Better than Sex and the Baan Panburi

Changes are a foot again on Thong Nai Pan Noi. Restaurants and accommodation changes on the beach.

Firstly, Pong's new restaurant has finally opened in the place that used to be Pong's Republic near the bridge. The failed night club looks set to succeed as a restaurant. It is an imposing glass and steel construction. with decking and water feature. Pong is a great cook. His Burmese dishes are particularly good. Being positioned at the higher end of the market and considering the position of the restaurant just opposite Luna Lounge, it is a big challenge to the popularity of the Luna Lounge. The battle of the posh restaurants is on.

Accommodation Changes on Thong Nai Pan Noi

Big changes are in progress on Thong Nai Pan Noi beach. As you can see from the photograph above the Baan Panburi has been pulled down. It seems that Rasananda has got the land and plans to expand their row of luxury beach villas with small plunge pools.

For the time being the Star Huts is still standing, but these bungalows are also destined to vanish. The owners of Rasananda have bought this land too and plan to build mid range accommodation under the moniker of Buri Rasa.

Star Huts, a long time favourite with backpackers, will be sorely missed. Some of the people from Star Huts have been given the land next to Tanaporn Massage House. They will build a restaurant.

The Bigger Picture

Much of the road from Ban Tai to Thong Nai Pan has now been completed. It is a high quality road that will last longer than previous parts of the road. The Thong Nai Pan area is destined for preeminence on the island.

There are only 3 outfits that are now beachfront on Thong Nai Pan Noi: Thong Tapan (and Tapan Noi which is owned by the same family), Phuwadee and Rasananda. Since Phuwadee is only leased land this is destined to get swallowed up by Rasananda too. They are the newest business on the beach and yet they are destined to dominate the accommodation on Thong Nai Pan Noi. It is only the locally owned Thong Tapan that is between them and owning it all.

Changes on the beach

Thong Nai Pan Noi and Thong Nai Pan Yai continues to up-grade facilities and accommodation.

The most noticeable change is the new concrete road in Thong Nai Pan Noi which starts at the shop near the Panviman entrance, goes through the 'village', past Sandee Bungalow and then runs parallel to the beach behind Ra Sa Nan Da. This means no more bumpy pot holes and permanent puddles.

The next striking change is the opening of the new ultra fancy and expensive Ra Sa Nan Da resort. It takes up a big percentage of beachfront on Thong Nai Pan Noi, between Baan Panburi and Puwadee Resort. It comprises of 44 two-storey villas. Each villa has it's own small plunge pool and sala. The villas come with expresso machines, rain water showers, flat screen TVs and ipod docking stereo systems. The communal facilities include a swimming pool, restaurant and spa.

In Thong Nai Pan Noi village a few businesses have changed. The Mios is sadly gone. The only place to watch football is now the Indigo Cafe. The Rock Bar has been pulled down. This is not a great loss because it was a shabby place and nobody patronised the place. The Romfar massage place has been abandoned as a business and the infamous Pong's Republic has been turned into a workshop for a local carpenter and furniture maker.

Santhiya has added another huge building to the hillside, which like its predecessors is very visible.

Thong Nai Pan Resort, formerly known as Raiwin, has undergone a new name change. It's now known as the Puwadee Resort. The good news is that they have started re-painting some of the pink bungalows white.

Behind Puwadee is a new shop, the Flip Flop Minimart. I didn't see anyone using the shop, but I suppose it might be successful if Ra Sa Nan Da guests use the shop.

On Thong Nai Pan Yai the road hasn't been upgraded to concrete but at least it's been levelled out a bit.

Thong Nai Pan Yai now has a gym called 'The Living Well Gym'. It's down the road from Nu-bar. On the same side road to the beach a new restuarant has opened - 'Deeva Pub and Restaurant'.

Dreamland has built a swimming pool. And a new resort is being built on the beachfront in Thong Nai Pan Yai called 'The Star Light Resort'. It has a great black tiled swimming pool with a dolphin pattern.

What hasn't changed is that Thong Nai Pan still has the best beaches on Koh Phangan and the most laid back atmosphere on the island. There's still a few cheap accommodation options available and the parties (despite new licensing laws) at the Jungle Bar, The Hideaway and Funky Buddha are still weekly events. DJ Ton seems to have got over his obsession with Vanilla Ice which is great news for music lovers.