"Change is the only constant," or so say Thai Buddhists, and change is coming in fits and starts to old Siam. One of the Asian "Tiger economies," Thailand is slowly shedding the effects of economic collapse and recession in 1997 and seems poised on the edge of real exponential growth. Recent years have seen large public works projects, the building of dams, bridges and highways, rural development and growth in agricultural productivity. Bangkok promises the 2004 opening of a convenient subway line to augment the services of the elevated BTS Skytrain and the cranes of progress hang over every corner of urban Thailand, with many foreign companies moving offices to Bangkok lock-stock and barrel.
At the same time, the Thai economy is hampered by insolvent loans and Bangkok's rising steel and glass skyline is still marred by the half-built towers of crumbling concrete, the lingering evidence of collapse. Thai people are certainly wealthier than just a few years ago, and visitors are sure to note the glut of luxury SUVs and foreign sedans cruising city streets, but the rising middle class is not supported by a rise in social services and many are lost in the shuffle.
Politically, the country has seen a conservative shift with the ascendancy of Prime Minister Thaksin, who is enacting aggressive fiscal and infrastructural reforms in an every effort to make Thailand a leader in Asia. The PM's "War on Dark Influences" is more than your average PR campaign, but an across the board crackdown on corruption. Palm greasing and kickbacks are still the norm in local government and business, but laws once ignored are now being strictly enforced.
The current conservative regime's crackdown on drug trafficking has meant mass executions of suspected dealers, many without the benefit of trial. Figures vary, but some estimate as many as 3,000 smugglers and dealers have been executed in the last two years (the PM made a comparison between this and the dust that is stirred-up when you clean house). The current government's zero-tolerance policy is in response to the rampant increase in the manufacture and use of methamphetamines, called Yabba, as well as the thriving international trade in opium from neighboring Myanmar (Burma).
Thailand's once very open sex trades are also under attack from legislators and the most obvious brothels and massage parlors have come under pressure or have been closed, even in places like Bangkok's Patpong district or Pattaya which have long enjoyed a kind of lawless autonomy.
Thailand's porous borders are a concern in an age of global terrorism and efforts are under way to stop illegal immigration. In October of 2003 a known terrorist and one of America's most wanted, the infamous Hambali, was arrested just north of Bangkok and undocumented visitors are now close scrutiny by police and immigration officials. Fees for visa renewal have risen some 400% and police are making spot-checks of passports, especially in Bangkok's expat neighborhoods, in the name of weeding out n'er do wells and possible terrorists (more or less a bribe collecting operation though).
The October 2003 meeting of APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) leaders in Bangkok was a major catalyst for street-side reforms and a real showcase of Thailand's assets ("showcase" being the operative word). In the vigorous preparation for the arriving delegates, the mayor of Bangkok went so far as to issue a round-up of city dogs and homeless people, a policy that barely distinguished one from the other, and some of the more unsightly areas along the path of the royal barge parade on the Chao Phraya River were covered with an enormous banner so as not to give the delegates even a glimpse of poverty in Thailand. But the event went off without a hitch, President George W. Bush rode along with Prime Minister Thaksin in a modified Tuk-tuk, met King Bhumibol and watched the royal barges, a symbolic pageant to the future of a prosperous Thailand.
Tourism in old Siam is as brisk as ever. It is important to note that there were never any SARS cases in Thailand, but the 2003 outbreak as well as recent military crises in the Middle East has meant that the beaches and mountain retreats of the Thai tourist paradise were nearly empty for the better part of 2003. The good news is that this little shake-up to tourism in Thailand separated the wheat from the chaff and some accommodations are still offering bargain rates. Beach and island areas like Ko Samui, Phuket and Krabi have seen construction of some fine new resorts and the hotel scene in Bangkok is experiencing some exciting changes.
Getting There
You'll need to be hip to fluctuations in the international airline scene following the shakeup of September 11, 2001, the SARS crisis of 2002/2003 and the threat of global terrorism. You many find that some routes have been eliminated, while other carriers offer rock-bottom rates for premium flights. Though the number of visitors to Thailand has fluctuated in recent years with these crises, peak season is still peak season, and all surcharges and advance booking requirements still apply.
Getting Around
The biggest news is that soon (as early as April 2004 perhaps, but official reports vary), the first underground subway line will be opened in Bangkok, a great addition to the town's convenient skytrain service. Starting at Hualampong Railway station in the town center, the subway will meet with the skytrain along the Silom Line at Sala Daeng and with the Sukhumvit Line at Asok and will continue far north of the city.
Domestic air links, the country's many rail lines and a network of buses reach any corner of the kingdom and are all very affordable compared with tourist areas in the west. The further out in the sticks you go though the more rugged and many travelers in Thailand opt for self-drive car rental (even motorbikes for the adventurous) to tour places like the far north.
Accomodations
In Bangkok, the luxury Siam Intercontinental, once a top hotel in the heart of the city at Siam Square, has been torn down and in it's place The Paragon, a massive five-star, is under construction. The Hilton Nai-Lert, a parkside five star also near the city center is rebranding and opening as a Raffles Hotel (tel. 02253-0123; raffles.worldexecutive.com). Bangkok's latest gem is the newly opened Metropolitan Hotel (tel. 02625-3333; click here) on the site of the old Bangkok YMCA. Metropolitan is quite the little cat-walk and sure to attract the hippest international hobnobbers in coming years. The Conrad (tel. 02690-9999; conradbangkok.com) is another new five-star, this in a large shopping complex and very convenient to the embassy area. Conrad also features one of Bangkok's best clubs, "87."
Elsewhere, luxury properties are springing up like mushrooms on a wet log. On Phuket, the JW Marriot (tel. 07633-8000; www.marriot.com) is a secluded, luxury oasis on the northernmost tip of the busy tourist island. On Ko Samui, don't miss the newly opened Buriraya (tel. 07742-9300; www.buriraya.com), a luxury resort overlooking Lamai Beach, an area once reserved for budget travelers. In Krabi, the Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort (tel. 07562-8000; www.sheraton.com) is new to this edition and a luxury find. These same resort areas still support a host of good mid-range and budget accommodation with newer small resorts opening every day.
Islands like Ko Pha Ngan (near Ko Samui), Ko Lanta (near Krabi) and Ko Chang (east of Bangkok), once virtually untouched by mass tourism are, for good or for ill, sprouting high-end properties and luring the more well heeled. Panviman Resorts (www.panviman.com) has a fine property on Ko Chang (tel. 03955-1290) and Ko Pha Ngan supports another fine Panviman Resort (tel. 07723-8543) as well the popular Sanctuary Resort (no phone; www.sanctuaryresorts.com), a laid-back retreat with lots of healthy activities and a New Age approach (these just two among many new spots). Ko Lanta, south of Krabi, is still quite rustic, the paved road not yet spanning the length of the island (very muddy), but the Pimalai Resort and Spa (tel. 07560-7999; www.pimalai.com) is accessible by direct boats from Krabi and is a fine, high-end hideaway.
In Chiang Mai, Tamarind Village (tel. 05341-8896; tamarindvillage.com) is a new and unique semi-luxe compound at the city center. In the far north, near Chiang Rai, don't miss the reopened Le Meridien Baan Boran Hotel (tel. 05378-4084; www.lemeridien.com) overlooking the Golden Triangle and near the large Hall of Opium, a new, interactive museum about the history and cultivation of the poppy. Even places like sleepy Loei, a town near the Laos border in Isan, Northeast Thailand, hosts a new luxury location, the Loei Palace Hotel (tel. 04281-5668; www.amari.com/loeipalace).
And Spa Tourism has taken-off in leaps and bounds in Thailand: from luxury properties offering extensive health and beauty packages and super-luxe accommodation at prices comparable to Europe or the US, to smaller day spas and affordable destination spas with relaxing treatments and healthy living for all that ails you.
Every high end property these days offers spa services and places like The Banyon Tree in Phuket (tel. 07632-4374; www.banyantravel.com) or the Regent Chiang Mai(tel. 05329-8181) are tops. For high-end health destinations, nothing compares with Chiva Som in Hua Hin (tel. 03253-6536; www.chivasom.com), a longtime leader in spa treatments with a very proactive, "peel the onion" approach. Keep an eye out for the the new spa facility under construction at the Sukhothai Hotel (tel. 02287-0222; www.sukhothai.com), one of Bangkoks finest five-stars and the new spa will be like no other.
On the affordable end of things, Samui Spa Resort (tel. 07723-0855; www.spasamui.com) has just opened-up a new mountain-top campus in addition to their old seaside digs and still offer popular "cleansing" programs and fasting at affordable rates (only the accommodation now is much more tenable). Look under specific destination sections to find affordable day-spas.
Dining
Always something new and different on the scene in Bangkok. The most unique new offerings are at the ultra-chic Bed Supperclub (tel. 02651-3537) where diners are feted in, you guessed it, large communal beds, and Maha Naga (tel. 02662-3060) offers unique Thai/Western fusion in a verdant little garden off of busy Sukhumvit road. Elsewhere, be sure to at least have a wander in any city's night market; the adventurous will dive right in and enjoy the best authentic Thai food that is hearty, healthy and just a fraction of the price of anything comparable in the West.
Thailand is poised for progress and a visit to the kingdom offers a unique glimpse at a land eager to preserve traditions and at the same time embrace economic growth. If you are disappointed to find large "Home Centers" ala Walmart or familiar convenience stops like McDonalds, 7-11 and Pizza Hut everywhere but the smallest towns, rural roads in Thailand still lead you far as far away from consumer culture as you'd like to go, and great options for eco-tourism abound. Whether it is just our preconceived images of Old Siam, its beautiful courtiers and kings, or of rugged jungle and villages untouched by the march of progress, it is best to leave any expectations behind and visit Thailand with an open mind. "Amazing Thailand," as the much parodied PR campaign says, is sure to amaze and what you'll find will surely be beyond the pale of any expectations.