Fun things to do in Thailand

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If HongKong has Disneyland, Bangkok have Dreamworld also. It is a huge amusement park not for children only but for grownups like us also who love to enjoy life. They have plenty of rides also like the roller coaster, drenching water rides, and a lot of family entertainment and fun activities. I love the cable car rides as you can see the good view of the place.

The park is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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Spending a day at a cooking school in Chiang Mai gives you not only a delicious meal, but a much better appreciation of Thai cuisine. Most cooking schools include a visit to the local market where your guide will explain common ingredients in Thai cooking. They will also generally give you tips and advice on how to substitute some ingredients for those found easily in your home country - which makes the cooking skills you develop a valuable 'souvenir' to take home.

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Chiang Rai city is not as robust as Chiang Mai or Hatyaai in the South. This city is a stop over for those who needs to travel to the North border to extend their Visa in Burma or Laos. The city is quite than Chiang Mai. When I was there at the Bus station to ask for direction to Pu Chi Fa, I was directed to one counter after another, and even I was avoided by the officer in the Information Office, which give me the impression that the people in Chiang Rai are not as courteous or as helpful as in Chiang Mai.
The Night Market is very popular, plenty of eateries and singing entertainment. There are two section of food court, one with the yellow tables and the other with table cloth which is higher end and with classic and international music for entertainment and the foods are more expensive.
One of the most popular attraction in Chiang Rai is the White Temple, Wat Rong Khun is a contemporary unconventional Buddhist temple in Chiang Rai, It was designed by Chalermchai Kositpipat. Construction began in 1997 and yet to be completed, which is very beautiful, I feel it is more art than religion. I shall say it a must visit in Chiang Rai.(Rent a bike and you are on your way, if you travel by bus to Chiang Rai, before you enter the city about 10 km you will see the wat on your left hand side memorised the route it will be helpful if you intend to visit the wat by bike.
There are few popular wats, Wat Phra Keaw, Wat Phra Singha, Wat Jedyod , Wat Klang Wiang. If one is interested in local foods visit the evening(4.00 pm) market beside the Wat Phra Keaw.

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After the humid and buzzing of Bangkok, book a evening train to the north. It leave 7.00 pm and arrived Chiang Mai the next morning 9.00 am Bht 791 with sleeper a/c for 2nd class. Meal on board, diner Bht 180, Breadfast Bht 120. You can buy Beer at the dining coach too. At Chiang Mai Railway station remember to get a city map, and hop on to the Red Taxi to the Old Town Bht 50-70. Recommend Kristi Guess House at 14/2 Ratchadumnern Road, Soi 5 A. Muang,Bht 200-300 per double with bath and fan.
After settle down with a budget guess house walk around and look for a Motor Bike Bht 150-200 or Bicycle Bht 50-70 rental. It is quite safe to roam around with bike or bicycle, you never get lost in old town. There is a Sat & Sun night market which is very popular for local and tourist, very interesting, plenty of handicrafts, foods stalls, massages, etc.etc..
Chiang Mai with glorious Lanna Kingdom at its heart ,rich in history, culture, and romantic appeal, There are hundred years old temples,magnificent natural scenery, Lanna architectural.
Chiang Mai was found in 1296 by King Mengrai. Burmese conquer Chiang Mai in 1558 and was over thrown by King Naresuan of Ayutthaya. In 1774 King Taksin joint forces with Phraya Chaban and Chao Kawila captures Chiang Mai. North & West of Chiang Mai has more Burmese influence.
Down South of Chiang Mai you can visit Doi Inthanon, Lamphum and Lampang. Doi Inthanon is a must stop for the South. The highest mountain in Thailand.
To the North you can visit Chiang Rai, Golden Triangle, Pu Chi Fa. In Chiang Dao District you can visit the Chiang Dao Cave, Doi Luang Chiang Dao (third highest peak 2,195 M).
In the North Western side you can travel to Pai-Mae Hong Son-Mae Sariang then back to Chiang Mai.
Beside these few places there are many other destination to satisfy different taste of travel. There are plenty of White Water Rafting, Elephant Center, Handicraft Center, Hot Spring, cave, tracking etc.etc....
The best to travel in the Northern Thailand is backpacking travel.
The Thai Local Government has done a good job on reducing smoking in Northern Thailand

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Long necks were considered to be a thing of beauty in traditional Karen culture. The girls started wearing brass rings on their necks at a very early age. It has now been shown that the rings do not lengthen the neck but in fact lower the shoulders. It is said that the original purpose of the rings was to protect the women from tiger attacks but this is not true. The practice was becoming less traditional but the Kayan realized that tourists would pay to photograph the women. The Kayan women are very kind and try to be patient about all the picture taking. The elderly lady in the picture even had rings on her calves. In March 2001 at 73, she was the oldest woman in the village of Huay Pu Keng.

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The Kayan are a subgroup of the Red Karen (Karenni) people, a Tibeto-Burman ethnic minority of Myanmar (Burma). Padaung (Yan Pa Doung) is a Shan term for the Kayan Lahwi (the group whose women wear the brass neck coils). A 2004 estimate put the Kayan population at approximately 130,000 in Myanmar. About 600 Kayan reside in the three villages open to tourists in Thailand's Mae Hong Son Province, and in the Ban Mai Nai Soi refugee camp. They refer to themselves as Kayan and object to being called Padaung (or "Padung" like in Frommer's Thailand 4th edition, 2000), which means "copper neck."

In Mae Hong Son you can get a tour to Huay Pu Keng, which is next to Ban Nam Pieng Din (called "Nam Plong Dim" in Frommer's Thailand 4th edition, 2000). A few of the approximately 100 long-neck Kayan women in Thailand live there (note that this may not be by their choice). I did not know before I visited, but there is much controversy about visiting these villages. Some say you should visit because the village depends economically on the income generated by tourists (the 250 baht fee includes letting you take photographs), but others say that you should not visit since the girls and women have no choice about what they do. A Thai middleman no doubt gets most of the tour fees, so buying things in the village may be a better option.

To get to Huay Pu Keng, you take a long-tail boat from Mae Hong Son down the Pai River. In March 2001, it cost 500 baht for the boat and 250 baht fee for a foreigner. We went a little later in the morning and passed all the boats coming back with the early morning visitors. By the time we got to the village, there were maybe 6-7 other tourists there. At that time, there were many forest fires during the dry season and that was why the air was smoky.

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As you climb up the hill at Huay Pu Keng, almost every house has handicrafts for sale. Some were quite good and reasonably priced. This young girl was minding the family table in front of the house. However, you could hear that she was getting tips from inside the house about how much to charge. It was March 2001 when I was there. She was tiny then. By now, I am sure she is a strikingly beautiful young woman.

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Wat Arun also known as Wat Makok, after the village of Bang Makok in Thai for the Spondias pinnata plant.) According to the historian Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, the temple was shown in French maps during the reign of King Narai (1656–1688). The temple was renamed Wat Chaeng by King Taksin when he established his new capital of Thonburi near the temple, following the fall of Ayutthaya. During one dawn Taksin saw this wat in depleting state and vowed to maintain it. And after it was called Wat Dawn. The temple enshrined the Emerald Buddha image before it was transferred to Wat Phra Kaew on the river's eastern bank in 1785.
The temple was located in the royal palace during Taksin's reign, before his successor, Rama I, moved the palace to the other side of the river. It was abandoned until Rama II, who restored the temple and extended the pagoda to 70m.
The main feature of Wat Arun is its central prang (Khmer-style tower) which are encrusted with colourful porcelain. The corners are surrounded by four smaller prang. The prang are decorated by seashells and bits of porcelain from China. The presiding Buddha image, cast in the reign of Rama II, is said to have been moulded by the king himself. The ashes of King Rama II are interred in the base of the image.
Construction of the tall prang and four smaller ones was started by King Rama II during 1809-1824 and completed by King Rama III (1824–1851). The towers are supported by rows of demons and monkeys. Very steep and narrow steps lead to a balcony high on the central tower. The circumference of the base of the structure is 234 meters, and the central prang is 250 feet high.
The central prang is topped with a seven-pronged trident, "Trident of Shiva". At the base of the prang are various figures of ancient Chinese soldiers and animals. Over the second terrace are four statues of the Hindu god Indra riding on Erawan. At the riverside are six pavilions in Chinese style. The pavilions are made of green granite and contain landing bridges.
There are two demons, or temple guardian figures, in front. The murals were created during the reign of Rama V.