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Frontier attraction Siam Cultural Park in Bang Phae district of Ratchaburi, about 80 kilometres west of Bangkok, is the latest addition to the province's tourist attractions. Occupying some 42 rai, it brings under one roof values and customs native to the four regions of Thailand that in more ways than one define the Thai way of life, our culture and traditions. Riverside delicacies Like other middle-aged career women, Tipwan loves shopping. One place she likes to go on weekends is the Bang Nam Phueng floating market in Phra Pradaeng district of Samut Prakan. Owner makes public his once private hobby One doesn't need to be an expert to appreciate businessman Jesada Dejsakulrit's collection of antique vehicles of all sizes and shapes. The Jesada Technik Museum, essentially a private collection, sits on a huge plot in Nakhon Chaisi district of Nakhon Pathom Province. Museum with a difference There are not many museums that allow visitors to take pictures or touch the objects that are on display. But Ban Phiphithaphan or the House of Museums bucks that norm. Fitting diversion If you have young children or you are looking for an educational place to take your students, Suphan Buri can be an ideal place to learn about Thai history, at least part of it, on a day-long outing. B700m elephant park for Doi-Pui The profitability of the Night Safari is still in doubt without the wild animals from Kenya, but the government is already embarking on a 700-million-baht elephant park as the second stage of its multi-billion-baht Chiang Mai World megaproject. The park, tipped as the biggest of its kind with more than 200 elephants, will cover 6,000 rai of land in the Doi Suthep-Pui national park, which already houses the 1.2-billion-baht Night Safari park. Aquarium adds new specimen The Underwater World near Pattaya has introduced rare specimens of the Leafy Sea Dragon (Phycodurus eques) and Weedy Sea Dragon (Phyllopteryx teaniolatus) at its aquarium. Siam Park to get B1.5bn facelift over five years Amornphant Nakorn Siam Park, one of Thailand's oldest amusement and water park operators, plans to invest 1.5 billion baht in improvements over the next five years following the company's successful debt restructuring last month. The 25-year-old company last month restructured 1.7 billion baht in debt with Bangkok Bank. Museum's awareness campaign Three mobile exhibitions are planned for this year to stimulate public awareness - especially among the young - prior to the opening of the National Discovery Museum Institute (NDMI). Aquarium expects 1.5m visitors in first year The one-billion-baht Siam Ocean World will open as planned in early November and is expected to be a major tourist draw at the Siam Paragon luxury shopping centre in central Bangkok. Museum of rare rocks There are still places of interest in the country that are off the tourist focus because they're not commercially-oriented and properly publicised. One of them is the Rare Stone Museum in Bang Rak district of Bangkok between Charoen Krung (New Road) between Soi 26 & 28. Revisiting history - The Varadis Palace of Prince Damrong The Varadis Palace or Damrong Rachanupab Museum and Library, as it's also called, is an oasis of greenery and calm in the otherwise helter-skelter world around Lanluang Road that leads to Ratchadamnoen Avenue. |
