(cont. from Page 3)........However a gallant effort to save the airfield caused the battle to rage into the night. Beleaguered and out of provision the small defending force was ordered to lay down arms the following morning after the signing of an armistice. To this day the Royal Thai Air force still has a base in Prachuap Khiri Khan. Sadly I don’t have time to further research this important event nor explore the town’s attractions. I head back to Suksant to get my bag.
Ban Krut not on track……..I could get at Ordinary train at 13.10 to Ban Krut about 60 kilometres south for small money or perhaps the earlier Express train at 12.28. However rather than wait I check out another form of transport. Minivans run to Chumphon departing within walking distance of Suksant. I don’t need to wait long. I am charged 70 baht but I have made one miscalculation. This service will not take me directly into Ban Krut as the train would have done. When I am dropped off on the Petchkasem highway I am still 10 kilometres from Ban Krut. I have no choice but to take a motorbike taxi but at least it can take me straight to a resort. Fare agreed I head for the village.
Ban Krut is a small village clustered around the railway station and linked to a beach road a kilometre away. Knowing that the railway network was constructed just over a century ago I wonder whatever existed here before that. It may be that this was a wilderness of natural beauty just inviting mankind to come and ruin it! But to be fair in the modern scheme of things and in part due to local planning regulations this part of Thailand’s coastline retains an innocence that other parts lack through their vulgarity.
Proudthai Resort……..My transport having passed through the village now heads along the beach road. Having explained what I was looking for its rider arrives at Proudthai Resort, a collection of beach huts in rustic wooden style. However the interior of these huts is functional with air conditioning, hot shower, TV and refrigerator. I negotiate a price of 2.000 baht for three nights. Having checked online I don’t think I can do much better than that and oh! what a location looking straight onto Ban Krut Bay. I have arrived just after midday but instead of looking for a lunch I seem to do what everybody else is doing. I just fall asleep, maybe because there is a sense I’ve arrived in paradise. Awaking at 3pm it’s really late for lunch and certainly too early for dinner so something light will suffice but the beach road only accommodates resorts and their up market cuisines is not exactly what I need at 3pm on a hot afternoon. There is so little activity........ (Cont. on Page 5)