The elephant is Thailand's national animal: its image appeared on the old flag of Siam. Nowadays, elephants are endangered, with their numbers dwindling constantly and less than 1000 elephants living in the wild. A couple of thousand more elephants are domesticated and live on farms such as the Mae Sa Elephant Camp near Chiang Mai. There is no better place to see these magnificent animals then in their natural habitat, even though they are not allowed to roam free.

Last week, we visited Mae Sa Elephant Camp with some children participating in summer school. I had also been there several times previously, taking visitors, as this elephant park is the closest to the city: it is about 30 kilometres from Chiang Mai, or 12 kilometres from the small town of Mae Rim, on the verge of Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. They have around 70 elephants, ranging from babies to huge beasts in their 60s, their names and photos are displayed on a huge billboard. They need over six tons of fresh grass, bananas and sugarcane each and every day! Each elephant also needs 200 litres of clean water a day as well. The costs must be enormous to keep the elephants well-fed, fit and healthy. To cover these costs, they charge children 80 baht, adults 120 baht - the complete lack of signs at the entrance made me suspicious, but a few inquiries revealed that the prices are the same for foreigners and Thais.

There was a large crowd at the entrance before 9:20, with several tour buses, but then the large area of the camp swallowed up a couple of hundred people and it wasn't really overwhelming. There are souvenir stalls right after entering, with reasonable prices, you can also buy a bunch of bananas or sugarcanes for the elephants for 20 baht. Then you cross a shallow stream, where elephants take their baths 20 minutes before each show, at 8:00, 9:40 and 13:30. The elephants are really playful and some enjoy splashing the watching crowd! If you sign up for a one-day mahout training, you may join the bathing as well. After the stream, you pass by a large pen, where you can touch and feed the elephants, they also enjoy snatching your hats and then putting them back on! You can also ask the mahouts questions, or have your photo taken with an elephant's trunk hugging you. If you would like to give a tip, the trunks are dexterous enough to pick up a coin or a banknote and hand it to the mahout. I've even seen two elephants fighting for a 20-baht note held by a little girl at a distance, it was more funny than disturbing. The elephants and mahouts are happy to play with you even if you don't give a tip.

Then we went on to see the show, which lasted about 40 minutes. To be honest, it used to be much better when I first visited in 2001, long bits have been cut and much of the fun is not in the show any more. But probably if you see it for the first time, it is quite entertaining. It is not amazingly spectacular, like the show I saw in Bangkok's Samphran Elephant Ground, it is rather slow pace, relaxed, much like the everyday life around here. About twenty elephants welcome you dancing and playing music. Mahouts showed us how elephants obey commands, holding out their trunk or legs to help the mahout get on and off. Young elephants played football, hoops, darts, and relay picking up sticks: children especially enjoyed the football part, cheering for the strikers. Elephants revealed their personalities and temperaments, making both children and adults laugh, gasp, or clap.

One elephant demonstrated how to give a massage, elephant style, now, I wouldn't like to be at the receiving end of its trunk, then feet! Older elephants, who used to be employed in the logging industry before logging was abolished, showed us how they used to drag and stack trees, working as a team with each other and with their mahouts. Their strength and accuracy is amazing.

Probably the highlight of the show is when seven or eight young elephants paint pictures. It takes only about five minutes, and the pictures are then quickly sold for 2,000 baht each, not bad for a wage! These were much, much cheaper a few years ago, but on second thought, I cannot really blame them for the price rise as there are plenty of rich package tour tourists buying these paintings happily for any price. I just really hope the income goes to caring for the elephants. Some elephants are abstract artists, favouring lines and a rainbow of colours, others paint pretty trees or flowers. They all seem to have their individual style. Eight elephants actually set up a world record in 2005, making the largest ever painting by a group of elephants. There is a gallery and a shop where you can admire and buy their artwork.

At the end of the show, the elephants came up to the audience, and there was another opportunity to feed them, take pictures, get hugs. The children were very scared at first, even though the mahouts made sure that we got youngster elephants at that section of the show area, not the huge fearsome males. After a few bunches of bananas, children dared to touch the elephants' trunks, but hugs proved to be way too scary for them. We had a great time and shared quite a few laughs interacting with the animals.

After the show, you can go for an elephant ride: 600 baht for half an hour or 1000 for an hour, per elephant. The route actually takes you to some pretty steep sections of the surrounding "jungle". Elephants have a funny stride, the ride actually becomes uncomfortable after half an hour. You can almost get elephant-sick! The mahouts are really nice and you can ask them to take your picture with your own camera, no extra charge. Or you can get professional photos taken, I think the price was 200 baht, these pictures come in a nice silk frame.

At the camp, you can always see a couple of baby elephants with their mothers in separate pens. One or two babies are born each year, and they stay with their mothers for two years before being separated and starting their training with their mahouts. Children especially enjoy touching elephants who are their own size! Two years ago, one of the mothers got really protective and had it not been for the mahout, there could have been a stampede. So, you need to be careful with the kids here. You can easily spend two or three hours at the camp, watching the show, going for a ride, visiting the pens, playing with the animals. Elephants come and go at all times along the footpaths, so you need to be very careful. Obviously, mahouts are very careful as well and they can control the elephants well.

The elephant camp closes at 14:30, so if you are not on a tour, you need to make sure you make your way here on time. You probably need to rent a car or motorcycle. You can also take a yellow songthaew (pickup truck converted into a taxi) that goes from Chiang Mai to Samoeng, and ask to be dropped off at the elephant camp. I think a rented motorcycle is cheaper though. Certainly for two people. You will need about one hour from Chiang Mai. Head north towards Chiang Dao for 12 kilometres, then turn left after the town of Mae Rim and continue another 10 kilometres. The roads are clearly signposted and not very busy.

Oh geez. I've been gone since Christmas? Dang. Sorry, kiddies. I hope you guys didn't miss me too much. :)

And to get back on the Thai-Blogs saddle, let's dive right in to the deep end, shall we?

Let's talk about sex.

That's right. Reader discretion is advised before you proceed.

View It!

(Typical dancers down some local club in Britain)

I guess most of yous didn’t even realized that I’d been away from the blogging scene for a while, I didn’t post anything since that last blog on misunderstanding lovely Thai women, a massive six weeks ago.

Well, in all that time I’ve been completely stacked up to here with writing work – unbelievably busy. I currently got a new full-time job with some company that is so full-on, that by the time I finish work the only thing I fancy doing is either jumping in the sack or downing a few bevies.

Well, after the better half of a year and a half, I finally had to give up my editorial columnist job at The Nation newspaper. Just in case you were reckoning that I must have finally got the sack after taking the pish out of the Education and Cultural Ministries just a wee bit much – then I’m sorry to disappoint yous. In fact, the good old Nation newspaper changed its format to a business one and since I haven’t the foggiest about such an uninteresting subject, I was shifted over to the new Daily Xpress newspaper. But just like here at thai-blogs, I haven’t exactly been working that hard.

Anyway, after a long long time, at the beginning of this month, I finally, due to no wish of my own, flew back to England for a couple of weeks. That is of course, the Land of Warm Beer & Wellington Boots, or should I say Soggy Chips & Saggy Bums – Britain.

Having been absent for so many darned years, everyone was advising me that I would have a cultural shock – but I didn’t really. I guess it’s because the friggin place looks exactly the same as it did a decade ago. I mean London (where I was staying) hasn’t exactly, in the past ten years, become a new home to a skytrain, a million 7-Elevens and shopping malls galore.

(Typical dancers in some local pub in Thailand)

As you can imagine though, I was absolutely freezing when I first arrived and spent the next couple of days looking like some uncontrollably quivering psycho on speed. But, being a Brit by blood, I was soon used to the cold (or, is that sanely possible may I ask?). Talking about the hellish British weather though, after only my second day there, there was one really groovy snow storm and being the kid I am, I was out there dancing around in it. I mean, fook me, I hadn’t seen anything like it in at least two decades.

So, what was going on in the back of my mind while I was there? Well, first and foremost I soon got completely bored of thick doughy bready sandwiches that everyone buys for lunch out of Marks & Spencers. Then, as for the chips out of a good old traditional fish & chip gaff run by some Turk, well they were a huge anti-climax – I get better pieces of such potato down some Irish pub on Silom Road in Bangkok. Will have to admit that I did feast on Tom Yum Kung Mama noodles when I was there. Actually, one thing I do like eating from Britain is definitely the crisps, far better than any in Thailand – up to here with friggin Lay crisps.

For sure, any trip to Britain has to include a bevvie at a local pub. Well, apart from having to fork out the equivalent of 200 baht for a beer, I had a bit of a good time in the pubs. The only thing I didn’t admire though in comparison to Thailand, were the women working behind the bars. Give them a smile like and they think that you are gonna rape them or something. I mean that’s the thing about the Brits back home, smile at some geezer on the Tube and he thinks you’re gay, smile at some damsel and she thinks you are a nutter and smile and say “Hello” to some young children and they think you are a wanted pedophile.

Overall though, the Brits are pretty friendly – just not to strangers on the street, unlike most Thais and theirs smiles.

What amazes about the average Brit guy and girl (in Britain that is) is why can’t they just find their own boy/girlfriends? Look at it, ask any geezer in a bar how he met his darling and he’ll explain she used to be his friend’s ex! Same goes vice-versa. Seems that Brit guys are never single and as soon as they break up in any relationship, they are soon getting their leg over with Sharon from the other end of the bar. By the way, why the heck do Brits stand at a bar when there are stools? – quite an unbelievable phenomenon.

Well, 2 weeks in England was more than enough and I was glad to finally arrive back in Thailand. One thing that I did seriously realize on this trip was how lucky I felt was to be residing in Thailand. I mean, even though every person I met made far more money than me, I felt at times that my standard of living was actually higher. It’s like don’t even bother comparing salaries, when someone in Kingston is paying the same as 60,000 baht a month for some dingy flat while I pay 3,000 for a three bedroom house! In fact, one guy I met explained that at the end of his working week after paying this and that he was left with 50 pounds to spend on going out that weekend drinking. Geez….

I’ll miss you England, but I shan’t be rushing back!

Museums in Thailand have been traditionally boring and dull places to spend an afternoon. Now all of that has changed with the grand opening of the Museum of Siam on Sanamchai Road in Bangkok. Located in the former premises of the Ministry of Commerce, the museum is just a short walking distance south of the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. If you have a few hours spare after visiting the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, then I highly recommend that you visit this new museum which tries to answer the question, "Who are the people of Siam?" Through a series of exhibitions in different rooms we were taken through Thai history from past to present.

We were first ushered into a small auditorium where we were presented with a light and sound show which gave us an introduction to the people of Siam. The video presentation, which had English subtitles, actually posed more questions than it answered. But we later found that as we walked through the exhibits we met some of the characters who gave us some of the answers that we were seeking. The exhibit rooms were as follows:

1) Were the cavemen Thai?
2) Where was Suvarnabhumi?
3) What really is the heart of Buddhism?
4) What was the origin of the Ayutthaya Dynasty?
5) Who was the richest man in Ayutthaya?
6) Why did Ayutthaya wage war?
7) What was racially pure Thai?
8) Who inaugrated Bangkok as capital of our kingdom?
9) Why did we change the name of our kingdom to Thailand?
10) Who drew the first map of Thailand?

As we all know, the name of the new international airport in Bangkok is called Suvarnabhumi. But did you know that this is an ancient name that was linked to this whole region and meant the "Land of Gold"? The following is an explanation from the exhibit:

About 2,000 years ago, Indian, Chinese, and Greco-Roman documents refer to a landmass to the east of India. It was fertile, rich in resources, and it was believed that a merchant might make his fortune there. These reports attracted travellers to the region which was called, in various languages, Suvarnabhumi, Suvarnadvipa, Jin Lin, Chryse Chersonesos, all of which meant Land of Gold. Prince Damrong was the first historian to claim that Suvarnabhumi was situated in Thailand, in the Chao Phraya Basin with its center at present day Nakhon Pathom. Neighbouring countries have also proposed that Suvarnabhumi was situation in their region. This provided ample evidence that there was an active international trade during this period. Suvarnabhumi is not really one country or city, but rather the whole region.

Another nearby exhibit explained why Bangkok was never mentioned in early documents about Suvarnabhumi. This was because Bangkok as we know it was at that time below sea level. About 5,000 years ago, the coastline of the Gulf of Thailand was hundreds of kilometres further inland. (Someone should tell Greenpeace that Global Warming isn't a modern invention!) Over the years, the Chao Phraya deposited silt, and the muddy estuary gradually moved south becoming dry land about 1,000 years ago. In the past, the cities of Suphan Buri, Ratchaburi and Nakhon Pathom were all major harbours.

Another nearby exhibit explained how Siam became Thailand. This is what they said:

The process of "Nation Building" began under King Rama V (reign 1868-1910) and gained momentum under King Rama VI (reign 1910-25). Nationalism reached its apex under Field Marshal Pibulsonggram (P.M. 1938-44). His National Socialist regime produced a State Edict in 1939, proclaiming that the country was henceforth to be called "Thailand" in accordance with its racial pure "Thai" inhabitants who were genetically superior to other "lesser breeds". Under this Edict, those who conformed to the ideals of the dictatorship were pronounced "racially pure Thais". Those who resisted and attempted to preserve their cultural identity became, at best, second class citizens.

In the picture above you can see some posters of the time. Of notably interest is the poster in the bottom right corner that tried to teach Thai people not to dress like "savages". I have posted a close up of this poster at our ThailandQA.com forums. It is not surprising that there is now a call to change the name back to Siam as the present name doesn't reflect the racial diversity that we have. In particular, it clearly labels the people in the deep south as "second class citizens" as they are not pure Thai but rather Malay.

It is easy to spend several hours at the museum as the time will pass very quickly. Most of the exhibits are interactive using modern technology never before seen in Thailand. There were also touch screen monitors but you had to use in a different way. For example, we had to use a brush in the archeology section to brush away the layer of dirt to see bones "buried" beneath. In another section we had to pick up drum sticks and actually beat a drum in order to interact with a video presentation. There were also games to play. Many of them are "hidden" and you really had to study the exhibits in order to find all these hidden treasures. Every room had people on duty that encouraged you to learn by interacting with the exhibits. Although we were there a long time, I am sure if we go again we will discover something that we never noticed during our first visit.

The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. At present it is free to visit, but this is due to change within 3-4 months. I strongly urge you to visit this fascinating museum where all the exhibits and video presentations are bilingual and so are therefore catering for the foreign tourist market. This is a refreshing change as we usually only get a brief outline, if we are lucky. The museum is easy to find. In Thai it is actually written "museum siam" though you will find that many people have never heard of it. We caught a taxi at the corner of the Grand Palace and the City pillar and told him to drive south down Sanamchai Road towards the river. You will see the building on your right after Wat Pho. It has a red roof and cream coloured facade. It was actually so near that the fare didn't go up from 35 baht. You can also take bus numbers 3, 6, 12 ,32, 44, 47, 53, 82 and 524. There is also a river express boat pier at N7 Rajinee. Or you could get off at N6 Memorial Bridge and walk through the flower market to the museum.

Our new Bangkok Guidebook with interactive map will be launched soon. In the meantime, keep an eye on thai-blogs.com as I will be visiting more museums and attractions in Bangkok in the coming weeks and months.

Pork in Tomato Sauce (nam prik ong)

Every Friday, we are bringing you pictures of the Thai food that we are eating in the Paknam Web offices. This first dish was a new one for me though I found it worth repeating in the future. The pork and tomato sauce is made up from pounding together chillies, salt, galangal, onion, shrimp paste, garlic and of course the pork and tomatoes. To cook, first fry some garlic in a wok until golden brown. Then add the paste and fry for a few minutes until cooked through. Then add some water and continue cooking until this has evaporated. It is then served with either fresh or cooked vegetables.

Green Curry with Beef (gaeng kiew wan neua)

The next dish is an old favourite for many visitors to Thailand. I like both green curry and red curry and you can cook it yourself with just about any meat or even fish. This version is green curry with beef. You can buy the curry paste ready made in most supermarkets around the world. You will also need some coconut milk. In this picture you can see the quartered egg plants and hard peas. When I cook myself I use normal garden peas from the freezer.

Steamed Noodle Rolls (kuay-tiao lod)

This is another one of those dishes I haven't had often but it has a good taste. It is basically a noodle wrap that is stuffed with various ingredients. This one had chicken with dried shrimp, tofu and bean sprouts. The topping is a sweet dark soy sauce.

Indian Fried Pastry (roti)

Our dessert today is a popular snack often seen on the street. The roti came with Indian immigrants to Thailand. Locally, we buy our roti from a Muslim family. Commonly there are two versions. This one has sweetened milk and sugar which costs about 7 baht each. Another version has an egg instead and is usually about 15 baht each. I will show you some more versions of roti on another day. When you are next in Thailand, make sure you try something new. You never know, it may become your favourite dish.

Once you made a decision to be brave and break away from the perceived safety of a convenient tourist bus coming with pickup from your hotel or guesthouse, you will need to figure out how to get to the bus station and how to buy the right ticket.

The most important thing is that prices are fixed for all routes, so, no need to shop around the counters of different companies for a better deal, you merely need to find the right departure time and class for your needs. Cashiers and touts are usually quite good at pointing you at the right directions if you are confused, there is no need to be paranoid or feel cheated. If you are upcountry, it will be assumed you are heading for Bangkok. Counters usually only have signs in Thai, but on a large cardboard sign, they usually display their next departure time, so it is easy to make comparisons between fifteen competing companies. Cashiers speak enough English to sell you tickets for the class and time you ask for; however, if you are buying in advance, it is better to write down the required date and time just to make sure.

Ok, this is a tough one - bus schedule in Udon Thani

Bangkok is the most difficult. Absolutely no travel agencies would sell you tickets to government buses; they would even laugh at you and pressure you very hard to buy a ticket to a tourist bus. Then, new arrivals will be easy preys for scams like dropping people off in Surat Thani instead of Ko Samui or Krabi. Your best bet is just to turn up at the bus station. Buses leave at all hours to major long-distance destinations such as Phuket, Surat Thani and Chiang Mai. With other destinations, such as Krabi or Nong Khai, departures are early in the morning (6 to 8) and in the evening (6 to 9), with no or very few buses in between. For destinations that do not require a full day or full night or travel, such as Kanchanaburi or Trat, buses usually leave at regular intervals during the day (every 30, 60 or 90 minutes), but there are no overnight buses. Even if you check out the schedules online (e.g. at http://www.transport.co.th ) or call and ask ahead on the very same day, the actual departures are going to be different from what you were told. If there are lots of passengers, extra buses are added to the schedule. Unless it is a long weekend or a holidays, when seats are all sold out well in advance, you could simply go to the bus station and you will get a ticket for a bus leaving within two hours. It sounds slightly crazy to make the long way out to the bus station and merely hope you can get a ticket, but it has always worked for me in years of travelling thousands of kilometres.

In Bangkok, you need to know which of the three major bus stations to go to. The Northern bus station, or Mo Chit, serves Northern and Northeastern Thailand; it also has a number of buses to Trat and Pattaya on the Eastern seaboard. It is a HUGE bus station, with hundreds of counters and stands where buses leave from and arrive at all hours of the day and night. Unfortunately, it is not within walking distance of Mo Chit metro station, definitely not if you are carrying a lot of luggage or have no idea which way to head. You can get a taxi from the centre for about 120-140 baht, or take the metro to Mo Chit station and take a taxi from there. The taxi very conveniently drops you off right in front of the counters of bus companies going to Chiang Mai, the most important destination in the north. There is an air-conditioned waiting hall with restaurants, convenience stores, bookshop, left luggage service, shops. It is an overwhelming, confusing place to enter, with thousands of people, signs mostly in Thai: you might have the impulse to run away. However, there is an information counter where you can ask the counter number to your destination, and as there are very few foreigners in the crowd, cashiers easily spot them from a distance and show them which counter to go to.

Anything may happen at Mo Chit bus station! - Can you find out what class this bus is?

The Eastern or Ekamai bus station serves destinations on the Eastern seaboard, including Trat (for Ko Chang), Ban Phe (for Ko Samet), Rayong and Pattaya. Buses to Aranya Prathet, however, leave from the Northern bus station! This is a small, run-down bus station with only a handful of counters and stands. There are food shops and a 7-eleven, but no air-conditioned waiting area. The biggest advantage of this place is that it is right next to Ekamai skytrain station, almost in the centre of Bangkok (a 130-baht taxi ride from Khao San road though). Lots of tourists heading for the beaches in the east actually do make the effort to come here.

The Southern bus station, or Sai Tai, was relocated to a new spot in late 2007. Anyone who was familiar with the old location must agree that it was a nightmare, with potholes deep enough to swallow up double-deckers and traffic jams in the taxi queue even at 2 a.m. Its current location is on Borommaratchachonnani road, at the intersection with Phutthamonthon Sai1, far enough from central Bangkok not to be on any map. For Google Earth enthusiasts, here are the coordinates: 13°46'50.00"N, 100°25'35.01"E Now, this one is very difficult to get to, you definitely need a 200-baht taxi ride. This bus station serves the south, including Phuket, Surat Thani, Krabi, Hat Yai, Hua Hin, as well as the popular destinations of Damnoen Saduak and Kanchanaburi in the west. The huge bus station complex contains a food court (8 a.m. to 9 p.m.), KFC, McDonald's, bag deposit service (5 a.m. to 9 p.m, 20 to 60 baht), internet cafe, bookshop, massage shop, and several shops selling all sorts of goods ranging from gold to fishing rods. It is easy to while away an hour or two waiting for your bus to leave.

In Chiang Mai, the bus station is a 30 or 40 baht taxi ride, or 10 minutes from the centre. Buses to Bangkok leave throughout the day, until 11 p.m. at night, with two peaks: there are literally dozens of buses leaving in the morning and in the evening, when cashiers will be competing to sell you a ticket (unless it is a holiday!) There are also buses to Chiang Rai, Pai, Sukhothai, Mae Hong Son and Lamphun at regular intervals. To Udon Thani, there are buses in the morning and in the evening only. I think in Chiang Mai, it is easy to opt for a government bus instead of a tourist bus. I have read and heard reports of tourist buses making the 9 to 10 hour journey in 14 hours because they included market detours! And I would not try to save 100 baht for the privilege of being stuffed into a 48-seater instead of the promised VIP bus.

In Surat Thani, all buses to Bangkok leave in the morning or in the evening. There is a peak between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., with about a dozen sleepers heading for Bangkok. The only problem is that they arrive before 5 a.m., or, rather, maybe it is not such a big problem because you can catch a taxi to your hotel in Bangkok before the morning traffic jam. The bus station is outside town, accessible by local taxi (songthaew). The tourist bus station is in the city centre, of course, making very strong competition: I have never seen any other foreigner at this bus station.

In Krabi, the bus station is 4 kms from the centre, a fixed-price 20 baht songthaew ride. All the night buses to Bangkok leave between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., the same time as tourist buses, with one big difference: you do not need to change buses in Surat Thani and wait around for hours. The only bus company running buses to Bangkok has an office in town, opposite the market. In addition, it is easy to get from Krabi to Phuket, Phang Nga, Surat Thani or Trang by second or third class buses, there are several departures a day.

Amazing view on the way from Krabi to Phang Nga - from the open door of the bus!

In Phuket, the bus station is in the centre of Phuket town. Local taxis mounted on large trucks instead of the small pickups get to the bus station from the beaches for 30 baht - instead of the crazy 400 baht or so quoted by the taxi drivers. As usually, most departures are in the morning and after sunset.

In some smaller towns such as Trat, Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, bus stations have been relocated outside town. There are always regular fixed price taxis to bus stations: ask at your guesthouse or hotel. When there are fewer tourists to hunt for, receptionists and agencies are more willing to tell you about government buses and sell you tickets as well. Small towns such as these are very easy to arrive at or get away from using government buses.

I think it is maybe too many details now :-) If you have questions, do ask at http://www.thailandqa.com/forum , somebody will surely be able to help you.
Generally speaking, I would advise you to go for it: when travelling around in Thailand, it usually looks more confusing than it turns out to be in the end. If the above photos do not absolutely scare you away, you can definitely do it.

There are a number of zoos in and around Bangkok that are ideal destinations for people on holiday in Thailand with their children. One of the better zoos is Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi Province. It is about half way between Bangkok and Pattaya. The journey took us about 90 minutes and so it makes it an ideal day trip from either Bangkok or Pattaya. However, it is not easy to reach there by public transport so you might have to rent a car or hire a taxi for the day. But it is certainly worth the effort. I went there yesterday with Nong Grace and she had a really great time. She certainly wants to go back again.

In some ways Khao Kheow (sometimes spelled Khao Khiew) is similar to Safari World in Bangkok. It has all the regular animals that you would want to see such as giraffe, elephant, tiger, lion, chimpanzee, camel etc. It also allows you to get up close to these animals. There were many opportunities where you can feed the animals. Food was available for the animals at a very reasonable 20 baht a bunch. Like Safari World you can also drive through the park. However, at Khao Kheow you can get out of the car at most places and get quite close to the animals. You wouldn't want to walk around the whole park as the animal exhibits alone cover an area of 400 acres.

If you don't have a car you can always take a guided tram ride or rent a bicycle or even hire a golf cart for 300 baht for two hours. When we go again we might just do that. There are several places within the park where you can rent golf carts. We spent most of our time feeding the giraffes so next time we could park the car there first. Then when ready to explore more, we could go and rent a golf cart. The advantage of a golf cart is that you will see a lot more. Also, we were sometimes a bit lazy to keep getting out of the car to see all of the animals. Having said that, we did spend an incredible six hours at this zoo!

In the afternoon we went to see a Bird Show which was quite good but the parrot named "James Bond" didn't always want to perform on cue. But, it was an enjoyable show for the youngsters. At the end of the show, Nong Grace wanted her picture taken with a parrot which only cost 20 baht. Nearby there was an adventure playground and a Children's Zoo. Nong Grace spent several hours here playing and feeding the animals such as rabbits and goats. In fact I think we probably fed most of the animals at the zoo several times over. Luckily this wasn't as expensive as at Safari World. Nong Grace wanted her picture taken with some of the animals such as tiger like she did at Sriracha Tiger Zoo. But, we didn't see any opportunities for that which was a shame.

When we went to Safari World, the price of the tickets for foreigners was a really expensive 700 baht. This was mainly due to the shows. Nong Grace said she wants to go there again but I have told her it is too expensive. In contrast, Khao Kheow Open Zoo is far cheaper though obviously more challenging to get there. They have a two price system but the difference is very minimal. Thai adults are 70 baht and foreign adults 100 baht. Thai children 15 baht and foreign children 50 baht. Nong Grace is only four and they let her in for free. I then had to pay another 50 baht for taking my car into the zoo which was also very reasonable. As there wasn't much difference between foreign and Thai price I didn't bother to ask for local price. But they gave it to me anyway. It is nice when they do that without asking.

If you are a parent with children, you will probably find Khao Kheow Open Zoo much better if you have your own transport. This meant that Nong Grace didn't have to walk around so much and we had a mobile base where we were able to keep drinks and snacks. The reason we ended up staying there six hours was probably because we drove around the zoo twice! Which is something you cannot do at Safari World. On the first round we skipped a few places which were too near to each other. Then saw these animals on the second round. We also went back to see some of her favourites like the giraffes and elephants. She also liked throwing cucumbers into the open mouth of the hippos. They apparently have a night safari here which might be worth investigating. I also noticed that they have a camping ground though I am not sure if that is mainly for schools.

You can see some of my other suggestions for Day Trips and Excursions from Bangkok over at Bangkok-Daytrips.com. Many more to come!

Most travellers are probably familiar with the warning appearing over and over again in guidebooks and travel websites that it is not advisable and not safe to take tourist buses in Thailand. Certainly it is always a very easy option to walk into the first travel agency on Khao San road and buy a ticket for the 6 p.m. coach to Chiang Mai - only to find out that the 9 to 10-hour journey takes 14 instead in a deep-frozen rickety bus, you are dumped well outside town and left at the mercy of vultures disguised as taxi drivers, and on arriving in your guesthouse, you find your backpack ransacked and some of your better clothes and valuables missing. Such stories still abound in travel blogs.

So, what is the alternative?

White and blue buses of government-approved transportation companies ply the routes of the Kingdom at all hours of day and night, transporting tens of thousands of people every day. Services are usually very reliable, prices are fixed, robberies are unheard of. Yes, there are news of accidents every month or so, buses overturning on mountain highways at night, people getting killed, the driver, if he survives, invariably running away. There are news of poor maintenance and long hours for drivers and drivers falling asleep. No, it is not perfect. But I think it is still the best you can get around here.

So, what is the catch if I think you are much better off taking government buses? - You need to know exactly what you are doing. It is easy once you get the hang of it.

First of all, you need to find the right kind of bus to your destination.

For longer trips over 8 hours or so, such as Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phuket, Nong Khai, Ubon, or the deep south, especially if you are travelling overnight, I recommend that you take VIP class or first class. VIPs are 24 or 32 seaters, and you can get a very comfortable night's sleep in the reclining, wide seats. First class has 40 seats and it is still adequate enough for a long trip or an overnight journey, seats are reclining and there are leg rests as well. It is a good alternative to flying or if sleeper trains are full. As an example, the ticket prices on the Bangkok-Chiang Mai route (700 kms, 9 to 10 hours) are 805 and 605 baht respectively for VIP24 and VIP32, and 518 baht for first class. Most buses on long-distance routes will be first class, with one VIP departure in the morning and one in the evening only.

First class sleepers ready to leave for Southern Thailand

Both in VIP and first class, the ticket price usually includes a meal halfway through, often in the small hours of the morning. The food is invariably inedible - watery rice soup (jok), foul smelling eggs, pickles, dried sweet meat. But of course you don't need to eat it if you are not into it, or you can buy food for yourself. There are pillows and blankets in the bus, and an attendant who wakes you up at your stop, no need to worry you oversleep. For a couple of hours, you will be listening to either luk thung (folk-pop) karaoke CDs or violent action movies full of screams. Passengers are 95% Thai, usually very quiet, even if they have small children with them, they sleep through the night.

For shorter trips lasting less than 6 hours, such as Chiang Mai to Sukhothai, Bangkok to Trat, or Phuket to Khao Sok, a second class bus is the most widely available option. Leg room is limited but it is nevertheless comfortable, the buses are air-conditioned as well. Unless there are no first class buses, you are mazochistic, or super small size, don't try to survive a 10-hour ride in second class, you will regret it - it is very much like travelling in economy class in a cramped airplane, and you can only save 20% compared to first class. These buses usually stop halfway as well at roadside canteens or stalls where you can buy your own meal. The ticket price includes a coke or a water, sometimes a snack and a refreshing towel are handed out.

A second class bus in Udon Thani - far away from the tourist routes, all signs are in Thai only.

Third class buses are not air conditioned, open windows provide ventillation. Usually they run on shorter routes such as Krabi to Trang, Phuket to Khao Lak, or Chiang Mai to Pai. They are not necessarily white and blue in colour, red and grey or orange are two frequent colourings. These buses are perfect alternative to overpriced cramped minivans usually offered to tourists on short routes. You can get unexpected companions in the shape of a crate of chicken, there are food vendors pushing on the bus at every stop, and, generally speaking, lots of local culture. It is a fun way to spend an hour or two getting from one place to another. These buses usually take local roads and will pick up or drop off passengers anywhere, and of course pack the bus more than full if there are lots of passengers heading their way.

A third class bus at Phang Nga bus station.

Sounds good? Unfortunately, there is a catch. The biggest problem is that bus terminals are usually on the outskirts of towns and cities, and you need to rely on local public transport (songthaews or taxis) just to get there and find out about the schedule and get a ticket in advance.

I will tell you about the tricks of booking seats on buses the next time.

Songkran is the traditional Thai New Year. The true dates vary every year as they are set by the movement of the stars but are usually between 13th and 16th April. However, the Thai government have now fixed the start of Songkran as 13th April. This usually then lasts for three to five days depending on where you are in the country. The Mon people, in areas like Phra Pradaeng in Samut Prakan and Chonburi, celebrate Songkran a week later than the rest of the county. They had their celebrations this weekend. This afternoon I crossed the river to Phra Pradaeng to watch the Songkran parade. This picture above is of Nang Songkran, the winner of the beauty contest that I went to watch on Friday.

This was my second visit to watch the parade. This time I drove to Wat Protket Chettharam in Phra Pradaeng much earlier. Last time I did manage to arrive before the parade but they had already blocked the road. So I had to walk the remaining 800 metres. As a consequence I got a bit wet. This time I had a better plan of action. I arrived two hours before the parade and just relaxed by the canal in the relative safety of the temple. From here I could see the bridge and the passing pick-up trucks with the water throwers on the back. In the end the parade didn't arrive for nearly three hours. At 4 p.m. I could hear the marching band faintly on the wind. As there was no longer any traffic on the road above me I decided to go and wait on the bridge. It was nearly another hour before they arrived. The parade started at the city hall which is a fair walk. Luckily I didn't get wet while I was waiting. A few people did ask me if they could wipe wet powder on my face but I declined their offer. I knew from experience that this would then mark me out as fair game to anyone with a bucket of icy cold water.

It would be fair to say that the Phra Pradaeng Songkran Parade is quite a major event. Much larger than the one I went to watch at the Samut Prakan city hall last week. Actually, two of the floats from that parade were here today including Nang Songkran Samut Prakan. This is her picture above. In total there were about twenty major floats all of which were colourfully decorated. Many of them also had beautiful young Thai ladies on them.

As well as the floats, there were also various marching bands, both traditional and modern. Then there were the parades of people from each of the districts in Phra Pradaeng. Many of them were either carrying bowls of fish or birds in cages. It is a Mon tradition to release birds and fish during Songkran in order to make merit. Over the years, the Thai people have also adopted this tradition as their own.

The climax of the parade takes at Wat Protket Chettharam where I had parked my car. This is basically a photo opportunity as it is such a beautiful backdrop with people wearing traditional Thai costumes. However, they are indeed making merit by releasing the fish in the temple pond and also the birds into the air. In this picture is the governor of Samut Prakan (wearing the ghastly green sarong) and other local officials and representatives of government. In the front row you can see Nang Songkan wearing the red sash in the center together with the runner's up. I have posted some more pictures at thailandqa.com.

Descendants of the Mon people who live in the Phra Pradaeng District of Samut Prakan celebrate Songkran the first weekend after the rest of the country. I crossed the river last night to go and watch the Nang Songkran Beauty Contest and also to enjoy some of the food they were selling along the river front. The Phra Pradaeng Songkran Festival is 18-20 April 2008, so there is still time for you to go and enjoy a late Songkran if you missed out on the water fights last week. Tomorrow there will also be a Songkran Parade through the city which I will hopefully go and watch. One of the activities that always takes place during Songkran is the ancient game of Saba.

Saba is a game that has been played in various forms by Mon people for many generations. It is a kind of a courting game where single young men and women can come together to get to know each other better. In the old days the different sexes weren't allowed to mix like these days so the game of Saba gave youths an opportunity to get to know suitable marriage partners. Although the original intention of the game is no longer needed, the tradition is kept alive each year during the Songkran celebrations.

It is a bit difficult to follow the rules as each time I watch it they seem to be playing a slightly different version. But basically, there are two teams seated at each end of an arena. Each team takes turns in standing a small discus upright with the aid of plasticine in front of their seat. One of the members of the opposing team then has to try and knock this down with their own discus. The method of doing this varies. Either the discus is put between two toes and thrown or it may be flicked with the fingers. They are then asked questions or given challenges to do.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves including the watching audience. The principal of Ban Khun Samut School (the school surrounded by the sea that I visited) spotted me and came over to say hello. I asked him whether he understood the rules and he said no. He was just enjoying watching the players tease each other. I continued watching for a while and then went off to watch the Nang Songkran contest. You can see some of my pictures of the beautiful young ladies over at thaiphotoblogs.com. The winners will take part in the Songkran Parade on Sunday. If I don't get caught up in a water fight tomorrow, I will hopefully bring you some pictures of the winners.

Spicy Salad (yum tua poo)

The first dish on our menu for this Friday lunchtime was this spicy salad. The basic ingredients include shrimp, squid, minced pork, hard boiled egg, sliced red shallot, roasted ground peanuts, and dried chilies. The sauce includes coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice and a sprinkling of sugar. Not bad at 25 baht a dish.

Radish Soup

The second dish uses Chinese radishes. You need to peel these and then cut them into one inch blocks. You cook the stock with pork on bone. Once the pork has cooked through, add the radish and mushrooms. Some recipes also add dried squid for the stock and fresh shrimp. However, we had clear soup. A basic dish that goes well with something spicier. This was only 20 baht.

Stir-fried bell pepper with pork

This is an easy stir-fried that you can cook yourself in a wok. In Thai it is called "pad prik yuak gup moo". The main ingredient is the green bell pepper. But there is also spring onion, onion and pork. You also add oyster sauce and some sugar. This was 25 baht.

Stir-fried vegetables with pork

Another stir fried dish was this basic one called "pad pak ruam mit" in Thai. When I go to restaurants I often buy this dish as it goes well with most curries. The ingredients will vary depending on what the cook has in stock. I often cook this myself as it is quick and easy. As always, fry some garlic until golden brown. I add the carrots and cauliflower first as they take slightly longer to cook. Keep stirring all the time. Then add the remaining ingredients. Add some water if it starts to dry out. Season with oyster sauce and sugar. Some recipes say add fish sauce instead but I prefer oyster sauce. This version also had pork which obviously you add first! This was 25 baht.

Khanom Tom

This is a nice Thai dessert called Khanom Tom. There is a Thai boxing hero with the same name - Nai Khanom Tom. I wrote about him not long ago. I am not sure if he is named after the dessert or the dessert is named after him! Anyway, the filling of this rice ball is made up from grated coconut and sugar that is cooked in a wok until it becomes a thick mixture. When cooled it is rolled into a ball. The outer wrapping is made up from glutinous rice flour and coconut cream. If you want to make the green version, you also add the juice of the pandanus leaf. This gives you the dough after you have left it stand for a while. Then roll the dough into small balls and then flatten them. Add the filling and then wrap the dough around it. These are then boiled in water until they float to the top. They are served with a topping of steamed grated coconut. These are 10 baht for 5 rice balls.

Come back to thai-blogs.com next week for more Thai dishes.

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The 13th April marks the start of the celebrations for the Songkran Festival, which is the traditional Thai New Year. In many cities around Thailand there is a parade. On one of the floats are the seven daughters of a mythical God who had his head cut off when he lost a wager. Every year, his severed head is paraded through the city streets for everyone to see.

Each year, the seven sisters take turns to lead the parade. Each sister is assigned a different day. As Songkran falls on a Sunday this year, the parade is lead by Tungsatevee. Her mode of transport is Garuda, a supernatural eagle-like being that serves as Vishnu's mount. In Tungsatevee's right hand she holds a discuss and in her left hand a conch.

Hundreds of local people lined each side of the street and cheered as the parade passed by. There were also Buddha images in the parade and people threw water to bathe the image as a mark of respect. Today people will also go to the temple to wash the feet of monks. They will also visit their elders to pay respect by pouring rose scented water over their hands. In return they will receive a blessing. Another tradition is to go to the temple to take part in a ceremony to make merit for dead ancestors. People also take sand to the temple which might have inadvertently been removed during past visits during their year by sticking to the bottom of their shoes. They then take part in competitions at the temple to build sand pagodas.

Of course, the main feature of Songkran which is recognized by tourists is the big water fight. April is the hottest month of the year in Thailand and so playing with water is a great way to cool down and have some fun at the same time.

Visit our Songkran Blogs for more pictures and reports. Also Check out the archives at our sister blogs at ThaiPhotoBlogs.com for more pictures.

This week sees the celebration for the start of the traditional Thai new year. From the 13th-15th April, Thai people will be dressing up in new clothes and visiting the local temple to make merit and to their grandparents in order to receive blessings. Afterwards, the youngsters will be out on the street taking part in the world's biggest water fight.

* If you go out during Songkran, then you are fair game. Don't complain if you are squirted in the face with a water pistol or someone rubs white powder on your face. Although it might not seem like it, they are actually taking part in a centuries old tradition of paying respect to their elders. Let them do it and smile. Resistance is useless.

* If you are a woman, try not to dress provocatively - particularly spaghetti strap tops or white t-shirts that become revealing when wet. Thai people are traditionally conservative, but some young men will take advantage of Songkran to grope you. Many of them have been partying all night and are drunk.

* Keep your cool at all times. Everyone is just having fun. Be prepared for the buckets of water which have been pre-chilled with ice. Also beware that people might come up to you from behind to smear white powder on your face. If they are polite they will ask first. But, you won't see that happen often. Try not to move too much when they are doing it as you might end up with the paste in your eyes. However, that is inevitable the longer you stay out.

* Don't wear your best clothes. If you take your camera then make sure you also have a plastic bag. Better still, buy a camera that is waterproof. Last year, many people ended up with soggy mobile phones that stopped working. The mobile phone vendors do good business during Songkran repairing them.

* By law you have to carry your passport at all times. However, during Songkran you are running the risk of your important documents getting wet. Make photocopies of your passport to take out with you and leave all important documents in the hotel safe.

* If you don't want to take part in the water fights then you will need to stock up for at least 3-4 days. Some expats go out to buy enough DVD movies and food to last them the holidays. If you do venture out, the chances are high that you will get soaked by one of the mobile water units on the back of a pick-up truck.

* The shopping malls and movie theatres are all open during Songkran. So, you can use these places as a safe haven. However, getting to them safely might be a problem. If you have to use public transport, make sure you use an air-conditioned bus or meter taxi. If you use a normal bus with the windows down or a tuk tuk then you will get soaked.

* If you are going out in your car, try to stick to the main roads. There is no point in washing your car before or during Songkran. Wherever you go your car will get plastered with white paste. Make sure that you have topped up your windscreen wipers with plenty of water. You will use them often. Whatever, you do, don't forget to LOCK all car doors. If you stop at traffic lights or in a traffic jam, they will try to open your doors.

* Songkran is not just about water fights. Do make an effort to see the more traditional side. Early in the morning Thai people will be going to the temples to make merit. They will also bathe the monks and Buddha images with rose scented water. In the afternoon, they will build sand pagodas in the temple grounds.

If you are in Thailand, then I hope you go out and have some fun! The temperature is above 35 degrees Celsius and this is a good way to cool down. However, if you are not in Thailand, then try visiting your local Thai temple. Many of them will be holding Songkran activities. Hopefully some of our bloggers abroad will be writing about that.

Songkran on the Internet: Read more about Songkran in our archives by clicking here >>>

Happy New Year!

(This blog was originally published at thai-blogs.com in 2005)