Thai Society/Culture
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Ascetic
Taken at a Buddha sculpture workshop along the highway to Khon Kaen. This sculpture has a real… presence.
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Oh my gac!
This majestic fruit is perhaps my favorite in the entire kingdom of Thailand: Not just because it’s reminiscent of a freshly-used morning star worthy of Chuck Norris, Jack Bauer, or even Double Hanuman. Not only because it’s rare in most of Thailand, and normally eaten while still pale yellow, making perfectly ripe bright red ones basically unavailable at nearby markets. And not just because it’s filled with by far the highest content of beta-carotene (vitamin A) of any known fruit or vegetable and up to 70 times the amount of lycopene found in tomatoes. In fact, the main reason I love this obscure fruit is its Thai name: It…
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Unknown Thai Melon
Pictured above from the upper left: An unknown Thai melon, a katon (aka kraton, kraton priya, krathon wild mangosteen, santol, or sandorica. Scientific names: Sandoricum koetjape, Sandoricum indicum, Sandoricum nervosum or Melia koetjape. Family Meliaceae, Order Sapindales. Source.) somebody at work gave me, and an unknown species of banana that were selling for 20 baht/bunch at a local market. The bananas were good but not exceptional, the katon got spoiled before I could eat it (I never seem to get sweet ones; people around here tend to eat it in a savory/spicy fruit salad), and I did what we do with all unknown melons* – tried a bit to see if it was a sweet variety.…
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Loving Puto
Would that be pinche puto, or Filipino steamed bun?
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An Oasis of Serious in the Land of Smiles
There was a huge meeting for the UDD today at the main hall of our university. A pal suggested we check it out, and we did just before lunch. We made it inside the auditorium and back out again just fine, but it felt like walking through the wrong part of town, you know? People were STARING at us big time. Felt like John McClane walking through Harlem or something.
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My new favorite Thai band
Actually, I never had one before. This is Jui Juis:
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Thailand ends here
Thar lies Laos.
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Best rice snack ever
Stacks and stacks of it. Porn is a common nickname in Thailand.
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Crispy durian for lunch
Crispy as in slightly unripe. It was delicious.
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A Visit to Baan Tha Klang Elephant Village
On December 31st of last year, we went to visit Max and Mina’s great grandmother in Surin. This is the second year we have stopped on the way at Baan Tha Klang Elephant Village on the way. This is the affordable elephant village in Thailand for mainly Thais, as compared to the overpriced one for foreigners in Chiangmai. Prices for everything are much cheaper here, especially for high ticket items like elephant rides and elephant paintings. Also, the experience here is raw – you are closer to the animals and may even get into slightly dangerous situations (if being molested or trampled on by an elephant could be described as such).…
