On Thai Time

How to Take Care of Bamboo

Bamboo is a beautiful exotic plant that has become a popular addition to many American landscapes. Indigenous to tropical areas in Asia, bamboo is a hardy plant that makes it easily adaptable to new environments. It is easy to keep bamboo either indoors or outdoors with very little maintenance...  read more »

Looking for an English Newspaper in Thailand?

With 21 English language newspapers in Thailand, there is a wide variety of news sourced from which to choose. The choices of English newspapers in Thailand range from those that focus on local news and culture, international news and business topics and even tabloids. Nearly all the English language newspapers cover travel, culture and entertainment as the travel industry is one of Thailand’s greatest sources of revenue...

Why is Thai curry so good?

I'm not sure why it took a backpacking trip through North and South Thailand to get me hooked on Thai food, but it certainly did the trick. My favorite food for the past decade continues to be Thai, and I'm especially partial to authentic Thai curries, in particular the Panang curry...  read more »

When to Grow Bamboo

While bamboo plants grow all year long, there are two main growth phases; below-ground, and above-ground. Depending on where you are planting your bamboo, these growth seasons will vary. Typically, from October through April (below-ground season), the plants form buds underground; and from May through September (above-ground season), the plants grow above-ground and develop shoots...  read more »

The world's oldest medicines

Although Opium is one of the world’s oldest medicines and has been used for over 5000 years as an effective pain killer, the opium trade has long been a profitable driver behind wars and uprisings, generating large profits for governments and merchants worldwide...  read more »

The triangle in the North

At the junction of Thailand, Burma and Laos we check out the Opium Museum before taking an optional fast-boat ride on the Mekong River. A night is spent in Chiang Rai before heading back to Chiang Mai and boarding an overnight train...  read more »

Rivers of Thailand

Thailand's rivers have played a major role in the country's cultural and economic development. In addition to being used for transport and commerce, festivals and ceremonies have evolved to celebrate their life-giving qualities...  read more »

Thai Elephant Ride

Elephants have been a talisman to Thailand for thousands of years, through war and peace. They are smaller than their African counterparts, and more suited to carrying cargo. The elephant represents wisdom, strength and victory, and its image was emblazoned on the nation’s flag, temples, and coins...  read more »

Rose of the North

Chiang Mai is a great old city to explore. We head up to the hilltop temple of Doi Suthep and out to the forest to ride elephants. Evenings are best spent in the colorful night bazaar and we have a full free day for city discovery, cooking school, bamboo rafting , traditional massage or relaxing by the river...  read more »