Front Page Archives

New Accommodation Option...

More than just an ordinary guesthouse, Sivarin Guesthouse offers a homey and romantic atmosphere, which is surrounded by the great and relaxing natural environment of the Chao Phraya River, and the charming area of "Old Town", in the heart of Bangkok. Just a ten-minute walk from Khao San Road. Click here for more about Sivarin Guesthouse, near Khao San Road, Bangkok, Thailand.

Here's a picture that says it all… "A footpath built around a tree stump? Why not pull it out? And dropping litter… It's so inconsiderate". But of course it's never as simple as that in Thailand. This 'litter' has been dropped with loving care. Note the drink has a straw in it, and the bun has a smoking joss stick stuck into it. Both are nestled next to a tree stump which has been left rooted in the earth. As you can see, the footpath has been built around the stump rather than pulling it out. This, my friends, is a case of worshiping the spirits of ancestors. Such spirits are usually housed in old trees… hence the tree stump is still in the ground. So, as ever, nothing is as it seems at first glance in Thailand, so don't rush to judge too quickly!!!

"10000 miles from Montego Bay, 8000 miles from NYC, in the land of Buddha, Temples, Unlimited night life, Coups, Tsunamis and Uncontested Natural Beauty is the Land of Thailand. I have been traveling to Thailand for the past 10 years and have seen the insurgence of the Reggae Beat pounding its way to various cities, towns, clubs, and homes of the Thai People." Tony Rankin tells us more... Click here.

Leonard Cohen to Cheer Up Cambodians!

Don't feed the elephants…

Yeah - you know those elephants that wander around Bangkok with guys selling bananas... well don't feed them... or you could end up 10,000 baht lighter... Click here for more...

UBRadio...

About a year ago, we spoke to UBRadio, then a fledging promoter and Internet radio station with a cocky swagger and grand aims, namely: "To provide 'the best resource for Underground Music on the Internet' and add a new dimension to the Bangkok club scene." Just how have they done? John Hughes fills out the score card. Click here for more on UBRadio.

and look at a place that's OLD SKOOL KSR!

DJ Charly T

CNNGo did a decent job on Khao San Road regular DJ Charly T... Check it out. They also cover the latest fish trends on KSR

Food Junkie...

I thought I was into food but this guy is SICK! Jason Buckalew's got the full SP on food in Bangkok... Where to go... What to eat... The real deal - Thai food the way it IS! Click here and eat your way through Bangkok!

Meditation in Bangkok...

There's no doubt about it, Thailand is a genuine draw for the spiritually inclined. Every year, thousands of people visit the kingdom to step away from the material and gain an insight into themselves and the world around them. While many "spiritual tourists" might envisage gaining enlightenment through fasting and sitting cross-legged under the torrents of one of Thailand's many crystal-clear waterfalls, few might consider a trip to Bangkok's main business/entertainment area a step down a spiritual path. And that just might be a shame… because it just might be what they are looking for. Click here for more about Meditation in Bangkok...

Flying Trapeze Adventures ...

There are many different activities to fill your day if you stay on Koh Tao. Most people come to dive or snorkel but you can rock climb, cliff jump, kayak, play mini golf, go 10 pin bowling, take a cookery course or even shoot your mates in the jungle playing paintball. Recently a flying trapeze rig has been erected which means that for at least an hour you can pretend that you really have run away with the circus. Rather than being a clown or a lion tamer though you can be a powerful trapeze artist yet without a sequin in sight! Click here for more about Flying Trapeze Adventures.

Anna Brag...

Mijanou Ter Braak (AKA Anna Brag) is a Belgium musician and artist working out of the Netherlands. Not only is she genuinely talented, she's a dear friend of mine. If you haven't got anything to do for the next half hour, check out her work. You'll be glad you did... Check out her main site, her MySpace account, her Everyoneweb site, and her Facebook pages - Anna Brag and Mijanou Ter Braak.

Putting Back...

Great as it is, and love it as I do, spend a bit of time on Khao San Road and it can start to feel a tad mercenary. Walk 5 meters down the strip, and if you haven't been dazzled by neon adverts, had a flier stuck in your hand, been approached by a tailor's scout, or been mesmerized by a woman in a big hat with a wooden frog, then my friend, you have a very charmed existence indeed. Sometimes, in less optimistic moments, it can appear that the only bottom line on KSR is the bottom line. But equally, sometimes, every now and again, KSR shows another face and reaches out. Read more about Putting Back on Khao San Road.

KSR on TV...

Thai TV Channel 9 covered a couple of KSR's best places for a night out recently... Click here for their coverage of Gazebo Club Khao San Road and here for their coverage of Jazz Gallery Art and Music Club.

Hit Men at Zest!

If you’re hanging out on Khaosan Road in the evening and looking for something different to do, check out hot new band Hit Men. The four piece band is accompanied by two regular guest performers including Steven Noake (Spider), formerly with The RGB band. A step apart from most bands in Bangkok, these guys really hit the spot, giving a fresh and funky flavor to well-loved blues, reggae, rock and soul classics. Smooth Canadian singer and guitarist Mon-T is the ideal front man, performing with confidence and style. Featuring a live saxophone, groovy guitars and smoking hot drumming, Hit Men have been playing together for just two months and are already pretty tight. Catch the Hit Men on Tuesday and Sunday evenings in Mulligan’s bar above Buddy Lodge and on Wednesdays in Zest (formerly DOS).

Cafe Democ - Back to the Source...

Khao San Road is renowned as one of the best places for nightlife both in the Bangkok capital and elsewhere in the Kingdom of Thailand. Sitting alongside excellent restaurants and pubs, KSR's clubs now rank parallel with Sukhumvit 11 haunts as some of THE places to visit when in town. Given the importance of the strip's role in catering to global club officiados, the fact that Cafe Democ is seldom included in any foreign clubber's itinerary remains a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Click here for more about Cafe Democ, near Khaosan Road, Bangkok, Thailand.

Bring me the head of... Bernie... What was his name?

Take an idle stroll around Bangkok’s main thoroughfares and it becomes patently obvious, very quickly, that BNE has, in fact, been here. What is it all about? Some say it is a guerilla marketing strategy gone wildly amiss. Others believe they are a result of alien intervention (note the crop circles below the BNE lettering). More still believe it’s a CIA experiment in mind control, while a little known Japanese cult believe it’s all three together. Whatever it is, BNE stickers and graffiti are a worldwide phenomenon that has taken a firm hold of Bangkok and a number of major cities. In fact San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom was so sick and tired of BNE that he offered a 2,500 dollar award for “BNE capture” – whatever that means!! Well, never one to shy away from our civic responsibility, we are offering a fish supper for two at Oh My Cod! on Rambuttri Road for anyone who can provide information leading to a photograph of BNE holding his or her passport or driving license (which clearly says "BNE" as his/her name).

That Red Bull DudeÂ…

Khun Chaleo Yoovidhya was officially anointed Thailand's richest person by Forbes Asia Magazine this week. The maker of the world's favourite energy drink, Red Bull, racked up $4 billion, a 14% increase on last year. Hardly surprising really? With the support of the world's extreme sports enthusiasts (you know - those guys who fire up on caffeine, scream, and then hurl themselves off the nearest ridge) and an even greater legion of wannabes (those who simply drink the drink, have the hairstyle, and wear the baggy trousers), Red Bull is ripe for pop ulture immortality. What's Khao San Road's favourite present for people back home? That's right... a Red Bull t-shirt with lettering in the original Thai. Khun Chaleo, the world's youth salutes you!

Sighting...

Ton Smale writes: "We have received an e-mail from an American who claims that he saw a person who looks like Georgo Leydekkers from your Missing Persons page in Bangkok. It reads: 'The photo of the person you are inquiring about resembles a foreigner I encountered panhandling in front of the post office in Bangkok, not far from the Sheration Royal Orchid Hotel. This was in late August 2007. The person had the same facial features, beard, and body build except he wore his long hair in the dreadlock fashion common to the Rastafarians'". If anyone living in this area is able to check this sighting out for Ton, please do so, and perhaps contact Ton to let him know. Alternatively, please liaise with us here at KhaoSanroad.com.

Every night is dating night... at The Club...
Dating at The Club on Khao San Road has just become color-codedÂ… What color is for "overweight, over the hill, but dead hopeful"? Click here for more on dating at The Club, Khao San Road.

Merchant of Death…

No, this isn’t a KSR tailor gone on a rampage… Thailand’s police have done it again, this time arresting Viktor Bout, 41, a former Soviet air force officer, and by all accounts, not that nice a guy. He apparently made selling weapons like surface-to-air missiles to various groups around the world into a nice little earner, selling millions of dollars’ worth of weapons at any given time. Nicolas Cage’s character in the film ‘Lord of War’ was based on this ne'er-do-well. A four-month US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) operation led Bout to believe the undercover agents he was dealing with were buyers for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)! The Thai police got the nod and did the business.

You meet the nicest people...

...on Khao San Road. Take for instance 21-year-old Morgan Michelle Hoke (pictured above), who was taking a bit of time off on the strip recently. Morgan’s claim to fame is being accused of robbing seven US banks alongside her husband, 26-year-old Stuart Michael Romine. It didn’t take very long for the Thai police to catch up with Ms. Hoke, who was staying at Villa Cha Cha on Rambuttri Road. What with this and two Israelis being arrested for ecstasy tablets just before Christmas, it's fair warning to criminals who feel coming to KSR and blending in with the crowd offers them some sort of protection. It doesn’t – the Thai police will be over you like a well-tailored Khao San Road suit! Click here for the Nation’s coverage.

Travel questions answered... Green House Travel has been located near Khao San Road for over three years and during that time gained a solid reputation for expertise and quality of service. They genuinely are experts on every aspect of travel in Thailand and they have kindly agreed to answer your questions about travel in the Kingdom. Click here to get your questions on travel in Thailand answered.

Confessions of a Coward: An Indian Adventure

The book describes a nine month journey through India and Nepal, focusing on the interesting and often arresting characters encountered along the way. The book is unusual as it is written from a female point of view. The narrator is an inexperienced and nervous traveler, which makes a change of pace from accounts by the well-travelled and intrepid. Click here for more on Confessions of a Coward: An Indian Adventure.

A big deal...

It used to be that guesthouses or hotels used to open in the Khao San Road area at the click of a finger… no big deal. Not anymore… Diamond House opened last Saturday. Not only did the opening ceremony bring in about 150 well-healed local business people, Khun Apirak Dosayodhin, the Bangkok Governor, was also on hand to make a speech! Times aren’t changing – they have changed!

Dignitary on Khao San Road...

"Eden the Future Mayor of London" was on Khao San Road last weekend, and he certainly did a good job bigging the place up. Eden is actually running for Mayor of London, UK, standing against the likes of Ken Livingstone. Standing on a 'Take London Back' platform, Eden is courting voters through his MySpace page. You have certainly got my vote!

Nooks and Crannies...

If you are into markets, you'll now doubt head for Chattuchak. A few stops down on the MRT is another market - the market with no name! Take a wonder round and I defy anyone not to ask "Where the hell did they get this from?" at least once. Click here for more…

Ultimate Souvenir...

The Bank of Thailand has issued a 60 baht banknote to celebrate the 60th anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's accession to the throne. If you are hoping to pick one up, best head for Bank of Thailand (Bank of Thailand 273 Samsen Road, Bangkhunphrom, Bangkok 10200).

Tuk to the Road Sets Off...

Jo Huxster and Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent grab the bull by the horns and do what other people only talk about... Last night saw the girls bring their huge pink Tuk-tuk to grace Khao San Road, heralding the unofficial kick off of 'Tuk to the Road', a daring 10,000-mile Tuk-tuk ride from Bangkok to Brighton in the United Kingdom, taking in Laos, China and everywhere else in between. Anyone with the courage and mental strength to take on such a challenge deserves our support, and the fact that they are doing it in the name of charity means our support can help make the world a better place. Visit Jo and Antonia's website to find out more about their journey, the charity MIND, and just how you can support their cause. Good luck to both of you… have the safest of journeys.

Oh My Cod!...

Chris Rodgers (middle) is a guy who does it and doesn't just talk about it… Whereas other people have said KSR would be a great place for a British fish and chips shop, Chris has put his money where his mouth is and opened an oasis in a 'real food' desert. Word of mouth is traveling fast, and the word is that 'Oh My Cod!' is an instant hit. After sampling his cheese and onion pies, we can guarantee that this is very much the real deal. It's not actually on the strip, but inside Rambuttri Village (on that road that runs past the temple) so get thee down there now! Next week we interview Chris who tells us what inspired his bold move and just what causes a grown man to batter a defenceless cod. Click here for more...

Lost in Laos... Brian H. writes: "Help needed, We need people that would like some adventure,and would like to help a fellow human being. We had information concerning American POWs left behind inside Laos,so if anyone wanna help,to track them down they can contact me at: brihj@hotmail.com,or www.lostinlaos.org"

Saturday night...
Yep - just a usual Saturday night on Khao San Road...

...a massive classic bike show - just how do they get 100-year-old Enfields over here?

...a mime gets paid for sitting there and doing nothing... beats begging!

Whoof!

So, what's the Year of the Dog all about then? If you are born in the Year of the Dog you will be loyal, honest and someone people find it easy to have confidence in. However, you might be selfish, somewhat stubborn, and perhaps eccentric. People born in this year are not at all materialistic but might be a bit too straightforward for most people's tastes! Bearing that in mind, what can we expect in the Year of the Dog? There will likely be greater social awareness and interest in the weakest members of society. There should be a global wave of generosity and selflessness and a greater awareness of what is right and wrong. Wicked, eh?!

Rich in diversity...

What a rich, diverse place Khao San Road is... Walking along the strip the other night I chanced upon a group of Thai students sitting playing traditional Thai instruments. Quite mesmerizing it was, too. I spent a good 15 minutes just listening to their sounds… hypnotic. All good things must come to an end though. A couple of minutes stroll down the strip and I honestly thought there was some sort of football ruck going on. I was just about to wade in when I realized it was a Christian preacher belting out the virtues of a sinless existence. Polar extremes these two events, but then again, I guess that sums Khao San Road up!

Human interest...