Thailand Land of Smiles» Thailand Attractions

Koh Phangan Full Moon Party Dates 2010

Talen — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:45:51 +0000

The Full moon party on Koh Phangan, Thailand has become the quintessential right of passage for many travelers to Thailand. Depending on who you talk to the full moon parties were started between 1987 and 1992 by a handful of backpackers who decided that the best place in the world to witness the full moon was along the crescent shaped beach at Haad Rin on Koh Phangan island. They began to organize small parties among friends at each full moon and over time word spread and the parties became much bigger.

Since it’s auspicious beginnings the full moon parties have grown so much in popularity that it’s not unusual to see between 20-30 thousand people attending any given full moon party and that number grows dramatically during the New Years Eve full moon party. What once began as a small get together with maybe some acoustic guitars or a boom box now comprises multiple venues with world class DJ’s and multiple sound systems.

In recent years the full moon parties have become synonymous with excess and known for rampant drug abuse as well as a huge upswing in the crime rate. There have been quite a few deaths and rapes associated with the event which is billed as the ultimate party experience.

If you plan on attending one of the full moon parties you might want to keep a few things in mind:

While there is a drug culture related to the full moon parties, drugs are illegal in Thailand and if caught you will face significant fines, jail time and or deportation and blacklisting from the country.
Plan ahead and book accommodations early. With over 20,000 people attending each party you want to make sure you have a place to stay.
If you want to party but don’t want to deal with the noise all night long book a hotel out of town.
If you want to leave the island the day after the party book your boat in advance as they fill up quickly.
Police enforcement is stepped up during the party and while they are there for your protection they are also there to make arrests if you get out of hand.

With that in mind remember to look out for your own safety and while everyone loves to party it up doing so to excess could have very real implications. Listed below are the dates for the 2010 full moon parties. Keep in mind there is no full moon in February so there will be 2 parties in March.

Full Moon Schedule 2010

Saturday January 30, 2010

Monday March 01, 2010

Tuesday March 30, 2010

Wednesday April 28, 2010

Saturday May 29, 2010

Saturday June 26, 2010

Wednesday July 28, 2010

Wednesday August 25, 2010

Thursday September 23, 2010

Saturday October 23, 2010

Sunday November 21, 2010

Tuesday December 21, 2010

Saturday December 25, 2010

Friday December 31, 2010

The Pattaya Blues

Talen — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:02:03 +0000

While I am missing Thailand and have the blues in general those aren’t the blues I am talking about at the moment. No, I’m talking about music and Thailand has some of the best live entertainment you could ever hope to see while on holiday.

My first trip to Thailand I was amazed at the quality and quantity of live music from Bangkok to Pattaya. From pop and dance music to hard rock and country you can find great music any night in any number of bars and clubs. Even bars that are no bigger than a storage shed have live bands that will keep you rockin throughout the night and coming back for more.

One night I was sitting in a bar on walking street talking to a friend about all the great live music and he asked me if I had been to the Blues Factory which was just up the street on Soi Lucky Star just opposite Marine Disco. When I said I had never been there he motioned for our bartender to checkbin us and we were off to the Blues Factory.

The Blues Factory is a great venue to listen to live music and have a great night but what I was unprepared for was seeing one of the best guitarists I had ever seen, his name was Lam Morrison. I was blown away by his guitar work and his band and I have seen him play quite a few times since.

Known as Thailand’s guitar King Lam has been around the music scene for a while. Picking up the guitar by 13 it wasn’t long before Lam started his first band called VIP and started touring around the American bases during the Vietnam war playing the rock music the soldiers loved to hear.

Due to the fact that rock music wasn’t a very big scene in Thailand the VIP found it hard to get gigs after the war ended and the G.I.’s returned home. Although gigs were few and far between at one gig in Bangkok a German tourist saw the band and told Lam he should go to Germany and play. While touring through Germany Lam won a guitar dueling contest and earned his guitar King title. After Germany he contnued to tour through Europe and North America.

When Lam returned home to Thailand he was signed by EMI Music and released his first album entitled Night in Bangkok. The album took off and sold over a million copies which was a first for a rock artist in Thailand. After the release of the album he went back out on the road touring through Europe with such bands as UFO and Deep Purple.

Lam plays quite a few instruments including the piano, bass and harmonica as well as singing, but it’s his guitar work that brings them in and keeps them there. While there are many bands playing the night clubs and bars of Pattaya there is definitely no one of the same caliber as Lam Morrison.

Lam has been playing as the house band at the Blues Factory since 2002 with a years break or so in 2007 when he opened his own club. He is back as the house act at The Blues Factory and should definitely not be missed if you are going to be in town during the holidays or after.

Lam is truly a national treasure and one of Thailand’s best kept secrets. You can check out a few of his videos below and check out his show times at The Blues Factory. If you are heading to Pattaya set aside a night for some excellent music from a guitar virtuoso, I’ll guarantee you’ll thank me for it.

Boosting Thailand Tourism?

Talen — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:46:24 +0000

With tourism down dramatically many Thai companies are trying new advertising to combat the the ever growing slump they are seeing in their bottom line. It’s not enough that the world wide economic situation is keeping tourists away, Thailand can’t help itself when it comes to making even dedicated travelers think twice.

Thai politics have been a major concern since the coup in 2006 and the recent events regarding Cambodia have some travelers on edge. The continued violence in the South of Thailand with the Muslim community and the recent attacks on freedom of speech have been keeping Thailand in the news for all the wrong reasons.

You would think the easiest way to go would be accentuating the beauty and diversity that is Thailand and calling out the cultural aspects of the country. Instead the advertising that has been coming out just leaves potential travelers scratching their head.

Medical tourism has long been a strong suit for Thailand with procedures generally being one third of those in the West. A good dental bridge in America might cost you $4000 once all is said and done but in Thailand the same bridge would cost $600.00.

While the majority of tourists are aware of these deals the advertised deals usually draw the wrong attention. Local ads like the one below are a usual sight. I have to admit though, the ad is compelling. Come to Thailand for a short stay and for under $10,000 you can go home a new man…don’t want to be a man anymore, go home a new woman.

Thai Air is also rolling out new advertising but one might wonder what demographic they are targeting. The new ads, while very well done and quite beautiful, don’t really convey Thailand, do they? They have opted to leave out their planes or pictures of Thailand for beautiful pictures of Thai women in flowing colorful gowns.

I’ll give them this, it does make me think of orchids and beauty so it does draw me to Thailand but I’m an easy sell and usually ad campaigns aren’t there to preach to the chorus. These ads will be rolling out to America and Europe soon.

It’s not easy for any country in the current economic climate but at the very least most countries know their strong points and aren’t struggling to find their identity or appeal.

Thailand should take a cue from The Australian tourism campaign of the 80’s and 90’s. Find a well liked Thai comedian and have him throw a shrimp on the barbie while extolling the great diversity and beauty that Thailand has to offer. Well, they might need to change it to a grasshopper in the oil or a rat on the barbie but you get the idea.

I haven’t seen a Thailand tourism ad in America for a long time but they may want to start with the company that did the below ad back in 2007. Someone there understood marketing.

Wat Phra Kaew Temple of the Emerald Buddha

Talen — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:55:51 +0000

Wat Phra Kaew, also known as the temple of the Emerald Buddha, resides within the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok and is considered the most revered Buddhist shine in all of Thailand. The Emerald Buddha itself is actually carved of jadeite, stands 26 inches tall and sits atop a large gold alter in the center of the temple.

Only the King of Thailand is allowed close to the Emerald Buddha when the seasonal gold costume it wears is changed three times a year. The summer costume consists of a crown and jewelry, the winter costume is a golden shawl and the costume worn during Buddhist Lent is a gilt robe and headdress. The costume change is an important Thai ritual performed by the King who will also sprinkles water over the gathered monks and the faithful to bring good luck during the upcoming season. The other two costumes are on display in the nearby Pavillion of Regalia, Royal Decorations and Thai Coins while not in use.

According to popular belief the Emerald Buddha started it’s journey in Sri Lanka but modern historians have discounted most of the Buddha statues early history and are confident that the Buddha image was carved sometime during the late 14th century to the mid 15th century in Northern Thailand. Although, the statue is carved in the style and attitude of Buddha images found in Southern India or Sri Lanka with the Buddha in a meditation pose. The meditation pose has never been prominent in Thailand which may have lead early historians to assign an alternate history to the Emerald Buddha.

The history from this era says that the Buddha was once hidden in a Chedi in the Chiang Rai province, but a lightening storm in 1434 damaged that Chedi exposing a stucco likeness of the Buddha. Upon closer inspection the stucco was falling off exposing the Jadeite Buddha below. Being such a beautiful dark green it was confused as being made of emerald at first, giving the statue it’s name The Emerald Buddha.

The King of Chiang Mai at the time heard of this wonderful discovery and decided that the statue must reside within his province. Three times he sent an elephant to Chiang Rai to retrieve the Buddha and three times the elephant stopped at a crossroads while returning with the Buddha. This was seen as a sign from Buddha himself and a temple was constructed in Lampang where the Emerald Buddha stayed for 32 years.

The next king of Chiang Mai decided the Emerald Buddha should be housed in his province as well and this time the Emerald Buddha was successfully moved from Lampang to Chiang Mai where it resided in a temple until 1552 when invaders from Laos stole the emerald Buddha. The statue remained in Laos for the next 214 years until General Chakri, who would later become King Rama I, brought the statue back to the capital at Thonburi after a successful war with Laos.

In 1784 When King Rama I moved the capital across the river to Bangkok he had the ordinance hall built where the stature still resides to this day. The ordinance hall was a plain stucco structure when it was first constructed but King Rama III would change all of that.

Large stucco moldings were installed and the whole hall was gilded and adorned with glass mosaics. A pair of Khmer lions, believed to be from the Khmer Bayon period of the 13th century, guard each of the six entrances. At the base of the ordination hall is a row of golden Garuda’s each holding a Naga in each hand. The Garuda is the King of all birds and the mount of Vishnu the great Hindu god, the Naga is the king of all serpents and the enemy of Garuda. The Garuda holding the Naga is believed to be a very powerful image to chase away evil spirits.

The ordination hall also contains two other interesting Buddha statues. Both ten foot tall statues are cast in bronze and stand crowned at either side of the Emerald Buddha. These statues were commissioned by King Rama III in dedication to King Rama I and King Rama II.

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Thailand, and rightly so. The attention to detail inside as well as outside the ordination hall is stunning. The compound surrounding the ordination hall is equally as stunning with the various monuments and buildings glinting in the midday sun.

Getting a picture of the famous Emerald Buddha is sometimes easier said than done though. No pictures are allowed inside the ordinance hall which leaves you only two vantage points to get your photo. The first is through the open doorway at the front of the hall and the second is through a small open window cut into the front wall of the hall.

Wat Phra Kaew is absolutely a must see while in Bangkok and it is sure to give you memories that will last a lifetime.

Tien Market in Bangkok

Talen — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:34:21 +0000

The other day I wrote about Bangkok’s famous flower market, Pat Klong Talat and I referenced Tien market which is close by. So, I thought I would share this little cultural icon today.

Tien market isn’t much more than a small neighborhood market, situated in a very fortuitous place. If you take the river taxi up the Chao Phraya river to stop #8, which is the Tien pier, then you can’t help strolling through this little market on your way to Wat Pho ( Temple of the Reclining Buddha ). This is also the pier you will use to take the ferry across the Chao Phraya river to Wat Arun.

Although small, this neighborhood market has a lot of old world character and charm. As you come off the river taxi you’ll first be greeted by a restaurant that looks a little run down but I can guarantee you that they have very good food and more than a few cats around. I can confidently rate this as a 3 cat restaurant, which is very good as the Land of Smiles restaurant guide only goes up to 5 cats.

As you pass through the the restaurant there are a few trinket shops on either side before you come off the pier into the main market area. Although you can find some trinket and food shops the majority of merchants here are fish mongers, and mongers of the dried variety at that. To say that the air is pungent with fish might be an understatement.

While the majority of tourists passing through this small market may never realize it’s name they will remember the sights, sounds and smells Tien market brings back to them as they look through pictures they are sure to take.

I wouldn’t say Tien market is a Bangkok must see but seeing that those taking the Chao Phraya river to see attractions such as Wat Pho or Wat Arun will be passing through it, the market has assured it is a must see whether you like it or not.

Bangkok’s Hidden Treasure, Pak Klong Talat

Talen — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:35:45 +0000

Pat Klong Talat is best known as Bangkok’s 24 hour wholesale flower market that resides just off the Chayo Phraya river, it’s name literally means market by the mouth of the canal. It’s not so much that it’s hidden but a lot of tourists tend to forgo it’s beauty for other attractions around Bangkok.

If you take the Chao Phraya river taxi up river to the Memorial Bridge pier (stop #6) you can pretty much smell your way to Chak Phet road and Bangkok’s largest wholesale produce and flower market. At one time, over a hundred years ago, this area was the site of a floating market. During the reign of King Rama V it was changed into a fish market which stood for 60 years and eventually gave way to the produce and flower market it is today. The fish market is said to have been closed due to pollution problems and bad smells. One only needs to hang out for a bit at the Tien Market, only a short walk away, to get an inkling of how the fish market may have smelled, all sorts of dried fish can be found here.

You won’t have to worry about fishy smells here anymore though as that has all been replaced by the sweet smell of roses, jasmine, carnations, orchids and many other species of flowers delivered from all over Thailand to the market daily. While this is definitely a wholesale market and is very busy late at night and in the early morning, the market is also open to the public.

Westerners are likely to be shocked by the prices of the wholesale flowers. A dozen roses in America retail for $30 on a normal day while valentines day sees that price jump to $100. One newspaper wrapped bundle of 50 roses here will set you back 40-50 baht, just a little more than than $1.00. Or if you like you can have an orchid for 20 baht. The sellers may not make much money off the tourist trade but you can bet they have a smile on their face working under such beautifully fragrant conditions.

I meant to spend an evening here last trip watching the hustle and bustle of the market but plans always have a way of changing in Thailand. I did get a chance to spend a little time at the market the day before I left for Pattaya and I’m very happy I did, although I didn’t get nearly as many pictures as I wanted.

Pak Klong Talat market is truly a feast for the eyes as well as your nose and with all the succulent produce and the beautiful tapestry of vivid colors provided by the flowers of Thailand you can get lost here for some time and be very happy about it. This belongs on your list of sights to see while in Bangkok so make sure you add it because it will definitely make for a memorable day and many beautiful pictures.

Bangkok’s Ancient Skyline

Talen — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:21:53 +0000

There is something absolutely amazing about ancient Thai architecture set against a spectacular Bangkok skyline. If you stand just the right way or get the right angle on your camera you can erase a few hundred years of technology and progress from your photos and make it feel like you are seeing Thailand as it was 300 years ago. It must have truly been a sight to behold.

Wat Suthat in Bangkok

Talen — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:42:56 +0000

As I said in an earlier post on Bangkok’s Giant Swing I had very little time in Bangkok last trip and many things to see. My first trip to Wat Suthat was cut short due to torrential downpours but I eventually found some time a few days later to revisit the Wat. Little did I know at the time the rich history of this particular Buddhist temple I just knew it was beautiful and I really wanted to see it. Unfortunately the weather and my camera’s memory card didn’t hold up well this day so a return trip is in order.

Wat Suthat is over 200 years old and considered to be one the most important Buddhist temples in Thailand. The building of Wat Suthat began in the early 19th century under King Rama I and took over 30 years to complete. It is home to many beautiful Thai/Chinese bronze sculptures including one Buddha statue from the SukhoThai period that dates to over 600 years old and is 25 meters tall. This statue was floated down river over 200 years ago to become part of the temple. Wat Suthat is also home to the ashes of King Anand Mahidol who was the brother of Thailand’s current King.

There has been ongoing restoration of the temple in past years including a joint Thai/German project to restore the wall murals and in 1999 the temple commissioned a western Mahayana Buddhist painter, Brian Barry, to design and paint the platform door paintings in the preaching hall. A first as no other time has a non Thai person been allowed to do work on a royal Thai temple.

One of the largest draws to Wat Suthst is it’s connection to Mahayana Buddhism and the Phra Kring, a Buddhist amulet that looks like a Mahayana Buddha and makes a ringing sound when shaken. The Thai people believe that this particular amulet has the power to affect ones health. These amulets can be bought at the temple and are very prized possessions by those who purchase them.

Wat Suthat is a working temple and you will see many monks as you stroll through the compound. If you have the chance to see Wat Suthat later in the day, around 6 pm, then you will be witness to a large gathering of monks coming to the preaching hall for their daily chants.

Wat Suthat is steeped in rich history and Buddhist lore and is easily one of the most beautiful temples in Thailand. If you are heading for Bangkok then this is indeed one place that should be on your list to visit. I know I’ll be making a return visit.

More pictures can be seen of Wat Suthat and the Giant swing in the Gallery Wat Suthat.

The below video is a short look at Wat Suthat.

Bangkok’s Giant Swing

Talen — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 03:06:47 +0000

In my quest to see the finer things on offer in Bangkok I was armed with a list of places to see my last trip. Knowing I would only be in Bangkok five or six days made it a mad scramble to get everything in and some days, such as the day I visited Wat Suthat, the weather wasn’t cooperating.

You’ll know you are getting close to Wat Suthat when you see a large red arch high in the sky. This is the giant swing that is just outside the temple. Originally built in 1784 by King Rama I, it was placed in front of the Devasathan Shrine in Bangkok. It was later rebuilt in 1920 after a lightning strike and moved to it’s current location just outside Wat Suthat. Major repair work was done again to the giant swing in 2005-2006

The giant swing is rooted in Hindu and Indian beliefs and was part of an annual Brahmin Ceremony called ” Tri-yampawai ” or swing ceremony held in the first lunar month of the Thai lunar calendar. During the ceremony men would try to swing their way to the very top using long ropes in hopes of grabbing a bag of coins placed there.

The ceremony is a representation of the epic myth in which Uma Devi makes a bet with Shiva whereby a serpent is suspended between two Putsa tress over a river and swinging back and forwards to aiming to strike Shiva to make him fall and thus signify the end of the world. Shiva stands in its path on one leg with the other crossed and when struck does not fall thus signifying that the creation of the earth was sound, secure and would remain strong.

It is believed there was a mandate at one time to have a giant swing in every major city, and while it’s certain that there were other swings erected this swing is the only known swing to still exist. In 1932 the ceremony itself was banned due to many serious and fatal accidents.

The original timbers of this rebuilt Swing are now housed at Bangkok National Museum. The main poles of the structure are made of teak and are over 30 meters in height and 3.5 meters in circumference. The base supporting the teak timbers are 20 meters high and 2.3 meters in circumference.

I didn’t make it into Wat Suthat this day because soon after the above picture was taken the skys opened up and it rained buckets until the sun went down. But I did make it to see the Giant swing and that was well worth getting wet for. I have to thank Martyn over at Beyond the Mango Juice for letting me know about this treasure.

Wat Pho, Temple of the Reclining Buddha

Talen — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:10:49 +0000

While I was in Bangkok in April I wanted to visit as many important landmarks as I could in the short time I had. At the top of the list was WatPho, better know to the Thai’s as Wat Phra Chetuphon. Everyone else will know it as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

Wat Pho is the largest and the oldest temple in Bangkok, sitting on 20 acres and predating Bangkok being named as the capital city of Thailand by 200 years. The temple not only holds the largest reclining Buddha statue in Thailand it also boasts the most Buddha images of any Wat in Thailand, having over 1000.

As a tourist attraction it is among the most impressive in the world. The gold plated statue of the reclining Buddha represents the passing of Buddha into Nirvana and measures in at an amazing 15 meters tall and 46 meters long. Aside from the gold plating the Eyes of the Buddha and the bottom of the feet are made of mother of pearl. The soles of the feet are inlaid with intricate designs showcasing the 108 characteristics of the true Buddha.

While the main Wat complex is made up of two walled compounds, the North compound is where you will find the temple of the reclining Buddha while the Southern compound is still a working monastery. You’ll know exactly where the North compound is when you see throngs of people gathering at the entrance. The entrance fee for western visitors is 350 baht while Thai’s are alowed in for free. Before entering the temple you will remove your shoes and store them in special shoe boxes outside the temple.

Once inside the temple you basically follow the flow leading down the front side of the Buddha and then back towards the exit from the rear of the Buddha. There is no time limit so you can wait out the crowds to get the best photos. While waiting for the best shot you can take in the beauty of the wall murals finished in gold leaf.

Once you round the feet of the reclining Buddha and move towards the rear of the statue you will see a line of brass pots against the wall leading to the exit. A small desk behind the feet is where you will get a handful of prayer coins for a 20 baht note and as you exit you place one coin in each brass pot for blessings to be bestowed upon you. This really adds to the ambiance of the temple.

This is really the one attraction not to miss when visiting Bangkok. The temple grounds are very beautiful and the statue of the reclining Buddha is amazing in all it’s splendor. More photos can bee seen in the gallery Wat Pho-Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

Pattaya International Tattoo Festival 2009

Talen — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 00:59:19 +0000

July 24th – July 27th

The Pattaya international tattoo festival kicked off this weekend at CentralFestival Pattaya Beach with puppet shows by world renown Jo Luis Theatre puppeteer’s and a tattoo fashion show with well known Thai models.

The tattoo festival will run through the weekend and wrap up on July 27th. Many other activities associated with the festival will be happening all weekend long throughout the city.

This tattoo festival is the brainchild of the Tourism Authority of Thailand in conjunction with Central Festival Pattaya Beach, City Hall and the Pattaya Tattoo Club and shouldn’t be confused with Jimmy Wong’s annual World Tattoo Festival.

Some video’s from last years Jimmy Wong World Tattoo Festival.

Thailand’s Newest Pandas are Elephants

Talen — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:20:14 +0000

With the recent birth of a baby Panda cub to Lin Hui and Xuang Xuang at Chiang Mai zoo in Bangkok everyone in Thailand has had Pandas on their mind. This has upset local Elephant keepers at the Ayutthaya-Elephant Kraal.

With announcements of a 20 million baht snow house being built for the Panda family the keepers are wondering just why Thailand has forgotten that the Elephant is their national symbol.

Aside from speaking up about the problem the Elephant keepers at the Ayutthaya-Elephant Kraal have taken it one step further by painting five of their elephants to look like Pandas. This attention grabbing effort seems to be doing the job as Thai people are not only noticing but applauding their efforts. Although rumor has it some Panda lovers are slightly irked.

The keepers were quick to let everyone know that the paint was only water colors but I for one hope that these images make a lasting impression long after the paint has been washed off. Much still needs to be done to protect Thailand’s national treasure and make sure they will always be safe and well treated in the kingdom.

It may be a publicity stunt but I have to say that the Elephant Pandas are much cuter than their Chinese friends currently in the spotlight.

Photo’s courtesy AFP/Getty & Reuters

The New Walking Street Sign

Talen — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:14:27 +0000

Change is inevitable and the only known constant in the world but it always bugs the hell out of me when the change is for the worse, not the better.

Sometime around January/February of last year they took down a sign in Pattaya that was known the world over as being the gateway to one of the worlds best known streets, Walking Street. The picture above is what the sign looked like in 2006. Sure, the old sign had some problems but repairing them wouldn’t have been too bad and the cost would have certainly been much less than the monstrosity they replaced it with.

The old sign had charm and was instantly recognizable to anyone that had seen or heard of it before. When I was in town in early 2008 they had installed the pilings and poles for the new sign and had started taking down the old. What should have been a months job lingered on a few months then stopped only to start again and linger on even more months.

Eventually towards the end of last year the sign was complete and put into service…of course the next day it stopped working but they quickly got it going again and you can see by the picture below what a difference it makes. What was once a classy sign was now a huge and hideous LCD screen that can be seen miles away.

The sign shows advertisements for local merchants, bar and hotel owners and can literally blind you if you are within 300 feet. I don’t blame the Thai’s in charge of this ugliness though, they are only doing what everyone else in the world does these days…going for technology they can make a buck off of.

April was the first time I saw the sign in action and I have to say it definitely has diminished the sense that you were someplace special, someplace that had stood the test of time. I’m sure that will make a few people laugh as what lies behind the sign isn’t quite the tourist attraction the Thai’s want to publicize but, none the less, it attracts tourists from around the world anyway.

Nightly you can see groups of Chinese and Koreans wandering walking street with their cameras out snapping away at all the girls and other tourists partaking of the nightlife. One can only hope that this isn’t a new trend in Thailand, I would hate to see the Grand Palace or Wat Arun get similar treatment…he said with a hint of sarcasm

Chatuchak, Bangkok’s Weekend Market

Talen — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:34:59 +0000

Thailand is known for it’s various markets and Chatuchak market in Bangkok is the mother of all markets. Sitting on 70 rai of land (35 acres), Chatuchak market boasts somewhere between 9000 and 15000 merchants selling to over 200 thousand visitors daily.

Whatever you are looking for you will be sure to find it at Chatuchak. From household goods and antiques to religious artifacts and animals. And lest I forget, all kinds of delicious food and Thai treats. The market gets quite crowded after 9am and it can get very hot while searching out those great finds but there are many places you can sit and watch the world go by and enjoy a cold drink, Thai ice cream or just a nice Popsicle.

Chatuchak market owes it’s origins to Plaek Pibulsonggram who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 1938-1944 and again from 1948-1957. He decided that every town should have a large market and Chatuchak market in Bangkok was born. It was originally called Sanam Luang Flea Market after the area it was located in. Unfortunately the area was soon needed for several special functions so the market was moved first to Saranrom Palace where it stayed for 8 years and then to Sanam Chai where, after a while, they realized there wasn’t enough room. The market finally made the move back to it’s original location and took the name of the adjoining Chatuchak Park.

Getting to the market is very easily done by taxi or taking the BTS Skytrain to the Mo Chit station which drops you off right at the park. The park is very beautiful and a great place to relax from all your shopping. The park leads right into the one of the outlying food sections of the market and from there you can cut through into the actual market.

You can find some great quality items at good prices at the market but make sure you haggle because whatever the price stated you can generally get a nice discount. The market is segregated into areas where certain goods can be found and you will find free maps at the market detailing these areas but to be honest it all kind of overlaps and wandering through the market is much more fun than planning your attack.

Chatuchak’s opening hours are between 9am and 6pm Saturday and Sunday but the market is also open to wholesalers on Friday during the same ours and you are more than welcome to shop then as well. The garden plants section is also open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7am to 6pm.

Chatuchak market is definitely a site to behold and one that I think should be on anyone’s list who’s visiting Bangkok. Going to the market makes for a great day trip and you can really find some good deals here.

Many more pictures of the market can be found in the Gallery, Chatuchak Market.

Bangkok’s Floating Market

Talen — Sun, 17 May 2009 20:38:18 +0000

Although it’s known as Bangkok’s floating market the Damnoen Saduak floating market is actually about 100 kilometers Southwest of Bangkok in Ratchaburi Province . If, like me, you’ve seen many pictures of people selling many colorful fruits and vegetables on the open waters of the canals then this has been on your list to see while in Bangkok. Although there are many different floating markets to be seen around Thailand, Damnoen Saduak floating market is the oldest and largest of them.

Unfortunately all those pretty pictures you’ve seen of Damnoen Saduak floating market are either a marketing ploy or just some tourists way of making themselves feel better after being ripped off at Thailand’s largest tourist trap. The truth is 90% of the merchants at the floating market are selling tourist trinkets like carved elephants, Thailand t-shirts, hammocks and of course those straw hats you see the merchants wearing at the market. Most of the merchants are actually on the banks of the canals and the boat drivers get a cut of the sales so they stop at all the souvenir shops. You’ll see people selling fruits and vegetables from their boats but they are few in comparison to the trinket traps.

Now, I knew all this going into it and actually the scam starts well before you get to the market but I had other plans. First let me tell you how the scam lays out. Taxi drivers throughout Bangkok have brochures of the floating market and they push it to all the tourists. They will tell you that they will take you there on the meter or off the meter for 800-1000 baht. You might think that’s a good deal considering the distance away from Bangkok, and it is.

The taxi drivers make their money from kickbacks. Once they get you to the area they take you to the power boat tour of the Damnoen Saduak floating market where the operators meet you at the taxi and give you a bottle of water before telling you the cost for a 2 hour trip around the market will cost you 3500-4500 baht per person (over $100). At this point they have you. Most likely you know nothing of the market and don’t realize there are other boat operators and you’ve come such a long way to see it so you relent and pay up.

Knowing all this beforehand I decided to go about my trip to Damnoen Saduak floating a different way. One morning while walking through Bangkok a taxi driver gave me the spiel and I told him I knew the deal but I still wanted to go. I needed to go to Pattaya in a few days and I told him I would use him for that trip as well if he could get me a deal, surprisingly he said “ok”. He said I could pay the meter or 1000 baht and he would charge me 1400 baht to go to Pattaya. The deal was set and he picked me up 7am the next morning.

You see, I didn’t care about the floating market except to get a few of the traditional photographs of the fruit and vegetable merchants selling from their boats. I knew that the two market areas that comprised The Damnoen Saduak floating market were a very small part of the canal system, the larger part is where the people live and that was what I wanted to see…and like a box of crackerjacks there is a prize hidden in the canals, a beautiful temple which very few tourists to the floating market ever get to see.

After the hour and a half journey to the floating market the taxi driver hooked me up with a power boat owner that would cruise me through the markets then through the residential canals and to the temple located further back. The boat set me back 800 baht but that was a cheap price to see the markets my way without stopping at every souvenir shop along the way.

The two main areas of the floating market were indeed made up of many trinket shops but there were still great photos to be had of the merchants selling from their boats. I’m told that if you can get onto the klongs (canals) before 8am then you will have the best scenery to shoot as that’s when the locals are actually paddling around selling to each other and there aren’t many tourists around. By 9am the klongs surrounding the markets are heaving with full boats of tourists and you can get quite jostled around by the boats hitting one another in the crowded lanes.

Once through the market areas We stopped for some coconut soup before heading into the residential area of the canals which were beautiful. You can see the floating market’s impact on the surrounding area by the new houses being built, some of them are very nice. All the houses had many flowers planted and the owners seemed very proud. Of course there were some real shacks as well with trash strewn everywhere but they were few and far between.

We then went to the Wat at the end of one canal. I still don’t know the name of this Wat so if anyone out there recognizes it let me know. The Wat itself was very beautiful but certain areas looked like they needed to be fixed up. I spent over an hour at the Wat complex and was surprised that I was alone the whole time, not one other tourist was to be seen.

All in all it was a great trip for me because I knew what I was in store for. If you find yourself wanting to visit Damnoen Saduak floating market keep in mind a few things. Getting there early is key to getting the best pictures of the market. Plan beforehand how you will be getting to the market, whether it be by hotel tour or taking a taxi ride. The powerboats are expensive but the paddle boats will cost you 100-200 baht per hour. Keep in mind that you will be riding in these boats with other tourists unless you can make a deal and they also won’t go much further than the markets due to paddle power.

If you are tight on time and have many of Bangkok’s attractions to see then give the floating markets a pass because it isn’t worth missing Wat Arun or the Grand Palace. If you still have your heart set on seeing the floating market then make a day trip out of it and visit the famous rose gardens and Tiger Temple as well as they are very close.

Over 300 pictures of the floating market and surrounding residential canals can be found in the Gallery Damnoen Saduak Floating Market.

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