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Darkest Isan (where decent thais fear to tread), Part One Wat Prayup The gateway to Isan, already I’m scared to enter. This urban malaise of noise, sweat and dirt seems to be trying its hardest to impersonate Bangkok, three colours of pollution on every street corner.

Born of the traditional beliefs of the I-san people, the “Bun Bang Fai” Rocket Festival, the most celebrated of I-san’s merit-making rituals, has been strictly observed by the residents of I-san for generations. It is essentially an annual ritual to ensure that the seasonal rains fall at the appropriate time in the planting cycle. In this process, Buddhist merit-making traditions are also observed and reinforced. The Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival is scheduled to be held from 5-9 May 2010 at Phaya Thaen Park, Yasothon province, about 531 kilometers northeast of Bangkok.

Before you read this, please know that I am completely neutral in this battle for democracy, I was about to type that I have “No color”, but then I would be still taking a side. You can call me Shirtless I guess. Up until now, there has been nothing resolved, only more protest’s popping up around the Bangkok city area; not just by the infamous Redshirts, but by other “colors” so to speak.

After all the bad news in Thailand over the past few weeks, it is finally good that we can relax and enjoy one of the Kingdom’s most popular festivals. Songkran is the traditional Thai new year which is held every year between 13-15 April. As it is in the middle of the week and that the government has added an extra holiday this Friday, we probably now have the longest Songkran for many years.

Pattaya (Thai: พัทยา, พัทยา (help·info), RTGS: Phatthaya) is a city in Thailand, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 165 km southeast of Bangkok located within but not part of Amphoe Bang Lamung (Banglamung) in the province of Chonburi. The city of Pattaya is a self governing municipal area which covers the whole tambon Nong Prue (Nongprue) and Na Kluea (Naklua) and parts of Huai Yai and Nong Pla Lai. It is located in the heavily industrial Eastern Seaboard zone, along with Si Racha (Sri Racha), Laem Chabang, and Chon Buri (Chonburi)

The red shirt protests have been going on in Bangkok for 4-5 days now. Countless thousands of protesters have been camped out along the Royal Avenue. The news hasn’t received that much attention yet in the international press, mainly because there hasn’t been any violence. Thailand is not like other countries as the citizens are mainly Buddhists.

Booking ithailandhotel.com Overlooking the cliffs of the Gulf of Thailand, the Asia Hotel Pattaya is conveniently less than three miles from the Pattaya city center. A shopping area of the city is minutes away from the hotel.

Last Sunday was Valentines Day; I had a very nice offer to attend a party that would have had very pretty promotional girls and silly games taking place. A local company were going to have fun with condoms and then head to the local park to hand them out to the locals. Apparently many young Thai girls lose their virginity on Valentines Day and also many get pregnant.

new years eve on the beach (Bophut ,fishermans village) seeing in 2010

www.huahincabaretshow.com Count down at the City Beach Hotel Hua Hin Thailand

Judging by these photos that I took early this morning, not everyone was nursing hangovers after welcoming in the New Year at midnight last night. Like thousands of other local people from Paknam, I was up early at 6 a.m.

One of the most ambitious plans for a tourist attraction in Samut Prakan Province is the 139 meter high tower that will give fine views of the Gulf of Thailand. The plan for the tower has been around for a while and for the past few years it seems it had been put on hold.

BangSaen Speed Festival 2009 Thailand. Video of SuperBikes down beach road and through the city street race circuit of Bangsaen, Laem Thaen, Chonburi province.

Samut Prakan was built as a frontier town to protect the approach to Bangkok upriver. Fortresses were built on both sides of the river from the estuary all the way up to Phra Pradaeng.

Thailand 2006: Bangkok, Phuket & Phi Phi Island Thailand 2007: Phuket & James Bond Island Thailand 2007-2: Patong Beach, Phuket Thailand 2008: Phuket & Ko Samui Thailand 2009: Patong Beach, Phuket