Recently, we were chosen as nominee for the Asia's Responsible Tourism Award. If you can, please take 30 seconds to vote for us at their website, so we can keep up the good work! 

The website is 


Our connection to the villages comes from rebuilding our lives together, and our projects focus on the big picture, empowering people to define their own future. This means that, along with responsible tourism, we also support scholarships for 120 kids, reforestation, a community development network, and a lot more. Pardon the spiel if you've already heard it, but it's the real deal.

Winning the Asia's Responsible Tourism Award would mean a lot: the award will underwrite our projects, and the publicity will help us spread our message, which is always a challenge with a miniscule PR budget :) If you are excited by all this, feel free to post this message on your facebook account, blog, or email lists.



With thousands of nominations annually, the Asia's Responsible Tourism Award recognizes innovative business projects that increase investment into the local community and take a responsible approach to the environment in which they are operating. 

So, if you could be so kind as to follow the link and vote for us, it would be of great service to our projects and the people they serve.

Andaman Discoveries' team

 

Protests in Bangkok have been ongoing since the military coup that ousted Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006. Fortunately, the protests are concentrated in Bangkok. Kuraburi and the North Andaman Coast have seen no sign of danger, violence, or protests. As a sleepy mountain town, Kuraburi residents and visitors are safe from the dramatic flare of the protesters in Bangkok, which is over 700 kilometers to the north. 

The Internal Security Act was invoked in Bangkok and seven surrounding provinces throughout the tumultuous weeks of March 11-23, 2010. The Phang Nga Province was not among those included in the invocation. The Thai government has stated that it will "use all means within its powers, within the laws of the country, to make sure that the property and safety of its citizens are protected." (BBC World News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8557069.stm) This safety and concern extends to all guests of Thailand. The Foreign Minister stated that the Thai government will provide "the greatest security to all residents in Bangkok and Thailand, including the diplomatic corps and other foreigners." (Thailand PR Department, http://thailand.prd.go.th/view_inside.php?id=4831)

The protests are now completed, although there is still political discord in the country. Travelers going through Bangkok airport and on to the North Andaman Coast may encounter delays should there be further protests, but there is no danger to tourists, only inconvenience. "For tourists visiting the Kingdom, it should be stressed that foreigners have not been targeted in the on-going political conflict. Be that as it may, foreigners are advised to be vigilant, particularly in the areas where crowds may gather. The Government will continue to step up measures to ensure the safety and well-being of all foreigners in Thailand." (Thailand PR Department)

 

by Laura Pelegrina

 

by Jenny Lovell


Bodhi, Laura, and I took a walk at Nai Tui, a small outdoor recreation area near Kuraburi. There is a small community group that works together to preserve the watershed and encourage conservation and appreciation of the area.




They took us on a hike up the streambed, where we saw freshwater crabs and shrimp. It was beautiful and cool in the shade of the trees. They told us that there is a natural water hole at the source of the spring water for the river, which is used by wildlife in the surrounding area.


Our guides showed us the freshwater shrimp and crabs, which the locals catch as a source of food and saleable goods. Searching through fallen leaves and under the edge of rocks, they could find a surprising number of these little guys.



We hope to coordinate overnight backpacking trips with this community group. In the next few weeks me and a couple of other interns will go on a pilot trip with the guides, staying overnight in the jungle near an ancient Buddhist temple on a nearby mountain.


There is also an improvement project that we hope to lend funding and volunteers to help complete. They have already built benches at the waterfall near the trail head, but now they want to complete a restroom and functional day trip area. One of the great things about working with community-based tourism is helping to support the locals in encouraging appreciation for these unknown nooks of ecological goodness.