An Unplanned Few Days Just North of Cha-Am - Photo Report

[Big Boy]

Part 1

7 Sept 23

We had builders in at home, and dust was becoming a problem for my wife who has significant lung problems. My daughter-in-law suggested we get out of Dodge for a few nights. I was planning to have September at home, but it made an awful lot of sense. I didn’t want to go far, and going up and down the coast fairly local to home on Google Maps I saw a reasonably priced beachfront hotel lodged between a lake and the sea just North of Cha-Am. I didn’t even know there was a lake near Cha-Am, so that was it, sold.

We set off just after lunchtime, and were in our hotel 40 minutes later.

The coast North of Cha-Am is a bit of a disaster. I think somebody was expecting a tourist boom that didn’t happen, and it was build, build, build. Now there are many hotels, resorts, condos and houses in varying states of decay. Such a shame. Billions of Baht must have been invested in developing this part of the coast. I have taken a series of photos to demonstrate how sad the area looks. There is even one condo or hotel that had spent a fortune on having air conditioning installed before it’s demise.

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The windows have curtains in most rooms, but I know the building has been unoccupied for at least 16 years.

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Our hotel, The Eurasia Chaam Lagoon Resort is no different. It must have been a fantastic place once. Unfortunately, it has seen better days. First thing to notice is the roads – they could definitely use a good coat of tarmac.

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The buildings are fairly solid, but could do with a coat of paint on the outside to freshen them up.

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A saving grace is the insides were furnished with quality wooden furniture that has stood the test of time i.e. a bit old fashioned and plain, but has many years of useful life left in it.

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The restaurant is a beautiful building, still in good repair, but not really used to its full potential.

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We ate there on night one, and the food was very average.

The 2 large pools seem to be in very good condition,

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and the deserted beach was quite clean.

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I don’t think it would cost too much to turn this back into a top resort, but the problem is, where are the tourists to make it worthwhile?

The lake behind the resort turned out to be a tidal river. Very nice feature though.

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...................../to be continued

[STEVE G]

My stepson stayed at one of those hotels on a trip from his Bangkok university a couple of years ago, it might have even been that one.

[PeteC]

I wouldn't be surprised if that stretch of derelict buildings and houses is where much of the Thai ghost and horror movies/TV are filmed.

[Big Boy]

My stepson stayed at one of those hotels on a trip from his Bangkok university a couple of years ago, it might have even been that one.

I think we were shocked when we arrived to be the only residents. Our opinion of the resort changed a lot when the weekend Bangkokians arrived. It turned out to be very nice, just a shame there was a coven of room maids (more as the story develops).

[caller]

I drive up and down that way reasonably often and it just demonstrates the need for proper planning laws, which include financial checks on the developers.

The building you say has been empty for 16 years is still maintained, which might explain its appearance. I saw this first hand, last time I was there a couple of months back or so.

Another oddity, is this remnant (my pic) of what I assume was intended to be a pier of some sort. You might have seen pics of it on social media. It seems very popular for some reason. This is beyond i.e. north of the actual lake, well I think that's what it is, that my other half's niece wanted to visit when she last stayed here, just to take some pics. So we turned off the road to the sea by a very large derelict building and followed the building along an old decrepit road to the beach, but when we got there, amazingly a couple of 'shops' were open, as was a restaurant. It also looked as though some of the dwellings were lived in, amongst the general appearance of dereliction. A large group of Thai men were sitting around a huge table in one of these shops / openings, and there were several cars parked up as well, with a few groups of people scattered across the large expanse of beach. I was amazed to see any life at all. I found it bizarre.

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[Big Boy]

The building you say has been empty for 16 years is still maintained, which might explain its appearance. I saw this first hand, last time I was there a couple of months back or so.

Still maintained? You amaze me. Actually, I wonder if the Police Forensic HQ has anything to do with that. I'm wondering if there has been some sort of restoration to the building to provide accommodation. You will see further through the report that we went to Puk Tien, and the Police Forensic HQ was a hive of activity. There were an awful lot of cars parked there.

The building itself has always fascinated me every time I have been there, and the fact it is actually raised of the ground a little by stilts. This time the road to Puk Tien was closed and we were diverted down a dirt track, so I didn't actually get close to the building.

[caller]

This time the road to Puk Tien was closed and we were diverted down a dirt track, so I didn't actually get close to the building.

That doesn't surprise me, it was in a terrible state. The whole place was desolate. No-one there, nothing open. It was as I left that I stopped briefly, to watch blue overalled men, doing some sort of work to the building. I have no idea if it was occupied or not, but there were electrical cables running here and there, cleaning materials etc. Working facing the road.

[Big Boy]

Part 2

8 Sept 23

After the previous night’s evening meal, I walked across to the restaurant with some trepidation. We were the only diners. However, as Thai hotel breakfasts go, this was quite good. Still the standard fried eggs, plastic sausage and plastic ham, but it was served hot, which is very unusual. My wife had the rice soup. The main courses were accompanied by toast and jam plus fresh fruit with orange juice and free flow tea or coffee. Being served hot (as opposed to lukewarm or cold) puts it in to the top echelon of Thai hotel breakfasts for me.

We had nothing planned for this trip, except 100% chill out whilst the builders were in at home. However, we had to get out of our hotel room for a couple of hours each day, just to let the maid in to make the beds, etc. I looked at Google Maps and there was a place called Bangkaeo that I’d never been to just 30 minutes up the road. I decided to drive to the viewpoint there, and then a steady drive back to the hotel, stopping off wherever it took our fancy.

We drove through Chao Samran, and found ourselves on a brand-new road that took us right through the middle of the Salt Flats. I’ve never seen so much salt stored, and had to stop to have a better look. For those who don’t know how it works, they let the sea water onto the salt flats, and then the sunshine evaporates the water, leaving salt, which is then gathered. There must have been tons of salt stored into a series of very primitive sheds that lined the road, some of which had lost their roof.

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It made me wonder though, yes, this was salt, but it wasn’t ready to put on my chips like this (I hope). I presume there must be some sort of further cleansing process that follows. I’ve never seen a salt cleansing plant though.

A little further up the road, I could see many workers gathering the salt.

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I took a distant photo, but then stopped when I got close to them to take a couple of better photos.

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A friendly bunch – many said hello (in Thai of course), and I replied in my ‘best’ Thai.

Bangkaeo Viewpoint was the furthest point on today’s journey.

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A very scenic bay, with a pretty little island just offshore.

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You can imagine my surprise when 2 dogs crossed the water between the island and the mainland.

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There must have been a causeway barely covered by the sea, but gave the illusion that the dogs were walking on water. Yes, when I zoomed in, the sand bar is just visible.

One problem here is sitting at the viewpoint there was a terrible smell, so we didn’t sit long. Over to my left, I saw what I hoped was a coffee shop. Coffee shop or not, we were going there to get away from the terrible stink. It turned out to be a noodle shop, but we sat there and consumed a bottle of coke each. It was lovely, just sitting with the slight waves gently lapping in right beneath us.

...................../to be continued

[Dannie Boy]

Regarding the salt, although we’ve never bought it “direct from the farm” there are numerous roadside stalls on the main Petchkasem road in that area where we have bought one or two (probably 5kg) bags and never had any problems using it, although obviously in granular form rather than fine salt. No idea whether it has been through any final cleansing process?

[Big Boy]

We've bought it from the roadside stalls as well in the past. However, it is just like regular table salt when we've bought it. This stuff looks a bit muddy , or maybe I was looking too closely.

[buksida]

With the level of microplastics and pollution in the Gulf of Thailand, I wouldn't touch the stuff until it has been filtered or refined.

Fascinating photos though, keep em coming.

[Dannie Boy]

If you eat prawns I’m sure that’s a greater risk!!

[buksida]

Most of the prawns for sale are farmed these days. But yes, those from the sea will be loaded with plastics.

[caller]

I only know this general area as I not infrequently drive this way, when returning from Bkk. If in no hurry, its nice to get off the 35/4 route, as it's generally a quite scenic, but slower route, that ends just before entering Cha am. I tend to drive when I plan to bring things back with me, or we are going on to somewhere else. Other times I take the bus. It's good to see a part of it being covered in this report.

[Big Boy]

Part 3

Fully refreshed, we set off for the next thing identified by Mr. Google - Art of Salt. I know they have a salt sculpture event every year, but had never been. I drove there on the off chance there would be some sculptures to see. There was a big sculpture about 400 yards from the road down a dirt track. I left my wife in the car and walked.

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The area was filthy – empty stalls, covered fairground rides, etc., but the rubbish on the ground was incredible. Quite disgusting actually. It actually looked as this place would come alive each evening as some sort of ‘entertainment’ venue. Even worse, it sounded as though some people were actually living inside some of the stalls – how could they live amongst such filth? I took my photos of the giant sculpture. I was underwhelmed by it, but then worked my way back to take photos of a few of the other sculptures that had seen better days. Then I touched one – polystyrene. What a con!!!

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While I was out at the big statue though, I did see something that I’d never seen before. It was an offshore oil terminal, with a couple of ships alongside. It was a struggle for my little point and shoot, but I had to take a photo or 2.

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Next stop was going to be Laem Phak Bia. I’d seen several interesting attractions listed here. Unfortunately, wherever we tried to visit, like most of this coastline it was closed down. Gates blocking the roads.

By this time the coke was starting to be a weight on our ageing bladders. We were in the back of beyond. No public toilets out here. OK, there were plenty of trees and bushes, but my dear wife (born and bred in Isaan) didn’t think such a suggestion appropriate. Then we saw our salvation, a brand-new temple called Wat Samut Kodom. There are always half decent toilets in temples, especially new ones. Fully relieved, I took the mandatory photos to make me look as having a reason to have stopped there.

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We were in a huge carpark that also serviced the Ban Laem Products Market.

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I think the product of Ban Laem is probably salt. OK, most likely cheaper than Tesco, but a long way to come to buy it. We didn’t venture in to the market.

...................../to be continued