Welcome to Koh Chang! News, Views, Information and Opinion
Click on the images on the left to download PDF copies of our most recent Koh Chang Guides and Maps. You can also pick up free printed copies when you come to Thailand. You can find them in Bangkok and Pattaya, at Bangkok and Trat Airports and at hundreds of locations around the Koh Chang area.
April 29th - Walking on the Beaches...
Here's a photo taken yesterday on White Sand Beach just to remind you of the sultry tropical charms of the paradise island of Koh Chang, at least the bits of the island that that look like this. As you can see there's plenty of room on White Sand Beach for your beach mat at the moment. After the Thai New Year holiday the tourist high season gradually winds down and May and June are perfect times to visit Koh Chang if you want a bit of peace and quiet. The monsoon, at least back when the weather wasn't going all weird on us, doesn't generally start until late June. So if you can stand the heat, then get into the kitchen.
New Maps Now Available Online
Our new Koh Chang Treasure Map arrives on the island today so if you're here then you can pick up a copy. If you're elsewhere in the world then you can acquire a copy through the magical realms of cyberspace by clicking front and back.
At last we're safe from the water throwing mayhem that is the Songkran festival. Koh Chang now has a firmly established second Songkran on the 22nd and 23rd of April and this culminated in a big parade involving many floats of various and delightful peculiarity. Mother Nature, that great ironist, decided to rain on the parade again but since everyone had already soaked everyone else nobody seemed to mind.
This idea of celebrating events more than once seems to have done wonders for tourism on Koh Chang and in the light of this there are apparently plans to have festivals on the island to celebrate the Kutchi New Year on June 22nd, the Coptic Orthodox New year on September 11th and also the New Year of the Murador Aboriginal tribe of Western Australia on October 30th.
Koh Chang will also be holding
an early Christmas on August 12th. Nah, just messing with you.
The Kids from The Mercy Center just left Koh Chang after their annual visit, hosted by 15 Palms on White Sand Beach. The Mercy Center is a Pattaya-based humanitarian organisation who provide help to needy children in Thailand.
If you would like to find out more about their activities, to volunteer your help or to make a donation then they can be contacted on 086-688-5867 or at www.mercypattaya.com
The Koh Chang Pony Rehabilitation Centre (KPR), featured in our last update, has just relocated from their old home in Klong Son to pastures new in Klong Prao. They always welcome volunteers who are willing to forefeit some time to help out with the ponies' general maintainance and care. If you would like any more information, please contact Charlie via the KPR website (www.PonyProject.org) or call on 089 723 4278.
There's no story to accompany this Tree Frog photo. He's just pretty cool.
Filming on Koh Chang begins today for the German comedy Turkish for Beginners ( Türkisch für Anfänger) . They may still be looking for extras for more scenes being filmed over the next few days. They are paying 2,000 Baht a day so if you're interested in taking part call Danny on 089-755-3569.
Property: There aren't many good small plots of land left for purchase on the main road, at least not in good locations. But here's one on the main road in Klong Prao just 100 metres from the turning to Amari Emerald Cove Resort. The plot is Chanote land title (the best) and covers 0.8 Rai or 1,280 sq.m. and would be perfect for pretty much any kind of tourism related business. The land is priced at 5.5 Million Baht. If you are interested then get in touch with us.
A 1 Rai plot of residential land with a recently completed house and all amenities is available in Klong Son. The house is situated right on the river in a private spot close to the centre of the village. Again, if you are interested then get in touch with us.
Previous updates
Books: Koh Chang's largest bookshop is next to the main Post Office between White Sands Beach and Chai Chet. The Online shop is at www.BooksThailand.com. There are thousands of books in about 20 languages so feel free to come and browse or download a spreadsheet of all current stock here. We also buy books individually and in bulk in case you have any taking up valuable shelf space.
You can also win two books of your choice each month by entering a monthly competition on their Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/BooksThailand. Just answer the questions, choose your preferred books and see if you have the winning entry.
Over the years there have been quite a few businesses and individual 
photographers who have sold CD's of photos of Koh Chang. There have been some good photos but the overall standards have been fairly run-of-the-mill. But now there's a good one that we can endorse wholeheartedly. The photo collection is called - appropriately enough - Koh Chang Photography and has been prepared by Jon Milnes. There are some striking and original images and not just your standard beach view stuff. If you don't believe us then check out the new issue of our Koh Chang, Trat and The Eastern Islands guide. It contains lots of Jon's images and looks great as a result. You can get yourself a copy of the disk at offices of Scuba Zone all over Koh Chang or by calling 084-727-5413 or mailing jonathanmilnes@yahoo.com.
You will find all our Previous Front Page stories and lots of other articles and features here.
