Phuket is the largest island of Thailand, but also a province and city, including 32 more tinier islands. The area is slightly less than Molokai, which is slightly smaller than Singapore. The ocean it faces is the Andaman Sea. The population is approaching 400,000, although there are an additional 200,000 unregistered migrants, ex-pats and others. The city is 536 miles south of Bangkok.
The Phuket Les Meridien is located just north of Patong, which can be an hour ride from the International Airport. This area has most of Phuket's nightlife and shopping. The main city is west of where we are staying. Today, we will visit a museum in the Old Town of Phuket.
That disastrous Indian Ocean Earthquake of 2004 brought tsunamis to the west coast of Phuket, where we are staying. While 5300 were killed in all of Thailand, Phuket reported 250 deaths.
Like Hawaii, Phuket gets around 10 million visitors per year. Caucasian tourism is high, from Europe, Russian and the USA. We'd guess that 80% of the guests at the Le Meridien is white. Among the interesting festivals feature vegatarians and ghosts. One of it's sister cities is Las Vegas, which will be feature of the buffet tonight.
Here is an aerial photo of the Phuket Le Meridien:
Stuff for sale in our room:
Dinner was in our room with fireworks:
Breakfast:
- beer over ice
- second-hand shoe shops
- sleeping on motor bikes
- many people on one motor bike
- gasoline is sold in liter glass bottles on the side of the road--DON'T DRINK IT!
- scaffolding is still bamboo
- dogs sleep on main roads
- toilet paper is used as napkins in restaurants
- weather forecasting is not so accurate
- watch out for scams and pickpockets
The next day we took a free tour to the 3D museum, beginning with breakfast then random shots on the way:
That's about a dollar per whiskey bottle...for motorbikes.
Interesting museum, but I would pay $12 for this privilege. The artwork is interactive:
Dinner was the Viva Las Vegas buffet (theme changes nightly):
Our view:
Tomorrow, on to Chiang Mai.
About COVID-19, the latest of personal interest is that around 600 passengers on the Diamond Princess now are afflicted, with two deaths. On the plus side, Thailand is now #7 in the list of countries with the most cases, with no deaths. My speculation is that the 2000 world-wide deaths will reach 3000, which is less than the DAILY death rate from traffic accidents, which is in the range of 4000/DAY. Worried about your life? Don't be too concerned about COVID-19...don't get on the road!
That's about a dollar per whiskey bottle...for motorbikes.
Interesting museum, but I would pay $12 for this privilege. The artwork is interactive:
Dinner was the Viva Las Vegas buffet (theme changes nightly):
Our view:
Tomorrow, on to Chiang Mai.
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