An Akha Woman

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Richard Barrow

If you have ever been to Northern Thailand then you have probably seen some of the hilltribe people. These are ethnic minorities who have often migrated to Thailand from neighbouring countries. This woman belongs to the Akha hilltribe. They are found in China, Laos, Burma and also Thailand where there are an estimated 70,000 of them. In the tourist areas of Chiang Mai you will find them all dressed up like this one. But they don’t look very authentic. I took this picture at a market at Doi Mae Salong in Chiang Rai Province. You can’t get more authentic than this. I bought some fruit from her so she was happy to give me a smile.

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The Giant Buddha

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Richard Barrow

One of the largest seated Buddha images in Thailand can be found at Wat Muang in Ang Thong Province. It is called Phra Buddha Maha Nawamin. It is 95 meters high and 63.05 wide. It took 16 years to build at an estimated cost of 104 million Baht. It is an amazing site as you can see it from miles around towering above the rice fields.

Posted in Thai Temples | 2 Comments

Beautiful Thai Orchids

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Richard Barrow

Thailand is the largest exporter of fresh orchids in the world. Although there are many varieties and many colours, the violet orchid is perhaps the most recognizable flower symbol of Thailand. Thai Airways give their passengers this orchid to welcome them on board. The young lady in this picture is about to give me a flower necklace made from orchid flowers.

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The Three Headed Elephant

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Richard Barrow

The giant three-headed elephant at The Erawan Museum is the largest of its kind in the world. It is about 50 meters high which is the same as a 50 storey building.  There is a museum in the base of the pedestal and you can even go up inside the elephant to the belly where there is a shrine room. In one of the back legs there is a lift and the other has a spiral staircase.

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The Thai Smile

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Richard Barrow

Thailand is famous for being the Land of Smiles (LOS). The Thai people will smile at just about any situation.

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Fighting Rooster Dance

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Richard Barrow

A popular dance routine where two people dress up as roosters and pretend to fight each other. The dance is very elegant and there is no violence unlike the real Thai cock fighting matches.

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Crocodile Wrestling Show

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Richard Barrow

At the Crocodile Farm and Zoo in Samut Prakan, you can enjoy watching the crocodile wrestling show. However, it is probably best if you don’t try doing this at home! The wrestler in this picture is sticking his hand down the throat of a crocodile!

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The Beach at Bangkok

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Richard Barrow

Not many people realize that Bangkok actually borders the coastline of the Gulf of Thailand. However, don’t go to the beach in Bangkok expecting white sand and blue sea. There are only mudflats and mangrove forests. The area here is suffering greatly from land erosion. In this picture here you can see a marker for the border between Bangkok and the neighbouring province of Samut Sakhon. It is now out at sea.

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Boat Racing in Thailand

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Richard Barrow

When the rivers are at the highest level at the end of the rainy season, local people come together to race long boats on canals and rivers.

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Thai Puppet Dance

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Richard Barrow

Performers dressed in black put on a puppet dance at the re-opening of  Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008 after it was closed forcibly by the yellow shirts. The show was part of the brainchild of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) who thought it would be a good way to apologize to passengers as they finally made their way home.

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Snow Town in Thailand

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Richard Barrow

A young Thai girl plays in fake snow at Snow Town in Dream World.  It has never snowed in Thailand but Thai people have a chance to experience real freezing conditions at this amusement park in Bangkok.

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Wat Sothon in Chachoengsao

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Richard Barrow

Probably the biggest, and certainly most stunning Buddhist ordination hall is at Wat Sothon in Chachoengsao. It was built using Carara Italian marble and is reported to be the largest white marble temple in the world. The peak is 84 metres high. It is decorated with five golden umbrellas weighing a total of 77 kilogrammes.

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Giant Chinese Dragon in Suphanburi

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Richard Barrow

One of the most amazing new attractions in Thailand is the Dragon Descendants Museum in Suphanburi.  What is amazing about it is that it is shaped like a giant dragon. It is 135 meters long, 35 meters high and 18 meters wide.

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Steam Trains in Thailand

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Richard Barrow

One of the greatest journeys I have been on in Thailand was by steam train. If you are lucky, you might be able to go on a steam train yourself. They still run trips between Bangkok and Ayutthaya two or three times a year. These  usually operate on 26th March and 23rd October.

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Thai Fruit Carving

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Richard Barrow

In some restaurants that you might visit in Thailand, some of your dishes will come decorated with what looks very much like flowers. But, in reality they are really edible fruit or vegetables. At the hands of a Thai artisan, a simple tomato, melon or pumpkin can be turned into a bouquet of flowers.

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