Reading matter

[Orange]

Ho Ho mr lonely!
I've just discovered that this AWOL has a website and all the back issues are available on it - by the look of things it has been going since 2008 so i'm surprised I have not seen it in town on my visits nor mention of it on here. I have downloaded a couple of issues and it looks perfect for the beach if I am able to get it when I am there. Also it is out every week! Don't know why Super Joe was so dismissive - I hadn't realised that a new hospital or other things mentioned were being built and it adds to the appeal of the town to a foreigner, so a perfectly legitimate story i would think however long ago it featured on here (I never saw it). If as seems the consensus very little happens there then what is there to complain about if a free paper reruns older news? Maybe I will post a fuller critique of it when I have had the chance to digest a few weeks worth but on first glance it seems ideal.

[richard]

Orange

All that info is available on HHAD (mods correct me if I'm wrong) AWOLs mag is good light reading and does have a website which is great for an alternative view of HH

I think we need a balance of forum viewing. HHAD is at this point in time the most focused on HH.

Other sites I use are primarily focused on local issues. When I am in Isaan then it's Kong Khaen or Korat

Thai Visa (if I'm allowed to mention it) is a general site covering the whole of Thailand

View them all depending on your needs

Cross forum viewing is not against the law is it?

Personally I probably view as many of 20 sites and try and achieve a balanced view

[Lev]

We will not lock this thread yet but please apply a little consideration when openly discussing and praising HHAD's direct competitors, those you mention would reciprocate instantly by deleting a topic about us on their respective websites.

Our patience stretches only so far.

[Chas]

I beg to differ.
There is LOTS going on in Hua Hin . .but very little information on it.

This is in part due to the fact that this is Thailand and 99% of what goes on here is in Thai! And since most of us are not fluent in Thai, especially in reading Thai we dont know about it and dont have access to it unless we prevail upon spouses to translate. This is an amazingly rich culture after all!

To mention a few happenings ( you are welcome to make your own list) building projects . . ..must be a dozen major ones. . .stores, hotels, condos, government buildings . .I wonder about them all every time I drive down Petchkasem.

We have had a couple of MAJOR international gatherings here the past year. Discussion? Information? Zip. ( I remember trying to talk about the ASEAN summit with no success.)

Performances & Festivals: Jazz festival and lots of smaller local ones. Vic Hua Hin? Cicada? Market Village changes every week. Performers: Thai mostly to be sure . .but different every week in various places around town.Town administration, plans, policies. Traffic happenings?

Hua Hin is a MAJOR tourist destination . .how can there be "nothing happening" here??

IMHO Part of the problem is trying to get a discussion thread going here that doesnt quickly degenerate into off topic jokes.

IMHO Part of the problem is gaining access ( however limited) to what the Thai population of Hua Hin are up to and what is generally untranslated for farangs.

IMHO Part of the problem is getting past the football, commercial, bar scene, Bintabaht focus of HHAD.

(OK: Look at the Jazz festival thread. As of this moment, half the posts in a 12 post thread are by Buksi. This a MAJOR Hua Hin Happening about a week away!! I like jazz . .but I dont know much about the performers and have never seen any of them perform live. Have you? Will this be better than previous festivals? Different? Could be an interesting, informative and pertinent discussion.

Solution? I have no real solution other than to grudgingly accept ( I get better at this all the time) that I will never know about most things that happen here. Mysteries abound and when I do come across something and it is explained . . I can then be pleasantly surprised by it.

Solution? I stopped being a regular here quite a few months ago. No, I have not become a "regular" elsewhere either. I just came to deal with the fact that if it is happening in Hua Hin, I probably wont find out about it here.

[OscarMike]

Personally I've found this forum invaluable, ask a question about the town, a place, a new building or an event and you will get an answer fast. Most of the time I do not need to post because I have already found what I am looking for here. No other website or magazine offers that.

Cannot expect it to be the oracle though, some people I guess just expect too much and offer too little.

[richard]

I think I can see where Admin is coming from but I was trying to make a point based on my multi forum usage.

When I'm in Khon Kaen I use a KK forum for info
When I'm Korat I use a Korat forum
When I am BKK I use a Bangkok forum
I even have one for Bang Saphan which I will use if I am in that area

It's the best way of getting local views

When I'm on my travels people ask me about Hua Hin. The first thing I do is plug them into the Hua Hin sites. I have even told them which threads to read

So honestly, I think I am increasing HHAD readership

[Super Joe]

I beg to differ.
There is LOTS going on in Hua Hin . .but very little information on it. We have had a couple of MAJOR international gatherings here the past year. Discussion? Information? Zip. ( I remember trying to talk about the ASEAN summit with no success.)

I remember that ASEAN thread well as tried to give you several constructive answers (for once), as did many many others. I just had another look, 9 pages long and in the main on-topic. Your contribution consisted of asking a series of petulant questions right up to page 8, then when someone asked you a question back you were just plain rude, saying ... "You are not even in Thailand. I am not going to answer your question. if you are too confused to even follow this thread, I despair explaining anything to you. I am out of this crazy thread. Bye."



This was your 'contribution' to that thread ...

So what about bars, stores, the mall. .allowed to open or not?
rumored to be at Dusit. ..what. .everything? Just big meetings? no other hotels involved?
What about alcohol?
What's up with the temple parking lot?
Does anybody have a clue what the town plan is here?
Is there a plan?
Do us peons ever get to see the big shots?
doing something about the Buddha shrine and "disfunction junction" at long last?
or is that still just a distant dream?
numbers of visitors and stuff like that?
self contained at Dusit. .or is this just wishful thinking?
No parking in town. Wont that affect local businesses?
What about the mall. Will it be open?
Are the other big hotels involved? Smaller hotels?
So HHAD folks what else is happening?
What have you heard? What is going on?
What can we actually expect next weekend?
Which markets. .all of them? Night markets? Wet market?
How does this help local business . ..if true?
Are any local small hotels booked with conferees?
2000 people coming here ? Where is this number from?
what is happening if anything?
How many of the 2000?
yet this is IT for a major international conference?
Will there perhaps be a parade?
what will still be here at the end of March?
Just what are you seeing Pet?
why not make a few that matter? Wishful thinking perhaps?
I mean, what HAVE the police restricted? Any notices?
What IS going on here in town?
What preparations are being made by locals?
bintabars stocking up for 2000 thirsty delegates and if they aren't . .should they?
Will the night markets be open or closed?
Are they working on the "disfunction junction?"
What's up with the temple parking lot?
Is it possible to reach Market Village at all from the north?
Or am I stuck with having to try to cook him something?
Will it be possible to travel on Saturday at all?
Local news? What is happening in town?
Helpful hints and heads up for local residents?
Rumors confirmed or unconfirmed?
How are we doing midway through ASEAN?
Any goings on at all? What is happening in Hua Hin?
How are the locals taking it? What is closed?
Has the expected flood of money into the local coffers begun yet?
Who cares? Sooo affected how?
Does this mean that smaller hotels along there are booked solid?
Did the bintabars see a surge in business last night?
Restaurants in town busier? Night market?
Free travel on Naebkhart . .or motorcades?
And were you able to find a place to park?
Where exactly do I say that I expect the local authorities to share anything with us?
I dont. I am not a complete idiot!
what have you seen, what have you heard etc etc.
What is happening in our town?
Thai air problems?
PM? National politics? . . ..hello?

Do many of your pupils suffer with migraines?

SJ

[Orange]

I'm not quite sure how we got from a little light (local) reading for the beach to a full blown argument about what is and isn't going on in Hua Hin, or who is competing with who and who will delete and lock topics or even if any of this is aimed at me! I am a little shocked actually - is there something i should know about Hua Hin/Thailand magazines, papers and websites, as it sounds like all out war from the reaction on here!
I would imagine that most visitors and residents of Hua Hin would like a full choice of reading matter; glossy mag and printed paper, local, national and international, online and read anywhere, free and paid for, serious and funny, and so on. Some will avail themselves of both Thai and English too I'm sure. There is clearly a difference between reading on the internet and reading a printed publication, and they are not mutually exclusive, just more suitable at some times than others, depending on what you want. HHAD is not suitable for me to read on the beach or if I am around town, and a printed magazine or paper is no use if I need to ask a question or would like a discussion. Its no use comparing them as they are different animals.

I hope its not out of place to ask, but what is the problem (as raised by Lev) with mentioning other websites on here, and what is the problem elsewhere about mentioning HHAD on other websites? When you say 'direct competitors' do you mean competition for members? And how am I to know who that is and if it is OK to mention them? Is there a list somewhere? If someone is a member here does it prevent them joining another one? And if it does, how would they know? I am a bit of a newbie to internet forums so I apologies if I am treading on some toes with my questions but I am now quite puzzled.

[STEVE G]

Basically the problem with local publications aimed at westerners and there have been several over the years, is that they have tended to be dominated by the property companies trying to sell their developments and this causes them to be less than honest about local conditions that might influence people buying property.
I suppose the only way to get away from that would be to have a commercially independant publication that could be a local newspaper or magazine, but that would rely on people paying for it which might be too small a market to survive.
As to mentioning other websites, as far as I understand it, just avoid transferring information between the various Thai based forums and you'll be OK.

[Orange]

OK, thank you for your answer STEVE G. Every answer seems to trigger another question! First off, I'm not sure that anyone has mentioned or queried the independence of any publications as regards the property business before. I understand your point but not really sure where it fits into this discussion?
As far as who can and can't be mentioned, do I take it then that I mustn't mention another Thai based forum (not likely as this is the only one I read but you never know) nor copy information from another forum and paste it in here? So if it is not a forum but just a regular website, Thai based or otherwise, that is OK? And mentioning printed publications like Hua Hin Today and AWOL as I have already done, and Bangkom Post and Nation as other shave done, is acceptable? I may just avoid the whole topic completely to be on the safe side but as we are here now we may as well clear up what can be done, although it does seem a little excessive. Is it copyright issues cauing all the problem?

[STEVE G]

The problem with the property company dominated publications is that generally they could only be classed as light reading if you're in the market for buying property, otherwise they tend to be just a load of advertisements.
Also I've seen articles in them that are grossly misleading on subjects such as the legal ownership of property in Thailand.

[Orange]

Thank you again STEVE G. Your last two comments suggest that it is hard to trust the information from any publication that is free and has property adverts in it, but that seems to be almost all of them that i have seen, including this forum; I didn't mention the property mags I had seen on previous visits as I didn't think they could really be counted as reading matter for the purposes of this discussion, but I would have thought it was obvious that they would not be the most reliable sources of information as regards any legal matters buying property in Thailand; however it is worrying if not even 'proper' publications can be trusted to tell the truth. A certain amount of positive spin would be expected but not outright lies as you infer.

[caller]

Orange - why don't you just read a book instead?

[Orange]

caller,
Well of course I do sometimes, but sometimes I want to read something else. Thank you for the helpful suggestion though.

[Lev]

Orange, this issue is clearly causing you stress. Let us put it simply:

You would not be able to read an article about the Nation in the Bangkok Post as you would be very unlikely to come across a report by CNN on the merits of following BBC reporters in the field.

Therefore we find it strange that you find it strange to think that it is acceptable to sing the praises of our competitors on this forum and expect there to be no reaction. Our advice would be to read it all, ingest, and form your own opinions. By all means ask away if you have specific questions on Hua Hin, we are confident that you will get a response within the hour.

Chas, your negativity has once again infected this forum and you have once again used the opportunity to belittle us ... why you have this strong enmity is a mystery however your hatred for this website is clear so we will save you the trouble of further ill-feeling and rescind your membership.

We shall how ever state that you are clearly wrong on all accounts:

IMHO Part of the problem is getting past the football, commercial, bar scene, Bintabaht focus of HHAD.

Our stats indicate that less than 7.3% of topics are about the bar scene and "Bintabaht focus".

We have had a couple of MAJOR international gatherings here the past year. Discussion? Information? Zip. ( I remember trying to talk about the ASEAN summit with no success.)

We had several multi-page discussions on the ASEAN meetings and their implications on the town, maybe the participants did not share your viewpoint - that is hardly "not covering it".

Vic Hua Hin? Cicada? Market Village changes every week. Performers: Thai mostly to be sure . .but different every week in various places around town.Town administration, plans, policies. Traffic happenings?

You evidently never looked at the events section then, probably because you may have been paying too much attention to our "Bintabaht focus".

Look at the Jazz festival thread. As of this moment, half the posts in a 12 post thread are by Buksi. This a MAJOR Hua Hin Happening about a week away!! I like jazz . .but I dont know much about the performers and have never seen any of them perform live. Have you? Will this be better than previous festivals? Different? Could be an interesting, informative and pertinent discussion.

Again, if you'll take note of the dates you'll find that we were the first English language Hua Hin publication to run the dates and lineup of the Hua Hin Jazz Festival and if it wasn't for the hard work of our moderators in sourcing this info you would be sourcing Google for the Thai version. We provide the information, we cannot force our members to discuss it.

Solution? I stopped being a regular here quite a few months ago. No, I have not become a "regular" elsewhere either. I just came to deal with the fact that if it is happening in Hua Hin, I probably wont find out about it here.

Try opening your mind a little, stop whinging and accept that - as in many aspects of life - the more you put in the more you get out. Expecting this website to be your personal window on the area when all you do is throw mud at it will only end up with you living in a dark room.