Thailand Stories

I think one of the first phrases I learned when I arrived in Thailand was “gin khao reu yung?” This is a phrase that asks if you have eaten yet but is really more of a greeting than an inquiry. They are not really interested in when you had your last meal. If you dissect …

Thai cuisine involves the balancing of contrasting flavors, spicy and subtle, sweet and sharp. It is also concerned with aesthetic value, for the Thais believe that food should please the eye as well as the palate. One particularly delightful aspect…

Whenever we have new foreign teachers at the school, I always take them out to a restaurant as part of their orientation. This is partly to introduce them to my favourite Thai food on a menu. But, I also want to point out to them some of the finer points …

Thailand’s first population census was conducted in 1909 by the Ministry of Interior. Four subsequent censuses followed in 1919, 1929, 1937 and 1947. Since 1960, the National Statistical Office (NSO) has been responsible for undertaking population censuses every ten years under the 1952 Statistical Act (revised in 1965). In accordance with the United recommendation that countries should undertake national censuses every the…

It would seem that the longer I stay in Thailand, the higher the frequency that I attend funerals. In fact, I have two sets of funeral clothes now. I thought today I would give a brief overview of a cremation in order to …

I talked before about the eating habits of Thai people. I mentioned that they seemed to snack all day and still remain quite slender. However, this is not saying that there are no obese people in Thailand. Far from it. There are quite a few very chubby …

If you go to Thailand on holiday, you will most likely find that the local food is one of your highlights. You will find this both delicious and cheap. Here are some of my favourite Thai food dishes. 1. Tom Yum Egg Noodle with Red Pork (baa mee tom yum) 2. Egg Noodle with …

People are already planning their holidays in Thailand for 2010 and so we thought we would help out by letting you know the dates of the main events and holidays. I know so many people keep asking “When is Loy Krathong in 2010?”. The answer is below…

If you have ever been to Thailand then you would have surely seen Thai people by the side of the road playing takraw. This is a very informal game of about half a dozen people standing in a circle. They then have to kick a rattan ball to each other trying their best …

The Ministry of Culture has planned many cultural activities to promote Thai culture and stimulate confidence in Thailand among international tourists and investors. Culture Minister Teera Slukpetch said that Thailand, in the eyes of in the world community, is a…

The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board has issued a report on Thailand’s social outlook in the second quarter of 2009. The report, which was acknowledged by the Cabinet, covers four major areas, namely the quality of human resources, …

In Thailand, one of the cheapest places to buy and eat food is by the side of the road. These are the mobile stalls which vendors wheel to their locations every day. Sometimes they might leave the cart there and then bring all their working tools in a pickup truck. …

The following are national days in Thailand though none of them are celebrated as public holidays. National Children’s Day - 2nd Saturday of January วันเด็กแห่งชาติ (Wan Dek Haeng Chat) Widely celebrated, especially by governmental agencies, with many activities for children. Observed on this day…

In Thailand, July 29th every year is celebrated as National Thai Language Day. However, a recent poll showed that 85.3 per cent of people surveyed in Bangkok and its neighbouring provinces were not aware of Thai language day. The survey also revealed some shocking results. According to the poll, 84.9 per cent of…

There are an increasing number of foreigners who are marrying Thai women or Thai men. And according to our ThailandQA.com Forums , there are also many people coming to Thailand to attend weddings as guests as they are asking questions like “What do we wear to a Thai wedding” and “What gift do we give the bride and bridegroom?”. As…

Experts are warning people how to avoid lightning strikes, which have increased to 100,000 occurrences a month in Thailand. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) says at least 1.3 million lightning strikes occurred nationwide last year, up from 1.2 million the year before, or more than 100,000 strikes a…

Campaign against Alcohol Abuse in Observance of the Buddhist Lent (04/07/2009) The Ministry of Public Health is joining forces with public and private organizations in launching a campaign against alcohol abuse, marking “No Alcohol Day,” which coincides with the start of the three-month Buddhist Lent, or Buddhist Rains Retreat. Known in Thai as …

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 …

“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…

At the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, you will find six pairs of giant demons that stand guard at each of the entrances. They are facing inwards towards the ubosot as if they were protecting the Emerald Buddha. These giants were built during the…