Songkhla is one of my favourite places in this Land of Happy Smiles…I have been visiting and living around here for 11 years and my heart grows fonder for Songkhla every year…I don’t know why…It’s just Paradise…Perhaps it’s the Thai People and the Foreigners who make it their home…
http://nst.sawadee.com/songkhla
Songkhla is the largest fishing port in Thailand & a major education town, with 3 universities, plus all the employment from the people who run the administration of the province… It is never short of employment…Very few foreign tourists find it…Only those who know Thailand well…They revisit time and time again…They have found their Utopia…Many live here during the western winter & many more are retired here…
Here are some places to visit while you are here…Please promise me NOT TO TELL too many people…We don’t want this place to be over-run with thousands of foreign tourists…
HOTELS
This website has lots of information about Thailand including the BP Samila Resort on Samila beach near the Mermaid…
http://www.farangs.com/bp-samila-beach-hotel-resort.htm
The Pavilion Songkhla Hotel is in the central part of town close to the beach…
http://www.pavilionhotels.com/songkhla/index.php
The Rajamangala Pavilion Beach Resort is located on Chalatat Beach with a spectacular oceanview of the Gulf of Thailand…
http://www.pavilionhotels.com/rajaman/index.php
I stay at the Chok Dee hotel on the road that runs past the post office and central market area…There I pay Baht 280 for a fan room with private bathroom and they are very clean and the staff are very helpful…Air con rooms are Baht 350…Most of my friends use the Chok Dee hotel from my past recommendations…
BARS
THE CORNER BIER owned by Tam and his lovely Thai wife Som…They will make you most welcome and give you all the information you need about where to stay, what to do, where to go in Songkhla…They also own the Sadao Mini Mart close by where you can buy frozen meats which are vacuum packed & are only available here…I have known Tam for 11 years and he is the most friendly Scotsman I have ever met…
THE BUZZ STOP
This lively bar is run by George from Ireland…Need I say more…George has the only Draught Guinness in the deep south of Thailand…And it’s excellent at Baht 160 (US$4) a pint…
George tells me he will also have Draught Kilkenny, brewed at Smithwicks Brewery in Parliament Street, Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland…very soon…George has a wonderful character and sense of humour…Any information you want…Talk to George before 9.00 pm…As after this time, it’s hard to understand George…It must be his Irish accent and, of course, the Draught Guinness…
BAR AND RESTAURANT
THE PARLANG is owned by Khun Kag, and she has been there for centuries, or so it seems…Kag knows everyone in town…Tell her, Dennis sent you, & she and her husband Owen, from New Zealand, will make you most welcome…
There are masses of places to visit in Songkhla and you can find out about all the others, from these Key People listed here…Enjoy Songkhla…Like I do…Always…
Travel News
Very good information re Songkhla for any traveller wanting to see a part of Thailand seldom visited by tourists. We do suggest you meet some of the persons mentioned by Dennis as they will help you with any enquires and assist in making your stay more pleasant. You may not wish to stay long as this is not a ‘Phuket’ type place but rather a place to ‘veg out’, relax, enjoy some of the best Thai food you’ll ever taste, and to make a few new friends.
And then again I have known visitors to return here after finding some of the other more well known centers too crowded.
Enjoy Songkhla.
Well said Owen. Songkhla is different and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Oh, and anyone contemplating coming to see us shouldn’t take the threat of terrorism at all seriously. Happily, apart from one incident a while ago which everyone seems to think was a mistake, we experience no problems at all. Please do come and see us but, as Dennis asked, don’t spread the word – we really don’t want hoards of tourists wrecking the peaceful atmosphere.
Thank you Dennis for mentioning me on your wonderful website and I agree with the above 2 comments. Songhkla is a great place and very peaceful, so as Rod wrote, don’t be afraid to come visit us but only if you really need to chill out and meet real Thai people…cead mile failte…A Thousand Welcomes…
Hi Dennis,
Just thought I would mention that as from the 28 February 2006 the Irish Buzzstop will have Killkenny beer on tap. To have Guinness on tap in Songkla is drinking history in the making but to now also have Killkenny draught all the way from Ireland…is phenominal…
Happy Days…
Hi Dennis thought u might like to know Songhkla is having the first st Patricks day parade in Thailand on march 17th 2009 starts 6 pm hopefully by taking part in this world wide celebration people will realise that Songhkla is a very safe place to come visit . This will be a fancy dress theme parade so anyone who wants to be a small piece of history in Thailand please come and join us for more info u can email me at [email protected]
best regards G Ryan.