Thai elephant is selected as a national animal because it has maintained close link with Thai history and custom, it has a long life, and it is closely related to the livelihood of Thai people as one of transportation means both in times of peace and battles. Especially, ‘white elephant‘ known in Thai as Chang Samkhan, a white elephant is a gift fit for a king and to acquire one during his reign, will bring about prosperity and happiness throughout the kingdom and white elephant was portrayed in the former national flag.
According to ancient royal Thai traditions, a white elephant is a noble beast of special importance, exemplifying a king’s honor and glory.
One can spot a magnificent piece of art and sculpture of three white elephants in the middle of a road junction next to The Grand Palace. I bought an Elephant Hair Bracelet weaved from 9 strands of hair from the elephant tail at JJ weekend market sometimes ago. Thai people believe that wearing it will bring good fortune and nine is a lucky number in Thailand. A stranger once told me that the fallen hairs should be picked naturally from the ground and should not be plucked from the elephant.
According to a 1200-year-old legend in Africa, it is believed that the wearer of such a bracelet would be protected from illness, taken out of harms way and also attain great fortune.Also it is thought that the ancestors would protect the wearer from harm and bad happenings by creating a harmony between the forces of the sun, moon and the earth. I believe in miracle:-) My organisation has just been awarded by Tourism Authority of Thailand for the Friends of Thailand Awards 2008.
In the nineteenth century, Bangkok was networked with canals and this formed the major method of travel and communication. The population drew upon the river not only for transport but also for accomodation and trade, with stilted houses thronging the riverbanks and foreign ships plying up to Bangkok. Hence Bangkok was once known as The Venice of the East. The river and canals can still be conveniently explored and offer to the visitor a glimpse of that water-borne life of years.
I usually take the Express Boat service from Sathorn Pier on the right next to Saphan Taksin BTS station to beat the notorious traffic. After alighting at Tha (Pier) Tien, I will make my way through an open-air market to Wat Pho for a traditional massage. Next to Sathorn Pier, one can also take a free boat trip to the hotels nearby like J.W Marriott, Oriental, The Pennisula Bangkok Hotel etc for afternoon tea or dining.
The boat journey is a great treat for first time visitor to explore Thailand’s famous Menam Chao Phraya River and enjoy a gentle river breeze. The fare ranges from 6 THB to 15 THB depending on the colour of the flag on the boat (yellow flag: fixed fare at 15 THB, stop only at main piers; orange flag: fixed fare at 10 THB, stop at most piers; no flag: fare ranging from 6 THB to 15 BTH, stop at every pier) is provided from the terminal pier near Krung Thep (Bangkok) Bridge. It stops at various piers along and on both sides of the Chao Phraya river to collect many Bangkokian who take the boat for commuting to and from their places of work.
Majors sights to be seen from the river include the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) , The Grand Palace, The Royal Barge National Museum and Thammasat University etc
Places of Interests:
Pak Khlong Talat (Flower and Vegetable market) alight at Tha Saphan Phut (pier)
Wat Pho , Wat Arun and The Grand Palace & Wat Phra Keao alight at Tha Tian (pier)
The express boat service operates daily from 6.00a.m to 8.00pm.
Contact information:
Tel: 0 2623 6001-2
www.chaophrayaboat.com
Thailand produces fruits all year round but some of the fruits are seasonal like durian ( April to June), Jackfruit (August to September), Mango (March to June), Mangosteen ( June to November) etc.
I have come across some strange and unique fruits eaten by the Thais like Pithecellobium dulce belongs to the bean family (Leguminosae) and in Thai is called “Ma-kham-thet”. It is also known as Manila Tamarind. When I was a Horticulture student, we used to call it “Madras thorn”, even though the plant is not originated from Madras. This hardy American tree is native along coasts from California through Mexico to South America but it has been naturalized throughout Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand.
The tree is commonly planted as a wayside tree in Thailand and the sweet and acidic pulps from the curly pods are eaten by the Thais. “dulce” is sweet in latin but I find the pulp quite tasteless.
The tree is also trained into bonsai and I have seen a varigated Pithecellobium in one of the bonsai garden.
Information from Under-Utilized Tropical Fruits of Thailand
As a medicinal plant, Ma-kham-thet leaves can be used as a plaster to allay pain even from venereal sores, and can relieve convulsions. The leaves together with salt can cure indigestion and also induce abortion. The bark of the root is good for dysentery. The bark of stem is used for tanning (De Padua et al., 1978) and produces dull, but light coloured leather, which reddens on exposure to light. It is also used for dyeing fish nets (Galang, 1955). The bark, however, contains irritating substances, which can cause eye infection (Coronel, 1983).
Tropical Water lilies are common freshwater aquatic plants found in Thai gardens and temples and it can bloom either day or night, and are the only group to contain blue-flowered plants. Lotus (Nelumbonaceae) and water lilies (Nymphaeaceae) are two different plant families but in Thai, the common name is “bua” . The leaves and flowers of water lilies appear to dance lightly on the water surface as compared to the leaves and flower of the Lotus grow above the water surface.
Water lilies (pak bonge) are sometimes eaten as vegetable with spicy dishes like green papaya salad etc . It is quite an authentic Thai dish. It has a cooling effect.
A good place to source for water lilies in Thailand is the Plant section at JJ weekend market. The plant is usually packed in a plastic bag with samples of cut flowers. Prices vary from plant to plant depending on plant form. For plant lovers, there is a wide range of reference books available in the Book section on gardens and plants in Thailand but the problem is in Thai:-( The price is very reasonable.
Personally, I prefer the Lotus to Water lilies.
Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) is a very popular herb used in Thia cooking provides a zesty lemon flavor and aroma to many Thai dishes and one of the economic importance plants of the grass family (Poaceae).
It is an active ingredients used in Tom Yum Soup for the flavour. Another popular Thai dish include lemon grass is Coconut Milk Chicken Soup (Tom Kha Gai).The creamy soup has a good mixed of galanga ginger and lemon grass as the main ingredients.
The plant is easy to grow at home by planting the stalks bought from the market in a pot and it can be planted as a barrier to prevent weeds in your garden.
Travelling to Thailand , you should not miss the lemon grass drink. It is very exotic, refreshing and quenches thirst during the hot days and has great therapeutic benefits . Sometimes, it is served with a stem of the stalk of lemon grass as a stirrer.
The plant is extracted for essential oil used in the spa and pharmaceutical industry and it has antifungal and antibacterial properties. FYI, Eucalyptus is another popular crop and has been introduced to the Thai market in recent years. You will come across plots of Eucalyptus plantations if you travelled to the NorthEastern part of Thailand.
I have picked up a trick from the spa. It makes a lot of different by serving cold towel with a couples drops of lemon grass essential oil. Try it, you will know what I mean.
Have you wondered what an elephant can do beside logging and making paper products from elephant dungs? In Northern Thailand, elephants are also trained by their keepers or mahouts to become artists, sportman, musician etc for the tourism industry.
Elephants used to make a good living hauling trees in the logging industry, but deforestation has led to bans on teak logging in Thailand but thank to the Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang, young elephants are trained as ” Artists” to paint at the elephant art academy for a new living . Trust me…young elephants paint very well as compared to the older ones. As they grow older , most of them lost their interest and patience in painting.
It is estimated about 6000 Asian elephants left in Thailand. In 2000, paintings by elephants were auctioned at Christie’s in New York. One painting by Ganesh, a 6-year-old Indian elephant, sold for $2,100. Owning a piece of Thailand elephant painting starts from 5000 - 6000 THB. A good deed to conserve Mother Nature.
Where to see Elephant painting:
Maesa Elephant Camp
119/9 Tapae Rd., Muang District, Chiang Mai 50100 Thailand
Tel. +66 5320 6247, +66 5320 6248, Fax. +66 5320 6247
Email:
maesaele@loxinfo.co.th
Website:
www.measaelephantcamp.com
www.gallerymaesa.com
Artist At Work
The Materpiece
Wat Phrathat Lampang Luang is a paradigm of temple building of Lanna located on high land 18km southwest of Lampang in Ko Kha surounded by wall. Phrathat Lampang Luang houses the image of Emerald Buddha which is the provincial integral to Lampang province.
The entrance arches called Pratu Khong is adorned with fine plaster design. The wall-less main viharn houses a bronze Buddha statue called Phra Chao Lan Thong with the front entrance facing east, the auspicious direction of the sunrise. The golden Chedi in Lanna architectural style is behind the temple.
Also in the back is another Viharn with beautiful murals on wooden walls, said to be the oldest in the North.These are beautiful and interesting Lanna style murals. The Chedi particulrly symbolic for people who born in the year of the Ox. Lanna people believe that to bring them highest prosperity, they should visit ” Phra That” of their Zodiac birth year, just even once in their lifetime.
Only male is allowed into the Ubosot to view the inverted reflection shadow image of the Chedi. An Ubosot, or consecrated ceremonial hall, is generally small for its religious functions involve only monks. The ubosot stands in consecrated ground marked by eight boundary stones. Ubosot are often locked and women are generally not allowed to enter. It is one of the best kept secret in Thailand.
Thailand Best Kept Secret
Getting There:
Located 18 km from Lampang city, along the Highway No. 1 to km 586, take to turn right and pass the Ko Kha District office and turn right for 2 km.
Lampang is about 602km to the north of Bangkok along Highway No. 1 (Pahonyothin Road). It takes about 7 hours by car. The Ordinary and air-conditioned buses leave Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal ( Mo Chit2) daily
By Rail:
Bangkok - Chiang Mai and Chiang Mai - Bangkok Trains
Stop at lampang Station. Daily trip. More information: Tel 0-5421-7024
By Air:
Lampang-Bangok-Lampang
P.B. AIR airline flies from Bangkok to Lampang and Lampang to Bangkok everyday. For more information, please contact 0-2261-0220 or 00-5423-0401-2
Lampang Airport: 0-5422 6258
Plumeria is fast becoming Thais favourite tropical plant in recent years. You will come across it in the gardens and spa. Even, artificial blossoms, photos, postcards, paintings and stem cuttings are available in JJ weekend market. Plumeria is also called Frangipani and named after Charles Plumier, 17C French botanist .
The plant belonging to the Apocynaceae family has white milky sap can be poisonous but found a way to use it medicinally.There are Plumeria obtusa (White frangipani, Singapore Plumeria), Plumeria rubra in the same family and countless hybrids in amazing colour and shade. Singapore Botanic Gardens has one of the best collection of Plumeria in the world. The genus contains 8 species of mainly deciduous shrubs and trees, originally from Central America, known for their strongly fragrant flowers.The incenses of flowers are used for creating the most sensual perfumes and aroma treatments with relaxing and soothing effects.It is a fast growing shrub once it has been given the right conditions. The plant will grow well on relatively dry well-drained soil, lots of light and warm temperatures. It can be propagated by stem cutting or grafting. Plumeria can be easily grown in a container and starts blooming usually on the first year after rooting and Plumeria are good hosts for dendrobium orchids.
Balinese people use the blossoms extensively in Balinese ceremonies and rituals, it is planted in the temples, sometimes is known as Temple Tree and also in Balinese landscape. In Singapore, I remembered as a child, the blossoms were made into condolence wreaths and the trees were usually planted in Muslim cemeteries endowed with supernatural power and home to a famous malay ghost the pontianak!!!!! is the soul of a lady died of child birth, reminded me of the Thai movie, Nang Nak.
Plumeria trees once were considered taboo in Thai homes too because of superstitious associations with the plant’s Thai name, lantom, which is similar to ratom, the Thai word for sorrow. Name of the heroine in a Thai legend, who had fate all through her life.Plumeria were thought to bring unhappiness but His Majesty the King has given a new auspicious name ” Leelaawadee” to revive the plant.
Today, however, the blossoms are used in Spa flora arrangement and presented as fragrant offerings to Buddha in garlands or on a plate, and residents wear them on special festival days like Songkran (Thai New Year). Time has changed. I still remember that hybrids of Euphorbia milli used to be the best-selling plants in the mid-ninties and my friend’s mum in her early sixties has a couples of pots of Plumeria as compared to a pot of Euphorbia in her garden. Well, plants are a little like fashion…making a fashion statement in the field of horticulture.
Centara Grand @ Central World (Five Star Hotel) -A Bangkok New Landmark Icon
The Five Star Centara Grand provides a fresh perspective on Thia hospitality and service. Conveniently connectd to the Bangkok Convention Centre and Central World shopping mall, the hotel features 505 luxurious rooms and suites and 9 restaurants and bars serving cuisines from around the globe.The Exclusive Club Longe is located on the entire 51st floor. I loved the pastries served at Zing located on the ground floor of Centara Grand at CentralWorld. The service was superb!!! And last and not least, I loved the shower room and it has huge bath tub and a separate retro shower capsule.
Chill out with a glass of wine listening to the pianist end the day with a perfect note!
Morning Has Broken…a New Day is beeing born
H.R.H. King Chulalongkorn (Rama V (1860-1910)) was the first Thai monarch to visit Europe and credited for steering the country into modern age and for preserving Thailand’s independence from European colonialism. Dusit Palace was originally called Dusit Garden by King Rama V and was constructed between 1897 and 1901 in European style.
Within the Dusit Palace royal compound, the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall was commissioned by H.R.H. King Chulalongkorn [ Rama V ] in 1907 and it was completed in 1915 by King Rama V1. The building measuring 49.5 meters wide, 112.5 meters long and 47.5 meters high is designed in Italian Renaissance and Neo Classical styles by Italian architects and has an exterior made of Carrara marble imported from Italy .
In the center of the throne hall is a large dome surrounded by six smaller domes with amazing mural paintings depicting the hisory of the Chakri Dynasty. One of the topics includes Rama V abolishing slavery in 1908. Visitors can load a portable interactive with self-explanation function handset to explore the massive architecture of the building and view the current impressive masterpieces of Thai craftsmen in Arts of the Kingdom V Exhibits under the Support Foundation of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit founded on 21 July 1976 to augment the income of famers and to perpetuate Thai arts and crafts. A wide range of hand-made products including Mudmee silk, cotton, Yan-Lipao etc are available in the souvenir shop.
A bronze status of H.R.H. King Chulalongkorn is installed in front of the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall where Thai people make offerings of candles, flowers, incense and bottles of whisky and a great sight during H.R.H. King Chulalongkorn memorial day.
Because this is a royal property, visitors should wear long pants or long skirts and shirts with sleeves upon entering the permises.No photography is allowed within the throne hall.
When I started to run my website (www.SingaporeSights.com) about two years ago, I hoped that I could see myself on stage receiving an Award and it was a wonderful moment for me last week at the Thailand Tourism Awards 2008 ceremony to receive the first Award from Tourism Authority of Thailand ( TAT) for Friends of Thailand 2008.
The Friends of Thailand Awards were first introduced in 1996, and were presented by then - Prime Minister, General Chaovalit Yongchaiyuth. The Awards were presented to international individuals/organizations, international tour operators and international airlines for their dedication and commitment to the Thai tourism industry.Since then, TAT has presented the Friends of Thailand Awards every two years.
May I take this opportunity once again to thank Khun Porntip Makornpan , Director for TAT Singapore Office and Khun Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Assistant Director for Marketing Information Technology Group for their kind support for making my dream comes true.
Motto:
“Dare To Dream, To achieve the Impossible”
Khun Porntip Makornpan, Director for TAT Singapore Office and me
CentralWorld shopping mall is located at the busy Ratchaprasong interesction, diagonally across from the famous Erawan Brahma Shrine (Four Faced Buddha) . It was previously known as the World Trade Centre, has just undergone an extensive facelift in 2006 and is the largest shopping complex in Thailand and has an unrivalled mix and range of products and services at down to earth prices that put the fun back into shopping for locals and tourists alike. The building is home to two department stores: Zen and Isetan, as well as hundreds of other retails stores and restaurants.
For diversity in products and services, there are over 500 Thai and world-renowned brand stores offering world-class brands. These stores are housed in 6 zones of Atrium which specialize in international fashion bands, the Beacon which has stores dealing with translucent art pieces, Central Court which is the main connecting point to all the other zones, Dazzle which house anchor mega-stores such as SuperSports, PowerBuy, Toy ‘R’ Us as well as jewellery stores, Eden with it local and fashion brands stores and is also the connecting point to Siam and Chidlom BTS stations, the Forum that houses a variety of modern and chic lifestyle retail concepts from interior decoration shops to fashion and finally Heaven on 7 which has over 21 restaurants offering a range of al fresco dining experience and an array that boggles the mind before the taste.
The city’s first edutainment centre known as TK Park is located here, and includes a library and a multimedia station. There are also two cinemas on the top floor. A new hotel and convention centre tower (Centara Grand + Bangkok Convention Centre) is integrated into the CentralWorld shopping centre.
A great place for shopping and dining and I never miss home.
Getting There:
Skytrain to Siam Square if you are from the Silom Line or skytrain to Chit Lom Station if you are in Sukhumvit Line.
Thai art and decor @ Asian Senses
The connecting point from Siam and Chidlom BTS stations
Glassy Facade - CentralWorld
I came across this unique stall selling horsescrabs at Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2008 (TTPM 2008) recently. It was amazing to see so many horseshoe crabs. The roes are considered as a delicacy by the Thai people.
An extract of the horseshoe crab’s blood is used by the pharmaceutical and medical device industries to ensure that their products, e.g., intravenous drugs, vaccines, and medical devices, are free of bacterial contamination. No other test works as easily or reliably for this purpose.A single horseshoe crab can be worth $2,500 over its lifetime for periodic blood extractions.
The dish is rare and it is mainly found along the coastal seafood restaurants but it is too exotic for me to try:-) I still prefer my Pla Too.
Photographying children is the most challenging part of travel photography and is one of my favourite subjects. It is good to seek permission from their guardian either verbally or through body language. Be polite.
I managed to take a couples of good photos of the children in the islands of Koh Bulon last year. I visited one of the Sea Gypsies (Chao Le) village, children were playing with sands under the stilted houses and raced around the village. No computer games. It enjoyed watching the child play and reminded me about my childhood.
The child was suspicious of me taking his photo and I hope that he will remember me one day.
Life is simple.
Rules to photography children:
- Ask permission from the guardians if possible
- Befriend the children
- Keep a distance
- Photography at eye level
- Be polite and understand the local culture.
You will take better photos on your travel trips.
Final message:
STOP CHILD ABUSE
Have you ever noticed this lovely flower when you strolled the white sandy beaches in the southern islands of Thailand? This flower is from a coastal tree (Sea Hibiscus) and part of the cotton family (Malvaceae) . The yellow flowers open in the morning (after sunrise, about 9 am) and turn orangey brown before falling on the same evening or the following day.
The plant secretes a substance that attracts ants, not in its flowers but through its leaves. Among these, are the fierce Weaver Ants (Oecophylla smaragdina), which may help keep off insect pests. The size of the orangey ant is about 1cm and the bite hurts. Some insects that feed on the plant include the Cotton Stainer Bug(Dysdercus decussatus) that feeds on its seeds. I believe that the sea gypsies (chao leh) use the bark fibres for making rope and to caulk ships. The leaves, flowers, buds and bark of the tree are also known for traditional medicinal uses.
This fast growing tree commonly grows along the seashore and back mangroves. In mangroves, it indicates the high water mark and the boundary between the end of salt water penetration and the beginning of freshwater swamp. It also grows in limestone and volcanic areas and a relative of the National Flower of Malaysia, Bunga Raya.
Thai Name:
Po fai (Central Thailand), Po na, Pho thale (Bangkok), Po thale.
Try to identify the plant next time.
Fallen flowers of the Sea Hibiscus along the coast of Koh Lipeh island
Three things that I usually do on a visit to Bangkok. First, I will pay my respect to the Four-Faced Buddha and Kwan Si Yim Phu Sak at Thien Fa Foundation in Chinatown. Last of all, I will offer a pair of coffins to the Beings at Wat Hua Lampong above San Yan MRT station for good health and business.It is a local belief that prayers get answered when one prays to this Buddha.
Erawan Shrine or San Phra Phrom is located opposite the Central World (former World Trade Centre) at the junction of Ratchadamri Road and Phloenchit Road , and within walking distance if you are coming from Pratunam, MBK or Siam square. The place is popular among Asian tourists and visited daily by many local Thais offering their prayers which is why the place could get crowded at times.
The Shrine was built as a spirit house - home to the guardian of the place/building for the Erawan Hotel which has now made way for the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel. The gilded plaster statue was enshrined at the Erawan Hotel on November 9, 1956 but was destroyed by a demented man in March 2006. A replacement was quickly built and the Shrine re-opened to great fanfare in May 2006.The name Erawan comes from Brahma’s thirty-three headed elephant. The four-headed statue is an image of Brahma or Phra Phrom in Thai- a class of celestial beings but not Lord Buddha.
The Four-Faced Buddha literally has four faces. The first Face starts in a clockwise direction from the entrance of the shrine which represents the Face of Peace and Health, Face of Good Fortune, Face of Good Relationships and Face of Protection against Evils.People offer garlands of marigold flowers, lotus, young coconuts, candles and incense sticks to the Four-Faced Budhha at the 4 corners. Often, if a wish has been granted, people thank the spirits by donating teak elephants, gigantic candles or commissioning the classical Thai dancers and musicians to perform to the Gods. Many Thai use gold leaf and make an offering-by placing the gold on the wooden elephants.I was told by a friend that wishes are granted on Thursday.
An urn of holy water is located at the right corner of the Shrine and people usually sprinkle the water over their heads and shoulders or drop a coin into the water for good luck after prayer.
Outside the Shrine, caged birds like Munia are sold for releasing.Thais people believe in merit making and it is supposed to bring good luck and tickets bought from the lottery sellers are also considered lucky.It is a great experience by visiting the Four-Faced Buddha of Erawan Shrine in the bustling Thai capital city, Bangkok to learn more about the Thai people belief and colourful culture.
Price for the dancer to dance for you
2 dancers = 260 Baht
4 dancers = 360 Baht
6 dancers = 610 Baht
8 dancers = 710 Baht
Remember to buy your offering to the god inside the Shrine because it will cost you from 50 THB and above.
Getting There:
Skytrain to Siam Square if you are from the Silom Line or skytrain to Chit Lom Station if you are in Sukhumvit Line.
RSS Feed (xml)
