travels of discovery - July 14th, 2007

Thailand blocks youtube. Suvarnabhumi Bangkok Airport has a long ways to go to be an international airport it is difficult to find your way around and is grey and ugly. It is more like being in a big hanger. The administration should go to Singapore airport to see what a good airport is like.

Riding Rienk’s boat amongst the canals of Utrecht The Netherlands with Terrell Neuage and Narda Biemond 27 June 2007. Going through Maarssen, Loosdrecht, Breukelen, and ooscrechtse Holland.

NOTE: Thailand blocks youtube – to protect its citizens morals – this is wrong. Write them and tell them to get their act together.
Our days in Chiang Mai were far too short to see all that there is here. See our videos and photos at cambodia.ournews.mobi The highlight of our stay was the elephant ride. Chiang Mai was the capital of the kingdom of Lanna (the kingdom of a million fields), which enjoyed a golden age throughout the 15th century. During this age the powerful inland kingdom came to control most of what now constitutes northern Thailand, north-western Laos, the eastern Shan states of Burma and Xishuangbanna in southern Yunnan.

We stayed at the Suriwongse Hotel, 110 Changklan Road, which was a lovely old hotel and the people were very friendly. And we visited Bramrungburi, Moon Muang, Boon Reongrit, Chang Lor Rajmankia Road, Changklan Plaza, Mai Market, Muang Wat, Chedi Luang as well as Long Neck, Doi Inthanon, Goldne Triangle, Akha, Yao, Village, Kad Klang Wiang, Sirithqrn, Wachiratharn, Falls. Site by Terrell Neuage at Neuage.org

We rode a 15 year old elephant (just an adolescent) at the Maetamann Elephant Camp in Chiang Mai followed by the rafting down the Ping River. The old city of Chiang Mai with its fascinating indigenous cultural identity such as diverse dialects, cuisine, architecture, traditional values, festivals, handicrafts and classical dances is a prime location in its own right. In addition, the presence of hill tribes and their wealth of unique cultures enhance Chiang Mai's distinctive diversity. Chiang Mai literally means new city and has retained the name despite having celebrated its 700th anniversary in 1996. King Meng Rai founded the city as the capital of the Lanna (A Million Rice Fields) Kingdom on Thursday, 12th April 1296 during the same period of time as the establishment of the Sukhothai Kingdom. King Meng Rai the Great conferred with his friends, King Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai and King Ngam Muang of Phayao before choosing the site where the capital of the Lanna Kingdom was to be founded.
From then, Chiang Mai not only became the capital and cultural core of the Lanna Kingdom, it was also the centre of Buddhism in northern Thailand. King Meng Rai himself was very religious and founded many of the city's temples, which are still important today.
At the height of its power, the Lanna Kingdom extended its territory far into Burma and Laos, and southwards to Kamphaeng Phet a province above Sukhothai.
The Burmese conquered the Lanna Kingdom in 1556 ending the dynasty founded by King Meng Rai that lasted over 250 years. As Burma had occupied Chiang Mai for nearly 200 years, Burmese architectural influences are visible in many temples. At the end of the 18th century, King Taksin the Great regrouped the Thais in the south and finally drove the Burmese out with the help of King Kawila of Lampang thereby regaining Thai independence from Burma. Chiang Mai was then governed by a succession of princes who ruled the north as a Siamese protectorate under the Chakri dynasty. In the late 19th century, King Rama V appointed a high commissioner in Chiang Mai and it was only in 1939 that Chiang Mai finally came under the direct control of the central government in Bangkok the same time the country was renamed Thailand.
In the past, Chiang Mai was only accessible by river and elephants. More convenient access was achieved only when the railway line was completed in the late 1920's. Moreover, the first motor vehicle driven directly from Bangkok arrived in Chiang Mai in 1932. Such isolation was more favorable to Chiang Mai as it helped to nurture and preserve the unique Lanna culture.
When we look at Chiang Mai today, it is the economic, cultural and communications hub of northern Thailand complete with excellent infrastructure, good roads, by passes and road tunnels, and reliable communications infrastructure.