The sharper edge to traveling in Asia

Bangkok by night: a Chao Phraya dinner cruise aboard the exotic Wan Fah

Although several companies offer dinner cruises on the Chao Phraya river, none quite match up to the Wan Fah experience.  The Wan Fah is a beautifully appointed teak boat, with traditional Thai decorative elements. The experience is intimate, as she seats only 120 persons.  The meals are extraordinarily good, and the diner may choose between […]

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In praise of the Thai Toilet Hose (what’s that thing attached to my toilet, and how do I use it?)

First time travelers to Thailand are soon confronted with an element of plumbing not generally associated with western toilets: the Thai bathroom hose (“fahk bua”).  Used to the western convention of toilet paper, travelers tend to eschew this remarkable device, which, in fact, keeps one cleaner after ablutions than does t.p. (Thais generally use paper […]

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Top 3 Things to see in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand

It’s doubtful that you’ll come to the Isaan city of Ubon intentionally, unless you have relatives here, or you’ll be traveling to Laos through the Chong Mek border station, as I was.  If you do happen to be here, you’ll find a pleasant, clean city with several interesting places worth stopping to see. How did […]

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Ban Phiphithaphan, Bangkok’s exceptional hidden retro Museum

For those willing to spend 200 baht taxi fare and travel a few kilometers west of the Pin Klao bridge, one of Bangkok’s more fascinating museums awaits.  Founders Anake and Wanna Nawigamune have here compiled a lifetime’s worth of everyday objects found —until the last decade or so —  in homes, barbershops, candy stores, and […]

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Top Ten Hazards to Avoid in Bangkok

    Sure you’re a veteran traveler, but even longtime expats get nailed by ten common hazards that are particular to Bangkok.  Be aware of the following, and live a long life… 1)  Being “wired” takes on a whole new meaning in Bangkok, where heap big power lines, fluorescent tubes, and incandescent bulbs are commonly […]

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WoWasis book review: Boye De Mente’s ‘Women of the Orient’

Many men have loved exotic women from the Orient, but few have written as passionately on the subject as adventurer Boye De Mente, in his small but encyclopedic Women of the Orient (1995, ISBN 0-8048-1880-0).  Here, he chronicles the habits, looks, and proclivities of women from six Asian countries, China (Hong Kong & Taiwan), Japan, Korea, […]

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Morlam music: an Isaan pastiche of city and country

Morlam music, an infectious, riotous urban music originally from the Isaan northeast, is one of the predominant Thai musical genres you’ll find in Bangkok today. With its raging organ ostinados, high-flying guitar riffs, and rap-like vocal phrasing, morlam can be heard in street stalls, Thai bars, and taxi radios and VCD (video CD) players. A […]

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Power and Politics in Thailand: a few notes on governmental organization and hierarchy

One of the most vexing challenges for the Westerner in the East is to understand how decisions are made within the Thai political structure. The Kingdom of Thailand has been independent since 1238 ACE, and is considered the only country in Southeast Asia never colonized by an imperialist power. It became a constitutional monarchy in […]

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Bangkok Taxi Cockpit: a drive to distraction?

Check out the cockpit of the taxi meter I just took from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.  He’s got a morlam vcd player going all the time so he can watch TV while he drives (it was a neat Siriporn morlam live show, too). His visors are loaded with other VCDs so he can select others […]

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