Thailand Stories

One of the biggest and most beautiful festivals in Thailand is the Candle Procession which marks the start of the Buddhist Lent. In Thai this is called Khao Phansa which is the day after the full moon in July.  Traditionally during this…

It has become popular these days to revitalize some of the old riverside markets around Thailand. New floating markets are also being built to match this demand. This is part two of my comprehensive list of Thai floating markets that …

The first and only water theme park in Phuket is Splash Jungle Water Park. It is found in the north of Phuket close to the airport and very near Mai Khao Beach. The water park has been designed to international standards and …

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…

There are many floating markets and riverside markets around Bangkok. Some of these are new and others have been revitalized. This is part one of my comprehensive list of Thai floating markets that you can easily do as a day trip from Bangkok. Damnoen Saduak Floating Market The most famous floating market for…

Thailand’s Northern-most district is Mae Sai in Chiang Rai Province. It is about 60 kilometers north of the provincial capital and has easy access along the main highway. The most notable landmark is this tall building which houses the …

There is a remote community in the mountains of Northern Thailand that is home to hilltribe villages, tea plantations and the so-called “lost army” of the Republic of China Army’s 93rd Division. It is called Santikhiri (Hill of Peace) though most people…

Nakhon Sawan Province is in the North of Thailand about 240 kilometers north of Bangkok. It is important as it is regarded as the source for the Chao Phraya River which flows all the way south to Bangkok and out into …

In the old days, before movies and T.V. soap operas, people were entertained with Nang Talung. This is the art of shadow puppets that first became popular in Southern Thailand two or three generations ago. It has since spread to other…

Probably one of the best ways to see dolphins close up in Thailand is by kayak. During my recent trip to Nakhon Si Thamarat Province, I joined Khanom Fishing & Tour for their one day tour called “Conserving Dolphins, Conserving Khanom Environment”. They operate out of Khanom which is …

A short distance north of Amphawa there is another riverside market that has been trying to revive its old community. This is Bang Noi Floating Market that straddles a canal of the same name near the Mae Klong River. There has been a market here for more than one hundred years and at one time hundreds of market vendors…

It seems that a number of provinces in Thailand are starting to build their own aquariums that rival if not surpass the one in the basement of Paragon shopping mall in Bangkok. One of the latest ones to be built is at Bueng Boraphet in Nakhon Sawan. It was officially opened in 2008 and as you can…

Nakhon Sawan Province is in the Lower North of Thailand and is about 240 kilometers from Bangkok. It lies on the main route between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. I have passed through it many times though I have only spent the night there twice. It is not really a tourist town but it is worth…

The most popular floating market in Thailand for tourists is undoubtedly at Damnoen Saduak. However, if you want to avoid the bus loads of tourists on a very well worn trail then I suggest that you head out to Tha …

I first went to Amphawa Floating Market in Samut Songkhram exactly five years ago. I went there for the annual Rama II Fair . This year it takes place on the weekend of 5th-6th February 2011. I have been back to Amphawa a few times since. I really like …

Uthai Thani is in the Lower North of Thailand and is blessed with many forests and mountains. The most famous wildlife sanctuary here is Huai Kha Khaeng which I was lucky to visit about 15 years ago. Today it is listed as a World Heritage Site. In the same district of  Lan Sek, I recently went …

I have been blogging about my trips in Thailand for many years. Normally I have to wait until I come back before I post my pictures and report. For a long time I have been wanting to be able to post my blogs live. Finally, earlier this year, technology caught up with me…

One of the first books that I read about Thailand was called “Pirates of Tarutao” by Paul Adirex. It is loosely based on a true story of prisoners on a penal colony that were forced to become pirates due to food shortages during the Second World War. The real name of the author is Pongpol Adireksarn and at…

I have said it before, but no-one believed me. This year will see the start of a significant number of people using e-guidebooks instead of hefting around large bricks that the Lonely Planet books are starting to resemble. Lonely Planet actually started to go …

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 …