Showing 1 - 10 of 24
Help needed to name this cute baby pygmy hippo
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 12/03/2021
» Bacon or moowan (sweet pork), which do you prefer? Well, not for breakfast but for the name of Khao Kheow Open Zoo's newest member.
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.
Treat your taste buds at food fair
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 23/09/2020
» Pathum Thani, which neighbours Bangkok to the north, is known for its variety of food. From today until Sunday, goodies from the province's different districts will be available at the "Pathum Thani Gastronomic Wonders Festival".
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.
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.
A time for solitude
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 26/03/2020
» Starting on Thursday, Thailand is under a state of emergency. Hopefully, this will help the country cope with the Covid-19 pandemic more effectively. At the time of writing, a full lockdown is not yet announced. But in line with the emergency decree, it's likely that social distancing will no longer be urged but enforced. Only with people staying calmly at home will it be possible to keep the highly contagious virus under control. China has shown that such stringent measures worked. If everybody complies, it should bring a good result here, too.
Doin' the durian
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 24/03/2020
» The king of fruit is starting to show up in the market. For lovers of old-school durian, this is arguably the most important period of the durian season. Now you can find the chani variety.
Come and see
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 30/01/2020
» 'But why? There's nothing to see there. Are you looking for a filming location?" asked the old lady at the roadside food stall when she knew that after the lunch my friends and I were going to Talat Klong Sip Song Hok Wa, a nearby waterside community so named because it is located at the point where Hok Wa and Sip Song canals cross.
The other side to Pattaya
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 16/01/2020
» Na Klua may not be the most prominent mark on the Pattaya tourist map. But for some, a trip to the popular resort city wouldn't be complete without a visit to the northern end of town. Indeed, a growing number of holidaymakers, myself included, see Na Klua as a worthy destination in its own right. With its old-town charm, street art, inexpensive fresh seafood, seaside picnic areas and more, what's not to love?
Back to the basics
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 02/01/2020
» On the breezy top of the limestone cliff on the east side of Doi Pha Phueng, 1,600m above sea level, I zipped up my jacket and let the sights and sounds of the natural surroundings soak in. Before me was a sea of forest-clad mountains, bathed in the warm rays of the morning Sun. The air was filled with blissful silence, with faint songs from invisible birds occasionally seeping in from the canopy below.