Chiang Mai is Choking !

Chiang Mai - Chiang Mai has been hit by smog and has dangerous tiny dust particles higher than safety standard for five consecutive days, the provincial pollution control office said Sunday. The main reason for this pollution is the widespread Swidden Agricultural farming methods employed within Northern Thailand, Myanmar & Laos whereby large areas of the mountain forests are "torched" between February & April each year as preparation for setting new crops.

The office's three air quality measuring stations found that the province had particle pollution, which is less than 10 micrometers in diameter (PM10) higher than the safety standard of 120 microgrammes per a cubic metre of air for five consecutive days.

The station at the provincial hall Sunday recorded the lelvel of PM10 particle at 168.4 microgrammes per a cubic metre of air.

The level of PM10 particle was recorded at 208.0 microgrammes at the Yupparaj Withayalai School in Muang district and at 130.4 at the Phuping Palace.

Chiang Mai Weather

Let's face it, one of the main reasons we all love Thailand is the weather!.

Close your eyes and picture yourself on one of those lovely balmy evenings when the weather in Chiang Mai is just perfect (that could be most nights of the year!), relaxing at your favorite restaurant, down by the Mae Ping River having a pre-dinner “aperitif”! It doesn’t get much better than that.

But, let’s get back to reality, you are probably reading this wishing that you were currently in Chiang Mai rather than being somewhere else where the weather is not so kind, and life is a little faster than here.

"What is the best time of year to visit Chiang Mai; does it get a bit chilly in the evenings during the Winter & Spring?".

We've put together some "Chiang Mai Weather" information and links, which we hope you'll find useful.

The information is obviously generalized, with slight variances each year, but the basics are all correct.

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The Sukhothai Period

Sukhothai, one of the most remarkable architectural sites in the whole world is hidden away in the middle of Thailand !.

Some 300kms(180 miles) north of Bangkok in amongst the orchards and paddy-fields, in the heavily forested flat-lands that spread across the valleys of the parallel rivers flowing down from the northern mountains near the Chinese border, where the Mekong River also rises.

Behind a screen of mango's and coconut palms,the tall towers, the domes with their pointed steeples and the giant statues emerge proudly from the tangled undergrowth clinging to their base and almost smothering dozens of smaller monuments.

This is all that is left of a once formidable city, and the buildings still standing, apart from the ramparts and the ruins of the moats, are all shrines, temples and monasteries, though the men who built the city, and made their own dwellings out of mud and wood, had wanted to leave only the testimonies of their spiritual quest to posterity.


Sukhothai -"the dawn of happiness", is the name of this city, which between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries was the capital and whose history sums up the beginnings of the Thai nation.

A Kingdom and a dynasty were founded here in the middle of the thirteenth century, and the Thais gradually brought under their sway the whole of the land that has remained theirs, from Burma to Cambodia and, to the south, down as far as the Malay Peninsula.

For 200 years Sukhothai was the moving spirit behind this development. Its decline came about only in the first half of the fifteenth century, when a new capital farther south, Ayuthaya, was set up and became the new political centre, asserting its authority over all the cities in the new state.

The first Thai princes no doubt brought with them the Mongol hierarchical organization of society, for theirs was divided into warriors, commoners and serfs.

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The History of Lotus Panels

The techniques and designs that have been employed for millenniums in the crafting of hand carved lotus panels have travelled many thousands of miles over the centuries.

The earliest examples of carved relief panels were made of sycamore wood and were discovered in Egypt, and may date back as long ago as 4,000B.C.

From there the skills slowly moved to the Indian sub-continent where the oldest existing example of the Lotus flower being used as a feature decoration are within the sandstone carved relief railings found at the Great Stupa at Bharhut Northern India which dates back to around the middle of the 2nd century B.C. (a stupa is a mound-like structure usually containing Buddhist relics).

This ancient stupa holds significant importance within the Buddhism faith.

From India the skills & techniques slowly migrated eastwards, there next point of call being Burma ( Myanmar) arriving there in the 10th century A.D.

The oldest examples of hand carved relief panels carved in Thailand date back to the 13th century, around the time of the ”Sukhothai Period” which was the first Thai kingdom stretching from the Malaysian border in the south, right up to the Laos border in the north.

It was during the last few years of the 13th century that the northern kingdom of Lan Na Tai(the million rice fields) was established by King Mengrai
, its newly founded capital was Nophaburi Sri Nakorn Ping Chiangmai (later changed to just Chiang Mai for obvious reasons !).

And so the long journey of the hand carved relief panels has finally found its home in the mountainous areas of Northern Thailand and has been here ever since!.

As you travel around Thailand you cannot help but notice the absolutely stunning architecture on show at the 1,000’s of Buddhist Wat’s (temples) around the Kingdom.

the majority of the highly ornately carved relief panels & fine carved wooden decorative pieces all originated from the Chiang Mai area of Northern Thailand.

The crafting of the hand carved relief panels was for centuries traditionally done by the farming families that produced rice crops during the season, and in their spare time carved the wooden panels from the plentiful supply of teak trees that covered all of the northern areas to supplement their meagre existences.

Over the years those basic early skills that arrived from Burma in the 13th century have been honed & fine-tuned, also greatly assisted by the large influx of skilled artisan Burmese Hill Tribes people that started settling in the Northern areas from the 17th century onwards.

The basic implements used today are still very similar in design & purpose to those that would have been present all those years ago, the skills required are carefully preserved within the families & have been handed down from generation to generation, from grandfather to father & father to son.

Typically “training” would begin before the child was 10 years old, and by their 12th birthday would be turning out beautiful carved wooden item’s !.

The manufacturing process of taking “raw” teak wood, and turning into stunning works of art is usually shared between different family members, dependant upon their individual skills levels.

The most artistic members typically do all the design & actual carving work, the more practical ones do the wood preparation, drying, sanding & finishing, there are jobs for everyone !!.

Today, the felling of teak (Tectona Grandis) is strictly controlled by the Thailand Royal Forestry Department from sustainable farmed teak forests, which means that the artisan families can no longer just go out & cut a local tree down !.

Rather than just source all of their teak wood requirements from the farmed teak forests, which would have increased their costs dramatically, the ever resourceful families came up with an excellent alternative – "using recycled rough-hewn teak planks(floor boards) from old dwellings and community buildings !!".

The reason teak wood is used for the manufacture of handcarved relief panels is because it is easily worked and has natural oils that make it suitable for use in exposed locations, where it is exceptionally durable even when not treated with oil or varnish, it is also a very dense hardwood & therefore very resistant to termites & other wood boring insects.

The 3 dimensional Handcarved Lotus Panel is a marvel of intricacy & is a highly prized & valued possession within Thai society.

The lotus flower itself is a very important symbol within the Buddhist religion as it symbolizes prosperity and fertility. These Handcarved Lotus Panels are so prized that Thai families typically make them the centerpiece of a room.

Each Lotus Panel created by hill tribe craftsmen in Northern Thailand is the result of countless hours meticulously shaping, sanding and finishing each of the intricate lotus flower motif designs.

These wonders of wood are all completely crafted by hand, the smaller Lotus Panels can take a couple of weeks to complete, the larger panels EACH take between 3-6 months !!.

For ease of making, shipping & mounting each Lotus Panel is cut into 30cm(12") wide sections that all fit together perfectly when assembled.

These exquisitely detailed carvings help pay for new community buildings & other projects within the remote mountain villages of the far north of Thailand, each piece is completely unique, variations in wood color and carving will occur, which only go to enhance the beauty of the panels.

Our online shop Chiang Mai Arts & Crafts carries a substantial range of stunning Lotus Panels ,along with beautiful ranges of Buddha & Angel handcarved relief panels, and the ever popular handcarved
Elephant Wallpanels ranges, please just click on the links to visit those pages.

Please don't forget - ALL ITEMS INCLUDE FREE SHIPPING ! &
we are always happy to receive your BEST OFFERS !!

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Songkran Festival of Water - Chiang Mai 2009

The annual Songkran Festival is one of the largest Thai Festivals
of the year occuring during the month of April, when the focus of daily life shifts from Bangkok onto the northern city of Chiang Mai.

A large proportion of the local business community stops trading, the traffic is gridlocked, and everyone pours onto the streets of the city for what is probably the biggest water fight in the world!.

There is simply no comparison with any other festival of its kind as the whole city is completely immersed in water from head to toe.

Forget about shopping for a few days as the entrepreneurial local vendors stock up with a wide range of plastic pistols, guns, buckets and hoses. Prepare your self early & get your Accommodation in Chiang Mai booked well in advance and get ready for some fun!.

Welcome to the Songkran Festival of Water 2009, which takes place from 13th April to 15th April inclusive, and the opportunity to party and celebrate like there is no tomorrow. The hot season is in full swing with temperatures reaching a sizzling 40C which is well over 100F, in these scorching conditions there is no better way to cool off than with a festival of water.

The old traditions of Songkran may be diminishing, but the party spirit is stronger than at any other time of the year.In Northern Thailand Songkran is not just for the Thai people, everyone is welcomed with a smile and a bucket of water.

It's a great time for tourists to visit, providing that you are happy to join in and get a good soaking. The word "fun" is at the heart of Thai culture and this special occasion epitomises the country and its people.

It is virtually impossible to stay dry during the festival, so much so that the few people who don't have the spirit to join in often have to leave town!.

Throughout the city on every street and in every alley, you'll find children and adults confronting you with a loaded water pistol or a bucket of water.

Those on motorbikes or riding in a tuk-tuk are far from safe, and will likely arrive at their destination soaking wet. Most of the celebrations are centred around a square mile of the Old Town,and Chiang Mai's historic moat is the perfect setting.

Once the festival begins, it turns into a huge water-fighting venue and swimming pool,as throngs of festival-goers line the adjoining streets and grassy banks of this famous attractive area.

The central area has a large number of taps installed for the duration of the festivities and most of the bars and restaurants provide large containers of water.

Chiang Mai is without doubt the most popular place to celebrate
Songkran, and hoards of people from Bangkok arrive every year to join in the fun.

Northern Thailand is certainly the place to be. Be warned, all the Chiang Mai hotels will be full.Songkran is the official New Year in the Thai calendar, and a time for people to join with their families to celebrate together.

There are many old traditions associated with the festival such as the ritual spring clean of the house as the dusty dry season finally gives way to the rains. The country is a huge producer of rice and Songkran is used to invite the gods to start the rains for this essential basic commodity crop. At least one member of the family will also pay their respects to the village elders by offering food hampers and then receive a blessing in return.

The water element originated when people visited the local temple for a ceremonial cleansing (making merit) of the Buddha ,and by pouring water onto the shoulders of family elders and villagers. This has somehow changed over the years to become a huge water fight involving everyone, and lasting for days.

It's not just a Northern thing in Thailand, although many visitors will only witness the water throwing,there is far more to Songkran for the Thai people. Every town and village will have traditional blessing ceremonies, while the larger towns and cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai will have a choice of different events.

This will often include street parades and the making of sand chedis or stipas (which literally means "heap" and is a mound-like structure usually containing Buddhist relics to be found at most Thai temples,) as a symbolic gesture to the Buddha.

One of the largest programme of events can be found in Chiang Mai, and includes costume displays, a beauty contest and a very large street parade of floats. Thai people might normally have a reserved character however Songkran provides a great chance for the local people to let their hair down and forget about cultural norms.

Girls turn out in their best skimpy outfits, which would normally be frowned upon, and ladyboys strut their stuff for everyone to see, nothing new there then !.

The usual hierarchal society is forgotten about as all rules are broken and everyone gets a complete drenching. Tourists make particularly good targets,so don't think for a moment that you have special exemption!

A word of advice if you plan to visit Chiang Mai during Songkran - it can be chaotic and sometimes frustrating. The traffic can be horrendous and reaching your destination can take a long time.

Don't forget that you are likely to have a bucket of water thrown over you if riding a bike or travelling in a Tuk-Tuk ,or even if you are just taking air through an open car window!.

Make sure you ride slowly if on a Motorbike ,as it's common to get a face full of water. Wrap your camera,mobile phone & wallet / purse in a sealed waterproof bag, and above all else, try to retain your sense of humour at all times!.

Most of the water throwing thankfully ceases after nightfall, allowing you respite & a chance to dry out !.

Northern Thailand is certainly the place to be, Chiang Mai is a popular destination at this time of the year for Bangkok residents and all the Chiang Mai hotels are full.

One sobering comment to end on - Songkran Festival each year has the HIGHEST death toll of any time of the year within Thailand in the "seven dangerous days" that surround the festival in 2008, nationally 360 people were killed and 4,794 others injured in road accidents.Drunk driving was the major cause of road accidents during the period and four out of five accidents & deaths involved motorcyclists, it really is a dangerous time to drive as vast amounts of alcohol are consumed during this period with no regard for others !.

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