Thailand Stories

In the olden days in Thailand, most people lived along canals and the only way they could travel around was by boat. At major intersections farmers would come together to create floating markets. With the building of roads and modern houses, many…

There are quite a few Buddha images, however most of them depict him at the same age. This Baby Buddha image, called “pang prasut” in Thai, is relatively rare. It depicts the moment when the Buddha was born and he immediately started walking. I haven’t seen one like this …

During the Khao Phansa period this week, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) are helping to promote the event “Making Merit at Four Temples” in Chanthaburi Province. These temples are not necessarily the most sacred of the temples however they have been picked as they represent different architectural styles and Buddhism sects. Even if you don’t have…

Beyond a doubt, ASTV, backed by the People’s Alliance of Democracy (PAD) has escalated in popularity more than any other TV channel in Thailand in 2009. This is due of course to precise unbiased news reports which particularly penetrate the essence of Thai politics and offer the audience …

Many Thai children spent their summer holidays either at summer school or, if they were a boy, ordained as novice monks at their local temple. In Samut Prakan, a number of our temples offered the youngsters a chance to ordain for about a month…

(Steve’s following article was originally published in the South China Morning Post on March 14 as “Buddhist Schools Play Vital Role in Rural Thailand”) Until just over a century ago the only education available in the kingdom of Siam was a religious one found only in its Buddhist temples. Destitute families in what is…

In the early hours of every morning, even before the break of dawn, monks can be seen walking along roads on their alms round. They do this throughout the year whatever the weather. No matter if there is torrential rain or it is bitterly cold. Officially, they are only allowed to leave the temple once they can see the hairs on the back of their…

On the radio this morning, I heard a news report about thirty foreign and Thai tourists who were robbed by their bus crew and then later abandoned by the side of the road. Apparently they were on their way from Krabi to Khao San Road in Bangkok when the bus stopped for a toilet break at a petrol station. When one of the passengers came back from the toilet he…

In the old days, in particular in the rural areas, many young boys would become novice monks as that was the only way for them to receive an education. As well as having a secular education, they were taught how to read and write. These days, many of the novices that you might see in temples are boys who have been abandoned by their…

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 …

During the recent school holiday, that marks the break between term 1 and 2, many students take the opportunity to ordain as novice monks. They usually only do this for a week or so. It is a bit like going on Sunday School Camp I guess in order to have religious training. I think it …