tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49046036714765922702024-02-28T03:16:51.176-08:00Thailand TravelPlan your trip to Thailand.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-18175849039168203792013-09-15T09:59:00.001-07:002013-09-15T10:29:04.743-07:00Travelers Essentials : Utilities & Services<div class="b-purple" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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ELECTRICITY</h2>
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The electric current in Thailand is 220 Volt AC (50 cycles) throughout the country. Travelers with shavers, tape recorders and other appliances should carry a plug-adapter kit. The better hotels will make available 110 Volt transformers.</div>
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WATER</h2>
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Though tap water in Bangkok is technically safe to drink, the plumbing in certain buildings may make water inadvisable to ingest. Furthermore, travelers’ unaccustomed to otherwise harmless bacteria in the water could get upset stomachs from drinking ice that is technically ‘safe’ to consume. Bottled water in Thailand is recommended as it is cheap and ubiquitous and most ice is safe to consume as it is produced with potable water, with cube ice generally safer than crushed ice.</div>
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CAR FUEL</h2>
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Fuel for cars in Thailand is predominately unleaded petrol, sold by the liter. Bigger vehicles, such as vans, use diesel. Both are readily available at petrol stations throughout the country. Prices range from 20 to 30 baht per liter. Most service stations accept Visa and MasterCard, and generally close by 10pm or midnight.<br />
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MEASUREMENTS AND CONVERSIONS</h2>
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Thailand uses the metric system and road distances and speed limits are posted in kilometers and kilometers per hour.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-48145293497677329362013-03-31T04:59:00.003-07:002013-03-31T05:00:57.581-07:00The strawberry fields in this idyllic corner of Chiang Mai<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7s2UyhWFvnOtERR6DopErIkTnvtqOmhQDKt-pXj1MsmU1_LaBduzPAX7afTgNnNFtqpt2Fli-kO5cSGapiuV9liyR3tyXcik412NojmYULwKi_8PtVEV_v2JzOAkWl8OibK2k97gfXpg/s1600/478964.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7s2UyhWFvnOtERR6DopErIkTnvtqOmhQDKt-pXj1MsmU1_LaBduzPAX7afTgNnNFtqpt2Fli-kO5cSGapiuV9liyR3tyXcik412NojmYULwKi_8PtVEV_v2JzOAkWl8OibK2k97gfXpg/s400/478964.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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The strawberry fields in this idyllic corner of Chiang Mai don't quite go on forever, but while they're bearing fruit there can be few sweeter destinations for a day trip
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Located in a valley west of Chiang Mai, the only access to this district is via narrow, winding roads lined on both sides by farms. Negotiating this route recently, I paused after passing several cars that had stopped by the side of the road to disgorge day-trippers in colourful attire.
Armed with cameras or tablet computers, the passengers dashed into a nearby plantation which had a sign advertising strawberries for sale, emitting cries of joy when they discovered their quarry hiding under a dense layer of leaves.
Then everybody started snapping pictures and striking poses as if the little red berries were some magical treasure they had long been seeking.
Thanks to a temperate climate and the consistently good prices this succulent fruit fetches at market, strawberry farming has become a growth industry in Samoeng and is now a major source of income for local residents.
"All the strawberry plants raised in Samoeng originally came from Bo Kaeo, a village at an elevation above 1,000m. Situated, as it is, high on a mountain, around 20km north of Samoeng, Bo Kaeo is cold enough for the strawberry plants to flower," explains Wimarn Sirpen, an academic based at the Pang Da Royal Agricultural Station in Samoeng.
A typical farm in these parts can produce more than 3,000kg of strawberries per rai per year, for which quantity wholesalers will pay around 120,000 baht. This is a high-value yield, compared to the revenue earned by other crops, so it is hardly surprising that farmers in this area have shifted en masse to cultivating these juicy berries. More than 3,000 rai of land is now given over to this crop, sales of which generate between 300 and 400 million baht annually.
Initially the fruit was raised in closed systems to protect the plants from predatory insects and disease, but after realising the potential for direct sales, some forward-looking farmers began catering to tourists, erecting signs that invite passing motorists to stop and pick their own strawberries for a modest fee. Family groups and tour parties are welcome to linger a while and enjoy the rural atmosphere _ or even spend the night.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWaKWp1mC0BSWRNzelfSyWPAATEJkt5XYnoeUTZWkNLa5UYVhit1Z8iD0Szhd6BQn5HGgezx_X3BzQ3mhPD8oI_9fsSPoCS3DSlHVdPH_vxJIRUN1Fdd_8_0iZTSd6RHTGHjo3H81d__4/s1600/478965.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWaKWp1mC0BSWRNzelfSyWPAATEJkt5XYnoeUTZWkNLa5UYVhit1Z8iD0Szhd6BQn5HGgezx_X3BzQ3mhPD8oI_9fsSPoCS3DSlHVdPH_vxJIRUN1Fdd_8_0iZTSd6RHTGHjo3H81d__4/s400/478965.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Retail prices for strawberries in Samoeng vary greatly, ranging from 50 baht per kilogramme all the way up to 250 baht/kg. While every farmer I spoke to claimed that his or her berries were raised organically, it is difficult to check the truth of these statements. If you want to be certain that the fruit you are buying is free of chemical pesticides and herbicides, the best solution is to buy some directly from Royal Agricultural Station outlets which sell produce from certified organic farms for around 200 baht/kg.</td></tr>
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Late last month I set out to drive to Napa Phupha after learning that this farm, one of the pioneers of strawberry cultivation in Samoeng, also offered accommodation. A few days earlier I had called to make enquiries and was informed that there were lots of vacancies.
"It's a weekday and this isn't the tourist season," the owner told me over the phone, "so you can check in at any time."
But when I got there I was stunned to find the place had been taken over by a TV production crew. Every single room was occupied.
"I remember... it was you that made that call," was how the farmer greeted me. "Sorry, but we're now completely full. We got a big group of walk-in guests, you see. They're here to shoot a series for Channel 3."
Swallowing my disappointment, I drove farther along the road towards the district capital to find that Napa Phupha was far from being the only accommodation option in these parts. Several other strawberry farms rent rooms out, too. And the deeper I ventured, the more creative schemes to attract business I discovered.
Some farmers have erected shelters under which visitors can get welcome respite from the sun and take a break from their berry-picking and photo-taking; water and other beverages are usually available. Other entrepreneurs have had the bright idea of providing rubber boots and straw hats so that city types can get kitted out like farm labourers and pose for pictures. Several plantations boast wireless internet access, enabling visitors to upload their holiday images promptly. And one farmer has even gone to the trouble of building a beautiful double-deck pavilion with a thatched roof for the benefit of guests who want to rest awhile and admire the scenery.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pang Da Royal Agricultural Station in Samoeng is a good place to learn the intricacies of cultivating temperateclimate fruit. Horticulturists based here have already successfully experimented with growing species of seedless grape and sweet starfruit — crops which have the potential to generate high income for farmers. The scientists’ latest project is finding a variety of fig tree which will do well in local climatic conditions. This native of the Middle East is increasing in popularity here with a kilogramme now retailing for as much as 400 baht in highend Bangkok supermarkets. The caretaker who took me around the Pang Da orchard very generously allowed me to sample a succulent, freshly plucked fig — which was delicious!</td></tr>
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A few places have also prepared camp-sites and encourage people who drop by to spend the night so that they can rise, like real farmers, at the crack of dawn and head out to the fields to gather strawberries.
"We offer a full-board package, including accommodation in tents, so that guests can experience the lifestyle of a strawberry farmer," the operator of one such tourism-orientated farm assured me. "We serve a dinner of Korean-style grilled pork with everyone sitting around a camp-fire. It'll be a great experience, better than you could possibly imagine!"
At another roadside smallholding I spotted a lovey-dovey couple dawdling among the neat rows of strawberry beds, whispering to each other and giggling as they tried to find the best angles from which to take photos. Children, small buckets in hand, combed through the foliage looking for the ripest fruit.
Not far away some adults, maybe the kids' parents, were unpacking a picnic lunch; others were checking out local hand-made products for sale and tasting unusual dishes made from strawberries by the farmer's wife.
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There can be few healthier ways to spend the day than a visit to Samoeng to enjoy the fresh air, sweet strawberries and the warm hospitality of those who make a living growing them.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiTMp-p26wGTEptqADEVAKxsYD_VJuqyXQ59NDOxHiEPMdFMD1jTUvGwkDvBc3bEJI9tgucoYJZe2svQlnMSizAxT_BwCjERhyW9sUgq5l4XPI48UjKEnE08hnMpe8IepfjemrIWqIlLg/s1600/478969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiTMp-p26wGTEptqADEVAKxsYD_VJuqyXQ59NDOxHiEPMdFMD1jTUvGwkDvBc3bEJI9tgucoYJZe2svQlnMSizAxT_BwCjERhyW9sUgq5l4XPI48UjKEnE08hnMpe8IepfjemrIWqIlLg/s400/478969.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Located in Hang Dong district, near Kilometre Post 17 on Road No.1269, is a unique homestay cum bed-and-breakfast. Called Jukawan Baandin, it offers very chic accommodation in little huts made from packed clay (baan din ). The exterior walls are painted in vivid colours and the interiors imaginatively decorated with handicrafts. This arty place attracts a steady stream of travellers who find its ambience and bucolic setting most inspirational.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strawberry farms which cater to tourists normally erect cute-looking signs and other props for visitors to pose against while their companions snap pictures. Entry to most farms is free, but some places do charge a fee; the owners say this is to cover the cost of the rubber boots, straw hats and buckets they lend to visitors who want to look the part in photos.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strawberry farmers in Samoeng do their best to maximise sales by creating additional products designed to pique the interest of foodies. Besides masses of the fresh scarlet berries, you are also likely to find the fruit in dried form, fermented into an alcoholic ‘‘wine’’ and preserved as tasty jams. Some of the locals have even experimented with the fruit in savoury dishes such as fried rice with strawberries and strawberry omelettes.</td></tr>
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TRAVEL INFO</h3>
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- Samoeng is around 52km from Chiang Mai city. It can be reached via Highway 1096, if you’re coming from the direction of Mae Rim, or Highway 1269 for those travelling from Hang Dong district. </div>
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- Buses heading for Samoeng depart from Warorot Market in central Chiang Mai on a regular basis between 8am and 6pm. The one-way fare is 75 baht. Public-transport options are limited, making it difficult to get around Samoeng without a vehicle of your own; we recommend that you drive there.</div>
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- Strawberry plants in Samoeng start bearing fruit in November and continue fruiting until mid-April.</div>
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Article Soure : bangkokpost.com
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-51601476018239187122013-03-17T01:08:00.001-07:002013-09-15T10:29:51.426-07:00King's efforts to help hill tribes are enjoying stunning successRoyal development projects have provided stable jobs and put food on the table for countless families. Their resounding success knows no bounds.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKx6B8KPlHiu0QUCFH8CIGmgiqR8T3R3gQV99OsbA20tOVDk_MkeYj_j5KaTrJoIQa4Zu-jYfunIV3d5KxquqMOO90JZnQztPgBODImDNBoBoXYkj7oJ2fdvVIOmVos_Zc8GFWGYkXRGlc/s1600/3B309948C8D644E4BC2BDA26E48E6A96.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKx6B8KPlHiu0QUCFH8CIGmgiqR8T3R3gQV99OsbA20tOVDk_MkeYj_j5KaTrJoIQa4Zu-jYfunIV3d5KxquqMOO90JZnQztPgBODImDNBoBoXYkj7oJ2fdvVIOmVos_Zc8GFWGYkXRGlc/s400/3B309948C8D644E4BC2BDA26E48E6A96.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rows of flowers carpet a field at the Royal Agricultural Station Angkhang in Chiang Mai's Fang district. PHOTOS BY THARITTAWAT SAMEJAIDEE</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The projects in the far North, known for turning opium fields into lush
vegetable patches and temperate fruit orchards, have provided not only food and
opportunities, but also examples for others to follow.<br />
<br />
Proof of the projects' magnetic pull and their capacity to inspire is
exemplified by a recent visit to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai - home to royally
initiated developmental programmes - by 56 ambassadors, charge d'affaires and
representatives of international organisations and their spouses.<br />
<br />
They were taken on a tour of the First Royal Factory and the Agricultural
Station in Angkhang, both in Chiang Mai, and then to the Doi Tung Development
Project in Chiang Rai from Feb 8-11. The trip was organised by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuwAxILGwv8JGvzTgBeSyTphQAf8yDpYbqPG-s98jeKsccCmIuVTFAqQMkF-TWFIYXHNgANafHp11aq2FxZDYNdNWcZdZ4zfLGLtdo6SVyM0DLZxeXJlSiZXC3Ddj5CDdMWktDEz9FNI1S/s1600/CCE2C1BD9FAE4E3FBA58EB138711CD1E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuwAxILGwv8JGvzTgBeSyTphQAf8yDpYbqPG-s98jeKsccCmIuVTFAqQMkF-TWFIYXHNgANafHp11aq2FxZDYNdNWcZdZ4zfLGLtdo6SVyM0DLZxeXJlSiZXC3Ddj5CDdMWktDEz9FNI1S/s400/CCE2C1BD9FAE4E3FBA58EB138711CD1E.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ambassadors,charge d'affaires, representatives of international organisations and their spousesobserve a wide variety of cash crops cultivated at the Royal Agricultural Station Angkhang</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The royal projects in the far North were principally set up to help hilltribe
people, ethnic minorities and migrants in border provinces enjoy a better
standard of life by ensuring secure farm jobs and related work.<br />
Over the past 40 years, the projects have introduced the cultivation of cash
crops, such as strawberry, apricot, passion fruit and plum to wean hilltribe
people off growing opium on the hills.<br />
Local villagers sell their produce to a fruit processor, the First Royal
Factory in Fang district of Chiang Mai.<br />
The factory produces dehydrated and canned fruits and vegetables, which are
marketed under the Doi Kam brand.<br />
<br />
The royal projects also educate highlanders about reforestation and
sustainable tourism.<br />
In fact, the Agricultural Station Angkhang in tambon Mae Ngon of Fang
district was conceived and set up to educate the hilltribe people about growing
cash crops using modern, nature-friendly techniques that increase yields, which,
in turn, generate stable income for the growers and raise their standard of
living.<br />
<br />
Now, more than 2,500 families in the hills of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are
involved in fruit production under the royal projects with annual produce yields
of 2.5 million tonnes worth more than 25 million baht.<br />
The Doi Tung Development Project, which was established in 1988 by the
Princess Mother, has branched out into a non-perishables scheme.<br />
<br />
It combines local people's handcraft skills and a market-driven approach to
produce woven fabrics with signature motifs and colours.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinebmTUSB32YV-2MECantiGxo31T-uJSNH8CLRcKHUCNbNjGhQrWLv4_FzNGEN0M4dBxPZwu8DOr_n_nOsgtKvl4A5SZWbFy_XYJFOa-dCKAER0hmF9d8T9xLlSlgAV5MudDWNQsP_4sRK/s1600/83B8CCDC85A54B09A915FA6CEDC40F0B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinebmTUSB32YV-2MECantiGxo31T-uJSNH8CLRcKHUCNbNjGhQrWLv4_FzNGEN0M4dBxPZwu8DOr_n_nOsgtKvl4A5SZWbFy_XYJFOa-dCKAER0hmF9d8T9xLlSlgAV5MudDWNQsP_4sRK/s400/83B8CCDC85A54B09A915FA6CEDC40F0B.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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The project also sells ceramics and fashion accessories to meet the demands
of local and international buyers.<br />
<br />
Handicrafts made by hilltribe and local people at the project training centre
also make for popular merchandise.<br />
<br />
At the centre, the workers acquire handicraft techniques which enable them to
mix together unique products to appeal to a variety of markets.<br />
<br />
In weaving textiles, for example, the workers are given designs drawn up by
professional designers to use as guidelines to create desirable products.<br />
<br />
The workers are paid according to their level of weaving skill. This
motivates the workers to constantly improve their skills and acquire new crafts
and techniques.<br />
<br />
Numerous handcrafted items are on sale at well-known foreign stores, such as
the Swedish furniture retailer Ikea.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLYjEMrXEcb6UOuFTHfWpzdUK7C0ZsARPXYkOprnUzrJNU_mrLDMoSmTJiBnWnOeFmGY-lpocB3lVnUnrH69z1dU4MFhg8yBdQrChd4J5-3TVF__fdfiGyZSNJCaEnqbA0_qjHomBykHH/s1600/0677B7BEA6B2465AB6F25CB225F380C0+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLYjEMrXEcb6UOuFTHfWpzdUK7C0ZsARPXYkOprnUzrJNU_mrLDMoSmTJiBnWnOeFmGY-lpocB3lVnUnrH69z1dU4MFhg8yBdQrChd4J5-3TVF__fdfiGyZSNJCaEnqbA0_qjHomBykHH/s400/0677B7BEA6B2465AB6F25CB225F380C0+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;">Avast expanse of strawberry field sits onahill. Strawberries and other temperate fruits and vegetables are grown and marketed under the DoiKambrand.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The merchandise from the projects is certified by the UN Office on Drugs and
Crimes, recognising that the profits earned from the products goes toward state
and private campaigns to reduce the growing of illicit crops.<br />
<br />
The label helps to increase sales as purchases help to combat drug
problems.<br />
<br />
All of the projects are directly connected to the people to improve their
lives, observed Lutfi Rauf, Indonesia's ambassador to Thailand<br />
.<br />
"This is also relevant to our situation in Indonesia. For this visit, we have
a lot of good things to learn. We want to have this kind of programme that can
be adopted in certain places in Indonesia," he said.<br />
<br />
According to Mr Rauf, the Doi Tung Project has already extended its reach to
Indonesia's Aceh province, empowering people who were shown the way of growing
alternative crops in area once carpeted by marijuana plants.<br />
<br />
Lao ambassador Ly Bounkham said three aspects of the projects can be applied
to his country - crop plantation, sufficiency and product improvement.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioy0GCZX6xeR64ENKNEePCieZF8pAgt1fSeVaDouvf1E0hSmxFJcFLRk4DqHXEQoYHRnQHQJ6lpbrg_3cIQzD4uahgD0ZCdbKbXza2cc3QJOHFR5n4xiac2iahHDLEWwP7-x6Z3VVsI9Jj/s1600/488AC84319A345C1BC94C867E853E841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioy0GCZX6xeR64ENKNEePCieZF8pAgt1fSeVaDouvf1E0hSmxFJcFLRk4DqHXEQoYHRnQHQJ6lpbrg_3cIQzD4uahgD0ZCdbKbXza2cc3QJOHFR5n4xiac2iahHDLEWwP7-x6Z3VVsI9Jj/s400/488AC84319A345C1BC94C867E853E841.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
Foreign diplomats are brought to inspect a large strawberry farm on a hill slope under the royal project at DoiAngkhanginFang district of ChiangMai.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"We learn from Thailand and from the initiative of His Majesty the King, and
this also benefits the Lao people," he said.<br />
<br />
Cambodian ambassador You Ay praised the success of the royal campaign for
farmers, saying the schemes do not only improve people's living conditions, but
also education and public health.<br />
<br />
"[The projects] are highly appreciated not only by Cambodia but by all
countries," she said.<br />
<br />
Jocelyn Batoon-Garcia, the Philippine ambassador, said the royal projects are
economically viable and contribute to other sources of income for people in the
same areas.<br />
<br />
"I am looking at the projects very carefully. I am very interested [to know]
how the projects have progressed. I am particularly interested in how tropical
countries are able to grow non-tropical fruits and reduce land subsidence," she
said.<br />
<br />
The system shows that crops can be grown on terraced land for export. "That
idea is what we have not yet developed. We are trying to learn," said Ms
Batoon-Garcia, adding she will contact the offices handling the projects to
learn more about their operation.<br />
<br />
Dato Kamis Tamin, the Brunei ambassador, said the projects were built on a
modern approach in terms of marketing and commercialising the products.<br />
<br />
The programmes have been done for the benefit of the population, not
individuals, he said.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNevgbrl8d5KZaa-IW7wUhQc9VBTw7cjYSRILEdf_j_RziZWIIYQI2t8HzcbbPL0yJz3NOdfIpSbu7y0NnmSxUazpwD-XYFHOfxBnHRrsIIdI-ciNVEDoXFwcC-7eqUJzX-YPL3xBwGX2x/s1600/49401A016E5F49F59AFFB68D083873E6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNevgbrl8d5KZaa-IW7wUhQc9VBTw7cjYSRILEdf_j_RziZWIIYQI2t8HzcbbPL0yJz3NOdfIpSbu7y0NnmSxUazpwD-XYFHOfxBnHRrsIIdI-ciNVEDoXFwcC-7eqUJzX-YPL3xBwGX2x/s400/49401A016E5F49F59AFFB68D083873E6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aweaver is busy working the loom at the Development Project in Chiang Rai where cloths with distinctive designsare produced for sale.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The projects, he observed, are not a one-man endeavour but a collaborative
effort to ensure success.<br />
"His Majesty has said we do not have to start big. We can start in a small or
medium way ... That becomes an example for people to emulate or follow," he
said.<br />
<br />
Ngo Duc Thang, the Vietnamese ambassador, said the projects can be applied to
his country, particularly for tribes people living in the highlands to eliminate
poppy cultivation.<br />
<br />
"This surely will be beneficial to my country," Mr Thang said. "We have to
learn the best practices so that we can recommend them to our people," he
said.<br />
<br />
British ambassador Mark Kent said the Doi Tung project system is adaptable to
globalisation.<br />
People are using quite a basic technology but then the products are marketed
to a specialised niche, Mr Kent said.<br />
<br />
The projects carry out interesting marketing strategies in concert with
international companies so the products become part of the global supply system,
he added.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-28672895317884357412013-03-16T22:29:00.000-07:002013-03-16T22:31:52.576-07:00Thailand's never-die tuk-tuks now a global export After 25 years of service, a company traditionally rewards a loyal employee with a gold watch. But for Win van Rootselaar of Dutch company Cryovat Internationaal, his reward for working for the family company for a quarter of a century is considerably larger and infinitely more unique -- a Thai-made tuk-tuk.<br />
<br />
For more than 50 years tuk-tuks have been burping their way around the cities and villages of Thailand, a legacy of the Japanese World War II occupation of most of the region.<br />
<br />
Though Indonesia’s Bajaj and India’s auto rickshaw bare remarkable similarities, the stainless steel “Thailand” plate on the rear, liberal chrome plating and the distinctive blue and yellow livery applied to Thailand’s taxi tuk-tuks have seen them become a unique symbol identified with Thailand the world over. Not to mention a vehicle tourists to the country can’t get enough of.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbuGl6v1Sqa6p07oiolmTBVrjNufE8gET80Mrp1V6v3T-8PbuC1lkk989rmALw4ezDFDKDMm5uihr8NRZUqYkoJ71OPXznwaRbS2jWuKHDgrx0tQ3zdIE9LdA5m8Vloglg6XvAA20iypk/s1600/Tuk_tuk_inline_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbuGl6v1Sqa6p07oiolmTBVrjNufE8gET80Mrp1V6v3T-8PbuC1lkk989rmALw4ezDFDKDMm5uihr8NRZUqYkoJ71OPXznwaRbS2jWuKHDgrx0tQ3zdIE9LdA5m8Vloglg6XvAA20iypk/s400/Tuk_tuk_inline_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No robots on this production line. All welding is done by hand. Here the roof support is welded for the canvas top.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As a frequent traveler to the company’s Thailand division, Win’s brother Tim was familiar with the tourist appeal of tuk-tuks and concluded that nothing short of a genuine Thailand tuk-tuk would suffice as a suitable silver anniversary gift for his brother.<br />
<br />
Though the Thai government will not register any new tuk-tuks for private use, export orders, along with larger variants used by hotels, resorts and shopping malls throughout the country are such that four factories still specialize in their production.<br />
<h2>
Today's tuk-tuks less noisy, more eco-friendly</h2>
Originally fitted with a single or twin cylinder 350cc two-stroke Daihatsu engine, the cause of the high-pitched burping noise they make as they zip around Thailand’s streets, modern-day tuk-tuks are fitted with 660cc four-stroke Daihatsu or Suzuki engines, making them as quiet as a family sedan.<br />
<br />
For a long-time the bane of environmentalists due to their lead-fuel operating engines and smoky two-stroke exhaust, all of Bangkok’s taxi tuk-tuks today run on CNG, the result of a government campaign that funded the cost of conversion. <br />
<br />
At Tuk Tuk Thailand in the Bangkok suburb of Bang Khae, Chett Taikratoke has been turning out tuk-tuks for more than eight years, prior to that working for Thailand’s largest tuk-tuk factory, which was a casualty of the Asian economic crisis of the late 90s.<br />
<br />
“Every tourist who comes to Thailand wants to ride in a tuk-tuk. I even get emails from people wanting me to pick them up from the airport in a tuk-tuk," Chett says. <br />
<br />
While road-regulations prohibit tuk-tuks on the country’s expressways and hence entry to the airport, there’s no shortage of affection for the vehicles from tourists, who leap at the opportunity to sit in the open-sided vehicles in the blistering heat or monsoonal rain, choking on the acrid black exhaust fumes expelled by Bangkok’s buses and cars, in preference to air-conditioned taxis.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMzryHPLgPvvl7pnM0-IhgxhF5ot09PJC3vK24Fw22U_qtphqeMQstMdHxXzePJQiAxKkzpMl9KCGgg8vkgDgD5hfwvV3yCe4XRCVjLOdoqpgHa_EYxq_CT-qLQ_tVb17YLT8xqzWCvcT/s1600/Tuk-tuk_factory_35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMzryHPLgPvvl7pnM0-IhgxhF5ot09PJC3vK24Fw22U_qtphqeMQstMdHxXzePJQiAxKkzpMl9KCGgg8vkgDgD5hfwvV3yCe4XRCVjLOdoqpgHa_EYxq_CT-qLQ_tVb17YLT8xqzWCvcT/s400/Tuk-tuk_factory_35.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="inline-image-caption in-captioninline_image_624x416">These old and well-worn tuk-tuks wait to be refurbished for the next owner</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Chett said there are about 10,000 taxi tuk-tuks in Bangkok and some 35,000 nationwide, with variations in design depending on the region. <br />
<br />
“The Ayutthaya tuk-tuk is very different to the Bangkok tuk-tuk and based on the original Midget MP4 from Daihatsu, while in Udon Thani they are motorbikes attached to carts," Mr. Chett says.<br />
<br />
Tuk Tuk Thailand’s team of 10 staff churn out about 200 tuk-tuks a year, with one vehicle taking about five-days to complete, with a large portion of that time spent waiting on chrome plating contractors to return the ornate trim. <br />
<br />
With no private tuk-tuks registrable for many years already, one would imagine that the days of Thailand’s tuk-tuks are somewhat numbered, but nothing is further from the truth.<br />
<h2>
'Tuk-tuks never die'</h2>
Pointing to a number of rusting and clearly unserviceable vehicles sitting in the back of his factory, Chett says “tuk-tuks never die.”<br />
<br />
“If someone wants a taxi tuk-tuk we take these old ones and replace everything except the chassis -- recondition the engines, build new cabins, new seats and paint them and off they go. They still have the same serial number so they’re allowed to be registered," he says.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uG7sfeZheU-9vT0tOW7bKZCiQbF_O75jK5w0Qi0twmV2D9RpsAio3tr2-vO9asooB6JGJNVLWKpQOlv5Brewltvfo5b3Eg0p95W7RGfBBk19wvbY3x1n55nhyhx7pjPm6rkJiY9ZceRZ/s1600/Tuk_tuk_inline_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uG7sfeZheU-9vT0tOW7bKZCiQbF_O75jK5w0Qi0twmV2D9RpsAio3tr2-vO9asooB6JGJNVLWKpQOlv5Brewltvfo5b3Eg0p95W7RGfBBk19wvbY3x1n55nhyhx7pjPm6rkJiY9ZceRZ/s400/Tuk_tuk_inline_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Engineering staff at Tuk Tuk Thailand work on a monster-length tuk-tuk for Bangkok’s MBK shopping mall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<span class="inline-image inline_image_400x267"><span class="inline-image-caption in-captioninline_image_400x267">.</span></span>While the cost of a taxi-style Bangkok tuk-tuk is fairly reasonable at 150,000 baht (about US$5,000), the cost of a tuk-tuk registration plate pre-moratorium on new registrations is not and at 200,000 baht pushes the cost of a rebuilt Bangkok taxi tuk-tuk with a reconditioned engine to a sizable 350,000 baht.<br />
<br />
Chett said the majority of Bangkok’s taxi tuk-tuks are rented by the drivers for 350 baht a day, with drivers earning about 1,000 baht per day. By comparison a taxi driver will pay about 700 baht a day to rent the vehicle and earn about 2,000 baht per shift.<br />
<br />
Though the Thailand tuk-tuk might be an undying symbol of Thailand, as Chett claims, the quieter three-cylinder engine might mean the nights of being kept awake by the high-pitched exhaust could one day end. <br />
<br />
As for Mr. van Rootselaar, his 25th anniversary gift is bound to attract considerably more attention than a gold watch, with his brother Tim saying they are both eagerly awaiting its arrival.<br />
<br />
“We’re about 35 kilometers east of Amsterdam in a town named Nijkerk and we’re both waiting to take it for a spin on the streets here, as well as occasionally up to the capital," he says.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vrNyl4-HND7tGf2qVT6oJVtShwUr819083C8xA6DMobkzgHHskbRFg8kG4eXhpePiS2POQm_TMyIcyWc6zZl_mEetK91aZq-N0jyzzHu9cLaT59GrWv6WMIK7biuCXZggU3J-2OmvgMY/s1600/Tuk-tuk_factory_31_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vrNyl4-HND7tGf2qVT6oJVtShwUr819083C8xA6DMobkzgHHskbRFg8kG4eXhpePiS2POQm_TMyIcyWc6zZl_mEetK91aZq-N0jyzzHu9cLaT59GrWv6WMIK7biuCXZggU3J-2OmvgMY/s640/Tuk-tuk_factory_31_0.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuk-tuk number 5111. The plates are more than 40-years old and worth more than Bt200,000 (about US$6,600).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="inline-image inline_image_416x624"></span><br />
<h2>
Everything you always wanted to know about a tuk-tuk </h2>
<strong>Length:</strong> 305cm (120 inch)<br />
<br />
<strong>Height:</strong> 180cm (70.75 inch)<br />
<br />
<strong>Front width:</strong> 88cm (34.5 inch)<br />
<br />
<strong>Read width:</strong> 140cm (55 inch)<br />
<br />
<strong>Length</strong>: 250cm (98.5 inch)<br />
<br />
<strong>Weight:</strong> 400kg (881lb)<br />
<br />
<strong>Engine:</strong> Three-cylinder 550 or 660CC Daihatsu or Suzuki. Previously a single or two-cylinder 350cc Daihatsu motorbike engine <br />
<br />
<strong>Transmission:</strong> Four-speed manual with reverse or three-speed automatic<br />
<br />
<strong>Fuel: </strong>CNG or unleaded petrol<br />
<br />
<strong>Fuel tank:</strong> 30L (7.92 U.S. gallon)<br />
<br />
<strong>Cooling system:</strong> Water cooled<br />
<br />
<strong>Brakes:</strong> Hydraulic rear wheel discs<br />
<br />
<strong>Exhaust:</strong> One-inch with catalytic converter and muffler<br />
<br />
<strong>Engine service life:</strong> Nine years<br />
<br />
Article and Picture Soure : <a href="http://www.cnn.com/">www.cnn.com</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-66602997340572396152012-09-15T22:17:00.001-07:002013-03-16T21:43:07.575-07:00I'm planning a 20-day trip to Southeast Asia<h2>
I'm planning a 20-day trip to Southeast Asia and thinking of spending a week in Myanmar, three days in Siem Reap
to see Angkor, three days in Luang Prabang, four days in Hanoi and
Halong Bay and the last two days in Bangkok. I am not sure when or if I
will be able to come to this part of the world again so really want to
see as much as possible. Do you think this is too hectic an itinerary?
Any suggestions as to what I should skip, so I can add more days at
other destinations? Esther</h2>
<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Angkor wat cambodia<br />
<br />
It is a lot to do in 20 days and you will end up rushing from one city
to another and from one airport to the next. With a week in Myanmar, you
spend less than two days in the major destinations of Yangon, Bagan,
Mandalay and Inle Lake and you will have to fly between them all!
Myanmar has just opened its doors to tourism, and I am sure this tourist
season will be really busy in terms of both transport and
accommodation. You really need more time for Myanmar. And it's a great
time to see the country, as it will change fast. More importantly, you
will enjoy the travel experience a lot more than just doing some quick
sightseeing at major destinations then going home. <br />
<br />
So I would suggest you spend more time in Myanmar, then visit the
Angkor Complex in Siem Reap for three days and keep your last two days
to chill and shop in Bangkok before flying home.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-e9RoHH0mPngOegmK7ydCYSokkfvOY2atOmnjHtUcTAeBrwYT6k0piM2oyNGOeKnbNtpVO7W5jCRwe1-GJSb8-ap3hPRUuJ1UvlGW6Vx1a6wO6yIdGhy1xZnCBXVqH2biy5i17hKU3AX/s1600/Halong+Bay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-e9RoHH0mPngOegmK7ydCYSokkfvOY2atOmnjHtUcTAeBrwYT6k0piM2oyNGOeKnbNtpVO7W5jCRwe1-GJSb8-ap3hPRUuJ1UvlGW6Vx1a6wO6yIdGhy1xZnCBXVqH2biy5i17hKU3AX/s400/Halong+Bay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Halong Bay Vietnam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Four days in Hanoi and Halong Bay is rather short and the time can
better than spend at Inle Lake in Shan State. It is interesting to see
the world heritage site of Luang Prabang, but a rural city in Myanmar
paints a far more rustic mood than the developing town of Luang Prabang.
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
However, if you really want to include Luang Prabang, then spend 10
days in Burma, end your trip in Mandalay and take a direct flight from
Mandalay to Bangkok. From Bangkok, try to get a same day connection to
either Siem Reap or Luang Prabang. You cam travel directly between the
two cities and stop off at the other on your way to Bangkok to catch
your plane home. If you really want to squeeze Hanoi in your itinerary,
Vietnam Airlines has flights connections from Luang Prabang, Siem Reap
and Bangkok. Enjoy Asia!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Bangkok midnight</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
I am travelling solo to Asia in December and arrive in Bangkok around
midnight. Should I spend a day in Bangkok before going on to Myanmar or
catch the morning flight to Yangon? If so, do I need to find a hotel to
sleep or can I sit somewhere at the airport waiting for the flight?
Appreciate your reply, Claudia</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
By the time you arrive, the airport rail link into the city will have
stopped so you will need to get a taxi to a hotel in town. You will find
one at the taxi queue, and will have need to pay Bt50 surcharge on top
of the meter fare. At the taxi counter, you will be given a receipt that
identifies the driver's details. Some female tourists make a point of
remembering the plate number and even take a photo of the driver,
sending it to a friend in case of problems. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
You will also need to check from which airport your Yangon flight
leaves, as from October, all AirAsia flights will move to Don Mueang
Airport. If you are flying AirAsia, you will have to travel from
Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang and the best way is by taxi. If you have a
connecting flight from Suvarnabhumi Airport, and don't want to travel to
the town centre, you can find a hotel near the airport within 5-10
minutes drive, if the one at the airport is over your budget. Most
budget hotels around the airport provide free transfer and will take you
back to the airport the next morning.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Staying at the airport depends on how you feel on your arrival. If you
are young and have no problem staying up all night or browsing the
Internet at one of the airport's cafes, it should be fine to do so. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
If you are not too much on a rush, spending a day in Bangkok before
leaving is a good idea. It may even make the trip more pleasant!</div>
<div>
<br />
Article Soure : <a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/">http://www.nationmultimedia.com/</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-32432519214311060562012-09-01T21:01:00.001-07:002012-09-01T21:02:03.443-07:00What are the best things to do at that time of the year Andrea December is the best time to be in Krabi <h2>
What are the best things to do at that time of the year? Andrea</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<br />
December is the best time to be in Krabi and there are plenty of places to visit and things to do. The most popular area to stay is Railey, with its limestone karsts and rock climbing. You need to get there by long-tail boat, either from Krabi town or Ao Nang. There is a range of accommodation in Railey but everything is busy December, when prices also peak. If you can’t find a room in your price range, you can easily take a day trip. Ao Nang is much closer to Railey than Krabi town, but it also gets busy in the high season. <br />
<br />
You can rent a boat for a day to visit the four spots - Tup Island, Chicken Island, Poda Island and Phra Nang Cave. I'd suggest you visit Phi Phi island too and perhaps spend a few days there. Make time to kayak out to the hidden lagoon of Hong island, located 25km northwest of Ao Nang.<br />
<br />
In Krabi town, I recommend you to go to the Tiger Cave Temple, located only five kilometres from the town centre. You will get a rewarding view after climbing 1,200 steps to a pagoda on the hilltop. The temple is popular for meditation retreat.<br />
<br />
Other highlights include the emerald pool at Thanbok Khoranee National Park, hot springs and waterfalls at Khao Pra-Bang Khram Nature Reserve and ancient painting at Ao Luek. You can also visit Koh Lanta and explore this large and largely unspoilt island and perhaps stay there too. <br />
<br />
Diving is also great in December and there are plenty of good dive operators to choose from. Hope you enjoy your holiday.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
My wife and I will be driving from Bangkok to the North for a couple of weeks. We are thinking about stopping in Tak and visit Umphang’s Ti Lor Su Waterfall on the way up to Chiang Mai. Is it possible to go camping at the waterfall area? Should we pack our tent? Thanks for your reply. Ross<br />
<br />
Ti Lor Su Waterfall is located at the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary, which is a strictly protected area. A parking lot and campsite is provided and run by the wildlife sanctuary office. Cars are allowed to enter the area only in the dry season from November to April. However, only pick-up trucks and 4WDrive vehicles are allowed as far as the campsite. There is spacious parking and toilet facilities, and it can get very busy during the New Year holidays. Outside the peak holidays, there will be very limited food or any other supplies, so you have to bring your own. Otherwise you will end up eating only instant noodles. From the campsite, there is a 1.5 kilometres trail to walk to the Ti Lor Su Waterfall. <br />
<br />
Those without a 4W drive prefer to stay in Umphang town centre, and take a tour from the hotels or travel agencies in town. You can easily opt for a two-day and one-night package, where everything is arranged for you including a boat to the waterfall, food, tent and a guide.<br />
<br />
You may already know about the road to Umphang, but let me give you information again. Once you arrive in Tak along highway 1, you have to head to Mae Sot using highway 5. The distance is 86 kilometres. From Mae Sot to Umphang on highway 1090 will be the hardest part of your trip with 1,219 curves over 169 kilometres. Don't dream of a relaxed drive: you will need to be alert for the next sharp bend all the time. There is a rest area on km.84 to stop and stretch your legs and get some refreshments. The trip from Bangkok to Umphang would take you at least five hours.<br />
<br />
But once there, I guarantee you will be astonished by this great waterfall.<br />
<br />
Article soure : <a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/">http://www.nationmultimedia.com</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-71820947948351245802012-07-22T03:22:00.001-07:002012-07-22T03:22:52.587-07:00Peaking at a new location<strong>While some restaurants fail after moving, there are signs An An Lao and its
beloved chicken and duck dishes is only getting better</strong> <br />
<br />
<div class="preParagraph">
Some restaurants fly higher after their relocation, while
a number of less fortunate ones plunge deeply because of their own
miscalculations.</div>
<br />
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An An Lao continues to be a trustworthy venue for those looking for an
indulgence of Chinese cuisine that doesn’t empty the wallet.</div>
<br />
For more than two decades, An An Lao, which occupied a two-unit shop-house on
Soi Thong Lor, had been a trustworthy venue among Chinese food connoisseurs who
looked for real gastronomic indulgence that didn't empty the wallet. Constantly
enjoying the patronage of local and expat families, the restaurant was highly
treasured for its signature chicken dish, gai betong, and a really
budget-friendly Peking duck later became another best seller.<br />
<br />
So, at the end of April, it was a shock for many passers-by, including my
family and friends, to see through the restaurant's glass facade a deserted
space that clearly indicated our steadfast eatery was suddenly gone.<br />
<br />
Almost at the same time we learned the sad news, I received a postcard from
An An Lao saying that it has moved to a new location on Sukhumvit 26.<br />
<br />
And, immediately, I decided to give them a call.<br />
<br />
As Thong Lor has in recent years become a new chic destination for gastronomy
and lifestyle traffic, land values and property rental rates have risen in
accordance with the strip's popularity.<br />
<br />
Not being able to cope with the astronomical rise of the rent (over 300,000
per month), the owner of An An Lao considered a relocation. Evidently, it was a
superb decision.<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The extra-large grilled freshwater prawn with its creamy, cheese-like fat
that has absorbed the smoky fragrance from the char-grill.</div>
<br />
The restaurant's new address may not sound as tempting as that of its
previous home. It's a new, low-profile and low-rise arcade on Sukhumvit Soi 26
near Rama 4 Road. Yet, since the restaurant opened on May 11, the business was
reported to be overwhelmed. Waiting queues have become the norm and reservations
are a must.<br />
<br />
The location is more noticeable and can be spotted from Rama 4 Road. But its
spacious parking area (with capacity for 300 cars) plays a great role in drawing
customers (back) to this time-honoured Chinese eatery.<br />
<br />
Now the restaurant, enveloped with glass walls, boasts 200 seats with tables
set comfortably far apart in a 500m2 space with three private rooms. There are
wheelchair ramps and restrooms. This is of great help to elderly customers who
who happen to be some of the restaurant's most loyal.<br />
<br />
From a larger, more systematic kitchen, An An Lao's cuisine remains
uncomplicated but distinctive.<br />
<br />
It continues to offer home-cooked Chinese fare prepared according to the
family recipes with main ingredients coming straight from Betong, an
agriculturally abundant and lush green Chinese-inhabited district in Yala.<br />
<br />
The menu has been expanded to include a number of classic Thai dishes and
fresh seafood.<br />
<br />
Just as it is presented at most fine Chinese restaurants, food is available
in S, M and L portions. Whether you're a first-timer or regular, not to be
missed are the two top-selling poultry dishes.<br />
<br />
Betong-style steamed chicken (260 baht for a medium portion) is a
well-cooked, neatly sliced meat of a free-range Betong chicken that yielded a
chewy, rather than mushy tender, texture that fused perfectly with the signature
sesame oil-soy sauce.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DCN7eHr1natHdGb2WyqSKO4tHKYD2Zzz9clV0qapmyBGbgIbl1go98zWDL-v6kNyRt-Av4VdFAyQ22z8t_Az8xuOOtVA5KzQkm_DHFGyIyVRlVmnhb4ZpDN8FL4mgLgly5wn7N1_fzCl/s1600/408331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DCN7eHr1natHdGb2WyqSKO4tHKYD2Zzz9clV0qapmyBGbgIbl1go98zWDL-v6kNyRt-Av4VdFAyQ22z8t_Az8xuOOtVA5KzQkm_DHFGyIyVRlVmnhb4ZpDN8FL4mgLgly5wn7N1_fzCl/s1600/408331.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="articlePhotoLeft">
</div>
<br />
An An Lao still stays small on the price of its Peking duck (350 baht). It's
a bargain considering that you get two substantial and sophisticatedly-prepared
dishes, so affordable compared to 800-1,200 baht at other Chinese spots.<br />
<br />
Freshly carved at your table, the paper-thin, fat-free and reddish-brown skin
of the whole roasted duck came first with the works: steamed flour sheets, fresh
vegetable sticks and hoisin sauce.<br />
<br />
With all the ingredients rolled together and eaten, it's a mouthful of great
textures and tastes.<br />
<br />
For the left-over duck meat, diners can pick from four options to have the
meat prepared: stir-fried with salted soy beans, stir-fried with beansprouts,
deep-fried with garlic and pepper, or, the most popular, is to enjoy it as miang
(fried seasoned minced duck meat with fresh green lettuce).<br />
<br />
Another of the all-time classics, steamed pork with taro (200 baht for a
small portion), presented pork belly, from a prime-grade hygienically raised
pig, braised with salted soy bean in salty sweet gravy. The super tender,
somewhat fatty pork was enjoyed with piping hot mun thow (Chinese-style steamed
buns).<br />
<br />
For the new items, my personal recommendation is grilled freshwater prawn
(150 baht per 100g). Arriving our table was an extra large, 400g, river-farmed
prawn (600 baht) that beautifully exhibited supple meat together with its
creamy, cheese-like fat that has absorbed the smoky fragrance from the
char-grill.<br />
<br />
Enjoyed with sour and spicy seafood dip, the dish is great proof that seafood
joints are not the only place where you can find super grilled prawn.<br />
<br />
The prawn can also be baked in a hot pot with herbs and glass noodles,
steamed with garlic or deep-fried with garlic and pepper.<br />
<br />
Another aquatic delicacy really worth ordering is fried curry crab (160 baht
per 100g). When it comes to flavour, I've never had faith in extra-large crab.
The bigger version usually provides meaty texture, but with a bland taste.<br />
<br />
But the crab here _ from Madagascar and weighing more than a kilogramme, with
each of its claws almost as big as my seven-year-old's hand _ offered firm and
naturally flavoursome meat. The characteristic yellow "sauce", a creamy mixture
of egg, onions, capsicums, celery and curry powder, was very tasty with only a
whiff of sugar.<br />
<br />
I couldn't possibly eat at An An Lao without enjoying my all-time favourite
stir-fried watercress in oyster sauce (120 baht). Imported from Betong, the
bright green vegetable with a pleasant bitterness was masterly cooked to absorb
the wok-burn aroma while maintaining its waterlogged crunch.<br />
<br />
The dessert selection was decent, with quite a few options including crispy
Chinese pancake with Chinese jujube filling, warm sticky rice with sweet taro
and ginkgo nuts and chilled sago with cantaloupe.<br />
<br />
Service by the same team of staff plus additional hands proved as efficient
as before. Since the restaurant is completely packed over the weekend, expect to
wait up to an hour for a table if you happen to walk in. Reservations are highly
recommended for any day of the week.<br />
<br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-11014918300364796172012-07-08T01:31:00.001-07:002012-07-08T01:34:29.981-07:00Special collections here as fashionistas go wild about Louis Vuitton<div class="preParagraph">
There's the buzz, and there's much anticipation when a few
vast rooms located at an unarguably prime location of Siam Paragon were closed
down last year, and the gigantic Louis Vuitton sign was spread across the white
panels encircling the space. All the Thai fashionistas and luxury consumers know
what to expect _ the fourth, and highly-awaited Louis Vuitton store has finally
arrived after 10 years.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuA9kGp1oPnqhWw2v6pyWUPtwkmaX6Vw1xEn4YtFploEtiigQ8jv2YWLgjzwoWnTKvgR_nCoya7U-qM0AsrdaQKowAigioXO1sFgk4bpab4hSlA6Mnc-XNd-bqoeASluOqLq6HRDmZscvB/s1600/404071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuA9kGp1oPnqhWw2v6pyWUPtwkmaX6Vw1xEn4YtFploEtiigQ8jv2YWLgjzwoWnTKvgR_nCoya7U-qM0AsrdaQKowAigioXO1sFgk4bpab4hSlA6Mnc-XNd-bqoeASluOqLq6HRDmZscvB/s1600/404071.jpg" /></a></div>
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Bangkok’s fourth Louis Vuitton store, the first to be opened in 10 years,
reflects the luxury empire’s ‘‘confidence in the potential of this great city’’,
said Jean-Baptiste Debains, president of Louis Vuitton Asia-Pacific.</div>
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Like the final, once-missing piece of the jigsaw that will complete Siam
Paragon's ambition in becoming both the pride of Thailand and a world-class
shopping destination, the Louis Vuitton store is an embodiment of house heritage
and modern lux, and designed to offer not just retail, but also inspirational
experience in discovering the world of this French luxury house.<br />
<br />
Surrounded by the 30m-long exterior facade of glass, the store is divided
into indulgent lifestyle zones. From the luggage and leathergoods that highlight
the Maison's pioneering spirit of modern travel culture, the men's and women's
universes of leathergoods, accessories and shoes, to the timepiece zone for the
horology enthusiasts, each zone is conceived as a cozy room. The shoe salons are
equipped with comfortable seating areas.<br />
<br />
A wall is dedicated to the most exceptional leathergoods creations that
reflect the house's proud savoir faire. In addition, the new store also features
an after sales centre that demonstrates Louis Vuitton's commitment to offering
customers superior service.<br />
<br />
To celebrate the launch of the latest store, Louis Vuitton is offering
fashionistas a special treat in the form of preview of the two special
collections slated to hit the shelves this year. Fans will get to see the new
line of Monogram Empreinte Speedy Bandouliere 25 which is offered here before
its official launch in September. Made in refined Monogram Empreinte leather
with the signature embossed Louis Vuitton flower motifs, the new model, which
comes in the famous Speedy shape, is available in five colours: orient,
chocolat, infini, framboise and aube.<br />
<br />
Apart from the Empreinte Speedy, the store will be the only one in Thailand
to offer the much-coveted collaboration between creative director Marc Jacobs
and iconic Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. The Louis Vuitton-Yayoi Kusama
collection interprets the artist's most emblematic polka dots onto ready-to-wear
and accessories like textiles, sunglasses, leathergoods and footwear, and will
hit the shelves on July 13.<br />
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The preview of Monogram Empreinte Speedy, which will be released in
September, is another highlight of the opening.</div>
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Credit by : <a href="http://www.bangkokpost.com/">http://www.bangkokpost.com/</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-78658255758264357792010-11-12T22:20:00.001-08:002010-11-12T22:29:15.314-08:00The Jewel in Chiang Mai's crown<p>A recent visit to Chiang Mai's newest district, named in memory of the late Princess Galyani Vadhana, proved very worthwhile. Galyani Vadhana district is the 25th to be established in Chiang Mai province, and the 878th in the country. It was named after His Majesty the King's sister.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4v9arJSYI/AAAAAAAALa4/GjY00sfVjis/s1600-h/1%5B11%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4v-wijAtI/AAAAAAAALa8/nAXBbPSwTkE/1_thumb%5B9%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="405" /></a></p> <p>Chiang Mai's newest district has a great deal to offer visitors and residents, especially those who want to immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of nature.</p> <p>The Tourism Authority of Thailand's Chiang Mai office director Chalermsak Suranan explains that the agency has organised excursions to the newest district to promote it as a tourist destination. Galyani Vadhana district has a pleasant climate, interesting landscape, abundant wildlife and, being only 164km from Muang Chiang Mai through Mae Hong Son's Pai district, it is an ideal destination for those visiting Pai, just 64km away.</p> <p>Not far from Galyani Vadhana district, Suan Doi Kaew farm is a chemical-free strawberry farm approved by the Royal Foundation Project, in Bo Kaew sub-district, Samoeng district. This strawberry farm, owned and operated by Wittaya Narata, the president of Bo Kaew Agriculturists' Association, with support from the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, occupies 2,500 rai (400 hectares) of land, and is one of the country's largest strawberry producers. Visitors can take a tour around the fields and eat freshly picked strawberries (in season). It is also being developed as an agro-tourism destination. Resort chalets are being built and campsites are already available, welcoming Thais and foreigners who'd like to spend their days in a cool climate and beautifully clean environment.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4v_zM8PhI/AAAAAAAALbA/P7pSpWWDw_o/s1600-h/2%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4wBNcrryI/AAAAAAAALbE/tq5n8MVaYEg/2_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="300" height="400" /></a></p> <p>In Galyani Vadhana district, Pornchai Pianpla, social development officer of Wat Chan Royal Project Foundation and Development Centre, explained that the centre helps locals increase their agricultural knowledge and other occupational skills. The centre was started by the King in 1979 to help improve the living conditions of hilltribe people in Wat Chan and nearby villages.</p> <p>The centre has arable and livestock farms, an exhibition of hilltribe culture, souvenirs for sale, a cafeteria, and rooms and tents for visitors to spend the night in the forest.</p> <p>Other attractions and activities include the pine forests with wild orchids; bird watching; cool weather fog watching at the border between Chiang Mai province and Mae Hong Son, the Huay Horm waterfall, from which the Mae Chaem and Pai rivers flow; Huay Reservoir, and Wat Chan, which dates back to the Lawa era, one of Chiang Mai valley's earliest periods.</p> <p>Spending a cool night at the peaceful Musikee Eco Lodge, set in the middle of a forest and with food for visitors from its own farms, followed a warm welcome by the staff and members of the Pakayor, a hilltribe native to the district. Musikee is the name of the Mae Chaem River in the Pakayor language, and it reflects the way of life of this hilltribe. Hiking to the junction of the Chaem Noi and Chaem Luang rivers is a popular activity for visitors. The nearby forest offers a large variety of plant life and the local hilltribe villages offer a glimpse into their native culture and arts. You can often hear locals playing the tae na, a Pakayor instrument similar to the harp, and singing traditional songs. There is often a show with the traditional welcoming sword dance.</p> <p>Finally there is the Ban Wat Chan Royal Project, which with the Forest Industry Organisation of Thailand, is in charge of preserving and restoring the forests in the area and promoting farming among the locals. It's set in the country's largest pine and dry dipterocarp forest, 960m above sea level, and is being developed as an eco-tourism destination for people who love adventure and cool weather. Camping, hiking and bike riding are among the many activities on offer at this verdant destination, which can accommodate up to 500 people.</p> <p>A new district office is being built to replace the temporary office, and the completion of a new road to the district _ which will make travelling here much easier _ is expected within two years.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4wCNVlvCI/AAAAAAAALbI/IO1qraG_AAw/s1600-h/3%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4wDhsOeVI/AAAAAAAALbM/qfUf0zUHCs0/3_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="405" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4wFRsMBDI/AAAAAAAALbQ/tzeumNWzQ9U/s1600-h/4%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4wGWFm56I/AAAAAAAALbU/bRylpT6CO8Y/4_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="537" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4wHWPrlJI/AAAAAAAALbY/3F4UynrwNT4/s1600-h/5%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4wIhNtQ7I/AAAAAAAALbc/dW8rPmRvPko/5_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="545" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4wJrWoFKI/AAAAAAAALbg/fhTn00M98Vs/s1600-h/6%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4wKdQRSeI/AAAAAAAALbk/ObWvnQyFNes/6_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="433" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4wLYVpHKI/AAAAAAAALbo/nk--sHrz4Dw/s1600-h/7%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4wMQ7j2zI/AAAAAAAALbs/YcouNYsHAL8/7_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="405" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4wNaIXGcI/AAAAAAAALbw/UMgQVmmFdAg/s1600-h/8%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TN4wOJf_STI/AAAAAAAALb0/CEdvTfnlEWQ/8_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="405" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>Article and picture source : <a href="http://www.bangkokpost.com">www.bangkokpost.com</a></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-22846801567276390972010-11-07T00:41:00.001-07:002010-11-07T00:41:14.525-07:00Thailand's silk road to global fame<h4><font style="font-weight: normal"><font size="2" face="Verdana">Sixty-five years ago, just two days after the end of the World War II, Jim Thompson, an architect from New York, arrived in Thailand as a part of his volunteer service to the US Army's Office of Strategic Service with nothing to suggest that his name would later become one of the world's most famous icons for Thai artistry.</font></font></h4> <p><img title="Thailand silk " border="1" hspace="3" alt="Thailand silk " vspace="3" src="http://www.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20101022/195055.jpg" /></p> <p>With 10 restaurants in four international cities, Jim Thompson is also honouring the integrity of Siamese culinary art while celebrating the unique beauty of Thai weaving craft. PHOTO: ANUSORN SAKSEREE</p> <p>Just like many westerners _ then and now _ who have been charmed by the beauty and friendliness of the Thai country, the Delaware-born Thompson decided to settle down and call Bangkok his home.</p> <p>With his imaginative eyes and considerate mind, Thompson immediately became very interested in handwoven Thai silk.</p> <p>He assembled a small collection of the fabric, and, with confidence that the quality of the Thai silk would have appeal outside Thailand, subsequently took it to show friends and potential buyers in New York. And that's when the Thai-silk road to the world fame began.</p> <p>Jim Thompson's Thai Silk Company was registered in 1951 with the original purpose of reviving Thailand's craft weaving industry, which at that time was quickly fading due to competition from cheaper, machine-made fabrics. Nine years later, the Thai government awarded Thompson the Order of the White Elephant in recognition of his contribution to the country.</p> <p>Today the company, with its 100 percent vertical operation _meaning all the products are manufactured here in Thailand under the care of the Thai Silk Co _ is the world's largest manufacturer of hand-woven fabrics, with more than 3,500 employees. That does not include some 1,000 silk artisans in northeastern villages whom the firm also works with.</p> <p><img title="Jim Thompson’s traditional Thai house " border="1" hspace="3" alt="Jim Thompson’s traditional Thai house " vspace="3" src="http://www.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20101022/195056.jpg" /></p> <p>Jim Thompson’s traditional Thai house in the middle of Bangkok is registered as a national museum.</p> <p>The company's properties include Thompson's world-famous traditional Thai house in Bangkok's Pathumwan district, which has been registered as a national museum, two silk farms that cover more than 3,000 rai of land in Nakhon Ratchasima province, 38 retail shops in Asia, America and Europe, and 10 restaurants in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan.</p> <p>''The restaurant business is a natural extension of Jim Thompson's passion in bringing the best of Thai culture to the world,'' said Eric Booth, the company's marketing director.</p> <p>''Mr Thompson was famous not only for silk but also for his gracious hospitality. In the 50s and 60s, his Bangkok mansion often hosted dinner parties with musicians, writers, statesmen and Hollywood celebrities. Somerset Maugham, Anne Baxter and Robert Kennedy were also among his guests.''</p> <p>The first Jim Thompson dining outlet, however, opened in 1996 on the second floor of its main retail shop on Surawong Road simply to offer a space where customers _ typically tourists _ could sit down, relax and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea together with a small variety of snacks and bakery items, which was made from the company's kitchen, before or after shopping or while waiting for the Bangkok traffic to ease.</p> <p>The coffee and bakery corner had enjoyed a good feedback, so, later on, a number of Thai and western dishes were added to the menu.</p> <p><img border="1" hspace="3" alt="" vspace="3" src="http://www.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20101022/195057.jpg" /></p> <p>Eric Booth, marketing director of Thai Silk Company.</p> <p>"The menu was a good mix between authentic Thai food and classic western cuisine. We offered the two cuisines separately and never try to follow the fusion fashion," Booth noted.</p> <p>The in-house cafe proved very popular, not only among tourist shoppers but also among people in the area who found the food and the design of the space enjoyable. With this success, the company decided to go for a standalone restaurant with the purpose of catering to local residents.</p> <p>The Saladaeng Cafe restaurant, occupying an old house in Soi Sala Daeng, opened in 2000. This was followed by Thompson Bar & Restaurant in 2004 and Jim Thompson Cafe at Isetan department store in 2008.</p> <p>After years of honing their skills at home, Jim Thompson's culinary and hospitality team was ready for the international challenge. In 2005, the company's first foreign restaurant, Mythai, opened in Kuala Lumpur.</p> <p>"At that time, we had quite a lot of opportunities in several countries, but we decided to settle on a place near home," Booth explained.</p> <p>"Running the restaurant business, you need to be close to what's happening. We felt more comfortable for our first overseas restaurant to be close by, so that we could travel easily and help them with the design, marketing, cooking and service."</p> <p><img title=" Jim Thompson Farm in Pak Thong Chai, Nakhon Ratchasima." border="1" hspace="3" alt=" Jim Thompson Farm in Pak Thong Chai, Nakhon Ratchasima." vspace="3" src="http://www.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20101022/195058.jpg" /></p> <p>Clusters of age-old northeastern-style and tribal-style houses, which can disappear overnight, are nicely displayed at the Jim Thompson Farm in Pak Thong Chai, Nakhon Ratchasima.</p> <p>Three more dining outlets were opened in in Tokyo, and another in Singapore (see review on page 6).</p> <p>"The Singapore branch, called Jim Thompson: A Thai Restaurant, is our flagship restaurant. We've spent so much time working with design and service. We've barely done any marketing or promotion but received great feedback from the locals. The business was built totally from word of mouth," the marketing director noted.</p> <p>"Our company always looks for new, dynamic ways to promote Thai culture to the world. We've realised the worldwide sensation for Thai food. In the past, Thai food may have been regarded in the West as a budget meal on which people wouldn't spend more than 10 euros or $10 on.</p> <p>"But now people would pay the same price as they do at a good French or Japanese restaurant to enjoy Thai food, perhaps with wine and champagne, on a special occasion. Thai restaurants are no longer seen as a place for cheap and good fast food but as gourmet dining destinations that offer a memorable experience."</p> <p>The well-respected Jim Thompson style of Thai cuisine is in the devoted hands of - love it or hate it - an American chef-cum-Thai culinary enthusiast, Patrick Booth. Also the company's director of food and beverage department, Patrick Booth once trained under chef David Thompson of the Michelin-starred Nahm restaurant in London.</p> <p><img title=" Jim Thompson’s preserved farm products" border="1" hspace="3" alt=" Jim Thompson’s preserved farm products" vspace="3" src="http://www.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20101022/195059.jpg" /></p> <p>Some of Jim Thompson’s preserved farm products.</p> <p>According to him, the cuisine offered at every Jim Thompson outlet is "absolute Thai, Thompson-style". This means that for each classic dish on offer, the experienced chefs have tested various recipes to refine what they believe to be the most delicious version.</p> <p>Meanwhile, the menu and deco reflect an appealing mix of tradition and innovation inspired by Thompson's marvellous taste in art and design.</p> <p>"Other than the cuisine itself, what we have tried to concentrate on in our restaurant business is the Thai lifestyle and design," Booth added. "When you enter a Jim Thompson restaurant, you'll see the place decorated with beautiful fabrics, in a dynamic fashion statement.</p> <p>"Yes, it's a way to promote our products, but we are not trying to sell fabrics in our restaurants. The restaurant business completely stands on its own to celebrate mainly the integrity of Thai culinary art.</p> <p>"Unlike our retail shops, which cater mainly to tourists, the restaurants make it easier for us to interact with locals, which we see as very interesting. Through that, we've seen there's still a lot of good opportunities for good Thai restaurants with honest Thai cuisine. We are now looking around the region to expand our restaurant, and we've set our eyes on Bali, Indonesia," Booth said.</p> <p><img title="Jim Thompson Farm" border="1" hspace="3" alt="Jim Thompson Farm" vspace="3" src="http://www.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20101022/195060.jpg" /></p> <p>Pumpkin is one of the most popular products at the Jim Thompson Farm.</p> <p>Even though 90 percent of the Jim Thompson enterprise's approximately two-billion-baht yearly revenue comes from tourists, the company doesn't only help popularise Thai culture among foreigners. Undeniably, it also encourages Thais to understand more about our traditional ways of life that may be disappearing over night.</p> <p>Thus, the Jim Thompson Farm in Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Thong Chai district, which was originally a silk cultivation farm and weaving village, opened in 2000 to visitor interested in learning about the Thai silk production process as well as the regional culture of the northeast.</p> <p>Other than the silk weaving quarter, the farm also features the 10-rai Isan Village and Korat Village comprised of eight clusters of age-old northeastern-style and tribal-style houses made from wood, bamboo and rattan. Some of the houses were built as long as 200 years ago. Within the villages, visitors will get to see the traditional Isan lifestyle and displays of handicrafts.</p> <p>Hoping to give farm visitors a better understanding of art, environment, nature and ecological system, the farm has lately initiated the "Art Centre on Farm" project.</p> <p>This pilot art project is where contemporary local artists are invited to work within the context of ecological agriculture and Isan architecture. With an aim to bridge art, life and nature, the participating artists work in close relation with nature and make use of local and recycled materials. Art pieces created under this project will be exhibited at various points in the farm.</p> <p><img title="Jim Thompson’s silk fabrics " border="1" hspace="3" alt="Jim Thompson’s silk fabrics " vspace="3" src="http://www.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20101022/195061.jpg" /></p> <p>All Jim Thompson’s silk fabrics are hand-woven by locals.</p> <p>"The Jim Thompson Farm is not just a tourist destination, but a great educational hub," said Booth.</p> <p>"You can learn about the silkworm cycle, local craftsmanship and Isan life. It's interesting that even Thais have less opportunity to see this cultures."</p> <p>"In the past we had only foreign tourists. Today we are happy to say most of the farm's visitors are Thais. They are Thai students and families who come to to learn about Thai culture," said Booth.</p> <p>For those who are interested in agricultural and gastronomic tourism, the farm is also a great place to visit. A spacious plot of land has been dedicated to organic fruit, vegetable and flower plantations.</p> <p>Among the highlighted products are various types of pumpkins, cantaloupes and hydroponic salad greens, all of which are available at the farm's market.</p> <p><img title="Thailand silk" border="1" hspace="3" alt="Thailand silk" vspace="3" src="http://www.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20101022/195062.jpg" /></p> <p>This shop at the Raffles Hotel Singapore is among the company’s 38 outlets worldwide.</p> <p>Ready-to-eat and preserved fruit products are also popular here. Expect to find a variety of jams, honey and tea. And if you're in for adventurous gastronomy, try Jim Thompson's best-selling crispy roasted silkworms.</p> <p>"In the past, Thais looked at Jim Thompson as a brand of luxury goods and almost nothing else. With our farm and restaurants, we now have more connections and interactions with the local people, which we're glad of. Because, at the end of the day, Jim Thompson is a Thai company and our only home is Thailand."</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-46365069548623821302010-11-01T05:26:00.001-07:002010-11-01T05:26:26.284-07:005 Bangkok streets you have to hit to really get a feel for the city<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TM6xuxYHSRI/AAAAAAAALZM/VdEVDRjr_78/s1600-h/DSC_00975.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Phra Athit Road" border="0" alt="Phra Athit Road" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TM6xv_CdqMI/AAAAAAAALZQ/OACNyZBSkTE/DSC_0097_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="628" height="314" /></a> <br /><em>Phra Athit Road sits right beside the Chao Phraya River. At the end of the street is the historical white Phra Sumen Fort, which looks over a popular riverside park. </em></p> <p><a href="http://www.cnngo.com/bangkok/play/five-bangkok-streets-you-have-hit-really-get-feel-city-393371?ci_height=375&ci_width=1304">View Gallery</a><a href="http://www.cnngo.com/bangkok/play/five-bangkok-streets-you-have-hit-really-get-feel-city-393371?ci_height=375&ci_width=1304">View Gallery</a></p> <p>Visitors to Bangkok find it hard to see past the temples, nightlife and shopping. And those that live in the city often get stuck in a rut of another kind -- hopping from mega-mall to posh restaurant, seldom venturing out of their comfort zones. </p> <p>So whether you’ve just finished touring a score of wats or spent yet another Sunday brunching on Thong Lor, check out the following streets to see Bangkok in a different light. </p> <h4>Trok Issaranuphap </h4> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TM6xwwbzpnI/AAAAAAAALZU/ZAsH8lVErlc/s1600-h/trok_inline_33.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Trok Issaranuphap " border="0" alt="Trok Issaranuphap " src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TM6xx2ZkppI/AAAAAAAALZY/IaF6Nck95ss/trok_inline_3_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="271" /></a></p> <p>Most visitors to Chinatown hang out on the main streets, such as Yaowarat, Charoen Krung or Sampaeng Lane, but the older generation knows Trok Issaranuphap is where you'll find the most interesting stuff going on. <br />At the top of this tiny alley is scenic Chinese temple Mangkon Kamalawat. Inside Trok Issaranuphap there's also a wet market -- not for the faint of heart -- and prepared food stalls. <br />Getting there: from the Hualumpong MRT station grab a taxi to Soi Charoen Krung Soi 16. Trok Issaranuphap is on the other side of the road. </p> <h4>Arab Street</h4> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TM6xy4P3xAI/AAAAAAAALZc/-yVZ_wubuQQ/s1600-h/Arab_inline_23.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Arab Street" border="0" alt="Arab Street" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TM6x0aqM9eI/AAAAAAAALZg/XPuEOqT6Jo8/Arab_inline_2_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="271" /></a></p> <p>When it comes to ethnic neighborhoods, Chinatown gets all the attention, followed closely by Pahurat, Bangkok's Little India. But the city is more culturally diverse than it seems at first glance. </p> <p>Sukhumvit Soi 3/1, aka Arab Street, is a tiny city unto itself, with agarwood dealers, shisha pipe sellers, travel agents and Middle Eastern restaurants crammed into a tiny alley between Soi 3 and Soi 5. <br />To get there, take the BTS to Nana station and head for Soi 3. </p> <h4>Phra Athit Road</h4> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TM6x1Y50UNI/AAAAAAAALZk/pgH3iY_ZYzc/s1600-h/phra_arthit_inline_23.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Phra Athit Road" border="0" alt="Phra Athit Road" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TM6x2OL6G6I/AAAAAAAALZo/agM55InF-0Y/phra_arthit_inline_2_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="271" /></a></p> <p>Khao San Road’s fairer step-sister has all the good stuff the travelers’ ghetto around the corner does but, so far at least, the backpackers haven’t smoked out the local residents or stomped out the charming Thainess of this quiet street along the Chao Phraya River. <br />Bangkok-based foodies should visit for the excellent fusion joints such as the tiny Mister Pas. (<em>140 Phra Athit Road. Open daily, except Monday, 10:30a.m.-11p.m. Tel: +66 (0)2 629 3207</em>) </p> <p>Taxi drivers all know the way to Phra Athit but it's far more fun to take the Chao Phraya ferry from the Saphan Taksin BTS station and hop off at Phra Athit.</p> <h4>Khlong San Saeb</h4> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TM6x3tMgYSI/AAAAAAAALZs/8yp6_YzfsnM/s1600-h/klong_saeb_03.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Khlong San Saeb" border="0" alt="Khlong San Saeb" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TM6x4-Oc9VI/AAAAAAAALZw/yXxH-QkKCqI/klong_saeb_0_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="271" /></a></p> <p>Ok it’s not really a street since you can’t walk on it, but you can take a long boat ride on this canal for a look at life on the water in the middle of the big city, where you’ll still see grannies hanging out clothes to dry and little kids swimming. <br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khlong_Saen_Saeb">Khlong San Saeb</a> runs parallel to Petchaburi Road and is surprisingly convenient to Siam Square, Chidlom, Pratunam and the Golden Mount.</p> <p>For the full experience, we recommend hopping onboard the small but fast ferry at Panfa Pier, next to the Golden Mount, and ride all the way to Bang Kapi. You'll have to change boats at the Pratunam Pier. </p> <p>For more on Khlong San Saeb <a href="http://www.cnngo.com/bangkok/play/bangkoks-kings-khlong-378911">check out our video</a> of the staff who work on these fast-paced ferries and the passengers brave enough to ride them. </p> <h4>Nakhon Chaisi Road</h4> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TM6x6pnpYKI/AAAAAAAALZ0/tvkzCrWawio/s1600-h/Nakhon_Chaisi_inline3.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Nakhon Chaisi Road" border="0" alt="Nakhon Chaisi Road" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TM6x7_lFUGI/AAAAAAAALZ4/tksHz12QVHA/Nakhon_Chaisi_inline_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="271" /></a></p> <p>Before Soi 35 was Bangkok’s street food doyenne, this wide, leafy avenue in the Dusit neighborhood was everyone’s favorite destination for excellent Thai dishes of all kinds. </p> <p>During the day the street markets of Nakhon Chaisi Road bustle with local shoppers and bureaucrats from nearby government offices on their lunch breaks, and in addition to a scenic view and good food you’ll find traditional shops including a cobbler who’s been making shoes for the royal palace for decades. <br />For some restaurant recommendations, see our recent feature on <a href="http://www.cnngo.com/bangkok/eat/ratchawat-bangkok-neighborhood-442674">Bangkok's Ratchawat neighborhood</a>, which includes Nakhon Chai Si Road.</p> <p>Read more: <a href="http://www.cnngo.com/bangkok/play/five-bangkok-streets-you-have-hit-really-get-feel-city-393371#ixzz13ZhA62uD">5 Bangkok streets you have to hit to really get a feel for the city | CNNGo.com</a> <a href="http://www.cnngo.com/bangkok/play/five-bangkok-streets-you-have-hit-really-get-feel-city-393371#ixzz13ZhA62uD">http://www.cnngo.com/bangkok/play/five-bangkok-streets-you-have-hit-really-get-feel-city-393371#ixzz13ZhA62uD</a></p> <p>Article and Picture form : CNN.com</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-57100546090531104832010-10-27T08:45:00.001-07:002013-03-16T22:05:18.180-07:00The Thai Dessert Museum in Samut Songkhram chronicles the history of traditional Thai khanom<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMhI2DhPukI/AAAAAAAALYU/kCf2DJCMvxY/s1600-h/513.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img align="left" alt="5" border="0" height="267" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMhI3wwfSiI/AAAAAAAALYY/OLfWUBQcw40/5_thumb11.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="5" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thai Dessert</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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While wandering around the popular Amphawa Floating market in Samut Songkhram, you are sure to come across a variety of delicious Thai desserts. And if your curiosity goes beyond satisfying your sweet tooth, you need look no further than the Thai Dessert Museum adjacent to the evening weekend market. Museum manager Vichitar Sae-tiaw explained that it was built by the Thai Confection Industry Company (TCIC) in September 2008 with an initial investment of 2.2 million baht from the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion. Ms Vichitar said the purpose of the museum is to exhibit and chronicle the history of traditional Thai desserts.<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMhI5DawnwI/AAAAAAAALYc/yzK3Bdn-DIM/s1600-h/32.jpg"><img align="left" alt="3" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMhI6DEIARI/AAAAAAAALYg/Lzkuu47xayc/3_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="3" width="230" /></a>Replicas of more than 100 types of traditional sweets are on display, and they look so real you can be excused for drooling.<br />
"The replicas are made of resin, created by skilled followers of National Artist Chakrabhand Posayakrit," said Ms Vichitar, noting the great attention to detail in the shapes, colours and textures.<br />
The Thai word for dessert is khanom, believed to have been derived from the words khao (rice) and nom (sweet). Many Thai desserts are still made from rice flour and sugar.<br />
The museum's sweet history lesson goes back to the Sukhothai period, about 700 years ago.<br />
One of the oldest desserts on display, khanom tom, which we still see today, is made by frying shredded coconut with sugar, wrapping it in a starchy batter and then steaming it. After cooking it is sprinkled with salted, shredded coconut.<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMhI7OWsqPI/AAAAAAAALYk/zADPS_XQcpI/s1600-h/42.jpg"><img align="right" alt="4" border="0" height="221" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMhI7vWa_MI/AAAAAAAALYo/jKBe8bGnNnQ/4_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; float: right; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="4" width="244" /></a>It is said that the golden era of Thai sweets began during the reign of King Narai the Great of Ayutthaya in the 17th century, when the country began courting relations with European countries. During that time a new way of cooking Thai desserts was initiated by Maria Guyomar de Pinha, a woman of Portuguese ancestry who is better known here by her Thai name of Thao Thong Kib Ma.<br />
She was married to Constantine Phaulkon (his Thai name was Chao Phraya Wichayen) a Greek adventurer who became first counsellor to King Narai.<br />
Maria Guyomar became the chief palace cook for desserts. She mixed egg yolks and granulated sugar into local sweets and created various treats with yellowish colours which resembled gold (thong), such as thong yib, thong yod and foi thong.<br />
For the most part the museum displays desserts according to the way they have been served historically. For example, khanom mo kaeng, a pudding made of palm sugar, eggs, coconut cream and flour, is in the clay pot section, although today it is much more likely to be cooked in a stainless steel tray.<br />
There are khanom in big glass jars, as might have been seen 30 or so years past, such as khanom dok jok, khao tu and thua guan.<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMhI8-U7A7I/AAAAAAAALYs/oFaFTJpA2Tg/s1600-h/62.jpg"><img align="left" alt="6" border="0" height="165" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMhI95Cv0TI/AAAAAAAALYw/-77WY8HwsAE/6_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="6" width="244" /></a>One of the highlights of the museum are the samples of desserts which were mentioned in a classic poem composed by King Rama II, who was also born in Amphawa.<br />
"Some of the desserts are hard to find today, such as maskod and latiang," said Ms Vichitar. To round up the tour, the museum has a section where visitors can relax by sitting on a wooden boat, to give them a feeling of the life of a vendor in a floating market.<br />
The Thai Desserts Museum very recently celebrated two years of operation and moved the facility from the first floor to the second floor of the Anake Prasong Building, in Amphawa Municipality Office.<br />
The new space is 280 square metres, and has some new features, such as a boat where noodles are sold and another one offering coffee.<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMhI_IdXXNI/AAAAAAAALY0/6QyKcHUssUg/s1600-h/12.jpg"><img align="right" alt="1" border="0" height="179" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMhJADGuQcI/AAAAAAAALY8/7nmzx_KNsr8/1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; float: right; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="1" width="244" /></a>The expansion was supported by the Government Housing Bank.<br />
The museum organises activities such as instruction in the cooking of desserts for group tours if requests are made in advance, and is grateful to accept old items related to traditional Thai desserts such as recipes or cooking tools.<br />
At present the Thai Dessert Museum is open on Fridays from 1pm to 7pm and on weekends and holidays from 10am to 7pm and there is no entrance fee.<br />
In the future, said Ms Vichitar, there are plans to open the museum every day of the week and sell tickets, so that it can stand on its own without the need for donations.<br />
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<h5>
HOW TO GET THERE</h5>
From Bangkok, take Rama II Road (also called Thon Buri-Pak Tho or Highway No35) to Samut Songkhram and turn left onto Highway No325 in Amphawa district. The distance is about 70 kilometres. Parking is available near the entrance of the market or in Wat Amphawa. The Thai Dessert museum is in the office building of Amphawa Municipality, next to the ferry pier. For more details, call 03-475-1359Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-57674247090091557242010-10-23T12:23:00.001-07:002010-10-23T12:23:44.866-07:00Making merit : Lent-ending 'krathin' religious rites seemingly moving away from tradition<h5>When the three-month-long Buddhist lent comes to an end on Oct 23, it will usher in the annual krathin season during which people visit temples and make merit by presenting robes to monks.</h5> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMM2BFOBE6I/AAAAAAAALXc/aOxI4HcD6_w/s1600-h/194625%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="194625" border="0" alt="194625" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMM2CxWF8nI/AAAAAAAALXg/pcC4ru3xy0Y/194625_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="343" /></a></p> <p>Performing krathin religious rites is actually quite convenient these days because you can buy the robes at shops, but it wasn't so easy in the old days when they had to be hand-made. Making them was part and parcel of an elaborate rite called chunla krathin that brought together entire communities a day before the end of the lent to make saffron robes from cotton planted specifically for this rite. In other words, it used to be a collective effort.</p> <p>One place where this tradition is still very much in fashion - because the people regard it as one of the highest forms of merit-making - is Wat Yang Luang in Mae Chaem district of Chiang Mai famous for its Lanna architecture, and I was witness to it last year.</p> <p>The ceremony began at dusk with harvest of cotton from a field behind the temple. The crop had been planted a few months earlier and the plot marked out by bamboo fencing.</p> <p>Earlier that day villagers in the vicinity, mostly elderly people, had decorated the path from the temple's entrance leading to the viharn, the main chapel, with local handicrafts and figures of animals, including crocodile, made from coconut leaves.</p> <p>The harvest began with young girls dressed like angels, in whites, collecting cotton bolls in baskets they carried. They were followed by others who took turns through the night doing their bits for the ceremony.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMM2FQjBpZI/AAAAAAAALXk/AEeeFwKmyrU/s1600-h/194626%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="194626" border="0" alt="194626" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMM2GpEbw6I/AAAAAAAALXo/28zr1OOF2Yw/194626_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="347" /></a></p> <p>The bolls were put through a grinder to separate seeds from fibre, which was then beaten using a wooden contraption with elastic chords until it turned to white fluff. The fluff was scooped and rolled around cylindrical sticks about arm's length, spun spun into yarn and woven to form cloth.</p> <p>"Each of us bring our own equipment," said Cheun, in her 80s, referring to eight weaving machines operating at full steam on the temple ground and, like her neighbours, felt kind of blessed to be able to contribute to this ceremony the temple hosts once every few years.</p> <p>By now it was midnight and the elderly began retiring to quiet corners to grab some rest. They slept in the temple sala on its matted floor with blankets for cover from wind and insects.</p> <p>But others continued to work, myself included and some visitors who had decided to join in the fun, weaving and stitching until we had the robe material, about two metres in length, at which point the women took leave. From now on it was all about dyeing, a men's job.</p> <p>Near the stairway leading to the main chapel, elderly villagers tended a stove on which sat a huge vat filled with water and barks of jack fruit tree. When the water had taken on a saffron tinge the cloth, as yet still white, was immersed into the vat and after a while checked for colour. The process was repeated until colouring was uniform. Then it was rinsed and left to dry.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMM2IF3CxrI/AAAAAAAALXs/FK6O0cbm6m8/s1600-h/194627%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="194627" border="0" alt="194627" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMM2JX2S19I/AAAAAAAALXw/fZX4FLXOLs0/194627_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="376" /></a></p> <p>On the same stove they then cooked a traditional dessert called krayasart (crunchy caramelised rice cake with sesame seeds and peanuts). By now, it was two hours past midnight and the chefs knew they would better hurry. They stirred ingredients in the cooking pan constantly to speed up the process and make sure the dessert would be ready in time for the ceremony due to begin in the next few hours.</p> <p>Shortly afterwards, the crowing of roosters announced the dawn of a new day and the village elders who had repaired to the sala earlier that night woke up with a start and set about preparing breakfast. About the same time the villagers began their march to the temple, many carrying snacks and savoury which they shared with visitors and invited them to a breakfast of sticky rice and nam prik , a chilly dip eaten with fresh vegetables.</p> <p>The ceremony began at eight o'clock. The villagers arrived in a procession after walking the rough margins of green paddies. With them they carried alms and the robe. Walking the paddies proved difficult, particularly for women in traditional pha thung wrap-arounds and high-heeled shoes. And although some of them came caked in mud and dirt, it didn't dampen their spirits.</p> <p>At the temple they were greeted by students performing classical dances. Entering the compound they were showered with petals, after which they marched in a circle around the main chapel three times before finally presenting the robe they had woven the previous night to the abbot.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMM2KxHXlLI/AAAAAAAALX0/ltgVub4OrNU/s1600-h/194628%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="194628" border="0" alt="194628" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMM2MqKwntI/AAAAAAAALX4/STq9aznvEFA/194628_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="495" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMM2Nxp8hPI/AAAAAAAALX8/sM6FRQlO31M/s1600-h/194629%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="194629" border="0" alt="194629" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMM2PQNmhWI/AAAAAAAALYA/7QFS7EBd2EE/194629_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="542" /></a></p> <p>Article Source : <a href="http://www.bangkokpost.com">www.bangkokpost.com</a></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-31263523591619892122010-10-22T06:24:00.001-07:002010-10-22T07:36:23.904-07:00Getting back to nature in a little-known corner of Chanthaburi<p>Namtok Makok, or Makok waterfall, is one of the four main falls that spill down the sides of the Sa Bap (pond of sin) mountain range. As legend has it, hunters in the past described the range as a square, appearing the same from all sides, and surrounding a vast pond filled with lotus flowers and fallen trees.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMGQRvyZb1I/AAAAAAAALWE/SzPDOGiZ7wo/s1600-h/1882713.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Namtok Makok" border="0" alt="Namtok Makok" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMGQT9KN4XI/AAAAAAAALWI/oYblcQgkHA4/188271_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></p> <p>As I followed the trail, I wondered if there would be a graceful kinnari (a mythical half-bird, half-woman creature) enjoying the water.</p> <p>Namtok Makok is an ideal destination for trekkers and a pleasant reward for completing the 350-metre walk along the trail, which looks very much like a tarng darn (animal track). It is where a small brook, with its source somewhere uphill, cascades down the mountain.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMGQVBeDX7I/AAAAAAAALWM/k1IZ4pLYM6w/s1600-h/1882733.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Namtok Makok" border="0" alt="Namtok Makok" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMGQWEiZ4nI/AAAAAAAALWQ/Ya7DLek48qk/188273_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="254" height="504" /></a>I am a mere spectator to this natural drama. As the white water emerges from a natural doorway, framed by two trees forming a V, the sound of the splashing water becomes a natural orchestral concert.</p> <p>With its reputation overshadowed by easy-to-reach waterfalls such as Pliew and Trok Nong, Makok hardly gets a mention in tourist guidebooks. Perhaps this is why its natural surroundings are almost unspoiled by the encroachment of civilisation and why it still offers a wonderful opportunity to explore and enjoy the forest and wildlife at your own leisurely pace.</p> <p>With lan hin (flat rocks) surrounding the area at the bottom of the falls, this is a perfect place for camping and picnicking. And it not only provides great photo opportunities, for artists, there is some marvellous scenery to sketch or paint.</p> <p>The plunge pool at the foot of the waterfall is suitable for swimming, snorkelling and even diving to catch some fish. The gently sloping section of the upper part of the falls serves as a natural water slide and the azure water of the pool makes taking a slide even more tempting.</p> <p>On my way down the trail, back to the real world I slowed my pace to enjoy the beauty of Mother Nature.</p> <p>Towering trees line the path and comprise a scene that would tempt any photographer. Some of the trees at Makok are rarely seen outside forests such as this, which blends tropical rainforest and evergreen forest, and it is well-known for Aquilaria trees. Known in Thai as mai krisna, the extracted agarwood resin is used to produce perfume and is the world's most expensive essence.</p> <p>There are gigantic tabaek trees (Lagerstroemia floribunda) that shade the trail, many draped with large spiralling vines that remind us of their great age. These sometimes block the trail and need cutting before you can pass.</p> <p>Siam weed or bitter bush (Chromolacna odorata) is also abundant, so make sure you dress appropriately to avoid an itchy rash.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMGQXKbLZJI/AAAAAAAALWU/5VKt5efm6Mo/s1600-h/1882723.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Namtok Makok" border="0" alt="Namtok Makok" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMGQYNvO07I/AAAAAAAALWY/Dg5GQ4eWZY0/188272_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="424" /></a></p> <p>Red squirrels and vividly coloured butterflies are numerous in the forest, and can be spotted along the trail and around the waterfall.</p> <p>However, I also saw some wild hog tracks, which made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, as I realised how ill-prepared I was if one charged at me.</p> <p>I bade farewell to Namtok Makok  in the hope that this lovely natural sanctuary will remain unspoiled so that later generations will have the opportunity to savour its natural beauty.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMGQZ4GL_HI/AAAAAAAALWc/X2BgtGinh3c/s1600-h/1882743.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Namtok Makok" border="0" alt="Namtok Makok" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TMGQb66MibI/AAAAAAAALWg/rx0p6QBvoGE/188274_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="420" /></a></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-78013650759790545292010-10-15T07:36:00.001-07:002010-10-15T07:36:23.022-07:00Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhmsrtf2XI/AAAAAAAALU4/rGF3VNbj3J4/s1600-h/4%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival" border="0" alt="Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhmtSxXNqI/AAAAAAAALU8/VDeKX8w9e3c/4_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a>Eat your hearts out FarmVille fans, this is the real deal, full bunches of bananas with real rosettes at a real farmers’ market, and a real one-crop festival.</p> <p>Thailand’s Kamphaeng Phet Province holds their Sart Thai Buddhist Tradition and Banana Festival in September each year.</p> <p>In 2009 it was during the second week of the month, and in 2010, it all revolves around the 23rd of the month and the full moon (Sart Thai is a Buddhist celebration that follows the full moon).</p> <p>The Kluai Khai Fair is held to promote the species of banana for which the province is famous.</p> <p>Over 200 million Baht value of bananas per year are exported from just this one province – roughly 4 million Pounds Sterling – which doesn’t sound a lot until you realise the local produce-market price for one of those full-length bunches is only 200 Baht … meaning roughly one million bunches are in the annual export figures.  Each tree crops once a year, so you can imagine how intensively they’re planted and farmed.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhmuWQ9J1I/AAAAAAAALVA/pexD779wBuM/s1600-h/3%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival" border="0" alt="Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival" align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhmvagrqWI/AAAAAAAALVE/i5oNRfhMnik/3_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="214" /></a>Bananas are one of the world’s most important food crops. Aside from the common export banana (the Cavendish), there are about 1000 other varieties of bananas. Some bananas are blue, others are orange or red, some are round, and a few are as big as your arm. In the tropics, bananas aren’t only eaten fresh, they’re barbecued, they’re deep-fried, they’re sun-dried, their flowers are used in salads – instead of lettuce, they’re even made into beer and wine.</p> <p>The local banana dessert, <em>krayasart</em> is a wonderful, sweet, sticky, granola-like concoction made with peanuts, sesame seeds, rice, etc.  For some reason this is mostly made during the banana festival, which has competitions for the best <em>krayasart</em> there.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhmwJ0i34I/AAAAAAAALVI/XJqY8TFV9yk/s1600-h/Untitled%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival" border="0" alt="Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhmwyE8B9I/AAAAAAAALVM/dj8u9QXF3oA/Untitled_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>Thai bananas are far more tasty than those of most other countries, and you wouldn’t believe how many varieties there are, which is just as well, because the festival includes a banana-eating competition (race?).  I can’t envision it as being a particularly captivating spectator sport … unless they have a women’s competition too </p> <p>Aside from the eating and producer competitions, there are the cookery competitions for  making of <em>krayasat</em>, as well as many entertainment performances provided by both traditional and modern performing arts.  Of course, being Thailand, no festival is complete without a beauty competition and pageant.  Kampaeng Phet is no exception and hosts the Miss Banana Queen pageant during the festival.</p> <p>Being a rural province, the festival also brings to town a wealth of handicrafts and cottage industry products for exhibition and sales at OTOP markets, set up just for the festival.  It’s said that every temple in Kamphaeng Phet province hosts events of some description during the Kluai Khai Fair & Sart Thai Festival, I haven’t tried to test that claim – it would be impossible.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhmx5QX_UI/AAAAAAAALVQ/SVmr0qPayi8/s1600-h/kamphaengphet1%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="kamphaengphet" border="0" alt="kamphaengphet" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhmynCc4pI/AAAAAAAALVU/P0Q7NmPsKSo/kamphaengphet1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>Kampaeng Phet City is a very quiet, peaceful town in the lower part of Northern Thailand forming a border province between the northern and central regions of the country. It has a famous historical park, protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, comprising the ruins of an ancient city and temple complex.</p> <p>In that respect it is similar to more famous sites at Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, and Phimai, but has a distinctiveness of its own, with the archaeology and temple styles having more in common with Chiang Mai and Wieng Kum Kam far to the north of it.</p> <p>Very few tourists visit Kampaeng Phet, which is a shame because it’s a great little town, with a peaceful, and almost untrodden, vast archaeological site.</p> <p>More about Bananas – they are always in season, providing a continuous, year-round, source of food in developing nations. More than 400 million people depend on them as a staple food source.  In our rapidly changing world, both cultivated and wild bananas are highly threatened by climate change, deforestation, and a new banana-killing fungus. Some scientists predict that the banana industry will collapse within 5-20 years, and that many wild banana species are facing extinction</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhmzcPUUOI/AAAAAAAALVY/v351RnJo2RE/s1600-h/5%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival" border="0" alt="Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhm0PlEwoI/AAAAAAAALVc/gVT3Ong26go/5_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="379" height="484" /></a></p> <p align="center">Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhm0_hjHyI/AAAAAAAALVg/_nmEKtPLl9U/s1600-h/6%5B6%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival" border="0" alt="Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhm1V10gEI/AAAAAAAALVk/7sVxW7josYg/6_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="375" height="258" /></a></p> <p align="center">Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhm2R0y6ZI/AAAAAAAALVo/zrY9E2UjoiE/s1600-h/7%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival" border="0" alt="Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhm3sPfBsI/AAAAAAAALVs/slFEbZXLSfw/7_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a></p> <p align="center">Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhm4rRFbcI/AAAAAAAALVw/ow1x76Jrtoc/s1600-h/94712974%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival" border="0" alt="Kamphaeng Phet Sart Thai Tradition and Banana Festival" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLhm5LsJOBI/AAAAAAAALV0/KYm1HEiK9UE/94712974_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="366" height="484" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Article soure : <a href="http://www.gazlannathai.com">www.gazlannathai.com</a></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-60638983862282086192010-10-09T19:55:00.001-07:002010-10-10T01:44:34.792-07:00Talat Noi, a small community in Bangkok's Chinatown,<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLEq4vzvXFI/AAAAAAAALTo/ao2vm3dM8jM/s1600-h/15.jpg"><img alt="Talat Noi" height="428" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLEq5wQnCEI/AAAAAAAALTs/aQCABzax7uM/1_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Talat Noi" width="600" /></a>Nestled by the Chao Phraya River, the Talat Noi community is a smaller and quieter part of Chinatown that dates back to the Ayutthaya period. It is a melting pot of various cultures _ the Portuguese, the Vietnamese and the Hokkien, Teochew and Hakka Chinese _ and where several of the country's leading figures lived<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLEq65euvgI/AAAAAAAALTw/yrOrvzcACg8/s1600-h/94712974%5B2%5D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="Talat Noi" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLEq7vkYMBI/AAAAAAAALT0/PZL5T6P9uVo/94712974_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; float: left; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Talat Noi" width="244" /></a>"The Talat Noi community in the early Bangkok period was mainly populated by the Portuguese, the Vietnamese and the Hokkien. The Portuguese established the Holy Rosary Church here. The Vietnamese were led here by Prince Nguyen Phuc Anh<br />
[who had sought refuge in Siam during the First Reign before retaking his kingdom from traitors]. And the Hokkien had moved here from the Kudee Cheen area ... they outnumbered the Teochew in Sampheng and mostly produced iron pans and horseshoes," said Pimpraphai Bisalputra, a well known Chinese culture expert.<br />
According to her, the Talat Noi community expanded along the banks of the Chao Phraya River where Chinese junks would anchor in the middle of the river so people could go there to shop. A wholesale session for traders would be held first, after which a gong would be sounded to signal to the public that they could then board the ships to buy goods. The boundaries of this "floating market" ranged approximately 3 to 4km from Talat Kao near the present-day Memorial Bridge to the Talat Noi area.<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLEq8u_LfjI/AAAAAAAALT4/trVCwWz8PRA/s1600-h/98550399%5B2%5D.jpg"><img align="right" alt="Talat Noi" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLEq9d-tyuI/AAAAAAAALT8/ViSXT8ud_9Y/98550399_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; float: right; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Talat Noi" width="184" /></a>French bishop Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix wrote in his Description of the Kingdom of Siam 1854 that foreign trade during the early Bangkok period relied on Chinese junks and large ships owned by bureaucrats and major foreign traders only; and Chinese tycoons owned five to six junks each. Bangkok even had shipyards for the Chinese junks.<br />
In winter, before Chinese New Year, many junks would arrive and dock in the middle of the Chao Phraya, from Ratchawong Pier (Kongsee Lor) to Pak Khlong San. Some 50 to 60 Chinese junks would anchor in front of Sampheng (Chinatown).<br />
In the past, Talat Noi was also the home of several important people, including the Sols. This wealthy Thai-Hokkien family are the ancestors of several influential families such as the Chatikavanijs, Srivikorns and Posayajindas.<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLEq-Qs__zI/AAAAAAAALUA/VQIe_uzH1no/s1600-h/7%5B16%5D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="Sol Heng Tai" border="0" height="180" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLEq_cph0FI/AAAAAAAALUE/Qvni-tBjUIU/7_thumb%5B14%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Sol Heng Tai" width="240" /></a>The Sols lived at the Sol Heng Tai Residence in Talat Noi and owned a huge plot of land ranging from the present-day Harbour Department to Odeon Circle. They later donated part of their land to the state for the construction of the early section of Charoen Krung Road near Yaowarat during the Fourth Reign.<br />
"The Sols, the Sampatisiris and the Kalayanamitrs are the only three Chinese families known to have entered Siam during the late Ayutthaya period. The proof is in the wooden tablets bearing their ancestors' names," said Ms Pimpraphai, who has written several books on the Chinese in Siam, including Nai Mae (Mistress Mothers).<br />
According to her, a wooden tablet on the Sol Heng Tai Residence's family altar says Siang Sae Sol entered Siam during the Ayutthaya period and had a son in 1776, during the Thon Buri period. His son was Tycoon Ked (1776 to 1841). His grandson was Tycoon Jard, or Phraya Aphaivanich (1813 to 1849), a junk trader-turned-bird's nest tariff collector. After the death of Tycoon Jard, the Sol Heng Tai Residence went to Tycoon Jard's wife, Yoo (1813 to 1893). From then until the 1930s, this house was always inherited by the family's female descendants.<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLErAPzcVkI/AAAAAAAALUI/1uRyjHE68OE/s1600-h/4%5B4%5D.jpg"><img align="right" alt="Sol Heng Tai" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLErA77hbyI/AAAAAAAALUM/PrWf_bLk5N0/4_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; float: right; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Sol Heng Tai" width="244" /></a>"The Sol Heng Tai Residence is outstanding for being Thailand's only remaining pre-Bangkok Chinese house, and for housing a family altar dating back to the Ayutthaya period. There is historical evidence that the Sols served as translators for King Taksin the Great's last tribute [jimkong] to China," Ms Pimpraphai added.<br />
According to Chinese culture expert Setthapong Jongsa-nguan's article titled Ban Nai Mae, a Chinese-language sign above the Sol Heng Tai Residence's front gate reads "Heng Tai", the name of the family businesses. This house is in Hokkien-Teochew architectural style, known as Sue He Yuan, a group of four houses surrounding a large courtyard. Original Sue He Yuan houses have only one level but Sol Heng Tai houses have two, which is an adaptation of Sue He Yuan and traditional Thai houses.<br />
The structure of the house is mainly made of wood while the external walls and the entire first floor are made of brick. The wooden doors on the first floor are painted with images of Thai trees. The wooden walls on the second floor are an adaptation of Chinese and traditional Thai styles.<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLErBhvLsXI/AAAAAAAALUQ/S8WIVVB-Olw/s1600-h/5%5B4%5D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="Sol Heng Tai" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLErCLLmfuI/AAAAAAAALUU/hdFw-9fgPpk/5_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; float: left; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Sol Heng Tai" width="184" /></a>The beautifully carved wooden roofing is in Hokkien-Teochew fashion from the southern part of the Yangtze River. The roof of the central house looks like the tail of a swallow, whereas the other houses have saddle roofs. Duangtawan Posayajinda _ the 7th owner of the Sol Heng Tai Residence _ said that her house was built during the Thon Buri period using wood and stone from China. The main ceiling pillar carries a yin-yang symbol, while others are decorated with wooden inscriptions in Chinese. These wooden signs bear testament to the appreciation felt by admirers towards the Sol family for their honesty, gratefulness and love for the country.<br />
The pillars and walls are also decorated with finely carved wooden and Chinese porcelain ornaments in the images of auspicious animals and flowers, which are Hokkien symbols; Lions for protection; goldfish for prosperity; and Mei Hua, pomegranates and Botan flowers for happiness. Its front doors are painted red and carry auspicious Chinese words.<br />
The house's left wing was reserved for the family's male members while the right wing had rooms for the women. The first room in the right wing was the bedroom of the late Pook Posayajinda, owner, who died in 1932. Her room was sandwiched between two rooms: the Fruit Room and the Gold Room. This house also has a Rice Room, a Firewood Room and a Sugar Room.<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLErDHirDsI/AAAAAAAALUY/gJ4eYPUdk0A/s1600-h/6%5B2%5D.jpg"><img align="right" alt="Sol Heng Tai" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLErEAYeZGI/AAAAAAAALUc/Z3e6DBOb9P8/6_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; float: right; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Sol Heng Tai" width="184" /></a>"The Sols were very rich landlords and moneylenders. They kept their money in iron trunks which grew so heavy the floor sank," said Ms Duangtawan about the family's past glory.<br />
But in the 1930s the family's 40 buckets of gold were stolen from the Gold Room by thieves who had dug a tunnel and damaged the room's seashell-constructed walls using the acidity of vinegar.<br />
According to Ms Pimpraphai, the Sol Heng Tai Residence is also important for reflecting the power of women as it was long inherited by the daughters and not the sons, according to the Thai tradition for daughters to remain and take care of their parents, even after marriage.<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLErFDEnrSI/AAAAAAAALUg/KnXh-SUAJtA/s1600-h/2%5B2%5D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="Holy Rosary Church " border="0" height="244" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLErF5lmgKI/AAAAAAAALUk/c_NRmaBa328/2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; float: left; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Holy Rosary Church " width="165" /></a>Another important person who lived in the Talat Noi area was leading economist the late Puey Ungphakorn. He was born to Chinese parents in Talat Noi's Trok Rong Soob Nam in 1916. His parents worked hard in order to send him to study at the prestigious Assumption School. After he lost his father at the age of nine, his uncle supported his education. He graduated at the age of 18 and became a maths and French teacher at his old school. In 1937 he earned a bachelor's degree in law and politics from Thammasat University. With a government scholarship, he received a bachelor's degree in economics and finance with first class honours at the London School of Economics and Political Science. In 1949, he obtained a doctorate in economics from the same university. During World War II, Mr Puey served in the Free Thai Movement under the pseudonym Mr Khem Yenying. Back in Thailand, he progressed in his career until becoming governor of the Bank of Thailand and rector of Thammasat University.<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLErGjfIvII/AAAAAAAALUo/saMjVz7TfpM/s1600-h/3%5B2%5D.jpg"><img align="right" alt="Holy Rosary Church " border="0" height="184" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLErHndcluI/AAAAAAAALUs/-UePzD8ToCs/3_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; float: right; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Holy Rosary Church " width="244" /></a>"Mr Puey lived here in the Talat Noi community until assuming the central bank governor position," Ms Duangtawan recalled.<br />
Chana Samarnruangsak, a Thai-Chinese man who knew Mr Puey and his family, said that Mr Puey had lived in a two-storey wooden house in Talat Noi throughout his childhood and early adulthood. And after moving out, he regularly returned here to visit his family.<br />
"He was a nice person who never looked down on other people. However, he did not like to discuss religious and political issues with the neighbours," he added.<br />
However, the home of the Ungphakorn family was later demolished, and in its place is an alley. Not far from there is Cho Su Kong Shrine, a Hokkien shrine, where many people come to worship the statue of the priest Cho Su Kong and pray for good health and blessings.<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLErIX6DFFI/AAAAAAAALUw/xN25nhcyHUc/s1600-h/97614_taladnoi%5B8%5D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="Siam Commercial Bank's first branch " border="0" height="168" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TLErJbyo5cI/AAAAAAAALU0/NlAqOa-8mGM/97614_taladnoi_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; float: left; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Siam Commercial Bank's first branch " width="250" /></a>Other sites in Talat Noi include Siam Commercial Bank's first branch in Thailand (the bank's predecessor, a pilot after a project called Book Club, was in Ban Mo), a Hakka shrine called Hon Wong Kung, the Holy Rosary Church and a Gothic church established in 1767 by the Portuguese who fled the war in Ayutthaya to Bangkok. To explore this small yet precious multicultural community, strolling is the best choice and takes only half a day.<br />
Article source : Bangkok PostAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-64160595772279326602010-08-25T08:24:00.001-07:002010-10-09T17:33:56.592-07:00Celebrate the goddess of fertility and the passage of adolescence.<strong><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/THU1wKTRpEI/AAAAAAAALSw/pSnGDIr7aPI/s1600-h/pai12%5B3%5D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="Nakhon Nayok" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/THU1w3IkEMI/AAAAAAAALS0/Is3apJwCb68/pai12_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="Nakhon Nayok" width="184" /></a> Swinging into adulthood</strong><br />
The Akha, the tribal highlanders in Thailand's North, celebrate their annual Swing Ceremony from late August to early September. A thrilling albeit vanishing tradition, the Swing Ceremony celebrates the goddess of fertility and the passage from adolescence to adulthood. Visitors to the village can break bread, enjoy the tribal music and dance, and get a big dose of adrenaline on the giant swing. For more detail, call (053) 918 415.<br />
<strong>Pedal power for the seriously fit</strong><br />
It's time to get your mountain bike strapped securely on the car and speed off to Bhumibol Dam in Tak province, one of the country's best cycling destinations, where over the weekend of August 28-29, the province once again plays host to the International Mountain Bike Competition, a 80-kilomtre race from downtown Tak to the reservoir. On Saturday, at the dam's reservoir there'll be plenty of family friendly races, including "Couple Bike" for spouses and other mates, "Groupie Bike" for threesomes and "Conqueror" for youngsters under 16. The event wraps up on Sunday with a showcase of vintage bicycles, a final race and some live entertainment in the evening. For more information, call (055) 514 341-3.<br />
<strong>Wild, wild water</strong><br />
Prachin Buri's Na Di district is playing host to the Rafting Festival this weekend, marking the beginning of a four-month-long rafting season along the Hin Phlerng Rapids in Khao Yai national Park. From now to October, thrill-seekers and adventure travellers alike can bounce in rubber boats through a series of wild rapids that vary from Class III to IV. The rafting station is at Khao Yai National Park's 9th Base in Prachin Buri province. Call (037) 312 284 or visit <a href="http://www.tat8.com/">http://www.tat8.com/</a>. <br />
<strong>Nakhon Nayok's flower power</strong><br />
Take a short trip to Khlong Sib Ha (Klong 15), Nakhon Nayok province, and come home with plants and flowers for your backyard. Today and tomorrow, Khlong Sib Ha is home to a glorious Flower and Garden Festival, boasting a flower showcase that's eight kilometres long. Expect a mix of design ideas, horticultural excellence, great shopping and glorious floral displays. Call (037) 391 295.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-88829796415712902132010-08-12T09:52:00.001-07:002010-08-12T09:56:55.315-07:00Samui for foodies<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TGQm0PSY3tI/AAAAAAAALSc/jl-xl8BYGZY/s1600-h/thai%20sea%20food%5B11%5D.jpg"><img alt="thai sea food" border="0" height="234" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TGQm0gaDMfI/AAAAAAAALSg/tPsldSJOSYU/thai%20sea%20food_thumb%5B9%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="thai sea food" width="348" /></a><br />
If you too enjoy the taste of chillies, garlic, shallot, turmeric, shrimp paste, fish sauce and tamarind juice, you’re heading to the right place.<br />
<strong>Q: We’re coming from New York and will be staying at the Muang Kulaypan Hotel on Chaweng Beach in Samui. Where should we go for authentic and not-too-expensive Thai food? Amy</strong><br />
A: I love food and food questions, and Samui is one of my favourite food places, especially for really spicy southern-style seafood. If you too enjoy the taste of chillies, garlic, shallot, turmeric, shrimp paste, fish sauce and tamarind juice, you’re heading to the right place.<br />
Unfortunately, though, there aren’t many choices around Chaweng for authentic Thai food. So hire a car or motorbikes to get around " and I can guarantee you that your search will be more than fulfilled. <br />
Sabiang Lae in Hin Ta Hin Yai in Lamai, a restaurant formerly known as Ao Thai, is famous for its fresh-seafood dishes, including oysters in a very Thai dip " with fried shallots " and tom yam in clear soup.<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TGQm1cEkMEI/AAAAAAAALSk/6tN3s3AFT_w/s1600-h/kaeng%20som%5B3%5D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="kaeng som" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TGQm2Uh80tI/AAAAAAAALSo/9C1at1KpiQw/kaeng%20som_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="kaeng som" width="184" /></a> I also recommend Jitr Pochana near Nathon, Bang Por Seafood in Bang Por village, Tamrub Mui on the Chaweng-Lamai road, Big Jiew Seafood and Wan Tok in Bang Makham, Go Cheng in Mae Nam market and Tha Rua at the Chaweng viewpoint. <br />
And for specific dishes, look for the fried fish with turmeric called pla tod kamin, the squid with shrimp paste known as muek PAD kati, and tamarind curry, or kaeng som.<br />
For a lively street food, head to Nathon Pier and the night market, where food stalls sell everything from noodle soup to PAD thai and fried rice from 4pm to 10pm.<br />
A truly authentic Samui lunch requires kanon jeen, the rice spaghetti topped with your choice of curry sauce and lots of fresh vegetables. There are stalls selling it all over the island. <br />
Among the famous sources are Pa Maitri in Mae Nam Soi 4, Pa Ian (Ching) opposite the AomSin Bank in Na Thon Market, and Pi Kiew in Bang Por. They open at 7am, but certainly make sure you get there before noon, or they’ll be sold out.<br />
<strong>Q: I want to buy lenses for my Nikon D90 when I’m in Thailand. Since the lenses are made there, can I expect the prices to be cheaper than in Britain? " Dave</strong><br />
A: You’re think anything made in Thailand would be cheaper here, but often this isn’t the case, especially with costly electronic goods. Nike shoes are made here, and they’re not always cheaper than in the West.<br />
Also, the relative strength of the baht to many currencies is working against you. Many Thais who can afford to travel look for cheaper prices in the US. <br />
I just checked the British prices of camera equipment on both Amazon.co.uk and Jessops.com, and they’re not much different than here.<br />
Meanwhile, a Nikon AF 180 f/2.8 ED costs around Bt30,000 in a shop here, while local photography retailer www.Fotofile.net has it for Bt32,500. <br />
Two more things to consider:<br />
Count on the VAT refund receipt from the stores, which will get you a 7-per-cent refund at the airport. <br />
And finally, buying overseas doesn’t give you the legal protection you enjoy at home. Buying at home gives you that peace of mind, plus the support of your local supplier.<br />
Soure : nationmultimedia.comAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-86370016785768603412010-08-06T10:50:00.001-07:002010-08-06T18:38:00.776-07:00Tom Kha Gai (Thai coconut chicken soup)dOne of the tastiest and easiest Thai foods to prepare, tom kha simply requires fresh lemongrass –dried galangal and packaged coconut milk will still produce a decent soup. While technically a soup, it is typically served with rice and eaten like a curry, ladled over the rice and then eaten.<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<ul><li>Dried Galangal Slices 2-3 pcs </li>
<li>Lemon Grass (fresh) 2 pcs </li>
<li>Garlic 1 clove </li>
<li>Tamarind Paste 1 pinch </li>
<li>Fresh Chilies 3-4 </li>
<li>Fish or Soy Sauce to taste </li>
<li>Chicken ½ lb </li>
<li>Coconut milk 13.5 oz can</li>
</ul>Instructions<br />
1. Boil 1 cup of water with galangal, lemon grass, garlic, and tamarind for 2-3 minutes. <br />
2. Add chicken (pre-cut into 2” pieces) to boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes. <br />
3. Add coconut milk and return to boil. Boil for 3 minutes. <br />
4. Add fish sauce (1tbsp), soy sauce, and 2 slices of white onion. Boil for one minute. <br />
5. Remove from heat and serve with rice.<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFxLTyMLWeI/AAAAAAAALSA/Kv7oSUsr350/s1600-h/page%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="page" border="0" height="404" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFxLVPzkauI/AAAAAAAALSE/46vm4THwtjI/page_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="page" width="404" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-32508892218666193422010-08-06T08:07:00.001-07:002010-08-06T08:14:53.257-07:00A visit to Sing Buri can refresh the mind and the body as well<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFwlI7aH1BI/AAAAAAAALQ4/lBRiijaWd-A/s1600-h/Sing%20Buri%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Sing Buri" border="0" alt="Sing Buri" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFwlJxZsR8I/AAAAAAAALQ8/8PpzH6xOfg0/Sing%20Buri_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="181" /></a> Sing Buri, in the central region, is blessed with many Buddhist temples spread across 841 square metres of lush vegetation. One of the most revered is Wat Phikun Thong, where visitors can pay homage to both the Kingdom's largest sitting Buddha image, which is 23m wide and 42m tall, and the statue of Luang Pho Phae, a popular former abbot of the temple. It is housed in Tha Chang district's Tambon Wihan Khao, approximately 16km from Muang Sing Buri.</p> <p>The huge Buddha image, which sits in the stance of giving a blessing, is called Luangpho Yai, and is made of concrete and decorated with a golden mosaic. Even before reaching our destination, I could see this huge statue from a distance. On our arrival, we first visited the Luangpho Phae Museum, inside the temple compound, which shows the history of this revered Buddhist monk and his eight requisites of leading a pious life.</p> <p>Opposite is the Buddha image in the posture of giving a blessing. The large prayer hall at the front is circled by a gallery where Buddha images in different postures are housed. There is also a sprawling park with a small lake and huge images of Hindu and Chinese gods, where visitors can meditate close to nature. The tranquility and peaceful ambience is most befitting for visitors who wish to make a pilgrimage to this enchanting temple.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFwlKtya2xI/AAAAAAAALRA/Iv5_4BVKHMA/s1600-h/Sing%20Buri1%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Sing Buri1" border="0" alt="Sing Buri1" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFwlLYs8_VI/AAAAAAAALRE/OkUaKiDe-dA/Sing%20Buri1_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="164" height="244" /></a>The grounds of Wat Phikun Thong are also a popular spot for festivals. When we visited, the seasonal tropical fruit event was in full swing. A number of local residents, dressed in traditional garb, put on a range of activities to showcase their cultural traditions and dances. There were also fruit eating contests, and of course the opportunity to buy fruit from nearby farms.</p> <p>Our next temple stop was Phra Non Chaksi Worawihan, a royal temple, which is about a 9km drive. Inside the prayer hall is a beautiful Sukhothai-style reclining Buddha image, which is more than 45m long and facing north.</p> <p>Visitors from all walks of life can be seen praying and offering garlands and incense to the Buddha image, which looks down at them with loving tenderness. Also in the vicinity are two Buddha images - Phra Kan, a stone image, and Phra Kaeo, which sits in a cross-legged posture. History has it that they were constructed during the reign of Rama V, who decreed the statues be used as chief images at a ceremony where civil servants swear an oath of allegiance to the king.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFwlMI09nMI/AAAAAAAALRI/sNXeAG_LE4s/s1600-h/Sing%20Buri2%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Sing Buri2" border="0" alt="Sing Buri2" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFwlNIswNcI/AAAAAAAALRM/zjJr3DunfX8/Sing%20Buri2_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>We then visited Wat Na Phrathat, a less visited but historic spot in a remote farming community thought to have once been the old town of Sing Buri. Sitting among a large number of ruins is the main attraction of the temple, a phra prang (corn-shaped pagoda) which has figures of demons holding batons and garudas over the relic chamber. According to archaeological findings, this temple is thought to have been built before 14 AD. Walking through the ruins, one gets the impression that religion played a pivotal role in people's lives in those days. The temple is on a high rectangular mound. As you walk further, you will notice the size of the spacious prayer hall, which gives you some idea of how the temple-goers in those days must have filled the prayer room with religious offerings. To the east of the tall corn-shaped pagoda is a hall where a Buddha image was once enshrined, and to the west lies the ordination hall encircled by a number of smaller, round pagodas, of which only the bases remain.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFwlNy3zYPI/AAAAAAAALRQ/-SxJ0Mxem1g/s1600-h/Sing%20Buri4%5B6%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Sing Buri4" border="0" alt="Sing Buri4" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFwlOuHD3OI/AAAAAAAALRU/lrCaSnnhfqY/Sing%20Buri4_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="199" /></a> After being spiritually enlightened, we decided to visit the local Sing Buri fresh market before heading back to Bangkok. In addition to fruit and vegetables, there is also an abundance of fish at this market, as three rivers - the Chao Phraya, the Noi and the Lop Buri - meet at Sing Buri. As well from enjoying Sing Buri's local culinary delights, don't forget to take time out to speak with local vendors, who are always ready for a chat.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFwlPphYsgI/AAAAAAAALRY/kcQKc-QjZH8/s1600-h/Sing%20Buri5%5B7%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Sing Buri5" border="0" alt="Sing Buri5" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFwlQUNsaUI/AAAAAAAALRc/Nnv6GWQulqc/Sing%20Buri5_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="130" height="244" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFwlRFV83eI/AAAAAAAALRg/srLUKuj0CBw/s1600-h/Sing%20Buri3%5B8%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Sing Buri3" border="0" alt="Sing Buri3" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFwlSI8nO7I/AAAAAAAALRk/jLzSPRnJyWo/Sing%20Buri3_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="185" height="244" /></a>  </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFwlNy3zYPI/AAAAAAAALRQ/-SxJ0Mxem1g/s1600-h/Sing%20Buri4%5B6%5D.jpg"></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Article and picture source : <a href="http://www.bangkokpost.com/">www.bangkokpost.com</a></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-6041503454097640222010-08-03T04:01:00.001-07:002010-08-06T07:05:46.846-07:00The old city of Ayutthaya recreates its ancient floating market with some thoroughly modern ideas<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFf2-tXIH0I/AAAAAAAALQA/kZKYPo-2WAw/s1600-h/Ayutthaya%20market%5B3%5D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="Ayutthaya market" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFf3AY4B6SI/AAAAAAAALQE/UZQTus6z3xM/Ayutthaya%20market_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="Ayutthaya market" width="244" /></a> If a few hours spent among the ruins of Ayutthaya Historical Park aren’t enough to whisk you back in time and imagination to sixteenth-century Siam, then head to the newly opened miniature of the old Ayothaya Floating Market for a taste of rural life in bygone days. <br />
This new hip hangout for tourists and local residents, the Bt150 million market opened in May on a 32-rai plot bordered by a canal and sheltered by big trees and other lush vegetation. It’s divided into three parts and home to more than 200 wooden shophouses, street vendors plus a pavilion for cultural performances. <br />
There are more than 20 zones, each of the named after the old fresh-food markets of Ayutthaya. Browse around and you’ll found stacks of you creative merchandises in just about all categories, ranging from magnificent handicrafts to wooden toys and handmade apparel to decorative items.<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFf3BvuMCMI/AAAAAAAALQI/5ct66yamjcA/s1600-h/Ayutthaya%20%20market1%5B3%5D.jpg"><img align="right" alt="Ayutthaya market1" border="0" height="163" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFf3CQXuMqI/AAAAAAAALQM/aAKaKkv0Jk0/Ayutthaya%20%20market1_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="Ayutthaya market1" width="244" /></a> The main attractions are found along the long street that’s known as Ta Rua Market, home to quality OTOP items, wickerwork and colourful wooden toys made by skilled artisans. On offer are hats, baskets, wooden kitchenware, fish-shaped hanging mobiles made from palm leaves, coconut shell dolls, herbal products, silverware and more. <br />
Foodies should head to Buachom Island, where 50 vendors sell a wide range of delectable local foods, desserts and drinks on boats. Enjoy a big bowl of hot and spicy kuay tiew rua from Jum Jim Rua Jaew, along with<a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/search/adsearch.php?keyword=+PAD+"> PAD </a>Thai, khanom krok, som tam, khanom jeen, crispy vermicelli, rice and curry, ice cream, Thai iced coffee and herbal beverages. <br />
For clothes, head to the main streets of Pa Chee, Maharat, Chao Phrom and Lad Bualunag markets, where local designers offer their latest collections of handmade apparel, accessories and home decor items. Most merchandise features smart graphic designs, cool messages and cute cartoons reflecting Thai culture. <br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFf3FaJ8XxI/AAAAAAAALQQ/7ZG9XVqttLo/s1600-h/Ayutthaya%20recreates%20its%20ancient%20floating%20market%5B2%5D.png"><img align="left" alt="Ayutthaya recreates its ancient floating market" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFf3GkDED_I/AAAAAAAALQU/3Myy0QMum_U/Ayutthaya%20recreates%20its%20ancient%20floating%20market_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="Ayutthaya recreates its ancient floating market" width="244" /></a> You can find colourful skirts, pants and bags made from Thai sarongs, T-shirts with the Thai alphabet and messages, silk outfits, zinc dolls, birdcages, mailboxes, magnets, beautiful postcards and more. <br />
If you’re weary of foot by now, spa treatments and massage await at Pak Hai market. <br />
T learn more about Thai culture, take a seat and enjoy the dance performances put on by students and local artists. Among the regular shows on stage are classical dances from all four regions, Thai martial arts, elephant battles and mini light & sound performances about Ayutthaya city.<br />
IF YOU GO <br />
Ayothaya Floating Market is in the same area as the Elephant Village, next to Maheyong Temple and it’s open daily from 9am to 9pm. Admission is free. For more information, call (035) 881 678, (035) 881 733 or visit <a href="http://www.ayothayafloatingmarket.com/">http://www.ayothayafloatingmarket.com/</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-81981696570841508962010-08-02T06:07:00.001-07:002010-10-10T00:29:01.162-07:00China Will Invest In Thai High-Speed Train, Better Rail Links<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFbC9Lh-yRI/AAAAAAAALPo/ZLhQLhmMVRc/s1600-h/Thai%20high%20speed%20railway%5B3%5D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="Thai high speed railway" border="0" height="173" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFbC95k2whI/AAAAAAAALPs/5VQVSCBOBwk/Thai%20high%20speed%20railway_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="Thai high speed railway" width="244" /></a> BANGKOK, July 29 (Bernama) -- China has agreed to invest in Thailand's first high-speed railway and provide funding to the development of the Thai rail link system, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban told the Cabinet on Wednesday, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported. <br />
The minister who visited China from July 16-23, said the negotiations between the two countries included development of rails at the Thai-Lao border of Thailand's Nong Khai province to Laos and to China. <br />
The line is expected to also link to Sungai Kolok in Thailand's southern province of Narathiwat to Malaysia and will upgrade the quality of Thai rail links so that in future it could link via the north to Europe and in the south to Singapore, TNA reported. <br />
The project will be built as a standard-gauge rail link and is expected to cover transport in all countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean). <br />
Concerning the high-speed train, the deputy premier said China will cooperate with Thailand to build the country's first high-speed rail line from Bangkok to the eastern province of Rayong, which will also connect to Laos. <br />
He said Thailand will be responsible for procuring land, while China will provide investment, technology and management. <br />
The rail line would extend 240 kilometres from Bangkok's downtown Makkasan area to Rayong on the Eastern Seaboard. The travel time is expected at approximately one hour from an original three-hour drive. <br />
Suthep said that Chinese technology for high-speed trains is highly advanced. <br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFbC-yqSV5I/AAAAAAAALPw/Shl2ot3xQTw/s1600-h/Thai%20high%20speed%20railway%201%5B3%5D.jpg"><img align="right" alt="Thai high speed railway 1" border="0" height="138" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFbC_W4cF_I/AAAAAAAALP0/MaVPfuqRIkI/Thai%20high%20speed%20railway%201_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="Thai high speed railway 1" width="244" /></a> He said he rode a Chinese train from Beijing to Tian Xing which took only 29 minutes for over 200 kilometres. The train runs at 338km/hr and Suthep said it was the "best quality" compared to railways he had travelled on in other countries. <br />
He suggested that a Thai committee be set up to discuss the matter in detail with China, adding that there might be an agreement when Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva visits China in the near future. <br />
China also said it would promote Thailand as a tourist destination among Chinese. It will also consider buying more rice from Thailand, and noted that the rail link development will provide convenience for people in the region to travel and enhance a better logistics and transport system. <br />
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Sophon Sarum said the ministry plans to expand the country's existing rail links, but the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) will have to research the issue and there might be an adjustment of the standard gauge rail link system to ensure that it can link to the rail system of Thailand's neighbouring countries. <br />
Sophon said the joint venture between Thailand and China did not affect the government budget of Bt170 billion previously approved by the Cabinet to improve the Thai rail system, as the cooperation is a project offered by Chinese authorities to improve all Thai rail links from Nong Khai to China, and Nong Khai to Sungai Kolok. <br />
-- BERNAMA <br />
Source: <a href="http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=517429">http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=517429</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-13994481018193444252010-07-28T09:34:00.001-07:002010-07-28T09:45:42.458-07:0040 Thai foods we can’t live without<p>Given that one of the first things Thais ask each other when they meet up is "Have you eaten yet?" it’s clear this is a nation that’s extremely passionate about its eats. You want to know how good a Thai restaurant is? Don’t look at the menu, the décor or even the prices. Look at the number of people inside. That’s your quality indicator. </p> <p>In celebration of Bangkok’s fantastic cuisine and the restaurants that have perfected it, we’ve rounded up 40 of the Thai dishes we couldn’t imagine living without. Some are world famous, others are more obscure, but they're all worth trying, at least once. If you've got your own favorite that we missed, let us know in the comments box below. </p> <h4> <p> </p> <p>1.    Tom Yum Gung</p> </h4> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBbvmD2jpI/AAAAAAAALN8/mEqkINf2JK8/s1600-h/Tom%20Yum%20Gung%5B13%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Tom Yum Gung" border="0" alt="Tom Yum Gung" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBbwTNlDBI/AAAAAAAALOA/IVrqmQzsPEE/Tom%20Yum%20Gung_thumb%5B9%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="187" /></a> This Thai masterpiece soup is teeming with shrimp, mushrooms, tomatoes, lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves. It can be ordered loaded with coconut milk (tom yum gung nam kohn) and cream or without (tom yum gung nam sai) for a slightly more sour and healthy version. This soup truly unifies a host of favorite Thai tastes: sour, salty, spicy and sweet, all in one bowl. This is an authentic Thai delicacy that many locals are passionate about and has spread around the world. <br /><em>Banana Leaf Restaurant serves all around delicious food, including great tom yum gung. Silom Complex basement floor, </em><em>Silom Road, </em><em>Bangkok. BTS: Saladaen. Open daily from 11am to 9.30 pm. Tel: +66 (0)2 231 3124.</em></p> <p> </p> <h4> <p>2. Gang Som Pak Ruam</p> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBbzo3OhLI/AAAAAAAALOE/hxbfPV-IT-k/s1600-h/Gang%20Som%20Pak%20Ruam%5B8%5D.png"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Gang Som Pak Ruam" border="0" alt="Gang Som Pak Ruam" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb0m-uaII/AAAAAAAALOI/E_Zd0nWgebg/Gang%20Som%20Pak%20Ruam_thumb%5B8%5D.png?imgmax=800" width="244" height="244" /></a></h4> <p>The Thai fusion of sweet, sour and spicy are all combined into another ultra vibrant soup. This soup base can be packed with vegetables like carrots, cabbage and green beans (pak ruam) or it can be served with a deep fried omelet made from eggs and a stringy green vegetable leaf (Thai acacia leaf) called cha om (gang som cha om kai). </p> <p><em>Tart and explosive gang som soup is served at Arhan Isan Rod Dej Restaurant, located at 3/5-6 Thanon Rangnam Road, Ratchawithi. Opposite from King Power complex. Open from 11am to 10pm. Tel: +66 (0)2 246 4579</em></p> <p> </p> <h4> <p>3. Gang Keow Wan</p> </h4> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb1r7KiwI/AAAAAAAALOM/KJCzeCuAw9k/s1600-h/Gang%20Keow%20Wan%5B2%5D.png"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Gang Keow Wan" border="0" alt="Gang Keow Wan" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb2wMJBJI/AAAAAAAALOQ/P1TfV1cRu90/Gang%20Keow%20Wan_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" width="244" height="244" /></a>One of the most famous and sought after Thai dishes is Thai green curry. Green curry paste, coconut milk, bamboo shoots, chicken, Thai basil, Thai eggplant and the ever present herbs and roots of Thai cuisine (lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves etc), make this curry an unforgettable blend of delights. It is usually prepared quite soupy so a plate of rice is necessary to sop up every intricate drop. <br /><em> <br />Poi-sien Restaurant serves a vibrant green curry filled with all kinds of herbs and flavors. Soi Ratchawithi 6, Boonme Building. Open from about 10am to 10pm. Tel: +66 (0)84 527 5521</em></p> <p> </p> <h4> <p> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb3SgCq6I/AAAAAAAALOU/cs1RcGFHBks/s1600-h/Panang%20Gai%5B9%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Panang Gai" border="0" alt="Panang Gai" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb4KMQmYI/AAAAAAAALOY/_ccKMOWKVNk/Panang%20Gai_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="187" /></a>4. Panang Gai</p> </h4> <p>Red curry paste fried up with chicken and then doused with coconut cream creates a succulent and spicy red curry. The dish is then served with finely chopped kaffir lime leaves sprinkled on top. Panang gai is a dish that if made correctly should explode with dynamic flavors as soon as it touches the tip of your tongue. <br /><em> <br />Poi-sien Restaurant also serves a divine panang gai. The thick coconut cream sauce is crafted to perfection and the lime leaf garnish is always fresh. Soi Ratchawithi 6, Boonme Building. Open from about 10am to 10pm. Tel +66 (0)84 527 5521</em></p> <p> </p> <h4> <p>5. Gang Massaman</p> </h4> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb49KeCJI/AAAAAAAALOc/J3ovKBU4FD0/s1600-h/Gang%20Massaman%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Gang Massaman" border="0" alt="Gang Massaman" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb5vVcJsI/AAAAAAAALOg/OonsXOQ-djs/Gang%20Massaman_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> Massaman is a sweet curry that originates from Southern Thailand as a Halal dish. The curry sauce is a mixture of curry paste, coconut milk, a strong flavor of peanuts, and a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon. Massaman is usually pre-made with chicken and always a few chunks of potatoes that have delightfully soaked up the coconut milk like a sponge. <br /><em> <br />Baan Ajarn Restaurant, 107/7-8 Soi Rangnam Rd, Phaya Thai, Ratchawithi. Open from 11am to 11pm. Tel: +66 (0)2 245 2775</em></p> <p> </p> <h4> <p>6. Gai Pad Pongali</p> </h4> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb6B2mSFI/AAAAAAAALOk/vW-Zr0tzF8E/s1600-h/Gai%20Pad%20Pongali%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Gai Pad Pongali" border="0" alt="Gai Pad Pongali" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb63ifxnI/AAAAAAAALOo/xucXQYwHG5A/Gai%20Pad%20Pongali_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="244" /></a>Chicken, onions, tomatoes and peppers are brought alive with a delicate Thai yellow curry paste. What makes the dish spectacular is the egg that is cracked into the dish to curdle and thicken all the ingredients. A generous portion of parsley is added for extra flavor and its unique taste. <br /><em> <br />Kun Su Restaurant, located on Phaya Thai, Soi Rangnam, across the street from Century Mall, fries up a light, less oily, and delicious pad pongali. Best to eat here for lunch, but open from 11am to 9 pm. Tel: +66 (0)81 883 5487, 081 666 2901</em></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <h4> <p>7. Gang Jued</p> </h4> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb7uu3zcI/AAAAAAAALOs/37FIY3RafgQ/s1600-h/Gang%20Jued%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Gang Jued" border="0" alt="Gang Jued" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb8CY-1fI/AAAAAAAALOw/w4cqoqBC1ZY/Gang%20Jued_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> One of the more healthy Thai foods is a clear vegetable soup filled with a combination of carrots, cabbage, onions, minced pork, tofu, glass noodles, and garnished with fresh parsley. Gang jued is a colorful medley of garden vegetables that compliments a spread of other dishes and can easily make up for the greasier ones. <br /><em> <br />Poi-sien Restaurant creates a perfect gang jued. Soi Ratchawithi 6, Boonme Building. Open from about 10am to 10pm. Tel: +66 (0)84 527 5521</em></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <h4> <p> 8. Jim Jum</p> </h4> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb9ezI0TI/AAAAAAAALO0/guPxNPlXvcw/s1600-h/Jim%20Jum%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Jim Jum" border="0" alt="Jim Jum" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb-OxypNI/AAAAAAAALO4/ZDLpELcoeME/Jim%20Jum_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="343" /></a>A fantastic way to relax over dinner is to enjoy Jim Jum with a few friends. A small clay pot filled with an outstanding porky aromatic broth sits over a bed of charcoal. The host brings an assortment of raw morning glory, cabbage, meats (usually pork and liver), beat eggs, glass noodles, and the all important holy Thai basil. The vegetables and meats are thrown into the pot to slowly boil into a nourishing and hearty soup. <br /><em>A herb filled jim jum is served at Larb Yasothorn Restaurant, 1/37 Ratchawithi Soi 2, Din Daeng Road, Samsaen Nai, Phaya Thai. Open from 4pm to 4am. Tel: +66 (0)84 709 9880</em></p> <p><em> <br /></em></p> <h4> <p> </p> <p>9. Kao Na Phet</p> </h4> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb-2TvKMI/AAAAAAAALO8/gS-TV54aWCQ/s1600-h/Kao%20Na%20Phet%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Kao Na Phet" border="0" alt="Kao Na Phet" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb_RyqcwI/AAAAAAAALPA/pAVggRYU738/Kao%20Na%20Phet_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> Roasted duck is a specialty throughout Asia as the meat is fattier and has a more distinct flavor than chicken. The Thai Kao na phet is served on a plate of rice with a selection of duck parts cut and then drizzled with duck stock. A simple but exuberant duck soup is served along with the rice. It's easy to distinguish a duck and rice/noodles eatery as the ducks will be hung from their necks in a glass cabinet. </p> <p><em>In Yaowarat (Chinatown) head to Hua Seng Hong Restaurant. 371-373 Yaowarat Road. Tel: +66 (0)2 220 635</em></p> <p> </p> <h4> <p>10. Kai Jiew Moo Saap</p> </h4> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBb_0FOkEI/AAAAAAAALPE/WMXnDPyrP4o/s1600-h/Kai%20Jiew%20Moo%20Saap%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Kai Jiew Moo Saap" border="0" alt="Kai Jiew Moo Saap" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/TFBcAXpoIQI/AAAAAAAALPI/r8jh-F7lxX8/Kai%20Jiew%20Moo%20Saap_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="170" /></a> A real Thai comfort food and something everyone can cook is the Thai style omelet. Eggs are beat up with a dash of fish sauce and soy sauce and then minced pork is added. The egg mixture is then quite literally deep fried into an omelet that pleases a palette of rice. It is best eaten with a squirt of chili sauce (sauce prik).<em> <br />Every single restaurant in Bangkok that serves rice can provide a great omelet. Try Kun Su Restaurant, located on Phaya Thai, Soi Rangnam, across the street from Century Mall. Tel: +66 (0)81 883 5487, 081 666 2901</em></p> <p> </p> <h4> <p>11. Kao Niew Moo Yang</p> </h4> <p><img style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" alt="Kao Niew Moo Yang" align="left" src="http://www.cnngo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/240x240/11-Kao-Niew-Moo-Yang.jpg" />Grilled pork skewers and sticky rice in little bags are available in all the nooks and crannies and at all hours in Bangkok. Quick, easy, delicious, available, and filling are all reasons to grab a sack while you're on the go. Kao niew moo yang are available everywhere you look and can't be missed. In Silom near the Sala Daeng BTS station, take a stroll on Soi Convent where a fantastic street stall grills up large skewers of juicy pork. Best to head there around lunch hour.</p> <h4> <p> </p> <p>12. Moo Dad Diew</p> </h4> <p><img style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" alt="Moo Dad Diew" align="left" src="http://www.cnngo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/240x240/12-moo-dad-diew.jpg" />Small bites of deep fried pork are marinated in a dark sweet soy sauce and then deep fried to accentuate the flavors. The succulent pieces of pork are served with the all-important chili sauce (jim jao) full of green onions. Sticky rice is also a necessity. <br /><em>Ta Bun Tum, at Pin Ngen Market block R28-R29 next to Major Pinklao, serves a mouthwatering moo dad diew. Open from 12 noon to 9pm. Tel: +66 (0)847 070 2950</em></p> <p><em> <br /></em></p> <h4> <p> </p> <p>13. Yam Khor Moo Yang </p> </h4> <p><img style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" alt="Yam Khor Moo Yang" align="left" src="http://www.cnngo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/240x240/13-Yam-Khor-Moo-Yang.jpg" />This prized meat salad consists of dripping and tender pork cutlets, grilled and sliced then mixed with lemon juice, parsley, sweet onions and a copious amount of fiery chilies. This salad is a real asset to any Isaan food feast and must be eaten with sticky rice, which you should dip into the dressing. <br /><em>A delightful yam khor moo yang is assembled from a street cart right outside of Tesco Lotus Express Rangnam, 104/30-34 Rangnam Road, Phaya Thai, Ratchawithi. Open from 6pm to 11pm. </em></p> <p> </p> <h4> <p>14. Gai Yang</p> </h4> <p><img style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" alt="Gai Yang" align="left" src="http://www.cnngo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/240x240/14-Gai-Yang.jpg" />Just like moo yang, grilled chicken is everywhere to be found. It's hard to walk a few meters without detecting the scent. Grilled chicken is best complimented with a pile of tangy som tam and a dollop of sticky rice. Like many other dishes, grilled chicken is all over Bangkok and often times the best is found on mobile stands attached to bikes or pushcarts. All Isaan restaurants serve gai yang.</p> <p><em>Have a walk down Phahon Yothin Soi 1 Lue Cha for a great selection of gai yang.</em></p> <p> </p> <h4> <p>15. Kao Ka Moo</p> </h4> <p><img style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" alt="Kao Ka Moo" align="left" src="http://www.cnngo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/240x240/15-kao-ka-moo.jpg" /></p> <p>Pork boiled for hours in a sweet soy sauce base with hints of cinnamon and anise are the signature characteristics of kao ka moo. The fatty pork literally slides right off the bone and onto a plate of rice. This dish is usually quite visible with whole soy sauce stained pig legs sitting openly in large metal pans and steaming through the day. <br /><em> <br />Pa-Aou Restaurant serves sweet and salty kao ka moo. The fatty pork meat slides right off the bone and the sauce is brilliant with the rice. Located on Phahon Yothin Soi 1, 826 Soi Rucha, Phaya Thai. Tel: +66 (0)89 2010798</em></p> <p> </p> <h4> <p>16. Kao Mok Gai </p> </h4> <p><img style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" alt="Kao Mok Gai" align="left" src="http://www.cnngo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/240x240/16-kao-mok-gai.jpg" /></p> <p>Kao mok gai, similar to biryani rice, is a Muslim dish of rice cooked with chicken stock and laced with saffron, turmeric, cardamom and bay leaves. The chicken is cooked with the rice and creates a recognizable yellow color. Don't forget the essential sprinkle of fried onions and cilantro on top plus the cucumber pickle garnish and the killer spicy sauce. <br /><em>Head to Silom, Soi Convent for a street cart that sells wonderful kao mok gai. This dish is slightly more difficult to locate than many others. Look for a big pot of noticeable yellow rice. Open around lunch hours.</em></p> <p> </p> <h4> <p>17. Kao Moo Dang</p> </h4> <p><img style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" alt="Kao Moo Dang" align="left" src="http://www.cnngo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/240x240/17-kao-moo-dang.jpg" /></p> <p>Another popular comfort food that is widely available is kao moo dang. A plate of rice is covered with Thai barbecued thinly sliced pork, a few slices of Thai sausage and half a hard-boiled egg. A thick red barbecue sauce or gravy is smothered all over the rice and pork and then sprinkled with cilantro and green onions. The result is an un-spicy but very sweet dish that is a great late night treat.<em> <br /></em></p> <p><em>Ran Guay Jab Jaedang (nickname: Microphone), located on Ratchawithi Road, close to Soi 6, right by Siam Computer and Language School. The carts roll onto the street at about 5pm and stay open till around 2am.</em></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <h4> <p>18. Kao Man Gai</p> </h4> <p><img style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" alt="Kao Man Gai" align="left" src="http://www.cnngo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/240x240/18-kao-man-gai.jpg" /></p> <p>The chicken rice of Thailand may not be as famous as Singapore's, but it is still a popular comfort food. Boiled chicken is chopped onto a plate of rice made from the fatty chicken stock. The garlic chili vinaigrette to accompany is incredible and the dish is always served with a light chicken soup. It can often be ordered with fried chicken as well (kao man gai tod). <br /><em>Kao Man Gai Ton Jaewa in the morning and at lunch is always packed with hungry guests. 465/7 Opposite Center One, Ratchawithi Road. Open from 7am to 7pm. Tel: +66 (0)2 640 9891</em></p> <p> </p> <h4> <p>19. Nam Tok Moo</p> </h4> <p><img style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" alt="Nam Tok Moo" align="left" src="http://www.cnngo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/240x240/19-nam-tok-moo.jpg" /></p> <p>Nam tok in Thai literally means waterfall. Grilled tender juicy pork is mingled with generous portions of lemon juice, green onions, chili, mint sprigs, fish sauce and toasted rice, making the meat taste fresh. The blood from the meat along with the dressing inspired someone to name this brilliant food waterfall meat, and rightfully so. <br /><em> <br />You can't go wrong ordering from Tida Esarn Restaurant, 1/2-5 Rangnam Road, Phaya Thai, Ratchawithi. Open from noon to 10pm. Tel: +66 (0)2 247 2234</em></p> <p> </p> <h4> <p>20. Larb Moo</p> </h4> <p><img style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" alt="Larb Moo" align="left" src="http://www.cnngo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/240x240/20-larb-moo.jpg" /></p> <p>A famous Isaan dish of minced pork and liver dressed with lime juice, fish sauce, mint leaves, onions, chilies and the essential toasted rice crunch. All the components of this fresh Thai meat salad are key for an astounding sticky rice dipping liquid. <br /><em> <br />For a vibrant larb, head straight to Tam Lai Restaurant, Pin Tong Plaza, located in the clothes market next to Major Pinklao. Open from 11:30am to 8:30pm. Tel: +66 (0)88 018 5700</em></p> <p> </p> <p>Read more: <a href="http://www.cnngo.com/bangkok/eat/40-bangkok-foods-we-cant-live-without-342900#ixzz0uzchNtrw">40 Thai foods we can’t live without | CNNGo.com</a> <a href="http://www.cnngo.com/bangkok/eat/40-bangkok-foods-we-cant-live-without-342900#ixzz0uzchNtrw">http://www.cnngo.com/bangkok/eat/40-bangkok-foods-we-cant-live-without-342900#ixzz0uzchNtrw</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.cnngo.com/bangkok/eat/40-bangkok-foods-we-cant-live-without-342900#ixzz0uzcQaSjU"></a></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-21148006477970500462009-11-03T08:43:00.001-08:002010-10-10T00:16:29.167-07:00Ayutthaya World Heritage and Red Cross Fair 2009<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/SvBdxBzPHhI/AAAAAAAALDA/iWZGdjPwBes/s1600-h/Ayuttaya[8].jpg"><img alt="Ayuttaya" border="0" height="216" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/SvBdyZTgoCI/AAAAAAAALDE/BbR-aDKXuHk/Ayuttaya_thumb%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Ayuttaya" width="432" /></a> Miss Chutathip Chareonlarp, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Office said that, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province, in cooperation with the Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Provincial Administrative Organization, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Municipality, Fine Arts Department, TAT Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Office, and relevant public and private agencies, will arrange the “Ayutthaya World Heritage and Red Cross Fair 2009”, during 11-20 December, 2009, at Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Historical Park to celebrate the occasion that the UN World Heritage Committee announced the Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Historical Park as a Cultural World Heritage Site in 1991. <br />
In this event, there will be many interesting activities. Firstly, the Lord Buddha relics at Chao Sam Phraya National Museum for the public to pay respect. Furthermore, there will be exhibitions and booths to sell OTOP products and well-known goods from 16 districts. Visitors can see an aqricultural exhibition, flowering and decorative plants, and attend a food fair. The Community and Village Leaders’ Thai Country Song Singing Contest, floating market activities, cultural performances, Thida Krungkao Contest, Red Cross booths, as well as buying a Red Cross lottery for donation, are also some other features of this event. <br />
Vistors should NOT MISS to experience the peaceful atmosphere of the ancient people’s way of life in the imitation marketplace of the Ayutthaya Period and use a replica of an ancient coin, Phot Duang, to exchange for food and desserts. Admire the light and sound performance, “Krung Si Ayutthaya : The Great Kings” (15 rounds; 10 days 10 nights). The opening ceremony will be arranged on Friday,11 December, 2009. The ticket costs 200 baht and 500 baht. <br />
TAT Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Office would like to invite tourists to visit the “Ayutthaya World Heritage and Red Cross Fair 2008”. For further information, please contact TAT Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Office at Tel: 0 3524 6076-7 or the Provincial Administration Office (Chief of Finance and Accounting Group) at Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya City Hall, 2nd Floor, Four-storeyed Building, Tel: 0 3533 6563.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904603671476592270.post-52798993548803567992009-09-13T06:39:00.001-07:002013-03-16T22:08:32.065-07:00Spa in Thailand<strong><u><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/Sqfm9K-LkqI/AAAAAAAAK_0/gzF5-z_Jirc/Spa%20in%20Thailand[3].jpg"><img align="left" alt="Spa in Thailand" border="0" height="190" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/Sqz22Hrq34I/AAAAAAAALAY/U58cj8tO-Us/SpainThailand_thumb1.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" width="244" /></a> 1. Introduction <br />
</u></strong><br />
The word ‘spa’ probably comes from the name of the town Spa in Belgium. <br />
East meets West, a spa is a place to go to treat and heal your mind, body and spirit using a variety of different techniques such as massage, scrubs, yoga, acupuncture, reike, reflexology, nutrition and body wraps etc. <br />
<strong><br />
Back ground / History of Spa in Thailand <br />
</strong><br />
Introduced in the early 1990s, spas in Thailand are a relatively new phenomenon – but one though, which has only very recently sky-rocketed in popularity. Not only are spas popular and fashionable with foreign tourists and expatriates, but the local Thais are also enjoying this new alternative therapy, one which is often ideal to ensure a smooth natural balance. A balance that has been rocked in Bangkok in particular by the unhealthy, serious life-styles and polluted environs. At first, spas were only to be found in 5-star hotels but they have now mushroomed everywhere. <br />
<strong><br />
Thailand: Asia’s Spa Capital <br />
</strong><br />
Thailand is a destination to indulge in this pastime therapy. The country prides itself in countless spas offering the highest world-class services at extremely reasonable rates. Much of the recent success of this therapy is due to the tremendous support given by the Thai Spa Operators Association. Not only have they assisted in the training of therapists to international standards, but they have also trained them in keeping methods traditionally and distinctively ‘Thai-style’. And it is this kind of service along with the one and only Thai Smile that are the key factors for so many visitors to revisit a Thai spa. Furthermore, most clients walk away from the spa with their head held high in the air with a feeling of rejuvenation and a well-being of mind, body and soul. Thai spas are not only quantity, but also quality. Spas can be found at all the major tourist destinations in Thailand such as: Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Ko Samui, Chiang Mai and Hua Hin. <br />
<strong><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/Sqz25FON_2I/AAAAAAAALAc/emFB_SxVoIw/SpainThailand13.jpg"><img align="right" alt="Spa in Thailand" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/Sqz27eL5QeI/AAAAAAAALAg/aFtkfIEOyiE/SpainThailand1_thumb1.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" width="236" /></a> Facts and Stats <br />
</strong><br />
During the years 2000-2002, the growth of the spa industry in Thailand rocketed by an exhilarating 64% and since 1999 Thailand has secured itself a top-5 world rating. In fact, Thailand is the second highest ranked spa destination of the world with an overall grade of 93%+ (just slightly behind Australia). <br />
Chiva Som International Health Resort located in Hua Hin, is ranked number one in the world while the Regent Chiang Mai Resort and Spa is ninth. <br />
During the period June 2001 – June 2002, 230 operators serviced 2.5 million international clients, creating revenue of $85 million. This amount well exceeds that of competitive countries, such as Singapore ($35 million) and Australia ($15 million). In total, 79% of all clients were foreigners. <br />
<u><br />
<strong>Services and Hospitality <br />
</strong></u><br />
Thailand is a friendly country and a must-go for all those who enjoy nothing more than a rejuvenating spa. The country is famed for its world-class natural healing techniques and especially Thai massage. For those who appreciate the authentic Thai way of life, there are numerous home-stays, including those in the unique hill tribe villages of the north. <br />
Thailand, home of Theravada Buddhism, is the ideal location to do a bit of spiritual soul-searching and reap the benefits of Vipassana meditation, a technique which has exploded in popularity in Western countries. Then, there is the sumptuous cuisine to wine and dine on, with cooking classes available too. <br />
<strong><u><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/Sqz2-oeP-pI/AAAAAAAALAk/QR6w2bS6hDc/SpainThailand33.jpg"><img align="left" alt="Spa in Thailand" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/Sqz2_1l3zLI/AAAAAAAALAo/gkw1U1pFmas/SpainThailand3_thumb1.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" width="184" /></a> 2. Reasons for Thailand’s spa popularity <br />
</u></strong><br />
Well, for one, they are rather different to the ones found in the West. The spas in Thailand are based on the deep-rooted harmony of Buddhist teaching, so creating an inner spiritual calm, complementing the equation of mind, spirit and body. Meditation is also used. Spas in Thailand have an altogether very Thai touch embodied upon a time-honoured healing tradition based on herbal and holistic remedies and generations of folk wisdom. <br />
Thailand also offers award winning service at reasonable rates and makes a beautiful spot for a holiday vacation. <br />
<strong><br />
Reasons why most people go to a spa in Thailand <br />
</strong><br />
Thailand prides itself as having some of the finest spas in the world offering services at extremely competitive rates. Since Thailand has never been colonialized, the original culture has remained embedded within society and foreign visitors will find the Thais very hospitable and friendly. <br />
Not only does Thailand, boast some of the most dazzling islands and beaches in the world, but also year-long sunshine; perfect for those who wish to get a lovely shiny suntan. <br />
Thailand has an abundance of reasonably priced top quality accommodation where for the equivalent price of a completely basic home-stay in Europe, visitors to Thailand can enjoy the luxury of a four-star hotel. Then to top that off, they can soothe their aching minds with ancient Buddhist a meditation technique, qi gong, tai chi, solar bath and yoga. <br />
<u><br />
<strong><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/Sqz3BtBEeDI/AAAAAAAALAs/IiP46sOnuIU/SpainThailand43.jpg"><img align="right" alt="Spa in Thailand" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/Sqz3DRxbiII/AAAAAAAALAw/KUwFteyzzyU/SpainThailand4_thumb1.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" width="240" /></a> 3. Thailand’s Spas <br />
</strong></u><br />
There are numerous different types of spa services in Thailand which focus heavily on Thai massage. They are categorized as massage for health, massage for beauty and traditional massage. <br />
The myriad variety of spas in Thailand is quite phenomenal and is found at almost every destination in Thailand. They are: <br />
- <u>Destination spa</u>, Destination spa, the famous destination spa in Thailand is no doubt, the one and only Chiva Som which attracts floods of visitors from all around the world who come to Thailand specifically to be pampered there. <br />
- <u>Hotel spas / Resort spas / Retreat spas</u>: Popular spas like there can be found at the top hotels in the major tourists destinations such as: Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Bangkok, Ko Samui and Chiang Mai. <br />
Popular Hotel and Resort Spas are:<br />
<ul>
<li><strong>Bangkok - </strong>The Oriental, Imperial Queen’s Park, JW Marriott Hotel, Marriott Royal Garden Riverside, The Regent Bangkok, Peninsula Bangkok, Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Sofitel Central Plaza, Thavorn Beach Village, The Westin Banyan Tree </li>
<li><strong>Phuket - </strong>Amanpuri Resort, Banyan Tree Phuket, Central Karon Village, Diamond Cliff Resort & Spa, Dusit Laguna Resort Hotel, The Evason Phuket, Pearl Village, Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket </li>
<li><strong>Koh Samui - </strong>Central Samui Beach Resort, Central Samui Village, Health Oasis Resort, The Samui Dharma Healing Center, Santiburi Dusit Resort, The Spa Resort and Health Center, Tamarind Retreat </li>
<li><strong>Pattaya - </strong>Central Wong Amat Beach Resort, Royal Cliff Beach Resort </li>
<li><strong>Hua Hin</strong> - Chiva-Som, Melia Hua Hin, The Evason Hua Hin, Royal Garden Resort, Royal Garden Village, Sofitel Central Hua Hin Resort<strong> </strong></li>
<li><strong>Chiang Mai -</strong> The Regent Resort Chiang Mai (Lanna Spa) </li>
</ul>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/Sqz3Fh2jwfI/AAAAAAAALA0/HhmNB8TO9yc/SpainThailand65.jpg"><img alt="Spa in Thailand" border="0" height="331" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WMhMBgtpP0A/Sqz3IQZR7rI/AAAAAAAALA4/kQT4OrfdctU/SpainThailand6_thumb3.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" width="454" /></a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00864578256736831733noreply@blogger.com4