The mighty Mae Nam Chao Phraya in Bangkok


Photo taken from my hotel, probably in 2002. For me the Chao Phraya IS Bangkok. But maybe that is because I come from a city with a big river and a big harbor.
🌍 Bangkok, Thailand

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On the motorbike to Nanthaburi National Park in Nan province

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This will probably be the last new post of 2020, making a morning motorbike trip from Pua to Nanthaburi National Park. It is only 50 km but I took a little bit detour, actually I lost the way taking the short-cut. First route 101 to Tha Wang Pha, but before Tha Wang Pha I took a short-cut to route 1148. But then I actually already passed route 4022 to Nanthaburi National Park, so a few km riding back again and then route 4022.  A few km before the road to Nanthaburi National Park you will be passing the mountain village Ban Doi Tio. And in the village was just a procession going on, so I stopped to make some photos. Parked my bike at what I thought was the entrance to a house. But when the procession passed it was the street they wanted to go into. Lucky my motorbike did not really block the street. So following are some photos. Enjoy! As you can see on the last photo I actually did not really go to Nanthaburi National Park. Have a look for the route on Google Maps . For more informati
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It ain't over till the fat lady sings

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Written 24 December 2020 . And well in regards of the Corona virus worldwide the fat lady has not been singing yet. And the borders of Thailand are still more or less closed, people entering Thailand still have to go into 14 days quarantine. Although until now the numbers of COVID-19 cases have been very low in compare to other countries. But since a few days there might be (or is) a second wave of COVID-19 going on in Thailand. What happend? Well Thailand is famous for its fishing & seafood industry. And just like many other industries they try to make as much money as they can by hiring cheap labour. Now you would say that is easy in Thailand. But it is much cheaper to use the so called migrant workers from Myanmar (or Cambodia and Laos). But in the fishing & seafood industry most are from Myanmar. So when in the beginning of the Corona crisis the borders of Thailand were closed many Myanmar workers returned home. Then later borders were openend again for business and cargo t
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Sunset in Krabi

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Sunset at Ao Keak Tub in Krabi, South Thailand (2016) Reposting from 2016. I love sunsets and sunrises so here a beautiful sunset seen from the beach at Tub Keak in Krabi, South Thailand. A wonderful beach to stay out of the busy area of Krabi.
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Sunset over Bang Saray beach

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The last evening of our week in Bang Saray Reposting from 2017 when we did stay a few days in Bang Saray. Everyday in the late afternoon I tried to make a small bicycle ride along the beach. It is such a lovely place, people enjoying sunset with food & drinks, schoolkids meeting each other and the sound of the waves. I love it!
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Another sunset along route 1256 in Pua

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Yesterday I made again a short ride to Lan Doo Dow viewpoint along route 1256 at 1436m high in the mountains of Doi Phu Kha. Although it is only 28 km from my home, it takes me about 45min riding. And to prevent that I am riding back in the dark I always leave about 16:00. Ride up is is already beautiful in this time of the year with longer time of sunset, long shadows and autumn like colors in the forrest (as far the forrest has not been destroyed for corn plantations). At the viewpoint are now 2 coffee shops & souvenir shops. Behind the shops is the viewpoint that also is a camping ground from where you will have a stunning sunset view. Officially the viewpoint is part of Doi Phu Kha National Park. So after a drink of a hot choco (it is cold in the mountains) I did ride back home again. And the riding towards the sunset is even more stunning. Photo's above and directly below were shot with my new Samsung A31 phone while riding down. Last photo below is the camping ground at L
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Visiting the Wat Tham Phrathat Khao Prang in Chai Badan

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The parents of my wife are old and life has not been kind to their health, although they themselves are also not kind for their own health. So this week it was time to visit the family of wife, a bare 600 km drive from Nan province in North Thailand. So we left in the very early morning and arrived in the afternoon. And every time driving over route 21 at Chai Badan we can see in a distance a huge Buddha image built on the flanks of a small mountain range. And on the way back we finally made a short stop. Short as we still had to drive another 500 km to home sweet home. Of course the name suggest already that there is some kind of cave at the temple. And the stairs going up suggest that there is a magnificent viewpoint. But as we were a bit in a hurry we skipped all that. Later I saw that you can actually also drive up to the viewpoint. Well never mind, must be said that once close by the Buddha image is less impressive as you think it would be. There are temple related shops, donation
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Spirits doing the laundry?

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While riding from Na Noi to Khun Sathan National Park I saw along the road suddenly between the trees a lot of cloths hanging. And of course a spirit house. Are spirits doing the laundry? It is a mystery to me but I assume it will have something to do with Thai animisme. And no, those spirit houses are not Buddhism. Thai people go to the spirit houses to "pray", to ask for something like a baby, health, lottery numbers. And if they did get what they did ask for they will give something to the spirits. Like cloths. So this spirit houses must be very "good" because there were many cloths hanging. 
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On the motorbike from Pua to Khun Sathan National Park

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In January 2020 I made a one day motorbike trip from Pua to Khun Sathan National Park and back of course. It was a cold & clouded morning and it kept like that until I was in Mae Charim. First from Pua via route 1081& 1169 to Sila Phet and Santisuk, passing Sila Phet Waterfall (closed) and Tat Luang Waterfall (closed). Be aware that south of Santisuk are 4 or 5 sections of road construction. Then route 1225 & 1168 to Mae Charim. In Mae Charim I had a snack and hot choco at the 7-11 and toilet stop at the local market (brand new toilets). From Mae Charim the landscape because one big corn production area. No more trees, just corn ... corn and corn. And then route 1243 to Ban Nam Muap, passing Mae Charim National Park (closed). Then I actually would have liked to continue route 1243 until the "road" that connects route 1243 and route 1083. On Google Maps it looks like a real road, until you switch to Google Satellite or Street View. So I skipped that and took route
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The old days of Ban Nam Yao Refugee Camp in Nan province

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Ban Nam Yao Refugee Camp in Nan - Thailand How can we go forward if we do not know where we came from? I love history, so I when traveling in Bo Klua, Nan - Thailand I was happy to meet an older Thai guy running his coffee shop Base 29. I asked him about the meaning of the name. He told that about 40 to 50 years ago Nan province was home to Communist Battlegrounds and at the location of his coffee was a Thai military base .... 29 km from Pua. Talking about that time he told me that his uncle told him stories about Ban Nam Yao Refugee Camp and he directed me to a video on YouTube with photos of the old days at Ban Nam Yao Refugee Camp. Nowadays when passing the small village of Ban Nam Yao along the Yao River on the foot of the mountains of Doi Phu Kha there is not much that makes you remember the refugee camp. For the video have a look at  Ban Nam Yao Refugee Camp . 
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