Thailand Voice

Red-shirted supporters of deposed Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra wave flags and shout slogans during an anti-government protest outside a military barracks in Bangkok on March 15, 2010. Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva rejected an ultimatum by tens of thousands of protesters to…

The Thai government over the past few years have been so focussed on first the yellow shirts and then the red shirts that hardly anyone has noticed the rampant increase of drug use in Thailand. It is almost getting to epidemic proportions …

It is probably not a good idea to venture outside at the moment if you are living in some areas of Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Lumpoon, Maehongson, Nan, Phayao and Chiang Mai due to the bad air quality. You should also consider wearing face masks in Chachoengsao, Nonthaburi, Samut…

A few days ago, a user called “musicxpresso” put up for sale on ebay a wanted poster for Thaksin and his wife for a mere 99 cents. The photo showed the massive banner used as the backdrop for one of the yellow shirts stages while they occupied the Government House area. However, if you read…

One of the most beautiful and also important temples in Lamphun Province in Northern Thailand is Wat Phrathat Hariphunchai. According to legend, the Lord Buddha himself once came to this area to collect alms. A local Lua tribesman offered him some “samor”, a kind of…

This morning I drove over to the 100 Year Market at Klong Suan on the border between Samut Prakan and Chachoengsao. They were having their second annual market fair which will take place this long weekend during the Makha Bucha holiday. Mr. Surachai Kanasa, the Governor of Samut …

BANGKOK THAILAND – FEBRUARY 26: Red shirt pro- Thaksin supporters react as the court announces the final verdict for former PM Thaksin Shinawatra’s family on February 26, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. Thailand’s Supreme Court has ruled that the Shinawatra family should be stripped of more than half a contested $2.3bn fortune, which is …

It always made me wonder how the Thai policemen managed to squeeze on their very tight uniforms. They also don’t look very comfortable. Then I discovered the secret one day when I saw a tailor selling police uniforms at a…

One of the famous desserts for Samut Prakan Province is Khanom Jaak. The dessert is prepared inside the leaves of a nipa palm and then roasted over a charcoal fire. The ingredients include sticky rice flour, palm sugar and shredded coconut. A bundle of this costs about 20 baht. Original post blogged on www.mythaiphotos….

Myanmar’s ethnic Karens move out from their refugee camp in Tha Son Yang district, Tak province near the Thai-Myanmar border February 5, 2010. Thailand suspended on Friday the forced repatriation of ethnic Karen refugees from military-ruled Myanmar, heeding calls from U.S. lawmakers and rights…

Thai cuisine involves the balancing of contrasting flavors, spicy and subtle, sweet and sharp. It is also concerned with aesthetic value, for the Thais believe that food should please the eye as well as the palate. One particularly delightful aspect…

This is a picture that I took in a Karen village in Mae Hong Son. This is where the famous “long-necked hilltribe” lived. I went there back in 2002. I was quite excited to see them for the first time…

I was driving through the countryside in Lopburi Province last year when I came across this amazing sight. An elephant walking through a sunflower field. These sites are a popular attraction for Thai tourists who drive hundreds of kilometres to have their pictures taken with sunflowers. For them, the elephant …

It would seem that the longer I stay in Thailand, the higher the frequency that I attend funerals. In fact, I have two sets of funeral clothes now. I thought today I would give a brief overview of a cremation in order to help any foreigners who might find themselves attending a…

The fifth day of the seven dangerous New Year holidays saw 41 people killed and 460 others injured, bringing the cumulative casualty count for the long holiday to 279 and 3,185. Deputy Permanent Secretary for Interior Ministry Wibul Sanguanpong told a press conference at the…

คมนาคมปลอดภัย สังคมไทยเป็นสุข NEW YEAR ROAD SAFETY AWARENESS: On the morning of 25th December 2009, Mr. Surachai Kanasa, Governor of Samut Prakan Province, performed the opening ceremony at the City Hall Plaza for a campaign for public awareness of road safety over the new year period. Members of the public were given the chance …

Thai police officers and soldiers surround a suspect foreign-registered cargo plane to make a search at Don Muang airport Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand. Five foreigners were detained and their foreign-registered aircraft impounded after it landed in the Thai capital Saturday with tons of war weaponry on board that originated in …

รณรงค์ป้องกันและลดอุบัติเหตุทางถนน ช่วงเทศกาลปีใหม่ 2553 ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN FOR NEW YEAR: Mr. Surachai Kanasa, the Governor of Samut Prakan, presided over a ceremony on 8th December 2009 to promote road safety during the New Year holidays between 29th December and 4th January. During this period last year, there were five deaths in…

จุดเทียนชัยถวายพระพรชัยมงคล CANDLE LIGHT CEREMONY FOR H.M. THE KING: Mr. Surachai Kanasa, the Governor of Samut Prakan Province, and a thousand local people from Samut Prakan lit candles and sang blessings to H.M. The King on the occasion of his 82nd birthday. The evening finished with a beautiful firework display…

ทำบุญตักบาตรวันพ่อแห่งชาติ MAKING MERIT FOR THE KING: Mr. Surachai Kanasa, the Governor of Samut Prakan, led government officials and local people in giving alms to 99 monks in honour of His Majest the King on the occasion of his 82nd birthday.  The ceremony started, on the morning …

ตรวจแนวเขื่อนริมแม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา FLOODING CONTROL INSPECTION: Mr. Surachai Kanasa, the Governor of Samut Prakan, went on an inspection on 1st December 2009, to check the measures being taken to prevent high tide floods in the city. He also discussed with Mr. Amnuay Rassamitat, Chief Executive of…

Office of HM’s Principle Private Secretary announced on Monday that His Majesty the King has ordered the indefinite postponement of many functions relating to his birthday celebrations. The Trooping the Colour, scheduled on December 2, and HM the King’s birthday speech on December 4 have been indefinitely postponed. (AP) More …

สมุทรปราการ เอฟซี กับ นราธิวาส เอฟซี วันอาทิตย์ที่ 29 พย. 2552 SAMUT PRAKAN FOOTBALL CLUB: The final match of the season took place on Sunday (29th November 2009) at Bang MOD Stadium in Thonburi. The match was between Samut Prakan FC and Narathiwat FC. The final score was 0-0. …

In September, the Thai government started a new project called “United Thais – Strong Thailand” with the intention to promote unity and patriotism. Thai people normally sing or at least stand for the national anthem twice a day at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. It is broadcast on all television and radio stations and…

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 …

Teeranun Wipuchanin, a 43-year-old unemployed former stock trader, walks after being arrested by Thai police officers at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport November 1, 2009. Police in Thailand arrested two people, including Teeranun, on Sunday on suspicion of spreading rumours about the health of…

The “Chulalongkorn Day or “Piya Maharaj Day” is considered as the memorial day for King Chulalongkorn, or King Rama V, which falls on 23 October every year. King Chulalongkorn the Great was one of the most important kings of the Chakri Dynasty. The most prominent contribution he made was slavery abolition as well…

One of my favourite festivals in Thailand is undoubtedly Luang Phor Pan Worshipping Festival in Bang Bo District of Samut Prakan. I went last year for the first time and had no idea what to expect. There were so many surprises that…

Devotees to Sapam Chinese Shrine in Phuket, Thailand work themselves into a trance Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, prior to a nighttime street procession at the Vegetarian Festival. The annual festival traces its origin back to the early 1800’s when Chinese tin miners and others…