Thailand Stories

One of the jobs I have to do at the school is to look after the foreign teachers. This term we have four new teachers fresh off the boat. The teachers are staying in a townhouse belonging to the school. Their …

An albino baby turtle swims with green sea babies turtle in a pond at Khram island, about 30 km (19 miles) from Pattaya, east of Bangkok. Special care is given to around 15,000 green and hawksbill baby turtles hatched and housed at the navy’s conservation center each year. Once the baby turtles’ shells are big and strong…

When I see images like this I usually think of Japanese kids who often wear masks when they are ill or when they are concerned about catching a contagious disease. However, I took this picture this afternoon here in Thailand. The number of cases of people infected with the …

Respect for the Law (Click here for part one) From the age of just two and half months, toddler Tui can enjoy the thrills and sprills of being sat on his father’s motorbike and admire the awesome way his father manages to fit the entire family on the back of his motorbike and…

“He fought like a man so he could become a woman” - Still from the Thai movie Beautiful Boxer Thailand here has many-a glorious site to feast ones eyes on, besides just a million temples, two million taxis and three million noodle soup stalls we…

Sorawee Nattee (C), winner of the Miss Tifffany 2009 contest, Writtorn Narapaipimol (L) who finish in 2nd and Napatsawan Cholakorn who finish in 3rd place are pictured at the end of the contest in Pattaya on May 15, 2009. The Miss Tiffany contest is held…

Thailand’s latest floating market is the Four Regions Floating Market in Banglamung District of Chonburi, a short distance south of Pattaya. The market is split up into four distinct areas which represent the four regions of Thailand. There are over one hundred shops selling quality souvenirs and handicraft as well as delicious Thai food. …

When I first travelled through Asia I remember thinking that it was lucky that I spoke English as my first language. I noticed that English was being used as the way to communicate between backpackers of different nations. For example, a German would speak to a Frenchman in …

Supporters of exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra battle with pro-government supporters during the 14th of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits in Pattaya on April 11, 2009. The summit of Asean leaders with dialogue partners has been cancelled and state of emergency declared in Pattaya after a clash of red-shirted and blue-shirted people outside the meeting venue and…

Supporters of ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra force their way as a glass door shatters at one of the venues of the 14th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Pattaya April 11, 2009. A summit of Asian leaders in Pattaya, Thailand, has effectively been cancelled after anti-government protesters broke into part of the conference venue, a …

Supporters of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra scuffle with riot policemen near the venue of the 14th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Pattaya April 10, 2009. Anti-government protesters converged on the Thai beach town of Pattaya on Friday with plans to disrupt an Asian summit as part of efforts to try to force Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva …

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (back) walks towards his car as security officers gesture after Abhisit’s car was stuck in traffic in Pattaya April 7, 2009. Protesters attacked a car carrying Vejjajiva on Tuesday as a minister warned that opposition elements wanted to cause chaos at a big rally this week in a bid to topple the government. Abhisit was unhurt, but a window in his car was smashed…

When I first heard about the Four Regions Floating Market in Pattaya, I just thought that we would be getting another tacky and artificial tourist attraction built just to bring in the tourist dollars. There are not really that many authentic floating markets around. The famous one at Damnoen Saduak was recreated in order to cater for foreign tourists. It is situated on the site of a much older floating market that…

An expression often used during the colonial period was “going native”. It referred to the people who forgot the ways of their home country and started to behave like the natives. It was meant as a derogatory term as if Western educated people were of a higher class and standing. To “go native” meant to behave like someone from your host country. For example, accept the…

Muay Thai, or Thai kickboxing has really gone international. There are enthusiasts all around the world and fighters are no longer just Thai nationals. You also don’t need to train in Thailand any more as there are world renowned boxing training camps in America, Europe and Australia. However, some people do decide to opt for something a bit more authentic and train in Thailand. You …

Back in 2007, we started a new project called “Seven Wonders of Thailand” . We asked members of the ThailandQA Forums to nominate what they thought should be “Wonders of Thailand” in three different categories: Man-Made Wonders, Natural Wonders and Symbols of Thailand. Then, for the past year, people have been allowed to vote on our website at…

After spending a few months working my socks-off in Bangkok, I’m finally falling back into the more mellowed and chilled-out routine of living upcountry here in Suphanburi. This blog of mine today, is actually related in way to Richard’s one lately about the scammering Siam Ocean World at the Siam Paragon. Putting a two-…

Once you made a decision to be brave and break away from the perceived safety of a convenient tourist bus coming with pickup from your hotel or guesthouse, you will need to figure out how to get to the bus station and how to buy the right ticket. The most important thing is that prices are…

(The following blog/article was published in The Nation newspaper on February 2. Here below, however, is the originally un-edited submission) (Watch out for that Thai wife of yours - she could be extremely dangerous! Thai wives are highly skilled at throwing Farang husbands over 12th floor Pattaya hotel balconies!) Besides being home to countless noodle soup carts, coyote dancers and moaning air-hostesses, the land …