More updates

From the Bangkok Post (December 18, 2008):

'Upgrade for Yala hot spring.

The provincial administration in Yala has embarked on a 20-million-baht (~half million $) upgrade of facilities at a popular hot spring by equipping it with private baths and a spa resort with tourist accommodation.
Located in Tanoh Maeroa sub-district of Betong, around 10 kilometres from downtown, the hot spring attracts locals who go there to picnic or for a dip, and usually bring with them raw eggs that they boil in the spring's warm water before eating.

A couple of years ago the government alloted 40 million baht to develop the hot spring, then spread over three rai, into a place for public recreation. The area has now been expanded to cover 50 rai to include a spa resort with 10 tourist accommodations, private baths and separate ponds for group visitors.
The spa service, when it opens next February, is expected to draw tourists from neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore as well'.

Well, considering Malaysia has some well run hot springs themselves, the local government seem optimistic on their ability to attract more soakers. Let's hope the business plan won't require the local government to come up with more cash in future.

More from the same newspaper but then from January 8, 2009. This time it refers to the town of Pai in northern Thailand

'After a long day wandering around you may want to unwind in the hot springs in the middle of a teak forest in Tambon Mae Hee, or enjoy the refreshing sight and sounds of a cascading stream at the Mo Paeng Waterfall.'

Some photo's of Pai hot springs.

Blogs

• Rob Hammerslag sent me these two links to visits to Sira-an and Mambukal hot springs in the Philipines.
• Elsewhere in the Phillippines, Asin hot springs.
  
• Yet again more on Sungai Klah hot springs in Malaysia who point out some problems with the entering the new (cold) pool:

  Beside the Hot Spring pool, the newly added pool is cold one.. and the Hot and Cold pool doesnt link together... The visitor has to walk toward the parking space to enter each other pool.. even though the pools just beside each other.. there is "pagar" across the boarder... what a good management !~!!!''

  More photo's here.