Thailand Voice

Supporters of former Premier Thaksin Shinawatra gather on a highway in Bangkok March 13, 2010. Anti-government protesters headed for Bangkok from the countryside on Saturday for what they are calling a “million-man march,” aiming to paralyse the capital and topple a government they say is a…

A popular recreation for Thai people at the seaside is playing on a Banana Boat like this one. The whole family jump on the back wearing life vests. They are then towed up and down the beach front by a …

A fisherman works on his fish farm on a partially dry reservoir on the Mekong River during a drought affecting the Thai-Lao border area of Wiang Kaen district, Chiang Rai province, north of Bangkok March 11, 2010. Severe drought has hit Southeast Asian…

A Thai policeman stands guard outside Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s house in Bangkok March 10, 2010. The Thai government has invoked a tough security law, the Internal Security Act, giving the armed forces broad powers to control an upcoming rally by supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra if necessary….

Thai policemen inspect identity cards at a checkpoint in outskirts of Bangkok. The Thai government has invoked a tough security law, the Internal Security Act, giving the armed forces broad powers to control an upcoming rally by supporters of former …

Bangkok used to be known as the Venice of the East due to its large network of canals. However, most of these have now been built over to make way for roads. One of the main canals still remaining in Bangkok is Khlong Saen Saeb which dates…

A woman holds up figurines in the shape of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra at her shop in Bangkok February 24, 2010. Each figurine sells for 100 baht ($3.02). (Reuters) More Thailand pictures can be found at www.ThaiPhotoBlogs.com .

I consider myself very lucky to be living in Thailand. Not only is the weather great but we also have plenty of delicious fruit. This is the real thing that you can buy at markets throughout Thailand. Rambutan, lychees, longan, papaya, pineapple, sapodilla, durian and watermelon are some of my favourites. They are all…

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…

A devotee to the Thai Buddhist temple Wat Bang Phra works himself into a trancelike state during a religious festival Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010, in Nakhon Chaisi, Thailand. Thais come from all over Thailand to be tattooed by the temple’s monks on their bodies being inked by …

Policewomen attend a briefing at the Supreme court in Bangkok February 26, 2010. Security forces are braced for a big turnout and a possible violent response to a court verdict due on Friday on whether to seize $2.3 billion in assets belonging to the family of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra…

Thai police and military police officers guard the main entrance to the Supreme Court in Bangkok, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010. Ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra emotionally pleaded for sympathy and an end to his exile Wednesday, days before Thailand’s Supreme Court decides whether $2.29 billion of his …

The Thai people have always had a love for football. However, until recent years, the only leagues that they followed were the ones in the UK and the rest of Europe. Now the Thai Football League has a loyal following with a much greater interest from both the print media and Thai …

The tension is rising in Thailand as we have now started the countdown to Judgement Day on Friday 26th February 2010. The red shirts have already started their protests though so far the yellow shirts have decided to stay at home. If that is true…

In the grounds of a Thai temple, just north of Bangkok, I took this pictures of open billed storks nesting at the top of a tall tree. There must have been literally thousands of them. They come here during the winter season every year. You can get quite …

Traditionally, in Thailand, when a Buddhist dies, their body is cremated and then the bones and ashes are collected and are either kept at the temple or at home or sometimes both. However, there is a third option which is seemingly becoming more popular these days. It is called “loi angkarn” which means the…

A U.S. Marine eats a scorpion during a jungle survival exercise with the Thai Navy, as part of the “Cobra Gold 2010″ (CG10) joint military exercise, at a military base in Chon Buri Province February 9, 2010. About 14,073 soldiers from six countries, …

Undoubtedly the most spectacular Chinese temple I have seen in Thailand is Wat Boromracha Kanchanapisek Anusorn in Nonthaburi Province just north-west of Bangkok. I would say it also rivals anything I saw even in China. Parts of the temple reminded me of the Forbidden Palace. This temple, in Bang Bua Thong District, …

The Phimai historical park protects one of the most important Khmer temples of Thailand. It is located in the town of Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima province. There are quite a few Khmer temples in this region but this is one of the best preserved. I was…

Supporters of the New Orleans Saints NFL football club cheer their go ahead touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts during an NFL Super Bowl XLIV game party at the Roadhouse Bar in Bangkok, Thailand, early Monday, Feb. 8, 2010. The Saints went on to defeat the Colts 31-17 to win the NFL Super Bowl 44. (AP) Football…

Even for those who have never stepped a foot in the Land of Noodle Soup & Nose Jobs, chances are they’ve heard some classic Thailand myth worthy of an editorial column in the most sensational European tabloid. So worthy actually, …

This is a picture of a Thai family scattering the ashes of a deceased relative in the Gulf of Thailand. Traditionally, Thai families either keep the ashes at home, at the temple or scatter them on the waters or a combination of all three. Many people travel to Paknam in…

The first time I watched horse polo was in Gilgit in Pakistan. I always thought that it was only played in the Indian sub-continent and by the old colonial powers. I didn’t realize that Thailand also has an active polo team. Apparently polo was first introduced to…

I came across this group of Hilltribe children at the Golden Triangle in Northern Thailand. I sat and watched for a while as coachloads of tourists arrived to have their pictures taken at this attraction which borders three countries. Naturally, all …

Late last year I was invited to witness an emergency exercise at Suvarnabhumi International Airport near Bangkok. They were simulating a lightning strike against ground staff who were refuelling an aircraft. Everything was done in real time. As you can see from the storm clouds, their visual effects were quite realistic!…

Supporters of former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra walk during a protest rally at a golf course they say was built illegally on forest reserve land in eastern Chantaburi province, 320 km (199 miles) from Bangkok January 23, 2010. The “red shirt” protesters accused royal adviser Prem Tinsulanonda of having links with …

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…

THAI TAKES By PHILIP GOLINGAI THE other day I was eating Thai food in a restaurant in a Bangkok suburb with a Malaysian tourist and my guest was surprised that the dishes did not taste like the ones in her favourite Thai restaurant… Read full story >>>

Wat Bang Phra… This weekend is the first three day 2010 Bangkok International Tattoo Convention . Ever. Not being up for a crowd (and full of caffeine), I called Khun Pissout (my fav taxi driver) to see if he was free for the day. He was. So as a tattoo substitute, we drove… Read full story >>>