When friends in Taiping started talking about going to Phattalung, I said I had never been to the place. I heard the name Thale Noi being mentioned. Thale Noi is a lake. Thale Noi is a sanctuary. Indeed, it is a lake and a sanctuary in Phattalung. Thale Noi is Thai for Little Sea and here migratory birds come to roost, making it an exciting waterfowl sanctuary especially when the lake is said to be teeming with pink water lilies. When my friends and I arrived at the lake however, it was a kind of deja Vu. I remember having been here with Ah Heng and his friends who drove us in a car to Trang some years ago. We had stopped at exactly the same spot but now, a row of dilapidated looking stalls selling snacks and mostly dry sea products lined the bank, blocking the view of the lake. Like before, we didn't see any pink lillies and we didn't pay to take a boat ride at the famous lake. It was a hot afternoon and it was time for for lunch...
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