Eclectic crime fiction & informed, irreverent non-fiction from Asia & beyond
I was away in the Himalayas for most of this month and missed Thai New Year – Songkran which took place from 13thto 16th April. I did however, just prior to leaving, put together a guide to the festivities in The Daily Telegraph, so here. belatedly, is my run down and if you are researching […]
Continue ReadingMy photo caption in The Daily Telegraph hardly does justice to the surreal, red tinged mayhem I witnessed in Bangkok’s Chinatown today. Dancing dragons, lots of police, thousands of people dressed in red, as a weirdly strong wind blew up Yaowarat Road, as if a spaceship in the shape of a waving golden cat was […]
Continue ReadingAs the military relaxes the curfew imposed following last week’s coup, Tom Vater reports on how strictly it is being enforced in Thailand’s party hot spots… Read the full story here. Photograph by Aroon Thaewchatturat at the Full Moon Party in Ko Panghan, Thailand
Continue ReadingThe Thai military has seized power of the country and imposed a curfew which will see tourists restricted to their hotels at night. The Daily Telegraph reports.
Continue ReadingIt’s hot as hell in Bangkok at the moment. The city is waiting for rain. And for Thai New Year. Here’s my lowdown on the kingdom’s most important festival in today’s Daily Telegraph.
Continue ReadingThe Daily Telegraph has just published 36 Hours in Bangkok, my quick round-up of the Thai capital’s highlights. What to do, what to see, where to shop and when to drop. Check it out!
Continue ReadingMy new non fiction title Burmese Light has been subject of photographer Hans Kemp‘s exhibition at the OXO Tower Gallery in London this week. The private view on the 10th was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with old friends and see plenty of new faces interested in the magical light of Southeast Asia. We […]
Continue Readinghttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/9929952/Fears-over-safety-of-tourists-in-Phuket.html Natalie Paris reports in The Daily Telegraph on the state of Phuket, Thai holiday island, long in the grip of mafias and gangsters. I add my two Baht worth. Read the full story here. Tom Vater, Telegraph Travel’s expert in Bangkok, said that while Thailand remains a safe and attractive destination overall, visitors to […]
Continue ReadingMy lowdown on Koh Phangan and the Full Moon Parties in the wake of the shooting of a young British tourist on the island, in The Daily Telegraph. Here’s an earlier story about the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan – The Bucket People. Photographs in this post by Aroon Thaewchatturat.
Continue ReadingIn The Daily Telegraph this week: Our expert in Bangkok, Tom Vater, picks his favourite festivals in Thailand’s capital, from water fights to celebrations of light. Including Wai Kru at Wat Bang Phra, Thailand’s best known tattoo temple!!! Surely a first for The Daily Telegraph. Read it all here!
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