Queen Sirikit birthday’s in Thailand
August 12th 2012, it’s
holiday for the birthday of Queen Sirikit, wife of
Mother's day is also celebrated on
that day in
A daily Buddha
Sitting, standing, walking... are often
seen in the temples in
On the other hand, when a temple
organized a ceremony to bring prosperity, good luck and protection to his
followers, a ninth Buddha representation, whose the posture varies, is added to
the usual 8, because 9 is the luckiest number in
What Buddha honor, if you were born a...
Sunday: Pang Thawai Net, the Buddha
who observes (pang means posture). According to legend, the Buddha, during one
of his meditations, intensely set the sacred bodhi tree under which he reached
enlightenment. He stayed 7 days in this position.
Monday: Pang Ham Yat, the Buddha
guarantor of peace. The right hand raised to chest height marks the desire to
prevent a family conflict about sharing water resources.
Tuesday: Pang Sai Yat, the position
of the reclining Buddha, on the eve of his death.
Wednesday (day): Pang Um Bat, the
Buddha holding an alms bowl, represents the first time where the Buddha helped
the Kapilavatsu villagers, his native city, to make their donations.
Wednesday (after midnight and before
dawn): Pang Pa Lelai, the Buddha with the elephant and the monkey. While the
Buddha, disturbed by the quarrels of his disciples, was isolated in the forest,
the King of the elephants came clean his seat and picking up him fruits.
Thursday: Pang Samathi, the sitting
cross-legged Buddha, in the meditation position, during his enlightenment.
Friday: Pang Ram Phueng, the
circumspect Buddha. Filled with hesitation before the difficulty of communicating
his teaching to the world, both hands are crossed on the chest.
Saturday: Pang Nak Prok the Buddha to
the naga. While the Buddha attained nirvana, it rained for 7 days during one of
his meditations. The naga, 7 headed serpent, stretches his body to protect him
from the rain and wind.
Krabi
airport opens its second terminal
Krabi airport
has completed the construction of its second terminal in April 2012. Air
A new
uniform for Bangkok Airways
Bangkok Airways recently organized a
"Flash Mob" before the check-in counter at Suvarnabhumi airport to
launch the new uniforms for the operational personnel and introduce its new
in-flight safety video. The new uniforms were created by Khun Polpat
Asavaprapha (ASAVA mark), one of the best Thai designers, and presented at
See
the Flash Mob video:www.YouTube.com/watch?v=1ru_XbBbxg4
Or Tor Kor
Market, 4th best market of products in the world
The Bangkok Or Tor Kor market,
one of the largest in
Among a wide
range of high-quality agricultural products there are meat, eggs, fruits and
vegetables, and processed foods like curry paste and salted fish, delicate Thai
dishes ready to eat as the breast of fried pork, bread of Pandan with the cream
and Thai curries, and local or imported organic products. Or Tor Kor Market
operates as a distribution chain under the aegis of the Agriculture Ministry
and Cooperatives to allow Thai farmers to sell their products.
It’s a great way for visitors
to discover the major role of the market in the daily life of Thais who have a
close relationship with the agricultural heritage of the Kingdom.
Amazing
15 000 providers (stores, retail shops, off taxes boutiques, hotels,
airlines, jewelry stores, spas, golf courses, restaurants, travel agencies and
hospitals) in 7 cities (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Koh Samui, Hat
Yai and Phuket) participate in the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2012 which runs
until August 15th.
The 14th edition
of the famous clearance sale highlights Thai OTOP products and certain Thai
clothes brands distributed at the MBK and Platinum Mall. Tourists will have
more pleasure to do their shopping following Thai way in pedestrian streets of
each major city and discover new shopping destinations as "TERMINAL
21" on Sukhumvit Road, the first Mall designed as an airport,
"ROBINSON Rama 9" in the new complex "Central Plaza Grand Rama
9" in more than six floors, "MEGABANGNA" on Bangna - Trad Road,
just 15 minutes from the Suvarnabhumi international airport, which has the
"Everything under one roof" concept. Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2012
not only offer to foreign visitors discounts until 80% but also the opportunity
to win a stay "30 Miracle Day in Thailand" (return ticket in 1st
class, transfers, accommodation in luxury hotels, guide, excursions and
experience of the Thai living art).
For hope to win
this fabulous trip, foreign tourists must keep the numbered coupons which are
given during the purchases at participating traders and service providers. Each
500 THB spent in cash give right to 1 coupon and paid with a Visa card give to 2
coupons.
The
winning coupon will be drawn lots on September 20th 2012 at the Asia
Airport Hotel and the names of the lucky winners will be published on October 10th
on the site:www.tourismthailand.org/thailandgrandsale
Nat Pwe festival to Taungbyon (Mandalay
From August 25th to
September 1st 2012, the
Shwe Kyun Pin Nats festival to Mingun
The Nat regional festival
takes place from August 19th to 22nd 2012 to Mingun. Mingun
is located 11 Kms north of
Taung Byone festival
near Mandalay
This Festival lasts five days, from
August 27th to September 01st, with many different
activities. Taungbyone is a village located approximately
The festival revolves around the
temple containing the articles of the brothers Shwe Phyin Gyi and Shwe Phyin
Nge (or Min Gyi U and U Min Galay) who were executed in revenge by Anawrahta King
as they have failed to meet their duties to bring each a brick to build
religious structure "Pagoda of wishes" (Hsu Taung Pyae) in the
village of Taungbyone. As the brothers died violently, they can’t rest in
peace, and they have become spirits (Nats). When Ananwrahta was preparing to
leave Taungbyone, Shwe Hpyin Gyi and Shwe Hpyin Ngwe spirits appeared him and
asked him to do something in compensation for their death. The pagoda still
exists at Taungbyone today, complete with space for two missing bricks that the
brothers have failed to.
The mood in the streets during this
festival is joyous and festive.
All ages meet to
do Nat dances. The festivities take place the evening around campfire.
Kakaborazi
national park
Experience
the wildlife of the Park National Kakaborazi. This Park is that of all
superlatives, being the largest, highest and the most northerly National Park
in
Ho Khao Padap Din (dead day) in Laos
and the Boat Racing Festival in Luang Prabang
From August 25TH to 26TH
2012, it’s the feast of the dead. Each year, this Buddhist festival pays
tribute to the missing minds. Ho Khao Padapdine means
"make packets of rice and deposit them on the ground." Indeed, to
celebrate the Ho Boun Khao Padabdine, the faithful of all the houses are
preparing offerings consisting of Khao Tomh, Khao name
Then, in the moonless night, in
the deep darkness (between three and four o'clock in the morning), salted food,
fruits and cakes, and chiggers of betel and cigarettes are put in containers in
banana leaves which themselves are deposited by the faithful in the courtyard
of the pagodas, at the That foot, these stupas containing ashes of the
disappeared, or at the foot of the trees... and there, in the dark night, the
dead are allowed to collect these donations. The day of the feast, at dawn, the
sound of the drums from the pagodas spread through the streets of towns and
villages. It announced the gathering of the faithful for the offerings ceremony
to the pagoda in their district. The villagers bring their presents. At the
entrance, you can see some faithful make offerings to the victims of violent
death as well as to the dead who have no family to honor them... All those who
died in violent death can be honored in the temple, and in this case, their
parents and their neighbor should honor them by clinging offerings on stakes or
on the pagoda fence. Some families prepare at least four or five plateaus of
offerings that are dedicated to all the ancestors.
The Buddhist belief is that after their death, the dead reborn in another
world (reincarnation), but all doesn’t undergo the same fate. If the deceased
was a good behavior throughout his life, he can reach the Nirvana; on the
contrary, if he has committed sins, he is sentenced to stay in hell where he will
be reincarnate in the body of an animal to expiate his sins.
The dead who are in hell will undergo many suffering and will be deprived
of food and clothing.
After the death, Nirvana and
hell are the places where the faithful are called to reborn. Lao Buddhists also
believe that the dead can return from hell, during15 days per year. Thus, from
the 14th day of waning moon, from the 9th month to the 15th day of the rising
moon of the 10th month of the Laotian calendar, this year from August 20th
to September 4th, Chia Nhomphibane, the King of hell, allows the
tortured to return to the human world to receive the offerings of their descents during
Ho Khao Padabdine and Ho Khao Salak feast.
If the dead, return to Earth,
don’t found offering, they lament and are obliged to satisfy of the remains of
others, which causes their anger and leads them to throw curses on their
disrespectful descents, as for example, deprive them of prosperity or make
their life difficult.
On the other hand, the faithful believe that the offerings and donations
made to the monks allow their dead to avoid or reduce the sentences of hell;
the faithful are prayers to their ancestors without forgetting to bless the
water by a monk before, tastes to tastes, on Earth, ceremony called "Yat
During this festival, to Luang Prabang declared part of the Unesco World
Heritage, a canoe race is held every year on the Nam Khane. This is a tradition
unique to the inhabitants of this city of temples who have inherited this
practice for several generations. Race of canoes during the Ho Khao Padabdine Festival
of Luang Prabang is a very appreciated ancestral customs by many tourists, both
Laotian or foreign, visiting the religious capital of
Boun Khao Salak
is celebrated through the
New destinations for
Lao Airlines
Lao Airlines is flying to
This new connection
allows visitors to enjoy a beach holiday in
Further
information on our site: www.laos-airlines.com
Conference on
"the Preservation and promotion of the values of the world natural
heritage of Ha
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and
tourism (MCST) in collaboration with the people's Committee of Quang Ninh
province held on July 24th
According to the Secretary of Quang Ninh provincial
Committee, with global values of Ha Long Bay world heritage, we need to
preserve, restore and operate effectively linked to the protection of the
ecological environment.
The Conference participants have frankly shown
limitations in the development of tourism of Ha Long and the opportunities and
the challenges of development. International orators also shared experiences of
development of heritage, the position and the role of the Ha Long Bay on the
international shipping lines. In addition, the participants discussed and
proposed solutions in areas such as planning, management, conservation, and
investment, development products, the Organization of tourist services, the
management of quality and environment of Ha Long Bay. The position and vision,
solutions development of heritage - natural wonder of the world for Ha Long Bay
The conference has succeeded in a plan of action for the sustainable
development of tourism in Ha Long Bay to bring a new vision and tell the
national brand of tourism on the international market.
The Viet Nam submit in
September at UNESCO an candidature file from the perspective of a recognition
of the
With regard to
the geological values, Trân Tân Van, head of the Viet Nam Institute of geology and natural resources, cited
several values compliant with the criteria of UNESCO, in the first place the
landscape beauty. From an archaeological point of view, the site contains
traces of human presence dated more than 20,000 years. Following the experts of
the International Union for the conservation of nature (IUCN English, depending
on the UNESCO acronym), the geological and archaeological values must have
close ties.
Paul Dingwall,
an IUCN expert, went to Ninh Binh to examine in situ the place and give advice in the
development of the file. According to him, next to the two important elements
that are landscape and geology, it should also emphasize the cultural aspect
and archaeological sites. During his travels in Ninh Binh, Paul Dingwall found
several shells of snails worked by the hand of human prehistory.
According to
this expert, from a geomorphological and landscape point of view, Tràng An has something in common with
two other natural world heritage sites of the Viet Nam like the Bay of Ha Long
(North) and the national park of Phong Nha - Ke Bang (Centre). It will be
necessary according to him to design a more robust candidature file in relying
on several criteria that are culture, landscape, and geomorphology.
Sharing the same
idea, Paul Williams, IUCN expert, who is responsible for assessing the
geological aspects and compare them with the other world heritage sites of the
Viet Nam found that
According to the
roadmap, after the Symposium, the provinces of Ninh Binh will invite other
experts of UNESCO to provide advice to send the preliminary assessment in
September. To the February 1st 2013, this folder shall be sealed off
for the final review by the UNESCO.
That-Tich (the obscure seven or the double seven day feast) toViet Nam
August 23rd 2012, this day
commemorates the memory of unfortunate loves of a guardian of Buffalo and the
daughter of the Jade Emperor. He was keeper of Buffalo, but full of contention,
as he dared love the daughter of the Jade Emperor. Informed of this love, the
Emperor however allowed the union of young people and generously granted them
his blessing. But the two lovers completely gave to their passion, thus leaving
one, his work of herdsman and the other, her occupation of silk spinner. This conduct earned them the
grand celestial wrath and Emperor separated the two lovers by drawing together
the Milky way. But every year, on the 7th day of the 7th month,
he granted them permission to a brief meeting on the O Thuoc bridge thrown over
the Silver River (Ngân-Hà) by the grace of the crows. Also, at
this time of the year, crowns head is thin out of feathers by porter stones for
the construction of the bridge of the brief encounter. And every year, in the
days preceding the Festival, the spinner, all happy of perspective happiness,
works with so speed that she floods the skies of flakes of white and velvety
silk, called "son of the Virgin". On the evening of the meeting, she
mourns her short-lived happiness, and beaded tears fall on Earth in the form of
a fine rain, called "Mua Ngâu" or rain of herdsman.
During this festival we made
offerings and gifts for peace of the wandering souls, the forgotten dead.
National holiday in Viet Nam (Lễ quốc khanh)
It commemorates the proclamation of
the independence of the Viet Nam by Ho Chi Minh on September 2nd 1945.
The September 2nd 1945,
on the Ba Dinh square in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh proclaims the independence of the Democratic
Republic of Vietnam, strongly supported by the OSS. Emperor Bảo Đại,
having abdicated, became a "special adviser" of the first Government
of the Republic.
Feast of Buffalos combat to Do Son
On September 24th was
held the ceremony of sacrifice dedicated to the Ondin.
Do Son (Đồ son, spelled Doson at the time
of the French Indochina) is a Vietnamese beach resort on the shores of Tonkin
Gulf, in South China Sea. The
city is located at
It’s to Do Son
that this
ceremony is held. The offerings are the contribution of fourteen surrounding
hamlets. Each hamlet provides in this day a Buffalo, a pig, a bucket of sticky
rice consisting the set of offerings. Then among Buffalos, six are selected for
the combat and presented to the genius during a procession
Although the feast takes place only on
one day, the preparations for this festival require 7-8 months for all Do Son canton. The
preparation of Buffalo is done in two steps: purchase of Buffalo and breeding
of the Buffalo rearing. Today, this holiday is being modified to make it easier
and more attractive for many visitors.
A
destination to discover: the Duong Lam village, a national relic
Duong
Lam village, in Ha Tay province, about
CAMBODIA
Lakhaon Festival in Phnom Penh
The Cambodia French Institute organize
the Lakhaon festival ("theatre" in khmer), intended for "participate
in the rebirth of the various forms of theatre in Cambodia", for promote
both traditional and contemporary theatre in renewing the national directory.
The Lakhaon festival from September 6th to 9th 2012 also
seeks to foster exchanges between artists and the troops "from different
cultural backgrounds”. The festival offers adaptations of French pay in khmer,
as well as theatre in French.
To see in
different theatres in Phnom Penh (Chenla, Chaktomuk...).
The Cambodia King doesn’t support the noise from the
street
Noise pollution disturbing Norodom Sihamoni, the boulevard
along the royal palace of Phnom Penh is blocked for more than a month. The inhabitants
don’t understand. The meeting of Asean Foreign Ministers ended more than two
weeks, there is not another major international event or great celebration in
the calendar in sight, nevertheless Sothearos boulevard which runs alongside the
Palace is still banned to traffic. This umpteenth unexplained road closed in
the capital of Cambodia therefore requires the residents to make lengthy
detours and regularly causes congestion on Sisowath Quay, along the River. The
end word of the story came from the Director of the municipal traffic bureau.
Heng Chantheary explained that the decision to block the boulevard had
originated in a proposal of the Deputy Prime Minister and royal palace Minister.
"He gave the explanation that noise pollution from vehicles during day and
night caused disruptions to the King," said the official. This decision is
unfortunate, as Van Doeun, a tuk-tuk driver, waiting tourists out of the Palace. "I don't
know why they closed it, but there is often congestion there, especially during
peak of Saturdays and Sundays evenings", he regrets. And the situation is
not expected to improve soon: according to Heng Chantheary, boulevard will
remain closed until a written request for the Palace allows its reopening.
Thousands of Cambodians
travel to gather before a trunk with supposedly magic powers.
It’s a whitish stem of thirteen feet
long, released from the bottom of a mare in the province of Pursat (West),
which has already attracted at least three thousand people. The piece of wood
is credited with healing powers, and could also bring good fortune to anyone
who has the chance to touch it. The rumor spread like wildfire, as often in Cambodia, and since it’s a permanent
parade of gullible people responsible for offerings, chickens and other heads
of pigs, in the village of Prey Yeang. The dead tree crystallizes all the hopes
and all fantasies. Some pilgrims go to sprinkle and rub the wood with talc in
the hope to see the winning national lottery numbers. The story of a villager
who won this game after touch it was the start point. "I try to tell
people that this isn’t magic, but they don’t believe me." They believe it,
that's all. "I can't stop them," said the Director of the provincial
Department of cults and religions. Other visitors cover them from mare mud in
the hope of being cured.
In February, it’s an anchor of ship
of the nineteenth-century common sense cure diseases which had defrayed the
Chronicle in Phnom Penh. Regularly, Cambodia is facing popular
superstitions that wild passions of the population, predominantly Buddhist but
still very attached to the animist cults, as this "magic" turtle that
had disrupted the daily routine of a small peaceful village in the banks of the
Mekong in 1998. There still, Cambodians gave to the animal the power to heal
people.
Opening of a new border between Cambodia and Thailand
Located between the province of Ubon
Ratchathani in Thailand and the Cambodian province of Preah Vihear, the new
border between the two neighboring countries should be open. This border
opening had been decided last month during a meeting between the Prime Minister
of Cambodia and his Thai counterpart. Permanent, the border will have the name
of An Ses. It will be used in priority for
trade of agricultural products. The Cambodian and Thai people can borrow it
every Tuesday and Thursday. At present, the two border countries were 23
permanent crossing points. They are also planning to open more borders
including in Oddar Meanchey province.
These great men who made great avenues
Phnom Penh is a funny capital where the visitor can drop
nose to nose with Charles de Gaulle, Mao Zedong or Kim Il - Song. These
illustrious characters passed to posterity are to Cambodia on signs of streets, but their presence isn’t
harmless. Those who will seek the Embassy of Germany will find it, irony of
chance, in Josep Brotz Tito Street. Others have the name of country, as streets
of France and European Union, in French in the text, and that of Yugoslavia.
Some routes have proudly retained their name of the first day where they were
drawn; this is the case of Pasteur Street. But, before the political local or
international upheavals, number of boulevards and avenues were renamed, as the
former boulevard of the Soviet Union (USSR), leading to Pochentong airport,
now, become at the fall of the big brother with blond hair, the Russia
Confederation boulevard. Under the French protectorate, a canal flowed under
the Nagas bridge, at the foot of Wat Phnom. Each side was two docks, Vernéville
and Piquet. The canal disappearing, the docks became the streets 106 and 108.
The major axis, which pierces part in part the town, from Wat Phnom to the
Monivong bridge, said "Vietnamese", was created between 1885 and 1895
during the reign of King Norodom. This route first took the name of Doudart de
Lagrée Commander before becoming, legitimately, the Norodom boulevard.
The boulevard that runs along the
Royal Palace was called Sothearos in the early 1990s. He had been baptised Tou
Samouth, founder of the Communist Party of Cambodia, then Lenin, to remain in
the movement.
At the same time, the Sisowath Quay,
which runs along the River, was once known as the Lagrandiere dock before to
become in first the Terak Vitei Preah Bat Sisowath Quay and then Karl Marx quay,
to finally become again Sisowath. To the port there is a beautiful colonial
House (a survivor), become a restaurant, the Chinese House. The street,
perpendicular to the dock, along the House to the street of France was called,
in the early 1900s, street schools then Pottier street. She was called then no.
12, before becoming the Vitei Neary Khlahan (street of the courageous girls),
known as the number 84.
128 Street called in his youth the
Annamese cemetery Street, has become under Vietnamese occupation
khmero-Vietnamese friendship Street to be today the Kampuchea Krom.
In
Finally, few are those who regret the
disappearance of the street of Marshal Philippe Pétain, simply become 86
Street.
The 2012 Agenda: Here is a sample of the
holidays don't miss over Southeast Asia
THAILAND
Tournament of Polo on
elephant "King's cup ""2012 from
September 5th to 11th, on land adjacent to Anantara Hua
Hin Resort and Spa
Ok Phansa and Thot Kathin: October
Regattas: ocOctober to Thot Kathin, Nan, Phichit, Surat Thani,
Nakhon Phanom, Pathumthani. Act. Loy Krathong : full moon in November
Feast of the elephants at Surin : third weekend of November
The bridge on the River Kwai week: Late November - early
December
Anniversary of his Majesty the King: December 5th
Makha Puja: Full moon of February
Songkran (New year Thai): April
Royal ploughing ceremony: may 9th in Bangkok
Party rocket: Mid-May to Yasothon (northeast)
Visakha Puja: Full moon of may
Anniversary of her Majesty the Queen: August 12th
CAMBODIA
Birthday of King Norodom Sihanouk: October 31st 2012
Independence day: November 9th 2012
TET FIESTA (new year Chinese
or Vietnamese): February
New year khmer (good Cambodian new year): April
Anniversary of King Sihamoni: May 14th
Anniversary of Buddha: May 17th
LAOS
Fang Mae Khong Festival in Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Thakhek: from
October 1st to 31st 2012
National day (Vanh Saad): December 2nd 2012
TET FIESTA (new year Chinese
or Vietnamese): February
Wat Phou to Champasak: February
Lao Elephant Festival in Paklay District (province of Sayaboury): February
Magha Puja (Makha Buka) to Luang Prabang: February
PII may or Pimai (Buddhist new year): April
MYANMAR
Great celebration of the Phaung Daw U at Lake Inle: from September 28th
to October 15th 2012
The Mandalay Kyaukdawgyi Pagoda Festival: October 11th -12th
2012
Thidingyut Festival (Festival of lights): from October 11th to
13th 2012
The Kyaukse (Mandalay) elephants Dance Festival: October 11-12 2012
Hot Air Balloon Festival in Taunggyi: from November 4th to 10th
2012
Tazaungdaing Festival: from November
9th to 10th 2012
Feast of the pagoda at Kyaik Hti-Yo (to the Golden Rock): on November 10th
2012
Pyatha (independence day): January 4th 2013
The Mandalay Mahamuni Pagoda
Festival: February
Tabodwe (feast of the shan State) and day of the Union: February
Festival of Payá Baw - gyo to Thipaw pwe: March
Kakku (Kekku) around Taunggyi Pagoda Festival: March
Thanakha Grinding Festival in Rakhine State: April
Thingyan Festival (water Festival): April
NAT Pwe Festival in Taungbyon and Amarāpura (Mandalay): August
Viet Nam
National holiday: September 2nd 2012
Buffalo to Do his combat day: September 6th 2012
Mid-Autumn Festival day (children's day): September 12th 2012
The temple at Nam Dinh Tran day: from September 12th to 17th
2012
The double nine to
Da Sy around Hanoi day:
February
Feast of Hoi to Lim (Bac Ninh province): February
Feast of
Quam year in Da Nang: February
Chua Huong (perfume Pagoda Festival) in Huong Son: March
The fishermen to Hoi An Festival: March
(Province of Ha Tay) Thay Pagoda Festival: April
Feast of the village of Van Vi (province of Ha Tay): April
Truong Yen Festival (Ninh Binh province): April
Festival of kites of Ba Giang (province of Ha Tay) discus: April
Anniversary of the capture of Saigon: April
Feast of Bach Dang (Quang Ninh province): May 11th
Anniversary of Buddha: May 17th
Ba Chua Xu to Chau Doc Festival: from may 25th to 29th
Quang Lan Party (Bac Ninh province): July 18th
All the dates mentioned are
subject to change