Showing 1 - 9 of 9
The temple of our concrete jungle
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 03/12/2020
» Each day countless numbers of Bangkokians commute past Wat Pathum Wanaram, the royal temple sandwiched between Siam Paragon and CentralWorld. Every day, they see it from the windows of their cars, buses or Skytrains. Few, however, actually step into the temple to learn more about it.
The lesser-spotted wonders of Lucknow
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 24/10/2019
» After a three-hour flight from Bangkok, I found myself at an immigration counter of Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport, aka Lucknow Airport. An expressionless officer flipped through my passport and made a gesture signifying that I follow the instructions on the fingerprint scanner and place the fingers of my left hand, minus my thumb, on it. Obediently, I complied. The machine flashed a green light. The officer shook his head.
Hakodate's lingering legacy
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 20/12/2018
» After seven hours on the plane and another three-and-a-half hours on the train, I finally found myself on a street of Hakodate, the southernmost city of Japan's northernmost prefecture.
Paradise in jeopardy
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 11/06/2018
» I get to know people when I travel for work, but I rarely see them again in person because each time I travel, I go to someplace different. Earlier this year, however, as I was about to leave a tourism fair, I bumped into the owner of a resort on Koh Mak, the island of Trat province famous for its efforts to become a "low-carbon destination".
A rugged beauty
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 18/05/2017
» As the glorious rays of the rising Sun advanced on the massive limestone canyon replacing any remnant of darkness, the true beauty of Oman's geological wonder Jabal Akhdar (Green Mountain) is gradually revealed before my eyes.
The German legacy in Qingdao
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 17/03/2016
» The wind was chilly and the mass of fog it brought inland from the adjacent sea obscured the entire sky and anything higher than the treetops. From the lookout point on a small hill where I was standing I could see through the white haze part of a town made up of Western-style buildings that were topped with red-tiled roofs, including one impressive mansion perched on the side of another mound nearby. When the sky is clear, I was told, it would also be possible to see the twin towers of a century-old Catholic church and many other pieces of historical architecture further away.
Keeping it tight in Pran Buri
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 29/10/2015
» Pran Buri, just south of Hua Hin, is famous for its namesake beach and river, the big fishing community at Paknam Pran (Pran Buri river mouth), mangrove forest and a few other things. However, not many people, not even the locals, know that this district of Prachuap Khiri Khan is home to two downhill mountain bike tracks.
Fast and furious
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 20/12/2012
» Last week I wrote in this column about the BMX racing course used for the just-concluded 41st National Games. Today let's visit the track where the downhill mountain biking competition of the event, which was hosted by Chiang Mai, took place.
Nakhon Si Thammarat is a place for all seasons
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 11/10/2012
» Mention Nakhon Si Thammarat and the image of the province's most revered Phra Borommathat pagoda would pop up in the mind of many Thais. That, perhaps, is followed by the famous sat duen sip ceremony, the grand event in which locals gather to make merit for their deceased relatives; nang talung shadow puppets; manorah folk performance and many more.