August 9, 20251 yr Thai wife & I have been exploring the upland plateau, north west of chaiyaphum, near our home, using the often badly rutted dirt roads by motorbike. First is of the "1000 year old forest", most of which is currently closed. The trees (cycas) are unique to this area Second is of the north end of the plateau looking out towards chumphae. Very rough roads to reach this point. most of the original forest is cleared, now grows rubber or eucalyptus trees, or guava in clearings, though the steep mountain sides are unlogged Thai legend about this tree is in your next life, if you have an affair in this life, you have to endlessly slide down it straddled naked 😳 Last is from the north west point, a panorama view looking in an arc from NE through N to NW on the left and the interestingly jagged Phetchabun mountains. Very few people go to this area, and I have not seen any foreigners. It is blessedly cool on top, always pleasant, maybe 22⁰C compared to 30⁰C below
August 10, 20251 yr 11 hours ago, Hummin said: Do you have coordinates you could share ? Do you visit KS Resort ? OpenStreetMap gives geo:16.21768,102.11689?z=16 as coordinates of an upland village called Ban Tadrinthong. From the 201 road you turn west at Ban Nong Khan to Ban That Thong, then go north west to a road which climbs very steeply onto the plateau. From Ban Tadrinthong you can have fun exploring. Has an IK restaurant, shop, fuel. No further fuel or food north of here on the plateau. I found tracks with the ViaMichelin map (satellite overlay, because there are many tracks not mapped). I do not use gogol maps, find them utterly useless. OpenStreetMap is ok, not as good as ViaMichelin. Sorry, I do not know what "K S Resort" is.
October 9, 2025Oct 9 Reminds me of another picture in the joke-section. Decided to post this one @home here. Do my utmost best to stay friends with them:
January 6Jan 6 1 hour ago, KhunLA said:YesHere are some updated photos from the inside... though photographers offering photos for 100 baht everywhere were truly annoying...
January 6Jan 6 52 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:Here are some updated photos from the inside... though photographers offering photos for 100 baht everywhere were truly annoying...My photo is from Dec 2015. One of, if not last time I was over that way along the river.https://goo.gl/photos/AySL2dndUD3nQmp6A
July 26Jul 26 🍃 The Color of a Monk's RobeThis photograph was taken at one of our family's farms in rural Isaan, Thailand, just as the evening began.At first glance, it looks like an ordinary papaya tree. But one leaf suddenly catches the eye. It has turned the same warm golden-yellow as the robe of a Buddhist monk.That color wasn't added overnight.During its life, the leaf is green because of chlorophyll, the pigment that captures sunlight and converts carbon dioxide and water into sugars through photosynthesis. Chlorophyll masks the yellow and orange pigments that have been present all along.As the leaf grows old, the chlorophyll is 9broken down and recycled by the plant. The hidden carotenoids—xanthophylls and carotenes—are revealed. These pigments absorb blue light and reflect warm yellow and orange wavelengths, producing the beautiful saffron color.Why photograph it at the start of the evening?Because the sunlight has changed. Near sunset, the light travels through a much thicker layer of Earth's atmosphere. Much of the blue light is scattered away (Rayleigh scattering), leaving warmer red and yellow light to illuminate the landscape. The low-angle sunlight also shines through the leaf instead of straight onto it, making the golden pigments seem to glow from within.It is a reminder that nature often reveals its finest colors not at midday, but when the day is quietly coming to an end.In traditional medicine, pigments from yellow and orange plants have often been associated with healing. Modern science confirms that carotenoids are powerful antioxidants, helping protect plant tissues—and, when we eat carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables, contributing to eye health, skin health, and the immune system.Perhaps this glowing leaf is a different kind of medicine as well.Not a medicine for the body alone, but one for the mind.A gentle reminder to slow down, to observe, and to notice that even a dying leaf can briefly become the brightest part of the tree.Sometimes the greatest beauty appears just before nature lets go.
August 13Aug 13 AI can generate a picture in seconds—but reality takes years to compose one.A satellite dish becomes a vertical garden, its smaller neighbour still listens to the world, and the village chief’s loudspeakers make sure the world listens back. Somewhere in Isaan, technology never stands still—even when it does.
September 14Sep 14 Sunday afternoon in rural Isaan.Four designated cock-a-doodle-doze locations for hens and gentlemen, neatly excavated beside the road.Unfortunately, catching the clientele in the act is almost impossible. The moment the camera appears, they all chicken out.The orderly arrangement somehow reminds me of my Japanese colleagues from Yokogawa, who once came over from Singapore to work with me. Everything had its proper place, purpose and—presumably—procedure. They called me Jack-san. We had a lovely time together.I doubt even they could have persuaded this poultry department to remain at its assigned stations for the photograph.
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