ianpassion: Reflective Trip to Songkhla, South of Thailand

July 25, 2017

Reflective Trip to Songkhla, South of Thailand

By Ianpassion, breakfast at Songkhla Morning Market, South of Thailand

My wife told me that she had a conference to attend in Songkhla Province, South of Thailand, and then I had to look after our kids. “Ok no problem, I will take care of our children," I said.

Songkhla is two hours’ from Satun. There is no direct transport from Satun to Songkhla. So you need to commute two times by bus or by van heading to Hatyai, then from there, take a tuk-tuk (a jeepney) or a van to Songkhla.

We booked our hotel online, a global travel fare search engine where we can book the best hotels at the lowest price yet offering the best amenities and services.

I never thought that this trip could be meaningful as I expected. I thought that while my wife was at her conference, then I only got busy with our kids and there would be no time for us to explore the beauty of the province.

At night after, we wasted no time, we headed to one of a historic place in Songkhla called Songkhla City Wall built-in 1878. During weekends, this place turns out to be a lively night market, the location was just walking distance from where we stay.

If you have little kids with you, you are not that mobile and quick as you could, but it is a good start to train them being flexible and confident in a new environment. I start training my kids to eat like locals and not being picky whenever needed.

At the night market, we chose a couple selling Thai food at their booth across the road. We had our kaopat, gyan-geng thale, gyan-geng plakapong ( Thai fried rice, Thai curry seafood, and Thai curry barramundi fish) for our dinner. We have nothing to comment but awe for these delicious meals.

I was amazed by how the Father made this province very attractive. We did have a side trip family time with our kids at Songkhla beach. It is a white sandy beach with blue crystal sea waters. Tall pine trees have grown widely on the shore offering perfect shading for laid-back travelers. This beach is open to the public.

From where we sat on our picnic mat, while we had somtam thale, pladok yang, gai yang (spicy papaya salad, grilled catfish, grilled chicken) for our dinner, I saw the magnificent works of the Father as I watched the sunset gradually changed the color of the ocean from blue to red. I had no words enough to describe but one more awe for this.

On our last day, we woke up early to not miss the biggest morning market in the province. There we sneaked into crowded sidewalk filled all kinds of vendors; we searched the best place to sit for our typical Thai breakfast. We found one where we ordered gai tot, kao niyaw, kao niyaw ping, and cha nom (fried chicken, boiled sticky rice, grilled sticky rice, and hot tea with milk).

In the market, we met all kinds of buyers, sellers, and we saw all sorts of Thai products from farm to the ocean- vegetables, seafood, clothes, furniture, antique, and more. The market was stretched on the side of the road good enough to tire your legs if you plan to venture all.

Our kids enjoyed this trip where they could learn and experience new things, being able to appreciate what they have and sympathized with those who are working tough to survive – especially people in the market.

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