Showing 1 - 7 of 7
Mercury falling, spirits rising
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 10/12/2020
» The Colours of Doi Tung Festival is one of Chiang Rai province's best-known annual events. Every weekend and public holiday in December and January, a fair featuring the sale of food and goods by hilltribe people and other ethnic groups living in Doi Tung and nearby mountains is held near the Mae Fah Luang Garden, a famous attraction that is part of Mae Fah Luang Foundation's Doi Tung Development Project. The idea is to draw more visitors to Doi Tung and enable the villagers to benefit from the high season.
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.
To the mountaintop
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 22/02/2018
» Rising 2,285m above mean sea level, Doi Pha Hom Pok of Chiang Mai's Fang district ranks as Thailand's second-highest summit. On my recent visit to the mountaintop -- I had not returned to Doi Pha Hom Pok since I first climbed it 25 years ago -- I wanted to make the most of the trip, so I added biking as part of it.
Riding in vivid colour
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 07/12/2017
» In November of 2012, I visited Singha Park Chiang Rai to watch the year's final round of the Singha Mountain Bike Thailand Open, one of the country's oldest cross-country MTB competitions.
Centripetal force
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 29/06/2017
» Over the years, Chiang Rai has made several attempts to attract visitors to the northern province during the so-called green season. This year, a few members of the private sector are joining hands with the local office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand to do just that, with the help of cycling.
Young and active
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 27/10/2016
» This is an age when news and information (true as well as false, of course) is readily available. But despite the fact that your internet connection speed is not below average and you spend quite some time online each day, there are still certain decent things going on that you probably never knew about. Sometimes, the most likely reason you missed them is very simple: you're not young enough.
Bright yellow bike parade
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 17/12/2015
» Nice scenery and a network of well-paved roads with little traffic make Chiang Rai a great destination for cyclists. Recently, I got to revisit this northernmost province bordering two neighbouring countries with the biking team of Nok Air, one of the airlines that offer regular services between Chiang Rai and Bangkok.