After the giant pandas on loan from China that have become famous for failing to reproduce, and the giant monorail that snakes over the treetops of the extensive area, here is Chiang Mai Zoo’s latest mega-project, the Aquarium. It was built on top of a pond, not very far from the panda enclosures, overlooking...
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One of the dishes that I often cook is stir-fried vegetables. You can adapt this in so many different ways depending on what vegetables you have in stock. If I have bought a curry from the roadside, then I usually supplement the stir-fry with some extra meat. Either pork or chicken. In the ingredients...
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I don’t always get much time to visit art galleries. But, last weekend I was excited to visit the new Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC). This is located conveniently opposite MBK Shopping Mall with easy access from the National Stadium Sky Train station. It is unusual to find such a large building dedicated...
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When I first heard about the Four Regions Floating Market in Pattaya, I just thought that we would be getting another tacky and artificial tourist attraction built just to bring in the tourist dollars. There are not really that many authentic floating markets around. The famous one at Damnoen Saduak was recreated in order...
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…. and an umbrella from Bosang village will definitely come handy! This small community 10 kilometres east of downtown Chiang Mai, in Sankamphaeng district, is widely known for its umbrellas and painted silk fans. The art of umbrella-making is at least 200 years old in this area. Each tiny little detail is hand-crafted. The...
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The Pattaya International Mardi Gras took place yesterday along Beach Road in Pattaya. This was their first attempt at a “Mardi Gras” which I guess was held to help boost tourism in the region. The advertising posters billed it as “Pattaya’s first electrical carnival parade”. They are hoping to make this an annual event...
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This week we have something different for you. It is a dip that you can have with green mangoes. Thai people don’t often eat fruit without some kind of dip. Another popular dip with green mango is a mixture of sugar and ground chilli. In the picture below, you can see the following ingredients:...
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In the pollution sodden car infested inferno of Bangkok terms like wildlife conservation are rarely heard and if heard usually applied to the Mercedes and 4 by 4 drivers. But down a small Soi in Banglampoo in a dirty canal that one could only term a somewhat rancid open sewer, nature is doing what...
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In August 2008, Harry Nicolaides, a self-published author and university lecturer, was arrested at the airport in Bangkok for allegedly committing lese-majeste. According to the police, a paragraph in his little read book published a few years ago was slanderous towards the Crown Prince. Harry was denied bail and has been sitting in an...
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After doing a bit of research, I found out that there were, amazingly, UNESCO Wildlife sanctuaries in Uthai Thani province. These wildlife sanctuaries were declared UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites on 13 December 1991. They cover an area of about 2.780 square kilometers and are part of a large area of national parks and...
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One of the great things (or not so, depending on how you look at it) about marrying into a Thai family is that you end up getting taken to places on the spur of the moment, totally indifferent to where or what the destination is. And this turn around, during a visit to the...
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The Thai Rice Soup, or “khao tom” is not only a simple and quick dish to cook, but it is also a nice change to eat something plain and simple if you are not feeling too well with say a stomach ache or the flu. However, some people like to spice it up by...
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In the early hours of every morning, even before the break of dawn, monks can be seen walking along roads on their alms round. They do this throughout the year whatever the weather. No matter if there is torrential rain or it is bitterly cold. Officially, they are only allowed to leave the temple...
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On the radio this morning, I heard a news report about thirty foreign and Thai tourists who were robbed by their bus crew and then later abandoned by the side of the road. Apparently they were on their way from Krabi to Khao San Road in Bangkok when the bus stopped for a toilet...
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People back in the home country always laugh when I go on about how cold Thailand is at the moment. Our winters don’t normally last very long – some years less than a week – and don’t really warrant wearing anything warmer than normal. However, this last week has seen some of the coldest...
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First, I want to introduce my new love. I separated from my IRON LADY, even though she did a good job for me, I required something heavier and stronger than her. I bought myself a golden tiger girl, which is an Italian Thai co-operation. The unknown “TIGER BOXER 250 Rs”. Many people look down...
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(The backpacker capital of Southeast Asia – Khao Sarn Road) Well, it was that time of the year again to say good-riddance to my work-desk, dusty computer, English students, wife (ok…only temporarily like..), and iron out a few groovy shirts, pack me backpack, gel me hair and head for The City of Noodle Soups...
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I think my favourite red curry is this one which comes with roasted duck. In Thai it is called “gaeng phet pet yang”. In Thai restaurants it can be quite expensive to order. So, it is useful to know how to cook. The ingredients will vary a bit from book to book. I like...
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One of the hidden gems of Suphan Buri is Chawak Lake at the northern end of the province. The Bueng Chawak Chalermphrakiat project was initiated back in 1994 to celebrate H.M. The King’s 50th year accession to the throne. The three main projects surrounding the lake are “The Wildlife Extension Center”, “The Garden of...
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I like looking at old photos of Bangkok. It is interesting to see how some things have changed. While others things are much the same. These are some interesting aerial photos of Bangkok from Life magazine taken by Dmitri Kessel in 1950. The first one is the Marble Temple. The next one is looking...
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