Thailand Stories

This morning I drove over to the 100 Year Market at Klong Suan on the border between Samut Prakan and Chachoengsao. They were having their second annual market fair which will take place this long weekend during the Makha Bucha holiday. Mr. Surachai Kanasa, the Governor of Samut Prakan, was …

This morning I drove over to the 100 Year Market at Klong Suan on the border between Samut Prakan and Chachoengsao. They were having their second annual market fair which will take place this long weekend during the Makha Bucha holiday. Mr. Surachai Kanasa, the Governor of Samut Prakan, was there for the grand opening. If you have never been…

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 better preserved traditional markets in Thailand can be found in Suphanburi Province. It is called Sam Chuk 100 Year Market and it still has its original wooden shophouses that date back to the reign of King Rama V. In those days it was a bustling market alongside the Tha Chin River. This was …

TOUR 1: The Erawan Museum, Ancient Siam, Crocodile Farm and finishing with a seaside meal at Bangsaen 2. Samut Prakan Province is home to the new international airport at Suvarnabhumi and is literally on the doorstep to Bangkok. It also has some amazing and impressive attractions. However, …

One of the oldest markets in Thailand that is still operating is the Bang Phli Riverside Market in Samut Prakan. It was first started by Chinese traders back in the 1850’s. This now makes it older than 150 years. The original name for the market …

In the old days, most people lived along canals and rivers. This was their lifeline as it was a means of communication and commerce with other districts. Although times have changed, it is still worthwhile taking boat trips along Thailand’s waterways to get a glimpse of life in times gone by. In Bangkok you can rent…

On Monday we attended the press conference for the launch of the “Transfer Passenger Tours” at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Yesterday I gave you a rundown of the first eight day tours for transit passengers . Here are the final seven tours. (9) Erawan Museum and Ancient City (four hours duration) - Erawan is the three-headed elephant and vehicle of the…

The following are some of the tours that you can join at Suvarnabhumi International Airport if you are a transit passenger and you have at least six hours to spend. (1) City and Temple Tour (4 hours duration) - A visit is made to Wat Traimit where you will be amazed to see the staggering 5 ton “Golden Buddha”…

Transfer passengers at Suvarnabhumi Airport will now be able to choose between a range of tours if they have at least six hours to spare before they need to catch their next plane. Paknam Web was invited over to the airport this morning…

On the eastern outskirts of Bangkok there is a new lake that offers watersports at a price that everyone can afford. Lake Nongbon ( beung nongbon ) was built by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) in 2006 but wasn’t officially opened to the public until last year. Annual membership is a crazy low price of 40 baht per…

For people who are in Bangkok and feel like trying out some water sports, then it is recommended that you check out Beung Tako, otherwise known as Lake Taco in Samut Prakan. It is very close to the Bang Na-Trad Highway and so it is…

In the modern age, the hypermarkets and corner convenience stores are quickly taking over from the older traditional markets in Thailand. Many of these markets have closed down. What is interesting to see now in Thailand is a re-emergence of old floating markets and canal side markets. Amphawa Floating Market is a good …

The Wan Lai Bangsaen Festival took place on 16th-17th April 2009 on Bangsaen Beach. This is the annual water flowing festival that takes place a few days after Songkran. People in this area of Chonburi Province are descendent of Mon and they celebrate Songkran later than the rest of the country. The highlight for the …

The largest reservoir in Central Thailand is Pasak Jolasid Dam. Is it 4.8 kms long and stretches across Lopburi and Saraburi Provinces. It has a storage capacity of up to 960 million cubic meters. The project was initiated by H.M. The King in the early 1990’s and was officially opened in 1999. Pasak Jolasid Dam is a source of water…

I was on my way to the floating market at Amphawa the other week when I came across this interesting temple. On the outside it was deserted and very undistinguishable from any other temple that I had been to in Thailand. I almost passed it by but then a coach load of Thai tourists pulled into the small parking lot. They left their coach in single file and were led …

Today marks the 115th anniversary of the State Railway of Thailand. Every year, on March 26th, they mark this anniversary by arranging a trip on a steam train to Ayutthaya. There are not many opportunities these days to experience a journey aboard carriages pulled by a steam locomotive. Many of these engines are fast disappearing on the scrap heap. Luckily in Thailand a…

If you are sick and tired of the traffic and pollution of Bangkok, then you might want to consider heading down to Bang Pu Seaside Resort in Samut Prakan for a bit of bird watching and a sunset dinner. As you enjoy the fresh sea breeze at the end of a lazy afternoon you won’t…

There are quite a few floating markets around Bangkok these days. It is becoming more popular among the Thai general public. Most of the new ones I have been to recently are aimed at the domestic market. Wat Lampaya Floating Market in Nakhon Pathom Province is another classic example of this. When I…

Today we went back to Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi Province. I was there last year with Nong Grace (click here for pictures ) and as she liked it so much she kept asking me to go again. It is the school summer holidays in Thailand now so we thought we would drive down there today. The zoo is not well-known …