Thailand Travel Guide

On the full moon day of the eighth lunar month, Buddha Gautama gave his first sermon and one of his followers became the first Buddhist monk. The followers of the Buddha are together called the Sangha, and that is why Asaha Puja is also known as Sangha Day.

During the sermon, Buddha Gautama spoke of the middle way, which in Theravada Buddhism is the path of moderation away from the extremes of self indulgence and toward the practise of wisdom, morality and mental enhancement. In Mahayana, the middle way refers to transcendental approaches to deciphering reality.

He also revealed The Noble Eight-fold Path, as a guide for living;

1. Right view
2. Right intention
3. Right speech
4. Right action
5. Right livelihood
6. Right effort
7. Right mindfulness
8. Right concentration

When laypeople go to the temples on Asaha Puja Day, they resolve to try living according to the Noble Eightfold Path.

Khao Phansa Day (or Wan Khao Punsa) is the beginning of the Buddhist Lent.

During this time monks stay within the confines of the Wat grounds, a practise that goes back to ancient times that was intended to keep monks from trampling crops as they travelled about the country

Khao Phansa Day comes one day after Asanha Bucha Day. The season of Buddhist Lent will last three lunar months, concluding on Awk Pansa Day

In similarity to the Christian Lent, and Muslim Ramadan, many Buddhist practitioners treat this as a time of austerity and spiritual reawakening.

The 24th SEA Games will be held from 6th to 15th December 2007. The main venue of the 24th SEA Games will be at Korat, in the north-eastern part of Thailand. However, a number of sports and/or events, which has no facilities in Korat, will be held in Bangkok and Chonburi (Pattaya). The sports to be held in Chonburi (Pattaya) are Sailing and Wind-Surfing, Rowing, Canoeing, Traditional Boat Race, Triathlon and Duathlon and Equestrian. Sports to be held in Bangkok are Baseball, Handball, Hockey, Lawn Bowls, Polo, Skeet & Trap events of Shooting. (SEA Games Executive Committee)

The city of Nakhon Ratchasima, or Korat will be the main venue for the 24th SEA Games from 6th to 15th December 2007. The sports and events which will take place in Korat include:

* Athletics
* Aquatics
* Archery
* Badminton
* Basketball
* Billiards/Snooker
* Boxing
* Cycling
* Dance Sport
* Fencing
* Football
* Futsal
* Golf
* Gymnastics
* Judo
* Karate
* Mauy
* Pencak Silat
* Pentanque
* Rugby
* Sepaktakraw
* Shooting
* Softball
* Table Tennis
* Taekwondo
* Tennis
* Tenpin Bowling
* Volleyball
* Water Polo
* Weightlifting
* Wushu

The city of Bangkok in Thailand will host the following sports and events during the 24th SEA Games from 6th to 15th December 2007:

* Baseball
* Handball
* Hockey
* Lawn Bowls
* Polo
* Skeet & Trap events of Shooting

Chonburi / Pattaya will host water sports and a few other events during the 24th SEA Games from 6th to 15th December 2007:

* Sailing
* Wind-Surfing
* Rowing
* Canoeing
* Traditional Boat Race
* Triathlon
* Duathlon
* Equestrian

Korat Hotels
Bangkok Hotels
Pattaya Hotels

Farang Ghetto is a term describing any place when foreigners in Thailand tend to live and congragate in a more westernized environment. They are generally high priced, and about as non-Thai as you can get. Areas of Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok, Patong Beach in Phuket, and much of Pattaya can be described as farang ghettos.

Somtam is one of the more popular dishes local to the Isaan region. In plain English terms it’s a spicy papaya salad. Though it’s origins are in Isaan and Laos, the dish has gained popularity outside the northeast and can be found throughout Thailand. A sample list of ingredients is listed below.

* 6 Garlic cloves
* 300 gm Green papaya, julienned
* 10 Small green chilies
* 1/4 cup Unsalted peanuts, roasted
* 1/4 cup Dried shrimp
* 1/2 cup Yard long beans, chopped
* 6 Cherry tomatoes, quartered
* 1/4 cup Lemon juice
* 1 tblsp Palm sugar
* 1 tblsp Fish sauce

For a complete recipe, check the listing at your-thai-recipe.