Thailand Stories

Yesterday marked the official start of the Vegetarian Festival in Thailand. In Samut Prakan it runs from 26th September to 6th October 2011. We went to Thong Siang Vegetarian House in Samut Prakan to watch this opening ceremony. The event was a signal for the nine Gods to…

Wat Benchamabopit, which is more commonly known as The Marble Temple, is probably the most beautiful temple in Bangkok. It is certainly one of the most unique as it is a blend of European and Thai architecture. It is a beautiful place to photograph at any time of the year. However, this last weekend was extra special …

At the crack of dawn this morning, I was back at Wat Phra Dhammakaya in Pathum Thani Province. I was last there for the meditation workshop for female Buddhists (see here ).  This picture shows the extraordinary dome that is a wonderful backdrop to many of the pictures that I …

During the full moon of this month we celebrate the religious holiday of Asarnha Bucha Day. It commemorates the Buddha’s first sermon to his first five disciples. The following day marks the start of the Rains Retreat which is sometimes referred to as the Buddhist Lent. It lasts for about three months. This year, these two holidays are on…

On Saturday, Thai people all over the country were invited to take part in Buddhist chanting called “Phra Paritr”. This was done as a tribute to His Majesty the King on the auspicious occasion of his 84th birthday anniversary this year. The Phra Paritr religious ceremony took place simultaneously in both Bangkok and the provinces…

Over the weekend I went to take pictures at a Honey Offering Ceremony at Wat Khan Lad in Phra Pradaeng. I have never heard about this event before though apparently it takes place every year. Officially it should take place on the full moon day of the 10th lunar month which …

There are over 40,000 temples spread across Thailand. Many have a similar style though some are very unique. For many foreign tourists the colourful Thai temples are often a highlight of their holiday in Thailand. The Phra Dhammakaya Temple in Pathum Thani Province might not be your typical Thai temple. The main building resembles a UFO more …

If you are a Christian, then you would know that your sabbath day is every Sunday. It is the day that you should go to church with your family.  Buddhism also has a sabbath day called “wan phra” in Thai. You could translate this as “monk day” or maybe “holy day”. However, …

Early on Sunday morning, thousands of lay people from Bangkok and the surrounding provinces, came together to give alms to an estimated 12,600 monks. The event took place along Ratchadamri Road in front of Central World. About 800 meters of the road from Ratchaprasong Intersection and towards Pratunam was closed to traffic. Photo Album > >…

One of the most beautiful temples in Thailand, done in a modern contemporary style, is undoubtedly Wat Rong Khun. This temple, which is in Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand, is more well-known among foreigners as The White Temple. I recently went back for my second visit and was surprised to see that work was…

I spent most of my Songkran holidays enjoying the more traditional side of this new year festival. Yesterday I visited my local temple to take some pictures of two Songkran activities. The first one was Song Nam Phra where people poured water on the hands of monks. I told you about this one yesterday. The second…

One of the more traditional events that takes place during Songkran is “song nam phra”. This is the practice of bathing Buddha images with rose scented water. Most tourists, and even some Thai teenagers, seem to think that Songkran is only about throwing water at each other. However, it was…

Some of the most beautiful parades that I have photographed are ones organized by the Mon people of Phra Pradaeng. They originally came from Southern Burma where they were once rulers of their own kingdom. Due to persecution and wars, they have fled their homeland and can be found in neighbouring countries such as Thailand. It is estimated…

At the weekend, we had a very special event in Samut Prakan. Late on Saturday night the main two roads through Paknam were closed for traffic. An army of people then went about setting up for a mass alms giving the following morning. They set up, in straight rows, an …

One of the most important places to celebrate Makha Bucha Day, a Buddhist holiday, is at Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan. This royal temple, in Nakhon Si Thammarat in Southern Thailand, houses a relic of the Lord Buddha. On the full…

One of the most beautiful of the daily Thai traditions is the early morning alms round. If you have been reading my blogs for a while now then you would know that I have written about and also taken part in quite a few different alms …

One of the least visited areas of Thailand is the North-East, or Isaan as it is referred to by the Thai people. This is a shame as it has a lot to offer such as its art and culture, …

Thai Buddhists have believed for a long time that they will make good merit if they release fish and birds at a temple. The idea is that you are doing good by giving a creature its freedom. However, its often a short…

For those of you who are finding that Amphawa Floating Market is becoming too crowded and touristy, then I recommend that you step back in time by staying overnight in one of the many homestays that can be found along Amphawa Canal. In the …

Happy New Year 2011! I hope everyone had fun celebrating last night and managed to get safely back home. This time of year is really dangerous on the roads and I prefer to stay at home rather than travel to other provinces. Too many drunk drivers out there. However, the big exodus from …