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Travel Tips
1) Western style bathrooms. The western style commode has been available in Thailand for decades. It is just not always available when one desires it. This is fast changing and many roadside rest stops now have western type facilities. All you have to do is look for the one marked handicapped. Only a few temples will have such accommodations and it is not unrealistic to find the squat type commode in many public places such as train stations and most places that do not cater to westerners. 2) Thai iced tea The fantastic Thai iced tea you are used to getting in the USA is, alas, not recommended in Thailand. The same tea is available from roadside stands, and push carts all over the the country, but unless you are willing to take a chance on the ice, be very very careful. If you order Thai iced tea in most major hotels is not the same as the great refreshing taste available on the street but it is much safer. 3) Thai Beer While many people are aware of the Singh brand of Thai beer, it is not the only locally brewed bear. Two other beers are Chang and Leo. Leo is higher in alcoholic content that either Singh or Chang. However, it is much less expensive than the other two. The price is relative as to where you buy it. The most expensive place to buy beer is in nightclubs or major hotels. The ice cold beer in the hotel refrigeration in your room is usually double or triple the price you will pay at the 7 to 11 next to your hotel. Sidewalk shops and local restaurants will usually sell beer at a reasonable price.
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Comments, questions, additional information , and suggestions on articles in this newsletter may be posted on the Facebook page for Hand Held Trips to Thailand.
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Tours The prices for all tours are pretty much all inclusive. This means that from the time you are picked up at the airport until the time you are returned to the airport for transfer home, everything is included in the price you have paid for the tour. Things included are: 1) Accommodations in air conditioned rooms unless specifically mentioned in the daily itinerary, such as the Flotel. 2) Meals included are stipulated in the daily itinerary, but as a minimum include all breakfasts. Some tours include all meals. 3) All in country transportation is included. This means all flights, boats, buses, trains, elephant, horse carriage, samlows, ox carts, etc. that are mentioned in the itinerary are included. 4) Entrance fees to all sites and venues are included. 5) Tips to Thai guides and drivers are paid. What are you responsible for? 1) International flight to and from Bangkok. 2) Drinks other than coffee or tea at meals. 3) Tips to bell hops. 4) Your own travel/medical insurance. 5) Laundry and personal expenses. 6) Meals other than those stipulated in the daily itinerary. |
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Prices
2013 Tour 3 (July 11-26)
Special slower paced summer tour great for teachers and college students. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Ubonratchathani are major cities visited.
Price is $3200.00 per person in double room.
2013 Tour 4 (November 10-23) Central and northern Thailand with the highlight being the celebration of Loy Krathong in Sukhothai.
Price is $2925 per person in double room.
An additional 3 day, 4 nights in Krabi for $786.00 per person in double room includes flights from Bangkok to Krabi and return to Bangkok plus hotel accommodations.
2013 Tour 5 (December 1-14) Once again from Bangkok, to Chiang Mai and then on to the beeches of Krabi. Lots of leisure and still get home for the Holidays. Price is $3460 per person in double room.
Prices are in United States dollars per person in half twin rooms. Single supplements vary and are printed on the web site. Please contact
Lee@H2t3tours.com for additional information.
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Tours for 2013 are now finalized and reservations are being accepted for the last three tours. The value of the Thai Baht is fluctuating right now and prices may change as the year goes by. I will not raise the prices on any tour unless I absolutely have too, and then it will not be on those who have already signed up for a tour. I will honor the price at the time of your registration.
While I try to emphasize something in each tour, it is important to check out the daily itineraries to get the full flavor of each tour. Remember if you have a group of five to eight persons who want to travel together and share some must see sights, let me know. I will work with you to organize a trip to include your ideas plus add a few more that just might not be on any other tour. Thailand has many wonderful places and areas for a great vacation/tour. Please do not be mislead by some very discounted tours to areas that no longer represent the best of Thailand. I enjoy planning tours for honeymoons and small groups which are not part of the regular tours. If you know of someone who wants to go on their own but needs help in working out an itinerary please have them get in touch with me.
You can always check the web site for the projected dates of any of the tours. Also, for complete information and the itinerary for any tour, go to the Tours page of the web site. If you click on the highlighted words of each tour it will take you to a brief itinerary. At the end of each brief itinerary is a second link that leads to the daily itinerary of each tour. This will give you a breakdown of what will be happening each day of the tour.
Remember, I will only accompany tours with six or more persons. However, when less than six persons sign up for a tour, I will make arrangements to have very good English speaking Thai guide(s) who will act on my behalf. |
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Ban Chiang
 | | Map in museum showing prehistoric archaeological digs in South and Southeast Asia. Photo by Lee Porter, 2012. |
Ban Chiang located in Udorn Thani is one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in all of Southeast Aria. Exploration of the site did not really start until 1967. Since that time, however, there has been many national and international specialist in all areas of science that have help to understand the inhabitants of this culture. The University of Pennsylvania did two extensive excavations in 1974 and 1975.
 | | View of digging. Photo by Lee Porter, 2012. |
The history of this village dates back over 5000 years and has been divided into three distinct periods. The span of time was 3600 BC to AD 200. While this is not the only prehistorical archaeological excavations in the Isaan region of Thailand, it is certainly one, if not the, most important. The evidence suggests that this was an agricultural society with stone and bones used for tools. It was not until the second period that the introduction of bronze metals were introduced.
In 1992 the Ban Chiang Archaeological Site was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The outstanding modern museum that is now at this site is worthy of being praised as among the best I have ever seen.
 | | Samples of pottery found at this location. Photo by Lee Porter, 2012. |
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Our Lady of the
Martyrs of Thailand Shrine
 | | View approaching entrance to The Shrine of the Seven Martyrs of Thailand. Photo by Lee Porter, 2012. |
Our Lady of the Martyrs of Thailand is known in Thai as Wat Song Khan. While Thailand is predominately a Buddhist country, there are small enclaves of Christians and Moslems in the various regions of the country. One of the heaviest concentrations of Roman Catholics is in the Isaan changwat (state) of Mukdahan. Thailand has always been very tolerant of all religions, and the Catholic Church had had a presence there for over 350 years. The time when the Seven Martyrs were killed was a time of total upheaval at the beginning of World War II in 1940. The prosecution of the Christians lasted only until 1944 when the war was over.
 | | Outdoor Stations of the Cross. Photo by Lee Porter, 2012. |
The Martyrs, two nuns, a male catechist, one older woman and three children were all executed by the local police. The catechist Philip Siphong was the first to die on the 16th of December. The others were all marched to the cemetery where they were shot on the 26th of December.
 | | Altar and glass background . Photo by Lee Porter, 2012 |
In 1989, with the blessing of the Thai government, Pope John Pall II beatified the seven as martyrs of the Catholic Church.
The village of Songkhon has built a beautiful church which house the remains of the the martyrs in a special crypt behind the alter.
 | | Pictures of the seven Martyrs. Photo by Lee Porter, 2012. |
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Baan Sai Moon
 | | Workers making designs on gongs. Photo by Lee Porter, 2012 |
Baan Sai Mun literally translates as the "village beside the Mun" (river). But yes, Mun is pronounced like moon, and the sound of Moon River as sung by Andy Williams is often heard with a distinct Thai accent.
 | | Working on gongs. Photo by Lee Porter, 2012. |
There are many villages in Isaan that are called Ban or Baan Sai Mun, but this particular one is in the changwat (state) of Ubonratchathani. This village is know for its making of bronze gongs and bells. There are several shops which display the wares of various workers. Watching a sheet of metal become a beautiful gong is really an amazing process.
 | | Khun Wachara, tour guide, and the McDonalds viewing finished pieces. Photo by Lee Porter, 2012. |
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The year is steadly moving on and it is really time to plan for fall tours and vacations. I hope some of you will be joining me to see visit the land of smiles. Thailand is a wonderful country for the western traveler. It really is time to start thinking of a nice long vacation where Americans are still liked, temperatures are in the eighty and nineties, food is wonderful and life is a little more laid back. In other words it it time for a tour of Thailand! Why not join one of my preplanned tours or get a small group of your friends, relatives or co-workers together for a once in a life time tour organized and planned just for you?
As always I thank you who share this newsletter. You have my sincere appreciation. It is one of the ways new readers are added. Each month a few more people sign up with your help. When you forward the newsletter, the recipient is not automatically added to the mailing list, but they must sign up for future issues.
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Sincerely,
Lee Porter
H2T3 Tours, LLC
P.O. Box 2114
Springfield, VA 22152
571-244-4363
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