Sightseeing in Bangkok

Wats or Temples
Wat Pho (Temple of The Sleeping Buddha)
or Wat Phra Chetuphon, the oldest and largest Temple in Bangkok, was built in the 16th century during the Ayutthaya period and then almost completely rebuilt in 1781 by King Rama I. It features the largest reclining Buddha and the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand and was the earliest centre for public education.

Location : South of Wat Phra Kaew, entrances on Chetuphon and Thiwong Roads
http://smiling-holiday.blogspot.com/2008/09/wat-pho.html

Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of The Emerald Buddha)
Wat Phra Kaew in the official name Wat Phra Si Rattanasatsadaram or The Temple of the Emerald Buddha, adjoins the Grand Palace on common ground, which was consecrated in 1782, the first year of Bangkok rule, The 945,000 square metre compound encompasses over 100 buildings that represent 200 years of royal history and architectural experimentation. Most of the architecture can be classified as Bangkok or Rattanakosin style.
Location : Within the Grand Palace compound on Naphralan Road near Sanam Luang
http://smiling-holiday.blogspot.com/2009/01/wonderful-palaces-and-temples.html
Wat Arun (Temple of The Dawn)
The Temple of Dawn or Wat Arun is named after the Indian god of dawn, Aruna. It appears in all the tourist brochures and is located on the Thon Buri side of the Chao Phraya River. King Tak Sin chose this 17th century Wat for his royal temple and palace as it was the first place in Thon Buri to catch the morning light. The Emerald Buddha was housed here, after it was recaptured from Laos, before being moved to Wat Phra Kaeo in 1785. Even without the sacred statue, Wat Arun continued to be much revered, and the King Rama II and Rama III reconstructed and enlarged it to its present height of 104 metres, Today, Wat Arun has a long, elongated, Khmer style, Prang, the tower, and four monor towers symbolising Mount Meru, the terrestrial representation of the thirty three beavens. the Prang are covered with pieces of porcelain, which Chinese boats coming to Bangkok used as ballast.
Location : To reach Wat Arun from Bangkok side, catch a cross river ferry from Tha Tien at Thai Wang Road.
http://smiling-holiday.blogspot.com/2008/07/wat-arun.html
Wat Traimit (Temple of The Golden Buddha)
Buddha image made of 75 per cent gold weighing 5.5 tons and stading 3.5 metres high. The image of the Golden Buddha is believed to have been found by accident inside a larger statue. People believe the image was covered with plaster when the Burmese were attacking Ayutthya in the 18th century. Inside the hall of the Golden Buddha, evidences that led to the discovery of the image in 1954 are exhibited. The Golden Buddha is one of the most Famous Buddha images in the World.
Location : Traimitr Road, near Hual Lampong Railway Station
Wat Saket and Golden Mountain
Wat Saket is an undistinguished temple except for the Golden Mountain or Phu Khao Thong, on the West side of the grounds. The steep climb up the Golden Mountain puts everything back in perspective and offers views over Rattanakosin Island that are simply stunning. The artificial hill was created when a large Chedi under construction by King Rama III collapsed because the soft soil beneath would not support it. the resulting mud and brick hill was left to sprout weeds until King Rama IV built a small Chedi on its crest. King Ramai V later added to the structure and housed a Buddha relic from India in the Chedi. The concrete walls were adds during World War II to prevent the hill from eroding. Every November a large festival, held on the ground of Wat Saket, includes a candlelight procession up to the Golden Mountain.
Location : Intersection of Rajadamnoen Avenue and Klong Banglampoo
http://smiling-holiday.blogspot.com/2009/01/wonderful-palaces-and-temples.html
Erawan Shrine
San Phra Phrom or Erawan shrine is one of the most visited sites in Bangkok. The beautiful golden shrine, laden with garlands of sweet scented jasmine, marigold and roses. The golden shrine is of Lord Brahma and is always filled with the strains of Thai music. Thai classical dances perform around the asrine for a small fee, offering prayers to make merit for wishes granted by the deity to his devotees.
Location : Corner Rama I and Rajdamri Road
http://smiling-holiday.blogspot.com/2009/03/erawan-shrine-ratchaprasong.html
credit : Bangkok Metropolitan Administration

Thailand Temperature

Thailand Temperature
City : Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hatyai

June Temperature
Bangkok : 24 - 33 C / 75.2 - 91.4 F

Chiangmai : 23 - 32 C / 73.4 - 89.6 F

Hatyai : 24 - 33 C / 75.2 - 91.4 F

Phu Kum Khao Dinosaur Fossils

Phu Kum Khao Dinosaur Fossils

Land of the dinosaur fossils is a source of dinosaur fossils of the Sauropod family that were the largest in Thailand

Phu Khum Khao a samll hill in Sahataskhan District, 29 kilometers north of Kalasin Province. Over 800 Skeletal elements have been found there, at least seven individual from two general of Sauropod dinosaurs. The Sauropod dinosaurs died about 130 million years ago.

Phu Khum Khao dinosaur excavation site has yielded the most completed fossil Skeleton of plant eating dinosaurs found to date in Thailand. It has been name Phuwianggosaurus Sirindhornae.
Sirinthorn Museum (Dinosaur Fossils Museum Phu Khum Khao) is the largest and most modern dinosaur fossils in Southeast Asia. The museum is establishing for the study and research, preserving the fossils as references and geological tourism. The Museum has 3 parts : The Dinosaur Fossils site museum, The Fossil Storage and Research Building, and The permanent Museum Building.

The Exhibition Area has 8 zones
1. The Universe and the Earth
2. Life begins on Earth
3. Paleozoic, The Era of Ancient Life
4. Mesozoic, The Era of the Reptiles and Dinosaurs
5. Life of Dinosaurs
6. Restoring Life of Dinosaurs
7. Cenozoic, The Era of mammals
8. The Story of Man

The museum is approximately 27 kms. north of Kalasin Province.
Open hours : 08.30 to 05.00 pm. everyday. Tel. (043) 871014 Free of Charge.

Bangkok Royal Orchid Paradise 2009

3rd. Bangkok Royal Orchid Paradise 2009
during May 5-10, 2009
at Siam Paragon, Bangkok
displayed the amazing Beauty, grace and additinally
the tremendous diversity of orchids for all people, locals and foreigners
to behold and enjoy. Besides the exhibitions and competition of orchids,
the Horticultural Science Society of Thailand, the main organizer of this event.

Prof. Rapee Sagarik (1922-Present), who has extreme expertise on taxonomy, culture and breeding of orchids. He has written many books on orchid cultivation and in 1957 founded the Orchid Society of Thailand under the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King. Orchid cultivation progressed rapidly into what it is today. Additionally, Prof. Rapee became an ardent public relations person who continually promoted the beauty, value and diversity of Thai orchids to the international botanical community.

Soon Thai orchids became popular and cultivation increased tremendously. It became an industry where propagation was through tissue culture and continual breeding created many new cultivars. Export of orchid plants and cut flowers today total more than 3,000 million annually.

The following are popular genera and species of Thai orchid hybrids fancied by amateurs and commercial growers, as well as for competition.

1. Vanda : The most familiar orchids at competitions or in the markets are the ones with bushy inflorescence with large showy flowers of 8-13 cm in size. They are hybrids form wild species such as Vanda sanderiana, Vanda coerulea, Vanda dearei, Vanda tricolor and many others, producting hybrids with blue, mauve, pink, red, brown and yellow flowers. Hybrids not only vary in color from their parents but also in size. Fragrance also emerges such as the corss between Vanda tessellata and V.denisoniana and is in much demand.

2. Ascocenda : Flowers are small to medium in size but some hybrids have flowers as large as the Vanda hybrids . These are intergeneric hybrids such as between Vanda x Ascocentrum. The resultant Ascocenda is easier to raise and produce profuse flowers, how much is dependent upon their parents.

Mokara and Aranda : These two genera are new, created by the following crossings : Arachnis x Vanda x Ascocentrum = Mokara, and Arachnis x Vanda Aranda. They are excellent for producing cut flowers.

4. Rhynchostylis and intergeneric hybrids : These are straight forward Rhynchostylis which flowers only during November to January and popularly traded domestically. There are also new hybrid genera derived from Rhynchostylis such as Vandachostylis (Vanda x Rhynchostylis), Vandacostylis (Vanda x Ascocentrum x Rhynchostylis), Rhynchocentrum (Rhynchostylis x Ascocentrum), Rhynchorides (Rhynchostylis x Aerides) and many other new genera.

5. Cattleya and relatives : This genus has become popular since 1916 when the first book on raising Cattleya written by HRH Nakhonsawan Worapinit was published. This genus produces both flowers for cutting as well as flowers for display on the plant. The beautiful flowers can be large, medium, small or even in clusters of multiple flowers.

6. Paphiopedilum : These are native orchids that have been selected phenotypically. Some ar interspecific hybrids. Then again there are very attractive hybrids imported for competition.

7. Onchidium and relatives : This group of orchids has delicate leaves and thus is suitable for producing cut flowers, mainly for export. The domestic market is concentrated at Pak Klong Talat, a large wholesale flower market. The flowers are yellow, thus are of Buddhist significance. They are small flowers, mainly is the dwarf type; the other type is smaller and has thick leaves which awaits further development.

8. Cymbidium : Sander's list indicates that there are 12,188 hybrids originating form Cymbidium insigne, a native orchid found at Doi Phu Luang of Loei Province. These hybrids are raised for cut flowers outside Thailand.

9. Phalaenopsis : This genus of orchids is still high priced especially if the plant is flowering. a large flowering plant set in a ceramic pot will cost anywhere from Baht 500-1,500. Hence, it is purchased as a gift on special occasions. It grows well at a lower temperature.

10. Dendrobium : This is a genus that has brought fame and money to Thailand. Annual export of flowers in this genus is in the billions of baht. Hybrids traded domestically produce diverse colors and at a low price. They are popular flowering orchids and can be seen growing in many homes.

credit : Amazing Thai Orchids, Horticultural Science Society of Thailand

7 Royal Orchids Stamp

Issue : 5 June, 2009

Purpose : To promote stamp collecting activities

Designer : Miss Mayuree Narknisorn (Thailand Post Co., Ltd.)

Printer : Thai British Security Printing PLC.

Design 1 : Cattleya Queen Sirikit

Design 2 : Paphiopedilum Princess Sangwan

Design 3 : Sirinhornia pulehella

Design 4 : Phalaenopsis Princess Chulabhorn

Design 5 : Dendrobium 'Pink Nagarindra'

Design 6 : Ascocenda Sukontharat

Design 7 : Dendrobium 'Soamsawali'

1. Cattleya Queen Sirikit is an Orchid from Black and Flory Co., Ltd. of the United Kingdom and was registered under the name of "Exquisite" and won an Award of Merit from the U.K. Royal Horticultural Society. The Company was granted a royal permission to name this beautiful orchid after Queen Sirikit of Thailand.

Flowers : single white flower or clusters of 1-4 flowers per stem with oval triangular shape sepals and 5 petals being fringed on the edges. In the middle of each inner petal is a golden patch. This orchid produces flowers all year round and has a slight fragrant.

2. Paphiopedilum Princess Sangwan was produced by the Mae Fah Luang Foundation's Doi Tung Development Project in Chiang Rai, 6 cm long, single flowered inflorescence on 10cm peduncle, white with maroon streaks or dark maroon.

3. Sinrindhornia pulchella is a terrestrial orchid, with a pink to whitish pink color, greenish pink broadly orbicular wings, lip sparse with red and reddish pink colour, apical part expands to 3 shallow lobes, 10-11 mm, large spur funel form and slightly curved pollinia.

4. Phalaenopsis Princess Chulabhorn is a new species of orchid named after HRH Princess Chulabhorn, Thailand's foremost scientist Princess, following a request from the government of Sri Lanka.

Flowers : large, broadly orbicular, similar in shape to most large Phalaenopsis flowers. Two sepals : the white, oval and elongated loer sepal is has line crimson specks between the middle and the base while the long, oval upper sepal and petal and the two large, rounded wings are white with charming pale pink color that become fainter toward the white edges.

5. Dendrobium 'Pink Nagarinda' is the name bestowed upon this species of orchid by HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, Krom Luang Narathiwas Ratchanagarindra. It is a hybrid orchid of Dendrobium Blushing and Dendrobium 'Arica', produced by Mr. Suang Khumwichian (Air Orchids Company). This orchid has a semi circular flowers of old rose color, reddish pink lips, and pale silver specks on the petals that glisten in the light. during winter the entire flowers will turn deep old rose in color.

6. Ascocenda Sukontharat is the name of this orchid, bestowed by HRH the Crown Prince, to be named after Phra Chao Worawong Ther Phra Ong Chao Srirat, the Princess Consort. the word 'Sukontharat' means tantalizing fragrance.

Flowers : orange yellow petal tips, all day long mild fragrant that gets stronger in the morning, flower throughout the year.

7. Dendrobium 'Soamsawali' is the name that Phra Chao Worawong Ther Phra Ong Chao Soamsawali granted on this orchid, has a hanging pale lavender colored inflorescences have faint white streaks on the petals and white peduncle. The lavender colored floers are generally darker when they start to bloom but will become lighter when in full bloom.

credit : This Stamp Bulletin Vol. 2009 Issue 3