My Journey through Thailand Part I The First Steps

My Journey through Thailand Part I is the first in the series of travel journals on my trips to explore the various provinces in Thailand from late 2009 to mid-2013.
This journey takes you to places that bore silent witness to momentous battles decades and centuries ago that changed the course of history. View vast cultural monuments that are legacies of individuals who left their mark in society long after they have gone.

Meet artists, craftsmen and craftswomen who produced exquisite pieces of art. They did this not for fame or wealth but for the love of their craft. Meet farmers who toiled their land to produce the food that we eat. Visit the home province of the father of Thailand’s greatest poet, a scenic place which must have inspired the poet to pen his most famous poem.

Marvel at the cultural and ethnic diversity of the places in this journey that was once at the crossroads of major civilizations more than a thousand years ago; China and India, the Khmer Empire based in present day Cambodia and the Lan Chang Kingdom based in present day Laos.

The result is a rich cultural and ethnic mix which is reflected in the architecture, dialects, dress, handicraft, festivals and customs.

Step into the humble home of a man who sought refuge in Thailand, a man who was a fugitive in his own country occupied by a colonial power, a man who struggled his entire life for the freedom and unity of his homeland.

Please join me as I take these first steps in my journey through Thailand.