Thailand Shopping

Thailand Shopping
By : Oh Srichaphan

Thailand has been known as a shopper’s paradise for many years. From luxurious items such as jewelry, silk, designers’ clothing or accessories right down to the best of bargained goods. Fixed prices are the norm in shopping centers or department stores but at most other places like markets, street-stalls, etc., haggling is acceptable and expected. There’re no fixed rules when it comes to bargaining, generally you can get somewhere between 10-40% from the asking price. Depending on your skills and sometimes the shopkeeper’s mood. Being courteous with a sense of humor goes a long way when bargaining in Thailand, as Thais appreciate good manners. Being angry when bargaining will get you nowhere.

Another great thing about Thailand shopping is, even in Bangkok alone, the shopping is not limited to one or two shopping streets. There’re many areas throughout the city offering various choices and easy access. For example, Silom, Sukhumvit, Siam Square, Chatuchak weekend market or China Town. Many other cities outside of Bangkok also offer great shopping. Chiang Mai is ideal for traditional Thai handicrafts while Phuket is a great source for pearls and Pattaya has a wide selection of precious stones since it’s close to Chantaburi where numerous gems are found.


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Knowing Thailand

Knowing Thailand
By : Pauline Go

Bordered by Laos and Cambodia in the east, the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia in the South, and Andaman Sea and Myanmar to the west, lies the beautiful and scenic place, Thailand.

Originally, the country was known as Siam. If you have seen the famous movie, King and I, starring Yul Bryner as the king of Siam, you will be certainly having some idea about this beautiful place.

Thai means freedom and hence the name, Thailand. Thai also symbolizes the name of the city’s ethnic group. Thailand is well known for having the perfect blend of cultures of India and China. This influence has been possible due to its geographic location. The country is also proud of various indigenous cultures since the time of Ban Chiang culture.

Thailand has a rich historical background. Sukhothai, a buddhist kingdom was the first Thai state. It was established in 1238, after the fall of the Khmer empire. However, Sukhotai was soon overpowered by Ayutthaya, which was more powerful and larger than Sukhotai. It was founded in 1431. The next kingdom that rose to power after Ayutthaya was Thonburi, the capital of Thailand. It was the capital for only a short period of time.

Then came the era of Ratthanakosin leading later to the establishment of Bangkok as the capital of Thailand. Despite so many transitions, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian culture that was never affected or empowered by the European power. This was because Thailand had a series of efficient rulers during the period, 1800 who amply took advantage of the undercurrent or tension between British and the French.


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Kingdom Of Thailand

Kingdom Of Thailand
By : Pauline Go

The Kingdom of Thailand is a very popular destination for tourists coming to southeast Asia, with over 10 million visitors per year sampling its irresistible combination of breathtaking natural beauty, inspiring temples, outstanding hospitality and superb cuisine. We say ‘sampling’ because one short would not be enough to see or experience everything that Thailand has to offer. Thailand's cuisine is unique and is regarded by many people as one of the best in the world. What is on offer is so varied that you can literally have a different meal every day of the year. By far one of the key reasons Thailand is such an attraction to visitors is the Thai people themselves. Thailand is often called the “land of smiles”, because it is said that you can see more smiling people here than anywhere else in the world.

The country is made up of 76 provinces each divided into districts, sub-districts and villages. Bangkok is the capital city and centre of political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities. Phuket, "Pearl of the South" is Thailand's largest and best known island and has long been a favourite destination of visitors from around the world. Thai is one of the oldest languages in East and South-East Asia. It is a monosyllabic language which uses five tones (high, mid, low, rising, and falling tone) to alter the meaning of a single syllable. This makes it difficult to learn for most Westerners used to speaking non-tonal languages. The Thai script consists of 44 consonants and 48 vowels, and is of Sanskrit origin. It was introduced by King Rham Khamhaeng in 1283. There is no universal standard for transliterating Thai into English. For this reason, most language courses recommend that learners master the Thai alphabet.


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Windsurfing in Thailand

Windsurfing in Thailand
By : Craig R Thompson

Windsurfing is gaining popularity in Thailand.

Thailand is not a super windy place. You wont see the amazing freestyle moves of Bonaire or the Gorge, nor will you see hot wave sailing action. With average wind strengths of 8- 18knots Windsurfers here are mainly using sails from 6.0M to 8.5M. In the worlds top locations a 6.0M sail is considered large.

So why do core windsurfers from all over the world choose to settle in Thailand?

As manufacturing costs in China increase, medium to large size companies are choosing to set up in Thailand where their specialized engineers and top level management are happy to move with their families.

Thailand's perpetually warm water and even warmer people. Low cost of living and very comfortable healthy lifestyle make the choice of leaving their homes utterly bearable.

Many classic Mediterranean retirement destinations are more expensive after the Euro's introduction. Thailand, with it's Idealic Beachside lifestyle is becoming a popular place to make those pension Pounds, early retirement Euros', and dwindling Dollars go further.

Grass roofed beach-side sail racks, make tedious equipment preparation unnecessary. Residents sit around in the shade, talking or simply admiring the parade of International beach goers.

As soon as the wind is good, they are on the water in minutes on the latest windsurfing gear, some of which is designed especially for the lighter wind conditions. On good days when the wind is over 15 knots , there are over 20 sails on the water in the best spots. While this number is tiny compared to the world's classic destinations where windsurfers number in the hundreds. It is double what you may have seen 3 years ago in Thailand.

Thai people are enjoying the sport in larger numbers also. A club in "Tabsai" near to Bang San University is hugely popular among Thai's who have regular camp outs and parties there on weekends.


On Jomtien Beach in Pattaya, The government and City sponsored Windsurfing Association of Thailand has been revived by a team of ex Thai windsurfing champions, coaches and local politician's. The benefit of this work has gone straight into the local community where kids, are training and competing in local and overseas competitions. It is heart warming to meet these youngsters who are polite, happy, self-reliant and who will grow up with a close connection to sport and the environment. Everyone is welcome to join the local windsurfing races. With up to 70 entries and many international guests, Thailand is producing high-level athletes, often from poor or broken families.

Pattaya City, about 2.5 hours drive SE from Bangkok, is notorious for it's red-light district and the people it attracts. However it is brimming with international restaurants, world-class hotels, inexpensive shopping and is still one of the greatest places to learn Windsurfing.

About 10 km south of Pattaya you will find 2 of the largest Water sports clubs in Thailand. This area is where the locals, expats,(foreigner's living in Thailand) and tourists come to take windsurfing lessons, play and relax.

Kite boarding or kite surfing has brought more people to learn about windsurfing also. While some experienced windsurfers like to do both sports, many family people prefer the safety, greater challenge and independence of windsurfing.

Stand Up Paddle Boarding a water-sport anyone can learn in a few minutes is growing quickly here. Used for sightseeing, cross-training on no-wind days, surfing or as a simple yet diverse sport that gives you great at-one with nature time in any conditions.

Windsurfing in Thailand is just another reason why people consider working or retiring early in one of the worlds most famous travel destinations.

Craig Thompson, born in England, raised in Australia, married to Thai National Windsurfing Champion. Has been living and breathing water-sports in Thailand since late 2003. For information about Windsurfing contact Craig and Amara at [mailto:am@windsurfing-thailand.com]am@windsurfing-thailand.com or visit http://iwindsurf.asia/

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Property in Thailand

Property in Thailand
By : Les Calvert

One of the most picturesque countries of Asia, Thailand is a top-notch global tourist hotspot. Be it the coastal lifestyle or the mainland Thai locales, the entire country is full of amazing spots that allure you no end. Thailand's major USP is tourism and the government knows this fact and has always promoted it on a global scale.

The response from tourists flocking to the country has been overwhelming and they seem to return to Thailand in abundance year after year. Political uncertainty notwithstanding, tourists tend to flock to the country on a year round basis. Though the country is not quite open to full foreign ownership of Thai property, there is no dearth of investors' interest in the Thailand real estate.

The charm that is Thailand

The special Thai charm assumes much greater significance for the development of the entire Southeast Asia. The miles and miles of pristine sandy beaches, including the world famous Pattaya Beach, dotted with exquisite palms have a unique magical effect on the visitor, which makes it a favourite honeymoon destination for couples tying the knot!. Phuket and Koh Samui occupy the pride of place on the coastal regions Thailand.

Thai spa's are world famous for their soothing, calming, and relaxing effects on a tired body. This makes the country one of the best getaway spots in the world to relax the tired mind, body, and soul. The Buddhist monasteries make for a profound experience and worth visiting at least once during your stay. Being the major Thai religion, Buddhism is all-pervasive in the lifestyle of people here. And it's an open secret how much the Westerners are attracted towards Buddhism and the Buddhists.

Though not an absolute monarchy, yet Thailand has the longest reigning monarchy of the world since 1946. And this has been a constant cause of several coups in the country in the recent years. The country has also seen some of the worst natural disasters in recent times, like Tsunami, SARS, and Bird Flu. But all this has virtually zero effect on the minds of visitors in Thailand.


The capital Bangkok is just like any other advanced European city, with casinos, nightclubs, pubs, bars, cafes, restaurants, theatres, cocktail lounges, and massage parlours easily accessible. Thailand is also a haven for the shopping freaks with quality leather and electronic equipments available at much cheaper prices than Europe and the USA.

The regular flights to and from Thailands Airports connecting major European, American, Australian and Asian cities have spelled boom time for Thai tourism and economy.

Property Investment in Thailand

Unfortunately, Thai government is not so open when it comes to inviting global real estate players for developmental purposes. There is a bar on property investments by foreigners in the Thai real estate. As an individual, you cannot own any land, and even as a company, only the Thai partner is allowed to own land and that too with considerable amount of restrictions. The government is particularly strict in this regard post-2006 coup.

The freehold land might not be available for direct purchase by a foreign national, but you certainly can lease the property on a 30-years lease period. The foreign purchasers of condominiums may buy the freehold so long as total foreign ownership does not exceed 49% of the whole structure.

Investment in Thailands real estate should never be completed without soliciting the help of local expert adept in property transactions. This is because the Thai real estate industry is largely unregulated and you'll hardly find any regulations governing real estate transaction in the country. While a lawyer is not a necessity in completing the contract, if the documents are in Thai, it's better to hire either a good translator or a real estate expert.

The best property to invest in Thailand is the holiday resorts and other vacation property at prime tourist centres. A beautiful Thai villa can be yours for just £121K at ChiangMai, while a resort property is available for upwards of £50K. Condominiums in Pattaya are available at £30K onwards, while villas for sale in Phuket are heavily priced at a minimum of £480K.

These properties will ensure you get a commanding rental income throughout the year, and you can also enjoy an annual stay for a couple of weeks (or more!) in these accommodation sites.

It's better to research the country for an appropriate and legally acquirable property because tourism potential notwithstanding, there can be lots of crooks and goons on the prowl waiting for the gullible foreign investors. Make adequate inquiries and research about the individuals and property you are dealing with. The lax political and administrative will has resulted into several criminal elements making Thailand their den. However, if you approach the real estate transaction with due diligence, chances are you'd be able to strike a good and legitimate deal.

Property Abroad's directory Les Calvert writes interesting and useful articles on all subjects dealing with overseas [http://www.property-abroad.com/]investment property and buying [http://www.property-abroad.com/thailand]property in Thailand. Visit their website to view their [http://www.property-abroad.com/thailand/news-articles/property-in-thailand.asp]property for sale in Thailand and other useful information on buying property abroad.

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Yoga in Thailand

Yoga in Thailand
By : Edward Jones

For many years I have had an aching back and neck, I tried various therapies but no avail the problem continued. I started to try Yoga and after a few years slowly my pain dissolved, I tried for 1 hour a week which seemed sufficient for a while until I went to live in Thailand I noticed that the island I had moved on had so much Yoga going on and the people that I were meeting were quite dedicated to yoga, some of them practicing every day, Truthfully I thought it to be a little extreme.. Anyway I was influenced to step up my once a week practice to 2 or 3 times per week and after 1 month of practicing 3 times per week I felt considerably more energy flowing through my body and I found that I could actually sit up straight for longer than 5 minutes without having pain in my lower back.

Additional to Yoga a big help was stepping up to a more healthy diet, again I was surrounded by health freaks in the town which made it easy for me to adjust which made a change from being around pot smokers all the time.

I went for an iridology exam and also a blood reading and both came out with similar results, they were saying that I have been eating the wrong foods for my blood type, which is A+, so0 I started adjusting my diet to the foods and drinks that resonate with my blood type and now I can say that I generally have more energy and awareness. It is amazing how a few adjustments can make a difference, but you will actually find yourself craving the very things that are not good for you, so when people advise you to eat what you like and transmute it I don’t believe that’s beneficial, when you do this you are succumbing to your cravings.

The most amazing practice I have come across is Sun Yoga, which was taught to us in a workshop in Thailand by an amazing Yogi named Uma Sankar, you can check his site at www.sunyoga.info

He practices meditation by staring into the sun each day and claims that this fully nourishes oneself, he has not eaten or drank anything since 10 years, neither does he need sleep! When I have the chance I spend 30 minutes before sunset or after sunrise which is actually more beneficial as it is the fresh rising prana that you ingest.


Moving on from there another amazing practice is living on prana only, not even needing the sun, this practice was taught to us in Thailand to many of the Yoga students here by a lovely woman named Jasmuheen.
This involves slowly adjusting your diet to a raw food diet, then liquids only eventually moving onto prana. There are various meditations that are needed to re program the mind/body so that it does not have the need for food or drink anymore, such as visualizi8ng the kidneys being hydrated etc..

Yoga can be used for physical fitness or it can be used as a spiritual practice which aim is to unify all levels of being and connect with the divine.

Give it a try! And who knows you may move on to Sun Yoga or you may be inclined to live on prana and save the washing up!

My name is Edward Jones, I have been studying Yoga and Meditation for more than 7 years whilst traveling around the world being inspired by amazing teachers..

For more info on Yoga in Thailand visit - [http://www.agamayoga.com]Agama Yoga Classes

For info on becoming a teacher visit - [http://www.agamayoga.com/ttc/ttc.htm]Yoga teacher training

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Songkhran In Thailand

Songkhran In Thailand
By : Pauline Go

Due to the influence of the western culture, almost all nations celebrate January 1 as New Year’s day, but each country has its own day of welcoming its New Year. Songkhran is a traditional New Year celebrated by the people of Thailand. Songkhran is celebrated from April 13 to 15 each year. People celebrate this day as a day of fun by throwing water on each other.

Songkhran is a festival of three days and celebrated on April 13, 14 and 15 . However, the Thai consider 15th as the most auspicious day and they celebrate it as New Year. The festival commences on April 13 with fireworks. People believe that burning firecrackers will help them drive away evil forces. They give utmost importance to cleaning on this particular day. They clean their houses, clothes, and all their belongings. People also take care of their personal appearances by having a head bath.

April 14 is considered as a day between old year and New Year, as this day does not belong to any year they consider it as an odd day. On this day people will not perform any sort rituals. They also advise their children not to quarrel with others.

On the 15th, people visit temples early in the morning. Later, they offer food to Buddhists monks. On this day all family members try to be together. The younger members of the family visit homes of elders to seek their blessings. The younger members also ask for forgiveness for the mistakes they have done. The elders forgive them by giving them their blessings and offer words of guidance. After this, people enjoy themselves by throwing water on each other. They also mix some color in the water and splash it on each other.


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