Showing 1 - 10 of 33
Saving the best for last
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 25/03/2021
» After spending a couple of late morning hours exploring Photharam on my foldable e-bicycle, I found myself on an islet on the Mae Klong River that runs past the west side of the business district of this old town in Ratchaburi province. The seafood phad kaphrao and rice I had bought for breakfast but didn't have time to eat still looked tempting. With the cool tree shade, the refreshing river breeze and the tranquil natural surrounding, it was a splendid lunch.
Life on Memory Lane
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 11/02/2021
» Have you ever stumbled upon a long-lost object that suddenly brought back forgotten moments, maybe a childhood toy or a postcard from someone special? What if you find yourself in a place full of such items? I don't know about you but the other day when I made my very first visit to the House of Museums I was bombarded by constant flashbacks.
Humble museum holds keys to past
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 10/09/2020
» Entering the main hall of Chiang Saen National Museum in its namesake border town 64km or so northeast of Chiang Rai downtown, I was greeted by three beautiful seated Buddha images from the 16th century. Each had a pretty chubby body and a round face with a prominent chin and a closed-lips smile, typical of Chiang Saen, aka Lanna, style.
Not quite a staycation
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 27/08/2020
» Dying to get back to nature but national parks are so far away? Longing for an outdoor experience but you don't think you have enough time?
A stroll back in time
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 02/07/2020
» A refreshing breeze blew from the other side of the river, greeted by cheerfully rustling leaves of land and aquatic plants along its expansive path. Different kinds of egrets, thanks to their sizes and bright white plumage, could easily be spotted foraging near the waterside, but faint chirps in the air also revealed the presence of numerous other birds hiding among the foliage. In the river, a monitor lizard emerged from the dense floating patches of water hyacinth and swam leisurely in the open to the far bank. Meanwhile, along the lively yet tranquil waterway line traditional-style wooden houses built on tall stilts, some with boats moored at the water's edge.
Ready to roam
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 18/06/2020
» For a lot of travel addicts residing in Thailand, with the fourth phase of the easing of pandemic control measures the situation is good enough to return to fun mode.
Rainy days & getaways
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 04/06/2020
» Interprovincial travel is now possible, although with restrictions in certain cases. Historical parks and national museums are open. Many beaches are starting to see visitors from different provinces dying for a break from the unprecedented lockdown. Still, it's going to be a long while before tourism reaches the pre-pandemic level.
Where monsoon is awesome
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 21/05/2020
» Bucket-list ideas for the first half of September from Pongpet Mekloy's archive.
When you're free to move about the country
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 07/05/2020
» It's going to be a while before we find out whether or not the easing of coronavirus lockdown measures, the mass scrambles for alcoholic beverages, and the exodus over the recent long weekend will reverse the trend of the pandemic control in Thailand that seems to be going well. Let's hope they won't. At the same time, let's not forget that in many parts of this small world, the Covid-19 situation is still not getting any better.
Skipping ahead
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 23/04/2020
» Earlier this month when I launched this bi-weekly Travel Diary series, I had a gut feeling that this coronavirus pandemic could drag on a lot longer than many people had thought. Maybe it could even take a whole year. However, feedback revealed that readers were more optimistic and believe it won’t be that long. Some even suggested that it would benefit them more if — instead of featuring destinations suitable for the season that matches the current time of year, but may not be useful if the travel ban is still in place — I should just skip a couple of months ahead.