Thailand Stories

We are at Rabieng Ta-le restaurant alongside the Gulf of Thailand in Samut Prakan. It is a great place to come to enjoy the sunset in the evening. The restaurant is at Bangsaen 2. They have some great seafood. We have ordered softshell crab curry, spicy crispy catfish curry, fried shrimp, and fried crab rice. The food has just started…

Anti-government rallies are being planned by the red shirts in Bangkok from 12th-14th March 2010. They are hoping for a million protesters though the final figure is expected to be less than half that. However, it is still a sizeable protest and precautions …

It is probably not a good idea to venture outside at the moment if you are living in some areas of Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Lumpoon, Maehongson, Nan, Phayao and Chiang Mai due to the bad air quality. You…

I went to eat at Tesco Lotsus on Srinakarin Road in Samut Prakan. I saw this interesting dish which is like an egg noodle combined with Chinese Chicken Rice. - Posted from my iPhone

One of the most important events in the Thai Buddhist calendar is Makha Bucha Day (sometimes spelled Magha Puja). It takes place on the full moon day of the third lunar month which is usually late February or early March. This year it was today, 28th February 2010. Like many Thai people, I was up early this morning before …

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…

At Klong Suan Market. I will post more pics at http://www.paknamphotos.com - Posted from my iPhone

Thai police use a water gun during an exercise at the City Hall Plaza in Samut Prakan on 20th February 2010. Thai security forces and police organized a joint exercise to prepare for possible anti-government protests in Thailand next week

The tension is rising in Thailand as we have now started the countdown to Judgement Day on Friday 26th February 2010. The red shirts have already started their protests though so far the yellow shirts have decided to stay at home. If that is true then any riots on the streets of Bangkok next week should be limited…

The grounds of a Buddhist temple in Thailand have a variety of buildings of all shapes and sizes. At first glance their use might seem to be random. But, there is one building, called the “phra ubosot” which is not only the most sacred but also has distinguishing features that makes it…

Traditionally, in Thailand, when a Buddhist dies, their body is cremated and then the bones and ashes are collected and are either kept at the temple or at home or sometimes both. However, there is a third option which is seemingly becoming more popular these days. It is called “loi angkarn” which …

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 …

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…

The Chinese people of Samrong in Samut Prakan Province believe that their God Jao Por Tap will help them get rich. Behind Imperial World, on the old Paknam Railway Road, they have built a large Chinese shrine dedicated to this God. Every year, on the last Sunday of January, they hold a parade through town which is attended …

TOUR2 : Bang Nampheung Floating Market, The Erawan Museum, Reclining Buddha at Bang Phli and finishing with a meal at sunset at the Bang Pu Seaside Resort. Samut Prakan Province is sandwiched between Bangkok and the Gulf of Thailand. As it is so close to the capital of Thailand it…

On Sunday 17th January 2010, Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Kamthorn Pumhiran presided over the wreath-laying ceremony at the Royal Thai Naval Academy in Samut Prakan. The event commemorates the bravery of the naval heroes who sacrificed their lives in defence of the country’s independence and sovereignty during that battle that took…

Today marks the 69th anniversary of the battle with the French on 17th January 1941 near the island of Koh Chang. In dispute were some of the territories in Indochina that Thailand wanted to claim back. Although the Thais fought bravely, they lost two torpedo boats…

A young Thai boy climbs up onto a tank during Children’s Day activities Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, in Samut Prakan, Thailand. The weapons were part of a display for Children’s Day at the Royal Thai Naval Academy, a day in which Thailand’s children are celebrated. (Richard Barrow/ Paknam.com ) More Thailand pictures can be found at www.ThaiPhotoBlogs.

The annual National Children’s Day for Thailand took place today. Children are considered as the most valuable resource of the country. There is a Thai saying that goes, “Children are the future of the nation, if the children are intelligent, the country will be prosperous.” …