In my view, one of the most impressive and majestic animal is the elephant, in particular the white elephant. Hence, in Thai culture the white elephant is called ‘chang samkhan’ which means ‘auspicious elephant’. Whiteness is regarded as an sign of purity in this context. The white elephant has an important meaning in both Hinduism and Buddhism. In Hindu thought, the white elephant is related…
Driving in Thailand can be an adventure, especially for a foreigner. The process of obtaining a Thai drivers license is not necessarily difficult, but learning how to drive in Thailand is a whole different story. There are several very important tips to keep in mind as a foreigner driving in Thailand. First of all, patience is the key word to remember when driving in Thailand.…
The coffee beans in a colander after being excreted by an elephant, from Chiang Rai Thailand. For several months, news of elephant dung coffee has been floating around on the internet and media. Now the news about the world’s most unusual coffee is still rolling. Coffee from civet droppings created in Indonesia had been the most expensive coffee in the world for many years. Now…
You are retired and content, living alongside tens of thousands of U.S. citizens who call Thailand home. Have you given thought to the last piece of the puzzle: having your final wishes carried out? Every year, the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, and U.S. Consulate in Chiang Mai, assist hundreds of bereaved families whose U.S. citizen relatives pass away in Thailand. We have seen the peace…
Kanom Jeen Nam Ngiew (ขนมจีนน้ำเงี้ยว) might be Chiang Rai’s most famous dish. There are a countless number of delicious local menus that are little known to tourists or even local people today. While some dishes can be widely available in restaurants, some are available seasonally only, and some can be extremely hard to find due to the shortage of ingredients and people with the right…
April 19th Americans receiving social security, veterans or federal retirement benefits can now have them directly deposited free of charge in their Thai bank accounts, the US Embassy announced this morning. The US Treasury Department now offers direct deposit of federal benefit payments from the Social Security Administration, Veterans Affairs Department and Personnel Management Office, according to an email sent out by the embassy. “The…
Chiang Rai has an expat population that appreciates the quiet, laid back atmosphere of this little northern city. Quiet, stress free streets, incredibly friendly locals and a warm atmosphere make a winning combination for those in search of the quiet life. However, Chiang Rai is not the traffic free place of years ago when the only smells were buffalo dung and incense… The two stroke…
“In America, you can say anything you want as long as you don’t DO it. In Thailand, you can do anything you want, but don’t SAY it!” This was one of the lines in a talk last Sunday by Dr. Sunyarat (Ton) Ratjatawan, PhD, a Bangkok psychologist. Dr. Ton during his presentation to the Pattaya City Expats Club on Sunday, May 26, was explaining some…
Not quite a Top Ten but some good straight-talking about buying condominiums in Thailand. One of the most commonly read or spoken summary of foreign ownership of property in Thailand is along the lines of “Foreigners can buy a foreign freehold condominium in their name”. At this sentence, many foreign investors switch off, and assume that the rest of the detail provided by the author…
The Signs on the Road. In today’s article, I will tackle the specific differences between Western culture and Thai culture. Believe me, there are A LOT of differences in the two cultures and not just in wording and spelling! It goes waaay deeper than that, in so many areas, and the differences could actually surprise you. This is only natural because as human beings, we…