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...But the Good News Is... Turn the TV on at any hour of the day and you will be reminded that the world economy is a train wreck waiting to happen. The tourism industry in our part of the world is in deep trouble, yet the hotels most gay visitors prefer are consistently full. Thankfully, we are about as busy as we normally are this time of year. Most of our guests travel here because they understand how inexpensive it is compared to many other destinations that are attractive to them. The great news is that prices are lower than ever before. The cost of oil is low, which is motivating some airlines to reduce fares. Many of the hotels we work with are doing almost whatever it takes to fill rooms. Consequently, we have renegotiated rates to the lowest point we have seen in a long, long time. To date we have special prices for all of these hotels:
Mainstream tourists are staying at home for the time being, eyes glued to their TV sets, waiting for the trains to collide. So an added bonus for our guests is that they will not have to share their holiday with bus loads of people they would rather not rub shoulders with at home. There is something wonderful about entering a temple, monument or museum and having the place practically to yourself.
You can see the latest goodies on our Member Specials page. We have even added
some coupons--you can get a free shirt
or a discount at Cutey & Beauty Salon or Up2 Salon in Bangkok.
You can see all of them in the Members-only section of the Club Sanook website:
www.clubsanook.com/members. Not yet a Member?
Join here.
The Newsletter You Missed
In January we sent all of our Members a postcard. Unfortunately, the link to our
January newsletter was a little too obscure for most to notice, so you may have
completely missed it. It is worth reading if you did. We announced the 2008
Photo Contest winners and offered an easy quiz. We have decided to extend the
deadline for entering until the end of March. Questions are based on the January postcard (which you
can still find online). You will find clues to the bonus question in the
photo contest rules posted on the Purple Dragon website. To see the January
newsletter and enter the contest click
here. Another clue: "Indonesia" and "New Jersey" are incorrect answers to
all questions.
Been There, Done That
With increasing regularity people come into our office and announce that they
have "already visited Bangkok three times and there is noting left to
see." Believe it or not there is more to the Big Mango than the Grand Palace,
the Weekend Market and Babylon. Sure, there are places like Jim Thompson's
House, Vimarnmek Mansion and Wat Po that are well-trampled by tourists. However,
there is plenty more if you scratch below the surface. In future editions of
Bulletin from Bangkok we will give you a few suggestions and publish the
compiled list on our
website.
The Anantasamakhom Throne Hall, near Government House and Vimarnmek Mansion, is one of Bangkok's most specacular pieces of architecture. This Renaissance building of Italian design was constructed of marble from Italy under
the instruction of King Rama V, with an intention to be used as a royal reception hall. Frescos decorating the dome show scenes of royal pagentry during the reigns of the earliest Kings. The building serves as a venue for royal and state ceremonies. Recently the Throne Hall has become a museum displaying some of the priceless treasures owned by the Royal Family.
Panthip Plaza was a department store in its previous
life, but is now home to hundreds of small shops selling anything and everything
electronic. You will find everything from mobile telephones to computers,
computer parts and peripherals at bargain prices. If you are an early adapter
and crave the latest gadgets you may find them here before they are on the
market back home. Panthip (the "h" is silent) is also one of the favorite places
for Thais to shop for cheap software and the latest movies on DVD (sometimes
before they even appear in theatres). Panthip is on Petchaburi Road near Central
World Plaza about 20 minutes by taxi from the Silom/Surawong area. Every
taxi driver knows how to get there.
Singapore Swing
We took a sabbatical from Bali about three years ago. But many of our guests have been asking for the perfect holiday that includes both beaches and sleepy hillside villages, so we are in the process of launching two new low-frills Bali packages. If you have not yet been there you are missing something special. We will plan to offer a great selection of gay and gay-friendly hotels in both South Bali and Ubud. While this is still a work in progress, please
let us know if you are interested and you we will send you email to tell you where to find Bali on our website.
Seeing Double?
If you received two or more emails regarding this issue of Bulletin from
Bangkok, that means we have duplicate records in our Membership list. Please let
Miss Fu know so that we do not clutter your In box with redundant email.
Would you like to read the
Not yet a Club Sanook Member?
JOIN NOW |
Bangkok. Siri Sathorn, Siam Heritage, The Metropolitan
Bangkok's Hindu Temple. If you have visited here even
once you know how easy it is to become blurry-eyed after visiting one too many
of Bangkok's magnificent Buddhist temples. If you are interested in divine
architecture, an interesting alternative is Bangkok's largest Hindu temple.
Although it is on Silom Road, only a few blocks from the center of nightlife and
hotels, it is a world away. The serenity inside will make you want to linger for
a while, just to watch the parade of people and enjoy the rhythm of the gentle
music. Before you leave, have a look behind the long wall about two blocks away
in the direction of the nightlife area and you
will see what is probably one of the largest non-military cemeteries in the
world. Although the land is worth billions of dollars/euros/pounds and
surrounding office towers are reaching ever closer to the heavens, this big plot of
land is strictly off limits, much to the dismay of developers.
An Island to Yourself .
Not far up the Chao Praya River from Central Bangkok is tiny Koh Kret, home to ethnic Mon people and the best place to find fabulous terra cotta treasures in Thailand. You can walk or bicycle around the island in less than an hour, without a single car in sight (they are not allowed). The place is almost completely deserted on weekdays except for the monks who care for a few sleepy temples, and the artisans in the pottery workshops, so you may find that you are the only visitor. On weekends, however, this is a favorite place for local people to visit because the narrow lanes become lined with people selling all kinds of unusual food, particularly many traditional Thai sweets that have all but disappeared here since 7-Elevens started selling candy bars.
Kudos
in Delhi 
Close your eyes and think of Singapore, Dorothy. What do you see in this land
of Oz? A sterile, boring city run by an autocratic and conservative government
that seems to hate fun? We thought so, too. But we could not have been more
wrong. Singapore is almost electrifying in its great diversity. This tiny island
nation with a population about the size of Bangkok is a cultural crossroads with some of
Asia's most unique architecture, dining, hotels, shopping and even (believe it or not) nocturnal
diversions. Unlike Hong Kong, Singapore is mostly open space and has hundreds of
public parks and wilderness areas. Its zoo and botanical gardens are among the
best in the world. This major transportation hub is a great place to stop over
on your way to somewhere else. Our Singapore package will probably be on our website by the time you see this but you will not be able to find it unless you
Back to Bali 
New in Purple Dragon's World 
When
we saw The Scarlet in Singapore it was love at first sight. Transformed from a group of century-old shophouses, The Scarlet makes a powerful design statement that is both luxurious and fun. How can you describe it? Whimsical? Eccentric? Or simply a designer gone mad? Maybe all of those things. But we think it is really standout as extraordinary. Rooms come with DVD players and
giant TV screens, ample bathrooms, and goose down comforters. Coffee is delivered within minutes of your wake-up call.
The Scarlet is a class act and we are proud to offer it as the cornerstone of
our new Singapore Swing package.
Sihanoukville
has been called "Pattaya fifty years ago." Half a day by scenic highway from
Phnom Penh, three attractive beaches lure visitors for long weekends. While the
nightlife has not yet developed there, it is still a great place for a relaxing
holiday. Unfortunately we have not had much success with hotels there until
recently. The "best" hotel there is a sprawling Malaysian-designed eyesore and
the other options available are mostly guesthouses. So we were really excited
when DevaRaja Villa and Bungalows introduced themselves to us. This new
gay-owned, gay-managed boutique hotel is intimate, stylish and intent on
providing attentive service. We like it so much that it is the only hotel we
plan to use in
We have had the pleasure of working with Golden Banana in Siem Reap (Angkor Wat)
for some time now. As far as we know, Purple Dragon is the only tour operator
they cooperate with, which makes us feel pretty special. We have watched Golden
Banana grow from an adorable guesthouse to a full-blown resort. They have just
opened their third phase, which they call their Boutique Resort. (We suggested
they name it the Purple Dragon wing, and they are still considering it.) This
newest addition to the property is made up of villas and suites surrounding a
delightful pool. Many of the villas have rooftop terraces with shower facilities
and gigantic tubs. Aside from their tasty breakfasts, what we like most about
Golden Banana are the wonderful people who work there and make guests feel so
much at home. We feature Golden Banana in our
