Showing posts with label Thailand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thailand. Show all posts

6/7/09

The Rivers And Canals Of Bangkok

Bangkok was founded in 1782 and ever since the rivers and canals have been the main mode of transportation. The interlinked network of natural and man-made canals ended giving Bangkok the title of Venice of the East.

Even today, Bangkok’s river and canals are used to get around the city and many locals prefer this mode of transportation to any other.

People visiting Bangkok say that one cannot leave the city without visiting the temples of Bangkok. However, one should not leave the city without taking a ride on the river and canals of Bangkok.

Chao Phraya Express Boat

This is one of the cheapest boat trips in Bangkok. The Chao Phraya Express Boat service runs between the pier at Wat Ratsingkhon, which is near Krungthep Bridge in Yannawa District, and Nonthaburi clock tower.

The trip gives a view of the temples, churches, palaces and the royal boat house which are alongside the river, and it takes 40 minutes from start to finish. This boat service runs from 5:30 am to 6:00 pm and the cost depends on the distance traveled.

Klong Mon

There are boats that make the trip to Klong Mon and these boats leave every 30 minutes from the River City pier on Charoen Krung Road. The boat trip gives a fascinating glimpse of rural life as it passes through orchards and orchid farms.

Klong Saen Saeb

This one of the main city routes for commuters and shoppers. This canal runs from the Phan Fa Bridge through the main shopping districts of Bo Bae, Ratchathewi, Ratchadamri, Pratunam, Chitlom and Ramkhamhaeng.

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6/6/09

Temple Boys Of Thailand

In the country-side of Thailand one will find many boys working in the temples as temple boys. These boys help monks in their alms collecting as they go from village to village. A temple has the responsibility of the monks alms bowl and food career. The temple boy accompanies the monk when they are their daily rounds of alms collection.

If a temple has many monks and novices, then the alms collection is normally divided into several routes. On certain routes only one temple boys assists the monks while on others there can be two or more. This usually depends on the quantity and amount of food offered by lay people.

On return to the temple, temple boys prepares food for the monks and novices. As a religious rule, monks are not allowed to eat food unless it is presented by a lay person. This excludes water and liquids. After the monks finish eating, temple boys will keep some food the monks for their second meal which must take place before midday. However, if some monks for the Buddhist precepts strictly, they will eat only one meal a day. The leftovers are eaten by the temple boys as it is considered a sin for lay people to eat before monks and novices. After midday, the only food consumed by monks and novices is liquid like water or pasteurized milk.

A temple boy undertakes work of a housemaid in a temple. The only difference is that the temple boy is not paid for the work. A temple boy gets free food, accommodation and merit in exchange for work. Mostly poor farmer families send their boys to the temple to live temple boys. It is their way of ensuring that their sons gets free food and accommodation. However, there have been cases when boys from affluent families live in temple compounds.

Life of temple boy in a village can be difficult when the farmers in the village are poor. As a result the food offered to monks would be extremely limited and it is quite common for little food to be left over for the temple boys after monks and novices finish eating.

6/4/09

What Are Thailand's Main Tourist Attractions and Activities?

Bangkok
Most people spend a few days in the Thai capital, but many find the pollution, traffic congestion and chaotic street life extremely wearing. There's plenty to take you off the street, however, including the glittering Grand Palace compound and its beautiful gigantic Reclining Buddha; the comprehensively stocked National Museum; the massive Chatuchak weekend market; with over eight thousand different nightlife that suns the full range from cutting-edge clubs to depressing strip joints.
Beaches
Thailand's beaches are among the world's best. You'll find the most developed and expensive resorts, and some of the finest sands, on the islands of Ko Samui and Phuket, while backpakers tend to head for the more budget oriented Ko Pha Ngan, Ko Tao, Ko Lanta and Ko Mook. Krabi's Railay beaches are nothing short of stunning, Ko Samet makes and easy and economical break from Bangkok and Ko Chang is handy for travelers heading in and out of Cambodia.
Trekking
Unlike the organized treks in the Himalayas, Thailand's "hill-tribe treks" focus on the ethnic-minority villages that you walk to, rather than on the walking itself or the scenery. The hill tribes live way out in the sticks, but their villages are connected by tracks, so the hiking is not difficult. Most treks last two to four days and feature nights in the villages, as well as an elephant ride and river rafting. The main trekking centres are the northern cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, but routes out of both are hugely over subscribed, so it's better to start from Mae Hing Sin, Pai, Kanchanaburi or Umphang instead, where trails are quieter and more rewarding.
The ruined former capitals of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya
Dating from the thirteen century, Sukhothai is a beautiful example og thoughtful city planning enlivened by lakes and elegant statues of the Buddha. The 300-year-old temples and palaces of Ayutthaya display a refined mix of Hindu and Buddhist sculpture and are fun to explore by bicycle. Both sets of ruins are now conserved as historical parks. There are plenty of sobering World War II sights in the town, as well as reasonable range of trekking, rafting and cycle options that make the most or the fine river scenery, plus some appealing rafthouse accommodation too.
Kanchanaburi
Sited on the banks of the River Kwai, the town is most famous for its role as a POW camp in World War II and for its bridge, whose destruction by the Allied Forces was immortalized in Davis Lean's movie. There are plenty of sobering World War II sights in the town, as well as a reasonable range of trekking, rafting and cycling options that make the most of the fine river scenery, plus some appealing rafthouse accommodation too
Khao Sok National Park
Here you can sleep in a tree house under limestone karst, wake to the sound ogf the hooting gibbons, and take an adventure tour via waterlogged caves and jungles trails to a lake
The ancient Khmer temple of Phanom Rung
This exquisite pink sandstone complex was built in the tenth century as a blueprint for the Angkor temples across the border in Cambodia
Thai massage
Enjoy a traditional massage at Bangkok's Wat Pho temple, then learn the techniques yourself at a course in Bangkok or Chiang Mai.
Snorkelling and diving off the remote Similan Island
The turquoise water, powdery sands and banks of coral are regularly visited by sharks, rays and turtles
The Mae Hong Song loop
Hire a motor bike and spend as many days as you can spare on the circular 600-kilometre route through the glorious upland scenery of the remote northwest
Kayaking along the Krabi coastline
An exhilarating way of exploring the spectacularly craggy outcrops and remote uninhabited islands of the south west-coast
Sang Khom
It's great to just chill out in this idyllis tree-shaded little town on the Mekong river, where you can hire bicycles to visit traditional local villages and mess about on the water in inner tubes and dugout canoes
Pai
This laid back north-Thai town has a distinct New Age air and is the perfect place to take some courses in alternative therapies, browse the art shops and arrange a trek.
Full-moon beach party
Join the hordes for the monthly full-moon parties on Ko Pha Ngan, an infamous back-packers' beach rave attracts up to 30,000 clubbers.
Please view the most beautiful photos of Thailand's tourist attractions by clicking the link below:-
Photos of Thailand
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6/3/09

Kanchanaburi Town in Thailand

Kanchanaburi, a quaint little town in Thailand, is located 129 kilometers west of Bangkok. It has a mountainous landscape and is considered to be the third largest province in Thailand. Historians state that this town was near a village called Ban Lat Ya. The village has a historical background. It was used by the Burmese to invade Thai kingdoms.
Bordered by the Thanon Thongchai Range, this place is a welcome sight with its hilly terrain, sparkling waterfalls, gushing rivers, and several wildlife sanctuaries. Two important rivers, Maenam Khwae Noi and Maenam Khwae Yai originate from this range. Namtok, the largest waterfall in Thailand, is found in this region.
Kanchanaburi, is looked upon as a tourists’ paradise. Filled with a wide range of exciting activities like river rafting, fishing, mountain climbing, bird watching, mountain trekking, mountain biking, exploring forests and sanctuaries, staying in bamboo rafts, canoeing, and golfing. It is the perfect spot to relax and enjoy. What is more, if you have an urge for adventure, you can get the opportunity to explore exciting caves. These caves are noted for being the dwelling spots of Neolithic men. You can also get to visit memorable places, such as Bridge on the River Kwai. The name is very famous because it was one of the World War II sites and a famous movie was made based on this site.
People in this area are mostly farmers but the town also has various industries such as sugar, agricultural products, and gemstones. The local people are simple in nature and love to celebrate festivals with lots of music and dance. These festivals are being celebrated and have been passed down to generations for centuries.
Kanchanaburi is well known for its scenic beauty and for being a source of major attraction for the tourists. In short, it is the perfect place to visit to enjoy and have a fun-filled and relaxing vacation.
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Holidays in Kanchanaburi Thailand - Historical and Picturesque

Today visitors come to pay their respects to fallen Allied soldiers or to discover for themselves more about the town's dark past. But Kan, as locals call it, is also a great place to relax at riverside guesthouses or venture to nearby natural attractions.
Sights
THAILAND-BURMA RAILWAY CENTRE Before you head out to the Kwai River Bridge, get a little history under your belt at this museum (%0 3451 0067; 73 Jaokannun; adult/child 60/30B; h9am-5pm). Professional exhibits outline Japan's aggression in Southeast Asia during WWII and its plan to connect Yangon (in Burma) with Bangkok via rail for transport of military supplies. Captured Allied soldiers as well as Burmese and Malay captives were transported to the jungles of Kanchanaburi to build 415km of rail - known today as the Death Railway because of the many lives (more than 100,000 men) the project claimed.
KANCHANABURI ALLIED WAR CEMETERY Across the street from the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre, the Kanchanaburi Allied War Cemetery (Th Saengchuto; admission free; h7am-6pm) is a touching gift from the Thai people to remember the POWs, mainly from Britain and Holland, who died on their soil.
KWAI RIVER BRIDGE (DEATH RAILWAY BRIDGE) While the story made famous by the film The Bridge on the River Kwai is one of endurance, heroism and suffering, the span itself is just an ordinary bridge with an extraordinary history. A bit of imagination and some historical context will help to enliven a visit to the bridge, which was a small but strategic part of the Death Railway to Burma. Engineers estimated that construction would take five years, but the human labourers were forced to complete the railway in 16 months. Allied planes destroyed the bridge in 1945 but later repairs restored the span; the bomb damage is still apparent in the pylons closest to the riverbanks.
During the first week of December there's a nightly sound-and-light show put on at the bridge. It's a pretty impressive scene, with simulations of bombers and explosions and fantastic bursts of light. The town gets a lot of tourists during this week, so book early. The bridge is roughly 3km from the town centre and the best way for you to reach it is by bicycle. You can also catch a sÇŽwngthÇŽew (5B) going north along Saengchuto, but it isn't obvious when to get off; if you get to the Castle Mall, you've gone too far. There are also three daily departures across the bridge on the Kanchanaburi-Nam Tok train
WORLD WAR II MUSEUM Near the bridge is a privately owned museum (Mae Nam Khwae; admission 30B; h9am-6pm), a veritable temple to kitsch, sometimes also known as the JEATH War Museum to capitalise on the popularity of another museum by the same name in town. The collection might be the oddest assortment of memorabilia under one roof, but the building does afford picture postcard views of the bridge.
JEATH WAR MUSEUM This outdoor museum (Pak Phraek; admission 30B; h8.30am-6pm), the original JEATH, is run by monks as a testament to the atrocities of war. The displays of historic photographs are housed in a bamboo hut, much like the ones the POWs used. More a photo gallery than museum, it isn't very informative, but it is heartfelt, especially the fading pictures of surviving POWs who returned to Thailand for a memorial service.
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3 Places You Must Go in Thailand

For people seeking sun, sand and plenty of adventure, Thailand is amongst the top places in the world to visit. The beautiful scenery of the coastal islands compliments the rich culture and mountainous regions to the north, not to mention Bangkok, one of South East Asia's most intriguing cities. There's a multitude of places to visit and things to do in Thailand, and whether you're a tourist or a backpacker, you're almost sure to never get bored by the country's rich offerings. Indeed, you could choose to spend a week bronzing yourself on a beach in the south, or spend months exploring the highlands to the north and the borders with Laos and Cambodia. If you've got a trip to Thailand in store for this year, then take a read of this article to find out about some of the top destinations.
Phuket Located to the west of the country, Phuket is the largest and most popular island in Thailand. The island was hit hard by the 2004 Tsunami, but recovery has surged through tourism in the time since. With miles and miles of idyllic beaches and a collection of hotel resorts that wouldn't look out of place in a list of the world's best, tourists pour here by the bucket load. Some of the top resorts lie in the northern town of Ao Bang, where serious pampering comes at a serious price. This is home to a 7km long white beach and the Laguna Phuket golf club. Further south is Patong, a popular resort that lights up with neon during the night while providing home to the island's most popular beach - Hat Patong.
Ko Chang An island for those who want a little more than the offerings of the more tourist centric islands, Ko Chang is a rock that soars out of the sea, complete with jungle, rugged terrain and of course, many of its very own beaches. Located to the East of the Gulf Thailand near Cambodia, you won't find the regular sellers of knock off Ray-Bans and DVDs in a hurry, and the tourist hubbub is replaced by a more natural tranquillity. The island is home to an array of stunning wildlife that inhabits the scenery. Sea eagles, Andaman kites and hornbills all nest here, while you may even see a reticulated python if you venture inland! When visiting make sure you take on of the dirt pathways for a nature adventure.
Krabi Province Most travellers choose to breeze through Krabi town, as people are keen to move on to the paradises of Ko Phi Phi and Railay. These two gems of the Andaman Sea boast some of the most stunning scenery in the whole of Thailand, which is a spectacular feat if you consider the extent of beautiful coastland and mountains in the country. Railay is located behind a layer of impenetrable cliffs, and it is only possible to get there by boat. Surreal limestone formations make it a fantastic place for rock climbing, while the beach is possibly the revered in the country. Ko Phi Phi don, meanwhile, is an island 30km to the South West of the mainland of Krabi. As the backlot for The Beach, staring Leonardo Di Caprio, it's not difficult to see why the place is thought of as one of the world's top island paradises.
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