January 2016 – THE INSIDE LNE

The Golden Buddha of Wat Tham Khao Noi Kanchanaburi

January 27, 2016April 14, 2017 James BaileyPlaces to visit

Wat Tham Khao Noi is located in Kanchanburi next to Wat Tham Sua. This temple is worth witnessing first hand due to it’s unique 100 year old Chinese style architecture, known as Mahayana style. The temple was constructed in 1881, […]

Out of the way secret destination Crystal Caves of Kanchanaburi

January 25, 2016April 14, 2017 James BaileyPlaces to visit

So this is bit of a secret, and a secret that the Monks living there wish to share. If you have an interest in confined places, with no fear of claustrophobia then taking on the adventure to find the beauty […]

The old city ruins of Ayutthaya Historical Park

January 19, 2016April 14, 2017 James BaileyPlaces to visit

Kicking off with some basics, Ayutthaya (officially Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya) is actually a province 80km or 1.5hrs north of Bangkok and is covered by World Heritage listing by UNESCO, located on an island surrounded by three rivers. Ayutthaya, was […]

Khao Prathap Chang Wildlife Sanctuary in Ratchaburi

January 16, 2016April 14, 2017 James BaileyPlaces to visit

Khao Prathap Chang Wildlife Sanctuary in Ratchaburi is located at the base of Khao Prathap Chang Peak, opposite to the Tham Khao Bin Cave, in the Ratchaburi province. Now no matter where I travel in the world, going to a ‘zoo’ […]

See monkey’s at Khao Ngu Stone Park Tambon Ko Phlapphla

January 16, 2016April 14, 2017 James BaileyPlaces to visit

Khao Ngu means Snake Mountain in Thai, is located at the foot of a rocky hill, around 8 km from Ratchaburi city, in Tambon Ko Phlapphla. I stumbled upon this place heading back to Ban Pong after visiting the awe inspiring […]

Sucking up the humidity at Khao Bin Cave

January 16, 2016April 13, 2017 James BaileyPlaces to visit, Preplanning your escape

I woke up today thinking I want to go somewhere new, but most of my local Thailand bucket list was ticket off. Well so I had thought anyway. I decided to jump on the bike and head towards Ratchaburi and make a 'B' line for the mountains in behind it. With no real expectation I just rode and enjoyed the scenery. Well that was until I saw a sign for the Khao Bin Cave, I didn't know the name and was quite sure I hadn't been there previously. As it turned out I hadn't been there and WOW just really sums up this place. Khao Bin Cave is located 20km from the Ratchaburi city, approximately 85km from Bangkok along the road to Chom Bueng. You turn off the main road and travel along a 2km along an access road, be wary on this road as sections will be at a crawl as it is littered with monkey's. I parked the bike in the carpark and walked towards the entrance of the cave, and was ushered back down the path to a ticket window. Now if you have followed my posts, you will know I have a Thai drivers licence. This comes in handy sometimes and this is one of those times. Farangs pay 200THB to go into the cave, but with me speaking Thai and having a Thai licence I am essentially a Thai in their eyes so I got in for the princely sum of 20THB. Now to suggest that Khao Bin Cave is just another cave is an understatement. You walk down some small tight tiled stairs into the first cavern, if you have even the slightest hint of claustrophobia this may not be the place to go. Once you enter the main cavern, you will notice that the humidity is horrible, you will be dripping in sweat within minutes of exploring. There are no holes in the ceiling letting light in, no ventilation aside from the occasional electric pedestal fan. The moisture on the ground, walls and stalactites (stones hanging from the ceiling caused by water dripping over limestone for many years) gives it a very damp and dank feel. All of that aside, the cave, which extends a massive 300mtrs from the main mouth offer some truly amazing sights and experiences. If your game to explore all the pathways, you will almost find yourself crawling through small spaces into more caverns that seem to go on forever. It is a beautiful cave and it extends 300m from the mouth and offers truly amazing scenes of plentiful stalactite and stalagmite formations. Warning: The air inside is quite heavy and humid, by the end of the walk (approximately 45minutes) I was out of breath, dripping in sweat and eager to exit.

I woke up today thinking I want to go somewhere new on the bike, but most of my local Thailand bucket list was ticket off. Well so I had thought anyway. I decided to jump on the bike and head […]

Tourist vans in Thailand a scary proposition – Do you dare ride in one?

January 15, 2016August 28, 2019 James BaileyOdd Tips, So you're in Thailand

Four Mexican Tourists Die In Minivan Crash in Phichit and 6 injured. Why does this recent news headline suprise me in the least? Doing a simple Google search for "tourist minivan crash Thailand" and you will see scores of images showing crashed minivan's, some with fatalities, all with injuries. Now I have caught a couple of these vans, and have now made a decision to never set foot in one again while in Thailand. Aside from the above graphic images, what would make me feel that unsafe being a passenger in a minivan in Thailand?

Tourist vans in Thailand – Four Mexican tourists die in minivan crash in Phichit and 6 injured. Why does this recent news headline surprise me in the least? Doing a simple Google search for “tourist minivan crash Thailand” and you […]

Let me shove that selfie stick up your arse

January 14, 2016May 17, 2017 James BaileyOdd Tips, So you're in Thailand

Ok so it’s evolutionary, the way we travel compared with even 10 years ago has changed. Now we have the ability to live feed Facebook, Youtube and Instagram with where we are every second of every minute while on holidays. […]

The bodybagged temporary tourist in Thailand Part 2 – Scooter Crashes

January 14, 2016August 28, 2019 James BaileyMotorcycling, So you're in Thailand

I wrote my first story on the Bodybagged Temporary Tourist in Thailand after living in Thailand for a couple of months. The story came about from personal experiences, news reports and feeling I had sufficient first hand advice and suggestions to give. Since writing the first story, I have purchased a big bike, a Kawasaki Versys 650, and traveled close to 6000km on Thai roads and seen more than most. What has prompted me to continue writing on Bodybagged Temporary Tourist in Thailand was the recent viral call to action on Facebook and other social media, both here in Thailand and internationally for blood donations for a young the British girl, Lucy Hill in Chiang Mai who was in hospital in intensive care after an accident. Now I won't profess to know the full story, as I was not there, but it seems the 19 year old Miss Hill, a university student was riding pillion on the back of a scooter, when a car driving on the wrong side of the road hit them. Now in a western world, this in itself would seem cut and dry, a car is traveling on the incorrect side of the road, so they must be in the wrong. After spending as much time as I have in Thailand on the roads, seeing vehicles, both cars, trucks and scooters riding down the wrong side of the road is nothing short of normal here. Scooter riders will even ride on footpaths to avoid gridlock in Bangkok. Over the period that this accident happened, labelled the ‘7 deadly days’ of the New Year by Thai officials, hundreds of Thais died on the road. There was even a reported 3'500 motorbike accidents, many being serious and a lot ending in fatalities. Now this young girl coming to Thailand for the first time, deciding to jump on a bike with a group is nothing short of insanity. I have seen these young tourists riding in groups, behaving with reckless disregard for their own safety. Riding without helmets, wearing singlets, thongs, or even bare feet at times. Zooming around with seemingly glee abandon for their own safety, riding with the co-ordination of a drunk monkey, and expecting that they will be safe. It simply makes me sick in the stomach to watch their behavior. All I think when I see this is them riding a coffin! Let's face facts, these young tourists believe they are invincible, we all felt it at their age, turning 40 was so far away, growing old was something everyone else does. They are going to live forever and live life to the fullest no matter what! Legally, most of these young tourists will not have the right to be riding here in the first place, and not having the appropriate license to do so will automatically void any insurance cover they have, weather it be for damage to the bike, or worse yet, hospital care. I am not singling out Miss Hill or suggesting that she brought this on herself, what I am saying is that Thailand roads are a very dangerous place to put yourself, no matter where you are in Thailand. Recently I spent some days visiting a hospital brain injury unit, where I saw first hand the real results of this epidemic in Thailand. 98% of the patients that were in the ward need not have been there. They were all victims of motorcycle road accidents.

Now I wrote my first story on the Bodybagged Temporary Tourist in Thailand after living in Thailand for a couple of months. The story came about from personal experiences, news reports and the feeling I have sufficient first hand advice […]

Monkeys trying to bit me at Tham Khao Yoi Cave Phetchaburi

January 9, 2016April 13, 2017 James BaileyPlaces to visit

Being chased through the carpark by an overly agressive monkey wanting to bite my ankles was not a good start to arriving at Khao Yoi Cave in Phetchaburi. Lucky for me a local Thai lady was present with a large piece of bamboo swinging it around like John Snow wields a sword. The Tham Khao Yoi Cave is located on the hill, which is clearly visible from the main highway heading to Hau Hin from Bangkok, just behind the railway station of Khao Yoi, approximately 22km north of Phetchaburi town itself. It was the place where King Rama VI practiced meditation while he was ordained. Today, it houses several Buddha images and is home to Buddhist Monks. Ducking your head to enter the main door of the cave, you are first presented with a reclining Golden Buddha, which many locals take time to light candles and pay homage. Following the pathways through the marble tiled caverns, which are see sunlight peaking through the holes in the ceiling, you are presented with crevices filled various Buddhism statues over the many levels. If you were to compare this cave to Khoa Luang Cave, you would be sorely disappointed, but for me the entrance to the cave is one of the best presented.

Being chased through the carpark by an overly aggressive male monkey wanting to bite my ankles was not a good start to arriving at Khao Yoi Cave in Phetchaburi. Lucky for me a elderly local Thai lady was present with […]