Christmas might not seem to have a home in the land of palm trees and sunshine, but if you are spending the holidays in Bangkok don't despair -- there's plenty of holiday spirit to go around!

No tinsel, lots of beer.

Thailand might not have a religious tradition that justifies a Christmas celebration, but Thai retailers have gone the extra mile to make sure that Christmas has a home in the land of golden Buddhas. The lights and decorations in Bangkok rival that of any other city, with a particular Thai twist -- gigantic snowmen, Christmas trees, and bejewelled St Nicks reign over shopping centres filled with people wearing sandals and shorts. It might still be 30 degrees Celsius at 21:00, but legions of people will be out snapping pictures in front of the Christmas bling.

Lots of places will be having Christmas Eve dinners and parties. Missing Christmas Eve pub drinks with mates back home? Try out Bangkok's slew of British and Irish inspired pubs (try the Londoner, the Dubliner or the Australian); the Robin Hood on Sukhumvit is having a Christmas carvery with all the ham and Christmas pudding you can handle for 950 baht on Christmas Day. Food and drink specials abound, and bars on Khao San Road will be packed with red felt hats and ridiculous amounts of tinsel.

Don't feel the need for Christmas-themed festivities? Head to one of the beer gardens set up around the city especially to take advantage of the great weather in December. The Chang Export beer garden outside of Central World will be pumping with live Thai bands, cheap towers of Chang, and some great Thai food (beer around 100 baht a litre, plates from 45-100 baht).

Christmas decorations writ LARGE.

While Christmas Day itself is normally not a holiday in the Kingdom, this year it falls on a Sunday. Treat yourself to a fancy brunch, something that five-star hotels in Bangkok do very well. Try the Peninsula, the J.W. Marriott, the Athinee, or the Mandarin Oriental; the Peninsula is featuring a Christmas Day brunch on its River Cafe and Terrace for 2,400 baht per person with views overlooking the Chao Phraya, and unlimited sparkling wine. While a bit spendy for the budget traveller, most Bangkok brunches have free flowing booze and plenty of roast beasts, shrimp, crab, and lobster, which can make your Christmas morning feel extra special.

Who says Christmas is only fun in the snow? Slip on those sandals and get into the spirit of things.

Tags: Christmas, Christmas dinners

December and January are shaping up to be awesome months for booty-shaking times in Bangkok. Flood water receding, beer gardens opening, and some quality, kick-assity is coming to town in the form of great live music. Is Bangkok finally earning itself a place on the global music sojourn? It better be; your correspondent is getting jealous of Singapore and Hong Kong taking all the Asian tour action, and a jealous correspondent makes poor late-night decisions.

Passive Me, Aggressive You, the latest from The Naked and Famous.

The Wet Rocket Rock Party takes place at Cosmic Cafe in RCA on December 17, starting at 21:00. Like so many good indie things, it's free. Cosmic Cafe draws a great crowd so dive into one of the few places in Bangkok to showcase Thai music that isn't all blowdried K-pop wannabies. Included in the line up: Abuse the Youth and Soundlanding, both of whom make Korean teenagers cry.

Coming up on December 23 is Delicate, another indie rock party featuring Sticky Rice, GAD, and Space 360 held in Motorcycle Emptiness Bar (it's as fantastically dive-y as it sounds -- imagine a garage with booze and music).

New Year's Eve presents an almost infinite number of options in Bangkok, from a massive countdown party at Central World to champagne and fois gras at luxury hotels. For the groove-minded party people, RCA and Khao San Road will be packed with punters with multiple different musical styles to choose from. At RCA, check out Cosmic Cafe's live music offerings, as well as the more chilled out Taksura. Route 66 and LCD will be pumping out electronica and techno. Get in early as it's going to be crowded! Q Bar Bangkok is guaranteed to be packed -- check out their website for reservations on tables, otherwise slide through the packed dance floor like the rest of us. Who needs to sit? That's what the New Year is for.

The goodness doesn't stop when the new year arrives: The Naked and Famous are performing January 17 at Moonstar Studios. It's all such good news I want to wear dark rimmed glasses, rock some weird facial hair, drink ironic beer and ride a fixie to the concert. Tickets available from ThaiTicketMajor. 1,000 baht per ticket.

Cosmic Cafe, RCA Entertainment Complex, Block C, (T) 081-304-6907
Motorcycle Emptiness Bar, 394/1 Lad Phrao Soi 94, (T) 089-780-9946
Q Bar Bangkok, 34 Sukhumvit Soi 11, (T) 02-252-3274
Moonstar Studios, 701 Lad Phrao Soi 80, (T) 02-539-3881

Tags: Cosmic Cafe, indie rock, Moonstar Studios, Motorcycle Emptiness Bar, q bar

Music. Tents. Omelettes. Massages. If you want a true “Thai” experience, head to Thailand’s biggest music festival, the third annual Big Mountain Music Festival (BMMF3) on December 10-11, 2011 in Bonanza Khao Yai, Nakhon Ratchasima. Most tourists travelling through Thailand don’t get to experience Thai music, besides the occasional Thai hit blasting on your taxi’s radio, so this festival is a perfect way to fully immerse yourself in young Thai culture.

The infamous Mr Steak.

Khao Yai, in the Isaan region, is the oldest and most frequented national park in Thailand, and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area is rich with vegetation and wildlife, and a perfect area to go hiking or swimming in the waterfalls before or after the festival.

With 65,000 attendees and more than 400 artists last year, BMMF3 is coming back for its third year, this time boasting a new line-up and look. The event will feature popular Thai bands with major record labels like Crescendo and Lipta, old-time classics like Boy Peacemaker, and some lesser-known budding artists.

Then there’s the brand new 'Club Cake', a space for dancing and loud beats. The name is an ode to the many newlyweds who met and fell in love at the first two BMMFs. ‘Mun-Nai (Mak)’, which translates to 'Fun-Inside (Very)', should be very fun inside, with an 'islander' vibe and chilled out tunes. 'District 9's' description is good enough to quote verbatim: “led by aliens from the mothership and its spacecrafts, with numbers of rockers tagging along to fill up the stage”. Where aliens come in, I do not know, but the design team, Supermachine Studio, has been working months upon months on this otherworldly stage.

‘Cow Stage’, an ode to the event’s mascot, Mr Steak (a cow), will host a montage of genres, from pop to Ska. The 'Ferris Wheel Stage', formally known as the 'Main Stage', is an architectural feat, with main indie headliners scheduled like Slot Machine and Palmy (if Vanessa Carlton and Shakira had a love child, circa 2002). The ‘A-Ko-Jorn (Wicked) Pub’ is a nightclub under a carnival tent, with a self-purported dark and ominous ambiance.

Most of the music, of course, will be in Thai, or an interesting hybrid Thai-English mix, but that’s all the fun, right?

Funky tunes, funky logo.

If more than 400 artists and six stages isn’t enough for you, the two-day event also offers a flagship store with souvenirs, where you can get a T-shirt with a cow on it and explain to your lame friends at home you went to a Thai music festival. If you want to break away from the blasting sounds, there’s also the 'Lai-Plah-Muek (Squid’s Shoulder) Theatre' with contemporary, and probably strange, artwork.

Take a nap or get a back massage at the 'Refreshing Unit', with hammocks swinging from bamboo poles, or enter the 'Kao-Kai-Jiew' (stir-fried egg with rice) contest to vote on your favourite vendor. Of course, any Thai event wouldn’t be complete without a shopping centre; the 'Sam-Yan Street Market' is set to offers handicrafts, fresh food, drinks, and even hairstyling. If you’re still bored, there’s always the bumper cars.

To sleep, you can stay at one of the many guesthouses in Khao Yai (though, be warned, the traffic getting to and from the festival will be painful), or reserve campground. For those without tents, you can pay 800 baht for a plot of camping ground and a tent, which you get to take home. Just don't forget to bring your own sleeping bag! For 350 baht, you can reserve the camping ground alone. There are two camping zones, and plots are available at a first-come, first-serve basis, so come early.

Tent and campground reservations, along with tickets, can be made by calling Thai Ticket Major (TTM) (T: 262 3456, 9 for English) and paying at a 7-eleven. Tickets are 1,800 baht.

To get to Khao Yi, take a mini-bus at Victory Monument or from Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit) for around 250 baht, depending on the bus company. Travel time is approximately 2 to 3.5 hours. Expect delays upon entry to the park.

Festival attendees can also hitch a ride to the festival for 550 baht, with buses leaving from Mo Chit at the North Exit fence area at 08:30 on Saturday, December 10 and returning to Bangkok at 09:00 from the TTM ticketing point on Monday, December 12.

Tags: big mountain, big mountain music festival, festivals, khao yai, live music, music festivals, thai music, thai ticket major

The Bangkok floods have put quite a dampener on the month of October; as we write it seems Bangkok has been put on disaster alert so things are not looking altogether optimistic. We're going to be upbeat though and still list what's on for our favourite satanic holiday, coming up in only 10 days. Some foolish souls might assume Bangkok doesn't mark Halloween; but these are probably the same people who put on a witch hat and call it a “costume”.

See below for where to get your spooks on if all is well and dry in the capital at the end of the month. (And if you're by chance heading to Singapore to escape the waters, here's what's on for Halloween there.)

My flood costume. Too soon?

October 28, 2011
Voodoo Village Black Magic Night
3 DJs, a snake show, and a live African drum circle?
Koi
26 Sukhumvit Soi 20
T: (02) 258 1590
20:00 onward
Free entry

Monster
Ghosts and goblins on repeat
Narz
112 Sukhumvit Soi 23
T: (02) 258 4805
20:30-05:00
500 baht, includes two drinks

October 29, 2011
Twilight Halloween Bash
For closeted Twilight fans to dress up like Edward Cullen
Café de Bangkok
Opposite Ekkamai 21
T: (08) 3859 3708
19:00–02:30
500 baht, includes finger food and open bar from 19:00-22:30

*Vampire coincidence! A Twilight party will also be taking place at VIE Hotel a day earlier

Betwitched This Halloween
Be a sexy witch or wizard, win a blackberry
Witch’s Tavern
Sukhumvit 55
T: (02) 391 9791
18:00–01:00
Free entry, free pizza

Wobble Halloween
Bass and drums for your holiday
Club Culture
Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd
T: (08) 9497 8422
21:30 onwards
150 baht, includes one drink

Glow Halloween Party
Costumes and cocktails
Glow Nightclub
96/4-5 Sukhumvit Soi 23
T: (02) 291 4446
22:00-04:00
300 baht, includes one drink

October 30, 2011
Rumble in the Jungle
Haunted forest where ladies get in free
Q Bar
34 Sukhumvit Soi 11
T: (02) 252 3274
20:00 onwards
500 baht, includes two drinks
Free entry for women until 24:00

October 31, 2011

Yelloween Party
Keep it classy on the only day of the year you don’t have to
Balcony’s Lounge at the Intercontinental
973 Ploenchit Road
T: (02) 656 0444
19:00–01:00
1,200 baht, includes one glass of Veuve clicquot and two glasses of Ketel One Martini

New Orleans Voodoo
A little taste of Louisiana in Bangkok
Bed Supperclub
26 Sukhumvit Soi 11
T: (02) 651 3537
19:30–03:00
1,000 baht, includes one drink

*Note: there is no haunted BTS. Sorry.

Tags: balcony's lounge, bed supperclub, bewitched this halloween, cafe de bangkok, club culture, edward cullen, halloween, koi, new orleans voodoo, q bar, rumble in the jungle, twilight, vie hotel, voodoo village black magic night, witch's tavern, wobble halloween, yelloween party

Numerous venues in Bangkok are marketed as galleries, but for anyone looking to visit a proper gallery disappointment may ensue when some of these locales reveal themselves to be little more than a bar with a few framed photos. While we previously rounded up a list of galleries around the city that are worth a peek, and did some exploring of the art section at Chatuchak Weekend Market, here are two additional modern art hubs that present some of the most cutting-edge and creative exhibitions in the city. They offer more than a brewsky and mass-produced prints.

Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC)

All you need is art.

BACC  is Bangkok's most popular spot for contemporary art. With gallery spaces, film seminars and educational and cultural programmes on here, there is a never-ending stream of activities and exhibitions to choose from. While it is good to check in on their site to see what is currently going on, it's also worth just heading over and going for a wander. They host a slew of galleries, an art library and numerous cafes and small shops, so there are places to explore on every floor of this circling Guggeinheim-esque building. Even if none of the galleries tickle your fancy, the building is quite lively and there is plenty to do here by way of snacking, exploring and people watching.

Located just off the National Stadium BTS station. Open Tue-Sun 10:00-21:00. Admission is free, except for special events. T: (02) 214 6630

Thailand Creative & Design Centre (TCDC)

So this is design, eh?

With a diverse rotation of exhibitions, TCDC is known for being both thought-provoking and hands on. The exhibitions here often have interactive components and even occasionally feature accompanying kid-friendly activities. My first visit to TCDC was to see an exhibition on the influence and history of spirits and ghosts in Thai society. With videos, installments and sculptures, walking through the space felt like a trip to a very stylised haunted house.  This exhibition has since closed but TCDC seems to have a constant stream of compelling new work; it is well worth checking their website to see what is on during your time in Bangkok. An equally interesting permanent exhibition uses classic designs from 10 different countries as a lens through which to view societal culture. TCDC is also home to a members-only design library, but free one-day passes are available if you would like to check out their resources. There's also a very worthwhile gift shop with a funky selection of eclectic jewellery and tchotckes.

Located on the 6th floor of Emporium Shopping Complex. Take the BTS to Phrom Phong station and enter directly into the mall from there. Open Tue-Sun 10:30-21:00. Entrance is free. T: (02) 664 8448

Tags: design, exhibitions, galleries, libraries, modern art

You've snared your election poster I hope and now it's time to shift from politics back to the arts ...

I must admit that I have been pleasantly surprised by the movie offerings in Bangkok. Yes, the mainstream cinemas mostly feature mega-blockbusters and Thai films of the horror variety, but a steady rotation of film festivals keeps things interesting. This month in Bangkok, from July 6 to 17 the European Union Film Festival will be presenting 22 films from 16 different EU countries.

Cinematic stars.

The festival will be held at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) and a massive plus is that all of the screenings will be free. All films will be presented in their original language with subtitles. The festival features a wide range of genres from French dramas to Czech children's films. Trailers for all the festival's films can be found here.

Many of the films presented are quite well known with two of the stand outs being German drama When We Leave and Spanish film Celda 211. The festival's highest profile film is the Academy Award-nominated British documentary Exit Through the Giftshop, a film focusing on renowned street artist Banksy.

The BACC is located just off the National Stadium BTS stop.

After the festival leaves Bangkok it will travel to Chiang Mai where it will run from July 22-31.

Here is the full list of films and showing times in Bangkok:

Thursday July 7:
13:00 Bánk Bán (Hungary, 2002)
15:10 Erratum (Poland, 2010)
16:55 Camino (Spain, 2008)
19:20  The Escape (Denmark, 2009)

Friday July 8:
14:00 With Friends Like These (Belgium, 2007)
15:50 Above the Street, Below the Water (Denmark, 2009)
17:40 The Last Pulchinella (Italy, 2009)
19:20 When We Leave (Germany, 2010)

Saturday July 9:
11:30 Kooky (Czech Republic, 2010)
13:15 Weekend With My Mother (Romania, 2009)
14:55 Assault on the Santa Maria (Portugal, 2010)
16:10 The Hell of '63 (Netherlands, 2010)
18:10 Camino (Spain, 2008)

Sunday July 10:
11:30 The Magic Tree (Poland, 2009)
13:10 The Escape (Denmark, 2009)
15:15 With Friends Like These (Belgium, 2007)
17:05 Bánk Bán (Hungary, 2002)
19:10 The 1,000 Euros Generation (Italy, 2009)

Monday July 11:
No showtimes

Tuesday July 12:
15:00 The Paper Will Be Blue (Romania, 2006)
16:45 The Hell of '63 (Netherlands, 2010)
18:45 Run If You Can (Germany, 2010)

Wednesday July 13
14:00  The 1,000 Euros Generation (Italy, 2009)
15:40 Celda 211 (Spain, 2009)
17:15 An Ordinary Execution (France, 2010)
19:10 Above the Street, Below the Water (Denmark, 2009)

Thursday July 14:
14:00 The Wedding Photographer (Sweden, 2009)
16:00 Dust (Luxembourg, 2009)
17:30 Exit Through the Giftshop (UK, 2010)
17:45 Erratum (Poland, 2010)

Friday July 15:
14:00 The Last Pulchinella (Italy, 2009)
15:40  The Paper Will Be Blue (Romania, 2006)
17:25 Celda 211 (Spain, 2009)
19:30  Weekend With My Mother (Romania, 2009)

Saturday July 16:
11:00 The Magic Tree (Poland, 2009)
12:40 Dust (Luxembourg, 2009)
14:20  An Ordinary Execution (France, 2010)
16:15  Run If You Can (Germany, 2010)
19:25 Exit Through the Giftshop (UK, 2010)

Sunday July 17:
11:00 Kooky (Czech Republic, 2010)
12:45 The Wedding Photographer (Sweden, 2009)
14:45 When We Leave (Germany, 2010)
17:30 Forbidden Fruit (Finland, 2009)

Tags: EU, films, movies

For the past few days we've written a lot about what to expect during this infamous Songkran holiday. The water and chalk, the washing of the Buddha, the nationwide merriment. But there are a few lesser publicized traditions that happen over these three days which add  a little context Songkran. So let's prematurely explain some of those strange scenarios that may arise during your celebrating.

Why does this stranger want to make me a bracelet?
Tying strings around the wrists of others is a way to express good luck and well wishes for the coming year. If someone approaches you wanting to tie a string around your wrist you should accept that gesture humbly and gracefully. Hold your arm out with your wrist facing the sky and the person will tie the string and recite a short prayer. Tradition says you must not remove the string until it falls off of its own accord.

Tradition holds you wear them till they fall off

What's with all the sandcastles?
Tradition dictates that sand pagodas are to be built inside the property of each temple, or wat. As worshippers come to the temple during Songkran they bring with them a handle of sand. This sand is all gathered, and sometimes even brought in by the truckload, for people to start constructing pagodas. Inside the pagodas coins and money are inserted for good luck. Once completed the pagodas are decorated with flags, candles, joss sticks, shells, flowers and sprinkled with scented water.

The belief behind the sand pagodas is twofold. First, it is thought that by bringing sand into the temple compound worshippers are elevating the level of the property's ground which is often too low during the rainy season. Second, it is believed that every time you leave the temple some sand remains on your shoes and is accidentally removed from the religious property. Bringing sand back to the temple is a form of atonement.

Why is everyone sweeping?
At the very beginning of the holiday, celebrators traditionally clean out their houses, shops, buildings, everywhere, to get rid of anything that was a negative influence over the past year. It is believed that if any of these bad objects or momentos are kept they will bring bad luck for the new year.

And how about those birds being set free?
Throughout the year and especially during Songkran, celebrators set caged birds free and let captive fish loose into rivers and streams. This releasing of the animals back to their natural habitats symbolizes the act of giving freedom and is a form of merit making.

Please help usssss

And now you know.

Tomorrow: Songkran, where to go in Bangkok.

Brazenly spraying small children with water guns and getting attacked by old people with garden hoses is all fun and games, but what's really going on here? It's time to head to the wat for some answers.

At the wat, you are going to find tons of people making merit. Making merit is the concept of doing something selfless for one's community and receiving a celestial point for doing it. Merit is a counterpoint to sins that are committed against the teachings of Buddha.

Fertile recruitment grounds for merit makers

Technically, Buddhists aren't supposed to eat meat or get drunk, so Thais line up in droves to will away all the ghosts of grilled pork washed down with bottles of Singha. The New Year is one of the most auspicious times of the year to make merit.

Merit can be acquired in many ways. Helping old people earns merit, as does showing your appreciation by honouring them (there are several different ceremonies available for today's busy merit maker, including pouring water over their hands and bodies). Merit can also be earned by venerating the Buddha with flowers, incense, scented water, and candles.

During Songkran, the Buddha statues at the wat are scrubbed clean by the monks, and then the religious can make merit by pouring scented water over the Buddha (not his head -- that's considered rude). This water is considered blessed, and is used to honour older relatives.

Middle one needs a bit of a scrub

Everyone is welcome to make merit at the wat: food can be donated to the monks, the Buddha can be venerated with water, flowers and incense, or money can be donated to the wat. Unlike the grumpy Catholics, Buddhists believe that everyone (even non-believers) benefit from participating and making merit, so don't be shy.

Many famous wats around Bangkok have special events happening during Songkran, so take a break from blessing your fellow man with a water gun and make some merit at the wat.

Tomorrow, Songkran's lesser known traditions.

Tags: songkran, wats

With the recent torrential downpours experienced across much of the South of Thailand you'd think the Phuketian Thais would've had enough drenching to last a lifetime. Apparently this is not the case... The dangerous Songkran water festival is responsible for upping the road toll once every 12 months as the Thais drunkenly celebrate the start of their new year, which despite being 500 odd years ahead of 2011 does not yet have any teleportation or flying cars.

Emergency!

What they do have in the year 2554 is guns, lots of guns. Not laser guns, but water pistols. Using these and buckets of water, Thais merrily douse everyone in sight - little kiddies, old biddies ... and many an unsuspecting tourist will get a few face fulls of water too.

Although primarily celebrated in Chiang Mai way up North where it runs for around a week, the fantastic festival of flying fluids occurs all over the country, including right here in Phuket -- albeit for just one day. Come Wednesday, April 13, you'll be soaking in more than just the sun's rays if you're anywhere near Patong or Phuket Town, where much of the action is planned to take place.

Supermarkets and convenience stores in Phuket have stockpiled water pistols of all shapes and sizes, with beachside vendors set to follow suit in the next few days leading up to the event. Wherever you are in Phuket, you'll want to duck into one of the islands ubiquitous 7-Elevens or Family Marts and choose your weapon, find a tap, and lock and load.

A gun to match any outfit

Larger supermarket chains like Carrefour in Jungceylon have the most ample, reasonably priced supply of "waterarms" (like a firearm, only it hurts a bit less when you get shot). You can pick up a sturdy weapon for about 60-180 baht (around $2 - $6US) Just head near the non-beach end of Bangla Rd and ask a local to point you in the right direction. Phonetically, the shopping mall is pronounced; "Junk See Long."

Word on the soi is pre-emptive strikes are expected on Bangla Road as the midnight hour approaches on Tuesday the 12th. So don your face paint, pump up your super-soakers and be prepared for anything as alcohol will surely be involved. And remember: one man's beach is another man's unlimited supply of watery ammo.

No doubt Milne-approved

Songkran is the welcoming of the new year, which is celebrated in the last period during which farming is dormant before the rains come.

Splashing monks in Luang Prabang

Traditional songkran celebrations focus on the renewal of the earth and the home. Wats, homes and Buddhist statues are cleaned. Often, the statues are removed from their wats and paraded around their communities, allowing everyone the chance to make merit by washing them with water, which Buddhists believe will help them achieve a higher ranking in the celestial order when they are reborn.

Water that is used to wash a Buddha image is considered to bring good luck, so it is collected and carried back home to wash the hands and bodies of respected older relatives and friends. When Thais marry, water is poured over their hands, representing abundance and bounty. Ritual water is called nam om, and is perfumed with flowers or essences.  Today's tradition of throwing water at each other is a direct descendant of these earlier, and slightly more gentle rituals. As it comes during the hottest part of the year, when the fields are panting for moisture, a blessing for abundance and bounty is most welcome.

You're next!

Anointing with powder is likely a cultural legacy from when Buddhism arrived in Thailand from India and Burma. Indians of all religious backgrounds use powders to mark different religious blessings; Thai monks often mark blessings on houses and vehicles with chalk. Thais believe that being marked with scented chalk brings good luck and protection.

Time to put the camera away

If these same blessings and protections are provided by soaking an unsuspecting child with a bucket of ice water and a blizzard of chalk is debatable, it is nice to know that the teenagers who just unleashed a garden hose on you were doing it out of benevolent kindness.

Tomorrow: Songkran: What happens at the wat?

Tags: chalk, songkran, water