THAISiDE|PRAJUMSOOK.COM

I have said it before, but no-one believed me. This year will see the start of a significant number of people using e-guidebooks instead of hefting around large bricks that the Lonely Planet books are starting to resemble. Lonely Planet actually started to go the right direction when they offered as downloads certain chapters in their guidebook.

One of the better preserved traditional markets in Thailand can be found in Suphanburi Province. It is called Sam Chuk 100 Year Market and it still has its original wooden shophouses that date back to the reign of King Rama V. In those days it was a bustling market alongside the Tha Chin River.

Today I received an email forward that is doing the rounds in Thailand at the moment. It shows some “highway robbers” in action in Thailand. The lady who took these pictures was annoyed with being pulled over and decided to document her experience

“Muang Chan”, the nickname for Chanthaburi, is about 330 kilometers south-east of Bangkok. It is famous for its gem and jewellery trading market which is the largest in the country. The province is also rich in natural resources with beautiful beaches, waterfalls, coral reefs and mountain tops. However, what draws me most to this area is the historical record.

As many of us know already, Thailand is mainly a Buddhist country with other religions being a small minority. However, there are some areas where you can find large communities of Christians and Muslims.

During the Khao Phansa period this week, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) are helping to promote the event “Making Merit at Four Temples” in Chanthaburi Province. These temples are not necessarily the most sacred of the temples however they have been picked as they represent different architectural styles and Buddhism sects. Even if you don’t have time to come to Chanthaburi this week, it is worth making a note of these temples for the next time you visit this Eastern province.