Why visit Koh Phangan?

by Clint Jhonson
One of the most exotic holiday destinations in the world is Thailand. Every year, many people choose this little corner of paradise to spend their vacation as they enjoy the climate, the Thai culture and the multitude of activities.

Koh Phangan is the third largest island of Thailand and is by far the best in terms of holiday destinations. This place provides plenty of opportunities, being ready to suit all the preferences and demands of the avalanche of tourists. The extraordinary parties bring a lot of glamour to the island but there are also remote beaches and the unparalleled cultural experience.

There are practically hundreds of possibilities when it comes to the beautiful island of Koh Phangan. People visit it hoping to unwind and have a taste of another world. They choose accommodation for either long or short term, going to the Internet in order to find the information needed.

The technology of the Internet proved out to be very useful for many tourists looking for special holiday destinations. People were able to find and book in advance proper accommodation, not to mention discovering interesting details about this natural paradise island, with offered facilities and included activities.

Today, Koh Phangan is a popular destination and people from every corner of the world visit it. They prefer to use the Internet in order to learn all about the island and the recommended accommodation. Specialized online resources show that renting a vacation home can be much less stressful than a hotel and also cost-effective.

Some of the properties mentioned online can also be bought and there are some incredible offers through the Internet. After all, who wouldn't want to own a little house, next to the beach? The truth is that this island is something quite amazing and many people are looking for accomodation. There are various types of properties, including bungalows and houses. Popular choices are the ones very close to the beach and the prices may vary depending on the location.

The tropical island of Koh Phangan is presented online as a perfect destination for interested tourists. They are able to detach, enjoy the crystal clear seas and the sandy white beaches. There are enough things to do including diving, archery and fishing. For even more captivating possibilities, the Internet presents the spa treatments, meditation and yoga plus natural healing therapies.

The large number of resorts Koh Phangan has to offer is incredible. All of them are ready to cater to the tourists, coming from all sides of the globe. They have bungalows and luxurious accommodation, widely presented online with the help of specialized resources. This destination attracts heaps of tourists yearly and it can provide one with long-lasting memories.

It is amazing how can the quiet and frenzy can blend so perfectly here. On one part, there are the non-stop parties drawing people with their unique music, dancing and party style. Still, as this island has so much to offer, there is also the quiet side, offering the great advantage of a secluded resort with long walks, relaxation therapy and various other possibilities.

The accommodation presented online for Koh Phangan include fully equipped houses and bungalows. There are different types of properties, situated close to the beach or in the mountainous area. They can suit every budget, providing one with increased comfort and personal space. Many people prefer this option because of the affordability but also because of the other advantages.

Koh Phangan is definitely a holiday destination that deserves all the proper attention and it is a great thing that the Internet presents accurate information on the subject. Take some time and do a proper research before choosing the accommodation suitable for you. Relax today with your own tropical vacation.

www.phanganisland.com

Amazing Bangkok - The Capital Of Thailand

by Pauline Go
Bangkok is the largest and most populated city in Thailand. It is also the capital of Thailand. It used to be known as Krung Thep in Thai. Bangkok is situated on the east bank of the river Chao Phraya.

The original name Krung Thep has been in use for more than two century. The name Bangkok is used for foreigners and visitors and is only restricted to a particular district of the city.

There are three royal palaces in Bangkok. There are many historical places around and in the city. It was the capital for two kingdoms, namely Krung Thep and, for a short while, Thorn Buri. The reclining Buddha, temple of the huge Golden Buddha, historical sculptures are situated along the banks of the river Chao Phraya.

Bangkok has always attracted tourists, and this is the reason a lot of foreigners are found to have settled in this beautiful city. Many of them have found jobs and then there are others you have started their own businesses to earn a livelihood. There are still others who have come from expensive western countries to spend out their retirement living a cheap, easy and comfortable life in this hospitable city.

The nightlife offers variety of entertainment for the people and is considered to be one of the key attractions of Bangkok. There are clubs and cafes for the wealthy, bars and pubs for those on a budget. A street in the Phra Nakhon district, known as Khao San Road, is considered to be the first international street where all kind of people from various part of the world can be seen.

Earlier Bangkok used to have a network of canals known as khlongs and these were used by people to transport them from one place to another. Now most canals have been converted into roads. However, there are still a few canals which can be seen but unfortunately most of them are not clean.

thailandbuddy.com

Learning Thai -- The Language of Crows

by Douglas Anderson
This morning, at dawn, I listened to the morning news delivered by a large, black crow in the tree next to my bedroom window. This crow has a very large vocabulary, and its language is tonal, like Thai. Although crows can make only one sound, which in English we transcribe as "caw", in fact it uses the same five tones as Thai.

The morning news lasted about ten minutes, with frequent pauses, which I took to be the pause between sentences or paragraphs. This crow used repetition and tones to create different words. Unlike Thai, which only duplicates a word to indicate a generic plural, the crow would issue as many as five identical caws quickly, then pause slightly. I took the five caws to be one word or phrase.

Thai uses five tones: low, middle, high, rising, and falling. The crow used the same tones. There was clearly a "caw?" and a "caw!", which were quite distinct from the other three caws: low caw, middle caw, and high caw.

As far as I could tell, the crow did not repeat itself during the ten minute news announcement. I could not hear any answering crow, so I took this as general broadcast news, as opposed to "hey, I'm looking for a mate!".

In Thailand, 20 years ago, I lived at JB Mansion on Phaholyothin Road, Soi 3. I often went into the pool, but I had to wait until sunset, as I have fair skin and burn easily. There was a large bird, perhaps a parrot or toucan, in a cage that was obviously too small, on the balcony of the apartment building next door.

All day, this bird sent out a single whistle, which I took to mean, "Is anyone there?"

One day, I repeated the whistle back to him. It was easy to reproduce and I did it accurately.

The bird immediately perked up, shifted around on its perch, sat up straight, turned its head around in both directions, and issued a different whistle which I had never heard before.

I duplicated that whistle, and the bird looked confused. It tilted its head, shifted around, then issued the second whistle again.

I repeated it.

The bird settled down, and went back to issuing the first whistle.

So what happened here?

Clearly, if the first whistle meant "Is anyone there?", the second whistle meant "I am here, who are you?" and it should have been followed by a third whistle, which I did not know.

This is similar to the "discovery protocol" used in computer communications, for example with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices. An initial signal, called "Attention" in computer-speak, is followed by an "Acknowledgement", and then a "Begin Transmission". This is also termed a "handshake".

When communicating with the parrot, the handshake failed as I did not provide the correct third whistle, and the bird realized that I was not another parrot.

Getting back to the crow, it did not do what the parrot did, that is, issue a single sound repeatedly. It was clearly speaking different sentences for a long period of time, ten minutes, without repeating itself, as far as I could tell.

In Australia, some crows in the Northern Territory have figured out how to eat cane toads, which have two poisonous sacs behind the head. Normally, anything that eats a cane toad dies. Because of this, cane toads have spread southwards and have now reached Sydney. But the crows near Darwin have figured out that if they flip the toad onto its back, they can eat the cane toad by going through the stomach.

Amazing birds, crows. I never realized before today that they spoke a version of Thai. I wrote Speak Easy Thai to help people learn Thai; maybe I should write a Speak Easy Crow.

thai-culture-publishing.com