Nakhon Ratchasima: Gateway of Isan
If you are going to visit Isaan there is a good chance that you will pass Nakhon Ratchasima on the highway. The city, better known as Korat, is the gateway to Isan, the Lao-speaking northeast of Thailand.
Rice pudding
Anyone who has ever been to Isaan knows it. The endless rice fields, stretching from village to village. Often small plots, surrounded by an earthen wall where - depending on the season - you can see the rice stalks swaying in the wind.
Pool billiards in Thailand
Since I live in Thailand I passionately practice a new hobby, namely pool billiards. It is extremely popular in this country where you can play it almost anywhere, in bars, restaurants or pool halls.
Bananas in Thailand
Bananas are available all year round in Thailand in all shapes, sizes and colours. Of course there is the normal curved banana, as we know it, but the Thai banana can also be spherical or the small "kluai khai tao" (turtle egg banana), the wonderfully fragrant "kluai leb mue nang" and many more exotic varieties .
We're going to Ubon Ratchathani!
If you are looking for something other than white sand beaches, busy city life or jungle trekking in Thailand, then a trip to the city and province of Ubon Ratchathani is a good choice. The province is the easternmost province of Thailand, bordering Cambodia to the south and bounded by the Mekong River to the east.
You must have the vegetables of Thailand
Gringo tells about the vegetables in Thailand, because if you know Thai cuisine a bit, you know that the range of Thai vegetables is very large and are often used in or with Thai dishes.
A trip to Mallika City in Kanchanaburi
If you are planning a holiday in Thailand, Kanchanaburi province is an excellent choice. There is so much to see and experience, of course the history of the Second World War in and around the city of Kanchanaburi, the many beautiful waterfalls, the river Mae Kwae and much more.
Eating noodles in Chanthaburi
Noodles can be eaten anywhere in Thailand and that is also often done by the Thai, in addition to rice. In the Netherlands we mainly know noodles as mie and vermicelli (all Italian pastas can also be labeled as noodles) and in Thailand there are also several types of noodles, such as “ba mi” (wheat noodles), “sen lek” (fine rice noodles) and “sen yai” (wide, flat rice noodles).
24 hours in Bangkok (video)
I have often referred to KLM's beautiful travel blog, where all kinds of fun stories appear that have to do with KLM and travel. Thailand is also regularly discussed, because it is an important destination for KLM. This time it is a story by Diederik Swart, a former KLM flight attendant, who describes how you can still get a nice impression of the Thai capital from a short stay in Bangkok.
Family Mart name is changed to Tops Daily
The Thai retail landscape is undergoing a significant transformation. For decades, 7-Eleven and Family Mart dominated the convenience store industry in the country. However, after a visible decline in the number of Family Mart stores, the owner has made a strategic turn. The remaining Family Mart stores will be converted to Tops Daily stores, a change that should be completed by the end of this year. This shift marks a new era in the Thai retail market.
Rayong, an hour or two!
Perhaps as a response to Thailand's rampant modernization over the past 60 years, which saw many historic parts of cities across the country become neglected, you're seeing more and more places that like to brand themselves as “old towns”. The eastern city of Rayong is one such.
Again cigars from the Netherlands for Gringo
About a year ago I made an appeal to people who would come to Thailand in a short or longer period of time to bring cigars for me from the Netherlands. That call was a great success, because ever since then I could enjoy my favorite cigar from Alkmaar without interruption. I am still grateful to those “couriers”!
Hearing aids in Pattaya?
Bearing in mind the phrase “age comes with infirmity” I have to admit that my hearing is constantly declining. A while ago, "presbycusis" was diagnosed at the Pattaya International Hospital in Soi 4, or age-related hearing loss.
Chumphon: Rest and good food!
Chumphon is a somewhat sleepy, small province in southern Thailand. Tourism has missed the grand development of holiday areas. The province is sandwiched between Prachuap Khiri Khan province in the north, with Hua Hin and Cha-am as major attractions, and Surat Thani province in the south.
Thai fruit carving art Kae Sa Luk
If you ever eat in a somewhat better Thai restaurant, you are probably familiar with it. The served dishes smell good and also look beautiful. On the edge of your plate are small figures cut from carrot, watermelon, cucumber or another fruit or vegetable. The Thai art of making a boat out of a melon, a bird out of a pumpkin or a flower out of a carrot is called Kae Sa Luk.
Bueng Boraphet, a bird watcher's paradise
Bueng Boraphet is a swamp and lake area east of the city of Nakhon Sawan in the Thai province of the same name and south of the Nan River near its confluence with the Ping.
Bang Saray, where is that?
Ever heard of Bang Saray, a tropical getaway with idyllic beaches? Well, it is about 20 kilometers south of Pattaya towards Sattahip.