My Thailand And Why I Love It.

[IanForbes]

Nice to see the photos of your adopted family Ian

Quite why some find it disturbing to see you with Thai children is odd, to say the least! There seemed to be an implication that, because you may frequent bars and spend time with bar girls, that your relationship with the family you have chosen to help out is, somehow, wrong.

For me, it's nice to see someone doing something positive, also refreshing for someone to be so open about their chosen lifestyle.

Thanks for sharing.

Biff

I'm no hero, Biffastic. The real heros are the people who look afte rtheir families through thick and thin, and with very little in the way of finances. All I'm saying is that I get pleasure out of helping others with what little I have to share. My own children in Canada are going quite well on their own and only need my support from time to time. That is what good parenting and a good education provided. I'm hoping my kids in Thailand get just a few more opportunities than they might have had without me.

And, this whole thread is just about what I personally enjoy about Thailand. I can understand that others with different circumstances might have a different view.

[bifftastic]

Ian, I wasn't about to give you a medal

Just saying it's nice to see is all

Do you have a blog or website where you post your photos as well?

if not, you should! You can design a blog to display the shots a little better than on here (although I hope you keep posting here too!), and it might be easier for folks to peruse.

Anyway, I'm loving this thread, thanks

Biff

[23423981]

Ian,

Enjoyed your photos immensely.

As an amateur photographer, very interested to know what kind of cameras and lenses you used for the photos.

Thank you

[IanForbes]

Ian,

Enjoyed your photos immensely.

As an amateur photographer, very interested to know what kind of cameras and lenses you used for the photos.

Thank you

I've used a variety of cameras for those photos. I used an old Nikonos for most of the underwater shots. I presently have a Nikon 200D digital camera with a 18 to 200mm lens, and a waterproof Pentax W30 point and shoot for snapshots when there is good lighting. I still have all my old film cameras and need my 5200 dpi scanner to process negatives and slide film. But the old Nikon and Canon film cameras mostly sit in my cupboard now.

However, I'm thinking of upgrading to a NIKON D7000, but only because of its video capability. It would save me packing a video camera. I'm also thinking of a Canon S95 for snapshots. I"ve heard great things about it for low lighting. And, it's so small and compact that it would always be with me. I can always buy an underwater housing for it to take the place of the Nikonos.

I have all my photos on this thread stored on two different BC fishing forums. Right click on any picture and you'll see the URL where they came from. I've got over 8000 pictures there in various sub-albums. What I don't have is stories to go with the pictures. That is what this thread is about.

[Shotime]

I would just like to request that when someone decides to make a totally ridiculous association with anything they don't know anything about, that they refrain from using my post in their ....off-the-wall comment. Certain things that go on in this crazy world really don't have anything to do with s_x. If you want to cast aspersions at anyone, please don't use my post in yours. I can do that better than you, anyway.

Great show, Ian.

[Puccini]

Are there still barbers on the pavement along the moat, with a mirror hanging from a nail in the tree? I remember getting a shave there once, a long time ago, must have been in the 1970s. Your photo brought back the memory. I was on my way to a business meeting, realised I had forgotten to shave, had the taxi drop me off and got a quick shave.

[robbo1]

Ian love Kanchunaburi, do you have any photo's of Hell Fire Pass or the Erawan falls.

Hell Fire Pass should be a place everyone should visit just to see how hard the POWs really had it.

It definately bought a tear to my eye when I visited there a few years ago.

The Erawan falls is a great place to relax and swim.

[cobra]

When I was up at Kwai we took the train for a short distance along the river,

It was fairly sporting, everyone was hanging out the windows and looking down at the supporting trestles, appeared to be only reinforced bamboo or similar but it supported the train with no problem.

Lov the pics, keep them coming.

Edited June 27, 2011 by cobra

[IanForbes]

Are there still barbers on the pavement along the moat, with a mirror hanging from a nail in the tree? I remember getting a shave there once, a long time ago, must have been in the 1970s. Your photo brought back the memory. I was on my way to a business meeting, realised I had forgotten to shave, had the taxi drop me off and got a quick shave.

I have never seen any barbers working the moat area, but there are several just a short distance away in side sois.

Ian love Kanchunaburi, do you have any photo's of Hell Fire Pass or the Erawan falls.

Hell Fire Pass should be a place everyone should visit just to see how hard the POWs really had it.

It definately bought a tear to my eye when I visited there a few years ago.

The Erawan falls is a great place to relax and swim.

That was going to be my next topic.

There are many tour groups available in Kanchanaburi. They post pamphlets of their various options at all the guest cottages and hotels in town. There is lots of accommodation and I've never seen a need to pre-book. I've done the Mt Erawan trip many times and used all the options. I've taken the day trip there and back in a van. I've gone with a tour group in a van and returned by the railway all the way to the bridge. I've gone by van and returned only part of the way by rail, and the remainder by van. I've gone with friends in the back of their pickup truck. And i've gone by rented motorscooter. It is about a 60 kilometer one way trip by van. I found it a bit far by rented scooter, but do-able if you wanted to do some other exploring at the same time. A tour trip costs anywhere from 600 baht to 900 baht depending on options. That is for each person. But, if you have a family there is the option of hiring just a truck and driver for about 1000 baht for the day.

The landscape changes quite dramatically from Bankok to the town of Kanchanaburi, and even more so from Kanchanaburi into the mountains. From Bangkok to Kanchanaburi it is basically flat farm land, but Kanchanaburi is right at the edge of the hill country to the west. A half hour drive west and the landscape is all narrow valleys and steep hillsides. The rivers are all dammed forming large reservoirs that stretch many kilometers into the valleys. The small stream that tumbles down the mountain at Erawan flows into the big river that flows out of Si Nakharin reservoir. Mount Erawan is contained within a National Park and it is very popular with tourists and locals alike.Big tour busses and small van groups arrive daily during tourist season, and local Thais come in their own vehicles. I have been there dozens of times and always bring friends who visit. My Thai kids love it there. The stream tumbles down the mountain in a series of waterfalls. The water is clear but filled with mineral salts that deposit themselves on the rocks, forming slick pale, limestone formations. The hike to the uppermost falls pool is steep and takes about 40 minutes if you don't stop to swim. But, every deep pool is filled with bathers. There is a big parking lot at the bottom with many cafes selling meals and soft drinks.

The mineral salts on the rocks are slippery and make a natural slide into the many plunge pools

Bathing beauties are common and friendly, and most will pose for pictures..

And you will notice the fish swimming in the above picture. They are Asian mahseer, and a popular gamefish that only inhabits clean, clear, mountain rivers. More on them later.

[IanForbes]

On my first visit to Mount Erawan I was fascinated by the many fish in the clear pools. At the time, I didn't know the species but a fish is a fish to a die hard angler. Most of the fish were about 20 to 30 centemetres long, but there were a few huge ones that might weight 4 kilograms. Being a fly fisherman I wondered if the fish could be caught on my trout flies. But, the stream is within a National park and fishing is not allowed. That didn't stop me, though, and on my next trip I brought along a box of small flies I had tied, and a bit of line and leader. I didn't want to be obvious by bringing a fishing rod. I snuck off the beaten path and pushed my way into a brushy part of the stream where there were no tourists. I cut a bamboo pole with my Leatherman multi-took and fastened it into a fishing rod. Then I fastened a short length of fly line to the tip of the bamboo pole and tied on a small black fly. I then went hunting for fish. My prayers were answered and I was able to get close enough to a small school of mahseer. I dapped the fly on the water's surface above their heads and one came up to take my fly. In one quick swing I hoisted it out of the water and onto the bank. I took a quick photo before releasing the fish back into the stream unharmed. I didn't need to prove any more to myself and I took down my tackle and put it away in my pack.

Besides the mahseer, there are another species that love to nibble on the dead skin of anyone standing still in the water. They are similar to the species that fish spas have in their tanks. It feels like gentle electric shocks and gives a tingly feeling that isn't unpleasant. And, if you wait long enough the fish will clean off all dead skin and leave your feat as smooth as a baby's bottom.

Another species of wildlife abounds in the park... MONKEYS! And, you DO have to watch out for them. They will steal small packs because they think there might be food. I saw one take a person's camera out of a pack and take it high in the trees above. The owner never got his camera back.

[IanForbes]

As already mentioned, one of the tours to Mount Erawan allows for a ride back to Kanchanaburi in the death railway, as it is locally called. No, it's not dangerous, but just named after the many people who died building it. A van take the clients from the falls to the railway station about 20 km away. Then, there are two options. You can take the full 2 hour ride back to town or only go part way. I've done both and would only recommend the half hour short trip. A van will take you the remainder of the way. Anything longer than half an hour on the train becomes boring. There is a natural cave at the station where Japanese hid duing the bombing.

And back to the station at Kanchanaburi

[Lancelot]

I stay for 5 months of the year from November until April and get the best of both worlds

Fantastic thread and photos Ian, my compliments. I think some of the happiest expats here are the ones that split their time between Thailand and their home country

[Warhammer820]

Ian you hang out with some amazingly beautiful women, you are blessed. Luckily i do too, so i guess i am blessed as well

[Boxster]

Great photos, Ian! I am heading there in November or December for a break and looking very much forward to it.

Thanks for sharing!

[angiud]

I always love to read this thread and to see your always interesting and beautiful picture. In a Thaivisa slowly becoming every month a bit more boring (sorry George), this is a light in the dark.

Than you, Ian! :jap:

[Dag]

Ian you hang out with some amazingly beautiful women, you are blessed. Luckily i do too, so i guess i am blessed as well

Must have missed those photos.

Nice thread but.....why no more Pics ?

Edited July 25, 2011 by Dag

[David006]

What I quickly discovered about many small Thai villages is there are seldom any hotels or accommodation for tourists. Such is the case for Luk Kae. The nearest hotel is 10 kilometres further back down the road at Ban Pong. And, despite its ostentatious entrance the hotel is rather run down. The hot water didn't work, the little TV had 4 channels, and only in Thai, and everything was rather seedy. And, they charged the standard price of about 400 baht per night. Ban Pong is a small, Thai city but doesn't offer anything of much interest for a tourist.

But, one night of sleeping at the family's home like this, made my decision to return to the hotel in Ban Pong each night quite easy. A thin mattress on the floor and roosters crowing all night do not make for the best of sleeps. And I still haven't adjusted to the standard Thai bathroom.

It was easy decision to move on to Kanchanburi and stay in one of its many guest houses. There is much more to do in Kanchanaburi and it has been developed as a semi-tourist destination of which most noteworthy is the famous bridge on the River Kwai. Kanchanaburi has a lot going for it if you like a quiet life style in pleasant surroundings.

I spent an hour just watching a blacksmith work his trade as it has been done for centuries. It would be hard to find a working blacksmith anywhere in North America unless you did some research and really went looking for one..

...the sleeping arrangements and bathroom! ..thought you'd been sleeping at SILs house..! Wish she had a blacksmiths..think there is one in our village ..never been but know he makes rubber cutting tools and other knives and digging stuff..

....keep it up Ian good stuff! :jap:

[ChangMaiSausage]

Great pictures Ian and I can relate to many of them been there done that.

See attacehd picture the fish was caught by the Thai guy floating out his line using a plastic bottle and then bringing it in.

Keep them coming.

Dave

Edited July 25, 2011 by ChangMaiSausage

[blunotes]

Next time I will stay in Chieng Mai for sure. I'm glad you like it. I was there when I was 16.

[IanForbes]

Great pictures Ian and I can relate to many of them been there done that.

See attacehd picture the fish was caught by the Thai guy floating out his line using a plastic bottle and then bringing it in.

Keep them coming.

Dave

There won't be any more additions to this thread by me. Thaivisa does not want my contributions.

[bifftastic]

Great pictures Ian and I can relate to many of them been there done that.

See attacehd picture the fish was caught by the Thai guy floating out his line using a plastic bottle and then bringing it in.

Keep them coming.

Dave

There won't be any more additions to this thread by me. Thaivisa does not want my contributions.

Really? That's a shame. Did they say why?

[sbk]

Ian finds it difficult to follow forum rules and guidelines, lets just keep it at that and avoid any discussion of forum moderation as he is quite well aware as to the real issues involved here.

[bifftastic]

Ian finds it difficult to follow forum rules and guidelines, lets just keep it at that and avoid any discussion of forum moderation as he is quite well aware as to the real issues involved here.

'k

[fabianfred]

I am a beach person at heart, so even though I have been to Thailand three times, I have never been to Chiang Mai. Now I must go.

many love the beaches...but I love the hills..

Chiangmai 'The Rose of the North' has captured my heart since my first visit twenty years ago.

[MRToMRT]

Great thread. Its made me realize that I will have to return to CMX one day.

[angiud]

My Koh Phangan and why I love it::

Koh Phangan - Koh Samui seen from Haad Rin hills

Koh Phangan, Southermost point

Koh Phangan- Bankai to Thong Sala

Phangan South end

Haad Yao beach

Sunset at Hin Kong

Nai Wok beach in Koh Phangan

Srithanu from Hin Kong

Edited October 10, 2011 by angiud

[svenivan]

My Koh Phangan and why I love it::

Beautiful photos, absolutely great! I never been there but maybe after this. But off season and no full moon!

I been many times and to many places on the other side, Andaman Sea. So what is the main difference between these places?

One more question... Do you use a filter to get the colors right and to get the deep and if so which one?

Thanks for sharing!

:jap:

Edited October 10, 2011 by svenivan

[angiud]

Thank you for the compliments!! :jap:

I just use a circular polarizing filter. (and a bit of level controls in post-production)

About the weather: the canonical season is January to April, but, just for information, the first 4 shots are of the last September ;-)

[IanForbes]

Thanks for posting those, Anguid. They are lovely. They just point out there is far more to Thailand than just the bar scene that seems to occupy so many of the topics. Maybe I'll add a few more in the future.

[angiud]

Thank you Ian, and yes, please, I'd like to see more of your beautiful and interesting pictures!!

:jap: