Rob’s Thai Roving Report

Betong is one of Thailand's most intriguing destinations — yet many visitors have never even heard of it. Tucked away in the country's deep south near the Malaysian border, it combines spectacular mountain scenery, multicultural heritage, excellent food and a fascinating recent history.

Travelling through Thailand with my wife Taew, her cousin Q, his wife Ann and their son Indy was always going to be an adventure. They were taking us south towards their home in Hat Yai, but our journey gave us the chance to discover places we might otherwise have missed, including Samut Songkhram, which I'd experienced many years earlier.  

I have enjoyed seeing how towns and cities develop since my first visit to Thailand in 2004. Some grow, then stagnate or even decline. Others continue to develop. The worldwide pandemic had a huge effect, stalling progress as businesses disappeared. Khon Kaen has continued to grow since I first stayed in the Isan region in 2018.

  I thought the back end of 2021 was dramatic as I moved from London to live in Bangkok, but 2023 took things to a whole new level. I was on the move again, only this time with a lady I married, to the northeast countryside of the Land of Smiles, where I was introduced to many traditions and cultures, including the Surin Elephant Festival.