Tour Thai Town

2009-08-16T06:47:00.001-07:00

A Visit to The Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand
The Elephant Nature Park is just one hour's drive north of the Thai city of Chiang Mai, it is located in the beautiful natural settings of the Mae Taeng Valley, which enjoys a scenic river running through it and is surrounded by the densely forested mountains of Northern Thailand.The park operates as both a sanctuary & a rescue centre for distressed & sick Asian Elephants from all over Thailand.The park which covers a total land area of 800 hectares (2,000 acres), was founded in 1996 and was the brainchild of Sangduen "Lek" Chailert & her husband Adam.Lek (meaning "small" in Thai) grew up in a local village not too far away from the park, and it has been through the endless hard work of Adam & Lek plus the continued support of her family that the park has been able to continue to expand and become successful.The "goals" of the park are very simple yet thought provoking:" To offer a sanctuary to an endangered species - Asian Elephant numbers in Thailand have decreased dramatically over the last century from over 100,000 down to less than 2,000 animals left today." To help restore the ecological balance by rain forest restoration - the park is carrying out an aggressive programme of tree planting, with the aim to replant 25 acres of trees a year for 5 years to help re-introduce the rain forest & with it promote the plants & animals that rely on it." To preserve the cultural integrity of the local community - by creating employment and purchasing agricultural products locally the park is helping the villagers to sustain their distinct culture." To promote the park as a means of education - for visitors, individuals, study groups, schools and interested parties, with the key focus being on the plight of the endangered local species presented in an entertaining yet meaningful way.The elephants that live in the sanctuary of the Elephant Nature Park are mainly from private owners having been acquired by negotiated fees.Some of the majestic beasts merely "outlived" their usefulness to the Hill Tribe People who used them for logging purposes, as the use of the animals has diminished due to both mechanisation & much stricter controls on the management of Thailand's forests , others were so badly treated that they became weak & sick, therefore useless to their trekking camp owners.The park is now home to 31 elephants of all ages from just one year old right up to "grand-daddy" at over 70 years old! The Elephant has a similar lifespan to humans, and form families of similar composition and duration. Some of the "youngsters" have mothers but all have "aunties". There are elephants that help out, or have adopted them, even if not genetically related. There are a couple of older male elephants including the king of the clan.Thailand as a country is FULL of elephant "experiences" available to tourists, you can ride them, watch them paint pictures, play drums, play football, do a trick or two for food, or lug supplies on trekking adventures, but this park is different because it does not allow ANY of these cruel exploitations. It is home to elephants that have been abused in this manner or orphaned or rescued over the past ten years.Most tourists visiting the park as "day-trippers', the park does also offer 2-7 day stays, & even "volunteer" stays of 14-30 days, there is something suitable for everyone.After being collected from their hotels or lodgings in Chiang Mai, the first port of call for the visitors is to buy fruit at the market, an elephant can eat up to 200kg of food a day, so "wholesale buying" is the order of the day.Arriving at the park you meet the other tourists, numbering on average between twenty & forty, also dependent on time of the year. Your guide for the day begins by introducing you to the various elephants and their relationships with each other and before long a dozen or so of them are sniffing around the visitors with their trunks, expecting lunch shortly.Each elephant has a laundry basket full of fruit made to order. One wants its watermelons peeled, another won't eat bananas, and another won't touch the cucumbers until the rest has all gone. Feeding doesn't take long & there are enough elephants for every tourist to have their own to feed and you soon discover their personalities.There are cheeky elephants, nosy elephants, lonely elephants, greedy elephants, fast eaters and slow eaters. But be warned -you won't get out of this exercise without a lot of elephant drool and snot on your hands!After the elephants have their lunch the tour groups will have theirs, the food is actually very good, it's a buffet so there is something for everyone, even including vegetarians which for Thailand is quite unusual.Once lunch is over it is time for the next highlight of the day. The elephants are bathed twice a day at around 1pm and 4pm, and it is without doubt their favourite times of day, and certainly by the time its bath time they are usually completely covered in a mixture of mud, dirt and flies.Everyone heads to the river for the washing ritual and it is one of the funniest things you could ever see. These giants of the jungle like nothing better than splashing around & playing in the water, rolling over and over. At times they totally disappear under the water only to reappear and trumpet water over anyone & everyone within range.With buckets and scrubbing brushes the visiting group sets to work cleaning, much to the appreciation of the elephants.After the elephants have been bathed, if Lek (the founder) is available, she always appears to greet both the tourists & to say hello to "her family", as she approaches, all of the elephants come over to greet her and it is very clear she has a special affinity with them.The groups are also informed about the individual elephants & the sorry tales behind each of them, one of them walks like an invalid this is because her legs got broken in various logging accidents. Another one is totally blind because the mahout (handler) stabbed her eyes out with arrows in order to get "obedience" from it. Yet another was shot because he threw some tourists off his back whilst undertaking a dangerous ascent up a narrow jungle path, even " The King" of the elephants had been a victim of ivory poachers.Every elephant has a different story, but the common bond shared between them all is that they have suffered abuse at the hands of us humans!.As the sun starts to set, the day trippers leave & the "boarders" watch some of the very gentle training that is used to keep the elephants happy & contented.Dinner is equally as delicious as lunch, and we have chance to meet & chat with the volunteers, some of whom have been at the Elephant Nature Park for weeks some even months!.The accommodation is somewhat on the "rustic" side, but the beds are comfortable, and it's surprising just how tired you get during your day with the elephants.The nights though are far from silent, as apart from the 31 elephants there are well over 50 other "pets" ranging from dogs, cats, water buffalo & cows, not to mention the frogs, and millions of insects throughout the park.All round it's great fun & the experience of living & working with the elephants is something that provides fabulous living memories for many years to come !!.Please visit the Elephant Nature Park website at:http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/index.htm for more details.

Mae Tho National

2009-04-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

Mae Tho National Park Topography

Mae Tho National Park is situated between the northern latitudes of 18o 07' - 18o 29' and the eastern longitudes of 98o 8.5' - 98o 24' . The National Park’s headquarters is located at the Water Source Development Unit 6 (Doi Mae Tho), Ban Lao-li, Mu 9 (separated from Ban Maetho Mu 10), Tambon Bosali, Hot District, Chiang Mai Province.

The geographical features of the National Park consist of steep mountains (400-1,699 meters above the medium sea level), extending northwards in the same mountain range of Doi Inthanon. Mountains in the northern part of the area are about 20%-40% steeper than those in the southern part. The average altitude of the area is 1,000 meters above the medium sea level. Doi Kio Rai-mong is the highest mountaintop (1,699 meters above the medium sea level), located at Ban Pang Hin-fon, Mae-Chaem District. Meanwhile, the National Park’s office is located at the approximate altitude of 1,200 meters above the medium sea level.

Climate

The weather at the National Park can be divided into 3 seasons including the rainy season (May-September) with the highest temperature of 25oC and the lowest temperature of 10oC ; winter (October-February) with the highest temperature of 20oC and the lowest temperature of 4oC ; and summer (March-April) with the highest temperature of 30oC and the lowest temperature of 12oC . The average year-round highest temperature is 27oC and the average year-round lowest temperature is 8oC. And the average rainfall at the National Park is 1,030 mm/year.

Flora and Fauna

There are various kinds of forests and plants within the areas of the National Park, including tropical evergreen forests of which major plants include Ironwood, rubber trees, Michelia Alba, Indian Mahogany, Mangifera Caloneura Kurz (wild mango), Therm, Garuga Pinnata (Ta-kram), Alstonia Scholaris (Teen Ped), and lower plants include Takran Mhaktao, Ploo-din, Kreu-tuay, and Gastrochilus Pandurata (Kra-chai); virgin forests of which major plants include Quercus Kerril Craib (Kor-pae), Kor-duan, Castanopsis Cerebrina (Kor-tamoo), Red zebra wood (Rak-yai), Aromadendron Elegans Bl., and lower plants include Carex Baccans Nees (Ya-kombang), pigeon peas, Aglaia Pirifera (Kangkao-din), Saab-ma, etc.; mixed forests of which major plants include teaks, Xylia Xylocarpa (redwood plants), Leguminosae (Pradoo), Lagerstroemia (Tabaek), Lagerstroemia Tomentosa Presl. (Se-lah), Anogeissus Acuminata Wall. (Takien Noo), rubber trees, and lower plants include bamboo and grasses; pinery and timber forests (mostly found in the area of Hod District) of which major plants include Pinus Kesiya Royle Ex Gordon (three-leaf pines), Lithocarpus Cantleyanus (Kor), Soloropyrum Wallichianum (Muad), Red zebra wood (Rak-yai), timbers, Shorea Siamensis (Rang), Dipterocarpus Intricatus (Hiang), Dipterocarpus Tuberculatus (Pluang), and lower plants include Dodonaca Viscosa (Ya-pek), Arundinaria Pusilla (Phai-jod), and other kinds of grasses.

Wild animals found in the National Park include gaur, deer, goral, Muliacus Muntjak, bears, gibbons, monkeys, langur, masked palm civets, rabbits, wild boars, and elephants, inhabiting in Om-koi Sanctuary, Dong Sam-muen and Mae-pai Forests, peacocks, pheasants, red jungle fowls, parrots, Gracula Religiosa, Trogon, hawks, woodpeckers, constrictors, pythons, cobras, monitor lizards, ground lizards, turtles, soft-shelled turtles, frogs, small green frogs, bull frogs, and fish in gullies and rivers, particularly Mae-jam River.

Doi Mae Tho Viewpoint

Doi Mae Tho National Park has been a well-known sightseeing spot since His Majesty the King has visited the National Park in 1980. Unfortunately, the former responsible unit (Water Source Development Unit 6) has recently lacked the budget and staff for maintenance of accommodations and the surroundings, therefore, flowers and plants are not as beautiful as they used to be. At present, the National Park is improving the sightseeing spot to regain its reputation and attractiveness.

Regarding the travelling route to the sightseeing spot, you may take Highway No.108 (Hot-Mae Sariang) until reaching Baan Kong-loi (km 54), then, make a right hand turn to Highway No.1270 and go straight on for 16 kilometers until reaching Ban Lao-li. Then, make a right hand turn to the National Park’s office, which is located approximately 500 meters away from the branch road. From the sightseeing spot, you will be impressed with the sea of fogs reaching the mountaintop of Doi Inthanon.

Activities :

View

<> Mae-aep Waterfall

Mae-aep Waterfall is approximately 10-12 meters wide. The Waterfall is beautiful and attracts many tourists to visit in the dry season. The Waterfall is located approximately 6 km away from the National Park’s office. You may take the same route to the sightseeing spot until reaching Ban Mae-aep and take a branch road from Baan Mae-aeb for approximately 3 km until reaching the parking spot, then, travel on foot for approximately 1 km to the Waterfall.

Activities :

View

Nature trail study

Waterfall Traveling

Mae-lit Waterfall

Mae-lit Waterfall is approximately 8-10 meters wide and 12-15 meters high. The Waterfall is very beautiful and attracts many Thai and foreign tourists to visit in the dry season. Local people can make supplementary incomes from providing accommodations and services to the tourists. Regarding the travelling route to the Waterfall, you may take Highway No.108 (Hot-Mae Sariang) until reaching km 63, then, make a left hand turn to Ban Thung Lung and go straight on for approximately 12 km and travel on foot for approximately 500 meters to the Waterfall.

Activities :

View

Nature trail study

Waterfall Traveling

Rafting on the Mae Chaem River

To get to the starting point for rafting on the Mae Chaem River, you may take Highway No.108 (Mae Chaem ? Ban Na-bangdin) and go straight on for approximately 6 km until reaching the Salak Hin Ranger Station. And you may go ashore when the raft reaches Ban Kong-pae, Tambon Tha-pha of Mae Chaem District, Chiang Mai Province.

Activities :

Rafting

Travelling activities along the route of Ban Mae-ping Noi, Sop Mae-tum, and Sop Huai Kong-pae.

You may begin with travelling by a four-wheel-drive vehicle along the route of Ban Mae-ping Noi?Ban Om-raet, visit the Huai Mae-chuea Waterfall on the way to Ban Om-rat, and stay overnight on the side of Mae-tum River (the vehicle may be parked at the National Park’s headquarters). Then, you may visit Tham Luang Mae-tum, a cave which has beautiful pillar-shaped stalagmites and stalactites and being inhabited by a large number of bats. After that, you may travel by boat along Mae-tum River to visit natural cactus-shaped timber forests and mixed forests on both sides of Mae-tum River and you can see islets and reefs in Mae-tum River until reaching Sop Huai Mae-tum, where Mae-tum River meets Mae Chaem River, and finish with travelling by boat along Mae Chaem River to visit virgin mixed forests, since the vehicle route has not yet been opened for tourists. Interested tourists who need guides may directly contact officials of the National Park and prepare their own supplies.

Activities :

View

Nature trail study

Cave/Geological Touring

Waterfall Traveling

Rafting

Travelling activities along the route of Ban Mae-khan, Sop Mae-tum, and Sop Huai Kong-pae.

The route, which is suitable for rafting on the Mae Chaem River, starts from Mae-khan Checkpoint, Salak-hin Ranger Station passing Kaeng Sop-khan, Kaeng Kho-ma, Kaeng Tha-ruea, Kaeng Khot, Kaeng Luang, Kaeng Op, Hat Chiang-da, Wang Khwai-phueak, Ban Sop-long (where you can see beautiful cliffs and forests on both sides of Mae-jam River), Sob Mae-tum and finishes with rafting. The route is approximately 25 kilometers long and taking approximately 11-12 hours.

Services and activities

Interested tourists may contact Mae Chaem Plantation, Op Luang National Park, or service providers to rent inflatable rafts, provided that rafting along the route requires prior permission from the National Park.

Activities :

View

Rafting

Contact Address and How to go?

Contact Address

Mae Tho National Park

P.O. Box 10 Amphur Hod Chiang Mai Thailand 50240

Tel. 0 5381 8348 E-mail reserve@dnp.go.th

How to go?

By Car

From the city of Chiang Mai, you may take Highway No.102 (Chiang Mai-Hot) for 89 kilometers until reaching Hot District, then take Highway No.108 (Hot-Mae Sariang) passing the Op-luang National Park’s office for 54 kilometers until reaching Ban Kong-loi, then make a right hand turn to Highway No.1270 (Ban Kong-loi ? Ban Maetho) for 16 kilometers until reaching a branch road. Then, make a right hand turn to the National Park’s headquarters, which is located approximately 500 meters away from the branch road.

Phu Soi Dao National Park

2009-04-20T02:46:00.000-07:00

General Information
Phu Soi-dao National Park is situated in an approximately area of 78.34 square kilometers or 48,962.5 rai, covering the areas of Pa Nam-pad National Conserved Forest, Tambol Muang-jedton, Tambol Na-khum, Tambol Ban Koak, Ban Koak District, Huai Moon District, Nam-pad District of Uttaradit Province, and Tambol Bor-pak, Chattrakarn District of Pittsanulok Province. The topography of the National Park consist of beautiful virgin forests, which are the sources of streams and rivers. Major sightseeing spots include Phu Soi-dao Waterfall, a beautiful 5-step waterfall situated in an approximate area of 1,000 rai, which can be accessed by an asphaltic road to facilitate the travelling for recreational purpose.

The geographical features of the National Park consist of high mountains (500-1,800 meters above the sea level), extending northwards and being used as the boundary between Thailand and Laos. The areas of mountains and forests are approximately 85 percent of the total area of the National Park, meanwhile, the areas of flatlands are approximately 15 percent thereof.

Climate
The weather here is very comfortable all year round. Its average highest temperature is about 35.0 degrees celsius and the lowest is about 13.0 degrees celsius or the mid-average is 27.0 degrees celsius. The average rainfall is 1,334.4 milimeters/year. Its raining season starts from May to October while the winter starts from November till February and summer starts from April to June.

Flora and Fauna
The weather at the National Park is cool and breezy throughout the year and can be divided into 3 seasons including the rainy season (May-October), winter (November-February), and summer (April-June). The average highest temperature is 35.0ฐC and the lowest temperature is 13.0ฐC, meanwhile, the average temperature is 27.0ฐC; and the average rainfall is 1,344.4 mm/year.

The location of the National Park, which consists of high mountains (extending westwards), valleys, and hills, creates beautiful scenery, particularly in the morning when the area is covered with the sea of fogs. The weather is cool and pleasurable due to high humidity.

The park will be closed during january 15th - June 31th every year for forest recovering.

The Field of Three-leaf Pines on Phu Soi-dao
The Sightseeing Spot is a flatland on Phu Soi-dao Mountains (1,800 meters above sea level), covering an approximately area of 1,000 rai within Pa Nam-pad National Conserved Forest. The topography of the Sightseeing Spot consist of high/low hills of three-leaf pines and vast fields of lower plants. In the rainy season (August-September), some lower plants bloom thick bunches of beautiful flowers such as Ngon-nark, Goong (yellow) and Ya Rak-hom (dark purple). The Sightseeing Spot may only be accessed by walking for approximately 6.5 kilometers from Phu Soi-dao Waterfall (near the roadside of Highway No.1268) to the mountaintop of Phu Soi-dao, which will take you approximately 4-5 hours to reach there. And you can view a beautiful nature of the forests on the way to the Sightseeing Spot.

Phu Soi-dao Waterfall
Phu Soi-dao Waterfall is a 5-step waterfall with the flowing water throughout the year, situated in the Nam-pad National Conserved Forest in Tambol Huai-moon of Nam-pad District, Uttaradit Province (near the roadside of Highway No.1268).

Sai Thip Waterfall
Sai-thip Waterfall is a 7-step waterfall (each step of the Waterfall is approximately 5-10 meters high), located at the joints between the tropical evergreen forest and the pinery. In the rainy season, the Waterfall is particularly beautiful with its swiftly flowing water. You may also visit the field of three-leaf pines on the way to the Waterfall.

Stone fields on both sides of Pak River
The Sightseeing Spot is situated in the area of the Lasting Forests of Phu Soi-dao (as per the Cabinet’s Resolution) in Tambol Bor-pak of Chattrakarn District, Pitsanulok Province. The Sightseeing Spot originated from natural stone fields on both sides of Pak River, which flows into Daeng-noi River in Chattrakarn District. The stone fields are approximately 10-15 meters wide and 100 meters long.

Contact Address
Phu Soi Dao National Park
Huai Moui Sub-district, Amphur Nam Pad Uttaradit Thailand 53110
Tel. 0 5541 9234-5

How to go?
By Car
From the city of Pitsanulok Province, you may take Highway No.11, then, turn to Highway No.1246 and go straight on until reaching Ban Pae. And then, take Highway No.1143 passing Chattrakarn District. Then, turn to Highway No.1237 passing Ban Bor-pak and Highway No.1268 until reaching Phu Soi-dao Waterfall situated at the National Park. The total distance is approximately 199 kilometers.

ps: I'm back home. Did you miss me ^_^

Khao Lam Sing Forest Park

2009-04-13T23:50:00.000-07:00

Khao Lam Sing Forest Park located in Parlane-Klongphlew National Reserved Forest, Banggachai Sub-district, Lamsing District, Chanthaburi Province. It is about 9,500 Rais (15.2 square kilometers) and has been declared a forest park by the Royal Forest Department since October 25, 1983.

Topography
The area consists of small mountains jutted out into the sea; some areas are beaches, islands such as Nomsao Island and Chula Island. It is mangrove forest on the mountains high 0-172 meters above mean sea level. The area, located in the eastern part of the Gulf of Thailand, always has sea breeze which also causes rain regularly. The temperature is about 25-30 degrees Celsius.

Flora and Fauna
The main plants are Krabog (Simaroubaceae), Krabarg (Dipterocarpaceae), Yangdang (Dipterocarpus alatus), black plum, julutong, wide mangosteen, tamarind and Shorea. The shrubberies are Palmae family, such as, Caryota, and ferns. There are the narrow lines of trees along the beaches, especially has Casuarina equisetifolia, tropical almond, and coral tree on the western side of Lam Sing Mountain, Nomsao Island, and Chula Island.

Mammals found today are small-size animal such as, mouse deer, wild boar, porcupine, hare, squirrel, bamboo rat, mole rat, crab-eating macaque. Birds are spotted dove, red-headed trogon, lesser and greater coucal, swallow, and many kinds of kingfisher. Reptiles are Indian monitor, land monitor, tree lizard, skink, and sea turtle. Aquatic Lives are snapper, Indian mackerel, chub mackerel, mullet, shrimp, squid, and many kinds of crab and shellfish. There also are coral lines along the beaches and surrounded Nomsao Island.

Contact Address and How to go?
Contact Address
Khao Lam Sing Forest Park
Banggachai sub-district, Amphur Lam Sing Chanthaburi

How to go?
By Car
There are two convenient ways to get there. The first way is 350 kilometers from Bangkok to Chanthaburi Province and to Lam Sing District, and 400 meters on boat to the Forest Park Office. The second way is 280 kilometers from Bangkok to Tharmai District, and 25 kilometers along the road Tharmai-Banggachai.

National Park Entry Fees

- Adult: Baht100-400.-/person (depends on national park)
- Children(0 - <14 years old): Baht50-200.-/person (depends on national park)

ps. This week is long vacation. I will not be at home. don't miss me ^_^

Klong Tron National Park,The great adventure.

2009-04-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

Klong Tron National Park is situated in an approximate area of 518.80 square kilometers, covering the areas of virgin forests in Thongsaengkhan District, Nam Pad District of Uttaradit Province. Apart from large canals and gullies, the National Park also has beautiful natural sightseeing spots including Huai Niam Waterfall, Kokmonkaew Waterfall, Tham Jan, Tham Jedee, Tham Suadao, Tham Phatang, Kao Phumiang, as well as cliffs, and provides recreational facilities.

Topography
The geographical features of the National Park consist of high and low mountains. Major mountains of the National Park include Kao-phumiang, Kao-kwumrua, Kao-ngairua, Kao-samliam, Kao-yuak, Kao-thanon, Kao-daed, Kao-maipha, Kao-takbon, Kao-namyai, Kao-phakkhuang, Kao-jan. Kao-phumiang is the highest mountaintop (1,500 meters above the medium sea level) located in the east of the National Park, and being the source of major gullies flowing westward into the Nan River.

Flora and Fauna
There are various kinds of forests within the areas of the National Park, including arid, evergreen forests, virgin forests, pinery, mixed forests, and timber forests. Major plants include Irvingia malayana Oliv. (Krabok), Hopea ferrea Pierre (Takienhin), Anisoptera costata (Krabak), Indian mahogany, Pometia pinnata (Sompong), rubber trees, Malacca trees, Michelia alba, teak, Xylia xylocarpa (redwood plants), Leguminosae (Pradoo), Lagerstroemia (Tabaek), Schleichera oleosa (Takraw), Vitex pinnata Linn. (Teen Nok), Terminalia chebula (Samor Thai), Shorea obtusa Wall. (Teng-rung), Dipterocarpus intricatus (Hiang), Dipterocarpus tuberculatus (Pluang), Cratoxylon pruniflorum (Tew), cratoxylon formosum (Taew), and different kinds of Lithocarpus cantleyanus (Kor).
Wild animals found in the National Park include goral, bears, Muntiacus Muntjak, mouse deer, clouded leopards, fishing cats, masked palm civets, wild rabbits, wild boars, monkeys, loris, mongooses, squirrels, tree shrews, porcupines, and different kinds of reptiles.

Tourist Attractions

Doi Phu Miang
Activities : - View - flowers admiring - Nature trail study

Huai Kom Waterfalls
Huai Kom Waterfalls are situated in the middle part of Huai Kom Gully, Ban Huai Kom, Tambol Namphai, Nam Pad District. The Waterfalls consist of three waterfalls, including a single-step, 15-meter-high waterfall; a 2-step, 15-meter-high waterfall (situated approximately 200 meters away from the first waterfall); and a single-step, 20-meter-high waterfall (situated approximately 30 meters away from the second waterfall). The Waterfalls are situated approximately 5 km away from Ban Huai Kom. Tourists have to access the Waterfalls by walking due to unavailability of vehicle routes.
Activities : - Waterfall Traveling

Huai Niam Waterfall
Huai Niam Waterfall is a 3-step, 5-meter-high waterfall, situated in the middle part of Huaysab Gully (locally called “Huai Niam” Gully). Tourists have to access the Waterfall by walking approximately 3 km from Ban Huai Niam due to unavailability of vehicle routes.
Activities : - Waterfall Traveling

Huai Sai Waterfall
Huai Sai Waterfall is a single-step, 35-meter-high waterfall, originating from Huai Sai (or Huay Kwumrua) Gully, and situated in Ban Bangkhanpom. The Waterfall cannot be accessed by car.
Activities : - Nature trail study - Waterfall Traveling

Kaojedee
Kaojedee is a beautiful and unique pagoda-shaped stony mountain, situated approximately 500 meters away from Thamjan.
Activities : - Cave/Geological Touring

Klong Tron Waterfalls
Originating from Klong Tron Gully, the Klong Tron Waterfalls consist of two separate waterfalls, including a 4-step, 20-meter-high waterfall, situated approximately 1,500 meters away from the other 30-meter-high waterfall. Tourists have to access the Waterfalls by walking due to unavailability of vehicle routes.
Activities : - Waterfall Traveling

Pha Phu Miang

Pha Phu Miang is a beautiful and unique large-sized cliff, situated between Ban Tonkhanun and Ban Bangkhampom (approximately 10 km away from the village). When overlooking from the cliff, tourists are able to have a view of the whole village. Tourists have to access the cliff by walking due to unavailability of vehicle routes.
Activities : - Waterfall Traveling

Phu Miang Waterfall
Phu Miang Waterfall is an 11-step waterfall (each step of the Waterfall is approximately 30-45 meters high), originating from Huai Miang Gully, and situated between Ban Bangkhampom and Ban Huai Kom (approximately 8 km away from the village). The Waterfall does not have the flowing water throughout the year. And the Waterfall cannot be accessed by car.
Activities : - Waterfall Traveling

Tham Jan
Tham Jan is a medium-sized, 15-meter-wide cave, situated in the right-hand side of Klongtron National Conserved Forest, within the areas of Tambol Phak-khwa and Tambol Thongsaengkhan, at the depth of 200 meters from the cave entrance. The Cave cannot be accessed by car.
Activities : - Cave/Geological Touring

Tham Wua Daeng and Tham Sua Dao
Tham Wua Daeng and Tham Sua Dao are small-sized caves, situated approximately 200 meters away from Thamjan. The caves have narrow entrances and many branch lines inside.
Activities : - Cave/Geological Touring

Contact Address and How to go?
Contact Address
Klong Tron National Park
Moo3 Tambol Namphai, Amphur Nam Pad Uttaradit Thailand 53110

How to go?
By Car
From Muang District of Uttaradit Province, you may take Highway No.11 to Ban Nam Ang of Tron District, and take Highway No.1047 to Nam Pad District (Total distance from Muang District to Nam Pad District is 70 km).
Regarding the alternative route from the city of Uttaradit to Nam Pad District, you may take Highway No.1045 for 68 km. From the Nam Pad District Office, take Highway No.1212 (Huay Dua-Ban Pear) to Ban Ton Khanun, Moo 3 Tambol Namphai, Nam Pad District until reaching the National Park’s temporary office (Total distance from the Nam Pad District Office to the National Park’s Office is 23 km).

National Park Entry Fees

Adult: Baht100-400.-/person (depends on national park)
Children(0 - <>

ps. Riot in Thailand wiil be end soon,don't worry nahh people.

Yala,the country of love ...

2009-04-08T14:05:00.000-07:00

Yala, Southern Thailand

Yala is the southern most province of Thailand having Amphoe Betong as the southern most town, bordering on the Malaysia. Yala is a big city with graceful looking township are having a splendid city plan layout while its roads are large in size
having a grand government offices center and is the town of a gigantic Reclining Buddha of Sivichaya period which is regarded one of the three monuments of the South. There is yet a large number of tourist attractions and places of interest in the province which is 1,084 kms., through the highway route, from Bangkok and its main economy depends on rubber plant production. The main geographical area of Yala is forest and mountain having very little area of plain and basin. Its forestry area occupies a space up to 2,012,500 rais thus causing much rains through the whole year around. There are several rivers and canals, but the important one is Pattani River having its origin in the mountainous jungle area of Yala. Rainy season in Yala lasts nine months in one year and the province occupies a total area of 4,521 square kilometres and being administratively divided into six Amphoes and two King Amphoes : Muang, Bannang Sata, Betong, Raman, Yaha, Than To, King Amphoe Kabong and King Amphoe Krong Pinang, bordering on the Malaysia to the south and west, Pattani and Songkhla to the north, and Narathiwat to the east.

Yala Attractions:

Wat Khuha Phimuk or Wat Na Tham This monastery is 7 kms. from the township area along the road to Amphoe Yaha. This wat is commonly called by the villagers as Wat Na Tham having a big cave and inside of which a large ancient Reclining Buddha is enshrined. This Reclining Buddha is believed to have been constructed in the 757 A.D. and is of Sivichaya style Reclining Buddha.

Banglang Dam It is located in Ban Banglang, Tambon Ba Cho, Amphoe Bannang Sata, on Yala - Betong route, 58 kms. from Yala township. Banglang Dam is famous for its beautiful scenery and suitable for a peaceful relaxation.

Nam Tok Ku Long or Nam Tok Sukthalai This waterfall is in the Southern Self - help Settlement, Amphoe Bannang Sata, about 50 kilometers from Yala township by the Yala - Betong Highway. The waterfall itself is about eight kilometers off the highway. It has fine cascades with a royal pavilion built in honour of the King's Mother.

Nam Tok Than To Forest Park This park is located about km. 57 - 58 of Yala - Betong Highway. The area is an arboretum with beautiful decorations, suitable for a weekend picnic, surrounded by high mountains having a waterfall cascading through the nine leveled top of a high mountain.

Than To Self Help Settlement This is another place of interest in Yala, located nearby Yala - Betong highway before arriving at Nam Tok Than To. The settlement is of large size located amidst the mountain ranges where the members cultivate many kinds of crop including Korean ginseng.

Piya Mit Underground Shelter It is an underground retreat built by members of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) on a hill in a jungle, about 3 kms. from Nam Tok Inthason. It's now preserved as a historical site.

Amphoe Betong This is an interesting border town of Yala, located about 126 kms. from Yala township area. Households constructed in Betong are of firm and large in size. Its modernization is equivalent to the province inself of better than some certain provinces of Thailand. There is a road linking Thailand and Malaysia at Betong Check Point. The biggest letter box in the world can be seen here in this town. Hot Spring This spa is situated in the area of Mu Ban Bo Nam Ron, Tambon Tano Maero, Amphoe Betong, about 13 kilometers from Betong Town. It is a large natural hot spring with mineral water that is good for curative of skin diseases and muscular pain.

Nam Tok Inthason This waterfall is situated about three kilometers from the hot spring. It is on a shady area with falls and natural pools ideal for a swim or a rest.

Mu Ban Sakai Another unique feature of Yala is the presence of a "Sakai" aboriginal community. It is located in Tambon Ban Hae, Amphoe Than To, on Yala - Betong route, 80 kms. from Yala township area. The Sakai, with dark skin tone, flat face, flat nostrils and curly hair, still live their primitive lives tending small vegetable patches and searching for herbal roots and trees in the jungle. Numbering only 20 - 30 households, the Sakai are now given the opportunity to catch up with the outside world, with the aid of teachers from the city.

Asean Barred Ground Dove Festival This festival falls in March every year. Dove - lovers from all over Thailand as well as from other countries in the region like Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, come to Yala for this event. The highlight is dove - cooing contest involving more than 1,400 competitors; young prize doves are on sale along with local products and sports contests are held.

Ton Sak Yai, My once upon a time in Forest Park.

2009-04-05T03:48:00.000-07:00

Giant Teak Tree (Ton Sak Yai)
At Uttaradit Province,Ton Sak Yai (Giant Teak Tree) Forest Park is located in Ban Pang Kleua, Moo 4, Num Srai District, Num Pard Ampur

The Giant Teak Tree is the world’s largest teak living today. At 1.30 metre above ground, the tree has perimeter of 9.85 metres (measured on 13 October 1982) and height of 47 metres. It has estimated longevity at least 1,500 years old. Surrounding the Giant Teak tree, there are medium sized teaks, teak seedlings in the teak-dominated Mixed Deciduous forest
Activities : - Nature trail study - Mineral water bath

Just remind something for writting about this place. ^_^

Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit,The oldest university in Thailand.

2009-04-04T19:41:00.000-07:00

Wat Mahathat Yuwarajarangsarit Rajaworamahavihara (Thai: วัดมหาธาตุยุวราชรังสฤษฎิ์ราชวรมหาวิหาร) is a Buddhist Temple in Bangkok, Thailand. It is one of the 6 royal temples of the highest class (Thai: พระอารามหลวง ชั้นเอก ชนิดราชวรมหาวิหาร).

Built during Ayutthaya period, the temple was then known as Wat Salak. Soon after Bangkok was established as the capital of Siam, the temple became strategically situated in between the newly-built Grand Palace and Front Palace (residence of the vice-king). As a result, the temple was used for royal ceremonies and funerals.

Throughout the past two centuries, the temple has been renovated and elevated in status by many Thai kings and royalties. It became the Wat Mahathat of Bangkok in 1803 and was given its current name in 1996.

Chulalongkorn University , Thailand's oldest higher education institute for Buddhist monks, is located within the temple.

History: Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit Ratchaworamahawiharn - The first classed royal monastery of Ratchaworamahawiharn, Maha Nikai sect. Initially called Wat Salak was founded since Ayutthaya period, it was a royal temple in Thon Buri period, then renovated by Somdet Phra Bowonratchao Maha Surasinghanat about 1783 and renamed to Wat Nipphanaram. In 1788, King Rama I had all the Tripitaka thoroughly reviewed in this temple which he renamed it to Wat Phra Sri Sanphet. He eventually renamed the monastery once again to Wat Mahathat. The temple in which the Buddha relics are enshrined and the supreme patriarch resides. Ubosot (the ordination hall) is considered the country's biggest one, large enough for 1,000 monks to gater at one time. It is a Thai styled building with carved, gilded and mirror decorated gables. The temple also has Maha Chulalongkorn Ratchawitthayalai, university for monks located inside.

Ko Lan,The First Paradise In Thailand.

2009-04-03T10:55:00.001-07:00

Ko Lan (เกาะล้าน) is one of the Eastern Seaboard Islands of Thailand. Ko Lan is the largest of the "Near Islands", off South Pattaya. It is located at the SE end of the Bay of Bangkok, on the eastern side of the Gulf of Siam. Administratively Ko Lan belongs to the Amphoe Bang Lamung, Chonburi Province.

Ko Lan lies 8 Km away from the nearest shore and it is about 4 Km in length. It is a hilly island, covered with low tropical forest; its highest point reaches 205 m and there is a Buddhist shrine on top of the mountain. The island has two small villages on it: Ban Ko Lan and Ban Krok Makhan where there are lodgings and restaurants. There are ferries connecting Ko Lan to the mainland. Some local tour operators in nearby Pattaya organize picnic and snorkelling excursions to Ko Lan because there is a relaxed atmosphere and beaches with clear water. The ferry ride takes about 40 minutes. Ferries leave South Pattaya Pier daily from 10:00 am to 6.30 pm, the one-way fare is 20 Baht. The return ferry leaves Koh Lan’s Na Ban Beach at 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm.

Most of Ko Lan's beaches are on its western side. The most visited one is Tawaen Beach, where there is a small harbor. All the length of the beach is lined with small tourist shops behind which are dining halls of restaurants whose menu is based mainly on fish and seafood. Other beaches are Tonglang Beach, Tien Beach, Samae Beach and Naon Beach.

"Ko Lan" is the name of the island in the Royal Thai General System of Transcription. It is also known as "Koh Larn" in the English-based Thai transcription that is now becoming obsolete.

The Koh Larn Classic is a sailing and running race event held at the nearby Royal Varuna Yacht Club in Pattaya.

Koh Larn Island is a nice Island about 20 mins speedboat ride from Pattaya. If you get there nice and early you'll have the beach to yourself. The water is nice and clean and the sand nice and golden. You can snorkel, jetski, parasail or banana boat near here. There is also a small shop selling souvenirs, and freshly cooked Thai food. You can also hire sun loungers and other equipment. When I was there in 2004 I hired a football to play with on the beach. The best thing about Koh Larn Island is you will not get bothered by any vendors trying to sell you things and there is no sign of traffic unlike South Pattaya and Jomtien beaches. I payed around 1000 baht in 2004 for a speedboat to take me to Koh Larn from Jomtien, the boat also waited for me all day and returned late in the afternoon.

Songkran Festival

2009-04-02T15:45:00.000-07:00

Of all the feasts and festivals in Thailand, which are many, the Songkran Festival is the most striking, for it is widely observed not only in this country but also in Burma, Cambodia and the Lao State.

Songkran is a Sanskrit word in Thai form which means the entry of the sun into any sign of the Zodiac. But the Songkran in this particular instance is when the sun enters the sign of Aries or the Ram. Its full name is Maha Songkran or Major Songkran to distinguish it from the other ones. But the people call it simply the Songkran for it is the only one they know and in which they take interest. It is their traditional New Year when they can enjoy their holidays to the full with no economic hindrance. Songkran is a fixable feast on the solar calender. It begins on the 13th April and ends on the 15th April, but occasionally in certain years on the 16th April. The Songkran is in fact the celebration of the vernal equinox similar to those of the Indian Holi Festival, the Chinese Ching Ming, and the Christian Festival of Easter. The beginning of spring when the sun crosses the equator is now on the 21st of March which is due to the precession of the equinox. The Songkran Festival is in a certain sense like April Fool's Day, when the maids of the village play pranks on any gallant who happens to pass by their way. He will be caught and bound by the united strength of the maids and they will daub him with blacking.

PS: i have booking to play songkran at Pattaya.last year,it's fun a lot at there. ^_^

and here is the good video that show all what i want to write ^_^

Pattaya, Thailand, The Extrem City - The most popular videos are here

7 Wonders of Amazing Thailand TVC 60 Seconds.

2009-04-02T04:05:00.000-07:00

Just want to relax on writting and find article one day.
here is a commercial that i like a lot.
it make my hometown very beautiful ^_^.

Dusk till Dawn: Samui nightlife ...

2009-04-01T03:17:00.000-07:00

Disco

Nightspots offerings here vary from a lounge in the bar to disco dancing. You can't expect Pattaya or Bangkok here, but you will certainly not miss excitement if that's what you are looking for.

The open-bars beckon for some lazy talks; for pepping up for the big party later, which most all travelers here revel into. The Jazz Junction which is at Chaweng Beach Road provides you an ideal place to simply chat and dawdle on. It's quiet elegance is boosted by divine cocktails, cool, jazz, smooth grooves and sunshine soul. The Thai-house-inspired bar is open from 4 p.m. to 2 p.m.

You can also head off to The Club where a different atmosphere greets you: warm candlelight's and electric music acid jazz, soul, funk, mellow grooves and a rare feeling of one ness with the crowd. How about some light entertainment? Then come to the Christy Cabaret, Samui's own brand of cabaret. After that slow but sure gearing up, you are then ready for Samui's frenetic body ventures.

One of the most popular discos is the Green Mango. Dancing starts 10 p.m. and lasts until the wee hours of the morning. The big dance floor throbs with a crowd sweating it out to the latest disco tunes. But you can also have an open space with tables just a little farther from the main dance floor.
The popular Reggae Pub in Chaweng, noted for its logo which shows the face of Bob Marley. Reggae music is the fixture here and a live band leads you to wild dancing

And at Lamai beach, you have the main party place - Bauhaus. Screens showing live sport events capture some people but it is because Bauhaus is for everyone's enjoyment. The place sets a different theme on certain days and there is also a night for your dancing shoes to be polished since true-blue underground music will charm you.

Cabaret

Cabaret shows are relatively new in the Samui scene. But slowly, the shows are gaining adherents both locals and foreigners. The show is patterned over the elaborate musicals and features songs and dances (with a mixture of Chinese and American songs and including classical and modern Thai dances) spiced up with gags by popular comedy acts as available on the island.

The glamour of the performers are probably the main attraction, though. These performers excite the audience with their glittering costumes, made to complement the dazing production designs. Bring your whole family and spend a wonderful time with cabaret show.

Live Music
The Beach Pub at Secret Garden has become one of South East Asia's leading venues during the last 5 years. Musicians, both pro and semi-pro have the chance to play stress free, on a wonderful beach, with other musicians from all over the world. If you're a musician and are planning a visit to Thailand, come and join us. We have professional equipment, have instruments and professional staff on the engineering side. These sessions take place every Sunday afternoon from 4p.m. until 8p.m. and usually attracts a crowd of 2 to 3 hundred people, all in a party mood.

It's more than Island. It's a paradise on earth.isn't i ^_^

Traveling in fast forward – Bangkok, Thailand in 24 hours

2009-03-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

by: Rene Smith

After arriving in Bangkok at around 3am, I found that my room was unavailable due to it being flooded, not the best way to start my 24 hour adventure but not enough to slow me down. After a power cut and a couple of hours waiting I finally got my room, I didn’t really have enough time to sleep much after the delay, so I had to settle for just a couple of hours.

I got up at 8.30am and felt surprisingly refreshed, it’s not often you have to survive on only 2 hours sleep but at the same time it’s not often you get the opportunity to explore an environment and culture that’s completely new to you. I took a look out the window and just gazed at the concrete jungle that is Bangkok.

For the troubles of the night before, the hotel graciously gave me a free breakfast and a few other nice treats. I enjoyed a few fruits that I’d never had before; I’m quite the food lover so even simple things like that were interesting to me. It’s amazingly humid and very hot, 30 degrees at just 9am in the morning. Luckily for me and the other Hotel guests having breakfast, there are half a dozen huge fans cooling the area.

After finishing up my breakfast I head out into the unknown. I have no idea where I’m going or what I want to do which is part of the fun, it’s sometimes nice to have no plans or schedule, just the freedom to do whatever crosses your path.

It doesn’t take much time for me to meet some of the locals, there are street vendors everywhere and they can be very persistent, with an emphasis on very. It’s a little intimidating at first but after a good 5 hours of shopping I was a pro.

The Pantip Plaza was the first real building I stumbled into, it was full of cheap gadgets and huge amounts of DVD’s (all no doubt perfectly legal). I moved onto Siam Square next and watched a game of street football which was cool. The temperature was edging 35 degrees at this stage and this seemed even more surprising when I looked up and spotted a huge dark cloud forming right above me.

It didn’t take long for the rain to come and what a display it was. I’ve never encountered such a massive display of thunder and lightening in my life. Everyone scurried through the shop awnings and backstreets to take cover, it was impressive watching the speed at which the street vendors set up protection from the rain, this was obviously something they had learned to put up with. It felt like I was wading through millions of people as I made my way back to the hotel, it was cramped before the rain arrived but now it was just crazy.

After a nice dinner, I did some more looking around. I found some cool t-shirts and plenty of great presents for when I eventually got back home to New Zealand. While haggling over prices was new definitely new to me, I ended up enjoying it. It’s not something I could really be bothered with all the time but for that one day it was really fun.

My 24 hours in Bangkok was nearly over. I had to get some sleep before my early flight to London, especially after missing out the night before. It was a shame I had to leave so soon but I’m looking forward to coming back another time and exploring more of Bangkok, especially their many beautiful temples and other tourist attractions. 24 hours certainly wasn’t long but it was enough to give me a taste for Thailand and all the fun and excitement it offers.

About The Author

Credit: Rene Smith is a travel guru who lives and works in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Visit http://www.christchurchholidays.co.nz for more articles, reviews and all the information you'll ever need to know on Christchurch, New Zealand.

My Comment
HaHa, I like his review. He seem to have more fun in Thailand. Even I,the local want to go outside and tour 9 Temples right now. ^_^

Wat Tham Krabok,The Light of the New Life.

2009-03-29T05:48:00.000-07:00

Today,I please to review one of the beautiful history in Thailand.

Everybody know Tim Arnold.right?

Tim Arnold is an English songwriter and musician from Soho, London.

He was the frontman of a band called Jocasta in the mid nineties.

He has released 9 albums, 1 with Jocasta and 8 solo albums.

In 2003 Arnold travelled to a Buddhist monastery in Thailand. He was practically adopted by the abbot of the monastery who encouraged him with his music and that, in turn, opened new artistic horizons. Under the guidance of the monks, he engaged in the composition of an album in which the music was created by following cracks in the earth, which metamorphosed into pop rock melodies.

‘Lokutara’ was recorded at the monastery and became his debut solo album.

This is one history of the place that give new life to a peaple."Wat Tham Krabok"

Wat Tham Krabok is a Buddhist temple (wat) in Thailand, located in the Phra Phutthabat district of Saraburi Province.

The temple was first established as a monastery in 1958 by the Buddhist nun Mae Chee Boonruen. It was upgraded to temple status 17 years later, in 1975. The temple is majestic in its appearance, with gold pagodas marking its entrance.

Wat Tham Krabok has also gained global notoriety for its heroin and opium drug rehabilitation program, which was started in 1959. Over 100,000 heroin and opium addicts have since gone through the unique Wat Tham Krabok detox program, which includes Buddhist meditation, Asian herbal supplementation used for relaxation, induced vomiting, and the consumption of a secret detoxification potion made of over 100 unknown Asian herbs.

After failing in other detox programs, a number of prominent Western drug addicts have sought treatment at Wat Tham Krabok, including British punk rock musician and Pete Doherty, rock music singer Christy Dignam of Aslan, and American computer underground personality Patrick K. Kroupa. Because opium is commonly grown and consumed by the Hmong in the highlands of Thailand, many Hmong refugees also have undergone addiction treatment at Wat Tham Krabok.

Wat Tham Krabok also is believed to have served as a conduit for international heroin and opium trafficking and possible arms trafficking to Hmong insurgents in Laos. Responding to these concerns, the Thai military, in April 2003, deployed hundreds of troops to surround Wat Tham Krabok. Thai military and police have since fenced the Hmong village at Wat Tham Krabok with concertina wire in an effort to monitor and control entrance to it.

Finally,I hope this information can help you a bit

about one of the Amazing Thailand ^_^

Thailand Rock Climbing

2009-03-28T02:27:00.001-07:00

by: Rick Chapo

Mention Thailand and images of beaches, elephants and Bangkok come to mind. Less known is the fact Thailand rock climbing is some of the best in the world.

Thailand Rock Climbing

Located in Southeast Asia, Thailand is bordered by Cambodia, Burma and Laos in the north and Malaysia in the south. The shape of the country is somewhat similar to Italy, and you’ll find similar differences between northern and southern Thailand that you do in Italy. For rock climbing enthusiasts, the south of Thailand is where the action is.

The rock formations in Thailand are almost universally limestone. The level of climbing can be as simple as bouldering or as challenging as tackling over vertical cliffs. This makes Thailand a popular rock climbing destination since it has a little something for everyone.

Krabi

Located on the southern section of the “tail” of Thailand, Krabi has a wide variety of rock climbing challenges. Most of the climbs in this area are of the pre-bolted sport route variety. There are literally hundreds upon hundreds of climbs with difficulty levels from beginner to multi-pitch knuckle crushers.

The beauty of climbing in Krabi is…well, the beauty. While you might have visions of jungles and mosquitoes when thinking of Thailand, Krabi is an area of a different sort. Most of the climbs have been set up on cliff faces on the beach. Being natural capitalists, the Thai’s have built hotels, bars and so on at these locations. As a result, you can literally climb a multi-pitch route for five hours, cool off with a swim and then have a beer. If there is such a thing as a rock climbing heaven, many feel Krabi is it.

Before you cash in your savings, keep in mind that Thailand is a seasonal vacation spot. If you go during the wet season, there is a good chance you’ll just end up sitting around drinking beer. While that isn’t too bad, you’ll go crazy looking at the climbs that are so close, but oh so far away.

Generally, you want to head to Thailand from late November through maybe April. The summer months tend to be both incredibly hot and wet. Make sure you pull up forecasts for the area before booking a trip.

Flying to Thailand is inexpensive, but flights are incredibly long with stopovers. Still, it is all worth it once you experience Thailand rock climbing.

About The Author

credit: Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com/climbing.cfm - makers of rock climbing journals. Personal climbing journals make great Christmas gifts for rock climbing, mountain climbing and ice climbing. To read climbing articles and stories, visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com/mountain_rock_ice.

To lift motorists, smiley masks for Thai police.

2009-03-28T01:36:00.001-07:00

BANGKOK: It is the latest version of the famous Thai smile - motorcycle policemen with a bright red goofy grin painted onto their white anti-pollution masks.

For the first week of the year - and longer if people seem to be smiling back - highway policemen in Thailand will wear the masks "to lift the mood of motorists," according to police officials.

"For our highway policemen, we have the policy that the police must be friendly and smiling all the time, but the problem is, when we're tired, it's hard to keep smiling," said Colonel Somyos Promnim, the Highway Police commander.

It has been a rough year in Thailand, with revolving governments, restless mobs and a weeklong takeover of Bangkok's airports that frightened away tourists from the country that keeps on calling itself "The Land of Smiles."

"They have to put on a mask because a smile doesn't come naturally anymore," said Ammar Siamwalla, an economist who keeps a close eye on the mores of his countrymen. "Normally people smile. You don't have to put on a smiley mask.

"But these past few years that smile has worn thin because we are all angry at each other and willing to show it."

It is a complicated thing, the Thai smile, as varied, nuanced and eloquent as the bow in Japan, and apparently requiring just as many muscles.

Foreign visitors are charmed, but the truth is, it can often be as difficult to know what is behind the Thai smile as it is to guess the real expression of a police officer hiding behind a smiley mask.

Happiness or sadness, regret or anticipation, triumph or embarrassment, warmth or wickedness, the important thing - and apparently sometimes the hardest thing nowadays - is just to keep on smiling.

Earlier this month a leading polling agency, Abac, spent three days questioning 2,079 people in the Bangkok area and found that on a scale of 1 to 10, people gave Thailand only 5.77 points for being the Land of Smiles.

"People forget to smile, you know," said Kritika Kongsompong, a professor of business who for a year was Thailand's public curmudgeon as the grim host of the television import The Weakest Link.

"I think with better training we can do a better job," she said, noting that one customer service company had given its employees mirrors in which to practice their smiles. "Training should always be one of the top categories for anybody."

In dour Singapore, where social engineering is often attempted by fiat, people walked around smiling for a while a few years back in response to a campaign called Smile Singapore.

In Japan, where people can sometimes get carried away by the seriousness of life, workers have been trained to hold a chopstick in their teeth to produce the living equivalent of a smiling emoticon.

Now Thailand is attempting to live up once again to what might be a national motto, by way of the musical "Bye Bye Birdie" - "Just put on a happy face! Put on a happy face. Put on a happy face."

Starting out his new administration, the already embattled prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva - the fourth prime minister this year - made a promise to his people this month: "I will prove that once again Thailand can be the land of the free, the land of opportunities, and the land of smiles."

The highway police seem to be as good a place to start as any.

The new cloth masks, which hook behind the ears and cover the mouth and nose, will help "reduce the stress from drivers when they see the police," said Somyos, the Highway Police commander.

To that end, he said, some 200 police booths would also distribute holy water, chewing gum and mints.

He defended his force when asked why drivers needed smiley masks and gum and holy water to calm down when approached by a patrolman.

"The police are not that scary," he said. "When I was in the United States, their highway police seemed to be more fierce than Thai police. I was scared of them."

Finding your Blogging “Voice”

2009-03-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

No matter which subject you choose to write your blog about, and no matter what theme you choose or have made for your site - there is one thing, and one thing only, that will truly make your blog stand out - and that’s you.

Your writing style is your “voice” online, and once you find it, your blog will begin to shape around it. If you’re new to blogging, it may take a while for you to find your own style. When you first start its very easy to either be too dry and news-like, giving you no voice at all, or too much like one of your favorite bloggers.

Just like any writing, when you’re first starting out you will most likely look at examples of others, and whether you know it or not, will emulate them in some form or fashion. After you’ve begun to blog for a while, however, you’ll find your voice starting to creep out and eventually taking over.

For me, it was actually surprising, at first - since I was writing in the tech sector - I tried my best to emulate the big boys in that blogging world. The problem was, I didn’t really like the big boys in that world. So I quickly grew tired of it, and found my own style which has served me well.

The real question is - how do you find it?

Three words: practice, practice, practice. The more you write, the more comfortable you’ll be, and the more your true personality will shine through. Blogs, no matter what the subject, are driven by personality. It’s what separates blogs from other publishing platforms. We are allowed, by the very design of our means of publishing, to be more spontaneous and personal. So don’t be afraid to let your true voice and attitude shine through in your work.

When you write, keep in mind that if you’re reporting something like industry news, that people can go to any blog or site on that subject and get the same news. It’s the way its presented to them that makes them come to your site.

How do you present your news and information in a way that is unique to you?

Those of you that have been writing for years offline or even in forums, will probably not have trouble letting your personality show through in your blogging, but even still, you’ll find - over time - that your style will change and evolve to fit the medium in which you’re writing.

Don’t rush it, though. Take your time finding your “groove” when you first start blogging. Set a schedule that you can keep, and stick to it. If you’re more experienced, try to take an objective look at what you’re writing, and how you’re writing it. Make sure you enjoy reading what you’ve written. If you don’t find it engaging - how can you expect the reader to?

There are thousands, if not millions of different voices out there in the blogosphere, and each one them is interesting in different ways. That’s how crowded niches can still be successful for multiple blogs. It’s the different voices that make the sites unique. Find yours, and your blogging will become a little easier...and a lot more fun.

credit: http://articles.blogflux.com/.

!!! It seems that the best blogs are the older ones.
I like this article.so,i add its for warn myself.don't mind me. love you all. kiss kiss *

A Visit to The Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand

2009-03-27T02:58:00.000-07:00

The Elephant Nature Park is just one hour's drive north of the Thai city of Chiang Mai, it is located in the beautiful natural settings of the Mae Taeng Valley, which enjoys a scenic river running through it and is surrounded by the densely forested mountains of Northern Thailand.

The park operates as both a sanctuary & a rescue centre for distressed & sick Asian Elephants from all over Thailand.

The park which covers a total land area of 800 hectares (2,000 acres), was founded in 1996 and was the brainchild of Sangduen "Lek" Chailert & her husband Adam.

Lek (meaning "small" in Thai) grew up in a local village not too far away from the park, and it has been through the endless hard work of Adam & Lek plus the continued support of her family that the park has been able to continue to expand and become successful.

The "goals" of the park are very simple yet thought provoking:

" To offer a sanctuary to an endangered species - Asian Elephant numbers in Thailand have decreased dramatically over the last century from over 100,000 down to less than 2,000 animals left today.

" To help restore the ecological balance by rain forest restoration - the park is carrying out an aggressive programme of tree planting, with the aim to replant 25 acres of trees a year for 5 years to help re-introduce the rain forest & with it promote the plants & animals that rely on it.

" To preserve the cultural integrity of the local community - by creating employment and purchasing agricultural products locally the park is helping the villagers to sustain their distinct culture.

" To promote the park as a means of education - for visitors, individuals, study groups, schools and interested parties, with the key focus being on the plight of the endangered local species presented in an entertaining yet meaningful way.

The elephants that live in the sanctuary of the Elephant Nature Park are mainly from private owners having been acquired by negotiated fees.

Some of the majestic beasts merely "outlived" their usefulness to the Hill Tribe People who used them for logging purposes, as the use of the animals has diminished due to both mechanisation & much stricter controls on the management of Thailand's forests , others were so badly treated that they became weak & sick, therefore useless to their trekking camp owners.

The park is now home to 31 elephants of all ages from just one year old right up to "grand-daddy" at over 70 years old! The Elephant has a similar lifespan to humans, and form families of similar composition and duration. Some of the "youngsters" have mothers but all have "aunties". There are elephants that help out, or have adopted them, even if not genetically related. There are a couple of older male elephants including the king of the clan.

Thailand as a country is FULL of elephant "experiences" available to tourists, you can ride them, watch them paint pictures, play drums, play football, do a trick or two for food, or lug supplies on trekking adventures, but this park is different because it does not allow ANY of these cruel exploitations. It is home to elephants that have been abused in this manner or orphaned or rescued over the past ten years.

Most tourists visiting the park as "day-trippers', the park does also offer 2-7 day stays, & even "volunteer" stays of 14-30 days, there is something suitable for everyone.

After being collected from their hotels or lodgings in Chiang Mai, the first port of call for the visitors is to buy fruit at the market, an elephant can eat up to 200kg of food a day, so "wholesale buying" is the order of the day.

Arriving at the park you meet the other tourists, numbering on average between twenty & forty, also dependent on time of the year. Your guide for the day begins by introducing you to the various elephants and their relationships with each other and before long a dozen or so of them are sniffing around the visitors with their trunks, expecting lunch shortly.

Each elephant has a laundry basket full of fruit made to order. One wants its watermelons peeled, another won't eat bananas, and another won't touch the cucumbers until the rest has all gone. Feeding doesn't take long & there are enough elephants for every tourist to have their own to feed and you soon discover their personalities.

There are cheeky elephants, nosy elephants, lonely elephants, greedy elephants, fast eaters and slow eaters. But be warned -you won't get out of this exercise without a lot of elephant drool and snot on your hands!

After the elephants have their lunch the tour groups will have theirs, the food is actually very good, it's a buffet so there is something for everyone, even including vegetarians which for Thailand is quite unusual.

Once lunch is over it is time for the next highlight of the day. The elephants are bathed twice a day at around 1pm and 4pm, and it is without doubt their favourite times of day, and certainly by the time its bath time they are usually completely covered in a mixture of mud, dirt and flies.

Everyone heads to the river for the washing ritual and it is one of the funniest things you could ever see. These giants of the jungle like nothing better than splashing around & playing in the water, rolling over and over. At times they totally disappear under the water only to reappear and trumpet water over anyone & everyone within range.

With buckets and scrubbing brushes the visiting group sets to work cleaning, much to the appreciation of the elephants.

After the elephants have been bathed, if Lek (the founder) is available, she always appears to greet both the tourists & to say hello to "her family", as she approaches, all of the elephants come over to greet her and it is very clear she has a special affinity with them.

The groups are also informed about the individual elephants & the sorry tales behind each of them, one of them walks like an invalid this is because her legs got broken in various logging accidents. Another one is totally blind because the mahout (handler) stabbed her eyes out with arrows in order to get "obedience" from it. Yet another was shot because he threw some tourists off his back whilst undertaking a dangerous ascent up a narrow jungle path, even " The King" of the elephants had been a victim of ivory poachers.

Every elephant has a different story, but the common bond shared between them all is that they have suffered abuse at the hands of us humans!.

As the sun starts to set, the day trippers leave & the "boarders" watch some of the very gentle training that is used to keep the elephants happy & contented.

Dinner is equally as delicious as lunch, and we have chance to meet & chat with the volunteers, some of whom have been at the Elephant Nature Park for weeks some even months!.

The accommodation is somewhat on the "rustic" side, but the beds are comfortable, and it's surprising just how tired you get during your day with the elephants.

The nights though are far from silent, as apart from the 31 elephants there are well over 50 other "pets" ranging from dogs, cats, water buffalo & cows, not to mention the frogs, and millions of insects throughout the park.

All round it's great fun & the experience of living & working with the elephants is something that provides fabulous living memories for many years to come !!.

Please visit the Elephant Nature Park website at:
http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/index.htm for more details.

SongKran comming !!!!!

2009-03-26T02:32:00.000-07:00

At the Thai New Year there are rites and rituals that people participate in as part of the New Year blessings and Buddhist merit-making, One of these is the splashing of water. Water runs deep in the Thai New Year traditions, both as a symbol of cleansing and as a symbol of renewal. These days we tend to recognize the throwing of large amounts of water as the epitome of the Songkran festivities but is has always been the more delicate water splashing that represents the gentle nature of Songkran and the Thai New Year.

The family sprinkling scented water from silver bowls on a Buddha image is a ritual practiced by all Thais in on the third day of Songkran, known as Wan Payawan. This is the first official day of the New Year and on this day people cleanse the Buddha images in their homes as well as in the temples with scented water. The family is dressed in traditional Thai costume and wearing leis of jasmine flower buds. The water is scented with the petals of this flower.

In addition to the cleansing of the Buddha images a traditional Songkran involves the sprinkling of water by younger people on the older people as a tribute of respect and for blessings. This is much different from the water tossing we see on the streets and is a genuinely sincere event whereby scented water is poured over the shoulder and gently down the back of the person. While pouring the water in this manner, people utter good wishes and words of blessing for the New Year. The water symbolizes cleansing, refreshment of the spirit and all good things associated with life.

Related to the water pouring is the ritual of the tying of strings. This involves the tying of strings around the wrists of others and expressing good wishes for the New Year. When a person ties strings to another's wrist, it s a very important event. He or she approaches with a gentle smile and holds out the string by the two ends and then begins to tie. The person receiving the string has his or her arm outstretched with the under side of the wrist facing upward. While tying the strings, the person recites short prayers of blessing spoken directly for the individual.This is one of the most charming events of Songkran and it's one that you should show great appreciation for should someone approach you to apply the strings to your wrist. At Songkran a person could have as many as 25 or 30 strings on each Wrist each from a different person, and these are to be left on until they fall off of their own accord.

As part of the water sprinkling, water splashing and string tying rites, you may also encounter a person with a small silver bowl filled with a white powder or pasty substance. This is one of the oldest Songkran traditions. The white paste is a sign of protection and promises to ward off evil. The person with the paste is often older and he or she applies the paste to various parts of the face, neck and torso of others. One is expected to leave this paste on until it washes off of its own accord, and while there is a tendency to shy away from this paste because it looks like it might ruin the clothes, it is water soluble and will not harm materials.

There are other rituals and merit-making rites that people engage in at Songkran. In addition to the traditional cleaning of the home and bidding the old year adieu, these include making offerings to local temples and the monks. The offerings include preserved foods cooked dishes, fresh fruit and new robes for the monks. Also people build sand piles on the temple grounds and these sand piles represent personal pagodas built as part of the merit-making ritual.

The traditions of Songkran have a long history and are still observed in the Thai homeland of Sipsong Panna in southwestern China, in Laos and in northern Burma. Songkran or the Thai New Year, is actually the occasion of the passing of the sun from Taurus into Aries. It is a solar event and it marks the beginning of a new astrological year, and this is very important in Thailand. Songkran day always is April 13.

The Thai New Year celebration: always is held on April 12,13 and 14 officially but an entire week will be filled with fun in Chiangmai.

like i said, now it's a time for visiting this amazing Thailand ^_^