Rob’s Thai Roving Report

I had looked forward to moving to Thailand in December 2021, allowing me to revisit places I had enjoyed briefly and get to know them better. Near the top of the list was Chachoengsao, a town easily reached from my base in Minburi. Here is a background to Chachoengsao and memories of some of my earliest visits.

Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard on the Gulf is most likely to get people thinking of heading from Bangkok to spend time in Pattaya. However, as I discovered when my brother and family visited us, there are many more places to enjoy along that stretch of coastline. Sri Racha and Ko Sichang were certainly worth visiting in July 2023.

When visitors think of Thailand, beaches and islands often come to mind first. Yet one of the country's greatest treasures lies just 80 kilometres north of Bangkok. Ayutthaya has drawn me back time and again over the years, and every visit has left me with another story to tell.

When I moved to Thailand in 2021, I made two promises - to integrate with local people and experience real Thai festivals and traditions.  My first Bun Bang Fai rocket festival in rural Isan would go a long way towards both.