Thailand Blogs – January 09 Review

Today I am starting a review post which will look back at some of the best blogs that I have read over the previous month. The posts will come from the sites in my Blogroll sidebar, my reason being that they are the ones I view most often.

We start the monthly review with a post from Brit in Bangkok which has a report showing Thailand’s mistreatment of refugees and includes a photograph that seems to remove any reasons for doubt. Thailand Accused of Mistreating Refugees gives a view of a story that the Thai authorities could have done with not breaking out.

Pete Garwood the man behind the superb FrogBlog Thaidings is now back in France and missing Thailand like crazy, but that hasn’t stopped him from putting together a good cross cultural mix of Thai and French stories. Visit the Monts de Vaucluse plateau and enjoy French Air Force – like lambs to the slaughter.

The newest entry onto my blogroll is Life in rural Thailand. It follows the adventures and everyday life of  MeMock who lives in a small village in Ubon Ratchatani.  The story I particularly liked was one about a caged truck full of dogs. Interested… then try The bucket truck, a story that really intrigued me.

Next up is a blog site I reviewed on the social networking blog directory Blogged.com as  “Excellent blog full of information, humour and debate. Posted daily it’s a little bit like opening your favourite daily newspaper.” My Thai Friend  is from the top drawer of Thai blog sites and if you need convincing then have a read of this one Excuse Me Bud Do You Speak English? read it and you could find yourself having another daily to view.

Ban Wan Pho in Kanchanaburi Province is home to retiree Malcolm Burgess and Ciejay. They really do enjoy their life together and seemed to have developed a habit of bathing with elephants. Malcolm’s photo / blog  Retired In Thailand And Loving It  has photos from the couples latest trek to their rather large bathroom. I think you’ll enjoy Once Is Not Enough and it’s collection of lovely photographs.

You have probably all viewed the highly rated Thailand Land of Smiles, currently listed at number two in the whatismatt.com Top 100 Thailand blogs. If you made a wish for 2009 then you are eight short of Talen’s Thailand Wishes for 2009, which also features a photo of a monk that should make you laugh.

Another popular blog is Ben Shingleton’s The Thai Pirate. Ben took a Christmas break back home in England and on his return his coffee shop venture took him to Don Chedi and the Anuson Concert – Message from the King, and a close shave with a Thai Elephant.  After a days work Ben and his crew head off and almost have their car flattened by an elephant. If you want to know the secret of how to make a perfect iced coffee, take a read of this one.

Moving away from Thailand and onto my World Blogroll,  Adullamite is a very humour laced blog from Scotland and the article I most enjoyed last month was Health & Safety, check it out. Wherever you stayed last Christmas it may have been cold but I doubt it was as bitterly cold as Bulgaria. Put your scarf and gloves on to read Water Returns – Then The Ice Strikes, from the countryside of Bulgaria and the delightful Bulgarian Slivatree – An Expatriates Eye In Bulgaria.

The French connection brings me to the last two of my sidebar blogs. The aptly named Frances, author of France And The Unknown is currently recuperating from a fall from one of her horses. Don’t make me laugh should put a smile on your face and a bookmark in your top bar. If your style of blog is wit mixed with a big spoonful of panache then look no further, The Vendée Blog is a must read for you. Being Kept Awake By Satanic Goldfish, And Other Tales From Ordinary Country Folk is in my opinion a very, very well written post.

Each month I am going to include a guest blog into my review. I am starting with A Malaysian Abroad a blog the more I view it, the more I like it. My selection for last month is Have you had your Yee Sang yet?

I hope you have enjoyed my January review and hopefully you’ll come back for the February edition.

Credits

Photograph         Waterfall     © Chanyut Sribua-rawd | Dreamstime.com

Photograph          Flower and Bee       © Suban Thapan | Dreamstime.com