It is hard to give an overview of the Chiang Mai a la Carte blogs. There is a very wide range of subjects. Many of the blogs are about Chiang Mai history but there are also many about Buddhist temples. Frans Betgem has written all the blogs for this website. Some of the blogs are very special to him such as the ones about the temples Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh in Chiang Mai. He keeps on adding content to these blogs.
Some Chiang Mai a la Carte Blogs are continuously under construction. Wat Pha Lat, the temple on the trail, has become more popular and has been under construction itself for a long time. This wonderful temple has been neglected for many years but has now become a very popular tourist attraction on Doi Suthep. The abbot is very active so the temple attracts many donations for Thai Buddhists.
Frans has written a number of Chiang Mai a la Carte blogs about the history of the teak industry in North Thailand. These cover subjects such as the Louis T.Leonowens House in Lampang and the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation. Other interesting blogs are about the East Asiatic Company and the Burmese teak trader Luang Yonakarn Phichit. More blogs are to follow! We are not done yet. Frans wants to publish at least one blog per month.
View on the First Nawarat Bridge, early 20th century. Source unknown. The Mae Ping River Cruise Enjoy a couple of hours on the water The Mae Ping River Cruise offers a two-hour boat trip on the Ping River with a stop at a nice riverside location. The Mae Ping River Cruise office is at the boat […]
Magnificent Shan-style Buddha image at Wat More Nyin The border crossing at Mae Sai/Tachileik The border crossing at Mae Sai/Tachileik has been an important gateway to Myanmar for at least a century. It was here that American missionaries escaped from Thailand after the invasion of Japanese troops in December 1941. The border at Mae Sai-Tachileik […]
Wat Rong Khun, the amazing White Temple in Chiang Rai Wat Rong Khun (วัดร่องขุ่น) aka the “White Temple” has become the most popular attraction in Chiang Rai. It is not an active Buddhist temple because it has no monks residing. It is prominently in our list of “things to do in Chiang Rai“. In its […]
The Tu Pu Cave Temple Samnaksong Tu Pu (ปู่สำนักสงฆ์ตุ๊ปู่) is also known as Tu Pu Cave Temple or Tu Pu Priest’s Camp Site. I think you can describe it as the residence of the living place of forest monks. It is located in a limestone mountain about 5 km from Chiang Rai on the road […]
News from Chiang Mai and North Thailand – July 2022 It is time for some news from Chiang Mai after a long silence. We have been very active and busy during these strange times. Chiang Mai is very slowly rising from the ashes but it will take time. For the time being no one talks […]
Cycling in the Sukhothai Historical Park has always been a popular activity for visitors to this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sukhothai was Thailand’s first capital and flourished from the mid-13th century to the late 14th century. Thai people regard Sukhothai as the cradle of their civilization. Table of Contents Sukhothai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site […]
Introduction to Coffee in Thailand When I visited for the first time in 1987 there was no coffee culture in Chiang Mai and Thailand. In guesthouses and hotels, there was only Nescafé instant coffee. This is a brand from the Swiss company Nestlé. People regard it not as real coffee and rather as substandard. I […]
The Terracotta Garden at Lamphun is a coffeeshop annex restaurant on a very large compound containing terracotta statues and structures. It is about 7km from Lamphun, not far from the Ping River. Table of Contents The Terracotta Garden at Lamphun I have passed the garden numerous times on my bicycle rides but never noticed it […]
Say it with flowers in Chiang Mai The Chiang Mai Flower Festival takes place during the first weekend of February at the end of the cool season. In 2022 this will be the weekend of 5 and 6 February. Usually, the opening takes place on the Friday before the weekend. We have good hope that […]
The Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center Table of Contents The Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center The Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center (OCCC) is a Living Heritage of Chiang Mai. For almost 50 years this venue has showcased Lanna and hilltribe culture to visitors from all over the world. When the OCCC opened in early 1971 […]