S Thailand D5 April 2024

12 April 2024

Day 5

Laem Son National Park and Ranong Town

LS NP is situated  on the Andaman Sea coast, consists of 60km of coastline and 15 islands and very rich in biodiversity. The dominant trees are the casuarina and mangrove.

Laem Son Pier provides transportation to nearby islands.

Bang Ben Beach

Ao Khoei Beach, unspoilt and beautiful.

Unnamed Beach near Ao Khoei

That's the end of sightseeing in Laem Son. It's time to head north to Ranong. On the way to Ranong, there is a published scenic spot call Phu Khao Ya (Grass Hill). Due to the dry season, there's only dried brown grass. 

The slip road from the main highway led to the the main street of Ranong. It's a very old town rich in history. This town has sizable population of Chinese. It's a fishing and trading ports and gateway to Myanmar. The buildings are very old and  upgrade very much needed.

Many of these shophouses have distinct Chinese characters on their signboards. But the Chinese here have completely assimilated into the Thais society and unable to speak Chinese. 

I walked into Ranong Old Market. It was a massive complex like the big older mall  in Bangkok. The market sell fresh produces and anything that is need for food. There are also many retail stores. The stores are predominantly run by Myanmese. The giveaway is their traditional facial cream.

The entrance of the old Ranong market is marked by an arc which say Hainanese Association. That's bewildering 

Further down the road is the main Hainanese Association Temple dedicated to "Tian Hou Gong. Most Southern Chinese immigrants pray to this God for their safe travel and well-being. 

The fact that this temple exist her meant my Hainanese ancestors has been here for centuries. Had my grandfather decided to go to Thailand, I would be a Thai today.

Tonight I stayed at Daranee Resort, just a few kilometre from the town.