Traditional Thai Architecture & Antiquities at the Suan Pakkad Palace

Once the home of Princess Chumphot, the Suan Pakkad Palace is situated on Si Ayutthaya Road, near the Phayathai intersection. Princess Chumbhot was one of the prominent art collectors in Thailand. Here, there are five traditionally built Thai houses that oversee a well maintained beautiful park, and display a huge collection of Thai antiquities.

These houses were first constructed in 1952 by Prince and Princess Chumphot of Nagor Svarga. Some of the exhibits are from the ancestors of Prince Chumphot and are over a few centuries ancient. The Lacquer pavilion is located on the southern end of the park, while the Ban-Chiang and Marsi galleries are on the Chumphot Pantip collection of pre-historic items.

Formerly, the Lacquer pavilion was located in the Ban Kling temple, and dates to the seventeenth century. It was shifted by Prince Chumphot after obtaining a formal approval from the abbot.

The exterior is sculptured beautifully in wood, while the interior walls are made with gold over black lacquer. There are various drawings and paintings inside that display the different events related to Lord Buddha, and also from the Hindu classic Ramayana. There are also many pictures that give an idea about the contemporary Thai life in those times, and some show the early foreign travelers to Ayudha. This is a unique part of the collection making the Suan Pakkad Palace exclusive among all others in Thailand.

The famous Marsi Gallery is situated on the second floor of the Chumphot Pantin center for arts. The gallery derives its name from Marsi Paribatra, the daughter of Prince and Princess Chumphot of Nagor Svarga. It was originally created with the purpose of furtherance of art activities and for holding exhibits for artists throughout the year.

The park surrounding the Suan Pakkad Palace is exquisitely beautiful with colorful flower beds, and the Baiyoke tower can be clearly seen from the garden; this is the tallest structure in Thailand. The Suan Pakkad Palace can be visited on most days and is easily accessible from Sukhumvit, Bangkok.

Bangkok has many comfortable and convenient accommodation options with the aim of catering to a wider tourist market, so if you are looking for a bit of both worlds, you have an ideal option with Somerset Lake Point Bangkok Serviced Apartments. With excellent services and facilities, this Bangkok serviced apartment offers relaxing and comfortable accommodation for anyone.

Read more!

Phra Nang, Krabi Province, Thailand

Phra Nang, Krabi Province, Thailand

After a month away, I was surprised to see the face of Hat Ton Sai had changed significantly. Two new restaurants had sprung up where there had previously been only wreckage, travelers were beginning to return, a brand new concrete and glass tourist information booth was finished being rebuilt, and a host of new lights and decorations adorned the beachfront bars. Even the Freedom Bar had a new look to it, although they were still playing the same Bob Marley tracks as they were the day we left. Rai Leh and Phra Nang were obviously enjoying the influx of beach-goers as well. Numerous locals were able to re-open their shops and return to selling food, clothing, and jewelry on the beach.

Upon first arriving on Ton Sai three weeks after the tsunami, it was uplifting to hear the stories of how the climbers did not partake in the mass exodus after the destruction, but instead stayed to help. Many of those who were here on December 26th and who witnessed the devastation firsthand, pitched in to help clean the beaches and salvage what they could recover from the damage. It quickly became apparent however, that there was only so much the foreigners could do. More than one climber observed that it was obvious that some of the beachfront businesses had financial backing from elsewhere and were being quickly rebuilt, while many of the local operations had lost everything and had no means of recovering. It had reached the point where the Thais had to do things on their own.

"What were we going to do? It's not like we could just go and rebuild their businesses for them?" said one climber who had escaped the wave by climbing a ladder on Ton Sai wall--next to the Freedom Bar--to gain the safety of a small ledge from which other climbs began. Climbers were offering to help, but several of the locals had simply given up and needed time to sort their lives out.

Thank you banner
Thank-you banner
By the time we arrived, life had returned to some semblance of normality. Less than twenty lives were lost on the Phra Nang peninsula (an area including Ton Sai, Rai Leh, and Phra Nang beach), mostly fishermen and a few kayakers out at sea at the time. The families of the fishermen were being cared for by the community and the general feeling around the area was one of wanting to move on. This normally would have been the busy season of the year and the locals were struggling to recover during a massive drop in tourist traffic. My girlfriend and I had arrived with grand plans of being able to help out and make a difference, but were frustrated that it seemed as though there was nothing we could do.

We soon learned that the best way for us to help was simply being there. The Thais continued with their usual humor and playfulness, and seemed incredibly happy to receive nothing more than our business. No one was looking for a handout; they simply wanted to earn the means to get things back to normal.

Once we left Krabi and continued on our travels we began to hear stories of how other areas were faring after the tsunami. We should not have been surprised to hear that along with all the good that was happening, came more than a few horror stories. The newspapers wrote of land encroachment by large resorts 'rebuilding' in places they had previously not been allowed. Locals who had lost everything were also not being allowed to return to the land they had previously occupied because they had no proof of ownership (*See note at bottom of page). Families who lost loved ones received no financial compensation because the bodies were never recovered and their stories of loss were not believed. There was even a case of a man from the UK who was arrested and charged "with malicious communication and causing a public nuisance" [Source: BBC] for sending hoax emails to relatives of people missing following the tsunami. It seems he thought it a great joke to tell these people that their loved ones were dead.

Stories were told about encounters with organizations like the Red Cross who refused to send aid to various small communities and villages. Places, coincidentally, which saw little or no tourism. Don't worry though; Phuket has been completely rebuilt and the hotels are back to charging several hundred dollars per night.

I was told of one couple, he an engineer and she a nurse, whose offers to help went unnoticed. These people had specific skills which were needed, were offering to pay their own way, and asked nothing in return, yet had still not received a positive response regarding their numerous requests to help.

Floating Bait Box
Floating Bait Box
Thai government has also thrown up some roadblocks for those wishing to help. It is their policy that volunteer work is still work, and therefore requires volunteers to apply for a work visa. Many of the aid organizations were sending volunteers away and only looking for those willing to make a long term commitment and who have specific skills. There are valid reasons for this though. Despite how the world media (especially North American) has been portraying it, Thailand suffered relatively minor damage when compared to Sri Lanka and parts of Sumatra. Those areas where aid is being concentrated are recovering quickly and well into the process of recuperating from what material damage was done.

Despite the obstacles, and in spite of the negative actions of some corporations and individuals, there are still plenty of people out there donating their time and money to families, hospitals, orphanages, and small villages off the beaten path. While formal aid is being focused on centers of tourism, many foreigners are digging deeper and giving where it is really needed. With any luck, the renewal on Ton Sai is being reflected in numerous places in Southeast Asia and every day will bring a bit of hope to those still lacking.

*Note: There is much debate about this due to the fact that places like the island of Phi Phi had become rather unsightly. Some say that Thailand has fairly generous squatter's rights and, to use Ko Phi Phi again, some places were overwhelmed by Thais who squeezed in a small business where they could. Many argue that the Thai government is doing a good thing by attempting to not allow these areas to become as congested and 'touristy' as they once were.

Read more!

Krabi Islands getting wired

Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited on behalf of Thailand's Provincial Electericity Authority (PEA) will be laying 33kV submarine cable to Koh Siboya, Koh Pu, Koh Phi Phi, Railey Bay, and Koh Lanta. The cable will be delivered in October 2008 and will be installed by ITD's Marine Department.
For this project, World Leader in Cable Manufacture, Nexans shall supply over 33.3 km, in two lengths, of XLPE insulated, lead sheathed, copper conductor 3-core 33 kV submarine cable, with an integrated fibre optic element. A single 3.8 km length of cable, with a cross-section of 120 mm2, will be used for the Raile Bay crossing.
The remainder of the cable, with a cross-section of 185 mm2, will be used to create three power links between the islands of Koh Pu, Koh Phi Phi Don and Koh Siboya - total approximate length of 27 km, as well as the 2.5 km Koh Lanta island interconnection.
This will put an end to the power limitations on the Islands and with the increase in tourism and the residential property market the PEA anticipates additional power capacity will continue to grow by 10 to 15 per cent per annum.
Earlier plans to lay underground cables have been scrapped due to worries of damage to coral reefs on the route however in the new contract, suppliers have been required specifically to avoid any contact with reefs.

The plans will for the first time bring reliable stable power to Railey Bay, Koh Jum and Koh Siboya where at present generators can provide only a limited service. For Koh Jum and Koh Siboya, the integrated fibre optic cables will bring phone lines and fast internet connections for the first time really opening up the potential for tourism but particularly for high end villa construction.

Read more!

About Province Krabi and surrounding area

Krabi is considered to be one of the most attractive regions of Thailand.
Krabi province has it all and it offers you the most diverse natural beauty, starting from dozen of islands in the Andaman Sea complete with stretches of soft coral sand and surrounded by crystalline waters home of colorful coral reefs.


But Krabi's varied and fascinating province has much more than sea and sand: towering rocky cliffs, caves harboring Buddhist temples, waterfalls, seemingly endless plantations of rubber and oil palm trees, lush and green national parks home to different species of fauna and flora, verdant mangrove forests and inlets are winding their way under soaring cliffs. Countless natural attractions abound, amongst them a shell cemetery, millions of years old. This all has come to symbolize Krabi: the province and surrounding area is considered to be one of the most beautiful parts of the world.
But just listen to the futuristic and political speeches at the Krabi Town.


Tourism industry development in Krabi province wants to emphasize on qualitative rather than quantitative tourism without environmental impacts, and to facilitate an efficient tourist transport network. Facilities and a sense of confidence with regards to safety are important too. Keep security high, and regulate transport services such as longtail-boats and taxis, and have them managed by qualified personnel to cater for tourism. Krabi main marine tourist attractions are the Phi Phi Islands, some world popular diving areas such as the Koh Lanta archipelago, the natural settings of Ao Nang Beach and surrounding area, the Railay peninsula and Talae Wah sandy straight. Furthermore, places of natural beauties such as the Hot springs and Emerald Pool in Klong Thom district continue to attract high numbers of visitors…


Krabi is the place of all-year-round stunning attractions, which include lush jungles and foggy hills home to a high number of extraordinary plants. There are numerous canals with waters as blue as an emerald, like at the Tha Pom site. Krabi also offers visits to an anemone fishery, to the Center of Study for the wildflower ‘Lady Slipper’, and an array of culinary places offering local food and fresh seafood for al tastes. During the period between May and October, the so called Green Season, the air is clean and fresh. Tourist numbers falls in this period and there is more opportunity for tourists to travel on a budget. Krabi in Green Season is definitely a haven for travelers without advanced reservation. It is a fact that many Thai people have never visited Krabi in their lives. I would like to invite them to visit just once and to fall in love with Krabi, the emerald province, your paradise on earth.

All this will increase the property and real estate business in the future. The economics in Krabi are booming and already a lot of land is for sale. More and more foreign investors believe in the economics of new projects in Krabi. Already some are settled and others are growing. Also a lot of particular people are buying a second residence and are already enjoying the charming environment of Krabi.
We believe in the great vision of a wonderful place named Krabi.

Read more!

Krabi - Perfect destination for holidayers

Krabi is a hub of white sandy beaches, coral reefs, mesmerizing Islands, and forests with caves and waterfalls. These astonishing attractions make you witness a different world which exists far away from a feverish atmosphere. Water sports like snorkeling and scuba diving can be enjoyed at its beaches. During night, the whole ambience changes and takes a glaring appearance. Furthermore, your stay is beautified by Krabi Hotels which offer elegant accommodations and modern services. Not only this, there style of hospitality also enamors the travelers.

Located on the west coast of Southern Thailand, Krabi is considered as one of the most favourable tourist destinations of the world. Krabi covers a 4708 sq km area and is blessed with the natural glory of white sandy beaches, coral reefs, mesmerizing Islands, and forests with caves and waterfalls. It makes you enter an exotic world which exists away from a noisy and hectic atmosphere. Taking out time from a busy schedule and spending precious moments with family at this amazing spot is definitely a great pleasure. Furthermore, your enjoyment is enhanced by Krabi Hotels which offer modern accommodations.

Amari Vogue Resort, Golden Beach Resort, Buri Tara Resort, Rawi Warin Resort Spa, and Sofitel Phokeethra are some of the leading hotels in Krabi. Budget travelers as well as visitors with great requirements can easily find an apposite hotel. Most of the hotels in Krabi are nested at beachfront locations. Also, they make available an entire set of amenities including restaurant, swimming pool, and Spa. Not only this, guests can also fully avail the services like laundry, parking, travel information, shuttle service, front desk, and many more.

Krabi offers various sightseeing places like Wat Tham Suea, Wat Sai Thai, Krabi Horticultural Centre, Hin Daeng, Tham Lot, Wat Khlong Thom Museum, Tham Chao Le, Tham Sadet, Koh Talu, Railay beach, Ao Nang beach, Koh Lanta Marine National Park, Fossil Shell beach, Koh Phi Phi Natural Park, Than Bokkharani National Park, Nopharat Thara Beach, and Shell Cemetery. These attractions portray the ongoing world of enchantment that never comes to a stand still.

Apart from this, Krabi beaches are very popular among adventurers for offering exciting activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, and many more. Not only this, trekking and hiking are also available there. For leisure, you can just relax in the stilling zone at beach while feeling the warmth of sun. Meanwhile, gladsome moments can be cherished with friends or family. Around the beaches, Spa facilities are also available where you can take cool Thai massage treatments.

Well, dining and shopping have their own fun at the beaches. Various stores selling antiques, gems, clothings, furniture, neilloware, Orchids, pewter ware, and silk items, are set there. While, restaurants, bars, cafes, and bistros are lit during dusk which makes the whole atmosphere dazzling. Sala Thai, Ko Tung, Last Fisherman Bar, Seafood street, Lo Spuntino, The Irish Rover Pub, Night Market, Gecko House, and Crazy Pub are some of the spots where a vibrant nightlife can be enjoyed.

Make a suitable hotel choice through AsiaRooms offering reservation of various Krabi Hotels at best prices.

Read more!