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The Death Railway, or the Thai-Burma Railway, is a train made infamous by a horrific wartime atrocity upon prisoners of war, and then famous by a brilliant (albeit semi-fictional) book and movie – The Bridge on the River Kwai. The train still operates as a regular Thailand regional train, and also for tourists and survivors […]
As I expounded upon earlier, the City of Bangkok is a heaving beast that is growing and spilling into the countryside. So as we push out of Bangkok, it is remarkable how suddenly we emerge into fields of rice paddy. So in this post, I thought I should talk a little bit about rice and […]
I once shared a few beers with transport infrastructure expert from the Asian Development Bank. He was enthralled by talking about his own work (or perhaps he was just enthralled to be talking to another human). And I’m sure there are people that are equally enthusiastic about it. I, however, was bored to tears. But […]
Wang Dusit — or the Celestial Dwelling — forms the main administrative centre of the Thai kingdom. The district was established by King Chulalongkorn, who wanted to escape the cluttered area of Rattanakosin Island — the older part of Bangkok toward the west where the Grand Palace complex sits on the Chao Phraya river. Dusit Palace eventually became the primary — although unofficial — residence […]
Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit is the longest city name in the world. It translates to “City of angels, great city of immortals, magnificent city of the nine gems, seat of the king, city of royal palaces, home of […]
Hua Lumphong Station is, for the time being, the beginning or end of most great Thai rail journeys. It serves over 60,000 passengers daily. It is a terminus for every line in State Railway of Thailand network, taking you north to Chiangmai, Northeast to Laos, East to Cambodia, West toward Myanmar, and South to Malaysia, including […]
“The train arrived at [Ayutthaya]. I was content to satisfy my curiosity about this historic place by a view of the railway station (after all, if a man of science can reconstruct a prehistoric animal from its thigh bone why cannot a writer get as many emotions as he wants from a railway station?…)” —Somerset […]
IMPORTANT: This post was last updated 1 June 2018. Always check how to buy tickets before you travel. How to take the Death Railway (Thai-Burma Railway) Regular scheduled trains still run from Bangkok along the Thai-Burma Railway up to Nam Tok, via Kanchanaburi (home of the Bridge on the River Kwai), and Nakhon Pathom). It […]
Travelling north by train from Bangkok? Then we recommend the Northern Line Window Seater trip. Want a deeper dive in your time? Then read on for a tale of rice & revolt! The City of Bangkok is a heaving beast that is growing and spilling into the countryside. So if you’re taking the Northern Line […]
(Note – a version this post first appeared on our shiny Medium blog) A Greek youngster almost became the King of Siam. And some of the most cherished Thai desserts were invented by his wife. Believe me? A tale of power, love and sweet treats When taking the fascinating Bangkok <> Chiang Mai train, your […]
