Tim in Thailand

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival - starting soon

The time is here again. An outline is here - the TAT office in Phuket Town has the full version.

Going to try different photography this year and a Facebook Live.

I love the Street Processions

Friday 30th September

15:00

- Lantern Pole Raising at Bang Neow Shrine

Thursday 6th October

20:00

- Fire Walking at Jui Tui Shrine

Friday 7th October

6:00

- Street Procession from Jui Tui Shrine

20:00

- Bladed Ladder walking at Sapan Hin Shrine

Saturday 8th October

6:00

- Street Procession from Kathu Shrine

Sunday 9th October

20:00

- Final procession to Sapan Hin

See you there...

Healthy Tom Yam Soup

Did you know that your Tom Yam soup is healthy?

Poster from Amazing Thailand.

A costal walk at Cape Panwa

We decided to go for a walk whilst the sun began to descend...

There were two people fishing...

We found some steps to climb

but we found that we could go no further. I wonder where this would lead us, possibly a hotel?

It was a lovely night...

Completed a Chinese Shrine in Phuket Town?

A Chinese Shrine nearing completion -

the last time I was here was in 2013 and it might be completed today?

Tim in a Sydney newspaper

Got a lovely mention in a review of Cape Panwa Hotel - thank you to Mrs Sheridan Rhodes.

I enjoyed going to the village, the Phuket Aquarium and then the turtles.

Thank you.

Best Traditional Roti in Phuket - Abdul's

Abdul's Roti is a great place to watch the Roti being made and then eating it afterwards.

Phuket Tasty Fest 2016

The Phuket Tasty Food Festival 2016 started on Friday - and wow what a lot of different things to eat. The text is from the TAT.

Ms. Anoma Vongyai, Director of the TAT Phuket Office said, “Phuket has always attracted people, from Hokkien Chinese tin miners, to Malay Muslims, Hindus and Christians, and they’ve brought their different recipes and cooking styles with them, meaning the island’s culinary culture is unique in Thailand.

We want to preserve these dishes and share them with the world, while promoting the high quality of Thai ingredients and the skills of our talented chefs”.

Because so many people have settled in Phuket over the centuries, bringing their own traditions and dishes, the island’s food is distinct from the rest of Thailand and boasts flavours and dishes that cannot be found anywhere else.

This is why last year, UNESCO declared Phuket to be one of its “Gastronomy Cities” as a way of celebrating and protecting Phuket’s unique dishes. There are only 18 “Gastronomy Cities” across the world and Phuket is the first place in ASEAN to receive this accolade.

As well as local Phuket dishes, the Phuket Tasty Fest 2016, will give visitors the chance to taste a wide range of Thai food and drinks from all regions of the kingdom. There will be cooking demonstrations from well-known chefs and a celebrity cooking competition in a “Tasty All Star” event.

There will also be snacks and food stalls selling treats, as well as entertainment and concerts from famous singers taking place for all three days of the festival.

Here are some photographs of some of what there was.

But these were the best

and there were so many different servings of French fries covered in something... BUT where can I get them after the weekend?

Of course there was the now obligatory 'Facebook Live' - always fun.

Spirit House graveyards

Spirit Houses are scattered through Thailand and there are many places in Phuket that they are found.

I first noticed this when I was taking a walk up Rang Hill. There were monks clearing a small area on the hill and they seemed to be installing something which now looks like water tanks.

What I recently found disturbing a visit to Monkey Hill was that the disposal of a Spirit House is actually a very sacred act and should be performed properly - not simply put on the side of the road in clumps.

I then found a wonderful piece written by Marisa

You can find spirit house graveyards all over the Thailand. They pile up near railroad tracks, in Buddhist temples, on windy roads and in the middle of busy intersections -- always under a large tree, especially Bodhi trees. Thais believe that different species of trees have different spirits. The Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa) is the tree the Buddha chose to sit under when he became enlightened and is considered to have an angel spirit inside called a thewaada. These powerful angels are believed to console and contain the displaced souls that gather around abandoned spirit houses.
(text is from Spirit House Connection)

A sign had been added to the sign not to feed the wild monkeys that you should not dispose of the Shrines on the hill.

Unfortunately after reading this I find that this is actually a problem in Thailand.

People do dispose of Spirit Houses anywhere and everywhere. When first came to Phuket I thought that these places were set up because of another reason but clearly I was wrong.

For whatever the reason Thai people throw away their spirit houses, doing it without a ceremony is just plain lazy and spiritually irresponsible. If they can afford a new spirit house then they can afford to pay for a proper removal ceremony. It is likely that the people throwing spirit houses away are simply ignorant to the rules of spirit house etiquette--they see other people throwing the houses away at a Bodhi tree and think that is the right thing to do. Meanwhile everyone else is too terrified to touch these places or clean them up. It is this fear and greed that gives spirit houses a bad rap, and replaces the sacred purpose of the spirit house tradition as a place of respect and connection with superstitious activity.
(text is from Spirit House Connection)

So these places that I photograph are predominantly 'dump-sites' for any number or reasons.

Makes you think a little bit...

Dog in a drain and dirty tricks

Some money was raised to rescue a dog - thank you for all of the money and the people's generosity.

BUT then I read that the company that rescued the dog did not receive the money from that source - confused?

I am

The Society for the Promotion of Animals under Royal Patronage indicate that they rescued the dog

BUT

the Voice Foundation for Animals also say they did.

I suppose I should not worry - the dog is safe - but where's all the money?

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