Here are all the posts for Thailand
Thailand
A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally following the conflict.
Chao Phraya River in Bangkok
Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. Take boats everywhere.
Watching Obama on Thai TV at midnight in
Watching Obama on Thai TV at midnight in Nong Pru with Columbia classmate, Brian.
Bangkok, water
Bangkok is actually built upon a marsh. Klongs or canals define reclaimed land. I took a water taxi through some neighborhoods. Everyone lives on the water. The Chao Phraya provides transportation. In addition to normal water taxis, an organized ferry system acts much like a subway with scheduled stops and even express boats. Boats run both upstream/downstream and across river.
Lodging–P&R Residence Hotel provides friendly, clean and secure lodging near the Sheraton and Chao Phraya River.
Thailand travel
I hooked up with my friend and college classmate, Brian. We visited sites in Bangkok. He has a car and graciously took us on a tour west of Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Province. His sweetheart, Siripan is from Nong Pru. We stopped to visit Siripan’s friends who operate a fish farm. Then we visited her mother and brother who live on a farm. Nong Pruis a small town with one hotel. 
As a day trip, we visited Tham Than Lot (Chaloem Rattanakosin) National Park and a wat at the top of the mountain. An unusual limestone bridge with several large holes in it is the highlight. There are also caves and waterfalls.
From Nom Pleu, we drove to Thong Pha Phum where we rented bungalows on the shore of Khao Laem Reservoir. It is quiet with lots of kingfishers and other birds. At dusk, fishermen make their way to fishing rafts to turn on green lights to attract fish. The nearby town has a market. One day, we visited two wats, one in town and the other a forest monastery. Another day we took a windy and somewhat perilous road high in the mountains to the Burmese border. It is very plasant and relaxing here.
Lodging– Nom Pleu has one hotel; it is totally adequate.
Kanchanaburi
Drove from Thong Pha Phum to Kanchanaburi. Visited Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum. The museum and walk commemorate the deaths and suffering of Allied prisoners of war while building the Siam-Burma Railway (aka Death Railway) for the Japanese military.
Also visited Muang Sing Historical Park, home to Khmer ruins from the 13th and 14th centuries. An earlier burial site is from the Bronze Age.
Rented a bicycle and peddled to Kanchanaburi War Cemetery where 7,000 POWs are buried. Also visited Wat Thavorn Wararam. On the way back to Bangkok, I visited Wat Ban Tham where a dragon entrance leads to a Buddhist temple in a cave. Also visited Wat Tham Sua where a conveyor belt transports devotees’ offerings into the alms bowl.
On the way back to Bangkok, visited the 120-metre-high chedi, the tallest stupa in the world at Phra Pathom Chedi. Unfortunately, it was being reconstructed and was covered with scaffolding.
Lodging–stayed at Sugar Cane Guest House. The rooms are literally on the River Kwai Yai; they are built on rafts. Had a good dinner at Apples.
ferry to Ko Samui
Taking ferry to Koh Samui for some beach time.
Bangkok to Ko Samui
Visited the Grand Palace built in 1782. The Royal Monastery of the Emerald Buddha is very impressive in its architecture, craftsmanship and artistry. The golden chedi is also remarkable. Ate dinner in Chinatown for Chinese New Year. Had a good-bye seafood dinner beside the Chao Phraya River. It was sad 
to be leaving Brian and Siripan after spending so many fun days traveling together.
We took the Thai Railway Southern Line to Surat Thani. It took eight hours, but was pleasant enough. I hoped to get a good look at the countryside, but trees lining the rails obstructed the view. We checked into a hotel, bought ferry tickets for Ko Samui, and ate at a market along the river. In the morning, we took a bus and ferry to Ko Samui and arrived about noon. After lunch, we visited the tourism office, took a shared cab to north Chewan Beach and checked into the Matlang Resort. It is pleasant. A gentle breeze always blows, trees line the shore, it is warm, the water is green and blue. I can see coral just offshore. The snorkeling is good.
Lodging–Don Ban Hotel in Surat Thani is okay for one night in between train and ferry. Clean with A/C.
Matlang Resort is a real find. Cute bungalows in the middle of tropical gardens, beach front, restaurant. Good, quiet location.
video update
Here’s my video update after three weeks of travel. I hope your bandwidth is better than mine at the Bunpa Internet Cafe.
Resting after kayak, snorkel, sun
Resting after kayak, snorkel, sun. No Internet access here on Ko Tarutao.
to Ko Tarutao
Getting there. Left Ko Samui using the tourist highway, which is well-organized and convenient in Thailand. Destination: Tarutao National Park on the Andaman Sea, southwest Thailand. We bought tickets to Trang and assumed we could get from there to Pak Bara Pier where we could catch a ferry to the park.
A mini-van picked us up at out hotel at 6 a.m. and drove us to the other side of Ko Samui where we transferred to a large bus. The bus drove to the ferry pier and into the ferry. We disembarked at Don Sak, took the same bus to Surat Thani, took a tuk-tuk to the bus station and traveled by air-conditioned mini-van, arriving at Trang at 2:30 p.m., right on time.
We walked a few steps to a travel agency, bought tickets to Ko Tarutao and went next door to book a newly refubished hotel room. Trang is a pleasant spot to spend a night. In the morning, we took a mini-van to the Paka Bara pier and boarded a speed boat. By noon we were inside our Island bungalow.
Whatever 100 baht we spent was well worth it for the agency to piece it together.
Tarutao National Park
A marine park with multiple islands, the largest being Ko Tarutao, this is a great place to relax and kick back. We first stayed at Au Phante Malaca, where the ferry stops at the pier. Then we moved four kilometers to Ao Moelae. Both bungalows were spacious and comfortable. The one at Moelae was right on the beach. One day 
we took a longtail taxi boat to a coral site on the northestern side of the island; it was top-notch. Another day, we took kayaks along the sea cliffs and snorkeled among the rocks. Another day we hiked through the jungle to a beach and snorkeled there. The food isn’t fancy, but the overall experience is wonderful. A tropical paradise with few people and lots of fish, crabs, monkeys, birds and a few wild pigs.
on leaving Tarutao National Park
On the way to Ko Tarutao National Park, I met a German who said he went to Ko Lipe, one of the islands, five years ago. He planned to stay five days, but stayed five weeks. He has visited every year since, but now stays two months. We stayed in a duplex bungalow on Ko Tarutao and met a young Swedish woman. 
She said she had been “here” for five weeks. I asked if she meant in Thailand; she responded “here” as in that bungalow. It was her second year spending five weeks. I met a senior Belgian man with an inflatable kayak; he said he has been visiting these islands for twenty years.
By the end of six nights, I understood what they meant. I did not want to leave and think I will return. It’s quite, peaceful, natural and enchanting. Maybe the gentle lapping of the small sea waves, or the breeze in the palm trees or the singing of the birds. Maybe because there really is nothing to do–swim, take a walk, visit the next beach. Maybe because each beach only has one restaurant and the accommodations are identical. Snorkeling among the rocks and coral reef was my favorite.
Maybe next time, I will go in a boat around the island or camp out on a remote beach or go fishing or climb a mountain, or….
Ko Lipe
Spent an afternoon at Ko Lipe. It is more laid-back and hip than Ko Samui–no tailors asking if you want a new suit (the kind with a tie and shirt, not a bathing suit). If you like the scene, there are plenty of restaurants, bars, dive shops and cute places to stay and hang out. Me, I really liked Ko Tarutao.
Island Hopping
Took a speedboat with five big Honda 225 outboards to Ko Lipe. Took a longtail to get on the island. Then took a long tail to get off the island to another speedboat to Pulau Langkawi where I went through immigration into Malaysia. The following day, I took a “Super Fast” Ferry to Georgetown, Pulau Penang
Women sweep
Women sweep
leaves from road
White sun rises
Misty hills
Pink lanterns
red and blue.
Thailand summary
For me, a highlight of my visit was seeing a friend from college days. As a bonus, I traveled with him in his car throughout western Thailand and visited his wife’s family. I visited temples and monasteries, mountain vistas, rivers, reservoirs and many popular tourist sites. The hustle, bustle and congestion of Bangkok and its river life were interesting.
Some observations:
Photographs of the king are everywhere. The king is now in his 80s but he is revered throughout Thailand. Most homes and businesses have a least one portrait. All public buildings and town squares have many. Some are new, but many are faded to almost black-and-white from the sun. The king is pictured in a gold tunic, in military dress like an admiral, in a business suit, and in a sport jacket with a camera. Sometimes he is pictured wearing a sword with the Queen by his side.
Obama–when I tell a Thai, I am from America, USA, he invariably replies, “Obama.” If he can’t speak English, he might add, “Hope,” and if he can, he adds, “Obama is not only the hope of USA, but Thailand as well.”
Hats–men wear ski hats and masks outdoor, I guess to keep cool in the heat.
Language–Thai is curious. The language changes depending on the gender of the speaker. If a male asks, How are you? the ending is different than how a female would ask. It doesn’t matter who you are speaking to.
Buddhism–is the national religion practiced by the king and 90% of the population. Monasteries and temples are everywhere. The vernacular practice appears to be focused on alms-giving, burning incense and visiting temples. The newspapers point to an uncertain future, however. Historically about 6 million men have entered the monk-hood each year, but that is now down to 1.5 million for 2008. Also, a methamphetamine scandal erupted when an undercover investigation revealed large numbers of monks were regular users and allegedly sold to children.
Travel–is easy in Thailand with a well-developed tourist infrastructure for transportation, lodging, eating and sightseeing. Most tourists appear to be Europeans on long holidays (3 to 5 weeks). they generally are focused on vacationing with their tour group. There are lots of Swedes who are uniformly friendly and interesting
Hellfire, photo
A Buddhist monk walks through Hellfire Pass. I visited Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum. The museum and this walk commemorate the deaths and suffering of Allied prisoners of war while building the Siam-Burma Railway (aka Death Railway) for the Japanese military. The name Hellfire comes from the glow of lanterns at night.
Bang Rajan, movie
Watched the movie, Bang Rajan, subtitled The Legend of the Village Warriors. The movie, in Thai with English subtitles, tells the story of rural resistance to Burmese forces in 1765. Two separate armies of 100,000 each were dispatched to attack then Siamese capital, Ayutthaya. In American English, we would say it was a “B movie.” The historical context was interesting.
The Beach, a novel
I read a novel, The Beach by Alex Garland. I had previously seen the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio. It is an easy, fun read, good for a long airplane ride. What struck me is that I followed the same route from Bangkok to the islands. Train, pickup, ferry. The characterizations of the travelers were all too familiar.
Grand Palace, Bangkok, photo
at Grand Palace
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Photos from Thailand
Thailand -