This is my first posting as "Mark". I have been posting for a couple of years or so as "Mark2", as our esteemed administrator shares the same first name as me. But when I saw that Mark is registered as "Markadmin", what the heck.

Anyway, I hope everyone's well and I look forward to reading the posts.

By the way, for accommodation in Bangkok, I can highly recommend the Grand Business Inn on Soi 11, Sukhumvit. It is not listed on some of the travel websites (we found it on Travelfish.org). It was renovated in '05. Nice and clean, quiet. Nice good sized room. We paid 1600 per night. It is really close - like, 30 seconds - from Nana Station on the BTS. We have stayed at the Manhattan, which was quite ok, but I think the Grand Business Inn was a fair bit better. Only downside - no in-room safe. They have safety depossit boxes near reception but, inexplicably, they wanted to keep both keys. Apart from that, not a bad word to say about it. Great location. Good food. Friendly staff.

Sure, now you have full ownership rights to "Mark", so any other Marks will have to call themselves something else. Ah Bangkok, my wife loves the shopping, I love the food.

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Be warned, as with any forum, picking a fight with the admin guy is not recommended!

Hi Mark,
I noticed on another post that you go to KohPhangan often, which part of the island do you hang out on, I used to live on the west side Haad Yao for a long time, wheres your favorite place on the Island, my favorite beach is Thong Nai Pan, but best place to stay is Haad Yao i think for the atmosphere, I lived there from 1991-1999, but still go back every year.I have got used to the Island growing up and see changes every year but still the atmosphere is good another 10 years will see a big change for the worse i think as it gets more popular, Haad Rin, (which i have never liked and never stayed although attended about 40 full moon parties)will be a write off but the other beaches should survive.As long as they vary the accomadation style and architecture so that all resorts dont look the same is should still keep it interesting.I have noticed a copy cat intelligence that has the owners all building the same style of concrete room, i love the huts hopefully the rustic atmosphere can survive but i doubt it.

Hi Rob

You lived there for 8 years!? Lucky you! We have only ever stayed for a month or so at a time, but it never seems long enough . Favourite place on the isand - well, that is a tough one. Best beach - toss up between Bottle Beach and Thong Nai Pan Yai. We have stayed at both places, at different times. On our first trip (1993) we stayed at Paradise at Had Rin, but that was before Had Rin turned into what it is today. On a nice day the beach at Had Rin is still gorgeous (although you have to watch for the oily sludge in the water and on the sand bottom from the longtail boats), but it is way too noisy around there for us (we like to sleep of a night time, these days). So, we usually stay around Ban Tai. The beach is pretty ordinary, but it's nice and laid back and central in that it is easy to get to Thong Sala, Had Rin and Thong Nai Pan. Plus, we have friends in the area. Have always intended to stay around Had Yai so now, given your wrap, we will have to check it out. As to the full moon parties - you are a brave man. Forty! Mate, two was enough for me, although we did go a third time. A lot of the locals give it a miss these days. You gotta admit, the behaviour of some of the [other] farangs is way over the top. How drunk and off your face can someone get? This much... As to the island's survival - it seems to be slowly but surely turning up-market. Accommodation prices are higher every time we go. You can still get your coconut wood and thatch hut for around 350, but until fairly recently we were paying that much for a nice new bungalow on the beach, with insect screens, bathroom, balcony etc. These are now more like 600, if you're lucky. The older huts are getting pretty run down these days. Realistically, they need replacing or, at least, rethatching, every two or three years. Closer to Had Rin people are paying, like, 3000 for an aircon bungalow on the beach. It is becoming valuable real estate. Anyway, we still love the island. As long as they don't build an airstrip there, which I reckon would ruin the place, it should be ok. It is far enough out of the way to discourage most mainstream tourists. Anyway, the island's party party reputation also frightens away the mainstream. As you know, the island's resorts are mainly "lowrise", although there are some high rise places starting to rear up around Had Rin, I notice. When is your next trip?

The first full moon was the best and really the only one I enjoyed that was about 1991 and it was big then but nothing like now, all the others were as a guide taking our guests to the Party, I havent been for 5 years or so, I used to see dead bodies washed up at just about every party either that or someone shot or stabbed,
Back in the early 90's we would travel by long tail boat from Haad Yao to Haad Rin it was a fantastic way to go ,before they built that crappy road that washes away every monsoon time.
We had generator power at Haad Yao and the atmosphere was fantastic once the power went out people just sitting around beach fires talking and playing guitars or in restaurants by candle light.
I last went in June and July last year but are now waiting to grab a cheap ticket when the new airlines start flying to asia from Oz, later in the year