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Flowers
One of the first reactions of many people when they visit Thailand is the flora that is abundant at any time of the year. To say it is beautiful is an understatement. The display of bright colors that can be found in all areas of the Kingdom is truely magnificent.
There are cultivated formal gardens which attract many visitors. The orchard gardens and flower markets also captivate an audience of tourists each day. But, the natural beauty displayed in the jungles, on the rivers and klongs, and in open fields is breathtaking. With its tropical climate and fertile soil the entire Kingdom is a garden. There are estimated to be over 27,000 types of flowering plants in Thailand. Flowers bloom throughout the year and every season has its own variety of blooming plants.
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New Tours
Now is the time to sign up for any of the tours listed on the web site, or to send me an E-mail and let me know something you would like to see offered. The lower airfare costs are real and many foreign airlines are offering tremendous savings on flights to Bangkok. I would encourage you not to book your tickets until I notify those who have registered that the tour has the required number of participants. Register now so we can all get the best deals. Remember all you need to register is a $500.00 deposit and complete the Reservation Form and the Travel Participitation Agreement. It takes a minimum of six persons to make any announced tour a guarantee.
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The response to the newsletters has been very favorable. In fact, I will try to send one on a bi-monthly basis. Of course, this means I could use your help on ideas. I can always write about Thailand and the wonderful people there. I just need to know what interests you would like to read about. I really want to thank those of you for sending an email after the Summer newsletter. You gave me the encouragement I needed during these tough economic times. I have tried to respond to each of you personally and I will continue to try and do so. The tasks of planning the tours and trying to make arrangements so far in advance is sometimes overwhelming but when I complete a tour it is always such a great feeling. I have only had wonderful people on each tour and each time they seem to have gained some of my love for the Thai culture and people.
I hope each of you will find something of interest in this newsletter and share it with a friend or family member. Who knows, they just might want an exotic vacation to a tropical climate where it is safe to travel, the food is fantastic, all arrangements have been made, and where you can forget the cold and snow of winter for a couple of weeks.
If the scheduled tours do not meet your needs, because they are to long, wrong month, or not varied enough, etc. etc. etc. let me know. I would be happy to try and accommodate a travel group, family group, Sunday School class, or any other grouping of six to 12 people for a trip to Thailand. Let me know what you are looking for and maybe we can work out a wonderful trip for you. If I am going with you, I need at least eight people. If you would rather go without my tagging along, I can arrange a tour that would include guides, hotels, in country transportation and admission to the sites you want to see.
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Tuk-Tuks
 Those cute little motorized rickshaws you see are called TukTuks in Thailand. Tuk Tuks have almost become a symbol of Thailand in the eyes of tourists. These quaint three wheeled vehicles can be found many places in the Kingdom. However, it is usually Bangkok where most foreigners get their first glimpse of these wonderful little machines. They scoot in and out of the heavy traffic on the vehicle chocked streets of Bangkok. The earliest models were imported from Japan and had a distinctive tuk-tuk-tuk sound from their single stroke motor. Hence, the name Tuk Tuk was given to this mode of transportation. Most Tuk Tuks are now made in Thailand with exports going to Europe, Africa, South America, Australia and New Zealand.
Depending on your outlook on life, riding in one of these vehicles can be either a wonderful experience or a real nightmare. If you don't mind, or even enjoy, sitting in stalled traffic, sucking in the exhaust fumes of diesel motors from the numerous buses and trucks that are sharing the roadway with you, a Tuk Tuk ride can be fun. The open air of the TukTuk can be nice but not if you are stalled in traffic. A nice air-conditioned taxi or bus is much better for most people. My advise is to save your TukTuk ride until you get to one of cities that have less traffic problems than Bangkok.
If you decide that a TukTuk ride is to be part of your "Thai" experience there are a few things to keep in mind. First and foremost, you must negotiate your fare before you enter the TukTuk. Once you are in the TukTuk, you are not going to be able to negotiate a price and you will probably be charged an absurd amount -- with no recourse. Also, you must make sure you and the driver both understand your destination. He will assure you that he can take you, but he may have no idea at all about what you are saying or where you really want to go. If you are even the slightest bit squimmish about going the wrong direction in six or eight lanes of traffic, running stoplights, taking shortcuts through construction sites or riding on the sidewalks, you might want to rethink your plan. A short trip from your hotel to a site close by, can beat walking in the hot sun. However, you might just want to think about giving a TukTuk driver a few baht to let you sit in the vehicle while he takes your picture!
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A few tips on Thai manners and customs
 The beautiful city of Chiang Mai is the ancient capital of the Lanna Kingdom. The picture above is of Wat Suan Dok in Chiang Mai. It is worth a visit and if you have a free afternoon, the Monks meet with westerners to practice their English.
Sawadii : The Thai greeting or hello is Sawadii followed by Kha or Khrap. Females would say Sawadii Kha and males would say Sawadii Khrap. This takes the place of good morning, good afternoon, good evening, hello and good-bye. The salutation may or may not be accompanied by a wai.
Wai : A wai, is done by holding ones hands as if in prayer and this in turn may be accompanied by a bowing of the head or upper torso. The wai is not like our universal handshake and has many suttle nuances to it. The person of lower status would always wai first. The wai may show degrees of respect or admiration and is not just a way to say hello. If someone wai's you first then it is very nice to wai them in return. It is not an insult if all wai's are not returned. It is not common for the foreigner (farang) to wai first.
Farang : If you are not a Thai you are probably a Farang. Loosely translated it means foreigner but is most commonly applied to westerners. It is not derogitory in any sense and it will be used many times in your presense to describe you. Do not be offended. The Thais try very hard to please everyone and will go out of their way to not offend.
Taking off your shoes : It is required to remove ones shoes when entering a temple. (Do not worry, I have never heard of anyone losing their shoes while visiting a temple.) Some restaurants will also require you to take off your shoes and leave them outside before entering. Many palaces and some historic sights usually have this same requirement. When visiting a Thai home it is proper to take off your shoes before entering.
Monks : Monks have the utmost of respect from all Thais. Over 90% of the population in Thailand is Bhuddist and the religion is very much incorporated into the everyday life of most Thais. No matter what your background, you should be respectful and understanding of this part of the Thai culture. Women should NEVER touch a monk. This is a very serious offense and one that could cause many problems.
Touching a child's head : The head is considered the highest part of the body and should not be patted or touched. This is not to say Thais do not get hair cuts or take care of their hair. They do and there is no stigma attached, but it is very disrespectful to pat a child on the head. Likewise when sitting, ones foot (the lowest part of the body) should not be pointed towards another person. It is best not to cross your legs, or if seated on the floor, stretch you legs out in front of you. It is more appropriate to fold your legs up under you.
Bargaining : This is an accepted practice and one that can be a great sport when buying your souveniers to take home. It is done at markets, roadside vendors, booths and stalls, and most anyplace commerce takes place. Of course it will not be used in the boutiques of Bangkok, or in places that cater totally to the tourist trade. When bargaining, always start low. Never be so low as to be insulting, but probably at least 30 to 50 percent less than the vendors first offered price. They will come back with an offer and you can make another offer slightly higher than your first offer. This continues until you reach a point when both of you are happy. Please do not raise you voice as this is a sign of rudeness and will not help negotiate a better price. Sometimes you cannot negotiate the price you think fair, do not get mad or upset, but remember there will be more chances to get your souveniers.
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Bang Pa-In
 Pictured above is the Aisawan Thiphya-At (Divine Seat of Personnal Freedom) Pavilion at the Bang Pa-In Summer Palace for the monarchy near Ayutthaya. In the background is the Tevaraj-Kanlai Gate. The statue in the middle of the pavilion represents Rama V (King Chulalongkorn) and was put there by his son Rama VI (King Vajiravudh). This is the only Thai-style building in this palace and is probably one of the most photographed structures in the palace complex. It is true that this is not an original, but is a copy of a pavilion built by Rama IV (King Mongkut) in the Grand Palace in Bangkok. The original palace was built in the 1630's by King Prasat Thong, when the capital of Thailand was still Ayutthaya. After the fall of Ayutthaya in the 1700's the palace was abandonded and fell to ruins until the 1850's when Rama IV (King Mongkut) began the restoration of the residence as a summer palace away from Bangkok. It was King Chulalongkorn who gave it a Versaillesque garden layout with the addition of many Eurorpean-style buildings from 1872-1889. To take a stroll
through the palace grounds with its immaculately maintained gardens is a
peaceful and uplifting experience. The many buildings and monuments
that have been built here are worth seeing. Very interesting stories
are commemorated by many of the monuments such as the statue to Queen Sunanda. In 1881, Queen Sunanda and her child were using a royal barge on the Chao Praya River to go to the Summer Palace, when her boat capsized. A law which made touching a member of the royal family, punishable by death was responsible for onlookers being forced to watch the Queen and her child drown. King Chulalongkorn had the law abolished and built a monument on the grounds of Bang Pa-In. An inscription on the monument, in English, was written by the King. Among the many buildings of note is the Vehart Chamrun (Heavenly Light) Palace. This palace was a gift from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to King Chulalongkorn in 1889. It is in the inner court and is open to tourists. It is breathtaking. The use of dark woods, with inlaid mother of pearl, the red lacquer and gold decor, make this a magnificant sight. You should also note the hand carved furniture. Much of the structure, including the roof tiles, roof ornamentation, wood panels and furniture were brought from China and or made by Chinese craftsmen.  A want-a-be lighthouse, Ho Withun Thasana (Sages Lookout) is a beautiful multicolored observatory situated on a small island among the many interesting buildings, monuments and palaces. |
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Once again, I thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter. All newsletters are archived so you can read them later. Please help me to get the word out about H2T3 Tours, LLC. Hopefully each of you know at least one person who might be interested in reading some of the articles here. I would appreciate you forwarding the newsletter to them. The Fall Newsletter is now archived and you can get to it from my website.
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Sincerely,
Lee Porter
H2T3 Tours, LLC
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