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Published: February 13th 2023
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I was eastward-bound, so to speak, but in the case of this stay in the kindgdom of Thailand, I was hopping from one SE Asian nation to the next, almost like a ball in a squash court, confined to one area, but darting from one place to the next all the same. The first port of call in Thailand was the northern (former) hillside town of Chiang Rai, and discovering what it was that makes this city what it is. As regards the city itself, it came across as cultural, possessing features which you might well associate with the rest of Thailand, albeit in a fairly conservative format. An older less elaborate-looking clocktower had been replaced with a newer far more elaborate-looking clocktower, and it appears that the residents of Chiang Rai had made something of a concerted effort to add splashes of colour and exoticism to the features which constituted the urban fabric. Bursts of activity abounded at the central indoor market, and though this city is not huge on the Thai tourist circuit, areas of exotic interest such as the Blue Temple ensured that photo opportunities were there to be exploited. The city's real start turn, however, lies a
few miles out of the centre, and the majestic beauty which is the White Temple, constructed in 1997, is just about as detailed and dream-like as you could possibly imagine, every last detail feeling like it was an integral part of the masterpiece of relatively modern invention. Further afield lies the Black museum, the long neck village (featuring original settlers from Myanmar), a tea plantation and the Golden Triangle area, which documents the area's past association with opium in a fascinating museum. Substitute just one letter from its name, head further south, and we're in Chiang Mai, a long-established tourist hotspot for all the right reasons, where exoticism and atmosphere abound to create northern Thailand's biggest draw card. The beauty of the city is that the main cluster of tourist attractions exist within a square plot of land easily negotiated on foot, each one adding depth and meaning to the whole picture the more you explore. For positive proof of the arresting beauty of these attractions, you need look no further than the silver temple, a jewel in what already looks and feels like a jewel-encrusted crown, and although Thai temples are abundant here, the urban fabric which sews it
all together is far from ordinary. Two night markets which take place on two successive nights of the weekend seem to stretch a fair distance, but the whole aura surrounding them is the fabric which all night markets (perhaps bar those in Taiwan!) might well want to take their inspiration from. If a day trip is desired, then trekking at the Doi Inthanon national park will provide a fair few views and experiences rolled into one neat day-trip package, with waterfalls, gardens and a tea room being part of the eclectic itinerary. If Thailand has a sin city, then it is quite possibly the beach resort of Pattaya, which is around a 90-minute drive from Bangkok is a southeasterly direction. Pattaya might well be infamous for having the sleazy bar culture to end all others, but there are also vestiges of Thai culture which are enough of a reminder that this is not an entirely atypical area of Thailand. To gain a snapshot of Thailand in miniature, then a trip to Mini Siam might just provide that, along with a fair few other world landmarks which collectively function as a 'world in miniature' theme park, of sorts. In Pattaya, it
appears, anything goes, and beach culture nestles alongside mall culture, of which the internationally-themed Junction 21 mall seems to be the city's bona fide hotspot, replete with to-scale jet plane on display immediately outside. If it is a day trip you desire, then an excursion to the outlying island of Koh Larn might just satisfy your beach desires, though be aware of the fact that the area surrounding Pattaya is very much a lower-ranking snorkelling / diving zone where marine life is far superior elsewhere. Bangkok, the Thai capital, is the epitome of a city which generally speaking, keeps on re-inventing itself, despite former Bangkok institutions still holding strong. The city abounds in tourist options, and sightseeing, dining, hotel and shopping options here are so numerous and plentiful that you will benefit from researching a wide range of options before settling on the kind of tourist itinerary which is best tailored to your own personal tastes. Each district of Bangkok has a kind of character which sets it apart from others, and the combination of skytrain, MRT metro network along with Thai tuktuks and regular taxis will ensure that reaching almost any place of interest will be just a case of plotting a course and allowing the spirit of this highly urbanized city to guide you along. There is a reason why tourists pay countless return visits to Thailand, and although the reasons are multifold, it seems that it is firmly within Thai spirit to create and construct in as many colourfully exotic ways as possible. 17 nights here had elapsed before I was even aware of it, and that, I suspect, is a sure sign of being constantly captivated by the 'sensory assault' effect of being in a nation with an emphasis on attention to detail and exotic Asian quirks which are designed to leave a lasting impression on those who appreciate these abundant touches of character.
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