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01 6th, 2009| 
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Muay Thai(Thai Boxing) Various forms of kickboxing have long been practiced throughout Southeast Asia. As with the most countries in the region, Thai culture is highly influenced by ancient civilizations within Southeast Asia. Muay Thai’s origin in Thailand can be traced back to its ancestor Muay Boran (”ancient boxing”), an unarmed combat used by Siamese soldiers in conjunction with Krabi Krabong, the weapon-based style. Eventually Muay Boran was divided to: |
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 Muay Korat (Northeast) emphasized strength. A technique like “Throwing Buffalo Punch” was used. It could supposedly defeat a buffalo in one blow.Muay Lopburi (Center region) emphasized movements. Its strong points were straight and counter punches. |
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| Muay Chaiya (South) emphasized posture and defense, as well as elbows and knees.Muay Pra Nakorn (North) emphasized speed, particularly in kicking. Because of its faster speed, it was called as well “Ling Lom” (windy monkey or Loris). There is a phrase about Muay Boran that states, “Punch Korat, Wit Lopburi, Posture Chaiya, Faster Thasao. |
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As well as continuing to function as a practical fighting technique for use in actual warfare, Muay Thai became a sport in which the opponents fought in front of spectators who went to watch for entertainment. This kind of muay contests gradually became an integral part of local festivals and celebrations, especially those held at temples. It was even used as entertainment to kings. | |
| Eventually, the previously bare-fisted fighters started wearing lengths of rope wrapped around their hands and forearms. This type of match was called muay kaad chuek |  |
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| At Lumpini Park from December 19-21, 2008, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and Workpoint Entertainment Public Co., Ltd. together with Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Tourism Authority of Thailand and Beauti Drink product, our main sponsor, proudly present “Festival of Happiness” to be a ‘Gift’ for Thai and also our beloved tourists for Happy New Year season. There will be 40 national and international group performers joining the session for free entrance. And this will be the first time in Southeast Asia!! From this year on, the event will be annual in every 3rd week of December. We aim “International Street Show in Bangkok” for world famous festival within 3 years from 2008. | |||
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| In front of Lumpini park | PR!! | Show from Japan | many people |
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| another show had many people also | had many people everywhere | Show from Japan: acts as a robot | Childs climb on tree for see the show |
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| Show from USA | Clock Tower | Over there showing | View from Lumpini Park |
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| (Information from http://www.bangkokstreetshow.com/en/index.shtml) | |||
Dec
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Nov
26
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Koh Chang is the second largest island of Thailand (largest island in the Koh Chang Marine Park archipelago), located on the Thai east coast 310 km away from Bangkok near the border to Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand. The name means Elephant Island. |
| Koh Chang was named for the elephant shape of its headland, although elephants are not indigenous to the island. At present, there are 8 villages in total. It is a mountainous island and Khao Salak Phet is the highest peak of all at 744 metres. |  |
| Visitors are also met with several waterfalls, splendid reefs and rainforests. The island has an area of approximately 429 square kilometers. Koh Chang was previously an unsettled island but it is now important as a harbour for ships to escape from the monsoon, and dietary or fresh water resources, especially at Ao Salak Phet or Ao Salat which is well known to pirates, Hai Lam Chinese and Vietnamese. | |
| The island is part of the Mu Koh Chang Marine National Park. During World War II, when Thailand was occupied by the Japanese, Koh Chang was the scene of a naval battle between the reluctant Royal Thai Navy and a Vichy France squadron, in which the Thais were decisively beaten. | |
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Until the mid-1980s the infrastructure on the island was undeveloped, but tourism has increased significantly since then. Around the year 2000, malaria was eradicated, the area became a national park (and began charging entry fees). |
| The island now receives 655,000 visitors annually, about two thirds of them Thai. Koh Chang is one of the few places with virgin forest, but the mad rush to cash in on tourism has had a heavy toll on its virgin forests. Land prices have skyrocketed, there are also beautiful if not high end resorts now popping up all over the island. |  |
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History: Prior to World War II, Ko Chang was little known by anyone. During this period, the few families there made a living growing coconuts and fruit on the mainland. In January 1941, during the Japanese occupation, the Thai Navy fought the French in a battle in the waters to the south-east of Koh Chang. It was the French who were the victors after the Thai naval ship was sunk. |
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| Nothing else happened to Koh Chang until the first backpacker foreigners started arriving on the back of local fishing boats in the mid-1970s. In 1982, Koh Chang along with surrounding area became part of the protected Mu Chang Marine. Only very recently, in less than ten years, Koh Chang has turned itself into a major tourist destination, both for foreigners and local Thais. |  |
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The recent success of Koh Chang as a serious tourist destination has been quite phenomenal. But it remains a lot more peaceful and less developed than islands like Samui and Phuket. It’s some 5 hours from Bangkok by bus and there’s no airport on the island yet so it should remain more tranquil than Samui or Phuket. |
| Koh Chang too is one of Thailand most beautiful islands with some white sandy beaches, some half deserted. Some of the beaches are rocky in parts though so it doesn’t have ideal swimming beaches like Phuket. The island is also home to a wide range of wildlife, including a good selection of birds, snakes, deer and a number of elephants. The island and its vicinity are great places for snorkeling, diving and jungle hiking. | |
| Some critics however, worry that the Koh Chang tourism boom won’t survive as they believe that ‘gross over-development will only, over time, frighten off tourists to one of the other more unspoilt islands nearby. |  |
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Investors though, claim that what they are now doing in Koh Chang is nothing on the scale of the likes of Samui. With the development of Koh Kong in Cambodia as a casino resort, it makes Koh Chang even more of an ideal place for a stop-over between the two islands. This so called tourism boom is relative to a small base. Tourist numbers are a lot less than Samui or Phuket and approx 2/3 of the visitors are Thai. |
Nov
25
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In 1834, before the name Hua Hin was coined, some agricultural areas of Phetchaburi Province were hit by severe drought. A group of farmers moved southward until they found a small village that had bright white sands and a row of rocks along the beach. They settled here and gave it the name Samore Riang (Thai สมอเรียง), which mean rows of rock. |
| In 1921 the director of the state railway, Prince Purachatra, built the Railway Hotel close to the beach. King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) liked the place so much that he built a summer palace there. The palace was named Wang Klai Kang Won (’Far from Worries’). It is now the full-time residence of His Majesty the King of Thailand. His Royal Highness Prince Krom Phra Naresworarit was the first member of the royal family to build a group of palaces at Ban Laem Hin, called Sukaves, and he give the name Hua Hin to the beach next to his palace. |  |
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In 1932 Hua Hin was part of Pran Buri district. In 1949 Hua Hin was promoted to be a district of Prachuap Khiri Khan province. After the building of southern railway, Hua Hin became the first and most popular beach resort of Thailand. |
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| Thailand’s royal family and especially former kings were the first to set this location on the map as the original seashore destination in Thailand. The 5km long beach itself is pretty and the sea is relatively clean. Besides just sunbathing snorkeling and swimming, it is the place supporting attractions and activities such as golf, spas, caves, peaks, waterfalls, shops, seafood and nearby national parks. |  |
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Popular activities in Hua Hin include:fishing, eco-cruising, kite-boarding, fitness, martial arts, elephant camping, Thai massage, spa, cooking courses, trekking, walking, cycling, diving, snorkeling, creative arts, water sports, pony-riding and golf. |
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| Hua Hin has three important events as below: | |
| Thailand’s International Kite Festival is during March, April and May and features stunt kites, big kites, little kites, high tech kites, traditional Thai kites, and displays of international kites. | |
| Hua Hin Jazz Festival June is the time of the year when ‘jazz on the beach’ happens at the annual Hua Hin Jazz Festival. The popular event attracts world class jazz musicians from Thailand and all over the world. | |
| Hua Hin Vintage Car Rally Hoteliers, the Vintage Car Club of Thailand, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand annually sponsor a ‘parade’ of vintage and classic cars starting at the Sofitel Central in Bangkok and ending in at the Sofitel Central Hua Hin Resort. The cars, with drivers and passengers decked out in 1920’s attire, make the 225km promenade in December of each year. The festivities culminate with a 1920’s party at the Sofitel, which appropriately is a Victorian-style structure built in the 1920’s. | |
Nov
20
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| HistoryThe district was established in December 1901. The origin of the name is unclear, but it may originate from the Javanese word lantas, meaning a type of grill for fish. The name of the island was officially changed to “Koh Lanta” in 1917. From archaeological discoveries, it is believed that the area was one of the oldest communities in Thailand dating back to the prehistoric period. It is believed that this province may have taken its name after the meaning of Krabi, which means sword. This may have stemmed from a legend that an ancient sword was unearthed prior to the city’s founding. |
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Tourism on Koh Lanta, like the rest of Krabi province, has exploded only very recently. In the early 1990s only the most adventurous travelers visited the island, staying in only the most basic accommodation costing the likes of 50-100baht a night. Nowadays, however, the place has turned into one of the major destinations for visitors to Krabi. The development however, is still nothing on a par with the likes of Phuket or Koh Samui. |
| Krabi and Ko Lanta are a melting pot of Buddhists, Thai-Chinese, Muslims and even sea gypsies. The majority of the population in the rural areas is Muslim. The area however, does not suffer from any religious tension and the folk live in peace and harmony. Most of the folk speak with a thick Southern dialect which is difficult for even other Thais to understand. | |
| With this kind of mixture, Krabi is always celebrating something be it part of Thai Buddhist, Thai-Chinese or Thai-Islamic tradition. The unique lifestyle of the Chao-Le (sea-gypsy) in Ko Lanta particularly is well-worth a witness, a life-style that has been almost completely unaffected by the booming tourism on the island. |
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Since it is a small island relatively free of crime and drunkards, the local law-enforcers are more lenient about allowing bars along the beach to stay open until what time they wish, and that is usually when the last customer goes home. Many of the beer bars have hostesses. |
Nov
20
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Khao Lak is a seaside resort in Thailand, located 80 km north of Phuket International Airport in Takua Pa district, Phang Nga province and popular as a departure point for liveaboard scuba diving trips to the Similan Islands. |
| The pristine coastline is synonymous with beauty. Nearby rubber and palm plantations dot the coastal region and most nearby inland areas. The major national Highway 4 runs north and south and mostly parallel to the coastline. |  |
| Khao Lak is a thriving tourist destination for backpackers, up-scale tourists, adventure tourists and seasoned scuba enthusiasts. Local peoples are mostly Thai often with some Chinese ancestry. The diversity of ethnic groups and cultural influences within and surrounding Khao Lak makes this region rich in agricultural, fishing and dry good products. Tourism is Khao Lak’s revenue generating entity, becoming Thailand’s most popular jumping-off point for the world renowned Similan Islands. | |
Nov
19
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| Mae Hong Son, Thailand’s second northern most province, is sheltered by several high mountains and enjoys a cool climate almost all year round. Mae Hong Son is approximately 924 kilometres from Bangkok and can be reached from Chiang Mai either by Highway No. 108 via Mae Sariang, 349 kilometres, or Highway No. 1095 via Pai which shortens the distance to some 245 kilometres. Mae Hong Son is bordered by the Union of Myanmar (Burma) to the north and the west, and a strong Burmese influence can be seen in the province’s temples and buildings. The population of Mae Hong Son include Thai Yai and various hilltribes such as Karen, Hmong, Lahu, Lua and Lisu, scattering in the districts. |
| Mae Hong Son covers an area of 12,681 square kilometres and is administratively divided into 6 Amphoes and 1 King Amphoe namely: Amphoe Muang, Amphoe Pai, Amphoe Khun Yuam, Amphoe Mae La Noi, Amphoe Mae Sariang, Amphoe Sop Moei and King Amphoe Pang Mapha. |
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| Major Events & Festivals |
| Poi Sang Long Procession This is in fact the celebration of novice ordination which the Thai Yai tribe people hold to be a highly meritorous occasion. Traditionally, the candidate-novice, his head cleanly shaven and wrapped with head-cloth in the Burmese style, will don a prince-like garment and put on valuable jewels and gems, and ride a horse or be carried over the shoulders of a man to the city shrine. Then he will visit abbots of various wets to beg for forgiveness. On the ordination eve, a procession of offerings and other necessary personal belongings will be paraded through the town streets and then placed at the monastery where the ordination will take place the next day. It is usually held during March-May before the Buddhist Rain Retreat period. Today the tribesmen are encouraged to hold several processions at the same time with the result that have become a major tourist attraction. |
| Chong Para Procession The Chong Para in the Thai Yai dialect means a castle made of wood, covered with colorful perforated papers and decorated with fruits, flags and lamps. It is placed in the courtyard of a house or a monastery as a gesture to welcome the Lord Buddha on his return from giving sermons to his mother in heaven, according to traditional belief. The rite is held during the postkain Retreat season from the full-moon day of the 11the Lunar month to the waxing-moon night of the same month. |
| Other activities to celebrate the occasion include dances where performers are dressed in animal costumes. This is based on the belief that during those long-gone days, both humans and the animal kingdom were equally joyful of the return of the Lord Buddha and therefore joined in a jubilant performance as tribute of the Enlightened One. |
| Bua Tong Blossom Festival Each year in November, the hillsides of Amphoe Khun Yuam and Amphoe Mae Sariang are filled with a host of golden Bua Tong blooms. As gay as a daisy and almost as a sunflower, the Bua Tong only blossomsfor 15 days. This is enough reason for Mae Hong Son provincial to hold the Bua Tong Blossom Festival at Amphoe Khun Yuam. |
| At Amphoe Khun Yuam’s Dot Mae U-Kho, the blossoms appear profusely. Finally, the golden blooms become part of the scene. Some specialists have classified these Bua Tong as weeds and because of this, they may be cleared to make way for cash crops. Fortunately a group of researchers have discovered the flower’s insect-repellent properties. And perhaps that is why the Bua Tong, a symbol of Mae Hong Son, is still preserved on the hillsides. |
| Loi Krathong Festival Loi Krathong Festival is held on the full moon night in the month of November every year. Villagers make “Krathongs” to float in rivers. At Nong Chong Kham, various entertainments and a contest of large krathongs are held near the central pond. Lamps and candles are lit all around the area. Moreover, at Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu, there is a ceremony of releasing candlelit krathongs bound with balloons to the sky (known as ”Lot Krathong Sawan”). |
Nov
14
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| Suratthani the name literally means “city of the good people” and is the former seat of the Sivichaya Empire. It is the largest and most important province of the South, located 644 kms. from Bangkok. |  |
| It occupies an area of 12,891 square kilonetres bordering on Chumphon and the Gulf of Thailand to the north, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Kraby to the south, Phangnga and Ranong to the west and the Gulf of Thaoland and Nokhon Si Thammarat to the east. Geographic characteristics of Surat Thani are : High plateau and mountains covered with valuable woodforest to the west, and low basins in the central and eastern seashore area. | |
| There are a tremendous number of islands along the coast and two major rivers : the Tapi River and Phum Duang River. It is administratively divided into 17 Amphoes and 1 King Amphoe i.e., Amphie Muang, Ban Na San, Ban TA Khun, Chaiya, Don Sak, Kanchanadit, Khian Sa, Khiri Ratthanikhom Ko Phangan, Ko Samui, Phanom, Phrasaeng, Phumphin, Tha Chana, Tha Clang, Wiang Sa Ban Na Doem and King Amphoe Chai Buri. | |
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Samui Island is a beautiful island of Suratthani , and also it is a rare gem, preserving the idyllic simplicity of a tropical hideaway. It is characterised by beaches of powdery white sand, crystal-clear waters. Here you can delight in a latter-day Robinson Crusoe experience-in comfort. |
| The island, Thailand’s third largest, measuring 21 kilometres at its widest point and 25 kilometres in maximum length, is one of a group of more than 80 tropical islands, only a few of which are inhabited. A mountain ridge runs east to west and most of the hinterland comprises forested hills. The rich hues of wild vegetation are dappled throughout with the contrasting greens of coconut palms and emerald paddy fields. | |
| KohSamui : Samui Island is a major copra producing source of the country. The island lies 80 kms offshore in the Gulf of Thailand from Surat Thani province, some 500 kms south of Bangkok. |  |
| Samui has all the attributes of a south sea paradise- sunny, coconut palm- fringed beaches with bone white powdery sand meeting sparkling turquoise water and gentle sea in remote unpopulated areas. | |
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There are 33,000 islanders in the total area of 250 square km’ most of which are under a sea of coconut trees that blanket the island. The majority of the hospitable Samuians tend to go about their coconut-picking business in the plantation inland than pay undue attention to sun-soakers on the beaches. |
| It is Surat Thani’s major tourist attraction. The island has numerous lovely eaches and bays. It is almost literally an island of coconuts and forested hills, and is fast vecoming a resort of international stature. Samue’s best beaches line the northern and eastern coasts, the most popular being Chaweng and Lamai where, generally, the most attractive accommodation is found. | |
| Besides beaches, other island attractions include the Hin Lat and Na Muang waterfalls the phallic rock formations at the southern end of Lamai Bay; a massive seated Buddha inage of Fan isle and Na Thon, the island’s major seafront settlement where shops, restaurants, tour agencies and hotels are located. |  |