TCC Capital Land celebrates its brand-new mock up room of North Park Place, a luxurious condotel right close to Rajpruek Golf Course on Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road, by organizing “North Park Place’s Welcoming Party”. The chilled-out event will take place during 14-15 and 21-22 November 2009 at the Sales Office. Two special promotions will be offered to customers for their choice: Exclusive Fully Furnished Package and Right-to-Use Rajpruek Club. The project is aptly developed under its unique concept “The Exclusive Hideaway for Elite Society”.
Mr. Soammaphat Traisorat, CEO and MD of TCC Capital Land, disclosed that North Park Place’s new mock up room is now ready for customers to visit. The new show suite is built up in the project building itself. Impressively, it is finely adorned with eye-catching interiors and top-of-the range fittings. Visitors can experience real views in a relaxing and private atmosphere by enjoying the picturesque vista of greenery Rajpruek Golf Course.
“To celebrate the new mock up room and thank our customers expressing kind interest in North Park Place, the company is pleased to offer special promotions during the event period. Customers can choose one from the two options: Exclusive Fully Furnished Package or Right-to-Use Rajpruek Club which has the ultimate value of 2.7 million baht. Furthermore, customers will have fun with various relaxing activities, including Fish Spa with Dr.Fish from Turkey, Make-A-Bear Activity and Golf Clinic by TaylorMade.”, said Soammaphat.
The North Park Place project is located on a 3-rai site worth a combined 1.9 billion baht. The resort-style condominium comprises 130 units. Large sizes range from 112 to 283.5 square metres for 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom and 2-bedroom duplex layouts while penthouse will be sized at least 350.5 square metres. Price starts at 9.9 million baht for 1-bedroom. The construction will start in December 2007 and complete in the second quarter of 2010.
Specifically designed as a resort-style condominium, North Park Place is designed to harmonize between the surroundings and the luxurious usable area with focus on blending with the nature: wind, natural lighting and view. All units face the golf course and each has a large balcony for residents to enjoy the lush greenery and fresh air. The balcony and area in the unit can be connected to be a wide space for a party.
North Park Place is a luxurious condotel developed under the matchless concept “The Exclusive Hideaway for Elite Society”. It is remarkable for the location where residents can conveniently commute via 4 main artery roads: Vibhavadi-Rangsit, Ngamwongwan, Prachachuen and Chaeng Wattana Road. As to such basic amenities as shopping centers, sports club and leading universities, the site of the estate is very close to The Mall Ngamwongwan, IT Square, Villa Market, Big C, Tesco Lotus, Sports City, Kasetsart University, Dhurakijpundit University and Bangkok Government Complex on Chaeng Wattana Road. Last but not least, the project is designed to be like a summer residence in Bangkok, complemented with superior facilities, for instance private lift, swimming pool, golf course and Rajpruek Club.
To date, TCC Capital Land has officially launched 6 condominium projects with success - Athenee Residence on Wireless Road, Villa Rachakhru on Paholyothin Road and Villa Sathorn on Krungthonburi Road fully sold out; The Empire Place on Narathiwat Road, The Emporio Place on Sukhumvit Soi 24, Villa Rachatewi on Phayathai Road almost 100% sold. In the future, the company plans to launch 2 projects: North Park Place on Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road and The Royal Residence, the super luxurious detached-housing project on Kaset-Navamin Road.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Flood victims get royal relief
Officials have distributed royal relief supplies to flood victims in severely drenched Yala as the province and its neighbours begin the process of recovery.
Their Majesties the King and Queen have asked the Thai Red Cross Society to distribute food and other necessities to 75 households in tambon Taling Chan in Yala's Bannang Sata district, where five villagers have died during heavy flooding, Yala governor Krisada Boonrat said.
A villager was also reported dead in Raman district, officials said.
Bannang Sata is one of eight districts in Yala where 33,297 villagers have watched their neighbourhoods flood, a spokesman from Yala's flood response unit said.
In Yala's Muang municipality, the water level in the Pattani River has gradually subsided since Saturday night, but it is still higher than its connecting canal Bae Moh, causing overflows in nearby communities, mayor Pongsak Yingchoncharoen said.
Once the water level is lower than in Bae Moh, he said, a floodgate in the canal could function again and would help rapidly drain water from the inundated areas.
In Narathiwat, the rain stopped two days ago, but villages and farmland in 13 districts remain under water.
Officials expect the floods to recede soon if there is no more rain.
There have been 114,235 affected villagers in these districts, according to Narathiwat's office of disaster prevention and mitigation.
More than 20,000 rai of farmland and 126 roads have been damaged by the floods, officials said.
Rescue workers yesterday retrieved the bodies of eight villagers in Si Sakhon district who had been killed by a mudslide during the rainfall on Friday.
The province tried to drain water from flooded areas, but its work in some areas is causing problems for villagers who have fish farms.
More than 300 households in Narathiwat's Muang municipality who raise grouper fish, locally known as pla kao ,in Kok Kian canal and the Bang Nara River have complained the fresh water has killed their fish.
The problem has plunged many villagers into huge debt as they could not sell fish to pay their debts, said fish raiser Kariya Jeyi.
In Trang, floods have gradually receded in some areas, but officials are still alert to possible mudslides and flash floods if rain, brought by the northeastern monsoon, hits the South again.
Their Majesties the King and Queen have asked the Thai Red Cross Society to distribute food and other necessities to 75 households in tambon Taling Chan in Yala's Bannang Sata district, where five villagers have died during heavy flooding, Yala governor Krisada Boonrat said.
A villager was also reported dead in Raman district, officials said.
Bannang Sata is one of eight districts in Yala where 33,297 villagers have watched their neighbourhoods flood, a spokesman from Yala's flood response unit said.
In Yala's Muang municipality, the water level in the Pattani River has gradually subsided since Saturday night, but it is still higher than its connecting canal Bae Moh, causing overflows in nearby communities, mayor Pongsak Yingchoncharoen said.
Once the water level is lower than in Bae Moh, he said, a floodgate in the canal could function again and would help rapidly drain water from the inundated areas.
In Narathiwat, the rain stopped two days ago, but villages and farmland in 13 districts remain under water.
Officials expect the floods to recede soon if there is no more rain.
There have been 114,235 affected villagers in these districts, according to Narathiwat's office of disaster prevention and mitigation.
More than 20,000 rai of farmland and 126 roads have been damaged by the floods, officials said.
Rescue workers yesterday retrieved the bodies of eight villagers in Si Sakhon district who had been killed by a mudslide during the rainfall on Friday.
The province tried to drain water from flooded areas, but its work in some areas is causing problems for villagers who have fish farms.
More than 300 households in Narathiwat's Muang municipality who raise grouper fish, locally known as pla kao ,in Kok Kian canal and the Bang Nara River have complained the fresh water has killed their fish.
The problem has plunged many villagers into huge debt as they could not sell fish to pay their debts, said fish raiser Kariya Jeyi.
In Trang, floods have gradually receded in some areas, but officials are still alert to possible mudslides and flash floods if rain, brought by the northeastern monsoon, hits the South again.
WORKING TO KEEP A TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY AFLOAT
Dams have their pros and cons while providing electricity for millions, they can also devastate nearby communities.The Fishery Village Baan Huay Charoen project was initiated as a pilot project in early 2000 after Her Majesty the Queen expressed concern over the Sirikit dam's impact on Uttaradit province's Tha Pla community.
The project aims to help villagers support their family by raising fish and,at the same time, promoting Fishery Village as a tourism destination. Army units based in Uttaradit are responsible for the project which receives support from various state institutions and nearby private companies.
Initially, the project faced problems such as a lack of proper management and technical knowledge - as well as a market for its fish. In 2005, most of the 25 participating households who lived in raft houses in the Lum Nam Nan National Park started to leave the project in search of a better income.
In 2007, Charoen Pokphand Food Plc (CPF) was invited to provide technical assistance on full-cycle fish raising,which covers production, management and marketing.
Agricultural projects such as this require not only funding but also the knowledge of how to raise high-quality products that match the market's needs on a limited budget, said Adit Krisanawong, a CPF senior vicepresident.
"The agricultural market increasingly embraces organic products and under this project villagers can raise fish in the Sirikit dam without using chemicals and let them grow in a natural way," he said.
"If we can convince consumers of how the products are safe for their health,this will lead to a sustainable income."
CPF suggested switching from pla nil (tilapia or alutera monceros) to pla tub tim (oreochromis niloticus), which the market prefers. The new model was tested for a year using military personnel and after it proved successful the villagers were asked to join again in 2008.
"We help to find the market for the fish and help villagers plan for the market risk, as we do not help guarantee the prices," said Mr Adit.
"Also, in order to sustain the project,villagers have to learn financial and management plans to keep the project going."
The company has lent 805,500 baht without charging interest to provide each household with five kra-chang (a hinged-floating basket for keeping fish in water). Each kra-chang contains 1,500 fish and fish food is also provided.
The fish are harvested twice a year,as they take about five months to grow big enough to be sold.
About 5% of the proceeds from sales of the fish goes to the company to finance the continuation of the project and the rest is kept by participants.
One of the scheme's early members,Ampuay Chompoonoi, returned to his hometown to rejoin the project on the invitation of the provincial army last year after leaving to make movie sets in Bangkok for two years.
The 42-year-old Uttaradit native said he and his brother are currently the only two civilians participating in the Fishery Village project, along with three soldiers.
"It didn't go that well when I first joined the project as there was no market for pla nil and no fish food support,"he said."But this time it's easier as all we need to focus on is to raise our fish well and [CPF] will take care of the market for us."
The father of two said he earned about 80,000 baht from his previous raising, which started in November last year. Profit per kra-chang is estimated at about 3,000 to 5,000 baht.
Mr Ampuay usually makes about 10,000 baht a month from his fruit fields and from fishing and selling his catch himself.
"I wouldn't do it without the financial support from the company as I can't make a living out of raising fish alone since it takes four to five months before you can generate income from it," he said.
Supree Baosingsauy, general manager of the Rural Lives Development Foundation established by CPF, said the project is expected to lure back more community members that have left to work elsewhere.
The project aims to help villagers support their family by raising fish and,at the same time, promoting Fishery Village as a tourism destination. Army units based in Uttaradit are responsible for the project which receives support from various state institutions and nearby private companies.
Initially, the project faced problems such as a lack of proper management and technical knowledge - as well as a market for its fish. In 2005, most of the 25 participating households who lived in raft houses in the Lum Nam Nan National Park started to leave the project in search of a better income.
In 2007, Charoen Pokphand Food Plc (CPF) was invited to provide technical assistance on full-cycle fish raising,which covers production, management and marketing.
Agricultural projects such as this require not only funding but also the knowledge of how to raise high-quality products that match the market's needs on a limited budget, said Adit Krisanawong, a CPF senior vicepresident.
"The agricultural market increasingly embraces organic products and under this project villagers can raise fish in the Sirikit dam without using chemicals and let them grow in a natural way," he said.
"If we can convince consumers of how the products are safe for their health,this will lead to a sustainable income."
CPF suggested switching from pla nil (tilapia or alutera monceros) to pla tub tim (oreochromis niloticus), which the market prefers. The new model was tested for a year using military personnel and after it proved successful the villagers were asked to join again in 2008.
"We help to find the market for the fish and help villagers plan for the market risk, as we do not help guarantee the prices," said Mr Adit.
"Also, in order to sustain the project,villagers have to learn financial and management plans to keep the project going."
The company has lent 805,500 baht without charging interest to provide each household with five kra-chang (a hinged-floating basket for keeping fish in water). Each kra-chang contains 1,500 fish and fish food is also provided.
The fish are harvested twice a year,as they take about five months to grow big enough to be sold.
About 5% of the proceeds from sales of the fish goes to the company to finance the continuation of the project and the rest is kept by participants.
One of the scheme's early members,Ampuay Chompoonoi, returned to his hometown to rejoin the project on the invitation of the provincial army last year after leaving to make movie sets in Bangkok for two years.
The 42-year-old Uttaradit native said he and his brother are currently the only two civilians participating in the Fishery Village project, along with three soldiers.
"It didn't go that well when I first joined the project as there was no market for pla nil and no fish food support,"he said."But this time it's easier as all we need to focus on is to raise our fish well and [CPF] will take care of the market for us."
The father of two said he earned about 80,000 baht from his previous raising, which started in November last year. Profit per kra-chang is estimated at about 3,000 to 5,000 baht.
Mr Ampuay usually makes about 10,000 baht a month from his fruit fields and from fishing and selling his catch himself.
"I wouldn't do it without the financial support from the company as I can't make a living out of raising fish alone since it takes four to five months before you can generate income from it," he said.
Supree Baosingsauy, general manager of the Rural Lives Development Foundation established by CPF, said the project is expected to lure back more community members that have left to work elsewhere.
Seafood festival
Seafood lovers should head to ChaAm during September 27 to October 6 for the Fish-Flock-Shellfish Festival 2009.
The event will feature a string of beachfront stalls serving up delicious seafood prepared by chefs from over 50 hotels and restaurants.
Running from 5pm to 10pm, visitors to the festival who are looking for a bit of adventure to go along with their feasting can join a night squid-fishing trip.
Trawlers depart starting 6pm, each with an experienced local fisherman on board to show you how to bait squids. Bird watching expeditions to the surrounding areas are also be available, as well as sale of OTOP products.
The event will feature a string of beachfront stalls serving up delicious seafood prepared by chefs from over 50 hotels and restaurants.
Running from 5pm to 10pm, visitors to the festival who are looking for a bit of adventure to go along with their feasting can join a night squid-fishing trip.
Trawlers depart starting 6pm, each with an experienced local fisherman on board to show you how to bait squids. Bird watching expeditions to the surrounding areas are also be available, as well as sale of OTOP products.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
EU urges fishing cuts to save cod stocks
The European Union's executive body is calling for sharp cuts in the amount of cod fishermen can catch next year, pointing to estimates that the fish is close to extinction in some major fishing areas around Europe.
Officials warned on Friday that only steep catch cuts will prevent the disappearance of a species prized for centuries for its flaky white flesh.
The European Commission said recent studies showed cod catches in some areas are far outstripping the rate of reproduction. It is calling for up to 25%cuts in some areas.
"We are not that far away from a situation of complete collapse," said Jose Rodriguez, a marine biologist with the environmental group Oceana. He and other environmentalists said pressure from the fishing industry had kept quotas at levels too high to sustain viable popu-lations around Europe, while lack of enforcement meant illegal fishing made the problem worse.
Scientists estimated that in the 1970s there were more than 250,000 tons of cod in fishing grounds in the North Sea,eastern English Channel and Scandinavia's Skagerrak Strait. In recent years,however, stocks have dropped to 50,000 tons.
The European Commission said on Friday it would seek in 2010 to cut the catch in some fishing grounds around Britain, France, Spain and much of Scandinavia from 5,700 tons to 4,250 tons.
In the Mediterranean, bluefin tuna has been overfished for years to satisfy increasing world demand for sushi and sashimi. The tuna population is now a fraction of what it was a few decades ago, but the EU's Mediterranean nations last month refused to impose even a temporary ban.
Oceana estimated that illegal fishing doubled the amount of tuna caught.
Meanwhile cod, which once sustained vibrant fishing communities from Portugal to Britain to Canada, is increasingly consumed by the ton as salt cod and fish-and-chips.
"People don't ask for fish and chips,they ask for cod and chips," said Mike Guo, a manager at Great Fish and Chips in Essex, England."It's a traditional dish."
The depletion has caused the decay and disappearance of hundreds of fishing villages on both sides of the Atlantic.
Overfishing off Canada's maritime provinces exhausted the world's richest cod grounds and forced the government to impose a fishing moratorium. The collapse wiped out more than 42,000 jobs, and 18 years later the fish have still not returned.
"It was devastating," said Tom Hedderson, minister of fisheries in Newfoundland."This affected whole communities ... all up and down the coast here in Newfoundland and Labrador."
He welcomed the EU call to cut catches by 25%, but suggested more drastic cuts may be needed.
Some Canadian scientists believe the collapse of cod stocks off Newfoundland and Nova Scotia changed the marine ecosystem so dramatically it may be impossible for cod to recover. Off Newfoundland alone, cod stocks once exceeded 400,000 tons but now scale only 5,500 tons, Mr Hedderson said.
There are signs of recovery of Atlantic cod off New England, however, after years of conservation efforts. And international regulators have reopened some areas off Canada for limited fishing,Canada's Fisheries and Oceans Department spokesman Scott Cantin said.
The fishing industry in Europe, however, is in decline. The number of vessels in the 15 nations that were part of the EU in 1995 has dropped from 104,000 then to 81,000 in 2006.
Officials warned on Friday that only steep catch cuts will prevent the disappearance of a species prized for centuries for its flaky white flesh.
The European Commission said recent studies showed cod catches in some areas are far outstripping the rate of reproduction. It is calling for up to 25%cuts in some areas.
"We are not that far away from a situation of complete collapse," said Jose Rodriguez, a marine biologist with the environmental group Oceana. He and other environmentalists said pressure from the fishing industry had kept quotas at levels too high to sustain viable popu-lations around Europe, while lack of enforcement meant illegal fishing made the problem worse.
Scientists estimated that in the 1970s there were more than 250,000 tons of cod in fishing grounds in the North Sea,eastern English Channel and Scandinavia's Skagerrak Strait. In recent years,however, stocks have dropped to 50,000 tons.
The European Commission said on Friday it would seek in 2010 to cut the catch in some fishing grounds around Britain, France, Spain and much of Scandinavia from 5,700 tons to 4,250 tons.
In the Mediterranean, bluefin tuna has been overfished for years to satisfy increasing world demand for sushi and sashimi. The tuna population is now a fraction of what it was a few decades ago, but the EU's Mediterranean nations last month refused to impose even a temporary ban.
Oceana estimated that illegal fishing doubled the amount of tuna caught.
Meanwhile cod, which once sustained vibrant fishing communities from Portugal to Britain to Canada, is increasingly consumed by the ton as salt cod and fish-and-chips.
"People don't ask for fish and chips,they ask for cod and chips," said Mike Guo, a manager at Great Fish and Chips in Essex, England."It's a traditional dish."
The depletion has caused the decay and disappearance of hundreds of fishing villages on both sides of the Atlantic.
Overfishing off Canada's maritime provinces exhausted the world's richest cod grounds and forced the government to impose a fishing moratorium. The collapse wiped out more than 42,000 jobs, and 18 years later the fish have still not returned.
"It was devastating," said Tom Hedderson, minister of fisheries in Newfoundland."This affected whole communities ... all up and down the coast here in Newfoundland and Labrador."
He welcomed the EU call to cut catches by 25%, but suggested more drastic cuts may be needed.
Some Canadian scientists believe the collapse of cod stocks off Newfoundland and Nova Scotia changed the marine ecosystem so dramatically it may be impossible for cod to recover. Off Newfoundland alone, cod stocks once exceeded 400,000 tons but now scale only 5,500 tons, Mr Hedderson said.
There are signs of recovery of Atlantic cod off New England, however, after years of conservation efforts. And international regulators have reopened some areas off Canada for limited fishing,Canada's Fisheries and Oceans Department spokesman Scott Cantin said.
The fishing industry in Europe, however, is in decline. The number of vessels in the 15 nations that were part of the EU in 1995 has dropped from 104,000 then to 81,000 in 2006.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
GOVT TO RENEW TALKS WITH ASSEMBLY OF POOR, PM VOWS
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will renew talks with the Assembly of the Poor in the next two weeks to solve their problems, he said yesterday.
Members of the assembly met the prime minister at a learning centre in Phibun Mangsahan district, also the assembly's headquarters in the Northeast. He handed over a 1.2 million baht cheque to farmer Grandma Hai Khanjantha for the loss of opportunity she suffered over 32 years, after her land was submerged by the Huay La Ha reservoir, built as part of a new dam.
"I will hold talks with you [the Assembly of the Poor] in the next two weeks.
PM's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey accompanied the prime minister to the province.
Mr Abhisit said he had asked Mr Sathit to oversee the assembly's problems.
The government was drafting a regulation on community land title deeds,allowing communal use of state land,he said.
To solve the plight of farmers generally, the government and assembly met for talks three times in June and July.
"The government has succeeded in solving only the case of Grandma Hai.Other problems have yet to be solved,"said Sawat Uppahat, a member of the assembly.
The problems include a drastic drop in the number of fish in the Moon River caused by construction of the Pak Moon Dam in Khong Chiam district,and land disputes between villagers and state agencies. Sompong Viengchan, a villager hit by construction of the dam, said the government should order the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand to open the dam's sluice gates permanently to let fish from the Mekong River come in.
At the moment it opens four months a year.
"We want our lives back. The dam has ruined our livelihoods for over a decade," said Mrs Sompong.
Farmers wanted the government to provide 15 rai of land for each family and grant them compensation.
Thongcharoen Srihatham, another member of the assembly, warned the prime minister not to use the people's problems as a political tool to seek votes. Shortly after the prime minister left, about 1,000 red shirt protesters rallied at the centre. They swore, burned a coffin, and threw a bag of fermented fish at his poster.
Members of the assembly met the prime minister at a learning centre in Phibun Mangsahan district, also the assembly's headquarters in the Northeast. He handed over a 1.2 million baht cheque to farmer Grandma Hai Khanjantha for the loss of opportunity she suffered over 32 years, after her land was submerged by the Huay La Ha reservoir, built as part of a new dam.
"I will hold talks with you [the Assembly of the Poor] in the next two weeks.
PM's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey accompanied the prime minister to the province.
Mr Abhisit said he had asked Mr Sathit to oversee the assembly's problems.
The government was drafting a regulation on community land title deeds,allowing communal use of state land,he said.
To solve the plight of farmers generally, the government and assembly met for talks three times in June and July.
"The government has succeeded in solving only the case of Grandma Hai.Other problems have yet to be solved,"said Sawat Uppahat, a member of the assembly.
The problems include a drastic drop in the number of fish in the Moon River caused by construction of the Pak Moon Dam in Khong Chiam district,and land disputes between villagers and state agencies. Sompong Viengchan, a villager hit by construction of the dam, said the government should order the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand to open the dam's sluice gates permanently to let fish from the Mekong River come in.
At the moment it opens four months a year.
"We want our lives back. The dam has ruined our livelihoods for over a decade," said Mrs Sompong.
Farmers wanted the government to provide 15 rai of land for each family and grant them compensation.
Thongcharoen Srihatham, another member of the assembly, warned the prime minister not to use the people's problems as a political tool to seek votes. Shortly after the prime minister left, about 1,000 red shirt protesters rallied at the centre. They swore, burned a coffin, and threw a bag of fermented fish at his poster.
Monday, September 21, 2009
WHERE TO FIND FABULOUS FOOD
Thailand's Eastern coast is dotted with vacation spots that everyone knows - for example, Pattaya, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Koh Chang in Trat province. When you decide to head to one of them for some time at the beach, the usual practice is to stick to the main roads and waste no time so you can get there in a hurry.
SHELL GAME: A vendor sells fresh crabs at Nong Mon market, clockwise from above, local ‘seekoon’ fish, ‘khao tom pla’, and fresh shrimp pickled in ‘nam pla’, or fish sauce.
But if it is food rather than beach time you are interested in, there is no need to go so far, and you can take your time.
A leisurely drive to Chon Buri followed by some exploring along the smaller back roads and inside Ang Sila will turn up plenty of interesting delicacies.
Today, I would like to focus just on fresh and dried foods and other edibles that are available not far from Bang Saen. Let's start with the route leading into Bang Saen.
Before you arrive at Chon Buri city, you will come to a major intersection with traffic lights, the Bang Sai three-way intersection. Take a right turn there onto the road that leads to Bang Saen, a narrow and windy one. After driving for about one kilometre, you will come to a marketplace, with ample parking space available, on the left. It is an old market, but renovation is now underway, although goods are still being sold on the sidewalks in front of and along the perimeter of it.
The first interesting sight you will encounter there is a stand selling jaeng lawn, a local speciality sold in seaside provinces (it can also be found not only in Chon Buri but also in towns on the western coast like Hua Hin and Cha-am). It is made of finely chopped fish meat, mixed with fresh curry paste and ground coconut, and seasoned to make it salty and slightly sweet with a chilli bite. Shredded kaffir lime leaf is scattered on the mixture, which is then shaped into pieces that are put on skewers for grilling. Vendors cook them on a grill in the early morning and keep selling them until they run out around noon. This snack is not all that easy to find, so when you do find it, buy.
Nearby is a stand that sells semi-dried rays. The type sold there are called pla krabane nok, ("bird ray"), and are rather small, about 30.5-cm in diameter. The reason behind its name is that it likes to leap above the surface of the seawater and glide along for short distances. The meat of the "wings" (the pectoral fins) of the fish is tender although rather dark in colour, and people who live near the sea like it very much. They cut it into pieces, then dry it in the sun for a day. It is delicious when fried and eaten with rice, and it is inexpensive. Half a kilogramme costs only 100 baht and is enough for several days' consumption.
On the soi next to the market, fresh and dried fish as well as fresh shrimp and prawns are sold. One particularly interesting item is fresh shrimp pickled in nam pla (fish sauce). The old woman who sells it is an expert at pickling shrimp this way, and makes them specially for sale. In the old days, Thais liked to eat them with steaming-hot khao tom, or rice soup.
About 300 metres away from the market, across from the nearby pier, is a small store where a grandmotherly-looking woman sells nam pla from Rayong. The brand name is Erawan, and the product comes from a small factory that still makes the condiment the old-fashioned way, a process that takes eight months. It smells delicious, and costs only 30 baht a bottle.
This is only the briefest sampling of what is available in the area of this Chon Buri market.
A market that is best to visit in the late afternoon or evening is Nong Mon market, on the main road to Pattaya. The fresh produce area is deep inside the market, far from the road. Late in the day, in front of the fresh market area, meaty crabs of the type called poo ma (horse crab) are sold. They are kept in big basins, the water in which is oxygenated by means of pumps working continuously to keep the crabs alive.
These ubiquitous crabs are available in many sizes and price ranges, with the cheapest ones going for 280 baht a kilogramme. Customers can eat them right away, because there is a steaming service that cooks the crabs on the premises and serves them with a spicy dipping sauce. They are certainly fresh, but sometimes the meat isn't too firm, because after being kept for even a day it becomes a little soft, unlike meat from crabs fresh from the sea.
Around the sides of Nong Mon market are interesting stalls selling different kinds of fish just brought in from the sea by fishermen. Buyers can never be sure that the kind of fish they want is there, because not all types are caught every day, but they will probably not be disappointed if they are looking for pla seekoon, a mackerel species similar to the popular pla thoo, but bigger. Its tasty, firm meat is perfect for frying and topping with nam pla or chilli sauce.
On their lucky days, buyers may find pla chome ngahm and/or pla nuan jan, both of which are scaleless types of fish with succulent meat that makes good kaeng som or kaeng pa, or which can be fried and served with chilli sauce poured over it. When people are fortunate enough to find these fish, they don't haggle over the price but buy a plastic box and some ice from a vendor, pack the fish inside, and rush it home.
Around the sidelines of the market are vendors selling sweets and special local dishes. The khao tom with fried shellfish is definitely worth a try.
Early in the morning, beginning at about half past seven, in a different part of Nong Mon market's wet market section is an area where dried seafood is sold along with breakfast foods that include curry and rice, kui tio pla (noodles with fish), khao tom, coffee and sweet snacks and desserts.
The prepared foods, which include curries and stir-fries, are really good, as can be seen from the large numbers of people who come to buy them and the lengths of time they are willing to wait to be served (there are tables and chairs set out for diners). Right nearby is a vendor whose pork noodles are tasty enough to be a true must, and in the middle of the market is a shop that sells khao tom pla (literally, fish in rice soup) made in the style typical of eateries in seaside areas. The rice grains are still firm rather than soft and mushy, and customers can choose between fresh fish, shrimp or squid.
Mae Nit has been selling her hor moke (fish meat steamed in a spicy, curried coconut sauce together with herbs and takes the form of a custard packed in a smallish banana-leaf cup) in this market for more than 30 years. Seaside-style hor moke tends to be sweeter and softer than the versions sold in Bangkok and other places in the Central Region.
Coffee, brewed the old-fashioned way with a long cloth bag, is available for those who want to start the day off with a glass or two. These two markets are only two among the many that inhabit Chon Buri, each with its own, individual selection of good stuff to eat that includes local dishes not found elsewhere.
If you decide to do some exploring, you won't have to drive far, and a choice culinary adventure is guaranteed.
SHELL GAME: A vendor sells fresh crabs at Nong Mon market, clockwise from above, local ‘seekoon’ fish, ‘khao tom pla’, and fresh shrimp pickled in ‘nam pla’, or fish sauce.
But if it is food rather than beach time you are interested in, there is no need to go so far, and you can take your time.
A leisurely drive to Chon Buri followed by some exploring along the smaller back roads and inside Ang Sila will turn up plenty of interesting delicacies.
Today, I would like to focus just on fresh and dried foods and other edibles that are available not far from Bang Saen. Let's start with the route leading into Bang Saen.
Before you arrive at Chon Buri city, you will come to a major intersection with traffic lights, the Bang Sai three-way intersection. Take a right turn there onto the road that leads to Bang Saen, a narrow and windy one. After driving for about one kilometre, you will come to a marketplace, with ample parking space available, on the left. It is an old market, but renovation is now underway, although goods are still being sold on the sidewalks in front of and along the perimeter of it.
The first interesting sight you will encounter there is a stand selling jaeng lawn, a local speciality sold in seaside provinces (it can also be found not only in Chon Buri but also in towns on the western coast like Hua Hin and Cha-am). It is made of finely chopped fish meat, mixed with fresh curry paste and ground coconut, and seasoned to make it salty and slightly sweet with a chilli bite. Shredded kaffir lime leaf is scattered on the mixture, which is then shaped into pieces that are put on skewers for grilling. Vendors cook them on a grill in the early morning and keep selling them until they run out around noon. This snack is not all that easy to find, so when you do find it, buy.
Nearby is a stand that sells semi-dried rays. The type sold there are called pla krabane nok, ("bird ray"), and are rather small, about 30.5-cm in diameter. The reason behind its name is that it likes to leap above the surface of the seawater and glide along for short distances. The meat of the "wings" (the pectoral fins) of the fish is tender although rather dark in colour, and people who live near the sea like it very much. They cut it into pieces, then dry it in the sun for a day. It is delicious when fried and eaten with rice, and it is inexpensive. Half a kilogramme costs only 100 baht and is enough for several days' consumption.
On the soi next to the market, fresh and dried fish as well as fresh shrimp and prawns are sold. One particularly interesting item is fresh shrimp pickled in nam pla (fish sauce). The old woman who sells it is an expert at pickling shrimp this way, and makes them specially for sale. In the old days, Thais liked to eat them with steaming-hot khao tom, or rice soup.
About 300 metres away from the market, across from the nearby pier, is a small store where a grandmotherly-looking woman sells nam pla from Rayong. The brand name is Erawan, and the product comes from a small factory that still makes the condiment the old-fashioned way, a process that takes eight months. It smells delicious, and costs only 30 baht a bottle.
This is only the briefest sampling of what is available in the area of this Chon Buri market.
A market that is best to visit in the late afternoon or evening is Nong Mon market, on the main road to Pattaya. The fresh produce area is deep inside the market, far from the road. Late in the day, in front of the fresh market area, meaty crabs of the type called poo ma (horse crab) are sold. They are kept in big basins, the water in which is oxygenated by means of pumps working continuously to keep the crabs alive.
These ubiquitous crabs are available in many sizes and price ranges, with the cheapest ones going for 280 baht a kilogramme. Customers can eat them right away, because there is a steaming service that cooks the crabs on the premises and serves them with a spicy dipping sauce. They are certainly fresh, but sometimes the meat isn't too firm, because after being kept for even a day it becomes a little soft, unlike meat from crabs fresh from the sea.
Around the sides of Nong Mon market are interesting stalls selling different kinds of fish just brought in from the sea by fishermen. Buyers can never be sure that the kind of fish they want is there, because not all types are caught every day, but they will probably not be disappointed if they are looking for pla seekoon, a mackerel species similar to the popular pla thoo, but bigger. Its tasty, firm meat is perfect for frying and topping with nam pla or chilli sauce.
On their lucky days, buyers may find pla chome ngahm and/or pla nuan jan, both of which are scaleless types of fish with succulent meat that makes good kaeng som or kaeng pa, or which can be fried and served with chilli sauce poured over it. When people are fortunate enough to find these fish, they don't haggle over the price but buy a plastic box and some ice from a vendor, pack the fish inside, and rush it home.
Around the sidelines of the market are vendors selling sweets and special local dishes. The khao tom with fried shellfish is definitely worth a try.
Early in the morning, beginning at about half past seven, in a different part of Nong Mon market's wet market section is an area where dried seafood is sold along with breakfast foods that include curry and rice, kui tio pla (noodles with fish), khao tom, coffee and sweet snacks and desserts.
The prepared foods, which include curries and stir-fries, are really good, as can be seen from the large numbers of people who come to buy them and the lengths of time they are willing to wait to be served (there are tables and chairs set out for diners). Right nearby is a vendor whose pork noodles are tasty enough to be a true must, and in the middle of the market is a shop that sells khao tom pla (literally, fish in rice soup) made in the style typical of eateries in seaside areas. The rice grains are still firm rather than soft and mushy, and customers can choose between fresh fish, shrimp or squid.
Mae Nit has been selling her hor moke (fish meat steamed in a spicy, curried coconut sauce together with herbs and takes the form of a custard packed in a smallish banana-leaf cup) in this market for more than 30 years. Seaside-style hor moke tends to be sweeter and softer than the versions sold in Bangkok and other places in the Central Region.
Coffee, brewed the old-fashioned way with a long cloth bag, is available for those who want to start the day off with a glass or two. These two markets are only two among the many that inhabit Chon Buri, each with its own, individual selection of good stuff to eat that includes local dishes not found elsewhere.
If you decide to do some exploring, you won't have to drive far, and a choice culinary adventure is guaranteed.
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