Visit to the beach, Pak Phanang and the Laem Talumphuk peninsula

I thought I wouldn't see the beach again for a while, well I was wrong. Indeed, Nakhon Si Thammarat is on the seaside, but until now I was dependent on family members for transportation (at least to go to the beaches, which are not that close either) we had never moved from the city center.

That's different this year, April being the summer holiday period, the children are free all day and the parents, including his sister and brother-in-law (in Jitima if you're not following) took advantage of the good weather and perhaps the fact that we're here too, to go for a family trip to the sea (but without my future mother-in-law who rarely goes out).

That day, we headed to the Laem Talumphuk peninsula, located about thirty miles from Nakhon Si Thammarat and close to the town of Pak Panang, known for its houses made for swallows, so that they can settle there, the nests are then harvested and used for cooking as an ingredient.

A map of the area.

The way my brother-in-law drives the car is confusing... Let's even say dangerous, knowing that he transports people, driving like a Thai...

We arrive at the edge of the beach, I don't know if the looks are on me, because they are not used to seeing farangs in the area or if it is the fact of disembarking with the whole family, the nephew and the niece by the hand, in my opinion a bit of a mixture of the two.

We eat at the local restaurant, the children start asking me to go swimming with them. Jitima does not come swimming for a simple reason, she could not afford to take one of her swimsuits, namely a bikini, which would be frowned upon in this area and by her family…

The sand wasn't great but the water color was a turquoise green like I like.

A big long beach.

With Com and Cream, my future nephew and niece (future, because I'm not married yet, even if that's coming), I played in the water, acting as a lifeguard, Jitima's sister trusting me, they shouldn't stray far from the edge.

Obviously, especially Com, who wanted to play the foolhardy one, went out to sea, immediately I jumped on him saying "No, no, no!" And that made him laugh, so he started again.

I don't speak Thai yet, but with gestures, smiles, numbers (because I know how to count in Thai... It limits the conversation anyway, but it helps!) we managed, and then, he will be a future champion in English, I can feel it.

Beach games looking for shells, the other children look at me curiously before imitating me, I become the local attraction, but I am very touched when I see some approaching me, both shy but happy with their gesture, almost proud as they hand me the shell they have just found.

It's a feeling of happiness that invades me at that moment, that's what it means to be happy, to make others happy, and to see these children smile, having fun, it's something simple but these are moments that warm the heart.

I'm straying a bit into philosophical-melancholic remarks, but after all it's also good to talk about it.

Here the pleasures of the sea are dressed.

This peninsula is infamous for being hit by Hurricane Harriet in 1962, considered one of the biggest natural disasters Thailand has ever known. The village at the very end was submerged by 3m waves and almost all the houses were destroyed.

There were many casualties and the extensive damage called upon the king to appeal for public assistance himself. As a result, donations were numerous, and he provided materials as well as the necessary funds to rebuild the 12 destroyed schools in the province.

A panorama of the Laem Talumphuk peninsula.

We drove to the end, nothing remains of the village today... Only fallen trees remain to remind us of the passage of this terrible force of nature.

We stayed a few minutes, especially the time to climb to the top of a tower which must have served as an observatory, I think (because it looked like it hadn't been used for a while).

Small bridge to access the position where I am.

Another small bridge, seen from here it gives a nice perspective.

Watch out, you're going to fall! How the tightrope walkers play.

Lots of little crabs were coming out of little holes around it.

The seaside is a bit marshy.

From there we set off again, making a detour towards Pak Phanang, they stopped just for me to take some pictures, they stayed in the car while Jitima accompanied me.

The big grey buildings in the background are the famous constructions to accommodate swallows.

I find these “houses” unsightly…

To end this day, I was taken along the way since it was nearby to what is called "The King's project". It is in fact a dam responding to several problems.

Starting to address the lack of fresh water for irrigation and domestic use, this is linked to the intrusion of salt water coming up from the sea (a phenomenon that lasts 9 months a year) resulting from conflicts between rice farmers and shrimp farmers who dumped salt water from shrimp ponds into rice fields causing damage to crops.

This dam has helped to solve all these problems and, in addition, it protects against annual floods linked to the monsoon.

The said dam.

Fishermen working downstream from the dam.