Thailand Blogs – April 2010 Review

Was there any other news to come out of Thailand last month apart from the UDD red shirt protests in Bangkok. The drama in Thailand’s capital gave a media soaking to the country’s New Year Songkran Festival as the ongoing political crisis made all the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

This month’s posts have a heavy weighting towards Songkran and the red shirt protests in Bangkok with a little diversity in between. Once again a big thank you to the blog authors who have allowed me permission to publish their photographs on this review.

Songkran made the headlines in Mike Rose’s home during Thailand’s new year festival last month. Mike and My Thai Friend have an unwanted guest in Cultural Divide when a phone call to Mike’s home reveals one of his partner’s family is not only coming to stay but they are already on the bus and on their way. The self invitation for once gets good natured Mike hot under the collar.

Staying with the Songkran Festival theme, Ben, wife Sutiya and their young son Aiden enjoyed the Thai new year in Suphanburi. Ben joined in with the family’s annual traditional bathing of grandma (photo right) and young Aiden enjoyed a cooling dip in the Songkran water himself. Ben also took a drive through the wet and wild festival celebrations in Ayutthaya before settling his wife and baby down to a meal at a restaurant on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. The Thai Pirate is host to A Safe and Soaked Songkran which has some good photographs tagged to the post.

Guest bloggers are not uncommon on blog sites but those who are given the honour have to come up with a special kind of post. Last month Esme Kwiatkowski was handed the privilege of posting on Thai Life in Phana and her entry tells of her holiday in Thailand and especially in the Phana village she stayed. Esme is a young English schoolgirl and on her return to school life in the UK put her holiday experiences into a booklet. Guest Blogger in Phana is the post title and blog author Lawrence kindly posted Esme’s lovely booklet on his site. Make a young girl’s day and have a read of Esme’s wonderful work.

Women Learning Thai…and some men too manages to combine all three of the themes mentioned so far in this month’s review into one. Thailand’s Songkran Festival and Bangkok’s red shirt protests are blended together as one (photo left) by guest blogger Bernd Meshsner in An Expats-eyewitness Report: Ratchaprasong Resort. Outstanding would be an understatement in summing up this one and it is in my opinion a post which will take some beating in the remainder of 2010 by any Thai blog site out there. Left click now for an expats view of life living in the shadows of the red shirts protest camp in Ratchaprasong Resort.

Songkran on Koh Samui lasts just one day and Songkran 2010 on Koh Samui has photos to prove what a fun and water filled day it is. Camille’s Samui Info blog starts the day in more traditional ways before heading to the island’s popular beach resort Chaweng Bay to snap a few photos of the water fights amongst the festive crowd.

Red and Yellows: dining at the last chance saloon from Johnnie Foreigner picks up the red shirt theme and adds a touch of yellow to it. Two friends meet for dinner and their attire caught more than a few second glances. Jon was there to take full advantage and caught the two buddies on film. If you’ve been following the political drama in Bangkok then have a read of this one for a little light relief.

If you like a blog post with a strong opinion and one that’s written with a fine hand then look no further than The Blood on Thaksin’s Hands. Thailand, Land of Smiles looks at how the red shirt protests turned from peaceful demonstrations to mob rule resulting in blood and death on the streets of Bangkok. With over 30 comments so far on the post that says it all about this one.

They say two’s company and three’s a crowd so what words might describe 150 people holidaying together. Absolutely fabulous according to Retired In Thailand and Loving It hosts Malcolm and Ciejay. The loving twosome set off from their district community with 148 others as company in A Long, Long and Winding Road (But it was Worth the Ride) to Phuket. The trip is business as well as pleasure and an opportunity for Wang Pho’s residents to share ideas and view projects which have improved local communities en route. The post has lots and lots of photos attached.

A combination of work and blogging leave very few hours for leisure time. I know that only too well myself. Siam Rick is well pleased with the increased hits to Behind the Noodle Curtain but is finding inspiration for new stories difficult to find from his home base in Toronto, Canada. Long work days and hours spent staring at an uninspiring keypad are a disheartening thing.  Behind the Noodle Curtain: By the numbers and more gets deep into Rick’s mind as he considers whether to continue with his Thai blog. I for one hope he does.

Expat Udon Thani is back home in Bang Dung. After a good Songkran soaking John has a taste of things to come. The rainy season in Thailand is fast approaching and John takes refuge in one of his favourite Ban Dung watering holes as the skies open and a heavy storm brews and stews before delivering a deluge of wind and rain Thai style. After a precarious night time drive back home to his village, the next morning reveals the extent of the storm damage in storm udon thani province / ban dung issan.

I hope you enjoy my picks for this month’s Thailand Blogs Review.