The Bridge Over The River Kwai In Thailand

One of the most famous tourist spots in Thailand is the Bridge over the river Kwai. This famous bridge is about four kilometers from Kanchanaburi, across the river Kwai. A great tragedy occurred during the construction of this famous bridge. It was constructed by prisoners of war who were captured by the Japanese during World War II. It is believed that during the construction of bridge, 16,000 war prisoners and 49,000 forcibly employed laborers died.

The construction started in October 1942. During the construction of the bridge, there were no sophisticated machines to aid the construction. The workers building the bridge used dynamite to break rocks and boulders leading to accidental deaths of many. Once the bridge was built, the railway played a major role in opening the area for cultivation. Before the bridge was constructed the area was a forest and people were afraid to enter it.

However, today the bridge is a famous tourist spot. There are many places to look around and enjoy a day around river Kwai. In Tambon Tha Sao, a place near river Kwai, visitors can hire a boat which can carry a maximum of 10 to 12 to visit the Lawa Cave and Sai Yok Yai Waterfall. The trip takes a total of 4 hours to go and return and is well worth the time spent traveling.

There is also a war museum located near the river Kwai bridge. The museum houses a collection of weapons, tools, and utensils used by the prisoners of war and the Japanese army during the construction of the bridge and World War II.

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Backpacking Southeast Asia - Thailand Itinerary Ideas

Considering a backpacking trip to Thailand? Here are some ideas for your itinerary.

One Week: If you only have one week in Thailand, you will have to make sacrifices on what you will be able to see. The most common route would be to spend a few days in Bangkok, checking out the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and getting familiar with the Thai culture. The remainder of the trip could be spent on one of the numerous beach locations Thailand has to offer.

Catch a cheap flight to Either Phuket or Ko Samui to relax on the beach for a few days. From Ko Samui you could spend a few days at Ko Pha Ngan if you wanted to attend the full moon party (book accommodation well in advance if you are trying to go to the full moon party). From Phuket, you could spend a few days on the beautiful island of Ko Phi Phi, relaxing on the beach or going snorkeling.

Two weeks: With two weeks in Thailand, you will be able to the vast majority of what Thailand has to offer. Again your trip will most likely start in Bangkok.

If you want to do the beach circuit, catch the bus or a cheap flight to Phuket. Spend a day in Phuket, before heading to Ko Phi Phi. From Ko Phi Phi, catch a ferry to the Krabi region and spend some spend rock climbing and snorkeling. From Krabi take the bus to Surat Thani, to catch the Ferry to head to Ko Samui and Ko Pha Ngan, before heading back to Bangkok to conclude your trip.

Another option is to visit Northern Thailand, but still spend some time on the beach. Again start in Bangkok before catching the train to Chiang Mai. While in Chiang Mai, visit local native hill tribes, go on elephant rides, go bamboo rafting, take Thai cooking classes, and visit the Sunday Market. From Chiang Mai you can choose to either visit Ko Samui and Ko Pha Ngan, or Phuket, Ko Phi Phi and Krabi. The easiest way is to catch a cheap flight from Chiang Mai to either Ko Samui or Phuket.

One Month: With one month in Thailand you can visit almost every corner of the country. Along with all the destinations previously mentioned, you can also visit the white sand beaches of Ko Samet and Ko Chang. To the East of Bangkok, these destinations are much quieter than the beach destinations in Southern Thailand. Ko Chang is a good place to visit if you are into scuba diving.

Another destination that is possible to visit is Ko Tao. A short ferry ride from Ko Pha Ngan, this sleepy island also has some excellent scuba diving, and can be a peaceful break from the craziness of the full moon party.

Unfortunately, due to Bangkok's central location and the fact that it is the transportation hub of Thailand, you will have to backtrack if you want to see all corners of the country. If you are willing to take some discount flights, it can help to eliminate the long backtracking journeys.

Knowing where to go when planning your trip can be difficult, so it important to do some research before you leave. To get help on planning your trip, visit http://www.timetogobackpacking.com to create your free Southeast Asia backpacking itinerary. Also, check out the backpacking forums to chat with other travellers.

Holiday & Travel Guide For Thailand

Thailand is an Asian country that used to be Siam, but is now an independent country that has borders with many other Asian countries, including Burma, Malaysia and Cambodia. The capital of the country is Bangkok, which is a great fusion of everything that you could look for when wanting to experience the country, as it is both traditional and modern and has Eastern and Western influences there, which blend harmoniously.

In the capital, you can visit the largest crocodile farm in the world and so get up close and personal with one of the major hunters of nature. You should without a doubt visit the famous floating market of Bangkok though if you take either a day trip there, or stay in the area. You have to do this by boat, and can pick up a large variety of items, before heading off down some of the branching off canals if you wish to. These 'klongs', as they are known in the area, have houses lined up along the sides of them, so you can see some typical Thai sites that relate to the residents of the country. Siam Ocean World, in Bangkok, is also a good site and allows you to swim with sharks and makes sure that you are safe doing so. This can be a real experience, so if you are a nature lover and like swimming, take on the challenge, it is also a nice break if you are there on a hot day. Finally, in the centre there is also another tourist attraction that you will love; Journey to the Enchanted Kingdom of Thailand will teach you all about the culture of the area and give you a real education, through some fantastic performances.

At night, experience some famous Bangkok nightlife, by paying a trip to the Calypso Cabaret, where Bangkok 'Lady Boys' will entertain you for hours. This is something that may not be to the taste of everyone, but it can be a real experience of one of the things Thailand is famous for now in the modern world. There are other places that will have similar entertainment of course, so have a look down the bustling streets at night times and you are sure to find something you fancy.

If you like nature, go to Kanchanaburi, where you can take rafts down the river and admire the wildlife. You will also see an amazing Thai site if you take this excursion, as the famous River Kwai Bridge, which has even had a film made about it, is situated there. Built in the second world war by prisoners, this is something that has a lot of human history to it, and should be respected with a visit if you are in Thailand.

If you remain around the Bangkok area you will not go far wrong or get bored. There are plenty of tourist attractions and aspects of nature to take in, and you can get a real sense of the country for what it is. Make sure you taste real Thai cuisine and take in the culture while you can.

Please note at the time of publishing this article (May 2010) Thailand was experiencing a number of problems. Before travelling or considering a holiday to Thailand please take professional advice.

Happy Holidays

Trevor Butler, co-founder and owner of holidayholiday.co.uk, specialists in cheap holidays and last minute holidays worldwide.

Thailand Holiday Packages

It used to be that Mauritius was the most popular tourist destination for South Africans, and Mauritius was far ahead of any competitor region. However that all seems to be changing. Over the past few years, more and more South Africans are choosing to travel to Thailand instead. But just what is the appeal of this small South East Asian country.

There are a few reasons why South African's consider going to Thailand. The flight time is a little longer than most would fly when flying to Mauritius and the flight is almost always more expensive. However once you are there, prices are substantially cheaper. This is due to two reasons. One, the country as a whole is still quite undeveloped and so prices are quite low in comparison to other more tourist-developed countries. Second, the prices are in Thai Baht (the local currency) which has a favourable exchange rate with the South African Rand. In Mauritius, most places will charge tourists in US Dollars, making it quite expensive once you are there. The cheapness of Thailand was one of the major first aspects of it that drew tourists there. Initially these were mainly backpackers and young people taking a gap year. However, things have changed and, although still popular with the backpacker-type, it is becoming a popular destination for young couples as well as families. Apart from the affordability of Thailand, another big drawing card is the raw beauty of the country. Yes there are quite developed areas like Bangkok, but the islands are still mostly undeveloped and have that natural beauty.

The typical trip to Thailand will include landing in Bangkok and spending a few days there. Then people usually go off to one of the islands like Phi Phi, Phuket, Lanta etc. People may even choose to hop from around a few islands. After that, they will head back to Bangkok, do some shopping, and then head home.

Marc writes about Thailand holiday packages on his site, as well as holiday packages to many other destinations around Africa and the world.

Cheap Flights to Thailand - Why Advance Booking is Recommended

Since you probably are about to take a trip to Thailand, one thing you ought to know is that Thailand flights are often heavily booked. You should therefore book your flight well in advance and be sure to confirm your booking early enough subject to airline policies. Due to the heavy bookings especially during the peak season, getting cheap flights to Thailand can sometimes become a real task. However, some few tips will help you find a good bargain.

Choosing the time to visit Thailand is important as the airfares vary, albeit slightly, with the seasons. If your destination is Thailand's biggest island, Phuket, remember that the period between November and March is the high season as more and more people come to enjoy the pleasant weather around this time. The season March-September has fewer visitors owing to the heavy rain and humidity. That is why advance booking is recommended as booking early will help you avoid the inconvenience of overbooked and overpriced flights during the high season.

The major airlines such as KLM, BA, Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways, PB Air, Air Asia, Bangkok Airways and Singapore Airlines all fly to the various airports in Thailand. For connecting flights, there are respectable airlines serving Thailand such as Kenya Airways, Emirates and Ethiopian. Hundreds of online agencies also provide information on the best ways to obtain cheap flights to the country.

For visitors from the US, there is a wide variety of cheap flight providers to choose from. A typical low fare from LA, for example, to Thailand's capital Bangkok, would be around $920. The easiest way to compare flight charges and ensure you get cheap flights to Thailand would be through using travel websites such as Travelocity. You will find this to be easy, effective and time-saving. All you need to do is enter your flight location, the departure date and probably the return date and within an instance you have will have up to tens of flight packages to compare and select from.

You can also get cheap flight packages by opting to make hotel plus flight bookings. Some travel agents will normally give you big discounts on your travel if you make flight plus hotel bookings. The savings when this arrangement is made tend to be quite substantial. Moreover, many airlines give discount coupons regularly and these also help to reduce the price of your air ticket.

One the best places you can start your search for cheap flights to Thailand is at Travelocity. They never disappoint.

About the author:

Nadav Snir operates a website which includes the best travel providers, including coupons and discounts. To get the best rates possible, visit his site: http://Great-Info-Products.com/Travel/index.html

Careers Involving World Travel

There are many people who love to travel throughout their lives. Such people usually prefer to constantly stay on the move by selecting career opportunities which enables them to travel across the different parts of the world. They may end up choosing careers in anthropology (for instance, studying the lives of various tribes and their customs and traditions), archaeology (for example, historical excursions and excavations to discover new civilizations), tourism and hospitality industry (for instance, getting involved with airlines and cruise lines as on-board staff members), consultants (for example a professor who is invited as a part time international faculty), or other similar jobs like business executives, sales executives, diplomatic officers or volunteers and social service providers. These careers not just pay the people but also provide them with a wonderful opportunity to visit different parts of the world.

One can also take up the job of a Tour Operator or Guide or Escort. They serve as cultural ambassadors and they need to explain the historical, geographical and cultural significance of the area. In addition to accompanying tourists and visitors, the tour escort must coordinate everything including hotel check-ins, sightseeing and transportation. The benefit of this job is that they get to meet people from all parts of the world, and apart from their regular salary, they also receive handsome tips from satisfied customers and tourists.

Another option is to function as Diplomatic Security Engineering Officers, who are responsible for the protection of Department of State employees, infrastructure as well as confidential information. They are hired to serve in overseas embassies and consulates, and the service areas are often located in remote and inhospitable areas where travelling is very inconvenient. But this career is very rewarding, and bestows the individual with the satisfaction of representing the country and protecting the country's interests overseas.

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Temple Boys Of Thailand

In the country-side of Thailand one will find many boys working in the temples as temple boys. These boys help monks in their alms collecting as they go from village to village. A temple has the responsibility of the monks alms bowl and food career. The temple boy accompanies the monk when they are their daily rounds of alms collection.

If a temple has many monks and novices, then the alms collection is normally divided into several routes. On certain routes only one temple boys assists the monks while on others there can be two or more. This usually depends on the quantity and amount of food offered by lay people.

On return to the temple, temple boys prepares food for the monks and novices. As a religious rule, monks are not allowed to eat food unless it is presented by a lay person. This excludes water and liquids. After the monks finish eating, temple boys will keep some food the monks for their second meal which must take place before midday. However, if some monks for the Buddhist precepts strictly, they will eat only one meal a day. The leftovers are eaten by the temple boys as it is considered a sin for lay people to eat before monks and novices. After midday, the only food consumed by monks and novices is liquid like water or pasteurized milk.

A temple boy undertakes work of a housemaid in a temple. The only difference is that the temple boy is not paid for the work. A temple boy gets free food, accommodation and merit in exchange for work. Mostly poor farmer families send their boys to the temple to live temple boys. It is their way of ensuring that their sons gets free food and accommodation. However, there have been cases when boys from affluent families live in temple compounds.

Life of temple boy in a village can be difficult when the farmers in the village are poor. As a result the food offered to monks would be extremely limited and it is quite common for little food to be left over for the temple boys after monks and novices finish eating.

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Nang Yai Shadow Puppet Drama

Nang Yai shadow puppet drama is a traditional dramatic art form of Thailand that excels in combining different artistic crafts into one. A lot of attention goes into designing elaborate and detailed design of characters which is done by a master artist. Once the design is made, it is applied onto a piece of leather and etched very carefully. After that, the etched leather piece is mounted onto sticks and life is given to each character by a master puppeteer in the form of a classical drama performance which is replete with live Thai music and singer to provide the narrative.

Evidence shows that Nang Yai shadow puppet drama was already in existence during the Sukhothai era. But it is almost certain that this art form was a leading source of entertainment during the Ayutthaya era and it remain that way until early Rattanakosin era during the reign of Rama V (King Chalalongkorn).

The Nang Yai shadow puppet drama was first established at Wat Khanon in Ratchaburi during the reign of Rama V. Today, in Thailand, Wat Khanon is the only important location for this art form. Even today, a lot of effort goes into preparing the puppets and the performers still maintain their high standards of performance. The drama group from Wat Khanon performs all over Thailand and they are greeted with a lot of enthusiasm by the audience.

Wat Khanon also has a Nang Yai Exhibition Hall where the puppets are on display and one can see the intricate work that has gone into the puppets. You will surely appreciate these exquisite works of art once you see them in person.

About Author:

Pauline Go is a professional writer for many website like Thailandbuddy.com. She also writes other great articles like Thailand Travel Information, Thailand Real Estate Industry Analysis, Facts on the Stonehenge

Thailand Economy Crash

Thailand's economy has always been an export-driven economy and existed as a decentralized free enterprise. All the Thai governments have favored an open investment pattern, emphasizing on creating a favorable market for attracting huge foreign direct investments. In the early 1980s and during 1990s, Thai economy was one of the fastest growing economies in the world recording an average growth rate of 9 percent all this crashed during the July 1997 Asia economic crash.

Thailand's economy was the worst hit during the crisis, dropping by a whopping 75 percent. Until July 2, 1997, the baht enjoyed a value of 25 against the US dollar. But due to the crisis, the baht to dollar rate suddenly dipped to half of its current value. Several major finance companies including the Finance One were unable to sustain this crisis and collapsed. With several foreign investors pulling out their overseas investments from the market, the volatile and corrupt political situation of the country added to this crisis. IMF had to approve a package of around 20 billion dollars in order to rescue the Thai economy.

Until 1997, South Asian countries Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore were considered the most favorable markets for foreign investment due to high growth rate and heavy returns. Due to certain political developments in the west, investors started removing their investments from the market. This created a domino effect and triggered the economic collapse. There are certain other factors that have contributed to the crash. Rise in the interest rates in US markets, dropping of export growth, and an open and liberal market policy resulted in a loss of confidence in the East Asian markets.

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Classical Dance Form Of Thailand

Thai people are extremely graceful in their movements and as a result their dances display elegance and fine movements. Traditional classical dancing is mixed with western culture nowadays but the old traditional elegance is still evident in Thai dances.

Thai classical dancing was a symbol which linked earth and god. It is said that they first acquired a dancing group in 1431. Later this dance form underwent a sea of changes and eventually formed a different dance style emerged with typical costumes and masks.

There are folk dances as well as regional dances. The two well known Thai classical dance forms are khon and lakon nai. In the beginning, these forms of dances were enacted specially for entertainment of the court and not for the common people. Later on a dance theater, Likay, another form of dance for the common people was developed which became extremely popular.

Khon and lakon nai are very stylist and strictly in the classical form. Where as the Likay dance form is not as elegant but depends on the common taste of the people and it is performed to humor them in a crude way.

Khon is a masked performance depicting the Thai version of the tales of Indian Ramayana, and lakon nai narrates different legendary stories. Earlier, khon dance was only performed by men and lakon nai was performed by women because of the vital distinction between the two styles. One form needed strength and quick movement and the other form required grace and restricted movement. Though, this rule is not maintained strictly in modern times.

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Phuket Island - Popular Travel Destination in Thailand

Phuket has grown into one of the premier holiday destinations in South East Asia and is one of the busiest travel destinations of Thailand. It has replaced Bali as the most popular holiday island in the region.

What makes Phuket island such a great travel destination?

Phuket is first of all an inexpensive holiday destination. Phuket hotels, resorts and guesthouses can be found in all price categories and ratings and prices are considerably cheaper then what one would encounter in Europe or America.

Dining in restaurants or buying drinks in bars or clubs on Phuket is also less expensive then what most tourists are used to paying back in their home countries.

Phuket Beaches

The palm tree lined beaches of Phuket Island are of course world famous due to its crystal white sand and clear water of the Andaman Sea. Some of the nicest and most popular beaches found on Phuket Island are the beaches at Patong, Kamala, Karon, Kata and Nai Harn.

Phuket Nightlife

The Phuket nightlife is another reason why many tourists visit Phuket each year on holiday. Many tourists seem to keep coming back each year for especially the nightlife and bars of Phuket.

Most Phuket island nightlife venues can be found in Patong beach along the well known Soi Bangla. A number of large clubs are located along Bangla road in Patong including the very popular Tiger disco and the new Seduction Disco.

You can also find along Bangla road and the many small streets leading into Soi Bangla hundreds of beer bars. Each beer bar has a number of beautiful Thai ladies working for them who there to please the clients.

Phuket Shopping

Going shopping in Phuket in the past was not one of the most interesting activities for tourists due to the lack of a good variety of shops and products. Most of the shops sold the same tailor made clothing, bootleg movies and software and fake designer clothing.

Over the last few years however, a number of large shopping malls have opened on Phuket housing well known international retailers, unique local boutiques as well as international restaurant outlets such as Outback steakhouse and Burger King.

If you are going to visit Phuket for a holiday then please make sure to visit the brand new Phuket Junkceylon mall in Patong or the Central Carnival Mall along the Phuket by-pass road.

James is currently living on Phuket and is working on a number of projects. If you are looking for a great Phuket hotel then do consider staying at Club Bamboo Resort. Read more about Samui in his Samui Guide.

Best Guest Friendly Hotels in Sukhumvit Bangkok - A Travel Pro's Top 5 List

Hotels in and around the areas of Sukhumvit in the city of Bangkok is one of the most popular areas for hotel stay. Why? Because Sukhumvit road runs through two of Bangkok's most well known red light districts, Soi Cowboy and Nana.

Soi Cowboy is a neon light filled street with many of Bangkok's most well known go go bars like Long Gun and Rawhide. Nana is most famous for a building with 4 floors of go go bars surrounding an open bar area called Nana Entertainment Plaza. Both of these red light districts are popular pick up joints for millions of male tourist who visit there each year.

So if you're into visiting Soi Cowboy and Nana then most likely you're looking to stay in a "Guest Friendly" hotel. A guest friendly hotel is a term for hotels in Bangkok that do not charge their guest a joiner fee for bringing a companion, usually a prostitute back to their rooms. You might have heard of the term "Girl Friendly" but that wouldn't cover the fact that there are men and transsexuals in Bangkok catering to gay male clients. So in most cases "Guest Friendly" basically covers it all.

The majority of Bangkok's guest friendly hotels are concentrated around Sukhumvit. Their price ranges vary greatly, from 5 star international hotels to low priced budget guest houses. Non guest friendly hotels normally charge a joiner fee of 500THB up to 1500THB. So as you can see if anyone is planning to bring a companion back to their rooms for their entire stay in a non guest friendly hotel, a joiner fee could really hurt the pocket book.

And now here's what you've been waiting for. Below are 5 popular guest friendly hotels in Bangkok.

1. Nana Hotel


2. Ambassador Hotel


3. Swiss Park Hotel


4. Royal Asia Lodge


5. Majestic Grande

There are much more guest friendly hotels in Bangkok of course and all of them are conveniently located between Nana and Soi Cowboy.

For your safety, in any hotel in Bangkok, make sure your companion hands over their Thai I.D. card to security. Usually it's the guards who ask but just in case they don't, you know what to do. Doing this will give you some sort of protection just in case your companion of the night decides to go through your wallet when you're sleeping or showering.

For a more comprehensive review and list of guest friendly hotels please visit Guest Friendly Hotels [http://www.squidoo.com/girl-friendly-hotels-in-bangkok] in Bangkok for more information.

If you need more information on hotels in Sukhumvit overall please visit Bangkok Hotel Reviews [http://www.squidoo.com/bangkok-hotel-reviews-sukhumvit-nana] in Sukhumvit.

James P. Hunt is an avid traveler and writer for an underground blog with information about Bangkok, Thailand.