One advantage of being a traveller who decides to live in the same place for more than a matter of days or weeks, is that you get to witness local rituals.
I’ve spent a lot of time in Thailand, on and off, over the past few years, and for the past few months I’ve been staying in a condo on the beach in Ban Phe, south of Bangkok. That has allowed me to see Thai people, and expatriate residents, come and go about their business and, in particular, gear up for the peak tourist season, which is nearly upon us.
That preparation for a period when the population will sell dramatically has seen the renovation of bars and restaurants, the opening of new venues — and burning of refuse along the beach to allow room for deck chairs and other tourist facilities.
Here are some pictures of the changes along this little stretch of paradise.
Footnote: I’ll miss the very peak of the tourist season, because I’ll be returning to Australia in late November. That may not be a bad thing.
