Daily Archives: August 27, 2005

Tattos and Lychee fruit

Posted on August 27, 2005 by | 25 comments

Let me just say that totally by accident I found out that a restaurant (that I LOVE) has Lychee fruit. Granted, they aren’t fresh I think they are canned but that was my very first taste of things to come in Thailand. They taste like a cross between a tart orange (or if you’ve had it, and ugli fruit) and a coconut. It was so good! It looked like a little white olive but was sweet and tart at the same time. I am a big fruit eater and now I CAN”T WAIT to try all the fruits I see pictures of – rambutans, fresh lychee, jackfruit, and yes I might even try a durian. My ears even perked up a little when I saw a blog pic (I can’t remember who’s sorry) of a dragon fruit. I wanted to lick my computer screen, it made me so hungry. That and the fact that tom yam gung is only my favoritest soup EVER! I am raring to go eat some street vendor food!

Do I really need to say how much I am chomping at the bit to shop the Chatuchak Market?

In other news- I made a comment in an earlier post (yesterday) about a tattoo and was surpised by the amount of attention it got. I didn’t think anyone would comment on it. I guess that’s because I underestimate constantly the amount of affection many have for their ink. I was greatly disappointed to learn that as a woman there was really no way for me to get a sacred tattoo as monks would not be able to touch me in anyway BUT that doesn’t mean I can’t still get one. Once I get it I will post a pic of it too!

I want to go to one of Jimmy Wong’s studios but as of yet I am not sure which one. I am certainly going to try and go to the tattoo festival in Bangkok if I can find out when and where it is. I just hope I am there for it. Until then…

25 Comments

Posted in Guest Writers

The doctor prince of Thailand

Posted on August 27, 2005 by | 14 comments

The reason for the quick follow-up is that today is… Mahidol’s Day! I doubt that many are aware of this, as even in Thailand it’s not a nationally celebrated holiday. He is remembered only by those in the field of medical and health-related sciences. Nevertheless, I’d like to introduce to you the life story of this important royal figure, one whose deeds impressed me the most.

Prince Mahidol Adulyadej – does that last name sound familiar? Mahidol Although he never became king, he gave not one, but two kings to the Thai nation. He was the father of the late Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII), and the current monarch HRH King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). Prince Mahidol is also regarded as the father of modern medicine and public health in Thailand. You’ll see why, if you read his fascinating life story.

Royal Heritage
Prince Mahidol was born in 1892, first day of the year. He was the 69th child of the famous King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). He started his education in the Grand Palace, along with his half-brothers and sisters. Here he got the title “Prince of Songkla”.

In the Farang Military
He continued his studies in England at Harrow for one and a half years, then started a military career in Germany, thanks to the close relations of his Royal father with the Emperor William II. He was transferred from Potsdam to Berlin, on the orders of his Royal brother, Rama VI.

In 1914, when the first World War broke out, Prince Mahidol was ordered back from Germany, because Thailand declared neutrality at that time. (A side note: he gave the Germans a submarine design, for which he won a competition).

Back home, the Prince of Songkla was assinged a teaching post at the Royal Thai Navy. Here he continued designing small miliatry vessels: submarines and torpedo boats, which led to a conflict in a meeting: he was overruled by british-educated military seniors. He resigned from the Navy after only nine months of joining, giving the reason that his expertise would never be put to use there. No one knew that this was a turning point of national proportion…

Continue reading →

14 Comments

Posted in Magnifying Glass

I have my ticket!

Posted on August 27, 2005 by | 12 comments

For those of you that have been following my (recently infrequent) blog. I have my ticket to Bangkok in my hand right this second (yes it is harder to type with a plane ticket in your hand) I haven’t been able to let it out of my sight since I got it. (Is it wrong to fondle a paper ticket?)
I am extremely excited and still working on my Thai, I am a little more than a little intimidated by the tonal languages. Wish me luck! Will keep you posted!

12 Comments

Posted in Guest Writers

Silly Fun Corner – Thai Stage Name

Posted on August 27, 2005 by | 8 comments

Spurred on by the news about the bizarre name the Asoke sect have taken, like this guy who changed his legal name to Tai-Nae (Dead for sure) Mungmajon (determined to be poor), I thought perhaps we can do a little bit of fun activity today.

You know how many celebrity don’t use their birth name but a stage name?

Over here in the US, there’s a little game about how you create your…um…adult movie star name. The name of your first pet becomes your stage first name, and the street you grow up on becomes your last name. For example: My first pet was a dog named Bob. My street is Soi Langsuan. So I applied a little twist, and voila. Hello. My stage name is Bobbi Lang.

So now, we’re going to play this game THAI-BLOGS style. We’ll find you a Thai stage name!

First name: Start with the word “Som”. Then add the last syllable of your last name.

Note: Common Thai names, like John Smith here, is Somchai. There are many many names that started with “som”, which means befitting, well suited, or sometimes also means as you wish. Somchai = befitting a man = manly. So there are a lot of Som’s out there. Somying (womanly). Somsri (full of grace). Somkid (your ideas come true). Somphol (powerful). You get the idea.

Last name: Name of the first hotel you checked into in Thailand OR the street of your first Thai residency. *New addition* If you haven’t gone to Thailand yet, pick one Thai word or name of a place in Thailand that strike your fancy.

Finally, for even more fun. Add your dream entertainment career as well.

So here is how you will “introduce” yourself.

Sawasdee ka/krup.
My name is [Thai-Blogs stage name]. I am a [dream entertainment career]. (My other stage name is [US stage name].)

For example:
Sawasdee ka!
My name is Somren Langsuan. I am a rockstar. (My other stage name is Bobbi Lang.)

Give it a go, people! 🙂

8 Comments

Posted in What the heck?