3rd day - The Bangpae Experience

Day 3 � 11th May

12:00 p.m.

On our way to Bangpae Waterfall...



1:00 p.m.

click on pic to enlarge

I have to write about this trip to the nature reserve at Bangpae waterfall. It�s one thing to know about corruption but quite another when you learn of its effects. It�s also one thing to learn about endangered species and poaching but quite another too, when you see about how the animals and nature are affected.

The nature reserve at Bangpae has a Gibbon
Rehab Program (GRP) funded by donations and operated by international volunteers working with Wild
Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand (WAR). Entrance fee to the reserve, whose main attraction is its waterfall is 200 baht (about S$8). The money is meant to fund the nature conservation program.

Gibbons are essential to sustain the life cycle and diversity of the tropical rainforests in Thailand. Their herbivorous diet of fruits helps to scatter and sow seeds within the forests. However, poachers who target nursing mother-gibbons kill the mothers for the young. They (baby gibbons) are subsequently trained as attractions in bars, pubs, etc with their (unnatural) smoking and drinking antics.

However, like all primates, their temperaments change upon sexual maturity. They become rebellious and ferocious. No longer lucrative to their owners, the creature is simply shot and the whole cycle of poaching goes on again.

This doesn�t just happen once a day. It is ongoing at with multiple occurrences everyday of the year. The gibbon rehab projects tries to prevent poaching or rescue gibbons from abuse and captivity. While the goal is to rehabilitate the rescued gibbon back to their natural instincts and surroundings, many of them are simply too psychologically damaged to be set free and have to remain in the rehab center for the rest of their life.



Before we left, the volunteers asked us if we got a receipt from the park ranger for the entrance fee we paid. We shook out heads.

�It�s nothing new... many tourists say the same thing, no receipts... it means they�ve probably pocketed the money...�

The 200 baht entrance is meant for the forest conservation project. It went to line the pockets of the rangers.

click on pic to enlarge

If you ever happen to visit Bangpae or any of the nature reserves in Thailand, the volunteers taught us to ask for a receipt from the rangers (nicely, of course) and check that the receipt has an official seal and a serial number on it. Otherwise, it is likely the park do not receive any of the money.

3:30p.m.

Lunch at Tesco/Lotus foodcourt.

If you ever have doubts about the hygiene standards in Thailand (or Phuket at least), let me help you put them away once and for all.

The foodcourt uses a cashless, stored value card system whose remaining amount is refundable upon return of card. The vendors therefore NEVER touch any cash, which may be full of germs.

The cutlery section is equipped with a pot of constantly heated water used for sterilizing the cutleries you may use. Comparing this level of hygiene with some other more �developed� countries, who�s the third world nation now?

Yum!

10:00 p.m.

Back from a shopping trip to Tesco/Lotus and Central Festival Market.

Things that are worth buying in Phuket, Thailand which I found at the malls:

Elegantly slumped after a day and a truckload of shopping - click on pic to enlarge

1. Adidas � less than half the price of Singapore, and it�s all genuine stuff!!
2. Boots � the pharmacy franchise from the UK; fantastic range of high quality house brand toiletries and even products not found in Singapore (e.g. L�Oreal Men Expert range of skincare for men).
3. Am told that many genuine designers labels available at cheap prices too, will tell you if I find them...