Thai websites

As an ex-resident of Thailand I like to  follow a few Thai websites. They come and go but a few of the older ones have stayed the course. Stickman and Thaivisa for instance have been around almost as long as the internet but there are a few other sites that help me keep up with changes in the Land of Smiles as us old Thai hands like to call it.

Some cynics say the smiles have always been superficial but not me. I was lucky enough to catch a few genuine ones in my time. I'm talking 20-30 years ago when a beer set you back 10 baht. Nowadays though smiles do seem to be getting thin on the ground. Thailand has lost whatever innocence it had I think....mainly due to the internet but also because it has become part of the real world. A victim of its own success you could say.

People keep going to Thailand though. More all the time. Tourists, sex  and otherwise, backpackers, criminals on the run etc. etc. It's a fun place. The Full Moon Party has become a rite of passage for young revellers. And Songkran is great. You don't need clothes.

So here are a few Thai websites that may interest old timers and newbies alike. I'm not bothering with the boring ones that just want to sell crap. Nobody reads them anyway.

Let's look at Stickman first. Stick lives in New Zealand now but he knows Bangkok, especially the naughty nightlife and he somehow manages to keep up with new developments. He publishes a column every week and his site is a mine of information. The archives go back years.

Thai Visa. It's mainly geared to the owner's commercial instincts but it covers a lot of ground. Very good if you are trying to figure out ever-changing visa restrictions. The forum is great too. Lots of Thai experts there. If you want to get into pointless arguments with people you will hopefully never meet TV is the place.

Pattaya Addicts is run by a bloke called Bryan Flowers. He's a Brit, lives in Pattaya, owns a bunch of girlie bars and he isn't shy about who knows it. Bryan likes to live dangerously and has a very interesting site.

Pattaya Secrets. has been going for a long time. They have a bar, restaurant and hotel in Pattaya so obviously they have a bit of a bias. But the forum is lively and loaded with info from punters who know Pattaya. You can ask them anything within reason.

There are other sites (and blogs) which seem to get by on news clips, gossip and a bit of advertising... Coconuts, Thailand Law Forum, Stickboy Bangkok (wonder how he came up with that name) and Thai 360 which is like a club for cranky old timers but open to new members if they behave themselves.

I've probably missed a few and some of the links won't work but I do my best. Nobody's perfect.

Mustn't forget Andrew Drummond a journalist who covers murders, suicides, rapes, scams and ripoffs. Thailand has its fair share of those.