Visitors will be impressed by seeing the cute Giant Pandas,paying your respect to the holy relics of Lord Buddha at Wat Pra Thad Doi Suthep,learning about the different life styles the Hmong and Karen hilltribe people...
Visit Phi Phi Island which is considered to be one of the most beautiful islands in the world. In the morning departure from the hotel to AO Nang Pier. Then you will arrive to PHI PHI DON ISLAND by tour boat...
About half way along the coast between Than Bok Khorani and Krabi town is a bay of mangroves that may be the most beautiful in all of Thailand. Here, bays and canyons are like passageways...
Watching the fisherman doing their job in the sea on their’s fishing boat, you will be impressed the wide angle view of greenery mountainous on Koh Samui from off shore and have a time to swim on snorkel at some remote and tranquilly islands...
Promotion rate: ฿1,500
Hot Deals : Package tour to Pattaya, Bangkok, Damnern Saduak & River Kwai
This is a popular attraction with both tourists and locals alike because of its famous places among local people and visitors. It is a great opportunity to take some fantastic photograph to show your friends and family
A wonderful trip to see the nature,culture and way of life of Thai people. From Bangkok, it takes your family around 1 hour and 30 minutes driving down to south west of Bangkok to visit Ratchaburi province the city of fruits...
This trip will bring you to the nice island which is located around one hour cruising across Pattaya bay to the another side of Pattaya. There, tourist can find nice sunshine which is suite for sun bathing, nice and clean sea side. You will be never forget Pattaya the pearl of the East...
This is the fantastic excursion trip out side Bangkok to the south west of Bangkok and some major points of tourist interate are described briefly as follows: Kanchanaburi is rich in tourist attractions natural, cultural and historical...
Escape from the rush and noise of out side world immerse yourself by elephant safari & rafting and a pleasant winding drive up to Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, the symbol of Chiang Mai,where the holy relic of the Lord Buddha is enshrined...
Enjoy your trip in Chiang Rai province to visit the well known Golden Triangle where is used to be opium trading center and view the beauty of the hill. Check it out by your own eyes...
As you can see from the picture above I have already started stocking up on small arms, heavy ordinance will be acquired soon enough. A lot of expats can be heard moaning about the upcoming festivities and quite a few have already left town to escape the madness….me, I love it!
Water cannons, powder smeared on your face and smiles everywhere, whats not to love. While Songkran is only supposed to be from the 13th to the 15th; here in Pattaya the official days are the 13th to the 19th with more than a few people getting it started off early on the 12th. If you are like me and you go into the Songkran festival accepting you will be soaking wet for a week then it’s all good, sure, there are always some idiots that love to ruin things by dousing people after dark or aiming for your camera but they are largely far and few between.
For those who may not know or have completely forgotten Songkran isn’t just the worlds largest water fight, it happens to be Thai New Year. A time when one cleanses ones spirit and washes away the bad of the previous year. What used to be a simple ceremony of monks dripping scented water on the faithfuls heads and monuments to wash away the bad has turned into all out war and personally this is how I think all wars should be fought. I can’t even imagine the money the Songkran war machine will rake in from brightly colored floral uniforms to all manner of plastic armament…I know I contribute yearly to the arms race. Buddha knows I lose every gun and cannon I buy every year!
For me though Songkran is about spending time with friends and family and enjoying the cool water as the temperature begins to rise in Thailand. Everyone should experience Songkran at least once in their lifetime…if you thought water fights were fun as a kid then you can only imagine how much more fun it can be as an adult.
As with last year I will definitely be giving daily updates with loads of pictures …so, make sure you check in regularly.
If you need a little peek of whats about to happen you can check out the Songkran Photo Gallery for 100′s of past Songkran pics.
Songkran 2012 will be celebrated throughout Thailand and is one of the tourism highlight.
- Chiang Mai Songkran Festival, Chiang Mai - Sukhothai Songkran Festival - Bangkok Songkran Splendours Festival - Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Songkran Festival - The Great Songkran Day 2012 Suphan Buri Province - Phra Padaeng Songkran Festival, Samut Prakan - Nakhon Si Thammarat Songkran Festival - Songkran on the Beach & Phuket Bike Week 2012 - Hat Yai Midnight Songkran Festival, Songkhla - Chon Buri Songkran Festival - Songkran Festival and Dok Khun Siang Khaen Festival on Khao Nieo Road - Nakhon Phanom Songkran Festival - Nong Khai Songkran Festival
Do’s • Do give alms and make merit (or just witness the rituals if you are not a Buddhist) • Do use waterproof bags to protect your valuables • Do watch your belongings • Do use public transportation if you are heading to one of Songkran ‘hotspots’, as traffic will be paralysed • Do try wishing the locals a happy new year in Thai – “Sawasdee Pee Mai!” • Do smile and have fun
Don’ts • Do not douse monks, babies or the elderly • Do not drive when you have been drinking • Do not throw water with ice or dirty water • Do not throw water at motorcyclists, to prevent road accidents
Do not throw water at moving vehicles, mopeds or cars. Many tragic accidents occur during Songkran as a result of this.
If people implore you not to give them a good dousing, especially elders, respect their wishes (unless they've stumbled into a water-tossing hotspot like Khao San Road of course, when they're fair game).
Be sure to drink lots of water in addition to lobbing it - temperatures are at their highest this time of year.
Ziplocks (sealable plastic bags) are great to put valuables in that can be damaged by water (mobile phone, cameras, watches and the like).
During Songkran, many people working or studying in the capital from other areas of Thailand leave, returning home during the extended break to celebrate the festival with their families. As a result, Bangkok is at its quietest, with roads relatively traffic-free and an eerie calm replacing the usual bedlam. That said, there's still a lot happening in Bangkok, with Songkran activities ranging from traditional to over-the-top.
Sacred celebrations are held at Sanam Luang, opposite the Grand Palace. Here on the first day of Songkran the Buddha image 'Buddhasihing' is brought out from the National Museum and escorted along the streets for people to sprinkle water on.
The image is then located there for three days, so people who missed the procession can pay their respects. Other merit-making customs in Bangkok include the building of sand stupas which are then decorated with colourful flags and flowers. These can be seen around key temples in the Rattanokosin area.
A Miss Songkran Beauty contest is held in the Wisutkasat area, accompanied by merit-making, a parade and other fun activities. Food, as is always customary in Thailand, features high on the agenda too with many mouth-watering seasonal treats available in hotels, restaurants, and from food vendors on every street or soi. Look out for special Songkran menus at some hotels and restaurants. Also have a look at our restaurant section for some recommended venues.
Water warfare breaks out sporadically all across the city for Songkran's duration. However, for festivities that verge on the profane, but are undoubtedly lots of fun, head to Khao San Road. On Bangkok's backpacker boulevard Songkran means a Bacchanalian street carnival, the entire strip and surrounding areas turning into a free-fire water war zone.
Participants arm themselves with everything from tiny psychedelic water pistols to sophisticated pump-action water shotguns replete with water-tank backpack - and everything in between that can hold a respectable volume of ice cold H2O. Unwilling targets are advised to steer clear altogether - a severe drenching, despite pleads for mercy, is inescapable!
Making merit is an essential part of Songkran, and visiting nine sacred temples during Songkran considered one of the ultimate accumulators. Try temples in the Rattanokosin area like Wat Pho, Wat Phra Kaeo, Wat Suthat Thepphawararam, Wat Chana Songkhram, Wat Boworn, Wat Benchamabophit, Wat Rakhang Khositaram, Wat Arun and Wat Kanlaya.
At which of Thailand's many festivals do locals sprinkle water piously over Buddhist statues, but also hurl it at passersby? During which public holiday do Thais pay respect to parents and elders, make merit, give their homes a spring-clean, and still squeeze in time for partying? That's right, it's time again to celebrate the Songkran Festival. Over three hot, sticky days locals see in the traditional Thai New Year, and the whole country is gripped by body-cooling, spirit-cleansing celebrations.
The hallmark for tourists, of course, has long been the tradition of water throwing. Everything from a courteous sprinkle or polite splash to a well-aimed bucket helps participants articulate the good-natured festival fever. It's a practical and mostly welcome solution to the sweltering dry season heat.
However, there's a much deeper meaning to Songkran beyond getting drenched. Most Thais in fact head home for its duration, to enjoy a break punctuated by religious ceremonies amongst family. For them it's a time to express thanks to those they respect, loyalty to ancestors, an awareness of family and social responsibilities and their religious devotion - as well as get wet.
A period of transition, it's also a time for new beginnings. Songkran, derived from Sanskrit, means 'a move over' or 'change', marking the time when the sun leaves Pisces and shifts into the Aries zodiac for the beginning of a new solar year.
To mark this 'pi mai' (new year) and get it off to an auspicious start, Thais clean. Everything from Buddha statues in streets to temples and houses gets a renewing wash; meanwhile anything old or unused is thrown out (believed to bring bad luck). They perform bathing rites for monks, and engage in pious activities like giving alms, Dhamma practice and listening to sermons to rinse the spirit clean, to wash away the previous year's bad actions. They sprinkle water on parents and elders, and shower them with gifts. Thais believe that bad luck or evil is washed away by water, the person purified, and the pouring of a small amount of holy water on another person's hand or shoulder, confers respect and goodwill. Elders in return wish the youngsters good luck and prosperity.
Known as the 'Water Festival', it's never long before sacred rituals involving the wet stuff give way to playful ones. Apart from religious rejuvenation, water also symbolises the end of the dry season. Considering temperatures can nudge 40 degrees by day in April, a bucket of ice-cold water over the head does a mighty fine job of keeping everybody cool!
Critics of the incumbent party spirit grumble, some even stay home. Songkran has been diluted by the commercial, they say, become too dominated by revelry that cares little for its meaning. They mean partying epicentres like Khao San Road, where liquid-based festivities - water and alcohol - veer on the Bacchanalian, and an unruly carnival atmosphere takes hold. Headlines splashed across front pages each year report new peaks of nationwide delinquency, with wildly drunk teenagers, motorcycle racing, gambling, water-throwing to insane extremes and, tragically, many fatal road accidents often marring the three days.
Still the charms of the traditional survive. One meretricious Songkran custom involves the releasing of live birds and fish. In Paklat (Phra Pradaeng) near Bangkok, beautiful girls form a procession and carry bowls containing fish to the river where they are released. Naturally, many eligible young men from Bangkok make the short pilgrimage to Paklat every year in search of their eternal sweethearts. On the second day, people carry handfuls of sand to temples, and pile it into small stupas as recompense for the dust they have carried away on their feet in the year past.
Celebrated with similar gusto by their Therevada Buddhist cousins in neighboring Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, Songkran is the biggest, most bizarre and, debatably, the best of Thailand's handful of spectacular religious festivals. A countrywide party, it also makes for a mighty dose of sanook (fun), a fitting byproduct for the fun-loving Thais' most treasured of celebrations.
Having fun is a big part of Thai culture, and having fun amidst scorching heat is no exception. The hottest month of the year, April sees the entire country go bananas in friendly water fights and street parties that last nearly a week. During Songkran, most office buildings, banks as well as family-run shops and restaurants shut down completely, while big shopping malls usually remain open. Bangkok experiences a mass exodus, as at least half of its residents travel back to their home towns for family re-unions. In their place are tourists, who fly into Bangkok particularly to enjoy one of the most colourful and festive times of the year.
Songkran is the occasion for family re-unions, temple visits and annual house cleaning. Many Thais observe the holidays by spending time with families and friends. Traditionally, Thais perform the Rod Nam Dum Hua ritual on the first day of Songkran, which is officially the National Elderly Day. During the ritual, young people would pour fragrant water into the elders’ palms as a gesture of humility and to ask for their blessings.
The second day of Songkran is officially the National Family Day. Families would wake up early and give alms to the monks, then ideally the rest of the day would be spent sharing quality family time together. An important religious ritual on Songkran is ‘Bathing the Buddha image’, in which devout Buddhists pour fragrant water over Buddha statues both at the temple and at home. More religious Thais would engage themselves in Buddhist ceremonies and merit-making activities throughout the holidays.
Contradictory to what you may have witnessed throughout Songkran, fun-loving Thais don’t just throw water at each other for no good reason (besides having a kick out of seeing other people soaking wet). The real meaning behind the splashes is to symbolically wash off all misfortunes in the past year, thus welcoming the new year with a fresh new start.
Traditionally, Thais would politely pour a bowl of water on members of the family, their close friends and neighbours. As Songkran has taken a more festive note, a bowl becomes a bucket, garden hose and water guns, and the spirit of holiday merriment is shared amongst all town residents and tourists alike.
Actually, a more appropriate question to ask is: ‘how to avoid getting wet during Songkran’. No matter where you go, chances are you will get wet. But if you like the idea of getting soaked from head to toe, and some wild party scene, be sure to drop by Kao San Road or Silom. Be warned, though, to arm yourself with a real powerful water gun and clean bottled water (for washing off talcum powder smudges on your face).
If you prefer a more traditional Songkran, head over to Phra Pradaeng district where the Thai-Raman communities live out their Songkran traditions. Here, the celebrations take place about a week later than in central Bangkok and is filled with cultural significance. You will not only get splashed here, but also enjoy an array of cultural activities, such as the Thai-Ramn flag ceremony, ‘saba’ game, Raman dances, boat races, floral floats parade, and many more.
In conjunction with the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Pattaya City hall the Zoom Pattaya Festival will be taking place Bali Hai Beach Pattaya on the 30th and 31st of March 2012.
There will be 3 stages, with each stage hosting a distinct music style such as Hip Hop, R&B, House, and Dub Step. More than 50 Djs will participate in the event, featuring Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas, DJ Domination – the world’s best Video DJ winner 2012 – Teddy O, Slick, Eddie Pay and Thailand’s own top DJs Dome Pakorn Lum, Monton Jira, and many other notable personalities.
Tickets will be 200 Baht per person. Fore more information on this festival please visit the Zoom Pattaya Festival 2012 website and for more information on all upcoming Thailand events please visit the Thailand Event Calender.
Sak Yant is the Thai name for sacred geometrical designs inked into the skin. Sak is the Thai word for tattoo and Yant, or Yantra as it is known elsewhere in the world, is the Thai name for a geometrical design believed to posses magical powers of protection.
The Sak Yant tattoos are normally inked by Buddhist Monks or Brahmin priests/holy men. Each of the different Sak Yant tattoo designs is said to carry a certain protection, some Thai’s believe that when a design is inked onto your skin by a Buddhist monk you then become imbued with that protection. Some designs are meant to give the owner the power to charm a lover or become wealthy while others offer protection against enemies.
Yant tattooing is an ancient Buddhist tradition practiced in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The prayers tattooed around the Yant are written in Pali Sanskrit, the original language of Buddha, using ancient Khom or Khmer lettering. The use of magic Yantras and the sacred alphabet to wrtite them has been a common practice with the Khmer race for thousands of years.
Local beliefs in Nature Spirits, Animism, and other sub-belief systems have been incorporated into the vast array of Yant designs used in traditional Thai Sak Yant Tattooing. The Sak Yant tradition in ancient Thailand times had warriors being given Sak Yant tattoos as it was believed that the Sak Yant would protect them by making their bodies more slippery and harder to grab in battle.
This particular ancient tradition of Sak Yant tattoos for warriors saw the development over time of new Sak Yant Tattoos that would be inked to protect against penetrative weapons such as guns and knives. Some Thai’s believed that if you were covered with Sak Yant tattoos it would make your skin slippery and hard to penetrate by these types of weapons.
Thai Sak Yant tattoos represent the myths of Himmaphan. The unique designs depict the images of the gods Shiva, Brahma, Rahoon, Rama, Lak, Ramayana and Hanuman who Thai’s believe are celestial beings. Having the images of these gods inscribed on ones body is thought to bring good luck.
Each Sak Yant tatto has it’s own particular design, method and meaning Each Sak Yant tattoo also has a prayer ( Kataa ) that accompanies it and is the final step of the tattooing process as the monk speaks the Kataa and blows it’s words into the newly inscribed tattoo, awakening it’s power. The Sak Yant is said to become alive and to continue growing with it’s owner for the rest of their lives.
Sak Yant tattoos have a very strict application method that must be adhered to and takes many years to master at the training of Yant masters. The tattooist must concentrate very hard while inscribing the tattoo as he must silently chant a mantra that changes with each new element of the design while inscribing the ancient Khmer lines.The recitation helps to pass on the magic onto the Sak Yant Tattoo.
Sak Yant Tattoo Tools & Inks
The tools and preparation of inks used in traditional Sak Yant tattooing today vary from temple to temple and with every Yant Master. In ancient times monks used a very hard , sharpened to a point Rattan tree thorn which would be up to three feet in length. As time went on monks found other suitable objects used to inscribe the Sak Yant tattoos such as sharpened umbrella spikes and often coffin nails that were picked up after a traditional cremation would be sharpened and attached to the end of a stick to use.
Whatever instrument was ultimately used by the monks they would have to be prepared as well by singing and chanting matras that would be blown into the new tool by the monks to give it magical powers.
The preparation of the inks used also vary from Yant Master to Yant Master with some preferring to prepare their inks the ancient ways from the sap of a rare tree found in the North East area of Thailand ( issan ). The sap is cooked into a black pigment to which a small amount of snake venom is added. While other Yant masters prefer to use Chinese ink mixed with aromatic oils and whiskey.
The Meanings of Thai Sak Yant Tattoos
Each Thai Sak Yant Tattoo has it’s own particular meaning and purpose. The beliefs stem from ancient Thai peoples and culture. While not all Thai people today subscribe to the belief in the power of the Yant tattoos, there are still many Thai’s from every walk of life who not only believe but practice the ancient art often.
The following are just a few of the more popular Sak Yant designs and their meanings.
Hanuman Soong Rith ( White Magic Monkey ): In the Ramayana Indian tale, Hanuman is immortal, lucky in game and lucky in love. If you want success in life, protection from weapons and want to be lucky in love, then this is the Sak Yant tattoo for you.
Gao Yord ( Nava Horakoon ): This is probably the most popular of the Sak Yants for newcomers. Also known as the nine spires the Gao Yord is is explained by the 9 magic abilities of Lord Buddha that appear in 9 lines of the tattoo’s inscription. This is a good Sak Yant for protection.
Matchanu ( Semi God’s Monkey & Fish ): Matchanu is the son of Hanuman and Suwanmadcha ( mermaid ) This Tatoo looks very similar to Hanuman except if you look closer it has a tail like a mermaids. This is a popular Yant with the fishermen.
Ganesh ( Pra Pikanesha ): Ganesh is the god of wealth and success and very recognizable by the elephants head on a human body. This Yant is considered good for artists, actors, singers and technicians, and, of course, people who want to be wealthy.
Erawan Elephant: The Erawan Elephant is a god elephant with three faces. He is the largest and most powerful of all elephants in heavan and is the mount of Indian God Indre. This Yant is particularly sought out by travelers and politicians as it protects the owner from harm.
Rules of the Sak Yant
After you receive your sak Yant tattoo and it is blessed by the monk you are usually given instructions or rules to follow in order for your you to make sure the Yant’s magical powers remain. Some monks may tell you that you must recite a certain Buddhist mantra every morning or that you must closely follow the 5 precepts of Buddhism closely as not to devalue your Yant and lose it’s power.
Buddhism is the most profound and wholesome education directed by the Buddha towards all people. Five precepts are the curriculum of Buddhist teaching, which are embraced in the moral code of Buddhism. By observing precepts, not only do you cultivate your moral strength, but you also perform the highest service to your fellow beings. The Five Precepts are:
Do not kill
Do not steal
Do not indulge in sexual misconduct
Do not make false speech
Do not take intoxicants
It is believed that if you do not follow the 5 Buddhist precepts that your Yant will not only lose it’s power but the wearer will also lose their moral strength.
There is also the question of women. Some monks believe that woman should never touch the Sak Yant while other monks believe it is okay as long as the woman in question asks and is given permission first. When the touching occurs the Yant wearer should be in a lower position than that of the person touching the Yant.
Where to get a Thai Sak Yant Tattoo
Most Wats ( temples ) have at least one monk who can inscribe the Sak Yant but there are several popular Temples such as Wat Bang Phra in Bangkok where the faithful go daily to have Yant’s done. There are also Yant Masters around Thailand that are not monks and also do Sak Yant Tattoos. Some of these Yant Masters such as Ajarn Noo Kanphai are very popular for their work and that of their students. Ajarn Noo is the Yant Master that gave Angelina Jolie her Sak Yant tattoos.
Sak Yant Tattoo Cost
If you are having the Yant done at Wat then the cost is very inexpensive. You will be required to make a spiritual offering which usually consists of a pack of cigarettes, candles and incense which usually rins about 80-100 baht ( around $3.00 ). You will also be required to give a monetary donation that is usually between 50-200 baht ( $1.50-$$6.00 ). Done at a Wat the Sak Yant not only is inexpensive but you get the whole experience.
Sak Yants done by Yant Master outside of the Wats are usually more expensive and if done by someone like Ajarn Noo then we are talking serious money. It’s said he now charges over 100,000 baht to anyone wanting g the Tiger Yant like the one he gave Angelina Jolie, that’s over $3000. The one reason many seek out individual Yant Masters as their work is usually of a finer detail and much more aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
No matter what you choose, make sure you have thought through your decision to get a Sak Yant Thai Tattoo, because like any tattoo it will be for life. If it’s definitely on your agenda then I would suggest going to Wat Bang Phra in Bangkok to get your first Sak Yant.
“Asiatique The Riverfront” : The Unique Riverfront Destination
TCC Land is launching a new lifestyle shopping development in Bangkok known as "Asiatique the River Front" along the Chao Phraya River which will be the largest of its kind in Asia. With a total land area of over 72 rai (22 acres) and based on the theme "Festival Market and Living Museum," the developers are hoping to attract both Thai and foreign shoppers. The center will be highlighting over 1,500 stores, theaters and panoramic restaurants and will be opening by December 2011.
For the Asiatique the River project, the company will open the first phase at the end of this year and plans for its grand opening next March. The project has now already succeeded in booking 90 per cent of the total retail space for rent. The company offers prices of between Bt1,000 and Bt2,000 per square metre a month. The project is close to the Chao Phraya River and about five minutes by car from the Krung Thon Skytrain station.
The two target customer demographics are young working people aged 25 years or more with a middle-income and an independent lifestyle. They like new places, socialize with friends after work and love to shop. The other group is tourists and expatriates living in Thailand who prefer purchasing a variety of products as souvenirs and desire the ability to explore the art and culture of Thailand, including activities and entertainment in the same location.
The project is divided into four main areas.
1. Charoenkrung district – Includes a souvenir shop for tourists. More than 700 home decoration stores, including a theater that supports over 400 seats audience. For those who love Thai arts and culture a small puppet play by Joe Louis company or Calypso, cabaret
2. The center district. Over 2,000 square meters of outdoor area and International Food Circus Zone that includes foods from many different countries.
3. Industrial Zone – include pubs, restaurants, fashion shops and more than 1,000 Decorative stores.
4. Waterfront district and a range of restaurants include Italian, Thai, Chinese Japanese-style and seafood with a panorama view and so on.
The additions mean the group's retail businesses would reach a combined 700,000 square metres next year when Asiatique the Riverfront opens in March and Digital Gateway at the end of 2012. Half of the total 700,000sqm will be retail space and the other half for car parks, event areas and other project facilities.
TCC Land Group has six property businesses: retail, hospitality, office buildings, golf courses, exhibitions, and residential. This group has total revenue of nearly Bt10 billion a year.
Currently, the company has combined retail space of about 650,000 sqm. This total includes the Pantip shopping centers, The Market, Digital Gateway at Siam Square and Tawanna. Along with the new project, "Asiatique The River Front," the company is also developing another Digital Gateway Center on Ekamai Road off Sukhumvit Road.
The group's annual rental fees from retail businesses has been hovering between 1.2 billion and 1.5 billion baht ($40-50 million). When both Asiatique and Digital Gateway at Ekamai are completed next year, the company expects that rental fees from retail businesses will reach Bt2 billion in the next two years.
Sum rap Thai literally means “a Thai set,” and applies to the correct serving and pairing of Thai dishes.
Popular Thai food critic and writer Mom Luang Sirichalerm Svasti, who goes by the pen name Chef McDang, writes in his book Principles of Thai Cookery, “We think of all parts of the meal as a whole – sum rap Thai (the way Thais eat), is the term we use for the unique components that make up a characteristically Thai meal.”
In essence, sum rap Thai conveys firstly how a meal is served and eaten, including for class and regional variations; and secondly how particular dishes are paired with others.
Thais have become more sophisticated in their eating habits over the past two centuries, explains McDang, and “Sum rap Thai is a fairly new invention in Thai food culture. It came about as the country is the land of plenty and people have become richer, and the abundance of raw materials to cook with has expanded.”
“In ancient times we considered rice a meal.” McDang continues. “We ate it with fruits and fish sauce; or something as simple as just sticky rice and jaeow (a northeastern Thai or I-San style dip). This would still constitute a meal. So do not mistake the ancient way of eating with sum rap Thai,” reiterating that sum rap Thai was “invented by sophisticated Thai diners later on in Thai culinary history.”
How to order Thai food A typical Thai meal set today includes a curry; a stir fry vegetable usually with meat; a fried dish; soup; a tart salad-like yum; and a dipping sauce (kreung jim) with cooked and/or fresh vegetables. In this list, McDang calls such dipping sauce condiments “perhaps most important of all”. But surprisingly, it is the dish least known to foreigners, and relatively rare to find in an overseas restaurant menu. Likened to a chilli jam or condiment, examples like nam prik, lohn and jaeow highlight the simplest of set menus. For example, a farmer packs his plaid pha khao mah cloth ‘lunchbox’ with rice and nam prik for protein, plus some local fruits and vegetables – a uniquely Asian version of a ploughman’s lunch. But that is not sum rap Thai. In a more formal setting, the composition of all dishes is important. Soup, for example, clears the palate and washes things down. The remaining dishes all add contrasting yet complementary flavours and textures, but each one is individually different.
Presumably the reason so many tourists complain Thai food is too spicy-hot or too sweet is because they don’t marry or pair dishes of contrasting flavours. Simply put, not all Thai dishes are uniformly chilli-hot, so match a spicy yum or hot kaeng pa jungle curry with blander fried foods that coat the mouth. Likewise, sweet-savoury offerings foil chilli as do cooling soups and neutralising rice.
How Thais Eat “Kin khao”, the colloquial invitation to dine in Thai, means ‘‘eat rice’’. Every Thai meal’s main glory is that grain, whether white, coloured, blended, sticky or standard. One can go so far as to state that all other dishes, known collectively as kap khao (which literally means with rice), are mere accompaniments.
“In Thailand everything is served all at once, and you eat it with rice,” explains McDang. “There are no courses.” Likewise, there is no appetizer, although there are snacks aplenty, especially for those grazing market stalls.
Hawker food aside, don’t order a single dish to consume on your own. Thai dining is the essence of relaxed conviviality, and the sharing of several dishes is part and parcel of the ritual. Rather, Thai diners communally portion dishes from the middle of the table. You are quite likely to see Thais doing the same thing when eating at fine French restaurants in Bangkok – it is ingrained in their culture.
A typical place setting features rice on individual plates for eating main dishes. Sometimes the rice is served separately in small bowls or from large communal bowls, then portioned on to a plate. While each person is served his own grain, other foods are served from bowls or small platters placed in the centre, then on to personal plates. Food is not scooped atop a rice bowl as in China.
More importantly, as individual dishes are consumed together as a set, uninitiated foreigners are cautioned not to dive into each dish when it first comes to table. Thais are seemingly lethargic until all the dishes are put before them — a full set or sum rap, so to speak. Even then, take only a small portion of one dish to consume at a time, before a second morsel from another platter. And unlike, say, an Indian meal where rice reigns at the plate centre with ‘courtier’ side servings ringed around, in a Thai meal one never takes everything at the same time.
One reason for this is Thai concepts of food temperature – or lack thereof. “Thais have no concept of hot food served hot, and cold food served cold, ’’ explains McDang. “It’s all room temperature. We live in the tropics, and we serve hot rice and ‘cold’ main dishes.”
Harried cooks will value the fact that preparing a Thai meal does not mean precise timing from stove to table. Although soups are invariably hot (“When hot food is eaten, it opens the pores in your mouth, giving you fresher tastes,” says McDang) and stir-fries easily cooked to order, other dishes like kaeng (or gaeng) curries are commonly served at room temperature. Granted, tropical room temperature may prove much warmer than in other parts of the world. Once a curry cooks, for example, it can sit well away from the stove until ready to eat or sell, and in fact, the flavour of many of these dishes improves during this slow steeping.
Spoon and Fork In regional areas like Lao Isan and in the Lanna North, both where sticky rice prevails, locals still eat with their hands. But nearly two centuries ago Thais were introduced to forks and spoons. With most of the food cut or chopped into small mouth-sized pieces, knives remain an anomaly and are not provided outside of international restaurants. Likewise, chopsticks are reserved solely for streetside noodle dishes or dining in Chinese eateries. Consequently, Thai servings are pre-cut into portions small enough for a spoon, or tender enough to break apart using just a fork and spoon. In Thailand, never put your fork in your mouth – that is what spoons are for. “The fork and spoon are well-suited to Thai food: the fork shepherds the food onto the spoon, which is then used to lift the food to the mouth,” McDang explains. By contrast, when eating rice and curries with a fork (as in the West) “you miss out on all the great juices and curry that are an integral part of the taste experience ”.
In an article he wrote for CNNGo, McDang goes on to discuss this concept of kluk (pronounced ‘klook’). “Use a spoon to get a real snapshot of what Thai food is about. Mixing different dishes into your rice with your fork and spoon, getting your own personal measures of each dish on your spoon each time. This is very important to Thai food: it's part of our culture and makes eating so interesting because you get so many flavours and textures.”
When eating a Thai dish, counsels McDang, “Just shut your eyes, stick it in your mouth and just experience the flavours and textures blending in your mouth. You mix everything in your mouth and when you chew it you blend it all together.’’ We hasten to add, he is talking about eating one specific dish at a time, albeit with rice; not a combination of several dishes scooped together.
“This absolutely contrasts to French cuisine, where it is all blended before you put it in your mouth,” he explains, using the example of steak au poivre – with its pre-seasoning and sauce. “When you eat Thai cuisine, you can’t approach it like a Western meal.”
McDang notes that there are is also a sum rap-style set for Thai desserts, but warns that Westerners over the past century have not been especially enamoured of them. Thai desserts are essentially dumplings made from coconut milk or cream, palm sugar, salt, fruits, rice flour and sticky rice flour. They are generally very sweet. With Thailand offering some of the best tropical fruits in the world, many restaurants and households, especially those hosting foreigners, offer fresh fruits at the end of a meal as a refreshing palate cleanser.
Regional Flavours: Regional examples of sum rap include northern khan toke, and northeastern I-san Palaeng – or dinner set, served from short-raised tables with guests sitting phub phiab cross-legged on the floor. Both are served with sticky rice, and in the case of Chiang Mai in the north, local specialties like nam prik num or nong chilli dip, crispy fried pork skins, Indian-spicy kaeng hunglay or herbal kaeng kae, and haw mok custard. “But for the Central Plains, a set meal means a lot more, because it means ‘what goes with what,’” says McDang. Central Thailand, which includes the capital Bangkok, is a trade entrepot. Consequently, it reflects the riches of a kingdom, not just one region. “So it’s why we started eating different dishes, with fusion included, from all the trade.”
In essence, the origin of sum rap Thai.
Do’s and Don’ts Select a range of cooking styles and flavours: a soup, a curry, a salad, fried and deep fried dishes, for example. Order several dishes to share; not per person. Place dishes in the centre of the table, and serve communally. Eat with rice. Dish yourself a minimal portion of one item at a time; not all together. Eat with your spoon, pushing food on to the spoon with the fork. Be adventurous! Perfect Pairing “To a Thai, certain pairings are known innately,” states Chef McDang, noting that the variety of “accompaniments necessary for each dish depends on how rich or poor you are and whether you are able to procure these ingredients to accompany the dish.” Here are his recommended couplings of dishes “that have to be accompanied by other things to improve taste”.
Sour Curry (Kaeng Som) Accompanied by: Thai Omellette (Kai Jeow) or Fried Crispy Salty Fish (Pla Krop)
Kaeng Pa Jungle Curry "any style with any type of protein" No coconut milk in these curries Accompanied by: Fried Salted Fish (Pla Khem Tot) or Salted Pork (Moo Dat Deow Tot)
Green Curry "with any kind of protein" (Kaeng Kheow Wan) Accompanied by: Crispy Fried Sun Dried Fish (Pla Salit Tot) or Salted Fish (Pla Khem Tot) or Salted Egg (Khai Khem)
Yellow Curry "with any kind of protein" (Kaeng Karie) Accompanied by: Toasted Coconut Chips (Maphrao Kua) or Fried Ripe Bananas (Kluay Tot)
Chili Dip in a Boat (Nam Prik Long Ruea) Accompanied by cooked and raw vegetables such as cucumber or Curcuma (Khamin Khao) or Crispy Flaky Fried Catfish Meat (Pla Duk Foo) or Sweet Tender Pork Belly Pieces (Moo Wan) or Salted Egg (Khai Khem)
Green Beef Curry with Fresh Garden Thai Chilli Peppers (Kaeng Kheow Wan Nuea Prik Kee Nu Suan) Accompanied by: Fried Roti (Roti Tot) Chef McDang’s Suggested menu Sum Rap # 1 Beef Jungle Curry with Pumpkin (Kaeng Pa Nuea Kup Fak Thong) Stir Fried Chinese Broccoli and Salted Fish (Pat Kahna Pla Khem) Coriander Roots, Thai Garlic and White Peppercorn Marinated Deep Fried Fish (Pla Tot Kratiem Prik Thai) Pork Broth with Vegetable, Ground Pork and Egg Custard (Kaeng Jued Look Lawk) Fermented Soybean and Coconut Cream Dip with accompanying vegetables (Lohn Tao Jeow) Wing Bean Salad (Yum Tua Plu)
Sum Rap # 2 Green Curry with Pla Grai Fish Balls (Gaeng Kheow Wan Look Chin Pla Krai) Hearts of Coconut Stir-fried with Chili Garlic and Prawns (Yot Maprao Pat Koong) Spicy Vegetable Soup (Kaeng Liang) Marinated River Prawns fried with Garlic, White Peppercorns and Cilantro Roots (Koong Mae Nam Tot Gratiem Prik Thai) Thai Beef Salad, Plah Style (Plah Nuea) Fresh Young Tamarind Chili Dip with accompanying vegetable, sweet pork, and salted egg (Nam Prik Makham Sot Gup Pak Ruam, Moo Wan, Lae Khai Khem)
The Sak Yant tattoos are normally inked by Buddhist Monks or Brahmin priests/holy men. Each of the different Sak Yant tattoo designs is said to carry a certain protection, some Thai’s believe that when a design is inked onto your skin by a Buddhist monk you then become imbued with that protection. Some designs are meant to give the owner the power to charm a lover or become wealthy while others offer protection against enemies.
