Thailand Stories

The Phimai historical park protects one of the most important Khmer temples of Thailand. It is located in the town of Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima province. There are quite a few Khmer temples in this region but this is one of the best preserved. I was impressed when I first came to see these ruins. But, of course, it was…

Supporters of the New Orleans Saints NFL football club cheer their go ahead touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts during an NFL Super Bowl XLIV game party at the Roadhouse Bar in Bangkok, Thailand, early Monday, Feb. 8, 2010. The Saints went on to defeat the Colts 31-17 …

Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand tees off on the eighth hole during the third round of the Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament February 6, 2010. More Thailand pictures can be found at www.ThaiPhotoBlogs.com .

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen, right, sprays perfume as he prays at the Preah Vihear temple in Preah Vihear province, about 245 kilometers (152 miles) north of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010. Hun Sen pays his first official visit Saturday to his troops…

Myanmar’s ethnic Karens move out from their refugee camp in Tha Son Yang district, Tak province near the Thai-Myanmar border February 5, 2010. Thailand suspended on Friday the forced repatriation of ethnic Karen refugees from military-ruled Myanmar, heeding calls from U.S. lawmakers and rights groups who said they faced possible death…

If you visit Ancient Siam in Samut Prakan you will see the Sanphet Prasat Palace. This was the principal palace during the Ayutthaya era. It was unfortunately burned to the ground by the Burmese in 1767 when they invaded the city. Today, only the brick foundations can be seen. This…

Even for those who have never stepped a foot in the Land of Noodle Soup & Nose Jobs, chances are they’ve heard some classic Thailand myth worthy of an editorial column in the most sensational European tabloid. So worthy actually, that some of these urban legends have surfaced in such papers. But if you don’t read one…

In Thai society, the head is considered both clean and sacred. In contrast, the feet are considered dirty. It is considered an insult to wave your feet at someone while sitting down or use to your feet to push something to one side. In…

A South Korean Marine rides on an amphibious assault vehicle before it touches the ground during a joint military exercise codenamed Cobra Gold at Hat Yao beach in Rayong province, eastern Thailand Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010. Besides Thailand and the United States, this year’s annual exercise, in its 29th year…

This is a picture of a Thai family scattering the ashes of a deceased relative in the Gulf of Thailand. Traditionally, Thai families either keep the ashes at home, at the temple or scatter them on the waters or a combination of all three. Many people travel to Paknam in Samut Prakan to scatter ashes at the mouth …

The security of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s residence has been beefed up with more special police and K-9 dogs. Screening at a checkpoint near the house has been strengthened. More closed-circuit TV cameras have been installed and there are now more police motorcycle patrols. (Manager/The

On Sunday, we went for an enjoyable bicycle ride in Bangkok. At first glance, this would sound like a crazy idea. But, it is amazing that after only a short boat ride across the Chao Phraya River, we were surrounded by lush green vegetation and almost complete silence. In fact, for most of …

One of the more popular sports in rural areas in Thailand is cock fighting. This is a traditional game that goes back hundreds of years. Gambling is prevalent during matches even though it is illegal. The sport is not as bloody as it was in the past and the number of deaths among the cocks have decreased. Nevertheless…

A worker fixes the net onto a cage which will be used to trap pigeons in Sanam Luang park outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will remove thousands of pigeons which roam the park as part of clean-up operations. (Reuters)…

Title: My Valentine (Laew Rak…Gor Mun Rop Dtua Rao) Director: Pornchai Hongrattanaporn, Songsak Mongkolthong, Seree Phongnithi Starring: Mintita Wattanakul, Krit Sripoomseth, Wasu Saengsingkaew, Suwikrom Amaranon Website: www.myvalentinethemovie.com Release Date in Thailand: 4 February 2010 When destiny brings three men to a girl called Mind, she finds that they all have different personalities…

When we talk about horse polo, we usually think of the colonials in places like India. I watched my first polo match in Gilgit in Pakistan about 15 years ago. It was a thrilling game played out on a dusty pitch…

Every now and then, a shipment of illegal ivory is confiscated at Suvarnabhumi Airport. This is a picture of a press conference that I was invited to attend where 2,000 kilos of ivory had been seized with an estimated street value of 50 million baht. Original post blogged on

Thailand’s Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (L) passes a sack of rice to U.N. World Food Program’s Regional Director for Asia Kenro Oshidari during a ceremony at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport February 1, 2010. The Thai government on Monday dispatched its first batch of 100 tonnes of rice …

This is a picture of some Thai puppets on sale at a temple in Chiang Mai. I bought two of them which now hang on the wall at my house. They always seem to look better in the shop. But, I guess that is because there are so many

A member of staff demonstrates to tourists how to catch a Yellow-striped Rat snake at the snake farm in Thailand’s Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute in Bangkok. The farm serves as an educational organisation to provide better understanding about snakes, according to…