Penfold's South East Asian Odyssey

Thailand's famous Songkran festival is widely celebrated and marks the start of the Buddhist New Year. The date of the festival was originally set by astrological calculation to coincice with the vernal equinox, but it is now fixed and runs from the 13th to 15th April. Songkran used to be celebrated only in the north of Thailand and it is believed that it was brought there by the Burmese, who adapted it from the Indian festival of Holi. It spread across Thailand in the mid 20th century and is now observed even in the far south. The festival is also celebrated throughout South East Asia. In Laos it is known as Pee Mai Lao, in Cambodia the locals refer to it as Chaul Chnam Thmey and in Myanmar it is called Thingyan. Songkran was traditionally a time to pay your respects to village elders, including family members, friends and neighbours. People celebrating Songkran would also visit the the local temple to pray and give food to monks. Ritual cleansing of Buddha images from household s...

Unless you have been living on the moon for the last few weeks, you will no doubt be aware of the protests being held, by the Red shirted demonstrators in Bangkok and the worrying escalation in the level of tension and violence. Last week the British government advised against all but essential travel to Bangkok and the US and Australian administrations, have issued warnings against travelling to Thailand. This has caused widespread fear among travellers. But, are visitors right to stay away from Thailand? Or is this just scaremongering? If you are planning a trip to Bangkok then I would say yes and urge anyone considering a visit to exercise extreme caution. The protestors are occupying alot of the main roads and thoroughfares together with large parts of the Silom district. This has caused widespread disruption and many hotels and businesses in the area have closed. On April 10th 25 people were killed and hundreds injured in clashes between demonstrators and security forces and on Ap...

The aim of this post is to help travellers stay safe and healthy by providing them with a useful list of hints and tips. Thailand is generally a very safe destination, but it's always wise to be aware of any potential problems before you travel. "Forewarned is forearmed", as the old saying goes. 1) Motorcycles - The number one cause of death and injury among foreign tourists in Thailand is motorbike accidents. Thai drivers are notoriously bad and the country has one of the world's highest accident rates, with more than 13,000 people dying each year!!! My advice would be NEVER ride a motorbike in Thailand, it's not worth the risk!!! 2) Political unrest - Long-simmering tension between pro- and anti-government groups has come to a head in the last couple of years and a number of protesters have been killed or seriously injured. Although no foreign tourists have been killed yet it pays to be a bit cautious. My advice would be to keep an eye on the news to help you...

There has been a distinct lack of posts on Penfold's South East Asian Odyssey in the last couple of weeks....this hiatus was caused by my girlfriend and I being in Fiji. I am now stuck in Los Angeles due to volcanic activity in Iceland.....and I don't mean the crappy supermarket chain in the UK!!!! I would like to give my readers something to chuckle about with this post on Thailand's toilet facilities Most hotels, restaurants and other establishments in Thailand, that cater for foreign guests, will have a good old-fashioned, Western-style, "sit-down" toilet. What makes the experience of taking a dump, even more pleasurable, is that most of their toilet facilties will have a toilet hose, more commonly known as the "bum gun" or "jacksie jet", which in my humble opinion is the greatest Thai invention of all-time!!! It serves the same purpose, as a bidet in a European bathroom, and an example can be seen in the photo below!!! But, if you're ev...

Politics is a very divisive issue in Thailand and is not a subject for the faint hearted!!!! The deep schism that currently exists in Thai society is clearly demonstrated by the on-going protests and clashes between the Red Shirts of the UDD (United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship) and the Yellow-shirted supporters of the PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy). The principles of democracy and the idea of an accountable, civilian-run government, chosen by universal suffrage, are still in their relative infancy. Today, the country is still struggling to produce a political establishment and institutions that have the support of the population and are free from bribery, corruption and scandal. Although the country officially became a constitutional monarchy democracy in 1932, it was plagued by a succession of military dictatorships which stifled the growth of an elected civilian government. A student-led revolution in 1973 brought about a short lived and unstable period of dem...

Welcome to the next edition of my Thailand photo journal, featuring a selection of snaps that were taken on my last trip to the Kingdom..... For those of squeamish nature, may I suggest you go and put the kettle on, as the next few pictures show me helping to prepare a breakfast of curried rat at the home of, Wan, my girlfriend's older sister, who lives in the village of Phrom Phiram, within the province of Phitsanulok. And here is the end product......a veritable feast, I'm sure you'd agree!!! It is suprising what you can do with a couple of rats, a few vegetables and some herbs and spices!!! It tasted absolutely delicious and would even give Jamie Oliver a run for his money!!! Wan's home is in a rural idyll, with paddy fields as far as the eye can see........ From Phrom Phiram, we travelled North to the popular Doi Inthanon National Park. The mountain of Doi Inthanon is the highest point in Thailand, reaching over 8,000 feet and is home to a couple of magnificent Na...

I have a keen interest in the history, development, and use of the English language and I always enjoy seeing the mistakes that non-native speakers make as they grapple with the complexities of my mother tongue!!! Thailand has developed its own unique form of Pidgin English, known affectionately as "Tinglish". There are many examples that you will encounter, on road signs, advertising hoardings, restaurant menus and in shops, during your travels around the country. Here are a recent selection of amusing bloopers......... All I can say is God help you if you ever need to use the services of the Bangkok Translation Centre!!!! I'm still trying to work out if this is just an example of bad English or a profound existential thought!!!!! Whoever wrote this menu needs to go and stand in the "naughty conner"!!!!! I hope this post made you chuckle and please find below one of my favourite websites on this topic....... http://www.engrish.com/