Tag: bpai tiao

Bpai Tiao: Chaing Rai and Songkran in Chiang Mai

April 18, 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 hanging out with my friends in Khao Koh, Petchabun, I made my way northwards. I had plans to meet with my friends Mamie, Sasha-Noel, Mayumi and Yee in Chiang Mai for Songkran, or the Thai New Year celebration. Last year, I spent Songkran in my village, honoring the elders and playing with the kids. But before heading to Chiang Mai, one of the biggest Songkran celebration spots in the country, I stopped over in Chiang Rai to explore the temples there.

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Bpai Tiao: the Natural Beauty of Khao Koh

April 15, 2014

One of my closest volunteer friends, Brandon, lives in a village that is a pretty well-known Thai tourist destination in Khao Koh, Petchabun. Last year, some of the teachers at my school were talking about taking a trip there at the end of bpit term, but it never happened for whatever number of reasons. However, I did get to make my way there this bpit term since Brandon invited to his house.

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Bpai Tiao Video: Sak Yant Tattoo Festival 2014

April 13, 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.

Generally, tattoos are a taboo in Thailand, with the exception of sak yant. Sak yant are Buddhist protection charms that are tapped into the wearer’s skin by a monk. Each year, in Nakhon Pathom, there is an annual festival for people who have sak yant to get the magic of their charms “recharged” in a sense, and for people to get new ones. Check out the video!

Bpai Tiao: Sak Yant Tattoo Festival in Nakhon Pathom

March 18, 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.

My last post was about festivals here in Thailand that I do not want to miss over this next year here, and I left one out. But that is because I tried to go to it this last weekend. Every year, at Wat Bang Phra in Nakhon Pathom, a couple hours outside of Bangkok, there is the Sak Yant Tattoo Festival. more “Bpai Tiao: Sak Yant Tattoo Festival in Nakhon Pathom” …

5 Can’t Miss Festivals in Thailand

March 14, 2014

Now that I’ve been here for a year, I kind of have a grasp on what some of the big celebrations Thailand has and I’ve heard of some smaller, local festivals. So much Thai culture is steeped throughout the year and released all at once in these annual festivals, from celebrations of victorious battles to honoring spirits and ghosts, from taking pride in local ruins and historical sites to making merit and honoring the water spirits, there is likely a celebration of some kind just around the corner. Here are the ones that I am most looking forward to going to this year.

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Bua Yai’s Ya Mo Festival: Importance of Relationships

March 7, 2014

Last year, when I came to Kaengsanamnang to visit before moving here permanently, my co-teacher took me to the opening ceremony of the Ya Mo Festival in Bua Yai, one district over from mine and where she grew up with her family.

I remember being really intrigued by it all: wanting to watch the reenactment show, visit all of the stalls, taking pictures of all of the dancers and parade floats. I was a little confused by it all and my senses were overloaded. We ate som dtam and I had kanom jin (a kind of rice noodles) for the first time, and discovered that I like som dtam but not kanom jin. more “Bua Yai’s Ya Mo Festival: Importance of Relationships” …

A Closer Look at the Architectural Details of Wats

January 26, 2014

Wats, or Buddhist temples, are everywhere in Thailand. And for as many temples as there are, there are just as many different styles. However, many of them share similarities as well. Check out the video of some of the details of Thailand’s temples.

What Happened at the Thailand TESOL Conference

January 24, 2014

Last week I attended the 34th Annual Thailand TESOL International Conference in Chiang Mai. The theme of the conference was “21st Century English Language Education: Towards Global Citizenship.” I was extremely satisfied with the experience and it made me think quite a bit about teaching English, specifically in Thailand, and how I can improve my approaches and to pass those along to my co-teacher.

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Bpai Tiao: One Day Must See Chiang Mai

January 21, 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.

I finally made it up to the northern city of Chiang Mai, a place that other volunteers regularly rave about. But this wasn’t just any bpai tiao, I went to Chiang Mai to attend the 34th Annual Thailand TESOL International Conference along with two other Peace Corps volunteers, my counterpart Kruu Ning and five other counterparts. Kruu Ning had also never been to Chiang Mai, so we arrived early in the morning the day before the conference started to give us a chance to tour around to some of the highlights of the area.

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Bpai Tiao: New Year’s on Koh Mak

January 3, 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.

I am fortunate enough to be serving in Peace Corps in a country that has several locations that consistently find their way onto lists with names like “Top Places to Visit Before You Die” or “Best Beach Getaways.” This means that my holiday travels are often jam packed with everyone going to the same place, which tips the scale on the stress factor.

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