Thai Village Show

The Thai Village Cultural Show. You will have the opportunity of witnessing the unique and unforgettable experience of the world-renowned Thai Village Cultural Show. Daily, over 150 performers vividly portray a fascinating cross section of Thailand's culture, heritage and way of life: dances, ceremonies, rituals, sports and pastimes. The 60 minute, action-packed show is highlighted by: Exciting displays of Thai marital Arts, Thai boxing and sword fighting-combat skills which date back over 600 years. Romantic and joyful rituals of the traditional Thai wedding ceremony. Rich pageantry of Buat Naag-the ceremony of ordination into the Buddhist monk-hood. Lively tribal dancers: the graceful Fingernail Dance from North, the rhythmic Bamboo Dance, The Kala Dance from the South and the joyful Yoey Dance from the Central Plains. Elephant at work as they still do today in the teak forests of northern Thailand.

credit:thailandsigthseeing

Damnoensaduak Floating Market in Thailand

Damnoensaduak is believed to be one of a well-known and an attractive travelling sites. Historically, Damnoenssaduak was actually the name of the canal dug in the reign of King Rama IV by the military men and the people of Rajburi, Samutsakorn and Samutsongkram Province directed by Phayasrisuriyawong, the minister of Defence. In those days without rivers and canals, transportation was almost motionless; King Rama IV with his great concern over the country's future economic growth, he finally had the canal dug to connect the Taachin River in Samutsakorn Province and Maklong River in Samutsongkram Province together.

Nowadays Damnoensaduak is one of a provincial district of Rajburi Province. Most people live densely along both sides of the canal from one end of the canal to another.The majority of this people are agriculturists. They grow several different kinds of fruit and vegetable for examples oranges, grapes, papayas, cabbages, bean, onion and etc. The land in this area is naturally fertile. Apart from providing transportation, Damnoensaduak Canal also provides farmers with adequate water for agricultural purposes for the whole year around.

More than 200 small canals were dug by local peasants to connect with it to get water to splatter their land. Moreover; these small canals also become protitiouus ways of taking their agricultural products to the markets in neighbouring provinces and Bangkok. Day in and day out from about 8 a.m. to about 11 a.m. the Floating Market is routinely crowded with hundrreds of vendors and purchasers floating in their small rowing boats selling and buying or exchanging their goods. What they purchase are particularly food, fruit and vegetable which mostly brought from their own orchards.

credit:thailandsigthseeing

Royal Grand Palace & Temple of Emerald Buddha

The Royal Grand Palace :The Royal Grand Palace once a royal residence is a huge compound on Na Phra Lan Road with proud golden domes, inspirational spires, exotic wall mural and breathtaking ceramic decorations, is surrounded by high white walls and occupies an area of about a square mile. The palace, begun in 1782, consists of several buildings with highly decorated architectural details. The Royal Chapel or Wat Phra Kaew famously known as Temple of Emerald Buddha is situated in the same compound, it houses the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred Buddha image in Thailand. The Grand Palace or Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang for Thai is today used by the king only for certain ceremonial occasions such as Coronation Day

Chakri Mahaprasat :the largest triple-winged of the palace buildings, literally Great Holy Hall of Chakri, but usually translated as Grand Palace Hall. Built by King Rama V and completed in 1882, there was some controversy during the construction phase which resulted in this unusual design. Rama V had wanted an entirely western look to his new home, but others in the court felt that the king's residence and throne hall should reflect Siamese motifs. So the original domed roof in the design was replaced by a Thai-styled roof. It is interesting to note that the Thai nickname for the building is the 'westerner with a Thai hat'. The tallest of the Mondops, in the centre, contains the ashes of each Chakri King who passed away; the flanking Mondops enshrine the ashes of Chakri princes who never inherited the throne.

Dusit Hall : initially served as a venue for royal audiences and later as a royal funerary hall.

Wat Phra Keow : Also known as temple of The Emerald Buddha - the temple dates back to 1782 when Bangkok was founded. Regarded as the most significant of all Thai temples, the 945,000 square-meter temple compound, which occupies one corner of the Grand Palace complex, encompasses over 100 buildings that represent 200 years of royal history and architectural experimentation. The temple was built to house a green Buddha image that King Rama I had brought from Vientiane when he captured the city in 1778. He built the temple and enshrined the 'Emerald' Buddha there as a symbol of Siam's regained nationhood. The "Emerald Buddha" was carved from one piece of emerald green jade. The Buddha figure sits high up on an altar of gold designed to represent the traditional aerial chariot attributed to Hindu gods on the murals of this country.
Today, thousands of worshippers pay their respects in front of the statue.

Two seasonal costumes were made for the Emerald Buddha by King Rama I,one for the summer season and one for the rainy season. King Rama III had another costume made for winter season. The ceremonial changing of costumes takes place three times a year and is done by his Majesty the King.

Despite it's national importance, Wat Phra Kaew is the only temple in Thailand that doesn't have any resident monks, therefore it is not a seat of Buddhist learning in the same way that most other Wats are in Thailand. It is basically the personal chapel for the royal family.

credit:thailandsightseeing

Siam Ocean World Hilight Attractions

A new attractions in downtown Bangkok. Open in December 2005, Siam Ocean World will be the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia. Siam Ocean World will take you through 7 different zones which are Weird and Wonderful, Deep Reef, Living Ocean, Rainforest, Rocky Shore, Open Ocean, and Sea Jellies.

credit:TAT

Bhumibol Dam Mountain Bike for Mountain Bike Lover

Bhumibol Dam in Tak province will be hosting the Bhumibol Dam Invitation International Mountain Bike Championships for the fourth consecutive year on August 23 – 24, 2008. Noted for its scenic landscape, Bhumibol Dam provides an ideal setting for the mountain bike races.

The event is being jointly organized by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in cooperation with the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) and Bhumibol Dam to promote ecotourism in tandem with outdoor sports at both a national and international level.

ACTIVITIES :
1. Sweat Mountain Bike (60 km.) on 23 Aug.
start 08.00 hr. Tak Province - Bhumibol Dam
2. Family Bike (16 km.) on 23 Aug.
start 13.00 hr. Bhumibol Dam
3. Funny Bike (10 Km.) on 23 Aug.
start 14.00 hr. Bhumibol Dam
4. Conqueror Bike (5 km.) 0o 23 Aug.
5. International Mountain Bike (39 km.) on 24 Aug.
start 09.00 hr. Bhumibol Dam
6. Amateur Bike (24 km.) on 24 Aug.
start 09.30 hr Bhumibol Dam

Other activities :
- Funny bike (sightseeing around Bhumibol Dam)
- Bike equipment shops (special price)
- OTOP products of Tak Province
- Flok music by Bhumibol Dam youth club. (evening)
- Youth activities for environ mental prootection and global warming concerns.

Contact information :
- TAT Call Center: 1672
- Events Promotion Division, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
Tel. 66-2250-5500 ext. 3495-8
- TAT Tak, Tel. 66-5551-4341-3 E-mail: tattak@tat.or.th
- Public Relations Department, The Electricity Generation Authority of Thailand
Tel. 66-2436-4822, 66-2436-7864
- Reservation Department, Bhimibol Dam
Tel. 66-5554-9509, 66-5559-9093-7 ext. 4001, 4002
- www.bhumiboldam.egat.com, www.tourismthailand.org

Northern fruit and art festivals at Lamphun and Chiang Mai

Two northern towns Lamphun and Chiang Mai stage cultural events for August visitors.
Northern towns are noted for their culture, art and heritage linked to the ancient kingdom of Lanna, but they are equally recognised for a variety of fruits, sometimes difficult to find elsewhere in the country. So no surprises that Lamphun, a town close to Chiang Mai with a heritage pedigree that goes back a thousand years, is celebrating the Longan fruit season with a festival that runs from 9 to 18 August. No festival would be complete without its beauty contest and, of course, Lamphun residents are proud to cast their vote for the local Miss Longan, while they enjoy the temple fair atmosphere of an event that continues to retain its character and links with the town’s proud history. Held at the Lamphun stadium, in the centre of town, this is an ideal opportunity to taste and buy Longan fruit at exceptionally reasonable prices. Not to be outdone by its neighbour, Chiang Mai hosts the annual Lanna Arts Festival, from 12 to 24 August, at Chiang Mai Royal Agricultural Centre that served originally as the venue for the highly successful Royal Flora show. Stages for cultural performances have been set out at the Mae Hia sub-district venue, promising visitors a colourful spectacle of Lanna cultural performances from eight northern provinces. Apart from traditional dance and music, visitors will enjoy handicraft demonstrations and a stroll through a traditional market to buy local products sourced in and around Chiang Mai.

credit:TAT