Jim Thompson was a designer, a silk magnate, a Thailophile, and, incidentally, a spy for the West. The history of his undercover involvement in the OSS and the personal politics of his later years are both fascinating and widely misrepresented. But at the Jim Thompson House in Bangkok, you will hear about none of this. … read the full post

“Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.” – Rita Mae Brown Learning Thai is the best way to understand Thailand — the very essence of Thai relationships is expressed in the way language is used. The influence of the central Thai … read the full post

Oh, glorious weekends. They can never come soon enough, but when they do, we can be paralysed by the choices of things to do in Bangkok; lying prone in your hotel room, watching Thai soaps with the AC on full blast, is always a tempting option. But you’re in the city of angels, damn it!  … read the full post

Thailand is something of a meat-laden obstacle course for vegetarians and vegans — vegetable dishes are flavoured with meat, vats of pork broth bring meaty savouriness to otherwise vegetarian noodles, and everything is salted with a lashing of fish sauce. You’ve got to know your enemy to defeat it. Here in the kingdom “vegetarian eating” … read the full post

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport might be a sprawling mess, but you’ll have to navigate it at some point in your travels — here’s the second part of our guide on how to travel into Bangkok once you’ve cleared immigration. Check out part I for info on trains and cabs into the city. Bus and public … read the full post

First, tourism surged in Thailand in the 1960s, due to faster planes, a rise in the standard of living, a simulacrum of political stability, and Nam soldiers needing some R & R. Second, the fundamental question still being asked today arose: should I begin my journey through Thailand in Bangkok or Chiang Mai? After an … read the full post

Suvarnabhumi Airport is celebrating it’s fifth anniversary; love it or hate it, it’s one of Southeast Asia’s largest hubs. Suvarnabhumi serves around 100 different airlines and almost 45 million passengers a year, all of whom are ready to get the airport behind them and onto the beaches or mountains they came for. Suvarnabhumi is around … read the full post

The two cities that are arguably the most popular for travellers in Thailand, Bangkok and Chiang Mai, clearly have a lot to offer. How do they compare, in a nutshell? (Yes, we know we’re succumbing to some cliches here, but it’s part of the fun…) The food Chiang Mai: Signature khao soi; Isaan papaya salad, … read the full post

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