Chatuchak Weekend Market Bangkok

Chatuchak market or also Jatujak or short name JJ is the Worlds biggest market and it is located on Phaholyothin Road, in the North of Bangkok. Chatuchak Market is a paradise for shopping lovers. At the market they have every thing to buy you can think of. There is trendy fashion from local designers ranging from T-Shirts to pants, shorts, shoes and many other things. Also you can buy such things as antiques, intricate wooden carvings, handicrafts, paintings, food, plants, pets and miscellaneous items. You can find more than 10, 000 shops and stalls on JJ.

Chatuchak market is divided into 26 sois by kinds of products. For example: soi 1 star at north of Kam Phanepet Road their sells books. On the Clock Tower is the land mark of Chatuchak Market, when 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. zone clock tower shopper will sell goods at lower price. Example T-shirt fashion the cheap price about 39 Baht.

Chatuchak market is open daily for books only. On Wednesday their sell plants and fish. The customer can buy many exotic plants for a good price. On the day you can buy plants and consult the owner “how to nurture plants”. If you want to buy plants but you don’t know “what do you want to buy?”, the plant seller can give you some suggestion for buying plants. They sell plants around clock at Tower street. Special for car owner you can drive car in the street. If you want to buy fish go to pets area near furniture area.

How to go there

BTS Sky Train on Mo Chit Station

MRT Subway: Chatuchak Station

BMCL have 2 station are Chatuchak Park and Kamphaeng Phet Air Condition Bus: 2,3,8,10,11,12,18,19,23,29,34,38,39,44,77,146 Mini Bus:77,134,136,138Micro Bus:2,8,12,15,35 Bus: 3,8,26,27,28,29,34,38,39,44,52,59,63,77,96,104,108,112,134,138,145

Trip: Thai language I want to go to JJ you can say: "Pai Jatujak ka/kub"

If you want to bargain the price you can say: "Lod Noi dai Mai ka/kub"

If you want to say "it's expensive": "Pang Mark"

If you want to say " it's cheap": "Thoong"

Chatuchak Market Map

The Computer and software Mecca of Pantip Plaza

Pantip Plaza Computer Shopping

Bangkok’s biggest shopping area is definitely Siam Square. The best way to reach it is by the BTS skytrain and the station is also called Siam Square. There is another famous shopping center that is a 5 minute motorcycle ride away from Siam Square. It is called Pantip Plaza and it’s not the amount of fashion products on offer or a stylish new building that attracts people but it is the fact that Pantip Plaza specializes on everything connected to computers and technology products.

A main attraction are of course the Software and movie offerings that are not always legal but still available. Every single software and very new DVD movies can be bought for a fraction of the original price and many people make use of that convenience. Original software is also available though.

For computers and any hardware product that you can think of it is surely available at Pantip. Prices are good and at the smaller shops it is no problem to bargain the price down a bit.

Bangkok Pratunam Market: Fashion and clothing Outlet

Pratunam clothing

The special thing about Pratunam market is that almost everybody selling clothes there has a factory somewhere and is a wholesaler. You can get some really good deals there. Sure, not everything is the best quality but this counts only for a few stores. Some really creative locally produced fashion can be found here.

The Pratunam market is situated by the intersection of Ratchaprarop and Phetburi (Phetchaburi) roads, very near to the Amari Watergate hotel. This is notable as perhaps the best place in Bangkok to buy cheap clothes, fabrics and textiles - wholesalers and exporters buy here, as well as individual consumers. The market is not on the main road, look for the entrances that lead to it behind the shops. The Bai Yoke market in the same area sells the same sort of thing. As well as the market, there are many clothes and textile shops in this area. A little down Phetburi road is the Nai Loet (also called Nai Lert) market, a kind of scaled down Chatuchak. If you've already been to Chatuchak there's little point in coming here as the goods on offer are similar, but it's worth a visit if you can't make it up to Chatuchak market proper. Ordinary buses 2, 11, 23, 38, 58, 60, 62, 72, 93 113, 139, 140 and air-con bus 12 all stop near all these markets.

Tags: Pratunam Market, Bangkok, Bangkok Shopping, Bangkok Outlet, Bangkok fashion, Thailand

The Mountains of Chiang Mai and the Hilltribes

The Mountains were once the preserve of aboriginals and were avoided by the lowland farmers. With the arrival of logging interests and the hill-tribes, roads began to penetrate into the high hills. These roads now bring visitors who wish to visit these hilltribes and see their culture. You may either rent a vehicle and drive straight up into the hills yourself, or take an organized trek with one of the many companies offering this service.

Dirt Roads into the Hills (All 4WD)

The dirt roads in the hills provide an opportunity for adventure. A motorcycle or "Caribian" is essential.

Though exploring dirt roads can be fun, going up remote dirt roads is risky and should be avoided in the rainy season. Rain can make steep tracks very muddy and dangerously slippery, if not impassable. Turning around can be difficult. Hill folk may help if you get stuck, but you should offer payment for the rescue service.

Tourist facilities do not exist and you may have to improvise for accommodation. Fuel is sold from drums in villages on main routes only. All signs (if there are any) are in Thai and usually indicate routes to distant villages with unfamiliar names. Even on good dirt roads, it is possible to take a wrong turning. Some spoken Thai is essential (to ask for directions and handle breakdowns, etc.), or you should take a guide. Guides can be hired for reasonable sums (500-1000 per day negotiable) by contacting your hotel or a nearby guest house or trekking agency.

That said, try any of the following for access into the hills.

Trekker's Lodge The road passes a Lahu village and goes on to other villages (Lahu, Yao, Karen) up the valley. After nine kilometers Trecker's Lodge (60-200 Baht.) offers huts in a pleasant hill-side setting and provides a good base for further exploration.

source: Chiang Mai website

Nai Harn Beach Phuket

A beautiful beach in Phuket

Located right at the southern end of Phuket, Nai Harn is one of the island's most beautiful locations. This quiet and tranquil place has only a few hotels including the Le Royal Meridien Phuket Yacht Club and is a favourite anchorage for boats during the high season. It's not a place to hire a jet ski or expect a lot of action. Just yachts bobbing in the bay, vendors selling ice cream and drinks and a fine sandy beach. Great for swimming from November to April, however care should be take in the low season (May-October) when there are strong undertows. The local restaurants just above the beach make a great place to relax with a sundowner.

Away from the beach, Nai Harn village has lots of small restaurants and local bars. Notably Mimmi's, located on the road from Nai Harn to Kata with a lovely ambiance, chaise longues and good western food, Banana Corner - excellent value for money and Don's Restaurant, famous for Texas style spare ribs.

Just north of Nai Harn, along the coast, is Nui Beach, small, secluded and difficult to access. Further along is Ya Nui, a sandy cove that attracts snorkellers and divers. Another out-of-the way spot nearby is the tiny beach of Ao Sane, a great spot for snorkelling, reached by taking the dirt road that starts at Le Royal Meridien's car park. Kata Beach, where you'll find a more lively nightlife, is about 20 minutes away, while Patong Beach is about a 30-minute drive.

source: Phuket.com

Bua Spa Bangkok: A fantastic Experience

The Bua Spa is a new Spa facility in Bangkk that has some reasonably priced packages and is really a relaxing experince for everybody.

Contemporary Balinese and Thai in design, Bua Spa is a set in a renovated home on one of the loveliest sois in town, Sukhumvit 53. Cool, dark interiors, water features and private rooms, this tranquil oasis is popular among the Japanese. The service is typically professional and very pleasant. Hot lemongrass and ginger tea welcomes each customer. You'll pay a little more for the massages and body scrubs at Bua Spa, but it's well worth it for a treat.

Prices: 800 - 2,200 THB.

source: BangkokRecorder

Come and see the Wimaya Nattakan Sound and Light Show

Sound and Light Show

This sound and light show in the Phimai Historical Park depicts the past glory of ancient Phimai and the Khmer empire.

The first half of the performance features choreographic creations inspired by the bas-relief of the Phimai Sanctuary itself. Vignettes depicted include Buddhist religious processions, the ancient ritual dance of the boxers and the Phimaipura or Vimayapura dance. Folk and traditional dances such as the Bai Sri Su Kwan dance, Manohra Len Nam dance, the Dung Krok and Dung Sak mortar and pestle dance are featured in the second half of the presentation.

2nd Bangkok Soccer 7 Tournament in April 2006

The second Bangkok International Soccer 7s tournament will be held in the kingdom's capital in April 2006. This tournament will be for the Open and Masters team categories. The tournament will be conducted in one of the best playing pitches in Asia.

The philosophy of the Thailand International Soccer 7s events is to combine “Sport and Leisure” for peoples from various countries and of all races and religions through friendship seven-a-side tournaments.

These tournaments were created to foster international friendship through sport and also to promote Thailand as a sports tourism destination.

Thailand Soccer 7s tournaments have quickly developed a reputation as being among the best of its kind in Asia with professional organization and the quality of teams participating. They attract soccer teams from all over the world and have become major competitions for football players in the Asia Pacific region.

The Phuket International Soccer 7s tournament has developed into one of the largest 7s tournament in Asia.

Thailand International Soccer 7s Event Calendar

April 22 – 23, 2006

2 ^nd Bangkok International Soccer 7s tournament July 2006

1^st Pattaya International Soccer 7s November 25-26, 2006

4^th Phuket International Soccer 7s To register your team, please visit www.thai7s.com

source: Tourism Authority Thailand

Delicious Thai Vegetarian and Vegan Food

Vegetarian food

Vegetarians won't have too many problems surviving in Thailand, with one significant exception: fish sauce (น้ำปลา naam plaa) is to Thai cuisine what soy sauce is to Chinese food, and keeping it out of soups, curries and stir-fries will be a challenge.

That said, Thailand is a Buddhist country and vegetarianism is a fairly well-understood concept, especially among Chinese Thais (many of whom eat only vegetarian food during several festivals). Tofu is a traditional Thai ingredient and they aren't afraid to mix it up in some non traditional dishes such as omelettes (with or without eggs), submarine sandwiches, and burritos. Since Thai dishes are usually made to order, it's easy to ask for anything on the menu to be made without meat or fish. Bangkok features several fantastic veggie and vegan restaurants, but outside of big cities make sure to check that your idea of "veggie" matches the chef's.

Some key phrases for vegetarians:

• phom kin jeh (m) / di-chan kin jeh (f) ผม(ดิฉัน)กินเจ "I eat only vegetarian food"

• karunaa mai sai naam plaa กรุณาไม่ใส่น้ำปลา "Please don't use fish sauce"

source: wikipedia

Bangkok gets massive subway and skytrain extension

Bangkok’s new mass-transit system, the subway, is running smoothly after there were some technical problems in the first months of operations.

It runs under two major city thoroughfares, Rama IV and Ratchdapisek and links up a number of business districts, hotels, shopping complexes and major event halls like the Thailand Cultural Centre and the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.The subway complements the existing skytrain and is linked to it by three interchange stations at important junctions.As part of a 500 billion baht (US$ 12 billion) project to solve the traffic problems in Bangkok, the Royal Thai Government is planning to expand the subway and skytrain throughout the entire city, including its numerous suburban districts. Seven new routes totalling 291 kilometres will be added to the present network of 24 kilometres of skytrain and 20 kilometres of subway.This expansion reflects the government’s plan of having a subway or skytrain station every 500 metres in the city and linking the inner city area to the suburban provinces of Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani. In effect 4.5 million people and thousands of visitors will be able to use the mass transit system to move seamlessly through the city.To improve the overall public transportation system of the capital, the operators of the mass transit systems are in talks with the city bus service to link seven subway stations with 18 bus lines for suburban commuters who don’t wish to use their cars.

Tags: bangkok, airport, subway, mrta

source: Touristikpresse

15th Asian Games are Upcoming: Thailand Windsurfing Athletes are getting ready

Windsurf Association of Thailand is preparing its Athletes for the 15th Asian Games

March 11, Mr Khanchit Narasaetaphorn, Windsurf Association Vice President called a meeting of the directors of the Windsurf Association of Thailand to explain improvements and development of the Association to prepare athletes (windsurfers) for the 15th Asian Games to be held in Qatar between 1-15 December this year.

One of Pattaya’s young windsurfers will be one of those hoping to benefit from the 4-year sports development plan launched by the Windsurf Association of Thailand and Pattaya City Council Mr Pattana Bunsawat, Association general secretary revealed that at the recent SEA Games in the Philippines the Association achieved satisfactory results, winning 1 gold and 1 bronze medal. The Association is cooperating with Pattaya City Council in carrying out a 4-year sports development plan between 2005 - 2009, providing training to Pattaya schoolchildren and the results have so far proved to be very satisfactory, as the children have rapidly improved their skills. Mr Pattana added that the Association was also experiencing development problems as equipment for this sport is relatively expensive, and they have already requested funding of over 1 million baht from Pattaya City Council to buy new equipment. Mr Khanchit said that the Association has also been given cooperation by Thai Airports (Public) Company Limited under a government enterprise project and they have agreed to provide 4 million baht per year to the Association over a 3-year period from 1 January 2006 - 31 December 2008. This year the funding will provide development aid to the Association in hiring trainers, organizing domestic competitions and sending athletes for training abroad inpreparation for the 15th Asian Games to beheld later in the year.

source: Pattaya Mail

Gemopolis: Thailand's new Gem Shopping Paradise

When the Suvarnabhumi Airport opens travellers will have a new shopping area within easy reach, the Gemopolis Mall, a jewellery centre in Prawes District that is scheduled to open early next year. Gemopolis Mall is part of Gemopolis or gem city that comprises 70 jewellery manufacturers, mostly European and American, who have received privileges from the Board of Investment. Built at a cost of 800 million baht, it is just four kilometres from the new airport which is slated to open sometime later next year. Operating as a jewellery retail centre, it will bring manufacturers and buyers face-to-face and pull in a large number of tourists as well because Thailand is recognised for its craftsmanship in jewellery throughout the world.In the first phase 38 units will open, followed by 28 later. Gemopolis Mall hopes to tap the reputation of Thai designers who have bagged several awards at international competitions and are adept at cutting and polishing diamond and handling exquisite details. Because of their cheaper labour Thailand can't compete with China and India, so it is channelling its energy on producing high-end jewellery and ornaments where margin for profit is higher. Apart from the Gemopolis Mall, there is a Gemopolis factory outlet - already operating - where tourists can buy everything from rings, bracelets and necklaces to ear rings, pins and watches etc, at prices 30 percent lower than what is offered by conventional stores, says Pariya Charuworn, its deputy managing director. Factories in the Gemopolis industrial complex manufacture for export. They don't have a retail outlet. The Gemopolis outlet provides them that chance. It's already drawing buyers and tourists to Prawes. Apart from high-quality jewellery at attractive prices, they can tour a diamond-cutting factory and enjoy an exhibit of precious stones. Source: Bangkok Post

"Muay Thai" or Thai Boxing: An Introduction

Introduction

Muay Thai is the Thai name for an indigenous form of martial art practiced in several southeast Asian countries including Myanmar (where it is generally known as Lethwei) and Malaysia (where it is known as tomoi).

Ram Muay before an amateur Muay Thai match

It is the national sport of Thailand.

Traditional Muay Thai has a long history in Thailand as a martial art used by the military. The military style of Muay Thai is called Lerdrit, while today's "Sport Muay Thai" slightly varies from the original art and uses kicks and punches in a ring and with gloves similar to those used in western boxing. Muay Thai is referred to as "The Science of Eight Limbs", as the hands, feet, elbows, and knees are all used extensively in this art. A master practitioner of Muay Thai thus has the ability to execute strikes using eight points of contact, as opposed to the four points (fists, feet) in many other forms of martial arts. This effectively gives the practitioner the ability to debilitate opponents with any combination of the eight limbs.

History

Although Muay Thai is considered by some to be a derivation of a general indigenous martial art style native to southeast Asia, it was the first to be popularized outside of southeast Asia. This general indigenous style is believed to be Pradal Serey from Angkor in modern-day Cambodia.

Traditionally in the past, Muay Thai was used as entertainment to kings. It is thought by some sources that gloves were made out of wrapped twine, tar, and broken pieces of glass to ensure a bloody event, however it is still a subject of debate.

Other styles similar to Muay Thai can be found be found in Cambodia, Laos, and Burma.

source: Wikipedia

Samui Island's Exotic Waterfalls

Koh Samui is blessed with quite a few spectacular waterfalls; however there are only two that are easily accessed and having good facilities. They are Hin Lad and Namuang. The best time to see any of the falls on Koh Samui is during or just after the rainy season, approximately September to March. If not at these times, there may not be enough of a water flow to make the trip worthwhile.

Hin Lad is approximately three kilometers from Nathon, due west off route 4172. The signposts are well marked. You will need to hike down a two kilometer trail, at times a little challenging, but the pool at the bottom of the falls is worth it. Make sure you have good footwear for this trail. Namuang is actually two different waterfalls, Namuang 1 and Namuang 2. Namuang 1 is 18 meters high and just off the main road, easily accessible by car. Here you will find a beautiful swimming hole at the base of the waterfall. Good footwear should be worn as it can get slippery on the rocks. As with any swimming area, please use extreme caution if you chose to dive. Namuang 2 is about 80 meters tall and is a little bit more difficult to get to than Namuang 1. Unless you can find the road that will take you about 1/3 of the way up, you will have to hike up from the main road for about 30 minutes. The first little bit seems tough, but it does get easier. If there is enough water, these falls are beautiful and well worth the trip. You will need good shoes for this one.

source: Koh Samui Website