The art to
understand the history of Thailand
Until November 4th
from 9: 30 to 18:
Structured in an original way, it put aside the chronology and relies on the themes of research of Thai
identity, inspired especially of Buddhism or the socio-political fight. A very
nice way to learn about
Thai Trends from Localism to
Internationalism: Bangkok Art and
3rd and 5th floors, 7th and 9th
floors -
Free entrance
Phimai Festival
A very colorful festival, famous for its
traditional boat races, is held the second week of November, from November 9th
to 11th 2012. For more than a century, these races attract every
year at
Vegetarian Festival in Phuket
This festival is the most colorful Festival and the most dramatic of Phuket Chinese minority. The ceremony, including ritual practices, is observed with great reverence. To purify the body and mind, the Chinese impose themselves a vegetarian diet, from November 15th to 23rd 2012. Every day various ceremonies take place in the Chinese temples as well as processions,
spectacular
demonstrations of insensitivity to the suffering. In order to gain more merit, the Chinese walk on
coals, pierce their cheeks and body with sabers, knives or sharp objects. The
first festival took place in 1825 when, according to legend, members of a
troupe of opera originating from
World Film Festival
in Bangkok
To the program from November 16th to
25th 2012: an international competition, a competition reserved for short and
long Asian films, as well as a competition for documentaries and young
directors. More than 150 films from around the world are presented. The
festival offers also a panorama of Thai films and retrospectives. It become,
year after year, as one of the major events of the cinematographic scene in
A shuttle service between
Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang
Starting October 1st, the regional
traffic of three airlines (AirAsia, Nok and One Two Go) will be carried out
from Don Mueang airport. Airports of Thailand (AOT), announced the
establishment of a shuttle service between the two airports in
Elephants Festival (Round up Festival) in Surin
For 40 years, Surin region, East of Thailand, has,
from November 17th to 18th 2012, demonstrations of training
techniques for the work of the elephant, as well as simulations of ancient
battles on the back of elephants.
After a small ceremony organized
opposite the bus station, 200 to 250 elephants participate in this festival
given at Srinarong stadium, in the streets of Surin and the surrounding area.
They perform acrobatics, parades, exercise, and are even pageants, all under
the gaze of thousands of spectators. The elephants stop at red lights in the
middle of the
rickshaws
and spray in the middle of
traffic jams...
The elephant is since long the
emblem animal of the country. Represented on the national flag, he’s also
always featured in legends, literature, Thai art and architecture.
Alpha
They
perform acrobatics, parades, strength
exercises, and even stand historical tables, all under the
eyes of thousands of
spectators.
Thailand
This balloon and hot air balloons festival is held from November 23rd to
25th 2012 with street party, with music and gastronomy, animations
and illuminations, sounds and lights in North Rose of Thailand, Chiang Mai. Some of the
hot air balloons will fly from the
Ocean Marina Boat
Show in Pattaya in November 2012
Located on the
It will be held the Pattaya boat
show, Ocean Marina Boat Show 2012, from November 23rd to 25th.
This important trade event will bring together local professionals and
international boating marina, water sports and fishing equipment, in a festive
atmosphere, entertainment and shows.
The boat show of Pattaya offers
not only the opportunity to admire beautiful luxury boats but also to once
again enjoy the incomparable Thai hospitality.
Week of the River Kwai bridge in Kanchanaburi
Every year in Kanchanaburi, for one week (this
year: from November 24th to December 5th 2012), held a
commemoration of the famous bridge. Carnival, exhibitions, folk performances,
train rides are in the program of the week.
The festivities of this big
annual celebration end with a large reconstruction of the events of
The lagoon Triathlon in Phuket
More than 450 participants from 30 countries are
competing for this endurance event that combines swimming, cycling and race
walking. The starting point is given. November 25th 2012... at 6:
Not only it’s one of the most
popular international sporting events of the island, but the course of this
triathlon, with its breathtaking coastal scenery, ranks among the most
beautiful triathlons. Over the editions it has become an international
reference.
Monkeys festival at Lopburi
Each year, the last Sunday of November, population
in the temples organizes a veritable banquet for monkeys, descendants of the
God monkey Hanuman. Lopburi monkeys live release freely throughout the year, running on electrical wires,
taking the Sun on the top of the stupas or crossing the road without worrying
about fire!
The menu of this annual feast on
November 25th 2012: refined dishes, coca-cola and other delicacies sweets prepared with care
are provided to animals with thousand and one bowing, in a great festive
atmosphere. An original ritual to see this banquet not like the others.
The festivities take place at
Prang Khaek temple,
Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai
The traditional lantern festival of Yi Peng from
November 27th to 29th 2012, which coincides with Loy
Krathong (at the time of the full moon, November 28th in 2012),
gives rise to sounds and lights shows, boat races, as well as various
traditional games. Decorations trace the Buddha life through the Thai
literature, history and art of the ancient
Loy Krathong, lanterns festival in Thailand
This traditional festival of lights is one of the
most beautiful and the most popular of Thailand, celebrated across the country
on the evening of the full moon
of the 12th lunar
month, the November 28th 2012. These festivities celebrate the end
of the rainy season and honor the spirits of the water, which play a
significant role in the life of the country.
People make krathong, tiny boats of banana leaves, whose shape evokes
the lotus flower and contain a lighted candle, incense and flowers. They
deposit these small candles on rivers, as well as khong to exorcise their guilt’s. They also hunted the
cares of everyday life by dropping in the sky lanterns called celestial.
A beauty show in the night.
The celebrations are particularly
bighted
in
Silk and Phuk Seow Festival in Khon Kaen
From November 29th to December 10th
2012 takes place a traditional fair with exhibitions, processions, music, traditional
dances and, of course, the election of Miss silk! This show is almost a ritual
for the people of Khon Kaen, a major center of silk production. Khon Kaen
is a
The Thailand
strengthens its position as the travel hub in ASEAN
The MV Ocean Dream
luxury boat with 420 booths has recently made its inaugural cruise of 4 days/3
nights on the
MYANMAR
Shan New year
The Shan new year, the name of a State in the
northeast of the country, is celebrated every November 22nd in the
monasteries by concerts, dance and theatre performances.
The capital of this region is
Taunggyi
Hot Air Balloon Festival in Taunggyi
During the month of Tazaunmon, we can see a concourse
and surprising forms balloon releases: elephants, chickens, ducks, dragons,
representations of the Buddha... Bamboo frames covered with papier-mâché.
During the day you can visit the monasteries. Gatherings begin late afternoon.
Better to reserve accommodation long in advance because the festival attracts a
large crowd from November 23rd to 28th 2012.
Tazaungdaing
Festival
This Festival of lights is accompanied by zat, these theatre festivals narrating
Burmese mythology and history, and mixing dances, music and songs from November
27th to 29th 2012. Troops stop in the illuminated villages to play.
In the light of the full moon of the month of Tazaungmon (mid-November), monastic dresses weaving
competitions are held on the square in front of the biggest pagodas. The
Tazaungdaing festival is particularly celebrated at the Shwedagon Pagoda, one
of the most beautiful in the world, located in Yangon (
Pagoda festival at Kyaik Hti Yo (at Golden Rock)
At full moon,
November 28th 2012, the faithful lit thousands of candles and lay as
many flowers in tribute to the Buddha. The Kyaik Hti Yo pagoda is one of the
most sacred of Buddhism, it’s one of the most important places of pilgrimage:
pilgrims flock from across the country, making the way on foot through the
mountains, to see this pagoda which originated more from 2 400 years.
The site is very difficult to
access. The pagoda,
Thailand wishes to investigate
the tomb of a King in Mandalay
The Thai government said it plans to send a fact-finding team to
investigate a funereal site in
LAOS
Lao
Handicraft Festival 2012
From November 01st to 07th,
more than 370 producers reiterated their participation in ITECC. This Lao
handicraft festival showcases traditional and contemporary handicraft of the
Now in its eleventh year, the Lao handicraft
Festival is more than just an opportunity to purchase. Visitors attending the
festival can enjoy fashion shows, demonstrations of crafts, workshops, product
contests and seminars.
Bun
This spectacular
boat race takes place at the end of the Buddhist lent, from November 3rd
to December 9th
Pha That Luang Festival in
Wat That Luang, the most revered stupa in Laos and
one of the most beautiful, a few kilometers north of Savannakhet, is the scene
of a festival at the time of the full moon in November (28th in 2012). In the early morning, monks from
across the country gather in the galleries that surround the stupa and receive
offerings of the faithful in the form of flower garlands. They marched in
procession from Wat That Luang to Wat Si Muang, another great
In recent years, this celebration
took a turn more and more secular, as an international fair, which Southeast
Asian traders can make themselves known, added to this festival. Outside of the
temple stand all sorts of attractions that are not religious.
End of the work of the Vientiane
pillar Museum
A ceremony marking the end of the work of the
Vientiane pillar Museum occurred on October 10th, in the presence of
the former Information and culture Minister, responsible for monitoring of the
construction of the city pillar Pavilion, and former Prime Minister, the
Information, culture and tourism Deputy Minister, the Vientiane Deputy Mayor,
the district Sisattanak Chief and representatives of Phettaphab, the company
entrusted with the work. The city pillar Museum (Ho Lackmeuang) is located in
the District of Phiavat in Sisattanak district,
Other rare pieces complement the inventory of the
Museum and the opening and ceremonies, accompanying to bulk scheduled over
three days, from November 15th to 17th.
Development of new tourist
attractions in Xiengkhouang
The authorities of the
The provincial tourism Department also plans to
improve the access road to the elephants cave (Tham Xang). A Phuan ethnic group
village is also very visited because there are scales used to launch rockets
during Boun Bangfai (rocket Festival) and this for 700 years. A replica of the
rocket used at that time was made. It’s made of wood, and is the work of local
people. It measures about
Waters Festival (Or Om Boc) in Sóc
Trang
About thirty canoes
gather on a River arm at Soc Trang (at the southern tip of
Ha Thach festival
The 10th day of the 10th lunar
month, the 3 villages of Thuong, Ha, Trung did palanquins processions to the
common Ca home to celebrate a grand ceremony of worship to the deities, perform
the dance of the dragon, to organize the ceremony of the activation of the
soil, and a canoe race. These three cities are located in Phu Tho province,
located in the Northwest of Vietnam; bordered to the Northeast by Tuyen Quang
province, to the East by Vinh Phuc province, on the Southeast by Ha Tay
province (Hanoi today), to the South by
Since 500 years, villagers bury the whales like humans
There is no other place in
The cemetery houses exactly 529 aligned tombs, each
featuring a stylized stone stele. No one knows with precision the date when the
first whale was buried to there or when the first tomb was built. The elderly
of the
beached
whale in Tam Hai. Her tomb
is located in the heart of the site. This cemetery of whales has been
recognized as historical and cultural heritage of Quang
Whales are among the largest
animals on Earth, and are found in all the oceans of the globe at the
discretion of their migration. Unlike that in many coastal areas in
The old fisherman Truong Van Dông, strong more 60 years of experience in the
offshore fishery, said that ten years ago, his boat was caught in a typhoon at
sea. Miraculously, a whale appeared and brought him back with his crew on the
Mainland. 'Whenever fishermen of my village are facing a storm at sea, they
pray for whales help get out of this bad not.' 'And the genius of the sea gives
us force when you hand off the coast, knowing that he’s watching over us', he
said.
It’s possible to express some reservations about
the veracity of these stories on the whales which save the lives of fishermen.
But no matter, because these stories are transmitted from generation to
generation in this region that lives entirely of fishing.
In the spirit of the older fishermen, whale is,
whatever happens, a legendary animal. That’s why whenever one of these
creatures is found dead stranded on the
Discover this guesthouse in Vietnam
A Vietnamese architect built a house inspired by
Walt Disney, Gaudi and Dali and turned it into a Bed and Breakfast. You might
admire.
The five-storey house was built in 1990 on a plot
of almost
Vietnam
Vietnam Airlines offers in collaboration with the
SNCF the TGV Air program allowing it to sell its destinations departing more
from 19 provincial cities. This agreement allows travelers starting from their
province to enjoy excellent connections with 13 weekly flights departing from
Paris-CDG to many destinations in Asia and
Vietnamese culture in pictures to
Ninh Thuân
A photo exhibition about the cultural diversity of
the Vietnamese ethnic groups opened on October 14th at the cultural
center of Ninh Thuân province
(Centre). This event is organized by the Vietnam Exhibition Centre of culture
and fine arts and the culture, sports and tourism Department of Ninh Thuân.
With 130 shots on hats, heritage, traditions and customs of the 54 ethnic
groups of
As part of the framework of the days of Culture, Sports
and tourism of Cham - Ninh Thuân 2012, the exhibition shows photos on this ethnic
group and more than 500 objects and documents on the major regions of
particularities, from the North plain to the
In Hanoi
Alpha
heritage
among others of a period stored in the urban landscape. Sealed
and forgotten at the end of the conflict in 1975, the small network of
underground shelters has been discovered during work in the hotel, splendid
colonial building become a point of passing for tourists and Vietnamese
gentility. According to Kai Speth, Manager of the Hanoi Metropole, rumors
circulated in the establishment that the bunker of
"When we restored the foundations of the pool,
I told the team: 'dig a little further'", he recalls. Up to discover a
flooded room. "You can imagine..." "I felt like Indiana Jones
discovering the damned temple". The bunker was built in 1968 under the
hotel Thong Nhat, used by the Government to accommodate foreign delegations.
American actress Jane Fonda and the singer and activist Joan Baez have stayed
there. The icon of the "protest song" has even recorded a song during
the bombing of December 1972, when the Americans have lined the town of some
20,000 tones of explosives in twelve days, making around 1,600 dead.
The 21-minute song recorded by Joan Baez,
"Where Are You Now My Son", in
capturing sound: "you can hear the
sound of bombs falling." "We can hear the anti-aircraft batteries
installed on the opera, next to the hotel," reports Kai Speth.
There were thousands of bunkers of this type in the
city at war. Most were destroyed, swallowed by the economic growth. Some have
been retained, such as, behind the Thang Long Citadel, where Ho Chi Minh
president sheltered.
It’s here that Do Thi Yen chose to put his
"deep hatred noodles Stand", which takes the name of the memorial.
"Sometimes, we should be grateful to the dead." They brought me
clients. "All my clients know what happened here."
The process is even more meaningful for the
"No. 37 State Restaurant". For 25 dollars, servers in old uniforms
serve the menu available in the early 1970s, at the time of rationing. "A
good place so that older people remember the dark years and young people understands this historic period, although the dishes are not
very good", noted the Vietnamese information agency (AVI) in a culinary
column.
The issue is real in this country where 60% of the
population is under 35 years old, so this population has only known peace.
For foreigner, Vietnam war takes
them sometimes aspects of a pilgrimage.
The former King of Cambodia ,
Norodom Sihanouk, has died
Norodom Sihanouk, former sovereign of Cambodia who had abdicated in 2004
in favor of his son, died of a heart attack, Monday October 15th,
at the age of 89 years old in a Beijing hospital. He was one of the great Asian
political figures of the 20th century.
The former King of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk has
marked the history of the second part of the 20th century and was
revered in his country in having maintained unity through the decades of war.
"The royal Government of Cambodia will turn
his body of the People's Republic of
The former sovereign lived most of his time in the
Chinese capital in recent years to follow medical treatment against cancer,
diabetes and hypertension. One whose reign was one of the longest in
"King Sihanouk did not belong to his family,
he belonged to the Cambodian people and the story," added prince.
Last January, he had indicated that he wanted to be
cremated and have his ashes in an urn at the royal palace in
Coincidence of history, his death occurred on the
last day of the annual festivities of Pchum Ben, during which the Cambodians
find themselves in family and honor ancestors.
Despite a tumultuous career and after major caps
changes from the monarch, "I'm sure that it will be officially considered
as being a great leader" and that "the most difficult moments of its
balance sheet" will be left in silence.
The country shouldn’t know political instability.
It’s now held by Hun Sen Prime Minister, in power since 1985 and accused by his
critics of having completely muzzled the opposition. The monarchy, without
great power, has provided no contest and will survive to Sihanouk.
Independence day in
Cambodia
As part of the Independence Day from
Water festival (Bon Om Touk) in Cambodia
November 28th 2012,
Cambodians cheer the direction changing of the
On this occasion, don’t miss
regattas of multicolored canoes, opposite the royal palace in
Two legends
compete for the origin of the water festival. The first dates back to the time of Angkor and
fighting between the King of Champa which had invaded
The second legend that this
festival serves to thank the geniuses of the waters that provide water for
agriculture. In any event, it’s a very popular festival in
The 2012 Agenda: Here is a sample of the holidays don't miss through
OK Phansa and
Thot Kathin: October
Regattas: October to Thot
Kathin, Nan, Phichit,
Elephant Festival in : Surin third weekend of November
Week of the bridge on the River Kwai: Late November - early December
Anniversary of his Majesty the King: December 5th
Makha Puja: Full
moon in February
Songkran (New year Thai):
April
Royal ploughing ceremony: may
9th in Bangkok
Party rocket: Mid-May
to Yasothon (northeast)
Visakha Puja: Full
moon of may
Anniversary of her Majesty the Queen: August 12th
Tournament of Polo on elephant "King's cup "2012 " September,
on adjacent of Anantara Hua Hin Resort and Spa
Birthday of King
Norodom Sihanouk: October 31st 2012
Festival of Tet (new year Vietnamese or Chinese):
February
New year khmer (Bon
Chaul Chhnam): April
Anniversary of King
Sihamoni: May 14th
Fang Mae Khong
Festival in
National holiday
(Vanh Saad): December 2nd 2012
Festival of Tet (new year Vietnamese or Chinese):
February
Wat Phou in Champassak:
February
Lao Elephant
Festival in Paklay District (
Magha Puja (Makha
Bouça) in Luang Prabang: February
PII may or Pimai
(Buddhist new year): April
Celebration of the
Phaung Daw U to
Pagoda in
Thidingyut Festival
(Festival of lights): from October 11th to 13th 2012
The Dance Festival
of elephants to Kyaukse (
Hot Air Balloon
Festival in Taunggyi: from November 4th to 10th 2012
Tazaungdaing
Festival: from November 9th to 10th 2012
Feast of the pagoda
at Kyaik Hti Yo (to the Golden Rock): on November 10th 2012
Pyatha (independence
day): January 4th 2013
The
Tabodwe (feast of
the shan State) and Union day: February 2013
Festival of Paya Baw
- gyo to Thipaw pwe: March 2013
Kakku (Kekku) around
Taunggyi pagoda: March 2013
Grinding Thanakha
Festival in
Thingyan (water
Festival) Festival: April 2013
NAT Pwe Festival at
Taungbyon and Amarāpura (
The double nine to
Cuu
Da Sy around
Feast of Hội
in Lim (Bac Ninh province): February
Feast of the
Quam year in
Chua Huong (perfume
Pagoda Festival) at Huong Son: March
Fishermen to Hoi An
Festival: March
(Province of Ha
Feast of the village
of Van Vi (
Truong Yen Festival
(Ninh Binh province): April
Celebration of the
launch of Ba Giang kites (
Anniversary of the
storming of
Feast of Bach Dang
(Quang Ninh province): May 11th
Ba Chua Xu to Chau
Doc Festival: from may 25th to 29th
Quang Lan Party (Bac
Ninh province): July 18th
National holiday:
September 2nd
Do Son Buffalo
fighting Festival: September 6th
Mid-Autumn Festival
(children's day): September 12th
Feast of the temple
at Nam Dinh Tran: from September 12th to 17th
All these dates are subject to change