Wildlife

Question – Where can I stay for relaxation & wildlife?

I’ll have a spare week in Thailand at the end of August. I’ll be there to volunteer at the elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai.

I’m very much into ethical wildlife so would love to unwind somewhere safe and relaxing that has access to free roaming wildlife such as monkeys & turtles.

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Good luck on turtles… 500+dives in Thailand and never seen 1….You need to go to Indonesia for turtles….

Many Thai resorts tours etc will claim green credentials – you need to be EXTREMELY skeptical. For instance many offer tours in areas where the public is not permitted and the environment is not prepared for human encroachment. (Koh Chang is one example)

So……..here’s my checklist.
A few things to think about when interacting or encountering animals in Thailand

How can you tell? – What can you tell in a day? “The average tourist doesn’t have the capacity to identify cruelty to animals because sometimes that cruelty is not overt.” Born Free Foundation

It’s almost impossible but try to keep in mind some of these items…..

The Law – Thailand has virtually no animal cruelty laws. – Prevention of Animal Cruelty Act – Dec 2014 – is Thailand’s FIRST EVER legislation!! -up to 1 month and/or fined up to 1,000 Baht – it is not clear whether this is extends to wild animals or only to protect domestic animals,. Omitted are such acts as “discarding animals or keeping them too narrowly confined, animals fighting for sport, the eating of live animals, as well as prohibiting the trade of dogs and cats for consumption.”

Zoos and Captive Animals – in the west, zoos are now largely scientific establishments that research wildlife and conservation – exhibiting the animals is of secondary importance.

Zoos in Thailand are not scientific institutions they are more like circuses. Keeping of protected wildlife is technically illegal. Permission is needed to start a zoo but guidelines are unclear and inspections were not required until recently. All this falls well short of international standards

Enforcement and Corruption – How much do the authorities do? – Granting of licences seems casual to say the least; some granted seem to fly in the face of common sense. When it comes to taking action against any animal establishment the authorities have been notably reticent.
Many people assume that if a place was operating outside reasonably acceptable standards, it would have been brought to task or closed. This is NOT the case in Thailand.

It is often difficult for visitors to Thailand to understand the depth breadth and all permeating influence of graft, nepotism and corruption in Thailand.

Are they GREEN?

Beware of claims of “conservation” – they are usually false. E.g. most large mammals cannot under any circumstances be released into the wild – tigers are incapable of survival without training from their mothers and would have no fear of humans. – Elephants can be released into large reserves, but unfenced would encroach on human habitation. “There is no alternative, animals must earn their keep” – This is a false perception. Many of these animals are illegally bred for profit in the first place. Owners have even under Thai law, a duty of correct care. There is also still a lot of habitat in Thailand that is suitable for conservation of both wild and captive animals. A survey in about 2007 showed potential for up to 2000 tigers – the current population in and around Thailand is between 100 and 300.

Conservation is not about keeping enough examples for us to look at. It is all about protecting the environment and preserving fully functioning eco-systems in the wild – the idea that examples in a zoo mean everything is OK is wildly out of touch with the real situation.

Keystone species: are animals that form a major part in the working of a bio-system. Tigers are apex predators; take them out of a forest and deer proliferate, trees get eaten and the system is damaged, it may even collapse. Elephants are the “tractors” of a system – They roam and eat vegetation which ensures distribution of seeds growth of plants, they give access for smaller animals to water and food; CAGED, animals take no part in this.

Cages – most cages in Thailand fail to meet minimum internationally accepted requirements. Size and time locked up are important. (Tigers need space in the wild – males up to 60 to 100 km2, females up to 20 km2). Bare cages are boring – animals need stimulation. They need something to do and some cover. (e.g. – Tigers are solitary and territorial by nature and seeing other tigers or any animals nearby can cause considerable stress)

Repetitive behaviour/lethargy. Caged animals often display clearly identifiable signs of psychological damage, resulting in unnatural behaviour patterns – these animals are stressed. Big Cats pace cages because they are bored out of their minds LITERALLY!

Tricks and Shows – If an establishment is making animals do tricks, such as paint, Orang-utans boxing – tigers jumping through hoops or behaviour that isn’t natural – then it is reasonable to assume that the are animals are being exploited. Training can be harsh and cruel

Babies – Be very suspicious of places with lots of young of any kind – Breeding of animals is a scientifically complex activity that takes into account many conservation issues. – Even if the animals themselves breed readily – it can result in inbreeding, hybrids and unwanted animals, and damage to gene pools. Unscrupulous operators usually do this to bring in customers to pet the babies. Breeding in captivity and a captive breeding program are not the same thing.

Speed-breeding is a set of techniques used by such places as tiger farms to keep female tigers producing litter after litter. It means there are always a few babies around to attract the public. Stillborns and runts are common in Tiger litters and can be used for bottling for TCM.

Mixed species exhibits – e.g. Pigs suckling tiger cubs – is a technique for speed breeding – taking the cubs from their mothers early on triggers a hormonal response and the female tiger can become pregnant again.

Animals don’t wear clothes.

Street Animals – Don’t pet, pose with or pay vendors carrying street animals – these creatures are subjected to horrendous abuse (drugging etc., in the case of reptiles having their mouths sewn shut), when their usefulness expires or they become too unmanageable they are killed.

Drugging – Anything from an iguana to an elephant – in Thailand they are habitually drugged to make them easier to handle – however with any kind of prolonged drug abuse there are side effects – this can often be unpredictable and violent behaviour. Animals have comedowns too.

Dogs – Don’t feed Soi dogs. Thailand has a serious stray dog problem – it is sustained by access to food- often garbage and donations by misguided but well-meaning people. If food runs low dogs stop breeding and the numbers of diseased and wretched animals roaming the streets reduces. If you must get involved with a street dog – get it neutered or spayed
Dogs as food – many dogs are caught and shipped abroad for human consumption. BUT – Dogs are also eaten in Thailand. They are often tortured to death, as it is believed that it tenderises the meat. Many have their legs broken and tied hind there backs to make transport easier. Consumption of dog meat is LEGAL in Thailand.

Looking after animals – Giving an animal your affection for 10 minutes – or even a day or a week doesn’t necessarily improve it’s life overall – your money is going to support or continue the abuse or suffering

Elephants don’t live in Towns and can’t carry heavy loads. – Elephants’ backs aren’t capable of carrying heavy weights. They are the wrong shape (In logging they were used for PULLING). If they offer elephant rides they are most likely exploiting their animals.

Mahouts are frequently frauds – a mahout traditionally lived with one elephant for his entire career. The “handlers” around parks and towns are usually inexperienced and RENT the elephant of its owner in order to make a bit of cash.

Beware of websites/forums promoting wildlife attractions. Are not always as unbiased as you might think – they receive advertising revenue of tour companies who profit from animal attractions. Advice is from people who either don’t understand the issues or refuse to accept they have participated in animal exploitation themselves

CITES – “Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora” – is an international treaty to protect endangered plants and animals. Thailand is a signatory and has been under pressure over the last few years to clean up their act and start shutting down the trade in a multitude of endangered flora and fauna. If you see animal products on sale such as ivory, amulets or skins, report it –

I must say I’m not finding it at all easy to avoid the awful sights when searching for a place to stay.

It’s so bad I think I may avoid it completely and spend my extra week elsewhere. Sumatra was suggested on another thread as incredible for ethical wildlife, I might try there instead.

I think I’d be too upset by the fate of orang-utans.

The reality is that S.E. asia in general is a ghastly place for all forms of flora and fauna at present. That’s not to say there aren’t people who care and organisations trying to educate and conserve. But it makes me sick to my stomach when resorts and hotels make totally baseless claims of being “green” and “living with nature” (or “natural” as they mistakenly say it)

 

So no to Sumatra too?

Where would you suggest?

I haven’t said no to anywhere. I just think that people need to be aware of welfare and conservation issues and try to find places that have genuine welfare and conservation at heart. I understand you have been volunteering – Maybe some people there have particular places they recommend. Failing that you can always Google a bit before visiting.

Is there anywhere you can recommend that you feel is truly ethical?

After doing very limited research in Sumatra I’ve now ruled that out too due to the many accounts of sexual harassment towards women.

I have emailed the Elephant Park to ask for a good place to travel onto next and await their response.

Ok – firstly check out the people at Elephant park. (how long are you volunteering for?). Then look at National parks.etc

Your problem is that August is wet season pretty much everywhere. Some parks will be closed or running on half mast. I’d probably try to go somewhere with a minimal foreigner population and a bit of scenery. I love the North of Thailand and Laos, but the more Southern Provinces have some nice coastline left.

You aren’t going to see hoards of wildlife roaming past your door anywhere …..except for monkeys and when they do that it is a terrible nuisance. Parks like Khao Yai and Kaeng Krachan and Khao sok have plenty of accommodation on hand ….I particularly like the boat trips on the Khao Sok lake which has a limestone karst topography.

Your budget is a bit tight so why not just backpack around for a bit, get to meet Thai people and a few tourists to get a feel for the country as a whole….or just head for Phang Nga and see what turns up. I doubt if you’ll need to book at that time of year.

I drive around Thailand extensively, I never book, I just see where I end up at the end of the day….it’s usually great..occasionally a let down, but it’s all part of the experience

Noodles

There is a restaurant between Kanchanaburi and U Thong that I have passed many times without ever stopping. And every time, I promised myself we would try it out, the very next time.

So we did.

Boat noodles U Thong Suphanburi

But it wasn’t the the duck restaurant I was expecting. Nor were the boat noodles a substitute. A bit too sweet. However, that is the Thailand I have got used used to and their pork crackling alone,  was worth the stop.

Restaurants in Suphanburi

The tables are set out under mango trees making it a pleasant and agreeable meal.

The entrance is easy to miss as it is off a bend on a fast moving stretch of road. The restaurant is also tucked away out of sight about 25k’s from U Thong on the Kanchanaburi rd.

Street Food

There is only one rule when browsing the food stalls at a village market, if it looks good, it probably is good and you want to try it. If you don’t the chances are it will be the one thing you will never find again.

Kluay Tod or crispy deep fried plantain bananas are an all time favourite. But you need to catch them straight out of the pan otherwise go limp and rubbery.

Hoi Tod is a Thai oyster or shellfish omelette which is a cross between an omelette and a crispy pancake. The stallholder will more often than not also serve Pad Thai.

Kanom krok is a deliciously sweet thai dessert that is a popular street food. It often consists of two layers – the base is made from a rice flour and coconut milk mix, and the topping is a sweet mix of coconut milk and sugar, plus a variety of toppings. It is cooked over a charcoal fire in a kanom krok pan. They are small half sphere shaped puddings that are golden brown and crispy on the outside, and soft and sweet on the inside.

Nam Isan or fermented pork from the North East of Thailand is one of the most delicious foods that have come out of Isan. I don’t know if I have got this right but my understanding is that it is the rectangular shaped patty on the left, usually on a stick which is fire grilled and served with birds eye chilli’s shredded cabbage and sliced ginger. The sausage on the right of the picture comes in various shapes and sizes and it is a mix including rice and it is known as Sai Krok Isan or Sai Krok Priao. There is another variation of the sausage which uses glass noodle in place of the rice which I don’t really like.

Getting a passport

Getting a new Thai e-passport couldn’t be easier. It is well organised, fast and efficient. All you need is a valid Thai ID card with a 12 digit ID number and your tabian baan, the blue house book.

• Take a queue number at the local Thai passport office, fill in the applicants name, date of birth,place of birth

Step 2

• A passport officer  measures the applicant’s height, captures the applicant’s bio-metric data information , this includes taking the applicant’s photograph  and fingerprints.

• They will verify to certify the applicant’s information is correct.

• Apply for EMS postage service

Step 3

• Pay the Thai passport fee.

• get a receipt in some cases the applicant can use Ems to deliver the new passport.

• Processing times for Thai passports is 3 – 10 days only

What About Lost & Stolen Thai Passports – Whats The Process ?

Lost your Thailand passport, you must get a police report before you apply for a new travel document.

Thailand Passport Offices – Locations Across Thailand

Map & guidance to the various locations , where to submit my passport application in Thailand – Thai passport Office

Pattayas first passport office opens –  Thai passport office location in Pattaya

How Much Does It Cost  – Thailand Passport fees (2017) 

e-Passport application fee  : 1,000  Baht

postage service (EMS ) fee :    35  Baht

Did You Realize This – We Have 4 Different Types Of Thai Passport ?

Standard Thai passport

This is for Thai citizens & the most common passport valid for 5 years.

Dark blue passport

This is for official government use only.

Red cover

1. Close relatives of the king

2. The royal family

3. Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Ministers.

4. House Speaker and Deputy House Speaker, Top Administrator and President of the Senate.

5. President of the Supreme Court, Vice-President of the Supreme Court and President of the Court of Appeal

6. President of the Constitutional Court and President of Administrative Court

7.  Ex-Prime Minister and Former Minister of Foreign Affairs

8. Supreme Commander and Army Commander

9. Diplomat who has diplomatic mission aboard

10. A diplomat who works in foreign country, his/her spouse and child/children who lives and/or studies in that country, age of children should not be over 25 years old

11.  A spouse who accompanies a person specified in number 2-8

12.  Any person who works for benefits of the Thai government or is under Obligations between countries or if it is necessary or builds reputation for Thailand in the world.

Green Cover

This is a temporary passport – 2 years validity. Issued for Thai monks & Hajj passports issued to Thai muslims

How Do I get Thai citizenship ?

In all cases you will also have to meet the following conditions to apply for Thai citizenship: An applicant  must have lived in Thailand continuously, for at minimum of  five years before applying for Thai citizenship .Must be a permanent resident & be  18 years old .

Information about how to apply for a Thai passport visit – Thai passport information.

UK passports renewals in Thailand – apply to renew a UK passport in Bangkok

how to apply for a Thai passport click here

 

We took a cab to Chaeng Wattana Government complex, which is the main place to get passports in Bangkok.

You can also get a passport done at Klong Toey MRT station, in one of what the government describe as “pop-up” passport offices.

The new office is in the Metro Mall area of the station, with 20 booths able to serve about 800 people a day. It is open Monday to Friday, 8.30 – 3.30

Our trip was to Chaeng Wattana , so I’ll document the experience going there.

How We Got There

The journey cost us 125 Baht, including the toll way payment, and took 15-20 minutes from the Huay Kwang area.  In busy traffic allow an hour.

We got there at around 11 am, though I’d recommend getting there around 9 am if you want to be in and out sharply.

The entrance is on the main road of Chaeng Wattana . You can literally stop right outside.

You can’t miss it; it has a big water feature outside. See the picture below.

When you to the front door, go in and straight up the escalator to the second floor.

Bypass all the translation/visa touts that try to sell you their services. You’re there for a Thai passport, so you won’t need anything they have to sell; though you might want to visit the coffee shop or canteen when you have finished.

how to get a thai passport

The front entrance, on the main road

What Documents You Need to Get a Thai Passport

Thai citizen I.D. card.

Tabien Baan.

Two passport photos.

Details of your current address.

If you’re getting a Thai passport for a child and you are a foreign national, then your Thai partner must be present too.

If you are a foreign national and need to get a passport for your Thai child, take your passport along to show too.

Take photocopies of all documents with you. It’s always handy to have, just in case they ask to keep a copy.

Note: There is a copy shop there.

If you need it, do a right at the top of the escalator (same floor). Walk straight and turn the corner. You should see a nice lady boasting a 1980s-style copy machine.

So, hang a right at the top of the escalator and join the queue for the ticket window. Show your ID card, get a ticket and take a seat. Well, not you, but your Thai wife, girlfriend, friend, whatever.

thai passport office queue

Your partner will join that queue, while you watch crap TV.

To my horror, we were given number 982. The screen was showing 763!

“Holy crap”, we’ll be here all day. Let’s get a coffee” (any excuse).

There’s two coffee shops on the ground floor and a big restaurant with reasonable food options. Very handy. We spent 30 minutes downstairs having food and drinks and went back to join the queue.

To our surprise the screen was showing number 910 already!

That’s a warning for you. Don’t wander off and miss your spot. It moves fast. You’ll soon see why when you’re inside. It’s a super-efficient setup with multiple officers processing passports.

I whipped out my laptop and starting tinkering on some work as the queue quickly filtered down.

Within 20 minutes my wife had gone in to get her passport. She was out within 15 minutes!

Since first writing this post we’ve been back to get a Thai passport for my daughter at the Chaeng Wattana government complex.

It was an even faster experience than the time we went for my wife. They’ve upgraded the passport centre with lots more booths and the processing time is now faster. We were done in 30 minutes and the whole experience was a walk in the park.

thai-passport

The 3-Step Process Inside the Passport Booth

It’s pretty straight forward, so don’t worry. It’s all high-tech now: nice and private and way quicker than the UK, that’s for sure.

There’s basically 3 steps:

Step 1: For those getting an e-passport, a member of staff measures your height and takes your biometric data by picture and fingerprint. You’ll have to have your right and left index fingers done separately, twice, using a scanner too. For standard passports it’s the usual spell your name, give in your passport photo, etc.

Step 2: You then verify and sign to certify your information.

Step 3: You then apply for the postage service.

Passport Cost & Delivery/Pick Up

The cost was 1,000 Baht, and 60 Baht to post to our home within 4-6 days. Note that you pay afterwards at a separate counter on your way out. You’ll be directed there once the process is complete.

You can pick up your passport within 2 days if you don’t mind going back there, but there are some specific rules to be aware of, particularly if you are having someone else pick it up on your behalf.

If in Bangkok you can pick-up your passport 2 working days after the application date.

If you order an e-passport, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has set up an automatic gate simulation at the Chaeng Wattana building so you can practice using it on an automated machine.

Applicants outside of Bangkok are required to apply for postage service which will take 5 – 7 working days for passport to be mailed through EMS.

*To pick-up a passport, you must bring your notification of passport pick-up together with your I.D card.

If you can’t go in person you can designate a representative. The representative must bring:

The notification of the passport pick-up date

The I.D card of the applicant and the representative

a certified copy of the representative’s I.D.card

Foreign nationals can’t collect the passport of a Thai national

canteen at chaeng wattana

The canteen serves a range of food. Cheap and fairly cheerful.

It really is an extremely efficient service. The entire process took one hour, tops.

It’s comfortable there, there’s food, coffee, TV, plenty of toilets and photocopying facilities, and even a nice mural to look at if you walk straight at the top of the escalator.

Taxis stop regularly outside so you’ll have no trouble getting home.  I’m not sure what the nearest BTS/MRT station is but it’s not close.

Thai Passport Office Address

Option 1:

Chaeng Watthana, 13 Yaek 3-2-15,

แขวง ทุ่งสองห้อง เขต หลักสี่

Bangkok, 10210

Option 2:

Klong Toey MRT Station

ถนน พระรามที่ 4 คลองเตย

Bangkok, 10110

You can reserve an appointment for the Klong Toey office on the government website by clicking here.

Last Updated on May 6, 2019

If you, your partner or friend needs to get a Thai passport in Bangkok, here’s the scoop.

My wife needed a renewal and I decided it was worth going along to see how the service matched up to the UK. Apologies in advance for a couple of the poor-quality pictures — a mixture of poor light and a bad phone.

e-Passport Application for Thai Nationals Living Abroad

      – Required documents for e-passport application while abroad

      – List of Thai Embassies and Consulates-general abroad

Required documents for e- Passport application while abroad

Types of e-Passport

Required Documents

(Applicants must apply in person at the Thai embassies /

consulates-general abroad )

1. Ordinary e-Passport

1.1 General Applicants

     1.1.1 Aplicant’s previous Thai Passport or a certified copy

     1.1.2 Thai Citizenship I.D.Card/House Registration

which contains the 13-digit Personal Number

1.2 Applicants under 20 Years of Age

     1.2.1 Previous Thai Passport (If applicable)

     1.2.2 Birth Certificate or Thai  Citizenship I.D.Card/House Registration which contains the 13-digit Personal Number

     1.2.3 Valid Passports or Citizenship I.D.Cards of applicant’s parents

or legal guardian

     1.2.4 Applicant’s parents or legal guardian must appear and sign

the parental consent form

     1.2.5 If the applicant’s parents or legal guardian live in Thailand,

they can sign the parental consent form at the Passport

Division, Department of Consular Affairs, Chaengwattana

Road, Bangkok. However, if they are not in the Kingdom, they

must sign the parental consent form at the nearest Thai

embassy or consulate-general

Notes :

– A child who was born to either or both Thai parents is qualified for Thai citizenship and is, therefore, eligible to a Thai passport.

– If a child was born to a Thai mother outside the Kingdom, the mother will have to notify the Thai embassy and/or consulate-general so that a Birth Certificate can be issued to prove that the child holds a Thai nationality.

– If a child was born to a Thai father who did not sign a marriage certificate with a foreign mother, he/she will be qualified for Thai citizenship by

(1) the subsequent marriage of the parents

(2) Legitimate Child Registration made on application by the Thai father

(3) a court order on the legitimate child of the father.

2. Buddhist Monk

e-Passport

2. Buddhist Monks

    2.1 an official letter from Sangha Supreme Council granting

the applicant permission to travel abroad

    2.2 Buddhist monk identification card

    2.3 a copy of House/Temple Registration

    2.4 Previous Thai Passport or a certified copy

3.Official e-Passport

3. Official e- Passport

    3.1 an official letter from the Office of Civil Service Commission or the applicant’s ministry granting the applicant permission to continue studying aboard.

    3.2 a copy of Thai House Registration or the Thai Citizenship I.D.Card

    3.3 applicant’s previous Official Passport

Additional Documents (If applicable)

1) Change of Name Certificate

     – Required if an applicant’s current name or surname does not match

that in the Passport or the amendments made in the Passport

2) Marriage Certificate

    – Required if a female applicant has taken her spouse’s surname

    – Required if an applicant is under 20 and his/her mother’s surname

does not match that of the applicant

3. Divorce Certificate

    – Required if a female applicant’s surname has changed from the

surname shown on her Passport due to a divorce

4. Memorandum of Divorce

    – Required to prove sole custody of accompanying parent if the

applicant is under 20 years of age

5. Adoption/Legal Custody Certificate

   – Required if an applicant is under 20 years of age whose birth

parents had legally given up the applicant for adoption, or his/her

parents are not married, and the applicant is in the father’s custody.

6. Alien Certificate of the applicant’s parents (only for applicants under

20 years of age)

   – Required only if the parents are aliens

List of Thai Embassies and Consulates-general abroad

************Important Notice and Warning to e-Passport Holders***********

In applying for a Passport, it is illegal to use documents that belong to another person and/or forge your documents; these offenses are punishable under Thai Law.

Applicants must apply for a Passport well in advance of their impending traveling date.  Applicants applying in Bangkok can pick-up their Passports 2 working days after the application date.  Applicants outside of Bangkok will receive their Passports by  express – mailing within 5-7 working days.

Travelers who will leave the country for a long period of time should register with the Thai embassy or consulate-general at the country in which you are staying.  You must also notify the embassy or consulate-general of changes to your address so that they may contact you in case of an emergency.

Your Passport is a valuable document and should not be possessed by any other person.  Thai nationals can only hold one Passport.  If you lose your Passport, you must immediately notify the Passport Division, local police, or the Thai embassy or consulate-general.

Please avoid applying for a Passport at the beginning of the week (especially on a Monday) because there are many applicants during those days which slow down the application process.

Wood eating ants

Wooden houses are all well and good . But they come with an ant problem. A problem that is a losing battle. Blink and the little blighters are back at it chomping their way through anything and everything

Golf in Kanchanaburi

There are a couple of world class golf courses in Kanchanaburi. Located in Tha-Muang the Evergreen Hills Golf Club and Resort offers a standard 18-hole, 72-par golf course. The resort also offers a fully equipped meeting room, clubhouse, restaurant, driving field, tennis court, swimming pool, camp fire, karaoke and snooker room.