Thailand Stories

It is that time of year again when the Christmas decorations go up and the shopping malls start to play Christmas songs such as Jingle Bells and Santa’s Coming to Town. Sometimes it is difficult to believe that we are living in a Buddhist country when we see a large and brightly lit Christmas…

Today, people from all around the country are coming together to celebrate the 83rd birthday of H.M. The King. Many of them are wearing pink which is an auspicious colour believed to help make the King better. The Thai monarch has been in Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok for over a year now. Several thousand well-wishers …

Loy Krathong is a beautiful Thai festival that many people look forward to every year. It is on the full moon night during November which this year falls on Sunday 21st November 2010 in Thailand. Students at our school have been busy making …

The three most important holy days of the year for Thai Buddhists all include the word “Puja,” which means to pay homage. Asanha Puja commemorates the day the Lord Buddha preached his first sermon. Makha Puja marks both the occasion when…

Born of the traditional beliefs of the I-san people, the “Bun Bang Fai” Rocket Festival, the most celebrated of I-san’s merit-making rituals, has been strictly observed by the residents of I-san for generations. It is essentially an annual ritual …

This week sees the celebration for the start of the traditional Thai new year. From the 13th-15th April, Thai people will be dressing up in new clothes and visiting the local temple to make merit and to their grandparents in order to receive blessings. Afterwards, the youngsters will be out on the street taking part in the …

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) invites foreign visitors to join the Thai people in celebrating the Thai New Year festivities between 13-15 April 2010, in Bangkok and major provinces nationwide. In true Thai style, the “Songkran Splendours 2010” will be marked with great fun in the Thai capital as well as in the popular tourist provinces of Chiang…

One of the most spectacular cultural shows in Bangkok is undoubtedly at Siam Niramit: Journey to the Enchanted Kingdom of Siam. So many people had been talking about it on the Paknam Web Forums that I thought that I should make an effort to go and see it for myself. It is a big show…

รณรงค์ป้องกันและลดอุบัติเหตุทางถนน ช่วงเทศกาลปีใหม่ 2553 ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN FOR NEW YEAR: Mr. Surachai Kanasa, the Governor of Samut Prakan, presided over a ceremony on 8th December 2009 to promote road safety during the New Year holidays between 29th December and 4th January. During this period last year, there were five deaths…

จุดเทียนชัยถวายพระพรชัยมงคล CANDLE LIGHT CEREMONY FOR H.M. THE KING: Mr. Surachai Kanasa, the Governor of Samut Prakan Province, and a thousand local people from Samut Prakan lit candles and sang blessings to H.M. The King on the occasion of his 82nd birthday. The…

ทำบุญตักบาตรวันพ่อแห่งชาติ MAKING MERIT FOR THE KING: Mr. Surachai Kanasa, the Governor of Samut Prakan, led government officials and local people in giving alms to 99 monks in honour of His Majest the King on the occasion of his 82nd birthday.  The ceremony…

ตรวจแนวเขื่อนริมแม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา FLOODING CONTROL INSPECTION: Mr. Surachai Kanasa, the Governor of Samut Prakan, went on an inspection on 1st December 2009, to check the measures being taken to prevent high tide floods in the city. He also discussed with Mr. Amnuay Rassamitat, Chief Executive of the PAO ideas to improve the situation for the …

สมุทรปราการ เอฟซี กับ นราธิวาส เอฟซี วันอาทิตย์ที่ 29 พย. 2552 SAMUT PRAKAN FOOTBALL CLUB: The final match of the season took place on Sunday (29th November 2009) at Bang MOD Stadium in Thonburi. The match was between Samut Prakan FC and Narathiwat FC. The final score …

วันวชิราวุธ ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF KING RAMA VI: Today marks the anniversary of the death of King Rama VI on November 25, 1925. As this King is regarded as the “Father of Thai Scouting”, schools all over the province took part in a special ceremony to celebrate…

The “Chulalongkorn Day or “Piya Maharaj Day” is considered as the memorial day for King Chulalongkorn, or King Rama V, which falls on 23 October every year. King Chulalongkorn the Great was one of the most important kings of the Chakri Dynasty. The most prominent …

On the evening of the fourth day of the Phra Samut Chedi Temple Fair, it is traditional for the local people to come together to take part in chanting and a candlelight procession around the pagoda. This happens every year and it is always a beautiful sight. The best …

Thailand celebrates Her Majesty the Queen’s birthday today with many activities to pay tribute to the “Mother of the Land.” Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has urged the people to conduct good deeds in order to show gratitude to Her Majesty, who…

The Day of Vesak, or Visakha Puja, falls on the full moon day of the sixth lunar month, coinciding with May 8 this year. About 2,000 Buddhist leaders from all over the world have joined an International Buddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak in Thailand, scheduled for May 4-6. Visakha Puja commemorates the birth of the Buddha, his…

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 …

Today is National Teacher’s Day in Thailand and I thought I would take this opportunity to show you how well respected teachers are in Thailand. It is a pleasure teaching here and I wouldn’t dream of teaching anywhere else. Certainly not in America! Every January 16th is a holiday for us and we get the day off work. Then, at the …