As with many modernization projects in Thailand, the development of the Thai railway can be dated back to the reign of Rama V (King Chulalongkorn, 1868-1910). The Royal State Railway of Siam was established in 1890 and the first track opened was between Bangkok and Ayutthaya in 1984. 
    Today the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) overseas a network of four major and several smaller branch lines. Most long distance lines start from the Hua Lampong Railway Station in Bangkok. The main branches go North to Chiang Mai; Northeast to Ubol Ratchathani or Nong Khai; East to the Cambodian border; and South to the Malay border. A short line to the west goes to Nam Tok and passes thru Kanchanaburi and the "Bridge over the River Kwai"
     The trains have four types: special express, express, rapid and ordinary. The ordinary train is the slowest and stops at every stop. It is usually used for short distances. The rapid train really isn't rapid but is somewhat faster than the ordinary and does miss a stop or two. The express is definitely faster than the rapid and offers more class options.  The special express is the best to use for the longest distances but even then, a bus may get you there faster. Besides having the different types of trains, there are three classes in which to travel. The ordinary trains are primarily made up of 3rd class cars and only infrequently have one or two 2nd class coaches. The seats in 3rd class are never reserved and consist of hard benches and air circulates if the windows are open. Experience has proved that after a couple of hours traveling 3rd class, numbness of the posterior sets in. The good thing about 3rd class is, that you are never lonely and it is great fun. Second class coaches come in two varieties, those with fans and those with air conditioning. Seats in both have padded seats that theoretically lean back and have foot rests. Second class seats are available on all rapid, and express trains. That being said, there is another distinction in the coaches of second class. On express and special express trains, 2nd class sleepers are available. The seats are converted into bunks for sleeping with a second bunk pulled down so that there are lower and upper bunks. The lower bunk offers a little more room but both are furnished with curtains, clean sheets, and pillow cases. If you take a second class sleeper with air conditioning, it can get very cold. The air conditioning seems to have two settings, either "on" or "off". Special express trains also offer 1st class sleepers. These are cars divided into small compartments that afford two bunks, a wash basin, and a fold down table. If traveling alone, you are expected to share you compartment with someone of the same sex or else buy two tickets. In both classes of sleepers, upper bunks are cheaper than lower bunks. Also, on 1st and 2nd class coaches, meals are served at your seat. 
    There are a few things to remember when thinking of taking a train in Thailand: 
           1) Trains are usually clean and can be very inexpensive
             2) Most trains leave on time, but arrival times are harder to predict
             3) Railway workers are very professional and very helpful
             4) While buses may be faster, the view of the countryside is much nicer from the
                    railroad bed when compared to the highway
         5) Taking a 3rd class coach is probably not very wise 
               

Hua Hin Railroad Station for Royalty
Photo by Lee Porter on tour in 2010

     
         Pottery, or more specifically ceramic production, has been going on in Thailand since at least 3600 BC. There are several distinct types of ceramics produced in various regions of the country. The Thai Celadon ceramics production is now largely centered in the Chiang Mai area of the north. The word Celadon is of Sanskrit devivation and means green stone. This light green shade of the glaze was prized by many people. The method was developed by the master potters in China to resemble jade. The kilns of Si Satchanalai were producing celadon pottery in the 10th century AD., but in the 13 century artisans from China introduced the glazing methods and Thai Celadon was born. This jade green pottery was highly sought after through Asia and pieces of it have been found throughout the world. The highest production was from the 13th to mid 16th centuries. When the Lanna kingdom fell to the Burmese in the mid 16th century, the artisans were taken to Burma as slaves. It was only after the Thai kingdom finally drove the Burmese out in the late 18th century, that the descendants of the Lanna artisans began to move back and once again celadon pottery was being made in Thailand. 
       When the artisans came back they once again settled in the Si Satchanalai area and went back to the ancient way of making pottery. The special processes of making celadon include the shape of the kiln, the extreme high heat, special treatment of the clay and the application of the glaze by hand. For a more complete description of the process, please click here.The methods of producing Celadon have remained fairly consistent over the centuries, but yes, machines and molds now do some of the work instead of the potters wheel for pieces like plates and intricate sculptures. However, the pottery wheel is still very much in use and inot uncommon to see them used when visiting one of the sights that make Celadon. A small piece of celadon will take six to eight weeks to make and more intricate and larger pieces can take much longer. Another, Thai twist to the original celadon is that they now are producing the same ceramics in not only jade green, but also in browns, blues, black and white.