Koh Tao

Koh Tao is a tropical island in the Gulf of Thailand and a paradise for scuba divers. It is named 'Turtle Island' after the turtle-like shape of the island. Coincidentally, the island is also an important breeding ground for Hawksbill turtles and Green turtles. You can reach Koh Tao by ferries from Surat Thani (4 hours day boat, 9 hours on overnight boat), Chumphon (1.5 to 3 hours), Koh Samui (approx 2.5 hours) and Koh Phangan (approx 1 hour). The island has quite developed in the last 15 years and the most popular place for tourists is Sairee on the West coast, which has a white sandy beach of 1.7 km interrupted only by a few huge boulders and a scattering of medium budget resorts and restaurants.
Koh Tao is less developed than Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, but has become increasingly popular especially with the mid-20's backpacker crowd in search of relatively inexpensive scuba diving certification. Apart from scuba diving there is also some great hiking, climbing, kayaking and free-diving on offer. Check it out, Koh Tao is definitely worth the visit. The photo shows the view down to Sairee Beach and Koh Nang Yuan.

Who is BNE?

Who is BNE? Surely everyone who spends a bit of time in Bangkok these days must have noticed BNE in form of stickers, tags or graffiti plastered all over the city. You can find BNE just everywhere in Bangkok and I mean there must be thousands of those tag-lines around the City of Angels. Now the question which comes to mind is of cause "Who the hell is BNE?".
I have tried to find an answer in the Internet and quite interesting there are few articles about BNE and even some videos. Apparently police noticed the first BNE stickers in San Francisco in May 2005 and since then BNE has gone worldwide. Sticker appeared on phone booths, post boxes, street signs, walls, vending machines and parking meters around the world from Prague to New York, from Tokyo to Hong Kong and now in Bangkok.
The B-N-E mystery remains unsolved so what could the acronym mean? Well, BNE is the three-letter airport code for Brisbane (Australia), some suggest it might mean 'Breaking 'N Entering' or 'Be Nowhere Else'. To be honest I have no idea so if you come up with something better please let me know. Sometimes the letters BNE are accompanied by the words 'was here' or as in the picture taken at the Queens Park on Sukhumvit with some Japanese symbols.

Bang Saen Beach

Bang Saen is a beach in the province of Chonburi. The small village is situated in south-east direction about half way between Bangkok and Pattaya on the gulf of Thailand. Bang Saen is especially popular amongst Thais from Bangkok and on weekends hundreds take out their cars, bikes or girlfriends and then occupy on of the thousands of beach chairs nestled along the 2.5km palm tree beach. Bang Saen is also famous for fresh seafood and you will find oysters, prawns and fresh fish on countless BBQ stalls along the beach road.

It's not much frequented by tourists, the only 'farangs' you will find here are expats from Bangkok. It's definitely a nice place to hang out for a few days and indulge in some delicious sea food. However the down side is that the beach and the surrounding waters are full of rubbish and no one seems to mind to swim or sit on a beautiful beach covered with plastic trash.

Khao Lak National Park

Khao Lak is a seaside resort area in Thailand, located 80 km north of Phuket International Airport and popular as a departure point for liveaboard scuba diving trips to the Similan Islands.

The pristine coastline is synonymous with beauty. Nearby rubber and palm plantations dot the coastal region and most nearby inland areas. The major national Highway 4 runs north and south and mostly parallel to the coastline. Khao Lak is a thriving tourist destination for backpackers, up-scale tourists, adventure tourists and seasoned scuba enthusiasts. Local peoples are mostly Thai often with some Chinese ancestry. The diversity of ethnic groups and cultural influences within and surrounding Khao Lak makes this region rich in agricultural, fishing and dry good products. Tourism is Khao Lak's revenue generating entity, becoming Thailand's most popular jumping-off point for the world renowned Similan Islands.

Khao Lak was one of the areas of Thailand hardest hit by the tsunami resulting from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Many people died including many foreign tourists. The final death toll was over 4000, with local unofficial estimates topping 10,000 due to the lack of accurate censuses and the mere fact that the Burmese population was not recognized as residents. Most of the coastal landscape, i.e., beaches, resorts and vegetation, was completely stripped back by the power of the tsunami. Some replanting programmes have been initiated and a great deal has been accomplished in the rejuvenation of surrounding foliage.

Jim Thompson House

The Jim Thompson House is a museum in Bangkok. It is a complex of various old Thai structures that the American businessman Jim Thompson collected in from all parts of Thailand in the 1950's and 60's. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand.

As Thompson was building his silk company, he also became a major collector of Southeast Asian art, which at the time was not well-known internationally. He built a large collection of Buddhist and secular art not only from Thailand but from Burma, Cambodia and Laos, frequently travelling to those countries on buying trips.

In 1958 he began what was to be the pinnacle of his architectural achievement, a new home to showcase his art collection. Formed from parts of six antique Thai houses, his home (completed in 1959) sits on a klong (canal) across from Bangkrua, where his weavers were then located. Most of the 19th century houses were dismantled and moved from Ayutthaya, but the largest - a weaver's house (now the living room) - came from Bangkrua.

I find it amazing to see the Thai architecture on a very nice display and just leaving the dust and noise of Bangkok and relax in a beautiful tropical garden is already an experience on its own.

Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya (full name Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya) city is the capital of Ayutthaya province in Thailand. The city was founded in 1350 by King U-Thong, who came here to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lop Buri, and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya kingdom or Siam. Ayutthaya was named after the city of Ayodhya in India, the birthplace of Rama in the Ramayana (Thai, Ramakien). In 1767 the city was destroyed by the Burmese army, and the ruins of the old city now form the Ayutthaya historical park, which is recognized internationally as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was refounded a few kilometers to the east.

It is estimated that Ayutthaya around ca. 1600 had a population of ca. 300,000, and even 1,000,000 around 1700, making it one of the world's largest cities.

This was my second visit to Ayutthaya and I still enjoy to wander along the old ruins and to take photos of this fantastic historical and spiritual site.

Chang Erawan

'Chang Erawan Museum' is a museum in Samut Prakan. It is well known for its giant three-headed elephant art display. The three storeys inside the elephant contain antiquities and priceless collections of ancient religious objects belonging to Khun Lek Viriyapant who is the museum owner.

Already during the construction, the building attracted people who came to worship. Thus it fulfilled Khun Lek Viriyapant's wish to preserve sacred objects for the country. Although both Khun Lek and Khun Pagpean passed away before the construction was completed, their heirs continued their wish to create a place where ceremonies and festivals of Thai traditions might be held, and that would also serve as a museum to keep the memory of Khun Lek Viriyapant's life and work alive for future generations.

It a very beautiful place to spend a few hours and I especially like the Buddha statue collection in the belly of the elephant. Very nice!

Koh Chang

This was my second visit to Koh Chang and as I wrote in April during my last visit Koh Chang is a beautiful island in the Gulf of Thailand about a 5 hours drive from Bangkok. I stayed there for the New Years Celebrations and had a bit more time to explore the island both on land and underwater.

This time I especially enjoyed the east coast of Koh Chang which is less inhabited and has a lot of fantastic nature. There are several waterfalls, mangrove forests and even an island crossing trek. But the western side of Koh Chang is also very beautiful and especially the sunsets are just mind blowing.

Rama IX Royal Park

The 200-acre Rama IX Park, or Suan Luang Ror Kaow, is located in east Bangkok on Sukhumvit Soi 103 (Soi Udomsuk). Opened in 1987 to commemorate the fifth-cycle birth anniversary of His Majesty the King, the park comprises extensive landscaped gardens, botanical gardens and a water park. At the center of the park is an eye-pleasing crown-shaped building that houses an exhibition of His Majesty's life and works. Rama IX Park is a popular weekend getaway for the city residents. Just watch out for the green mini-buses that congregate at the end of Soi 103 to get to the park.

Rama IX Park is open everyday from 6.00 am to 6.00 pm. The admission fee is 10 baht.

I enjoy most the beautiful 'Royal Sala' near the entrance of the park. It's always great to get away from all the hectic in Bangkok and enjoy a day in the park.

Big Buddha Phuket

As reported earlier the 'Big Buddha' in Phuket on top of Nakkerd Hill will be the largest free-standing Buddha image in Thailand. Building is now almost completed with only the lotus seat needed to be cover with marble. The future tourist attraction and spiritual site has been build over the last few years and attract thousands of visitors each year. My favorite sight in Phuket and a great place to relax and unwind.

Phuket's Big Buddha

Phuket's Big Buddha is still under construction but is already worth a visit as over 80% have now been completed. At 45 meters high, this will be the biggest Buddha image in Thailand. It is perched atop Nakkerd Hills and can be seen from much of southern Phuket and the views are just magnificient.

At the top of the hill is a Buddhist Shrine so you should dress appropriately (not singlets, sport shorts or short skirts). Beyond this you can climb the steps to the base of the Big Buddha. There is also a 5.5 meter high brass Buddha here.

There are absolutely magnificent views across southern Phuket. You can see across Chalong Bay and beyond Cape Panwa. You have great views of the islands in Chalong Bay. From the other side, you can see Rawai and Laem Promthep. Looking inland, you can see that Phuket does still have plenty of undeveloped hills and forest.

To get there, drive to Chalong Circle and take the road towards Wat Chalong. Approx 1kilometer from Chalong Circle is the left hand turn for the long climb up the hill to the Big Buddha.

Koh Chang

It's my first time to visit Koh Chang and I'm quite impressed. Koh Chang (Thai: เกาะช้าง) is the second largest island of Thailand, located on the Thai east coast 310 km away from Bangkok near the border to Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand. The name means Elephant Island. It is a mountainous island with several waterfalls and rainforest. The island is part of the Mu Ko Chang Marine National Park. During World War II, Ko Chang was the scene of a naval battle between the Royal Thai Navy and a Vichy France squadron, in which the Thais were decisively beaten.

Until the mid-1980s the infrastructure on the island was undeveloped, but tourism has increased significantly since then. Around the year 2000, malaria was eradicated, the area became a national park (and began charging entry fees). The island now receives 655,000 visitors annually, about two thirds of them Thai. The Chang islands are one of the few places with virgin forest, but the mad rush to cash in on tourism has had a heavy toll on its virgin forests. Land prices have skyrocketed, there are also beautiful if not high end resorts now popping up all over the island.

Lumpini Park

If you want to get away from the hectic Bangkok life go to the Lumpini Park and relax there. It's a heaven within the chaotic capital city. Lumpini Park (Thai: สวนลุมพินี) is a 140-acre (0.57 km²) park in Bangkok, Thailand. This park offers rare open space and grass in the Thai capital and contains an artificial lake where visitors can rent boats. A track around the lake is a popular area for bicycling.

Lumpini Park was created in the 1920s by King Rama VI on royal property. A statue of the king stands at the southwestern entrance to the park. It was named for Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha in Nepal, and at the time of its creation stood on the outskirts of the city.

Today it lies in the heart of the main business district and is in the Lumphini sub-district, on the north side of Rama IV Road, between Ratchadamri Road and Witthayu Road.

Lumphini Park is one of the very few areas of the Thai capital that is still patrolled by mounted policemen. It has the city's first public library and dance hall. During winter time, the Palm Garden of Lumphini Park becomes the site for the annual Concert in the Park festival featuring classical music by the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and other bands.

Karen People

The Karen People (or Longneck People as some call them) are an ethnic group living mostly in Burma and Northern Thailand. There ancestors came from Tibet as refugees and the Karen People have been fighting long for their independence. Today they are the largest hill tribe group in Thailand and some are living from tourism. So I decided to pay them a visit to see how they live. A very interesting trip you can easily combine with a visit at an elephant camp, orchid farm or a water rafting adventure.

Chiang Mai

After living in Thailand for almost three years and returning on my business trips on a monthly base it was actually a shame I had never made it to Northern Thailand and to Chiang Mai. So with a bit time off over the Christmas and New Years period I decided to take the chance and travel to Chiang Mai and Laos. Chiang Mai is a great place, a nice city with lots of culture and the surrounding hills are just beautiful. The climate is more moderate than Southern Thailand and the evenings can be quite cool. Definitely worth the trip. I especially liked to drive up the hill to visit the 1383 built Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep. The New Years party was great and it was actually nice to start the new year without the typical routine. From here I went on to visit the Longneck people in the North and then I went to Laos.

HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand 80th Birthday

After the 60th Anniversary Celebrations of His Majesty the King's Accession to the Throne in 2006; Thailand commenced the year-long celebrations of HM King Bhumibol's 80th birthday. On HM Kings Birthday many Thais dressed in the traditional yellow colors showing there respect to the monarch in the streets of Bangkok. He is immensely popular in Thailand, and is revered as a semi-divine figure by many Thais. HM King Bhumibol was born in the USA and educated primarily in Switzerland. HM King Bhumibol is also an accomplished musician, artist, and sailor.

Loi Krathong

Loy Krathong (or Loi Kratong, Thai ลอยกระทง) is a festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand. It is held on the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar, in the western calendar this usually falls into November and this year on the 24th.
“Loi” means “to float”. “Krathong” is a raft about a handspan in diameter traditionally made from a section of Banana tree trunk (although modern-day versions use specially made bread 'flowers' and may use styrofoam), decorated with elaborately-folded banana leaves, flowers, candles, incense sticks etc. During the night of the full moon, many people will release a small raft like this on a river and they will sent there wishes along.

Elephant Fair in Surin

Many tourists from all over the world arrived in Surin on the 16th and 17th of November to visit the yearly Elephant Fair and Show. Surin is in the North-East of Thailand closed to the Cambodian border. Over 200 Elephants walk the streets of Surin with only one goal: a giant vegetable buffet. On day two you can see Elephants in a amazing shows or you can go on a hike with one of those smooth giants. Definitely worth-while, Surin is only a short 7 hour trip from Bangkok and you can travel either by train or bus.

LINKIN PARK - Live in Bangkok

After missing out on seeing Linking Park live in Sydney I had the chance to see their newest show live in Bangkok. Following the release of their new album 'Minutes to midnight' the American band is on a world tour around the globe. If you get the chance don't miss out on a fantastic performance and just some great music. That was awesome!

Koh Tao

Koh Tao (Turtle Island) is a nice tropical island in the Gulf of Thailand and a relaxing place. Visited by lots and lots of European backpackers it is the diving destination in the area. Lots of diving schools offer their services here. Most visitors are in their twenties but you can still find some nice restaurants on Koh Tao. If you want to read about the once I have visited go to http://www.worldrestaurantreview.blogspot.com/