Ben Oostdam's Journal of Three Years (1954-1957) in T H A I L A N D

Petchaburi_HuaHin

I took the above photographs on my first tour to Petchaburi, February 5/6, 1955, by VESPA scooter. Because of a recent murder in the caves, I had to take along a police man as an escort. At this time, foreigners were uncommon, so you see the boys running towards us, shouting "pharang" ! (=foreigner, originally: Frenchman)

This was on our first jeep tour to Hua Hin on September 15/16, 1956 with my roommate Rudi Klerekoper from KLM, together with Cynthia Ellis and Jennifer Turner of the British Embassy.

This was on February 23/4, 1957, the first tour of the "Secret Society of Sightseeers in Siam" (see logo at right) to Hua Hin with my jeep and two Landrovers just bought by my HSBC friends Stewart Addis and Humphrey Babbington; also present Brigida Weir, Stella Jackson and Anthea Leslie.