David Luekens
@dluek.bsky.social
Thailand-focused travel writer (Travelfish, CNN) now featuring 1,200+ islands and 350+ coastal areas at thaiislandquest.substack.com.
Wrote an article mentioning 130 of Thailand's alternative destinations. Be warned, though, that once you fall down the alternative travel rabbit hole, it has no end.
thaiislandquest.substack.com/p/to-make-th...
thaiislandquest.substack.com/p/to-make-th...
November 30, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Wrote an article mentioning 130 of Thailand's alternative destinations. Be warned, though, that once you fall down the alternative travel rabbit hole, it has no end.
thaiislandquest.substack.com/p/to-make-th...
thaiislandquest.substack.com/p/to-make-th...
Woke up at 04:45 to neighboring building ablaze here in Pinklao. Flames 7-10 metres from the wood house we're renting. Sprayed garden hose at it while wife called fire brigade, who arrived lightning fast and were amazing. No one hurt, our house undamaged. (Pics taken after fire crew took over.)
November 23, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Woke up at 04:45 to neighboring building ablaze here in Pinklao. Flames 7-10 metres from the wood house we're renting. Sprayed garden hose at it while wife called fire brigade, who arrived lightning fast and were amazing. No one hurt, our house undamaged. (Pics taken after fire crew took over.)
Mother Chao Phraya is bulging in Bangkok. Further upstream the flood situation is quite serious in parts of Singburi and Ayutthaya provinces, among others.
November 14, 2025 at 6:22 AM
Mother Chao Phraya is bulging in Bangkok. Further upstream the flood situation is quite serious in parts of Singburi and Ayutthaya provinces, among others.
The most British gas station in Thailand is in Lang Suan.
October 25, 2025 at 10:31 AM
The most British gas station in Thailand is in Lang Suan.
This morning we're heading to some islands in Mu Ko Chumphon NP. Booked it yesterday when forecast said it'd be sunny all day w/ 3% chance of rain. Now says this drizzly blob might pass by late afternoon. Lmfao
October 22, 2025 at 1:06 AM
This morning we're heading to some islands in Mu Ko Chumphon NP. Booked it yesterday when forecast said it'd be sunny all day w/ 3% chance of rain. Now says this drizzly blob might pass by late afternoon. Lmfao
Southern Thai family breakfast, starting at 1:00 then clockwise: pad dok hom, gaeng massaman neua, kung wan, pla tuu bai makham, gaeng luang tai, palo, & at center is pla luk prae tort. A wheel of flavor from our friends at Baan Suda Curry Paste in Huai Yot, Trang province.
October 14, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Southern Thai family breakfast, starting at 1:00 then clockwise: pad dok hom, gaeng massaman neua, kung wan, pla tuu bai makham, gaeng luang tai, palo, & at center is pla luk prae tort. A wheel of flavor from our friends at Baan Suda Curry Paste in Huai Yot, Trang province.
Sure is nice to be back where I belong after 6 months in the United States of Insanity.
October 7, 2025 at 5:31 AM
Sure is nice to be back where I belong after 6 months in the United States of Insanity.
Kuay chab yuan, the queen of breakfasts.
September 30, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Kuay chab yuan, the queen of breakfasts.
How American does "full English breakfast":
1 Use only bacon we know.
2 Extra ketchup in baked beans.
3 Make mushrooms look like soccer balls.
4 Try frying tomatoes, feel dumb when they fall apart and burn.
5 Black Pudding? Is it a Bubonic Plague symptom?
6 Sloppy as all hell.
7 Super Size It.
1 Use only bacon we know.
2 Extra ketchup in baked beans.
3 Make mushrooms look like soccer balls.
4 Try frying tomatoes, feel dumb when they fall apart and burn.
5 Black Pudding? Is it a Bubonic Plague symptom?
6 Sloppy as all hell.
7 Super Size It.
July 23, 2025 at 3:28 AM
How American does "full English breakfast":
1 Use only bacon we know.
2 Extra ketchup in baked beans.
3 Make mushrooms look like soccer balls.
4 Try frying tomatoes, feel dumb when they fall apart and burn.
5 Black Pudding? Is it a Bubonic Plague symptom?
6 Sloppy as all hell.
7 Super Size It.
1 Use only bacon we know.
2 Extra ketchup in baked beans.
3 Make mushrooms look like soccer balls.
4 Try frying tomatoes, feel dumb when they fall apart and burn.
5 Black Pudding? Is it a Bubonic Plague symptom?
6 Sloppy as all hell.
7 Super Size It.
This description of Doi Thu Le caught my eye while doing a little travel research for a northwestern Thailand trip later this year. Not perfectly written but does the trick.
July 18, 2025 at 3:17 AM
This description of Doi Thu Le caught my eye while doing a little travel research for a northwestern Thailand trip later this year. Not perfectly written but does the trick.
Rainy sunset casting everything with an orange glow here in Amherst, MA, just now.
July 2, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Rainy sunset casting everything with an orange glow here in Amherst, MA, just now.
Good to see some real protests happening. These dots are all protest sites on June 14th, the current president's birthday and the day of his North Korean style military parade, aka No Kings Day. Viva la resistance.
www.nokings.org
www.nokings.org
June 12, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Good to see some real protests happening. These dots are all protest sites on June 14th, the current president's birthday and the day of his North Korean style military parade, aka No Kings Day. Viva la resistance.
www.nokings.org
www.nokings.org
Can't remember the last time I flew on a 747. What a beauty. My chariot for a wee 15 hour jump to New York.
February 27, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Can't remember the last time I flew on a 747. What a beauty. My chariot for a wee 15 hour jump to New York.
A few shots from around Ko Yao Noi in Phang Nga province:
Ko Nok just as high tide starts covering the sand bar.
Ko Yao Yai looming beyond some fish farms.
Mu Ko Hong as seen from Hat Yao before dusk.
Ko Nok just as high tide starts covering the sand bar.
Ko Yao Yai looming beyond some fish farms.
Mu Ko Hong as seen from Hat Yao before dusk.
February 15, 2025 at 6:24 AM
A few shots from around Ko Yao Noi in Phang Nga province:
Ko Nok just as high tide starts covering the sand bar.
Ko Yao Yai looming beyond some fish farms.
Mu Ko Hong as seen from Hat Yao before dusk.
Ko Nok just as high tide starts covering the sand bar.
Ko Yao Yai looming beyond some fish farms.
Mu Ko Hong as seen from Hat Yao before dusk.
New section in my Thai Island & Coastal Directory is up, featuring 44 islands in Ranong province including Ko Phayam, Ko Kam and 'little Ko Chang.' This brings the project up to 1,064 islands w/ only 4 more sections to go.
thaiislandquest.substack.com/p/ticd-mu-ko...
thaiislandquest.substack.com/p/ticd-mu-ko...
February 9, 2025 at 7:45 AM
New section in my Thai Island & Coastal Directory is up, featuring 44 islands in Ranong province including Ko Phayam, Ko Kam and 'little Ko Chang.' This brings the project up to 1,064 islands w/ only 4 more sections to go.
thaiislandquest.substack.com/p/ticd-mu-ko...
thaiislandquest.substack.com/p/ticd-mu-ko...
Afternoon snack was deep-fried lotus root from the garden.
Better than chips!
Better than chips!
February 5, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Afternoon snack was deep-fried lotus root from the garden.
Better than chips!
Better than chips!
I've always felt a little sorry for Wat Chana Songkhram, the temple surrounded on all sides by Khao San area nightlife insanity. #Bangkok
February 4, 2025 at 11:36 AM
I've always felt a little sorry for Wat Chana Songkhram, the temple surrounded on all sides by Khao San area nightlife insanity. #Bangkok
How are web publishers supposed to survive now? Even when searching for a specific page on a specific site, Google uses AI to sloppily summarize that page, thereby denying traffic to that site. Not trying to raise travelfish.bsky.social 's blood pressure, but this is infuriating.
February 4, 2025 at 8:06 AM
How are web publishers supposed to survive now? Even when searching for a specific page on a specific site, Google uses AI to sloppily summarize that page, thereby denying traffic to that site. Not trying to raise travelfish.bsky.social 's blood pressure, but this is infuriating.
US president announces 25% tarrifs on Moo Deng, refuses to rule out taking her by force.
January 27, 2025 at 9:53 AM
US president announces 25% tarrifs on Moo Deng, refuses to rule out taking her by force.
Happy Lunar New Year from Bangkok!
January 26, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Happy Lunar New Year from Bangkok!
Thai drivers license renewal at DLT Chatuchak went smoothly, all done in under an hour (w/ appointment made last month). Way less chaotic and more accommodating to expats since my last time in 2019, now w/ a special desk just for us.
January 8, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Thai drivers license renewal at DLT Chatuchak went smoothly, all done in under an hour (w/ appointment made last month). Way less chaotic and more accommodating to expats since my last time in 2019, now w/ a special desk just for us.
Couple of weeks ago on our trip south, we were lamenting the lack of good sunsets in Phang Nga due to the cloud cover, then we got this stunner across from the night market in Ranong town.
January 2, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Couple of weeks ago on our trip south, we were lamenting the lack of good sunsets in Phang Nga due to the cloud cover, then we got this stunner across from the night market in Ranong town.
Road signage on Ko Kho Khao.
December 28, 2024 at 10:15 AM
Road signage on Ko Kho Khao.