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When I first travelled through Asia I remember thinking that it was lucky that I spoke English as my first language. I noticed that English was being used as the way to communicate between backpackers of different nations. For example, a German would speak to a Frenchman in English. When I stayed in guesthouses it [...]

71. The well-known slang word for a gay, ladyboy-like guy ‘toot’ is English in origin. The word in fact, entered the Thai language after the success of the 1982 movie ‘Tootsie’ starring Dustin Hoffman.
72. The Thai lese-majeste law also applies to foreign heads of states. So, if you come to Thailand and say something patronizing [...]

Recently I stumbled upon a comprehensive review of the various Thai language phrasebooks on the market.  I know that many New Mandala readers will find its reflections and comments useful.  It includes such gems as “[w]hite space between some of the information would come in handy” and “ok, I’ve never had to ask a Thai [...]

Asia Times:
Exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra has in interviews told foreign news outlets - including the BBC and CNN - that the Thai military killed and secretly carted away the bodies of an undisclosed number of his red shirt followers on April 13, when troops cracked down on anti-government protests in a pre-dawn operation on [...]

OK, everyone moans that Thai is a difficult language to learn.

They always bang on in their little whingeing, through their nose voices 'Thai words are funny' and 'the different tones are really hard' and 'they don't use the same grammar structure as us' etc etc whinge whinge whinge.
But they are correct. I mean, [...]

(As you can see, Thai immigration excels in its knowledge of the English language)Scouring the Internet for Thailand related websites, one of the most talked about issues you’ll come across is none other than the legendary or perhaps infamous, (whichever way you wanna look at it) ‘Thai Visa Border Run’.For these couple of blogs, I’ll [...]

On March 27 I blogged about a small article in The Nation, relating to an article in the January edition of the Thai language magazine Business.Com which incorrectly listed Nation Multimedia Group as one of 51 Thai companies most likely to fail.On Friday - two weeks after the initial apology and three months after the [...]

Magazines may be dying in other parts of the world, but here in Thailand there are always new publications hitting the shelves. Go Play debuted last month and is a Thai language “art and fashion” magazine published by StarClip Company Limited. It’s full colour throughout, runs to 84 pages and sells for 60 baht. [...]

Over the years, at www.thai-blogs.com, I have written about many of the day trips that I have been on in the Bangkok area. I have long since been to all of the major tourist attractions and now I spend most of my time looking for new attractions within driving distance of Bangkok. The other day [...]

The largest reservoir in Central Thailand is Pasak Jolasid Dam. Is it 4.8 kms long and stretches across Lopburi and Saraburi Provinces. It has a storage capacity of up to 960 million cubic meters. The project was initiated by H.M. The King in the early 1990’s and was officially opened in 1999. Pasak Jolasid Dam [...]

One way to experience the traditional lifestyle of Thai farmers is at the Buffalo Village in Suphanburi. In Thai it is called “baan kwai”. Thai farmers, and their trusty companions, the buffalo, are considered the backbone of the country. Although buffaloes have been the butt of many jokes in classrooms across the country (to be [...]