Hot Pavement in Patong: How I Protect Nam Tan's Paws

Patong in the hot season is lovely for a holiday, but the asphalt on the main road can get brutal by midday. Nam Tan is a mixed breed, one-and-a-bit years old, and he has no sense of self-preservation. He will walk straight out onto a sunny stretch of road if he thinks there is something interesting on the other side, usually a rubbish bin. My rule now is simple. Before any walk, I press the back of my hand on the pavement and count to seven. If I cannot keep my hand there, it is too hot for his feet. In the afternoon we stick to the shaded soi behind our guesthouse, and in the mornings we walk on the sand near the beach where it is cooler. I also carry a small bottle of water and a folding bowl, because he drinks much more in this heat than he did in Bangkok. Mostly I just want him to enjoy the walk without getting hurt, and he seems to enjoy it a lot more on grass and sand than on hot tar.