Lopburi, a rich history and cheeky monkeys (video)
Lopburi (ลพบุรี), also called Lop Buri or Lob Buri, is an interesting town located about three hours north of Bangkok. It is one of the oldest cities in Thailand and for that reason alone it is worth a visit.
The Principality of Sukhothai, the cradle of Thailand
Great moments in history are often born of twists of fate, a confluence of circumstances or the seizing of opportunities. The foundation of the kingdom of Sukhothai – regarded in official Thai historiography as the cradle of modern Thailand – is a good example of this.
Discover Thailand (10): The Thai language
The Thai language is the official language of Thailand, spoken by approximately 65 million people in the country and abroad. The Thai language is a tonal language, which means that the accent and pitch of the words are important to the meaning of the sentence. This makes the language sometimes challenging for foreigners to learn, but also unique and fascinating.
The Ramakien: the Thai national epic with Indian roots
The Ramakien, the Thai version of the Indian Ramayana epic, written down from Sanskrit by the poet Valmiki more than 2.000 years ago, tells the timeless and universal story of the confrontation between good and evil.
“The Mad Fourteenth Century” – a Southeast Asian version
In 1978, the American journalist and historian Barbara Tuchman (1912-1989), published 'A Distant Mirror – The Calamitous 14th Century', in the Dutch translation 'De Waanzige Veertiende Eeuw', a sensational book about everyday life in medieval Western Europe in general and in France in particular, with wars, plague epidemics, and an ecclesiastical schism as the main ingredients.
The roots of the Khmer civilization
The Khmer civilization, still shrouded in myth, has undeniably had a huge influence on much of what is today known as Southeast Asia. Yet many questions remain unanswered for historians and archaeologists about the origins of this fascinating empire.
The French archaeologist and the Siamese algae eater
When the French linguist, cartographer, archaeologist and globetrotter Etienne François Aymonier died on January 21, 1929, he had lived a rich and full life. As an officer in the naval infantry, he served in the Far East from 1869, especially in Cochinchine, present-day Vietnam. Intrigued by the history and culture of the indigenous people, he began learning Cambodian after meeting the Khmer minority in Tra Vinh province.
The Dharmasala Route from Angkor to Phimai
The core area of the immense Khmer empire (9th to half of the 15th century) – to which a large part of present-day Thailand can be counted – was centrally controlled from Angkor. This central authority was connected to the rest of the empire by a network of navigable waterways and more than a thousand miles of well-maintained paved and elevated roads equipped with the necessary infrastructure to facilitate travel, such as covered staging areas, medical posts, and water basins .
The cultural and ethnic landscape of Chanthaburi
Mention the name of Chanthaburi province and the first thing most people will think of is fruit. The province is the supplier of durian, mangosteen, rambutan and many other fruits. But Chanthaburi is more than that, this province in the southeastern part of Thailand has a rich history and an abundance of cultural diversity.
The Isan, the unknown Thailand
However, very few tourists visit the northeastern part of Thailand, the Isaan. That is the name for the northeastern part of Thailand.
On a study trip to Cambodia
“Are you going on a study trip again?” I still get teased from time to time. I myself am the reason for this question because many times I have answered certain questions from friends and acquaintances that I am not going on holiday but on a study trip. Promptly followed the question which study I followed, to which my answer was invariably: "The history of the Khmer and that is a long study." Of course I meant it as a joke, but anyway it's a more than interesting subject.
Unknown Khmer temples in Isan
We are in Ubon and start the day culturally. The National Museum. It is not big, but gives an excellent impression of the history of this region.
The Isan, the forgotten part of Thailand (1)
The Isan forms the largest part of Thailand and also has the most inhabitants. And yet this gigantic plateau is the neglected child of the country, only a few hours' drive from Bangkok. Most tourists ignore this area (or right, if they travel to Chiang Mai).
Column: Khmer hotline
I am a daily witness to the river happenings in Bangkok, because our apartment is built right next to Khlong Bangkok Noi, and we have a view over the comings and goings and the trade and walking on these typical Bangkokian canals.
Photos from Isaan – Northeast Thailand
Isaan is not well known and rarely visited by tourists, yet Isaan has perhaps the most to offer in terms of cultural heritage. The region shows the traces of an ancient history strongly influenced by Lao and Khmer cultures. In addition, Isaan has many national parks with beautiful extensive forests. Recent archaeological finds east of Udorn Thani from the Bronze Age show the rich history of this area. The same goes for dinosaur fossils…