Category Archives: Culture

Olympic fever has gripped the television-watching-world. As I write this, the games are well into their second week and the people of the United Kingdom seem to have thrown themselves behind their Olympic athletes. Two weeks before the games started, however, the people I talked to in London were grumbling about the inconveniences the games were causing […]

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Sukhothai, the UNESCO listed collection of Thai ruins that was, in the 13th and 14th centuries, the capital of the Sukhothai kingdom, is a remarkable place. Inside the ancient walls are the remains of the old royal palace and twenty-six temples. What is even more remarkable, however, is the beauty to be found outside the walls. Beyond the northern walls […]

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Late into our last visit to Thailand, I made another trip “up-country” to visit schools deep in the hills of Mae Hong Son. I’ve talked about previous trips (Budding Potentials, Building Better Futures, Schools at the end of the Road, and True Colours) in several previous posts, but I never tire of accompanying the indomitable Susan […]

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Thailand is rich with the textures of life and history. I’ve talked before about our recent visit to Sukhothai, or more properly, the UNESCO-listed “Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns”. One of those “associated towns” is Si Satchanalai (or Sri Satchanalai, depending on whose transliteration you follow). Fifty-five kilometres north of Sukhothai along country roads […]

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“Eating, sleeping and shopping.” If you ask a Thai to name the country’s three favourite pastimes, this is what they will tell you. “Chatting” (คุยกันเล่น) comes a close fourth. As a general rule, Thai people value relaxing and having a good time. I was reminded of this on our recent visit to Koh Samui. When […]

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