PKK (more reason to return for another visit;) Cheers, STL

Thx JG in TX from STL

Agreed ODB +this one: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-TMrgVHQeYQ0.html

Really is! PS: thanks for always watching and for being a long time sub:) Appreciated! STL

Will for sure update Samui before next June, congrats btw :)

Tack Chris :)

Near the entrance to the national park is a narrow very steep track up on the mountain. I tried with flip flops and came almost to the top. Amazing view.

@@SideTripLife You’re welcome.

Should have watched the whole thing before my comment :P

Big thanks for the Swiss Francs , enjoy your trip! STL

Hear hear

Love KB Ntnl Park! For sure a must see :)

That's great, same as us in Canada. However, in AUS the min wage is $23.23 per hour. In Thailand it's 300 Baht/$9 per day (or approx $1 per hour). So, to be truly fair and equal, we'd have to raise the Thai wages to equal ours. Meanwhile, I really don't mind paying a couple bucks more especially of it allows a less fortunate Thai kid access to their own national Parks (great to see too and more kids should be enjoying the outdoors instead of phones etc :)

Cheers AJ & fair enough. Not complaining or condoning, just pointing out double pricing goes on elsewhere too. However, if any really want truly 'equal' treatment there's quite a gap - Quote: 'The Australian minimum hourly wage is currently $23.23 per hour' (approx $15 USD/hr). Meanwhile, Thailand min wage is 'officially' 353 baht/Day (approx $1 per hr) in Bangkok, less elsewhere . Then again, most Thai service industry workers (pubs/cafes/security guards etc) are putting in 12 hr shifts/6 days week. On the other hand, for sure many Expats contribute far more to local communities & extended families than the avg 'tourist'. STL

I've never minded as an Australian paying a foreigner fee when I'm overseas all over the world. If I'm privileged enough to travel as a visitor, expat or tourist then I don't mind helping to pay someone's wages for the day that there helping to keep places beautiful with nice amenities for us to enjoy.

good call!

Thanks. I'm no visa expert but will give it a go. Depending on country of origin, most 1st timers just get a visa on arrival 30 days, can extend another 30 (& 'maybe' repeat over a couple border runs). But as in ED Visa's (learn Muay Thai, Thai Language etc) they're cracking down. Best get a multi entry Tourist visa from your overseas Thai consulate and if need be stretch that out 6 months++. STL

I believe a tourist visa is 30 days but you can apply for a bit longer. Not sure how much longer though.

False equivalency. In the case of Ntnl Parks, the wee subsidy goes to maintenance & upkeep of a PUBLIC domain (plus affords locals more ability to access, commensurate with a min wage which is 10X+ less than the West). Restaurants are purely for PRIVATE profit, thus would vote with my feet. A more equitable question would be for example, should poor Cambodians be made to pay equal amount as foreigners ($55) to access their own heritage site? Cheers, STL

No worries Paul. Btw, this UK headline caught my eye: 'Council hikes Camber Sands beach car park to £30 - sparking fury amongst residents' whoa...

Talking about dual price the local already have to pay various kinds of taxes all their lives that is why.

Actually, my Thai is pretty crap, Khrap. I had a biz where my Thai staff spoke English, a Thai GF who grew up overseas and spoke English, and well, loads of excuses but really my Thai should be way, way better. Still trying but if I had more time would take a proper Thai language course, starting with writing Thai. So that would be my recommendation. Chok dee, STL

Cheers Bill, glad you enjoyed it! STL

Yep but as stated previously, if any really want truly 'equal' treatment there's quite a gap - Quote: 'The Australian minimum hourly wage is currently $23.23 per hour' (approx $15 USD/hr). Meanwhile Thailand min wage is 'officially' 353 baht/Day in Bangkok (approx $1 per hr) and less elsewhere. Then again, most Thai service industry workers (pubs/cafes/security guards etc) are putting in 12 hr shifts/6 days week and many are on a 'fixed' salary of less than $400 month. On the other hand, for sure many Expats contribute far more to local communities & extended families than the avg 'tourist'. STL

@SideTripLife Very understandable in Thailand. But, I was replying to a comment someone made about different pricing in the United States.

Yes, Petchaburi completely underrated but thus far only filmed nearby ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-a4Rd3l_i6qw.html

No lol

true loo fact right there

10x diff can be yep, but there's even larger differences. As stated previously, if any really want truly 'equal' treatment there's quite a gap - Quote: 'The Australian minimum hourly wage is currently $23.23 per hour' (approx $15 USD/hr). Meanwhile Thailand min wage is 'officially' 353 baht/Day in Bangkok (approx $1 per hr) and less elsewhere. Then again, most Thai service industry workers (pubs/cafes/security guards etc) are putting in 12 hr shifts/6 days week and many are on a 'fixed' salary of less than $400 month. On the other hand, for sure many Expats contribute far more to local communities & extended families than the avg 'tourist'. So would be nice if long stay Expats could buy a yearly park pass at local rates. STL

Made a note about it, here: www.youtube.com/@SideTripLife/community

Jimmy Buffet.... sigh... one of my favs too. I don't know where imma gonna go when the volcano blows but come Monday it'll be alright, hope Jimmy's enjoying cheeseburger's in paradise... Miss the scooter but in the heat or the rain having a car is kinda handy. Enjoy your return in Nov Rick & co. STL

​​@@SideTripLife Wow! I was surprised at your music taste. I thought all you Canucks only listened to April Wine, Rush, Celine Dion, with the occasional Anne Murray and Gordon Lightfoot thrown in for old times sake. 😋

Sadly Gordon Lightfoot had a final sundown too, great artist. Also BTO no longer takin care of business everyday and irreplaceable Gord Downie gone but still ahead by a century. Crap, all we have left is lame Beaver and Drake sigh... Wait, if Neil Young & The Weeknd did a show together I'd deffo hit that. STL

@@SideTripLife I love Gordon's old songs. Lotsa Canadian musicians are gone. I still can't believe Geddy Lee is gone. But hey... Bryan Adams is still aliv. so that's not bad. 🤗

@@oldandbankrupt Geddy Lee? Did you mean Neil Peart? I would add Triumph to that list.

Zero tourist trap factor

Doh! ;)

Will do Scott but EVERY time I rock up a ntnl park I get moaning comments about dual pricing so decided to try to pre-empt. I do appreciate that local Expats contribute a lot to local economies & extended families, for sure. However, to not go to a Thai Ntnl park with your local family is just sad. STL

@SideTripLife My two cents ,ignore them and focus on what you want to show. Not going away any time soon in Thailand. Anyway, do your thing as you see fit !

The Louvre does and this may be the thin edge of the wedge. Ie: "Venice, Valencia and Barcelona are bringing in new 'tourist tax' charges which all Britons will have to pay in order to cross the EU border". Meanwhile, should Angkor Wat remain free for Cambodians, or should the locals also pony up $55? If not, how much should they have to pay to see their own site? Back here in Thailand, for sure local Expats contribute more to local communities and extended families than the avg tourist. Not condoning dual pricing, just observing. STL

Crossing a border is very different, We already pay Thai border tax which is incorperated in the flight price for UK citizens.@@SideTripLife