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One of the Asian "tiger economies," Thailand is growing exponentially. Thais
are wealthier, and Thai infrastructure is expanding. Recent years have seen
large public works projects; the building of dams, bridges, and highways;
rural development; and growth in agricultural productivity.
Bangkok's new international airport is nearly complete, and the Thai
capital now boasts a subway line to augment the services of the elevated BTS
Skytrain.
Politically, the country has seen a conservative shift with the
ascendancy of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is enacting aggressive
fiscal and infrastructural reforms in an effort to make Thailand a leader in
Asia. The PM's "War on Dark Influences" is more than your average PR
campaign, but an across-the-board crackdown on corruption. Palm greasing and
kickbacks are still the norm in local government and business, but laws once
ignored are now being strictly enforced.
Recent news from Thailand focuses on the troubles in the far south along
the Malay border. Sectarian tensions and small-scale terror attacks by
isolated extremist groups since January 2004 have provoked a swift and
deadly response from the Thai military. Thai police and military
installations, schools, and Buddhist temples have been targeted by
extremists, and retaliation from Thai troops has left hundreds dead; in
fact, much of the international criticism cites excessive use of military
force against young militants, particularly in the wake of a massacre at a
temple in April 2004. The southern border area, near Pattani and Sungai
Kolok, has been under periodic martial law, and travelers are discouraged
from any unnecessary travel to the far south; few international tourists
visit the area, however, and any violence so far has been directed at Thai
establishments and places that cater to Malay tourists (mostly weekend
revelers). The situation along the border is being watched closely, and
things have been calm of late. Deferring travel to the south coast islands
(which are far removed from the violence) would only mean a triumph for
extremists.
The big news is that Bangkok's
long-awaited subway is finally open! The subway connects Hualamphang Train
Station with the northern Mo Chit bus terminal via an inverted C route
through the city, with access to the existing skytrain at Silom and at the
Asok stop on Sukhumvit Road. One ride will cost between 15B and 35B
(¢40-¢90).
Bangkok is also awaiting the completion of a new airport. Suvanabhumi
International Airport is slated for opening in the fall of 2005. The current
airport, Don Muang
International, will be transformed into the domestic terminal. In other
airline news, there have been some exciting changes on the domestic air
scene, with many new, smaller carriers vying for domestic routes. Nok Air
(nok means bird) is a small, no-frills subsidiary of Thai Airways
(www.thaiair.com); Air Asia (www.airasia.com), a budget Malay carrier, runs
budget hops to all major tour destinations in the kingdom; and Valuejet is
making connections from a number of international destinations.
Along with its fine resorts in Hua Hin, Bangkok, and the Golden Triangle,
Anantara has just opened 108 rooms of the Anantara Resort and Spa
Koh
Samui on a quiet stretch of beach on Bo Phut Bay.
On
Koh
Chang, a lush little hideaway just short of the Cambodian border on
Thailand's eastern seaboard, the folks at the Amari hotel chain have just
finished construction on the
Amari Emerald Cove Resort .
In
Bangkok, the luxury Siam Intercontinental, once a top hotel in the heart
of the city at Siam Square, has been torn down, and in it's place the
Paragon, a massive five- star, is under construction. The Inter-Continental
is now open in style in a building once housing Le Meridien. The Hilton
Nai-Lert, a park-side five-star also near the city center, is rebranding and
opening as a Raffles Hotel (tel. 02253-0123). Bangkok's latest luxury
catwalk is the newly opened Metropolitan (tel. 02625-3333) on the site of
the old YMCA.
Elsewhere, luxury properties are springing up like mushrooms on a wet
log. On
Phuket,
the JW Marriott is a secluded, luxury oasis on the northernmost tip of
the busy tourist island. On
Koh
Samui, don't miss the newly opened Buriraya (tel. 07742-9300), a luxury
resort overlooking Lamai Beach, an area once reserved for budget travelers.
In
Krabi, the Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort (tel. 07562-8000) is a luxury
find. These same resort areas still support a host of good midrange and
budget accommodations with newer small resorts opening every day.
Islands like Ko Pha Ngan (near Koh Samui), Ko Lanta (near Krabi), and Ko
Chang (east of Bangkok), once virtually untouched by mass tourism are, for
good or for ill, sprouting high-end properties and luring the more well
heeled. Amari Emerald Cove Resort (tel. 03955-2000) is a cozy new choice on
Ko Chang. Panviman Resorts has fine properties on Ko Chang (tel. 03955-1290)
and Ko Pha Ngan (tel. 07723-8543).
Ko
Lanta, south of Krabi, now hosts the
 Pimalai
Resort and Spa , a luxurious hideaway on a backpacker's isle.
In
Chiang Mai, Tamarind Village (tel. 05341-8896) is a unique semiluxe
compound at the city center. In the far north, near
Chiang Rai, don't miss the reopened Anantara Resort and Spa Golden
Triangle (tel. 800/225-5843 or 05378-4084) overlooking the Golden Triangle
and near the large Hall of Opium, a new interactive museum about the history
and cultivation of the poppy.
Spa tourism has taken off in leaps and bounds in Thailand: from luxury
properties offering extensive health and beauty packages and superluxe
accommodations at prices comparable to Europe or the U.S., to smaller day
spas and affordable destination spas with relaxing treatments and healthy
living for all that ails you. Tops are places like the Banyan Tree in Phuket
(tel. 07632-4374) or the Four Seasons Resort & Spa in Chiang Mai (tel.
05329-8181). For high-end health destinations, nothing compares with
Chiva-Som in
Hua
Hin , a longtime leader in spa treatments with a very proactive, "peel
the onion" approach.
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