Pai,Thailand

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Pai  is a small town in northern Thailand's Mae Hong Son Province, near the Myanmar border, north of Chiang Mai on the northern route to Mae Hong Son. It lies along the Pai River. The town has thesaban tambon status and covers parts of the tambon Wiang Tai of Pai district. As of 2006, it has a population of 2,284 
Tourism and Development
Pai was once a quiet market village inhabited by Shan people (ethnic Tai whose culture is influenced by Burma; see the History section below), but nowadays Pai primarily thrives on tourism. Well-known among backpackers for its relaxed atmosphere, the town is full of cheap guesthouses, souvenir shops and restaurants. In the proximity of the town are spas and elephant camps. Further outside of town, there are several waterfalls and a number of natural hot springs varying in temperature from 80 to 200 degrees Celsius. Some resorts tap the hot springs and feed hot water into private bungalows and public pools. As Pai lies at the foot of the mountains, many tourists use it as a base for trekking and visiting hill tribes like Karen, Hmong, Lisu and Lahu. Another notable attraction is the town's excellent Wednesday Market which brings large and colorful crowds of local villagers and tribal people from all around the Pai Valley.
Recently Pai has appeared on the Thailand tourist map and has received major infrastructure upgrades including an airport with several daily flights, three 7-Elevens, several small- to medium-size luxury resorts (adding to the more than 118 guesthouses and restaurants which existed as of June 2007), a couple of live music clubs, beer bars and two sets of traffic lights. This has done little to dampen the small and peaceful spirit of the town out of season. However, it has led to a recent influx of business investment and land speculation by both farang (non-Asian foreigners) and big city Thais. While some hail these sweeping changes as a new age of prosperity for Pai, others point to the loss of Pai's traditional customs and culture.
In the tourist high season of November through March there are large numbers of tourists. Prior to 2006, foreign tourists predominated, but now Thai tourists make up the vast majority, particularly after Pai featured in two popular, Thai-made romantic movies, The Letter: Jod Mai Rak (Thai: จดหมายรัก, 2004) and Ruk Jung (Thai: รักจัง, 2006).
Pai has music festivals regularly as well as staging an International Enduro Championship.

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Thailand Travel guide

Thailand is a country with abundant natural resources, including a wide variety of flora and fauna, and distinct ecological zones.  There are over 100 Thailand national parks, including more than 20 marine parks, and each park features unique attractions, outstanding facilities, and opportunities to see animals in Thailand.  Those interested in trekking, mountain biking, photography, birding, camping, scuba diving, or getting up close to exotic animals in Thailand have many options to choose from.
A visit to a Thailand beach or one of the many Thailand islands is an opportunity for visitors to relax, experience exotic marine life, or even learn to scuba dive.  However, across Thailand, whether at a beach, island, or Thailand National Park visitors will discover unique flora and fauna and distinct ecological zones, from the temperate forests of the northern mountains and the plains of central Thailand to the savannahs of the northeast and the mangrove forests of the southern coasts.  Animals in Thailand include not only elephants and monkeys but also bears and whale sharks, the world’s largest fish.

Understand

Thailand is the most popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia, and for a reason. You can find almost anything here: thick jungle as green as can be, crystal blue beaches that feel more like a warm bath than a swim in the ocean and food that can curl your nose hairs while tap dancing across your taste buds. Exotic, yet safe; cheap, yet equipped with every modern amenity you need, there is something for every interest and every price bracket, from beach front backpacker bungalows to some of the best luxury hotels in the world. And despite the heavy flow of tourism, Thailand retains its quintessential Thainess, with a culture and history all its own and a carefree people famed for their smiles and their fun-seeking sanuk lifestyle. Many travelers come to Thailand and extend their stay well beyond their original plans and others never find a reason to leave. Whatever your cup of tea is, they know how to make it in Thailand.
This is not to say that Thailand doesn't have its downsides, including the considerable growing pains of an economy where an agricultural laborer is lucky to earn 100 baht per day while the nouveau riche cruise past in their BMWs, Bangkok, the capital, is notorious for its traffic jams and rampant development has wrecked much of once-beautiful Pattaya and Phuket. In heavily touristed areas, some lowlifes have made scamming tourists into an art form.

Beaches and Islands

A visit to a Thai beach is often the highlight of a trip to Thailand, with favorite destinations including Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phi Phi, and Krabi.

National Parks

As there are over 100 National Parks in Thailand, visitors have a variety of natural attractions to choose from and can see many different animals in Thailand’s diverse National Parks.

Floras and Faunas

Thailand’s geography, which stretches from the coasts of the Malaysian Peninsula to the mountains of mainland Asia, features a variety of climates and thus a diversity of plant and animal species.

Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital, largest urban area and primary city of Thailand. Known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Thai: กรุงเทพมหานคร, pronounced [krūŋ tʰêːp máhǎː nákʰɔ̄ːn]( listen)), or กรุงเทพฯ Krung Thep ( [listen]) , meaning "city of angels" for short, it was a small trading post at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River during the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It came to the forefront of Siam when it was given the status as the capital city in 1768 after the burning of Ayutthaya. However, the current Rattanakosin Kingdom did not begin until 1782 when the capital was moved across the river by Rama I after the death of King Taksin. The Rattanakosin capital is now more formally called "Phra Nakhon" (Thai: พระนคร), pertaining to the ancient boundaries in the metropolis' core and the name Bangkok now incorporates the urban build-up since the 18th century which has its own public administration and governor.
Since its inception as the capital of Siam, it was at the center of European Colonial plans, but due to its strategic location in Indochina, it acted as a buffer-zone and brokered power between the European forces. Through this, it gained notoriety in the world as an independent, dynamic and influential city. And in the span of over two hundred years, Bangkok has grown to become the political, social and economic center of Thailand, Indochina and one of Southeast Asia.
As a direct result of the 1980s and 1990s Asian investment boom, numerous multinational corporations base their regional headquarters in Bangkok and the city has become a regional force in finance and business. Its increasing influence on global politics, culture, fashion and entertainment underlines its status as an Alpha global city. In 2009, it was the second most expensive city in South-East Asia behind Singapore.
The city's wealth of cultural landmarks and attractions in addition to its notorious entertainment venues has made it synonymous with exoticism. Its historic wealth coincides with its rapid modernization, reflected in the cityscape and the urban society. The Grand Palace, Vimanmek Palace Complex, its thousands of temples, and the city's notorious red-light districts combine draw in 11 million international visitors each year, trailing just Paris and London.
Bangkok has a population of approximately 6,355,144 residents while the greater Bangkok area has a population of 11,971,000 (January 2008).The capital is part of the heavily urbanized triangle of central and eastern Thailand which stretches from Nakhon Ratchasima along Bangkok to the heavily Industrialized Eastern Seaboard. Bangkok borders six other provinces: Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon and Nakhon Pathom, and all five provinces are joined in the conurbation of the Bangkok Metropolitan Area. It is served by two international airports, Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang International Airport, four rapid transit lines operated by the BTS, MRT, and the SRT, with plans to add eight more by 2020.  More Deail CLICK

Yasothon Province

  
Yasothon (Thai: ยโสธร) is one of the provinces (changwat) of Thailand, located in the North-East of Thailand on the Chi River. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Mukdahan, Amnat Charoen, Ubon Ratchathani, Sisaket and Roi Et.

Geography

The northern part of the province are plains with low hills, while the southern part is the river lowland of the river Chi, with several ponds and swamps.

Misc

Yasothon is famous for the Rocket Festival, held every year in May. Originally a fertility rite it has become the major festival of the year in the region. Every school in Yasothon trains its pupils to dance "Peun Muang", a traditional local dance so they can join the parade at the annual rocket festival. Pornsuree Seesang now 20 and studying in Bangkok danced in the Rocket festival as a child, she remembers the fun but also the heat as the children will dance for 4-5 hours in scourching sun. This celebration lasts for several days and peaks on the final day with serial firing of the makeshift bamboo-rockets, some are up to 10 meters in length and propel up to 10.000 meters. The festival grounds and firing takes place in a municipal park, the festival and parade takes place on Yasothon's main street. Rockets are individually judged by a committee and the respective winners take home attractive prizes. Malfiring rockets and bad performing ones are punished immediately by a toss of the entire rocketcrew in mudholes by their competitors!
The musical romantic comedy film Yam Yasothon (English: Hello, Yasothon,) is set in the province.  More detail CLICK

Ubon Ratchathani Province

      
    Ubon Ratchathani (often in short Ubon, Thai: อุบลราชธานี) is one of the north-eastern provinces (changwat) of Thailand, and the country's easternmost. Ubon is about 600 km away from Bangkok. Neighboring Provinces are (from west clockwise) Sisaket, Yasothon and Amnat Charoen. To the north and east it borders Salavan and Champasak of Laos, to the south Preah Vihear of Cambodia.

Geography

        At Khong Chiam the Mun river, the biggest river of the Khorat Plateau, joins the Mekong, which forms the north-eastern boundary of Thailand with Laos. It is called Maenam Song Si or the Mun River alluvium because the brown water from Mekong River is mixed with blue water from Mun River. It is located about 84 km. from Ubon Ratchathani City centre.
The area where the borders of the three countries Thailand, Laos and Cambodia meet is promoted as the Emerald Triangle, in contrast to the Golden Triangle in the north of Thailand. The Emerald refers to the large intact monsoon forests there.
Another natural place is namtok Saeng Chan. This waterfall is 1 km. from Thung Na Muang Waterfall.
Ubon Ratchathani also boasts the following national parks:
Phu Chong Na Yoi National Park covers an area of 687 km² over mountainous areas in the province. The park is where Thailand borders Laos and Cambodia. Visitors are recommended to take hiking trails which lead on to the high plateau. The best view of this is the cliffs at Pha Pheung. The interesting attractions include: the 40 m Bak tew Yai Waterfall, which is located 4 km from the park office.
Kaeng Tana National Park is in Khong Chiam District. It can be reached on two routes. The first route is by taking Highway No.2222 where visitors can see a beautiful view of Kaeng Tana, an island in the Mun River. Another way, visitors can go this way by taking the route to the National Park Office along Highway No.217.
Pha Taem National Parkcovers an area of 140 km². Plateaus and hills dominate the park landscape. The sheer cliffs here are a result of earthquakes. The interesting places in the national park are Pha Taem and Pha Kham. On the cliffs surface are numerous prehistoric cave paintings from 3,000-4,000 years ago. These paintings depict scenes of fishing, rice farming, figures of people, animals, hands and geometric designs that show the way of life during the pre-historic time and reflect the ancient lifestyle of the people who lived there

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Pattaya

 Physical geography

        Pattaya, located off the Gulf of Thailand, is approximately 145 km south of the city of Bangkok, surrounded by Bang Lamung District.

The city of Pattaya is a special municipal area which covers the whole tambon Nong Prue and Na Kluea and parts of Huai Yai and Nong Pla Lai. Bang Lamung township which forms the northern border of Pattaya covers parts of the tambon Bang Lamung , Nong Pla Lai and Takhian Tia. Bang Sali is on the southern border of Pattaya.

"Greater Pattaya" occupies most of the coastline of Bang Lamung (one of the eleven districts that comprise Chon Buri Province). It is divided into a larger northern section which spans the areas to the east of Na Kluea Beach (the most northern beach) and Pattaya Beach (the main beach) plus the Buddha Hill headland (immediately south of Pattaya Beach), and a smaller southern section covering the area to the east of Chom Thian Beach (which lies directly south of Buddha Hill).  More detail CLICK

Chatuchak Market

Chatuchak Market in Bangkok

Bangkok Weekend Market

         Once only popular among wholesalers and traders, Chatuchak Weekend Market has reached a landmark status as a must-visit place for tourists. Its sheer size and diverse collections of merchandise will bring any seasoned shoppers to their knees – this is where you can literally shop ‘till you drop’.

The 35-acre (68-rai) area of Chatuchak is home to more than 8,000 market stalls. On a typical weekend, more than 200,000 visitors come here to sift through the goods on offer. Veteran shoppers would agree that just about everything is on sale here, although not all at the best bargain rates. But if you have one weekend in Bangkok, squeeze in a day trip to Chatuchak Weekend Market and you will not be disappointed.

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Phuket Province

History

    In the 17th century, the Dutch, the English, and from the 1680s the French, competed with each other for trade with the island of Phuket (the island was named Junkseilon at that time), which was valued as a very rich source of tin. In September 1680, a ship from the French East India Company visited Phuket and left with a full cargo of tin. In 1681 or 1682, the Siamese king Narai, who was seeking to reduce Dutch and English influence, named Governor of Phuket the French medical missionary Brother René Charbonneau, a member of the Siam mission of the Société des Missions Etrangères. Charbonneau held the position of Governor until 1685.

         In 1685, king Narai confirmed the French tin monopoly in Phuket to a French ambassador, the Chevalier de Chaumont. Chaumont's former maître d'hôtel Sieur de Billy was named governor of the island. The French were expelled from Siam in 1688 however, following the 1688 Siamese revolution. On April 10, 1689, the French general Desfarges led an expedition to re-capture the island of Phuket in an attempt to restore some sort of French control in Siam. The occupation of the island led nowhere, and Desfarges returned to Pondicherry in January 1690.

          The Burmese attacked Phuket in 1785. Captain Francis Light, a British East India Company captain passing by the island, sent word to the local administration that he had observed Burmese forces preparing to attack. Than Phu YingThao Thep Krasatri and Thao Si Sunthon from King Rama I. During the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), Phuket became the administrative center of the tin-producing southern provinces. In 1933 Monthon Phuket (มณฑลภูเก็ต) was dissolved and Phuket became a province by itself. Old names of the island include Ko Thalang. Chan, the wife of the recently deceased governor, and her sister Mook (คุณมุก) then assembled what forces they could. After a month-long siege, the Burmese were forced to retreat March 13, 1785. The two women became local heroines, receiving the honorary titles
more detail see  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phuket_Island

Chiang Mai

 
      King Mengrai founded the city of Chiang Mai (meaning "new city") in 1296, and it succeeded Chiang Rai as capital of the Lanna kingdom. The ruler was known as the Chao. The city was surrounded by a moat and a defensive wall, since nearby Burma was a constant threat. With the decline of the Lannathai kingdom, the city lost importance and was often occupied either by the Burmese or Thais from Ayutthaya. Because of the Burmese wars that culminated in the fall of Ayutthaya in April 1767, Chiang Mai was abandoned between 1776 and 1791. Lampang then served as the capital of what remained of Lannathai. Chiang Mai formally became part of Siam in 1774 by an agreement with Chao Kavila, after the Thai King TaksinBangkok.

The inhabitants speak Kham Muang (also known as Northern Thai or Lanna) among themselves, though Central Thai is used in education and is understood by everyone. English is used in hotels and travel-related businesses and many educated people speak English.[2]

The modern municipal dates to a sanitary district (sukhaphiban) that was created in 1915. This was upgraded to a municipality (thesaban) on March 29 1935, as published in the Royal Gazette, Book No. 52 section 80. First covering just 17.5 km2 (7 sq mi), the city was enlarged to 40.216 km2 (16 sq mi) on April 5, 1983.[3]
helped drive out the Burmese. Chiang Mai then slowly grew in cultural, trading and economic importance to its current status as the unofficial capital of northern Thailand, second in importance only to The Kham Muang alphabet is now studied only by scholars, and Northern Thai is commonly written with the standard Thai alphabet. 
 more detail see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Mai