Female tourists in Phuket getting safety whistles

by Anna Brones on

Sadly, two days ago a 27 year old Swedish woman, Hannah Charlotta Backlund, was killed in broad daylight when she was stabbed in the back on Mai Khao beach, on the northern tip of Phuket, Thailand. As MSNBC reports, such an event calls for action and Thailand’s Tourism Industry announced Monday that female tourists to the island will be given safety whistles to blow in the event of an emergency.

The whistles will take the form commonly used to represent women — a circle above a cross — and can be worn around the neck. The hope is that they will allow females in trouble to call out for help. An increase of security guards around the island as well as public safety manuals are also part of the new plan to better secure the island that is so popular with tourists to Thailand.

As a woman, this case gets to me personally, but it also raise the question of general travel safety. What are your best tips for staying safe while traveling?

Photo of the Day (03.18.08)

by Martha Edwards on


In my travels, I’ve discovered something about small towns — they each have something that is uniquely theirs, something they’re know for, a claim to fame if you will. In the town of Vegreville, Alberta, for instance, it’s the giant easter egg in the center of town that commemorates the Ukranian heritage. In the town of Hoi An, Vietnam, it’s the abundance of tailor shops, each ready to make you a custom suit at a bargain rate. And in Borsang, Thailand, it’s the handmade umbrellas that are their claim to fame. In fact, the town even holds an annual umbrella festival each year in January. Gadling reader Lady Expat was there, and luckily for us, she took this excellent photo.

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Photo of the Day (03/17/08)

by Iva Skoch on

Thanks for reminding me that I need to book my dentist appointment today, LadyExpat! Oh, and by the way, cool picture.

LadyExpat took this photo at the Elephant Conservation Park in Northern Thailand. If you do click through and visit the site of the Conservation Park, I suggest you turn down the volume on your speakers. You might go deaf. Apparently, they want you to know that elephants make NOISE.

***To have your photo considered for the Gadling Photo of the Day, go over to the Gadling Flickr Pool and post it. Make sure it is not copyrighted, otherwise we can’t post it here.***

Without Baggage: A traveler’s online magazine with brains and heart

by Jamie Rhein on

Sarah, a Gadling reader, recommended to us another traveler’s online publication she recently discovered. I headed to Without Baggage to see what was there. Hank Leukart’s Without Baggage is an online magazine that delves into the world’s interesting places with a sense of purpose. The essays posted every so often evoke emotions and intellectual pursuits that aim to explore the depth and meaning of travel experiences whether one heads to Laos or Alaska.

Leukart’s latest essay, “stalking the solitary leopard” is the last installation of his three part series chronicling his trip through Botswana and South Africa. The series has the flavor of part travelogue and part critique of human existence. Hank’s writes thematically. There is a deeper meaning within the the mix of writing and lush photographs. Woven together are the specifics of place and his impressions of it. South Africa is not only a place to go, but a place to study the effects of years of apartheid. Enjoying an animal safari has to do with the willingness to be open to any experience, no matter if your original purpose is met or not.

One of my favorite essays, “i’m never leaving thailand. ever” starts:

“UM PHANG, Thailand — I’m never leaving Thailand. Ever.

Just testing. I wanted to see what how I would feel if I decided never to leave. I just finished reading Spiritland by Nava Renek, a novel about a young backpacker and her rollercoaster vacation in Thailand. . .”

Leukart continues with a discussion of Renek’s book and his own desires, plus other people’s fantasies of living in Thailand for the rest of their lives. I have had my own. My daughter would also move to Thailand tomorrow if there was a way and she could take her high school buddies with her.

Leukart has been around the world travel writing for some time now with an enviable list of print magazine and newspaper credits that attest to his passion. Like Sarah said, Without Baggage is a place to return to in case Leukart has more of the world he wants to share. In the meantime, there are plenty of essays for a leisurely approach.

“No” to Valentine’s Day sex for Thai teens

by Anna Brones on

Seems like this Valentine’s Day is all about banning things; in Saudi Arabia it’s red roses and in Thailand it’s teenage sex. All jokes aside, the Thai government sees this as a serious issue. That might be on account of the fact that polls show one in four teens plans on celebrating the day of Cupid by sleeping with someone.

So instead of fluffy teddy bears and boxes of chocolates, Thai malls, motels and parks of will be full of police on the love patrol.

But whether or not teens act on the poll predictions remains to be seen; a sluggish economy and the recent death of Princess Galyani Vadhana — King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s sister — have put a general damper on celebrations of any kind.