Observations (TIT)

[Big Boy]

I am well into my 2nd year of living in Thailand. I'd also been on holiday here dozens of times. I don't remember at any time being inundated by flies the way they seem to be chasing me around over the last few weeks.

Since last year's stomach operation I am meant to eat very slowly. However, I find myself gulping down food faster than ever just to keep the flies away.

Are they worse this year, or have my rose tinted specs of previous years failed me? If this year's seasonal increase is 'normal', when does the problem ease?

[buksida]

They do seem to be a lot worse this year than I can remember as far back as I've lived here.

[Dannie Boy]

I sit outside during the day and eat breakfast and lunch and often dinner on the patio and like you BB, have been driven mad recently by the constant attention of flies. We spray the area with insecticide, but it doesn't seem to have any effect, they keep coming back and are not deterred in the slightest by me trying to knock their heads off!!

[Big Boy]

I agree. We'd just come back from having breakfast out when I recorded my latest observation. They were so bad today that I gave myself a liberal spraying of insect repellant. That stopped them from landing on me, but they were still constantly buzzing around my head, and trying to eat my breakfast.

These beasties have no fear, and are very quick. It wouldn't surprise me if the odd one landed on my toast en-route to my mouth.

[lomuamart]

I think that one, it's rainy season and two - just going from my front porch - there's one little bugger that bothers me but he/she always seems to be around after my wife has had a somtam party. Ie, debris, especially salty goo left on the table.

[hhinner]

Personally I think there's more than usual this year but when I mentioned the flies to our ant & termite control contractor the other day he said it's normal at the start of the rainy season. The mosquito fogging last week got rid of the mossies for a while, but the flies just keep on coming.

[richard]

Personally I think there's more than usual this year but when I mentioned the flies to our ant & termite control contractor the other day he said it's normal at the start of the rainy season. The mosquito fogging last week got rid of the mossies for a while, but the flies just keep on coming.

In the condo we get fogged once a month. All the grounds, drains and on all floors and they will do individual condo interiors if asked. As always this time of year we get lots of flies and bugs even 9 floors up usually blown up to that height by winds

[PeteC]

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[margaretcarnes]

Often shops spring up when they are tipped off development is forthcoming. Very common in Bangkok where it is rumoured a sky-train stop is due in the future. Saw it in HH a few years back before the concrete moved in big time. The infrastructure was in place (electricity etc). Years ago I was nearly persuaded to invest in what seemed like a sea of pineapple fields but declined. What's there now? Black mountain golf club and it's surrounding concrete developments

It also happened at HH airport as I recall.......

[Scotian2012]

Whats with all the flies around Hua Hin recently? Not in 7 years do I recall it being as bad as it is right now, everywhere. Just got our house sprayed but thats not helping. Restaurants are full of them also.

[sargeant]

Not in 7 years do I recall it being as bad as it is right now,

same same in Pranburi and with me its 16 years

[Terry]

...............They were so bad today that I gave myself a liberal spraying of insect repellant.....

Things will probably improve when you take that long overdue shower...............

[Big Boy]

Things will probably improve when you take that long overdue shower...............

All being well, I'm hoping that could be tomorrow. Mind you, I did have a shower in February - I might just leave it a little longer yet.

[richard]

Get tin bath out in front of fire and keep the bad leg suspended out of the way. Oh sorry. bath night only Fridays

[Big Boy]

Coffee Shops

Personally, I drink far too much coffee, but the same can't be said for most Thais, in fact it seems to be a morning only thing for Thais. An example of this is the morning trains to Bangkok sell coffee, but the afternoon/evening trains from Bangkok do not.

So why am I seeing so many coffee shops popping up in the most unlikely of places? What is their customer base?

OK, around a town like Hua Hin with it's resident expats, and passing holiday traffic there might be enough business to survive. However, as an example, I drove out to Black Mountain a few weeks ago (high season was probably in its last few weeks). En-route, after we'd left the built-up areas, we passed 3 coffee bars - not a customer at any. This is typical of many coffee shops I've seen, so how do they survive? Or do the simply go bust?

Another example, on the road between Soi 88 and Soi 94, they spent a couple of month refitting a building as a coffee shop. While it was open, we only ever saw one customer. Now it's closed.

Yet still they come. Where is the market research?