In the eye of the storm

Grey clouds blanket the sky, turning the blue sea into grey. The coast is empty when all fishing boats seek refuge in the canal and small bay. Tourists are on alert for news about the latest storm. All signs of an average day in Chumphon. Chumphon, Ranong and Surat Thani are hit by three storms each year, from August to late October," says Thanonpon Phonperm, a local guide. He does not look nervous, though weather reports indicate that the Central Plains and Chumphon are directly in the path of an oncoming storm. "However, since the city's drainage canal, initiated by His Majesty the King, was completed two decades ago, Chumphon no longer gets flooded. Before that, floodwaters could reach 2m." A development project by His Majesty the King led to the construction of a reservoir to store water from two canals. A new drainage canal, Hua Wang-Phanang Tak, more than 1.6km long, was dug to drain water from the reservoir into the sea. "The local government said it would take two years to complete the canal project, but His Majesty said we had only three months before the monsoon season arrives. The Chaipattana Foundation financed the construction and a local body worked around the clock to dig the canal, known as Khlong Nai Luang, or the King's Canal. It was completed a few hours before a storm hit the town. But Chumphon is not all about storms and canals. It is home to one of the best diving spots in the Gulf of Thailand and its prosperous sea makes a superb nursery for small marine life. However, Chumphon is really famous for its whale sharks. But for the lazy traveller, Koh Phithak is an ideal sanctuary for those wanting to leave the chaos of the city behind. The peaceful island, only a kilometre from the mainland, is a refuge for holiday-makers, who love hanging around the fishing village and enjoying fresh seafood. Vast fields of vivid, violet-coloured sea anemone, schools of anchovies, crystal clear waters and peaceful beaches add to the charm of Chumphon. Chumphon is also the annual highway for raptors migrating South for the winter. Each year, millions of birds fly over Chumphon to the southern tip of the Malaysian Peninsula and beyond. Their flight attracts thousands of bird watchers to the province. A mere 6-hour drive from Bangkok, Chumphon is a sleepy coastal town worth visiting.