Showing 1 - 10 of 29
Royal beneficence in Nong Ung
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 27/07/2018
» Eighteen years ago, thousands of local villagers living in the seasonally flooded lower part of tambon Kho Nua in Muang district, Yasothon, learned that their lives would change for the better after His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, then the crown prince, visited them. His royal initiatives to dredge Nong Ung, a dry 430 rai swamp, improve soil quality in the community, and revitalise a damaged forest led to the villagers' better livelihood.
Preserving history
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 30/04/2018
» Ruins and ancient sites are always under threat from time and disaster. The great flood of 2011, for instance, damaged 128 archeological sites on and around the city island of Ayutthaya. After the incident, the government provided a budget of 600 million baht for the clean-up and restoration work, and there was also financial and technical aid from Unesco, as well as certain foreign countries.
Preserving literary heritage
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 09/04/2018
» At Wat Sung Men in Phrae province, monks and a dozen local villagers are busy scanning the temple's old manuscripts into a computer. The same activity, in fact, is happening at several temples in the North, including Wat Phra That Si Chom Thong in Chiang Mai as well as others in Lamphun and Nan. Initiated by a German professor, the novel efforts of digitising and conserving ancient manuscripts have caught on with enthusiasm among locals.
Dramatic love for heritage
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 29/03/2018
» Ketsurang, a plump archaeologist, inadvertently travels back in time from the present day to the reign of the Ayutthaya Kingdom's King Narai the Great (1656-1688) over 300 years ago. Her soul resides in the body of a gorgeous yet mean woman, Karaket, whose soul left her body for hell due to her severe sins. While in the Ayutthaya Kingdom, she is mesmerised by the traditional way of life and the stunning beauty of palaces, temples, rivers, markets and forts. The novel-turned-TV series Bupphesanniwat (Love Destiny) is very popular nationwide and tens of thousands fans flock to Ayutthaya to visit the ancient sites.
The final resting place
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 23/11/2017
» Within walking distance from Bangkok's popular Khao San Road in Phra Nakhon district is one of Thailand's most important temples -- Wat Bowon Niwet. Since Oct 29, many have flocked to the temple to pay respects to the ashes of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, enshrined in the base of the principal Buddha image, Phra Phuttha Chinnasi.
Rollin' down the rivers
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 28/09/2017
» Travelling along the rivers from Samut Sakhon to Samut Songkhram rewards with natural and cultural insights, especially if one makes stops along the way.
Heavenly rides
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 05/08/2017
» Like a journey through clouds towards heaven, marvellous royal chariots and vehicles will be moving smoothly and gracefully around the Grand Palace and Sanam Luang in a stunning procession for the royal funeral of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Oct 26. Amid great sorrow and mourning, everyone will be mesmerised by the grandeur of the royal ceremonies befitting the great king.
Tales of two temples
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 13/07/2017
» It is beyond many people's expectations to see a forest monastery in the heart of Thon Buri, the west quarter of Bangkok. Wat Pa Choeng Lane is nestled amid tropical trees in a secluded area accessible on foot or by boat by the Chak Phra Canal.
'Stone doctors' operate in Thailand
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 25/04/2017
» Two pagodas of Wat Ratchaburana in central Ayutthaya are almost 600 years old, but their beauty is still visible due to conservation efforts. The remaining stucco and plaster at both stupas (prang and mondop), the Buddha statues at the Prang, the floral decoration at the east face of the prayer hall and the stucco at a small pagoda -- they have been preserved partly as a result of a German conservation project in close co-operation with the Ayutthaya Historical Park and Unesco Bangkok.
Steampunk special
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 23/03/2017
» Sometimes, people wish they could turn back the clock to the "good old days". Thus visiting ancient places and collecting antiques is trendy, especially in Thailand.