Showing 81 - 90 of 123
Downhiller full of venom
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 27/08/2015
» On my recent two-day visit to the mountainous area of Chiang Dao district, about 70km north of Chiang Mai city, I got to ride two scenic routes. The first one, which started from Pa Kia and ended at Ban Sop Kai, was featured in this column last Thursday. (In case you missed it and would like to know about it, visit goo.gl/X2pJ80.)
Nights and days in Nanjing
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 06/08/2015
» One on the original list of China's "Great Ancient Capitals" — which also includes Beijing, Xi'an and Luoyang — is Nanjing. Translated as "the southern capital", it is the only one of the four located on the south side of the Yangtze, the great river that marks the boundary between the northern and southern parts of the vast country.
Mekong's steady flow of tourism
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 09/07/2015
» On a squeaky bicycle, a lean woman spins her way leisurely down the streets of Thakhek, a Lao town by the Mekong River. From the attire and Vietnamese-style conical hat she's wearing, it's likely she's of different descent from many she shares the road with. Lao women, in contrast, tend to wear the pha sin traditional long skirts, even when riding motorcycles.
Pedalling on the precipice
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 30/04/2015
» In recent years, Wat Phra That Pha Son Kaeo, known for its unique architecture, scenic location and reputation as a dhamma retreat, has been one of the most visited Buddhist monasteries on Highway 12, which spans all the way from Mae Sot on Thailand's western border with Myanmar to Mukdahan, on the eastern border with Laos.
Getting a leg up on work
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 02/04/2015
» Like many professions, mine involves being seated in front of a computer for long hours on a daily basis. Tenseness and soreness in the neck, shoulder and back muscles are inevitable. Regular visits to massage establishments work well in alleviating pain, but the soothing result is always temporary. But now I think I've finally found a solution to the problem that has been tormenting me for the past 25 years — a workstation that doesn't keep me confined to a chair.
Nok-ing on Krabi's door
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 19/03/2015
» Unlike most urban areas in the Kingdom, the 143-year-old town of Krabi was not built on flat ground. It's one of the places I've long wanted to explore on two wheels, but have never actually been able to do. The idea of spending an entire tiring day on the long, straight stretches of the southbound Phet Kasem Highway always dampens my enthusiasm. So when a friend at Nok Air recently asked if I would like to join a bike event the airline was organising in Krabi, I did not hesitate to say yes.
Sasebo: A place to make your heart sing
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 08/01/2015
» Sasebo. Sasebo. Sasebo. I don't remember exactly how many times I read this name out loud the first time I saw it on the map. To me, it's both beautiful and funny. Try pronouncing the word in front of the mirror and notice the changing shape of your lips as you say it, especially the last syllable. Repeat just a few times, and I guarantee you'll see yourself smiling.
Pumped for a crazy ride
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 08/01/2015
» The town of Aranyaprathet, Sa Kaeo province, has never ever before been of interest to extreme sports buffs. But since December, this trade hub on the Thai-Cambodian border has suddenly become a hot destination for downhillers, dirt jumpers, BMXers and even skateboarders. The reason is that it now boasts a pump track that is not only of world-class design and build, but is also one of the largest on the planet.
Enjoying the first rays of 2015
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 01/01/2015
» Located in the easternmost part of the Kingdom, Pha Chanadai in Ubon Ratchathani serves as Thailand's reference point for the official time of sunrise. Like Phuket's Phromthep Cape, which plays the same role for sunset, Pha Chanadai is a household name. But unlike its Western counterpart, not as many people have actually been to this famous cliff in Pha Taem National Park, which every morning sees the glorious rays of dawn before the rest of the country. Well, technically.
Making tracks in the middle of nowhere
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 18/12/2014
» As a journalist for 25 years, I've travelled to many remote parts of the Kingdom. But rarely have I found myself in a place that made me feel as if I was "in the middle of nowhere". Recently, however, such a feeling surfaced. The cause was nothing else but mountain biking.