Collection of Flowers of Thailand

Hanger Lobster Claw

Pink Bananaflower

Red Powder Puff

Frangipani Flower

Red Torch Ginger

Parrot Flower

Star Orchid

Flower of the Cannonball Tree

Suvarnabhumi pictures

Travelling a lot means seeing a lot of airports and spending too much valuable time at these transport hubs. Taking pictures is kind of killing the time. Here are some from Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok's international airport.

THAI airways makes a joke

Is this only possible in Thailand?

I was complete stunned today when I took my afternoon flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. The airplane was brand new with good seats, personal screens, even an USB port. As I was enjoying my luxurious new seat I was studying the Thai Airways magazine and the inflight entertainment magazine. Next I examined the safety pamphlet in the seat in front of me. As usual it states that phones and electronic devices have to be turned off. On the pamphlet 3 phones are shown: a Iphone, a Blackberry and a Motorola.
As many of my friends have these phones I looked at them a bit closer. I could see that the brand name has been changed, which is quite normal, but the names given are very unusual.

The Iphone doesn't have a clearly definable name.
But the Motorola is called Wienorola and the Blackberry is called Crackberry.

Now maybe this is my Freud mind playing tricks on me but "wiener" and "crack" would be informal names given to respectively the male and female intimate parts.

I am sure the designer had a lot of fun, but I can not understand nobody noticed this before printing these pamphlets for the new THAI airways aircrafts. But once again maybe I am just seeing this that are not there ...

Anyway I had a good chuckle in the plane seeing this. Did anybody else noticed this sign before?

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Wat Rong Khun

In one of my very first post I gave my personal Thailand temple top 5. Maybe the ranking would have changed a bit after 5 years, but not enormously.
On the top spot I declared the special white temple in Chiang Rai, known as Wat Rong Khun.

Wat Rong Khun has been the lifework of Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. At first his art has been labelled anti-conventional and his first creations were rejected by Thai Buddhist as it was too modern and not what people were used from a Thai Buddhist artist.
Gradually his work got more and more appreciated and even the Thai king, King Bhumibol, sponsored some of his work.
As he become more famous, more of his art works (mainly paintings) were sold for higher prices and with the fame came the wealth.

But as a good Buddhist Chalermchai wanted to do something for his faith and he decided to build up this white temple in his hometown of Chiang Rai. He doesn't accept donations, as he want to keep the temple clear of political and commercial powers, but by selling his art work, money is generated for this masterwork. He started the project of Wat Rong Khun around 1998 and he and his students are currently still working on the wat.

As I was in Chiang Rai last February I saw this amazing temple again. Through the years decorations have been finished and the paintings inside the main hall are almost done (but no pictures allowed inside).

Some additional structures, like the monks' residencies and ordination hall, are currently being built. 

I took some pictures of Wat Rong Khun and want to share them with you.

Bangkok in 1 picture

If you would ask me to portrait Bangkok in 1 picture, this would be it for me!

Thai Red Bull

Red bull must be one of the most popular drinks worldwide. But few people know that Red Bull actually comes from Thailand. The Thai name for this energy drink is "Krating Daeng" where "Krating" means bull and "Daeng" means red.
Nowadays you find Krating Daeng in sold in cans or in small bottles, resembling medicine flasks. It is used mainly by drivers and labour force to keep awake and work long hours.
When you enter a Thai convenience store, you would find a separate fridge with all kinds of brown bottles, energy drinks, with such names as Lipo, Shark, M-150 and Carabao.

The drink was developed in the '70 in Thailand and it was the Austrian businessman Dietrich Mateschitz who commercialised the drink worldwide. It is said he visited Thailand in 1982 and drank a Krating Daeng to recover from his jet lag. He adapted the formula and worked with Thai partner Chaleo Yoovidhya to launch it in Europe. Red Bull was founded in 1987 and it was a huge success, Chaleo Yoovidhya would be the richest person in Thailand now!

Krating Daeng differs from Red Bull as it is thicker, bubble free, contains more caffeine and is much cheaper (10 baht).

Thai pickpocket

Pictures of floods in Ayutthaya and Bangkok

Thailand is suffering its worst flooding in the last years. During a trip in Thailand it was clear the situation got better in most part of the country. But the rice fields in the Central are still submerged. Ayutthaya on the other hand is almost cleaned up and soon back fro business. 

Mosque in Ayutthaya

Driving on the highway

Protecting Wat Arun in Bangkok

House in Bangkok Noi

House in Bangkok Noi

Cleaning up action in Ayutthaya

Wat Mahathat, clearly visible where the water stood

Volunteers clean up

Festival of light - Loy Krathong

On 10 December the full moon will fill up the nightly sky. For Thai people this will be the sign to celebrate their cherished festival of Loy Krathong, also know as the festival of light.

Here are some pics for the festival last year.

Chiang Mai zoo

Last week we went to visit Chiang mai zoo. The zoo isn't very special, but it has some special attractions.

Recently a new Aquarium building has opened. It's a bit overpriced, according to Thai standards. They have some basins with different species and at the end even constructed a tunnel, so you have the impression you're walking between the fish. Ok not too bad.

The zoo has some fine collection of "Cats", the white tiger being my favourite.

The main attraction of the Chiang Mai zoo is its baby panda. Lin Bing is about 1 year and 1 month old now. This little cutie is the star of the zoo. Unfortunately upon our visit he was asleep.

Only a few zoo's around the world can boast to have a panda among them ranks so for Chiang Mai to have one is quite special.

A whole new hall, with a panda playground, is accommodated for the baby panda and his parents Among Thai people Lin Bing is so popular that during the morning news on some TV channels reports are broadcasted about this panda.

Lin Bing Sleeping.

Mommy eating.

Daddy digesting.

Lin Bing's playground.