Showing 1 - 10 of 47
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.
Roaming in the gloaming
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 05/11/2020
» It was pouring like crazy. I was lucky to find refuge in a noodle shop before getting soaked. It had rained twice since the morning. So far, including the days when I was on Koh Phayam, I never got a chance to shoot -- or even see -- a clear blue sky.
Splendour in the city
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 22/10/2020
» At this time of year, a lot of Bangkokians would be looking forward to a visit to Wat Saket, home to the Golden Mount and the venue of one of the city's best-known temple fairs, which coincides with the Loy Krathong Festival.
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.
A place where time stands still
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 16/07/2020
» Despite what the science says, time seems to pass at different speeds. In areas like Si Yan, Samsen and Bang Krabue -- which are all part of Dusit district in Bangkok -- it's as if time hasn't passed into the 20th century.
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.
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.
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.
Thailand's abundance
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 09/04/2020
» April is usually the height of the hot season. The sea, both in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman, is at its best. The forest, meanwhile, may seem lifeless, yet actually there are a lot of interesting things going on in the ecosystem. Most waterfalls, for example, may not be boasting powerful cascades, but the calm, clear water reveals a fascinating array of fish and other aquatic lifeforms that thrive. And guess what: even during this dry period of the year, there are falls in some protected forests where the water continues to flow down rigorously, regardless of what month is shown on the calendar. Too bad I don't have their photographs in digital form and no time to dig through the piles of slides.
Resplendent renovation
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 13/02/2020
» During the past four years, if you entered Wat Ratchabophit Sathit Maha Simaram, you would find scaffolding here and there. The lengthy renovation was to ensure the royal temple built by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) would be in its full glory not just during its 150th-anniversary celebration, which took place recently, but also for years, or another century, to come.