The Thailand Photo Thread

[PeteC]

Neat photo and wanted to post it. Found in the Gulf of Mexico. No eyes, no brain but four (count them) pink gonads. Scientific name: Phylum Cnidaria. No idea if in Thai waters but now you know what they look like if seen. Pete

[Spitfire]

The other weekend, I went to the wife's village as they were holding a huge event, centered around temple(of course), which was to do with young Thai men becoming monks to help passage of their mother's spirit to heaven in the future etc etc.

Usually this can be an expensive exercise for families and it is a must in the staunchly religious village communities. However, a monk of some standing came to the village and surrounding area and said he would foot the bill for anyone who wishes/has the time now to become a monk as he needed a whole load of monks for various purposes.

Needless to say there were many that decided to take the offer up and get it over and done with for free.

Here are a few pics from the event,

The guy next door getting ready for monastic life, no escape!




The decorated temple, not sure what the white string dangling everywhere is in aid of, don't remember seeing that before,






I was told that these four are angels, Isaan style,



Monk graduation outfit,




The finished product, real monks,




A good time had by all and the event went on for about a week, all kinds of stuff going on. Interesting to see this sort of stuff as it is in the middle of nowhere and this world is easily missed, glad I went and saw it.

[richard]

Great pics

Seen in Khon Kaen as well

When is it your turn?

[Khundon1975]

Storm on the beach from our back garden. Hilton out of shot on the left.

That water should be 20 ft below.
This is a scan of an old pic.

[hhfarang]

For all you scuba enthusiasts out there...underwater photos from the Islands off the southwest coast of Thailand captured with a Nikonos IVa camera with dual strobes originally on Kodachrome 64 film and digitized using a Minolta film/slide scanner...



Barracuda


Frog Fish


Giant Clam


Grouper


Nudibranch


Porcelain Crab


Schooling Minnows


Soft Coral Branch Close-up


Stingray


Feather Starfish


Whale Shark


Wall Diving


Undersea Garden

[Khundon1975]

HH great pic's, makes me wish I had learnt to swim.

[hhfarang]

You don't have to know how to swim, you just have to know how to strap a tank on, some lead around your waist, and sink!

Actually you do have to know how to swim to get your certification, but after that there doesn't have to be much swimming involved. Just jump off the boat and go to the bottom! Once there, I rarely move around very much as I can usually get all the photos I want in a small area if diving in a prime location like the Similan Islands.

[migrant]

Very nice

I'm ready to get wet again!!

[Khundon1975]

You don't have to know how to swim, you just have to know how to strap a tank on, some lead around your waist, and sink!
Actually you do have to know how to swim to get your certification, but after that there doesn't have to be much swimming involved. Just jump off the boat and go to the bottom! Once there, I rarely move around very much as I can usually get all the photos I want in a small area if diving in a prime location like the Similan Islands.

HH I have tried that with some mates when I was 22, damn nearly killed myself as the weights were for a 12 stone man and I weighed 9 stone.
I sank like stone, they came down and released the belt and I popped up like a cork. Luckily it was only about 10 metres deep.

Paddy said to Sheamus, "why do divers fall backwards into the water" Sheamus replied "if they fell forwards, they would still be in the bloody boat"

[buksida]

Fantastic photos hhf, in ten years of diving I've yet to see a frog fish - the little buggers are very elusive!

[hhfarang]

Thanks, It was my 20th year of lots of diving before I saw my first frog fish or whale shark, both here in Thailand after I had dived extensively throughout the Caribbean, South Pacific, Central Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Red Sea.

The Thai waters on the Andaman Sea side have some of the best diving anywhere.

[Spitfire]

Longest solar eclipse will sweep Thailand next month

Published on June 21, 2009

A Prachinburi astronomer said yesterday that Thais would be able to observe a solar eclipse for about six minutes from approximately 7-9.30 am on July 22.

Worawit Tanwutthibundit said the 240-kilometre-long shadow would give one of the longest-lasting solar eclipses in history and be visible in India, Pakistan, China, Burma, Thailand and Japan.

The Upper North will see a 60-per-cent eclipse, the Lower North 50 per cent and the Upper South 30 per cent.

Source - Nationmultimedia.com

Should be cool ladies/gents for those that are interested. Almost a months notice.

Pictures would be cool if you've got a capable camera.

Maybe someone can post photos here after the event?

Mods - I have no idea which section this should be in.

[Jimbob]

On a previous visit to Bangkok and going down past Jim Thompson's house, I came unexpectly across Khlong Saen Saep and their commuter boats. I have always loved mass transport systems,canal or train, whether in Moscow or Bejing and promised myself on return to BKK to test run the boats.

Finally back in October, I hopped on near Jim's house, heading east, little realizing it was only one stop to the change over of ferry operators and so reboarding on for the long fast run to Wat Si Bun Rueang. Highly recommended trip but the water looks pretty foul. On many places pump discharges lift drain water up and into the khlong.

The female boat hand, being at the end of the run, dropped in to ear bash the boat captain, these boat hands take any risks to make speedy 'stop and goes'. Bike helmet and spray jacket and rope gloves made for one hot lady. As expected, monks ride for free at the back of the boat..

After barking my shin, while slipping on the boats gunwale, i hopped off at - The Mall Bangkapi shopping centre on Lat Phrao Road to get a bandaid. Huge modern mall and Falang free. Then back on the run retracing my steps.
I returned to the khlong next morning to walk along the banks and its narrow footpaths with occassional shop fronts that opened into people's homes. Naturally didn't poke my camera there.

[BaaBaa.]

Thanks Jimbob, I think we need more photo threads on here.

[PeteC]

Interesting pics Jimbob about everyday Thai life. It appears in one pic that boats here drive on the right, or is that just one about to pass another? I can't tell if the far one is coming or going. Pete