Nongkhai,

Nongkhai, Isan, Thailand

Perched high above the southern bank, residents of Nong Khai have a panoramic view of the Mekong River and Laos on the opposite shore. Opened 1994, the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge shifted the focus to Nong Khai and its potential as a gateway for overland trips to Laos. Trade too shifted from markets in the town centre to the vicinity near the bridge, just
outside of town. Vientiane, the capital of Laos, is just 25 km away. Nong Khai is 615 km from Bangkok and 56 km from Udon where there is an airport. Nong Khai is at the end of Highway 2 and the northern rail line of Isan. Ferries still ply the Mekong, although the bridge has taken over as the main conduit for trade and travel. The province is narrow and long with a 300 km border with Laos and the Mekong River in the north while it is just 50 km at its widest point.
Nongkhai Attractions:Luang Pho Phra Sai the main Buddha image of the province, is enshrined at Wat Pho Chai. It is believed to have been cast in the Lan Chang period. Every year on the fullmoon day of the seventh lunar month (June), the Bang Fai Festival is held to pay homage.
Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge The first bridge across the Khong River linking Nong Khai with Tha Na Laeng in Laos, 20 kilometers from Vientiane. The bridge measures 1.2 kms. long. Foreigners wishing to visit Laos are required to have a passport and visa and travel with an authorized agency only. Traveling on one's own is not allowed in Laos.
Prap Ho Monument in front of the city hall was erected in 1876 to commemorate the suppression of a rebellion by Ho Chinese tribesmen. It contains the remains of officials who lost their life in the conflict.

Chai Nat

Chai Nat, Central Thailand

Chai Nat, established during the Ayutthaya period, was an important town used several times as a base to confront the Burmese army. The Burmese were defeated every time, thus originating the name of Chai Nat (place of victory). Chai Nat occupies an area of 2,469 square kilometers and is administratively divided into six Amphoes : Muang, Hankha, Manorom, Sankhaburi, Sapphaya, and Wat Sing.
Chai Nat Attractions:
Wat ThanmamunThis monastery, located at the foot hill area of Thanmamun Hill on the bank of the Chao Phraya River, Tambon Thanmamun, Amphoe Muang Chai Nat, is eight kilometers from the township. It has been established since the Ayutthaya period. The main attraction is a standing Buddha in the attitude of peace named "Luang Pho Thammachak" which is highly respected by the people. There is an annual celebration fair.
Chai Nat Bird ParkThis is located 2 kilometers on the Asian Highway outside Chai Nat near Phlong Hill, Tambon Khao Tha Phra. The park is located on an area of 375 rai with huge bird cages, swimming pool, scenery hall, gardens, suspension bridge, and souvenir shops.

Chao Phraya DamIt is eight kilometers from Chai Nat township where the road branches off at Khung Bang Kabian, Tambon Bang Luang, Amphoe Sapphaya. It is a large dam having a total length of 238 meters and a height of 14 meters. It was completed in the year 1956.
Wat KarunaLocated near the Chao Phraya Dam, it house a revered Buddha image highly respected by Chai Nat inhabitants. The name of that image is Phra Phuttha Maha Sila or Luang Pho Hin Yai, This wat is regarded as the monastery of the dam.
Wat Phra Boromthat Chai NatThis monastery is accessible through the road branching off from the Chao Phraya Dam on the right to Amphoe Sankha Buri; by following the old road one can see it on the right hand side.
Chai Nat Muni National MuseumThis is located within the precincts of Wat Phra Borommathat. The museum puts on display several kinds of artifacts discovered within Chai Nat Province including Buddha images of different gestures. Thai and Chinese ceramics, as well as various types of votive tablets with an expectation that the museum will eventually become the votive tablet centre with most tablets in the country.
Straw Bird FairThis annual fair is organized by making good use of straw, a by-product in rice farming . Various species of huge straw birds will come perching on elaborately decorated floats during the straw bird procession slated for early February of each year. After the competition, all straw birds will be displayed in front of the Chai Nat City Hall. Local products and agricultural crops will also be available in the fair.

Chachoengsao

Chachoengsao, Central Thailand

Chachoengsao is located on the bank of Bang Pakong River, 24 kilometers upstream from the mouth. It is believed to be a new town established in the Ayutthaya period around the year 1549 during the reign of King Maha Chakkraphat for armed force recruitment purposes. Chachoengsao town was first found in the historical records during the reign of King Maha Thammaracha when Thailand was in a weak situation due to being defeted by the Burmese. Phraya Lawaek, a Khmer king, saw that it was his good opportunity to locate Thai people to be his work force. He, then, led his army by land and water transportation to forcefully take away a huge number of people from Chanthaburi, Rayong, Chachoengsao, and Nakhon Nayok.
Chachoengsao, or as commonly called "Paet Riu", is some 100 kilometers east of Bangkok occupying an area of 5.351 square kilometers. Its area is a low basin suitable for cultivation, especially rice, which is an economic crop providing the principal income to the province. Chachoengsao is administratively divided into nine Amphoes and two King Amphoes : Muang, Bang Khla, Bang Nam Prieo, Bang Pakong, Ban Pho, Phanom Sarakham, Sanam Chai Khet, Plaeng Yao, Ratchasan, King Amphoe Tha Takiap and King Amphoe Khlong Khuan.
Chachoengsao Attractions:
Wat Sothon Wararam WorawihanThis monastery houses Phra Phutthasothon or, as commonly called by the local folk, "Luang Pho Sothon". This is a very sacred Buddha image and is most revered by the people. The image in the attitude of meditation having a lap width of 165 centimeters and it is 198 centimeters in height. Wat Sothon is on the river bank in Amphoe Muang approximately 2 kilometers south of Sala Klang (the City Hall).
Legend says that there were three bronze cast Buddha images floating down from Prachin Buri and they appeared at Sampathuan Country of Chachoengsao. The villagers, after recognizing the situation, tied the three images with ropes and tried to pull them out of the water but they did not succeed. The three images continued floating downstream. The big one later appeared at Ban Laem of Samut Songkhram where the people of Ban Laem enshrined him at Wat Ban Laem.
The small one appeared and was enshrined at Wat Bang Phli of Samut Prakan. The medium sized one, Luang Pho Sothon, appeared in front of Wat Sothon. The people helped and put their efforts to pull it up from the water but they did not succeed the first time. Then a man having good mind power built up a small shrine for a ceremony paying homage to Phra Phuttha Sothon; they invited him and pulled him up to be enshrined at Wat Sothon successfully as can be currently seen. There are two annual fairs celebrating Luang Pho Sothon; one falls on the middle of the 12th lunar month and the other on the middle of the 5th lunar month.
Somdet Phra Si Nakharin ParkThis is located in front of the Chachoengsao City Hall with a total area of about 90 rai. The park is arranged like a local garden with a large swamp in the middle surrounded by various types of trees.
Bats at Wat Pho Bang KhlaWat Pho Bang Khla is located 17 km. along the Highway 304 (Chachoengsao - Kabin Buri route) with another 6 kilometers turn to Highway 3121 to Amphoe Bang Khla. Thousands of fruit eating bats, or flying foxes, hang crowdedly on several big trees within the monastery.
Khao Hin Son Development Study CenterIt is on Phanom Sarakham - Kabin Buri Road between Km. 51 and 52 near Tambon Khao Hin Son and Tambon Ko Khanun, Amphoe Phanom Sarakham, and occupies an area of 1,929 rai (about 770 acres). Khao Hin Son is a hill having white sandy rocks thickly dotting the landscape and is one of the beautiful places in Chachoengsao. Within the area of the center are Phra Bowon Shrine; King Phra Pin Klao Monument located in the botanical garden zone; fast growing tree garden zone; crop cultivation experimental plots; fishery and livestock demonstrations; occupational training at the Special Folk Arts and Crafts Center under H.M. the Queen's patronage. The royal idea of the present king originated the establishment of this Khao Hin Son Development Study Center

Krabi

Krabi , Southern Thailand

Krabi is located on the coastline of the Indian Ocean bordering on Amphoe Phra Saeng of Surat Thani and Tab Put of Phangnga to the north, Trang and Andaman Sea to the south, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Trang to theeast and Phangnga and Andaman Sea to the west. It occupies an area of 4,708 square kilometres, administratively divided into 7 Amphoes and 1 King Amphoe : Muang, Ao Luk, Khao Phanom, Khlong Thom, Ko Lanta, Plai Phraya, Lam Thap and King Amphoe Nua Khlong.

General geographic condition is mountains, hills, plains and more than 30 small islands off the coast. The still pristine jungles include white mangrove and mangrove forests. The soil is mostly sandy clay and rich loam, perfect for rubber, palm, cashew nut, coffee and coconut plantations.