Tag: bangkok

Bpai Tiao: Top Tourist Spots in Chiang Mai & Bangkok

October 31, 2014

In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.

After beaching out with my parents for a couple of days on Koh Ngai, I figured they would be up for a little bit of culture and a completely different part of the country. So we packed up our bags, chartered a boat off the island and got on a plane heading north. We had our sights set on Chiang Mai and an elephant adventure, plus a visit to a handful of the city’s wats.

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Post Election Political Instability in Thailand

March 21, 2014

For the past few months, Thai politics have been in a bit of a turmoil. It started with protests, that escalated into the prime minister stepping down and dissolving the government. The protests continued, demanding reforms before any election. There was an election last month, however it had some issues. Things have continued to be somewhat unstable and there are a lot of unanswered questions about the political future of Thailand. Here’s a run down. more “Post Election Political Instability in Thailand” …

New Elections Scheduled for February

January 7, 2014

Nearly a month ago, Thailand’s government dissolved as a response to ongoing protests in Bangkok. The crown issued a decree for new elections to be held.

The election date has been set for February 2 and registration for the election has taken place. The Democrat Party, which is in support of the protests calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and an appointment of a “people’s council”, has vowed to boycott the elections. The Democrat Party has not won an election since 1992 and the common analysis is that Yingluck’s Puea Thai Party will win in the new election, as it has won every election since 2001.

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LGBTQ Safe Zone Training for Peace Corps Staff

December 24, 2013

Back in May, Peace Corps put out this press release, titled “Peace Corps Announces New Service Opportunity for Same-Sex Couples.”

It stated:

“Expanding service opportunities to same-sex domestic partners who want to volunteer together further diversifies the pool of Peace Corps applicants and the skills of those invited to serve overseas in the fields of education, health, community economic development, environment, youth in development and agriculture. Married heterosexual couples have been serving together in the Peace Corps since its inception in 1961. Currently, 7 percent of Peace Corps assignments are filled by married volunteers serving together.”

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Thai Government Dissolves; Protests Continue

December 13, 2013

Things here in Thailand have taken a turn, politically. Over the past few weeks, anti-government protests have broken out in Bangkok, particularly focusing on the prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, and her attempt to obtain amnesty for her brother.

Since then there was a truce to not protest during the King’s birthday. The King is the most revered person in Thailand, with his image plastered along roads, in front of buildings and hung up in every Thai house, restaurant, school and business. His yellow flag flies everywhere the Thai flag does. He, along with Buddhism and country make up the three parts of the motto of Thailand. It would have been in extreme poor taste to protest on a day set aside to honor him. The truce lasted through the weekend, which was the time the protests turned violent the week before.

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Yellow-Shirt Protests in Bangkok

December 3, 2013

Right now, protests in the streets of Bangkok are grabbing international headlines. Political tensions in Thailand have been on a low simmer for years, and the current protests are ultimately an escalation of dissatisfaction with the last democratically elected government. But how is the government that was overthrown in a coop in 2006 connected to the government today?

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Gaining Self-Confidence in Thailand

December 1, 2013

One thing that I see a lot of Thais struggle with, especially in Isaan, is low levels of self-esteem and self-confidence. When it comes to speaking English, many Thai people demure, and are embarrassed by their accent or small grammar mistakes. I came across this interview with Jon Jandai, a man from Isaan talking about how he overcame his shyness and gained self-confidence, and I wanted to share it.

Bangkok: A Nice City Near Thailand

November 26, 2013

Thailand is a tourist destination. Tourism accounts for more that 15 percent of Thailand’s GDP. However, the Thailand that I experience is not the Thailand that most tourists experience. Tourists generally stick to the major cities: Phuket, Chiang Mai and Bangkok. Particularly when it comes to the capital, the differences between tourist Thailand and rural Thailand are extremely stark.

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