former President’s visit to Thailand 3

Bangkok  – กรุงเทพมหานคร – Krung Thep Maha Nakhon
Special administrative area
A composite image, consisting of the following, in clockwise fashion: a skyline with several skyscrapers; a tall gate-like structure, painted in red; a monument featuring bronze figures standing around the base of an obelisk, surrounded by a large traffic circle; a cable-stayed bridge with a single pylon on one side of the river it spans; a temple with a large stupa surrounded by four smaller ones on a river bank; and a stately building with a Thai-style roof with three spires
Clockwise from top: Si Lom–Sathon business district, the Giant Swing, Victory Monument, Rama VIII Bridge, Wat Arun, and the Grand Palace
A green rectangular flag with the seal of Bangkok in the centre
Flag A round seal bearing the image of Indra riding Airavata among clouds, with the words “Krung Thep Maha Nakhon” (in Thai) across the top
Seal
Map of Thailand, with a small highlighted area near the centre of the country, near the coast of the Gulf of Thailand

Bangkok is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (กรุงเทพมหานคร, pronounced [krūŋ tʰêːp mahǎː nákʰɔ̄ːn] (About this sound listen)) or simply Krung Thep (About this sound listen (help·info)). The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand, and has a population of over eight million, or 12.6 percent of the country’s population. Over fourteen million people (22.2 percent) lived within the surrounding Bangkok Metropolitan Region at the 2010 census,[5] making Bangkok the nation’s primate city, significantly dwarfing Thailand’s other urban centres in terms of importance.

Bangkok traces its roots to a small trading post during the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 15th century, which eventually grew and became the site of two capital cities: Thonburi in 1768 and Rattanakosin in 1782. Bangkok was at the heart of the modernization of Siam, later renamed Thailand, during the late 19th century, as the country faced pressures from the West. The city was at the centre of Thailand’s political struggles throughout the 20th century, as the country abolished absolute monarchy, adopted constitutional rule, and underwent numerous coups and several uprisings. The city grew rapidly during the 1960s through the 1980s and now exerts a significant impact on Thailand’s politics, economy, education, media and modern society.

The Asian investment boom in the 1980s and 1990s led many multinational corporations to locate their regional headquarters in Bangkok. The city is now a regional force in finance and business. It is an international hub for transport and health care, and has emerged as a centre for the arts, fashion, and entertainment. The city is known for its vibrant street life and cultural landmarks, as well as its notorious red-light districts. The historic Grand Palace and Buddhist temples including Wat Arun and Wat Pho stand in contrast with other tourist attractions such as the nightlife scenes of Khaosan Road and Patpong. Bangkok is among the world’s top tourist destinations. It is named the world’s most visited city in MasterCard’s Global Destination Cities Index, and was named “World’s Best City” for four consecutive years by Travel + Leisure magazine.

Bangkok’s rapid growth coupled with little urban planning has resulted in a haphazard cityscape and inadequate infrastructure. An inadequate road network, despite an extensive expressway network, together with substantial private car usage, have led to chronic and crippling traffic congestion, which caused severe air pollution in the 1990s. The city has since turned to public transport in an attempt to solve the problem. Five rapid transit lines are now in operation, with more systems under construction or planned by the national government and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

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former President’s visit to Thailand 2

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s visit to Thailand – Day 2

On the 24th of April, the casket of sacred Buddha was placed in the Thai Buddhist tradition. The event was attended by a large number of Sri Lankan Buddhist monks, including Prof. Lakshman Peiris, Member of the Western Provincial Council Upali Kodikara and Former Ambassador Udayanga Weeratunga.

Wat Pa Phu Kon Temple
Wat Pa Phu Kon, also known as the forest temple is an outstanding place situated in the province of Udon Thani, but closer to the city of Nong Khai than the city of Udon.

Wat Pa Phu Kon

This place is unique and would not fail to impress even those that had seen enough temples to last a life time since visiting Thailand. Most tourists do not get to visit here because of its location and the need for transport. Most of the foreign visitors to Wat Pa Phu Kon are expats in Thailand or people that are married to a Thai person. If you are staying in Udon Thani or even better Nong Khai it’s most definitely worth trying to visit if possible.

About Wat Pa Phu Kon
Located in the hilly forests of the Na Yung (Udon district) Wat Pa Phu Kon is unlike most religious buildings, including Wats (Temples), which are usually many years old with plenty of history that can certainly add to the attraction of these places.

Pa Phu Kon was only completed in the year 2013 and lacks history, but certainly makes up for the lack of history in its appearance and location. Despite it’s lack of history, the temple itself is beautiful in appearance and set in the idyllic surroundings of the north east of Thailand (at its best) that takes contemporary religious buildings to another level.

As with all Buddhist temples the sculptures and art works at Pa Phu Kon represent some mystical, philosophical or other meaning related to historical Buddhist scriptures. As tourists we must be mindful that all temples are places of worship and respect for many Thai people. There is an alter area in front of the marble reclining Buddha for people to prey. There is not much else to write about the temple as pictures speak louder than words. Inside Pa Pha Phu Kon there is more information about the building work and the transportation of the marble reclining Buddha.

Worth Visiting Wat Pa Phu Kon
If you have access to transport and you’re staying in Udon Thani or Nong Khai then it’s a great day out. Even if you do not have transport there are options to book privately (as i did with the owner of The Rim Guesthouse). Or car rental costs around a 1000 THB.

You will have to dress appropriately for the visit as with all temples. No vests and wear shorts and skirts below the knee. The temple can provide extra covering if required.

Although situated in the Udon Thani province the temple is actually closer to Nong Khai city rather than Udon city.

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former President’s visit to Thailand 1

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s visit to Thailand-Day 1

Udon Thani, or Udon for short, is an important regional hub that connects northeastern Thailand with the rest of the country as well as neighbouring Laos. Once a far-flung, sleepy provincial town, Udon sprang into action when the Thai and US governments built a joint-force military base there during the Vietnam War, bringing a large influx of GIs and Vietnamese immigrants to the city, thus creating a multi-culturally diverse base which lasts until today. Besides its military past, Udon is home to one of the world’s earliest bronze-age civilizations, at Ban Chiang. Archaeological evidence – earthenware pottery and bronze fragments – unearthed here suggest that the prehistoric settlements existed between 2100BC and 200AD. Other ancient structures and artifacts are also found inside Phu Phra Baht Historical Park. Here, rising amidst a vast sandstone mountain are peculiar rock formations, as well as dinosaur foot prints, cave paintings and Buddhist structures. Udon is approximately 560km from Bangkok. The urban centre, Udon City, is home to a large concentration of expats, some of whom settled down here after the war. Udon’s dining and nightlife scene is, therefore, culturally diverse and offers good choices.

What to Do in Udon Thani

Besides being a major transport hub in the northeast, Udon is also home to the well-known archaeological site at Ban Chiang (55km from the city), where prehistoric settlements and earthenware pottery dating between 2100BC and 200AD were unearthed. Equally fascinating is Phu Phra Baht Historical Park (67km from the city), with sandstone caves, caverns, prehistoric cave paintings and peculiar-shaped rocks dotting its beautiful landscape. Phu Foi Lom Eco Park (40km southwest of the city) is ideal for hiking and overnight camping. Inside the city area, Nong Prajak Park is a pleasant recreational space for relaxing, jogging and picnicking. Udon Thani Provincial Museum, housed inside a historic building that once was the royal residence of Queen Rampai Panni (King Rama VII’s princess consort), is a must-visit, for its architectural heritage and collection of exhibits.

 

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