"Sarm Prang" - an old but charming district in Bangkok

One of the Bangkok's charming ancient areas that I would like to recommend to visit is "Sarm Prang" (สามแพร่ง) . It was once a thriving community area where principle governmental buildings and princes' palaces (Prince Narathip Praphanpong's, Prince Sappasart Supakij's and Prince Phutharate Thamrongsak's) were. The area names - Prang Nara (แพร่งนรา), Prang Sappasart (แพร่งสรรพศาสตร์) and Prang Phuthorn (แพร่งภูธร) / "Prang" [pronounced similarly as Prank ] in this post means crossroad - came from these palaces.

A Chinese community moved to live in this area and the trading has been established. Many shops i.e. leather shop, tailor shop, food shop, barber shop, were opened. Until these days the old buildings and some with European style still remain as well as the shops which are even old when the time passed by but the deliberate and expertized skills (including cooking skill) are also passed from generation to generation.

Recommended food shops to eat are "Raad Na 4o years" (ร้านราดหน้า 40 ปี) selling noodles topped with sauce (like gravy sauce but not exactly the same), "Kor Panich" (ร้าน ก.พานิช) selling sweet sticky rice for more than 72 years (the sweet sticky rice is so delicious particularly when you eat it with riped mango), "Natthaporn Ice-Cream" (ร้านนัฐพรไอศครีม) selling surely the ice-cream but this is the home made ice-cream from coconut milk with the family recipe and "Samorng-Mou" (ร้านสมองหมู) selling the mellow soup with the significant ingredient, that is "pig brain", which is also a well-known food shop in this area.

Where is it?
It is better to start from the Democracy Monument which is on Rajadamnern Road (It is a landmark point in Bangkok). It is in the area of Kork Wua (คอกวัว) . You can observe that there are a lot of lottery stalls along the street. Start walking from there, then turn left in Kork Wua and go straight to the end of the Soi (small road), you will find Tanaosri road and turn right. You will be in the old district of Sarm Prang.

Enjoy walking and eating!

Credit : photo by K.Noom Lookthung / Manager Online

Traveling to Samui on a budget for Thais

It is quite difficult for a number of Thais (including me!) to travel to Samui because the cost of traveling to Samui is expensive particulary getting there by flight (operated only by PG or Bangkok airways) which fly directly from Bangkok to Ko Samui ("Ko" means an island). The airfare is as high as the one of some international flights (i.e. some low-cost airlines).

If we do not go there by flight, how can we reach the island? .. ah! yes .. we can take a train from Bangkok to Surat Thani and then take a ferry from Surat Thani to Ko Samui. Indeed, it takes us one full day (more or less). Is there other way to get there for a shorter time but still on a budget?

There is an initiative created to reduce the high travel costs to Samui island by the main cooperation of TAT Samui island tourism, Thai Air Asia, a low-cost airline, and Seatrans Discovery. This is to encourage Thai tourists to come back to the island by offering a transport package (flight from Bangkok to Surat Thani by Thai Air Asia, land and sea transfer - from Surat Thani to the island - arranged by Seatrans Discovery).

This is their first try, a test package. If they get a good feedback especially during the low season, the project will become permanent.

I hope it will be.

Colours of the East - Exclusive card to visit eastern Thailand

"Colours of the East" is the card which had been launched by TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) to offer the discounts at hotels, spas, golf courses, restaurants and attractions in eastern coastal provinces of Thailand including Chong Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat provinces.

The card is available for Thai residents and foreigners who live in Thailand. If you are interested in receiving a complimentary card, please contact TAT's head office or TAT's offices in central regions 3,4 and 5.

The World Leading Paradise in Pattaya, The Nearest Paradise in Rayong, The City of Gems in Chanthaburi and Oriental Eden in Trat, all awaits you.

Sawasdee Thailand

Started with a Thai warm greeting word, Sawasdee, to friends in this blog, I want to make this blog to give you the travel information about Thailand, including interesting news and whatever I think should be useful for traveling in Thailand.

In these days, you can find such information everywhere in this beyond-frontier network. So, I try my best to tell you in different way @ Thailand Insight.