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Celebrate Songkran!

Guide to Songkran, the Thai New Year Festival

More about Thailand's Festivals

Thailand Travel Spotlight10

Renter Beware

Thursday April 21, 2011

I just came across this story in the Phuket Gazette about a tourist who had to pay $6,000 in damages to a jet ski. Though the amount the tourist ended up paying for the damages is extraordinary, the thing is, it's not that uncommon for jet ski renters to be on the hook for any damages to the equipment they rent. And as for the fact that one of the renters suffered a broken leg, unfortunately that's not that uncommon either.

So, what should you do when you're visiting Thailand? Probably better to skip the jet ski experience all together. Jet skis are a lot of fun, but when you rent from one of the small operations on the beach, you never know what's going to happen. In fact, on a recent trip to Phuket, I noticed that hotel management had put a note in our room advising guests not to rent jet skis from the beach because of the risks.  Read more about the dangers of renting jet skis in Thailand.

It's Full Moon Time

Monday April 18, 2011

Last night's full moon here in Bangkok was amazing and whenever there's a full moon, there's a big party going on on the popular island of Koh Pha Ngan. Wondering what a Full Moon Party is? Basically, it's an all-night beach rave. So, it's not really for everyone. But luckily for those of you who aren't up for drinking booze out of buckets and dancing in the sand at 4 a.m., the island has a lot more to offer than just that. Check out Koh Pha Ngan's beaches.

And if you're wondering how you pronounce Koh Pha Ngan, I'll give you a hint -- grade school phonics will do you wrong here. Seriously though, here's a quick tip on pronouncing certain Thai words.

Happy New Year!

Monday April 11, 2011

Or, as we say in Thailand -- sawatdee pi mai!

Songkran starts on Wednesday and lasts till Friday but people have already started getting into holiday mode, sort of like the week between Christmas and the New Year back home, when everything just slows down and everyone is thinking about celebrations and family instead of work and errands. Traffic has been very light and shops and some stores are slowing down, too. A friend was in town visiting this weekend and wanted to get some shirts made at our favorite Bangkok tailor on Saturday. The tailor was closed though, and his staff won't be back to work for another week.  Smart move, as expensive fabrics and water fights don't really go hand in hand.

If you're here in Bangkok doing sightseeing and running around the city, this is actually an excellent time to be here, since there are fewer crowds. But watch out, because in a couple of days it's going to get pretty wild and... wet! What if you don't like water fights? Well, you're out of luck. There's just no avoiding Songkran in Thailand.


More Crazy Weather in Thailand

Thursday March 31, 2011

It's been exceptionally mild in Bangkok for the past few days but the big weather news is what's been going on south of the capital, where severe flooding and landslides are not only putting a damper on vacations but also taking lives and causing significant physical damage.

If you are here on vacation, though, be advised that Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and Koh Samui have all been hit with torrential rains, causing electricity and water outages. Samui's airport just resumed flights today after shutting down because of flooding. And yesterday the Royal Thai Navy had to evacuate tourists from Koh Tao to the mainland. There is still a flood warning in place for the following provinces -- Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Phang Nga, Krabi, Trang and Satun. The Thai Meteorological Department is also warning of rough water and high waves on the Andaman Coast (where Phuket and Krabi are) and the Gulf of Siam (where Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan are). Not a pretty situation, but it seems like the rains are letting up at least.

One of the reasons the weather has taken everyone by surprise is that it's not rainy season! In fact, March is supposed to be one of Samui's driest months.

More about Thailand's seasons.

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