Thailand Voice

On Sunday, we went for an enjoyable bicycle ride in Bangkok. At first glance, this would sound like a crazy idea. But, it is amazing that after only a short boat ride across the Chao Phraya River, we were surrounded by lush green vegetation and almost complete silence. In fact, for most of the…

I think one of the first phrases I learned when I arrived in Thailand was “gin khao reu yung?” This is a phrase that asks if you have eaten yet but is really more of a greeting than an inquiry. They are…

It was a year ago now that I first visited the tranquil little village of Baan Nam Khong and enjoyed gliding from tree to tree with the amazing Jungle Flight adventure. I got a chance to fly again last weekend and try out the longest, fastest and…

Tomorrow is the 82nd Birthday for H.M. The King. In past years, most Thai people would wear yellow in honour of His Majesty. In Bangkok there would be a sea of yellow. However, after the PAD hijacked the colour yellow and forever took it away from representing His Majesty…

If you go to Thailand on holiday, you will most likely find that the local food is one of your highlights. You will find this both delicious and cheap. Here are some of my favourite Thai food dishes. 1. Tom Yum Egg Noodle with Red Pork (baa mee tom yum) 2. Egg Noodle …

(no, that is not me!) Some people say they admire my adventures – but there is nothing adventurous about me, I am just a lazy traveller. I first went rafting on the Pai river in May or early June in 2002, when I had got so badly …

Members of Thailand’s People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) parade during a rally in Bangkok on October 7, 2009. Thousands of royalist Yellow Shirt protesters gathered to commemorate the first anniversary of a violent crackdown on their protests after they stormed the main government compound…

If you have ever been to Thailand then you would have surely seen Thai people by the side of the road playing takraw. This is a very informal game of about half a dozen people standing in a circle. They then have…

Demonstrators from the People’s Alliance for Democracy clash with Police and local villagers near Sisaket, Thailand, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. Thai nationalists clashed with police and villagers Saturday as they tried to march on a temple on the Cambodian border, while anti-government protesters in the capital marked the third …

One of the best books about Buddhism in Thailand is undoubtedly “Phra Farang: An English Monk in Thailand” by Phra Peter Pannapadipo. Even if you are not interested in becoming a monk yourself, his vivid description of his ten years as a foreign monk in Thailand …

Thai veterinarian Juthamas Sumanam (L) performs a vasectomy on a macaque monkey in the town of Lopburi, 155 km (96 miles) north of Bangkok, August 19, 2009. Thailand started a birth control programme to sterilise male monkeys with the aim of controlling their …

In Thailand, one of the cheapest places to buy and eat food is by the side of the road. These are the mobile stalls which vendors wheel to their locations every day. Sometimes they might leave the cart there and then bring…

The rainy season has been rather dry so far up here in Chiang Mai, ideal for daytrips – if you don’t mind baking in the sun shining right above your head at this time of the year. For a change, I decided to hop on a bus today and go on one of …

The following are national days in Thailand though none of them are celebrated as public holidays. National Children’s Day – 2nd Saturday of January วันเด็กแห่งชาติ (Wan Dek Haeng Chat) Widely celebrated, especially by governmental agencies, with many activities for children. Observed on this day since 1965; was observed on …

Senior People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leader Chamlong Srimuang receives flowers from supporters as he reports to police in Bangkok July 16, 2009. Thursday is the deadline for 35 PAD “yellow shirt” leaders to report and be informed of charges against them of terrorism…

Beyond a doubt, ASTV, backed by the People’s Alliance of Democracy (PAD) has escalated in popularity more than any other TV channel in Thailand in 2009. This is due of course to precise unbiased news reports which particularly penetrate the essence of Thai politics and offer the audience a real chance to get the …

On the first day of every month, we have the Paknam Food Festival in our town down by the river. During the recent event they promoted the sale of traditional Thai food. One of my favourites is this glutinous rice dessert that contains a banana and black eye peas. In …

At the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, you will find six pairs of giant demons that stand guard at each of the entrances. They are facing inwards towards the ubosot as if they were protecting the Emerald Buddha. These giants were built during the …

Senior members of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) movement agreed Tuesday to name their new party as “Karn Muang Mai” or “New Politics”, in an attempt to finalize the preparations for the party registration process, which is beginning this week. (manager.co.th) More Thailand pictures can be

THAI TAKES By PHILIP GOLINGAI IF YOU had ever wanted to slap Sondhi Limthongkul, the co-leader of the yellow-shirted movement that gained international notoriety when it shut down Bangkok’s two airports last year, now’s your chance. “Slap my face with your shoes… Read full story >>>

Am busy, but here are some links and reading: 1. Suthep interviewed by The Nation – his answers about the Blue Shirts and the government formation are interesting. 2. People satisfied with Abhisit, but less so with other Ministers (what no Kasit?). Korn also does quite well considering we have -7.1% growth which as have blogged… Read full story >>>

Welcome to The Thai Pirate's Complete Directory of Interesting Ways to Expire in Thailand. Funny stories welcome, even if false. A Aeroplane Air travel! Safest form of travel. Just don't mention 1-2-Go. Change of fatality – 8/100 Anaconda A big snake, there are lots in Thailand. But don't worry… Read full story >>>

A walk with our two young dogs Cola and Gaan along the tree lined stretch leading to Ban Norn Chad made for a relaxing early evening. After a couple of beers and an enjoyable meal I laid back and mused over the forthcoming end to my village stay. I woke on the living … Read full story >>>

On 24 May 2009, I attended the first of two days of the “People’s Alliance for Democracy Assembly” at Rangsit University. Its main purpose was to assess the political situation and prepare a decision about whether to turn the social movement, at least partially, into a political party or not. With my… Read full story >>>

I have a couple of things to say about comments on this blog. First, a few readers have e-mailed me saying they made comments on the blog, but their comments never appeared. It thought it was pretty odd, because I hadn’t seen their comments in my moderation queue, and I do… Read full story >>>

Let’s talk smartphones — mobile phones that have advanced Web browsing and multimedia capabilities. The Nokia E71 First things first: I like Apple products, but I’m holding off on the iPhone 1 , at least for now. 2 Back in December, I purchased a Nokia … Read full story >>>

As am busy it is difficult to devote many resources to find out what the problem is, but from a limited search it does not appear to be a blogger/blogspot problem (there are always Blogger comment problems). It may be a template issue which will resolve itself because of a switch in code by … Read full story >>>

On 25 May 2009 the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) lavishly celebrated the decision to found their political party in the sports stadium in Thammasat’s Rangsit campus. There were marches by the various PAD chapters of the different provinces in folkish costumes, and a large show re-enacting the sanitised history of their protests of last year… Read full story >>>

• “Thailand’s Policy Orientation under Global Turbulence: Making the Most of the ASEAN Economic Integration” (25/5/2009) • Remarks “High-Level Ministerial Conference on Strengthening Transboundary Freshwater Governance –the Environmental Sustainability Challenge” (22/5/2009) • Remarks by H.E. Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand at The Foreign Correspondents’… Read full story >>>

Nirmal Ghosh in the Straits Times (available here ): Professor Michael Nelson of Germany’s University of Passau, for instance, speaking recently at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, thought that the country was in the midst of a “latent and sometimes manifest conflict between monarchism and democracy that has not been resolved since it … Read full story >>>