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I'm in the processing of Scanning all my old my hard copy photos up onto my computer. I've been meaning to do it for ages and have just started cracking on. This thread will be a long on going rambling one that I'll add to over time.
These pics were shot in 88 when I was living on Tong Nai-Pan bay. Sometimes I'd walk over the mountain down into the Bay. Happy days.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...s/11892/a4.jpg
The 5 meter King cobra can get a start in here.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...s/11892/w1.jpg
Enter the coconut plantation and head for my Bungalows, mine can be seen on the left. Most of these would be gone now to make way for the Techno fire twirling tossers. Hadd-Rin is the next one along. In 88 very few made their way here, the only way in was by boat or treacherous mountain road.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...s/11892/a7.jpg
Nice beach Bungalows, one of the first on this bay. That's my bike in the back ground. No electric, only generator at night and no Police. Happy days indeed.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...s/11892/a9.jpg
This is where we showered,shaved and washed. Just one shitter only.
It worked well though, not many punters around then. The Thais were a fantastic bunch here and I never forget the people I met in those days.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...s/11892/a8.jpg
Spent a lot of time living here with the locals. This pic is Looking back into the restaurant. When I first staggered in here there were only 5 bungalows.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...s/11892/a2.jpg
At one stage I was living in these two huts directly on the beach, one for me to sleep in and the other to throw my shit in. 30 baht for each one :)
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...92/a10%7E0.jpg
My 30 baht hut on the beach, random people would just drop by. Note the kerosene lamp.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...s/11892/e9.jpg
Is that you in the first pic?
Nice thread!
^
Yes , I was wearing my Nappy. It was hot out there mate. :)
It doesn't SEEM that long ago.
How much was 30 Baht in Aussie dollars then?
^
Then it was 18 Baht to the AUD.
I was not earning a lot of money back then but 1 dollar went quite a long way living on that beach.
First flyer for the Bungalows.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...892/ghan_1.jpg
I first discovered this bay in 87. Arrived from Koh Samui with a heavy on shore wind blowing. Decided to head for the opposite side of the Island out of the prevailing wind. A very lucky find back then, proved to be a brilliant move. Had no idea where I was going.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...892/ghan_2.jpg
The birth of a Dive Company.
In December of 88 I made an offer to this Canadian guy and his Thai partner to take me in as a 3rd partner in their Bike rental business and up coming diving venture into Koh Tao.
They had been up and running only a matter of months, I was renting one of their bike's doing runs over the mountain into Pan. At the time they had 4 new Honda MX, an old compressor and 4 tanks plus regulators.
They had not yet started diving on Tao. I was into off road bikes and diving so it was a no Brainer at the time. The deal was I would be the third partner and travel back and forward from Australia whilst they run the show.
They accepted the offer, I stumped up 10 K and the rest is History. In January 89 the Canadian and myself walked onto Koh Tao with 4 tanks the small Compressor and two paying punters after a 6 hour boat trip. We were the second dive operation on Koh Tao, Koh Samui divers being the first.
The Thai stayed on Phan-Gan running the bike rentals and then opened a telephone service office, he moved to Tao full time a year later. We sold all the bikes and concentrated on the diving.
Koh Tao had only I telephone in 88 located at the Post Office, no Government power and no police. In fact it had fook all.
We split with the Thai in 91 and went on to form " Masterdiver " which to this day still operates.
He went on to form" Bans Diving" which is now one of the largest operations on Koh Tao, he was assassinated in the late nineties on the Island.
I sold my shares in 95 to a German guy who eventually flounced back to Germany 3 years ago and the Canadian flounced back to Canada in mid 2000 after many years in the Industry.
Both went home with nothing after all those years.
So at the End of the day I'm the only one left. :)
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...a1_%282%29.jpg
looks ace mate, wish I'd made it down there for those times
Good views and great history lessons. Keep em coming. 5 star post.
Thanks Terry.
This sort of thread is gold dust.
Photos personally taken and scanned from the days before digital photography.
:1st:
Nice remembrances, Tez...
The good old days, eh?
The 70s were even better!
More photos please <3
Hey Terry, Keep them coming. Long before my time in Thailand so I will enjoy this thread.
Great stuff tel, I see you still maintain the same hairstyle
^ A fair old hooter as well! :)
This is Mr Ban. He was originally from Bangkok and had made his way down to koh Phan-gan. He was an unusual Thai, he nether smoked, drank, or took drugs, his motivation was money only. When he finally moved to Koh Tao he was the odd man out. He was an outsider who never fitted in with the locals. Maybe why he is now in his Mausoleum situated behind his resort on Koh Tao. He has been having the big sleep for many years now. Ban Diving is now a Multi million dollar enterprise by the way.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...s/11892/a6.jpg
The Mountain road on a good day. The 125 MTX ate it up as long as one knew how to ride. Not a great place to learn though.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...s/11892/a5.jpg