AWOLonline is the website supplement for the free AWOLweekly newspaper which has been distributed in and around the Hua Hin area in Thailand since 2008. The newspaper reached the 150 issues and three years in circulation milestone on September 30th 2011.
For those of you who have never been to Hua Hin, it is a seaside resort about 3 hours drive south from Bangkok, and is the official residence of His Majesty the King of Thailand.
Hua Hin has a growing number of expatriates from many countries who either live there permanently or for extended periods every year, as well as a thriving tourist sector and many major hotels, although it still retains the feel of a working Thai town rather than just a resort.
North of Hua Hin, about 20 minutes away is Cha Am, a more Thai resort than Hua Hin, but that too has a growing number of expats making it their home, preferring its slightly more sedate style.
South of Hua Hin is Khao Takiab, which is rapidly becoming the place that many Hua Hin residents will head to for both day time beaches and night time entertainment, and again many expats are making it their home.
AWOL is distributed widely in these areas, aiming at a readership of English speaking expats and Thais. It is the only English language weekly publication for the area. Our internet presence means we can offer even more to our readers, including a discussion forum, and planned future developments include a bar, accommodation and restaurant guide and local street maps. Selected Classified adverts placed free on AWOLonline are also placed free in AWOL. It is a free, quick and easy sign up procedure for the AWOLonline classifieds. We also provide information and links to all the local sports, such as golf, pool and darts, that expats partake in, making AWOLonline the essential portal for the Hua Hin area and beyond. Added in the last few months are our Music and Film section, which keeps you up to date with the UK singles, albums and movie charts, as well as featuring reviews and coming soon information and our Football section, focusing on the English Premier League. If you are a fan of crossword and Sudoku puzzles, select the appropriate link in our menu above.
In November 2010 AWOL combined with a group of French expats to produce a monthly supplement called Ambiance (first issue inside the 12th November AWOL). A corresponding section with 'page flip' versions of the supplements produced can be found here.
If you have only just discovered AWOL you can still read every issue we have ever produced by going to our chronological gallery of back issues, which you can download in PDF format. You can now also read the current issue online in a 'Page Flip' version - just click here.
If you have any questions or comments about either AWOL or AWOLonline, or would like to advertise, contribute or collaborate, please either send us an email; or use the forum to post anything you want, but you must register first to do so, a simple and straightforward procedure, and if you have a Facebook or Twitter account you have the option to sign up and log in using them, which is even simpler.