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Travel Tips
1) Step over not on the door sill.
This issue seems like the logical place to mention this custom. Since one of the guardian spirits of a building lives in the door sill, it is considered very polite to step over the door sill and not on it. While no one will admonish you for doing it, it is still considered part of good etiquette. This is very important when visiting certain temples, such as Wat Po.
2) Exchange rate for U.S. dollars to Thai Baht. The idea of predicting the rate of exchange is far beyond my capabilities. However, it does seem to me that now is a very good time to travel to Thailand. The rate is currently hovering around 33 Baht to the dollar and that is not bad. Since founding the company I have seen the rate as low as 27 Baht to the dollar. Exchange rate is best for $100.00 bills and travelers checques for $100.00. The best rates are at the airport and at banks. 3) Loy Krathong This is one of the most beautiful of all the festivals in Thailand. It is held on a full moon night in October or November of each year. This year those that are on the November tour will be at the heart of all the activities in the city of Sukhothai. Sukhothai is where the festival originated. Loy means "to float" and krathong means a "small bowl or cup", usually made of banana leaves. Thais all over the country will flock to rivers, lakes and canals to float a krathong. Each krathong will have a candle, an incense stick, a coin, and flowers. Seeing thousand of these floating down a river is really a sight that one will never forget. Of course this is a celebration so there will be candle kites, dancing, music and a very sanuk time. (Remember sanuk from the last newsletter?)
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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 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 beaches 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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The idea of writing about the spirit houses of Thailand has been one of the hardest I have ever tried. It is such a complex subject and yet one that is so fundamental to the understanding of Thai culture. Most Westerners can not understand the way Animism, Hinduism and Buddhism can blend together so easily. We tend to see each as mutually exclusive of the other. I have written about it now because of comments that have been made by several people about those beautiful bird houses that are all over Bangkok. While there may be bird houses in Bangkok, I have never seen a bird even landing on a spirit house let alone eat the food or drink the water that is placed there.
There are only two planned tours as of this writing. I am hopeful some of you will join me on the November or December tours.
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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Woodworking
 | | Wood carvings. Photo by Lee Porter, 2010. |
Bamboo, rattan, furniture and carved wooden items are among the most sought after items by people visiting Thailand. Prices are very inexpensive and the workmanship can not be beat. Travelers will find small wooden carvings for sale through out the kingdom. Furniture factories and show rooms are found in most major cities. Examples of Thai wooden carvings can be found in many museums in the country. One only has to visit almost any temple to see exquisite examples of wood carvings. Before you enter a temple, take a moment to look at the carving on the door jamb or on the door itself. Then glance up at the decorative gables and the intricate carvings on the corner supports of the buildings. Great examples are all around you.
 | | Wood bench. Photo by Lee Porter, 2010. |
There are many different hard woods in Thailand that make excellent, beautiful furniture and much of it is not teak. The novice may be very surprised to find that the "teak" elephant he bought is actually made from the Monkey Pod tree, Mango Tree, or some other wood. While teak wood is still available it has become very expensive and extra care must be taken when buying teak items. Buying something that was made from an illegally harvested teak tree can lead to you losing the item at customs.
 | | Hand made furniture. Photo by Lee Porter, 2010. |
Carved wooden friezes, doors, screens, lintels, and headboards are all available at shops in Thailand. However, it is well worth a visit to Ban Thawai, near Chiang Mai, to find the best at the least expensive price. Watching the artisans at work is sure to be a highlight of your visit.
I feel I must insert a word of warning about buying items that must be shipped. I do not want to scare away a person who finds a screen, chair, cabinet or some other large piece but there are certain things to be considered. The price will probably be somewhere between 10 to 30 percent of the price you would pay in the U.S. Yes, in most of the larger stores this price will include handling and shipping to the U.S. Now comes the good part. Once the furniture arrives at the U.S. port, that's as far as your shipping and handling charges are good for. There is legal paperwork that you or someone you hire must fill out for customs plus possibly pay customs fees. Also, there is the added cost of shipping to your residence. All this being said, most people will find all the trouble worthwhile to get that special item in your home or office.
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There are entire books written about the spirit houses of Thailand. It is an impossible task to try and explain the history and meaning of this very common and important fundamental aspect of the Thai culture in a short article. Spirit houses have been in Thailand since at least the tenth century. The worship of spirits is not a Buddhist belief but goes back even farther to the beliefs of Animism. As Hinduism and Buddhism were brought to the regions of Southeast Asia, the Thais have incorporated some aspects of each and formed a very unique (and hard for the western mind to comprehend) belief system in the various spirits. There are many more types of spirit houses than those two types illustrated here. They can be very crude wooden structures to very elaborate shrines or altars. Great attention is paid to the building of these houses. Hindu priests are consulted for auspicious dates and locations and sometimes even the colors to be used. Spirit houses are found in just about any place one cares to look. Homes, businesses, caves, lakes, fields, and sometimes in remote forest areas you will find well tended spirit houses. This article talks about two of the nine guardians of the land.
 | | Similan Island spirit house. Photo by Bill Shaw. |
In the picture above you see a good example of the spirit house called the "San Jao Thi" roughly translated as the abode of the land lord. It is usually built to resemble a wooden Thai house and is usually raised from the ground on four pillars. Inside the house will be figures representing an old man and an old woman. There may be other figures to represent attendants, angels, animals, and various other items for the enjoyment of the land lord. The basic idea is that by giving the spirit of the land a good house, the spirit will also look after you.
 | | Spirit house in Daan Kwien. Photo by Lee Porter, 2012. |
The picture above is very common. The spirit house of the land lord is next to a spirit house called "San Phra Phum" or residence of the land guardian angel. This house is usually higher off the ground than the house of the land lord and is usually on a solid pillar. It will usually have a prang on top and is usually much more elaborate than the wooden home of the land lord. Inside will be a figurine of an angel like female who will usually have a sword in one hand and a money bag in the other. This figure has its origins in Hindu mythology and she is called "Phra Chai Mongkol." This spirit protects the land and its inhabitants.
 | | Spirit houses. Photo by David Peterson, 2009. |
The picture above is another picture of the two most common spirit houses with platforms to hold offerings and gifts to the spirits. The spirit house(s) are always well tended with food, drink and small gifts. Many houses will have candles, incense holders and vases for flowers. In more elaborate houses it is not unusual to have furniture, toys, and other items for the spirits to enjoy.
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Wat Chom Chaeng
 | | Chedi at Wat Chom Chaeng. Photo by Lee Porter, 2011. |
Many people visit Wat Chom Chaeng while visiting Wat Phra That Chom Kitti. Both temples reside on the same hill just a short distance northeast of the city of Chiang Saen in the northeastern changwat (state) of Chiang Rai. One of the most serene and peaceful locales you will ever find is the area of these two temples. Presently, there is a parking lot between the two temples. One can sit on any of the benches of either temple and imagine the tranquility and peace before the arrival of motor vehicles. It makes one want the parking lot to disappear and the forest to reclaim this area between the temples.
 | | Ubosot at Wat Chom Chaeng. Photo by Elan Halperin, 2011. |
Most of the fixtures in this temple are in need of repair and reconstruction but the new ubosot is very beautiful and the marble platform on which it sets is a wonderful place to look out over the surrounding area.
 | | Marble overlook at Wat Chom Chaeng. Photo by Elan Halperin, 2011. |
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If you found something of interest in this newsletter I would be happy to hear from you. Also, any suggestions for further newsletters are always welcome.
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 themselves.
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Sincerely,
Lee Porter
H2T3 Tours, LLC
P.O. Box 2114
Springfield, VA 22152
571-244-4363
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