The legend behind Phuket Vegetarian Festival

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is held in the ninth lunar month of every year for nine days. During this time the participants eat no meat, wear white clothing, and focus on the cleanliness of their mind and body. The ceremonies sometimes include gruelling activities such as walking over hot coals or puncturing their own cheeks with items such as knives and skewers.

This festival has its roots back in 1825 when a group of travelling Chinese entertainers became ill and in an effort to heal themselves, took up a vegetarian diet and prayed to their emperor gods. When the local people saw them getting better they attributed it to the diet and the religious ceremonies. So, to ensure good health and fortune for themselves they then began to celebrate the festival each year.

Famed for its picturesque views and natural beauty, Phuket boasts some of the most stunning locations to watch sunsets from and prides itself in its forests, waterfalls and a jungle to explore.

Phi Phi Don voted among Top 100 World Destinations?

Phi Phi Don in Krabi was voted as one of the Top 100 World Destinations on www.tripadvisor.com, a tourism website owing to its virgin natural beauty and tranquility winning the 82nd rank. The Tourism Authority of Thailand, Krabi Director Pornprapa Lorsuwan is overwhelmed and said tourists voted through this website which has over 25 million visitors per month. Phi Phi Don ranked 5th in the top 25 for Asia Tourist Destinations. Other Thai destinations which were also rated in the top 25 included Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Pha-Ngan Island, Koh Tao in Surat Thani and Krabi province itself, which ranked 25th.

Government to buy 40 per cent more rice from farmers

Thailand’s ruling government is facing tough times. Now, in an attempt to please rural voters the government has agreed to buy 40 per cent more rice from farmers this year. The plan says that the government will buy 3.5m tonnes of unprocessed paddy rice from farmers at a guaranteed price, up from an original planned 2.5m tonne.

The decision to help prop up rice prices was made as parliament appointed Prasopsuk Boondet, a former judge and now the speaker of the Senate, to mediate between the government and protesters occupying the Government House in Bangkok.

The protestors have threatened to occupy Government House until Samak resigns. In addition to Samak’s removal, the PAD also wants an overhaul of the political system – with the creation of a mainly appointed parliament – so as to reduce the power of the rural electorate.

Thailand - What they love and what they dont

Before hitting an unknown country like Thailand, it would be wise to know what the routine practice of that place is and what you should not do to avoid getting into trouble. Here we give you the dos and donts that will make your journey smooth and trouble-free. Thought the list is endless, these tips will be a lot of help especially to the first timers.

DOS:

* Firstly do learn a few Thai words to greet the locals. They consider it polite and it will also help you communicate well. Words like “Swadee Khrap” [hello] are always a delight to hear!
* Wear yellow T-Shirt on Monday and Friday. Thai people have great love for the king and the royal family. Thai people pay tribute to his majesty by wearing yellow T-Shirt on Monday and Friday. Make sure you wear one.
*  In the theatre, the audience will stand up to show respect to the king, so do stand up and shower that respect.
* Do pay tips to waiters. It’s a custom here more than a passing gesture!
* Always be cautious. There are notorious people round eager to cheat the tourists of their money!

DONTS

* Don’t litter the streets. It’s illegal and punishable under the law. You may end up paying 2000 Bahts!
* Similarly even smoking in public areas is considered an offense. Look out for smoking zones to do that.
* Don’t wear objectionable clothes like bikini tops, short skirts or hot pants in sacred areas like the Temples or religious shrines. You may be outrightly denied entry for being barely clad.
* Criticism of the king and royal family is not just frowned upon in Thailand; it is against the law – a punishable offence that is taken very seriously.
* Do not engage in purchase of wild animals whether protected or not. Aside from the moral issues, punishments are very harsh.
* Thais do not shake hands; they ‘wai’ – a gesture made by placing your hands together in front of your face a bowing a little. Generally, you should not wai to a child and a younger person should wai an older person first.
* Public Display Affection are frowned upon. It is rude to make out in public. So be careful before showering your love to your beloved on the streets of Thailand.

No smoking in Thailand - A hard to believe fact

In Thailand, where about 17% of the nationals; that is 65 million people are smokers who consume 110 million cigarettes daily, a complete ban on smoking especially in Thailand’s nightlife entertainment centres has come as a pleasant surprise to all the non smokers who, till now had to suffer breathing problems inhaling secondary smoke.

With effect from February 11, 2008, all air conditioned bars, pubs, discotheques and clubs are covered by the regulation. Owners of open air eating places and markets will also have to mark out smoking and no-smoking areas. Care will be taken that smokers only use the designated areas to puff the smoke. Individual violators can be fined as much as 2,000 baht (US$65). If any public places violate the rules, they will be fined 20,000 baht as well.

For all those of you who feel that smoking is your way of busting stress, take heed when traveling to Thailand. Make sure you recognize the smoking zones which are clearly marked in English, Thai, Korean, Chinese and Japanese and not end up paying heavily for this addiction.

Thailand street foods- Love them, hate them!!

No other place in the entire world has such a wide range of aroma and sights of food with such a casual display than the ‘Land of Hospitality’- Thailand. There are at least 43,000 street food vendors in Bangkok, the municipal government says, a legion of operators of food carts crammed into every available nook of urban real estate.

Bangkok alternately loves and hates its food vendors. The city government banned them from certain areas because they cause traffic jams, block sidewalks and result in growth of cockroaches and vermin in the sewers where they dispose off their trash. One recent article in The Nation, a Bangkok daily, even described street vendors as “parasitic elements” whose presence spawns “organized beggars, street-children gangs and hooligans who are responsible for many of the petty crimes in the city center.”

But it is difficult to imagine Bangkok without its vendors. Inexpensive but delicious street food fits into the mosaic of Bangkok’s luxuries. To foreign tourists and wealthy Thais, this city represents cheap modernity: skyscrapers and swank hotels.

Food stalls in Bangkok are a great social equalizer. A typical noodle stall can feature shirtless manual workers eating beside well-dressed middle-class Bangkok Thais. The choice of Thailand street food is immensely large and it would be difficult to shortlist some of the top Thai street foods. Just for a quick glance, some of them holding the top notch can be listed as:

1. som tam - a spicy salad with shredded papaya
2. khao mun gai tod - fried chicken served on rice cooked in chicken broth
3. rat naa - noodles and pork in a thick gravey
4. ba mee nam - egg noodle soup with wonton
5. pad thai - fried noodles with dried shrimp and tofu
6. johk - a thick rice soup excellent for breakfast
7. pad see iew - pan-fried noodles
8. khao pad - fried rice
9. moo pad krapow - pork fried in basil
10. khao moo daeng - red pork with rice

What is your list of favorite Thai street foods? Do not forget to post in the list of your favorites…

Bangkok’s China town market

A walk down Bangkok’s most popular china town district and you will fall in love with the vivid picture it portrays. Chinese merchants had moved into this area of Thailand’s capital around 1780 and since then, this place has had a special significance of its own.

Once you enter the Chinatown, narrow lanes and congested streets welcome you. The typical faces of the shop owners and residents here will make you believe that you are actually walking in a street of china! More so because not many people here are well versed in English and conversing therefore becomes quite impossible.

Perhaps the only tourist attraction here is the Wat Traimit or the temple of Golden Buddha. But if you cannot do without buying some souveniers, then try out the markets here.

The Thieves market is great for authentic Chinese artifacts. The constricted Sempang Lane is an overcrowded sight but very good for textile and clothing. The Yaowarat is perhaps the most famous and busiest streets of china town and the uncountable dazzling gold shops here are a must visit….and if you get tired after a day long walk down the Chinatown, then don’t miss the DimSum, the Bird Nest soup and other peculiar Chinese cuisine at the numerous restaurants here.

Bangkok Floating Market

A number of narrow canals jammed with small wooden boats with vendors in large straw hats paddling happily and peddling fresh fruit and vegetables, hot noodles and cold drinks, spices and souvenirs, just as they’ve done for centuries- Yes, that is Bangkok’s most infamous Floating Market, perhaps one of the most visited tourist sites around Bangkok. The original Floating Market, Damnoen Saduak, is located 110 kilometres from Bangkok in Ratchaburi province. Though, numerous other floating markets have cropped up owing to the popularity of this one.

Getting to the Floating Market takes between one and a half to over two hours from Bangkok depending on traffic conditions. There are mobile food stores selling anything from fruit, Som Tam, barbequed chicken, and other delicacies moving around the canals. Most people visiting the Floating Market are foreigners and Thai tourists, but it does offer visitors an excellent opportunity to see something different and take some great pictures of what is a true Thai icon.

Our travel tip to floating market would be that you organize a tour to enjoy the Floating Market and make sure that it is in fact the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and not any other. The tour to Floating Market generally starts around 6:30 in the morning and may include side trips to the Sugar House, a visit to the Teakwood Handicraft Center, or a visit to the Rose Garden. Whatever be your schedule, a trip to the floating market is a must because it is so very unique feature of Thailand.

Love thai food

When it comes to food, Thailand serves you one of the vastest spreads of sumptuous eateries. Being situated near the sea, sea food is one of the reasons why tourists flock to Thailand. In fact food is as much a part of Thai culture, as is a Thai massage or kick boxing.

If you are in Bangkok, you won’t have to walk far before you find something to eat. In fact to taste the actual flavours of Thai cuisine, a roadside movable van or a pavement eatery should be your destination….but yes…don’t be surprised to see and hear some of the funniest sounding and looking dishes!

Likewise, other smaller towns of Thailand also offer the most delicious and mouth watering dishes. And if you are game to try out something new and different, then opt for the “Yam Makhua”, a salad of grilled long eggplants topped with tiny dried shrimps or the “Gaeng Som”, a soup flavored with tamarind and palm sugar, packed with chunks of coarsely chopped cauliflowers.

A word of caution here would be necessary here, if you are a pure vegetarian. Though the country offers an unmatched culinary experience, it often gets difficult for a veggie to get his/her hands of something that does not contain meat, fish or egg. Infact the Thais often don’t seem to understand the major difference ‘coz for them everything is “eatable”! thus, you might even find it impossible to have a simple cheese burger!

There quite a few “Vegetarian” restaurants in Bangkok offering limited variety of dishes, but in the suburbs like Pattaya and Phuket, it will be wise to carry your own veg food to avoid disappointments.