Thailand’s Kra Canal and the Belt and Road Initiative
Have you heard about Thailand’s Kra Canal and the Belt and Road Initiative? After demurring for years, Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha last week ordered national planning and security agencies to look into building a possible canal across the narrow Isthmus of Kra in the kingdom’s southern region. Indeed, the order came a month after […]
Snakes in Thailand
Snakes in Thailand: Dangerous and Timid Vern Lovic, Thailand’s snake expert, wrote me this explanation of his new book, Keep Snakes Out!: Probably no other animal that is frequently found in a home scares people as much as snakes! Here in Thailand, we have a serious snake problem. Recently my friend confronted a king cobra climbing his front door. […]
Soi Dogs in Thailand
I know about twenty Soi dogs in Thailand (so named because they hang out in alleys, or sois). They’re not well cared for and, if this story moves you, sign the petition to improve their lives. If you’re in Chiang Mai you can volunteer or adopt a dog from Care for Dogs. They do heroic work […]
Thai Property Investment Scams
Why Thai Property Investment Scams Target Foreigners Thailand runs on relationships, prestige, loyalty, money and the law – in that order, which often makes Thai property investment scams successful.Unless you’re a member of the Thai ‘club’ it’s wise to have a prestigious friend who is, because Thai Property Investment Scams are common. The (current) experience of farang […]
Cheap Alcohol in Thailand
Cheap alcohol in Thailand is one of the country’s great attractions and my personal joys, but The World Health Organisation (WHO) released its “2014 Global report on alcohol and health” on May 12 and Thailand was a standout: not in a good way, either. The average quantity of pure alcohol consumed by each Thai adult, 15+ years, increased […]
Chiang Mai Cost of Living
Chiang Mai Cost of Living An Aussie, Michelle Hammond, writes that living in Chiang Mai saves her $23,994 a year: “Before moving here, I knew Chiang Mai offered low-cost living and that the savings I’d make would mean I’d be in for a nice lifestyle upgrade. But I didn’t realise just how good the value was. Now I’m […]
Flying to Thailand through Incheon Airport
Thinking of flying to Thailand through Incheon Airport? What I love about Koreans is that they’re extreme about everything. They don’t do anything by halves. They’re not slackers. There’s no Korean equivalent for ‘whatever”. Flight Attendants When you see a KAL stewardess you’ll know exactly how God felt when He created the first stewardess: extremely […]
A Sea Gypsy in Chiang Mai
Meet A Sea Gypsy in Chiang Mai One of the things I like most about Chiang Mai is its menagerie of expats, but a Sea Gypsy in Chiang Mai blew me away. I’ve met Slovakians, Slovenians, Ukrainians. I’ve even met President Putin’s TV producer (she says he’s got a great sense of humor and has no plans […]
Thailand’s Deadly Adventures
Thailand’s Deadly Adventures Kill People Regularly. Twice a year I run stories reminding everyone that Thailand’s deadly adventures, its rides, are nothing like Disney’s. Nothing. Note that, in Thailand The maximum penalty for negligence causing death is 10 years in jail and a fine of 20,000 baht ($600). Most offenders receive a small fine and no jail […]
Street Food in Thailand
Vendors of street food in Thailand are very good at publicly displaying and showcasing the ingredients and dishes they offer. Even if you don’t know Thai, if you can remember a few food clues, you’ll have a much better time finding and ordering street food in Thailand. Mark Wiens shares some insider tips from his Eating Thai Food Guide, which will […]
Thai Elephant Lullaby
The Thai traditional elephant lullaby goes back a long way. Elephants are very communicative with one another and have a highly-developed language. They also love listening to soothing music. Here’s the charming video of a Thai lady putting an elephant to sleep by singing her a Thai elephant lullaby: Here’s another beautiful elephant moment in Thailand: […]
Work Permits in Thailand
Work Permits in Thailand Getting work permits in Thailand can be really tricky. Seventeen foreigners have been arrested for not having work permits, working illegally following a raid on a condominium in Chiang Mai. The raid, which took place at 12.30am on Friday found 17 Westerners of various nationalities providing online English classes to people in China […]
Yoga in Chiang Mai
Yoga in Chiang Mai has a long history. When I moved to Chiang Mai I was delighted to find a hotbed of yoga teachers and students from around the world. I’d taken classes with maybe 100 yoga teachers over 45 years and had come to appreciate the difference a good teacher makes to each class, […]
Flying from San Francisco to Thailand
If You’re Flying from San Francisco to Thailand You’re in for a Great Experience: FSO has been upgraded. flying from San Francisco to Thailand is fun again! SFO airport’s new International terminal is a bright, airy joy to navigate. Booming San Francisco finally has a world class international terminal thanks to designer Craig Hartman and opened […]
Samadhi Sutra
Samádhi Sutra: Samhadi, the Great Quenching, is a desire-free state valued by Buddhists, who worry a great deal about desire and the transcendence of desire. The Samadhi Sutra is recited every day, probably thousands of times, in temples throughout Thailand. It is especially read to the monks, who are expected to be serious about Enlightenment: Concentration: Tranquility […]