Showing 71 - 80 of 91
Portal to the past
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 20/06/2013
» To city folk, who prize it as place to buy fabric, garments and other goods at bargain prices, its name is now synonymous with what tourists call Chinatown, but Sampheng was once the bustling heart of this capital of ours, an important port and trading hub with a cosmopolitan tolerance for all faiths which, in addition to temples and shrines for Buddhists of different schools, also accommodated places of worship for Muslims.
Thai tourism biz goes digital
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 27/12/2012
» Surfing online one day, I was checking a Facebook news feed when I came across the TAT governor's fan page: IamSuraphon. Seeing a lot of information about tourist attractions and festivals in Thailand listed there, I realised for the first time how seriously the Tourism Authority of Thailand is viewing the Net, and social networking sites in particular, as a marketing tool.
Ban Chiang Festival
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 07/02/2013
» The 2013 Ban Chiang World Heritage Fair runs from tomorrow to Sunday at the Ban Chiang National Museum in Nong Han district, Udon Thani.
Fuming over first-car scheme
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 27/12/2012
» The worst is yet to come for Bangkok's traffic. Over the past few months, I have spent twice as much time as before stuck in traffic jams. Although I am not an expert, I believe this has something to do with the government's first-car scheme. The programme allows new car buyers to claim tax rebates of up to 100,000 baht per vehicle per person. Since its inception, more than one million new vehicles have been purchased, or about 30,000 new cars a day. By the end of this year, the number of the "first cars" is likely to exceed 1.2 million.
Coming back to life
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 22/11/2012
» About 20km from Muang Prachin Buri is Si Mahosot Ancient City. It boasts Thailand's oldest replica of the Lord Buddha's footprints and also the country's oldest offshoot of Phra Sri Maha Bodhi Tree in India under which the Lord Buddha meditated and attained enlightenment 2,600 years ago.
The zhuang cultural connection
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 25/10/2012
» About three hours' drive from Guilin in China's Guangxi province is Ping An, a Zhuang village famous for its beautiful terraced rice fields and millennia-old culture.
Saving man's best friend from the butchers
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 04/12/2012
» Hundreds of dogs crammed into tiny cages on trucks or boats travelling across the border and the Mekong River have been a common sight over the past few years. They were on their way to dog meat markets and restaurants in Vietnam via Laos.
Boat races in Sing Buri
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 27/09/2012
» The tiny Central Plains province of Sing Buri has great potential for cultural tourism. Among the highlights of a visit there at this time of year are the lively boat races held at Wat Klang Tha Kham in Khai Bang Rachan district.
Central Region goes vegetarian
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 11/10/2012
» The Vegetarian Festival originated in China, according to Taoist tradition, and lasts for nine days and nine nights in the ninth lunar month. In Southeast Asia, it has become a tradition in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. This year, the festival runs from Sunday until Oct 23. In the Central Region of Thailand, tourists can visit any of the 19 participating provinces.
A lifelong love of learning
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 01/10/2012
» At the age of 94, royal scholar Prof Prasert Na Nagara, renowned for his ability to read ancient inscriptions, still enjoys good health and goes to work at the Royal Institute every weekday. He continues to travel upcountry and abroad and strolls a couple of kilometres a day for exercise.