Wat Rong Khun(วัดร่องขุ่น) is different from any other temple in Thailand, as its ubosot (Pali: uposatha; consecrated assembly hall) is designed in white color with some use of white glass. The white color stands for Lord Buddha’s purity; the white glass stands for Lord Buddha’s wisdom that "shines brightly all over the Earth and the Universe."19°49.480′N 99°45.800′E / 19.824667°N 99.763333°E / 19.824667; 99.763333Chiang Rai (เมืองเชียงราย)
Chiang Rai is a town in the Thai region of what is know as the ‘Golden Triangle’ – the region where the Laos, Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand borders meet.
As well as beautiful temples, Chiang Rai was also the last home of the Princess Mother (the mother of the King of Thailand) and the beautiful gardens and home she lived in are among the main attractions in the town. Doi Tung Royal Villa was her final residence . It is located at kilometre 12 on highway 1149, to the west of highway 1. This magnificent villa was built on the mountain overlooking the surrounding hills and valleys in a unique mix of Swiss and Lanna architectural styles. Adjacent to the villa is a large flower-filled garden, and a memorial hall commemorating the Princess Mother. (Somdet Yai)
Being home to just over 60,000 people, the town is quite small but people travel to Chiang Rai to trek into the hillsides and visit the local tribes people in the surrounding area. Some of the better known tribes include the colourful Akha tribe and the Yao, a group of people who originated from China and the only tribe in the region with a written language.
Chiang Rai gets new bus terminal
- By: KARNJANA KARNJANATAWE
Chiang Rai's new bus terminal opening tomorrow should significantly enhance tourism in the northern region and beyond, not to mention inter-provincial travel.
Thought they forgot already..... that Chiang Rai is getting bigger by the day.....More space for Chiang Rai's new bus terminal.
Occupying eight rai(about 1 and a quarter hectares) in the Sansai area of Muang district, the terminal cost 56 million baht to build. It is located seven kilometres from the old terminal that from now on will only cater to passengers travelling within the province.With a capacity to handle 600 buses a day, the new facility boasts 128 shops and stalls selling everything from food and drinks to souvenirs and local products, and there are tour operators offering exciting travel packages to places of interest in the province.
In due course a 300-room hotel and convention facility will be added to the terminal that, after today's soft launch, will have a formal opening on March 28.
The terminal further consolidates Chiang Rai's status as an important transit point on the R3A route that links China and other countries bordering northern Thailand.
Climate change drive
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is hoping to enlist one billion supporters for its Earth Hour campaign that falls on March 28 this year.
The campaign requires households and businesses to turn off non-essential lights and electrical appliances for an hour that day - from 8:30-9:30pm - in order to raise awareness about the need for action in fighting global warming and climate change.
The campaign was launched in Sydney in 2007 when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. Last year, 50 million people joined the campaign, and this year's target is one billion in 1,000 cities and towns across the globe.
The 470-room Le Meridien Beach Resort in Phuket has pledged to switch off non-essential lighting in its buildings and unoccupied guest rooms. It also plans to use candlelight for guests dining in its restaurants on the day.
To join the campaign, visit http://www.earthhour.org/
Maps on mobiles
The service is limited only to subscribers of AIS.
Users need to access http://www.tourismthailand.org/mobilemap or dial *900 or *1672# to download maps on their phones.
AIS also allows its users to send mobile pictures while in Thailand to TAT's web site by sending an MMS to 1672. The MMS service is free of charge until the end of this year.
Pattaya chess meet:an elephant greets an Aussie: Grandmaster Ian Rogers.
Pattaya will play host to Thailand Open Chess Championship from April 1-6 at Aisawan Resort & Spa in Naklua.
The resort is located in north Pattaya, about two kilometres from the city centre. More than 100 participants from 34 countries including 12 of the world's top-ranked players such as Nigel Short have registered to compete in the event.
"This will be the best field ever to have assembled in Thailand and probably the best in Asia this year," according to president of Thailand Chess Association, Banthit Chankanit.
Participants will be contesting in the "open" and "challenger" categories.
Entry forms can be downloaded from http://www.bangkokchess.com/
Must-see places
King Power, an operator of duty-free outlets, is expanding its reach by organising its first travel fair at its headquarters on Rangnam Road in Bangkok.
With "20 Must-See Destinations" as its theme, the fair kicks off today and runs until March 15.
Among the destinations it highlights are Seychelles Islands also known as the "Pearl of the Indian Ocean", Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and "Roots of Obama" in Kenya.
All in all 20 destinations worldwide that "one must see at least once in a lifetime" are featured. Also available at the fair are special airfares, travel packages and 20 per cent discount on duty-free shopping. The fair runs 10am-8pm at the King Power Complex building.
If you have any comments or news to share, mail them to karnjanak@bangkokpost.co.th.
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