Thailand is known for its lush silks and elaborate textiles, but in Bangkok proper, cheap and trendy clothing abounds. As we can see from Bangkok’s haunted mall and airport terminal, shopping is a bit of cultural obsession, one that is highly contagious. You can’t avoid shopping in Bangkok even if you try: opportunities for snapping … read the full post

When khlongs were the most reliable transport and boats plied the “Venice of the East”, boat noodles were Thailand’s answer to delivery pizza. Vendors didn’t deliver upon order, but they did ply their way across the city selling noodle soups from wooden sampans calling out for customers as they passed by. Vendors soon developed loyal … read the full post

Some simple scenes speak for themselves and are the reason we travel. Here’s one of ours: a view of tall trees at dawn in Chiang Dao, taken from Malee’s Nature Lover Bungalows. Haven’t heard of Chiang Dao? It’s the spot we recommend if you think Chiang Mai is too touristy, Pai too sceney, Chiang Rai … read the full post

Walking down any Bangkok street, you’ll be bombarded with vats of pork soup and made-to-order som tam. So many options; how do you choose? For a mouthwatering Thai lunch, I avoid the obvious tourist traps and do as Bangkokians do: eat in a “tent”. Around business districts, like Phloen Chit, Silom and Asok, lunch spots … read the full post

It’s true that most travellers only see the southwest Thai mainland through the windows of a minibus, en route to the Andaman Sea islands. If you’re into rich culture and a unique local food scene, however, you might consider spending a day or two in the mid-sized provincial capital of Trang. At first glance it … read the full post

Chatuchak market (pronounced jat-u-jak), or “JJ” for short, is packed with items to buy — from refurbished vintage dresses through to Yorkshire terriers and quite a bit in between. JJ is not a made-for-tourists destination; gaggles of locals make a pilgrimage to this outdoor market each weekend. For some, JJ is a shopping heaven, and … read the full post

Greater Chiang Mai weighs in these days with a good million inhabitants (the exact figure varies according to where one draws cut-off points), and it has most of the attributes a modern city aspires to have. It has whopping shopping malls and chic boutiques, a Chinatown,  a professional football team (albeit an embarrassingly bad one), … read the full post

Around 15:30 today (Friday the 13th no less) the US Embassy in Bangkok sent out an email alert warning of a potential terrorist threat in Bangkok. The email was shortly after retracted, then, we’ve just learned, re-issued. ABC has a story on it here. As is typical of this style of warning, it is frustratingly … read the full post

Peace and relaxation await you on any of Southeast Asia’s islands, but the boat ride to get there is often an unexpected dose of adventure. While many of the more popular islands rely mainly on large passenger speedboats and ferries for transport, many islands — such as Ko Libong, Ko Sukorn, Ko Adang, and Ko … read the full post

Our How to Eat series explores popular street food in Thailand and explains the how-and-what of ordering. Ready, set, EAT. The sun rises high and hot in Bangkok; monks pad up and down the streets begging for alms, motorcycle taxis cruise alleys for fares, soi dogs sniff at offerings left roadside, and coiffed bank tellers, … read the full post