TRAVEL NEWS (INDOCHINA ADVENTURES TRAVEL BLOG)

Thailand News (updated on 20 May 2010)

On 19 May 2010, Thais army have surrounded Red Shirt protesters are including Lumpini and Ratchaprasong intersection from early morning until afternoon. There were 13 people died and hudred people wounded. As the result, United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship leaders Jatuporn Prompan and Natthawut Saikua told the protesters to return home as they surrendered.

On Thursday 20 May 2010, two more red shirt leaders Tohjirakarn and Veera Musikapong, surrendered to police at 1pm.

Since Wednesday 18, May 2010, thirteen people have been killed and 88 others were wounded between anti-government protesters and troops. There were a total of 50 deaths and 384 injured between 14 and 20 May, 2010.

Thailand News (updated on 19 May 2010)

34 places were set ablaze on Wednesday 19, May 2010 during the riots in Bangkok. These includes: Siam Square’s Siam Theatre, Centara hotel in Ratchaprasong, SET building, Mahathun Plaza Building, Maleenont Building, Bangkok Bank (BBL) Asoke branch, BBL Din Daeng branch, BBL Rama IV branch, BBL Victory Monument branch, BBL Sukhumvit 83 branch, BBL Sathupradit branch, BBL Thanon Chan branch, BBL Saphan Luang branch, BBL Klong Toey branch, BBL Hua Lampong branch, Klong Toey office of the MEA, Krung Thai Bank (KTB) Asoke branch, KTB Sala Daeng branch, KTB Sukhumvit branch, GSB Din Daeng branch, Office of Narcotics Control Board building in Din Daeng, Central World, Kasikornbank Ngam Duplee branch, Kasikornbank Victory monument branch, Siam City Bank (SCIB) Din Daeng branch, SCIB Penang branch, Center One shopping centre, Noodle shop at Victory Monument, Gold shop at Victory Monument, 7 Eleven in Din Daeng, Lotus Express Rama IV, Dok Ya Book store at Victory Monument, Watson shopping mall at Victory Monument, Police booth on Rama III road

Thailand News (updated on 09 May 2010)

December 2009
1- Angkor International Bike Racing
On 5th December 2009 to raise fund for land mines victims and children with HIV/AIDS. >> Learn More

2- Cycling Challenge
Indochina Adventures with Cambodia Cycling Team to organize 13 day Cycling Challenge start on 5th December 2009 in Bangkok and finish in Sihanouk Ville. The challeng is to raise the fund for clean water project. >> Learn More

November 2009

Water Festival in Cambodia, Laos and Thailand (November 2009)

Cambodia plans to celebrate Water Festival from November 01st to 03rd, 2009. The festival combines sport event of the boat racing, and the historical culture events of Ork Ambok (rice celebration), and moon celebration. So there will be interesting activities to see along Siem Reap river:

The Water Festival event includes:

1-Dragon boat racing starts at 12h00 and finishes at 05h00pm from November 01st to 03rd, 2009 -Rowing boat 60 capacity (men) -Rowing boat 50 capacity (women) -Paddling boat 30 capacity (men) -Paddling boat 30 capacity (women)

The event to celebrate the remarkable victoria of Khmer navy over the enemy. Based on the sculptures at the Angkor temples and inscription, Khmer navy was one of the main forces existed thousand years ago and used to be successful over the enermy including Champa Kingdom and Anam and Dai Viet kingdoms who traveled to attack Angkor empire by boat from the South Vietnam sea then follow Tonle Sap lake.  

2-Moon Celebration
Cambodian calendar follows the moon and we have respected the moon since thousand years ago. The moon has been important to us; China and some other countries in Asia have also respected the moon. On the 3rd night of the celebration, people pay respect to the moon and make a wish for good luck, good health and prosperity and light the candle with flowers and offer on floating banana leaves along Siem Reap river.

3-Water Celebration
Water has been important to us. It is the main source of lives. We respect the water and making us of the water for sustainable. Cambodia is lucky to have Tonle Sap lake, the biggest fresh water lake in Southeast Asia. It is the main reserve for water for Cambodia. During the dry season Tonle Sap lake has got 5,000 square Km and it reaches double time to 10,000 square Km during the rainy season. Without Tonle Sap lake, Cambodia will be badly effected by the flood, especially the recent Typhoon that caused serious damange by flood in Cambodia. Siem Reap were flooded also, it was the biggest flood in 10 years. It is the result of the global warming.

Dragon, is the symbol of the water. We believe that dragon created the water, protect the water and make sure we use the water in the right way. Dragon has bee with us for thousand of years. That's why all the boats joining the racing event, have been designed to look like a dragon.

4- Ork Ambok (rice celebration): Cambodia choose to celebrate the water festival in November because all the people around the country finish their rice planting season. So they are free and it marks the end of the rice harvesting in which 85% of the people are doing. This tradition have been with us for thousand of years. The rice planting starts in May when the rain starts and finish in November when the rainy season ends. Rice has been Cambodian main food, there are many way to cook the rice; steaming, boiling, and frying. Rice in the bamboo, white rice and black rice for sweet are all delicious. Fry rice is more sepcial for Water Festival, people fry the rice with skin on it in open clay pot, then using traditional wooden mill to take out the skin by hand. The rice then has good smell and taste because they are fresh just harvesting a few days from the rice field. They are served with banana and cononut juice.

At night time, there will be firework and some lighting floating boats with some of the decoration going along Siem Reap river until midnight.