EVENTS & FESTIVALS THAILAND – DECEMBER

Thailand International Balloon Festival

1 December, Ayutthaya

The festival showcases the wonderful thrill of balloon flying and the country’s unique and beautiful hinterland.

King’s Cup Regatta

1 December, Phuket

An exhilarating international boating regatta will sees international teams battle it out to win the royal trophy of H.M. The King.

Elephant Fair

1 December, Lampang

Procession of the elephant satok, local cultural performances, exhibitions, sales of local handicrafts and more will be on hand at this delightful annual fair.

Pha Mor E-daeng Marathon

1 December, Si Sa Ket

A marathon along the way up to “Khao Phra Wiharn” between Phumicharon Village and Pha Mor E-daeng. Come to run, walk, stroll or watch.

King Rama IX Botanical Festival

1-12 December, Bangkok

Exhibition about Suan Luang Botanical Garden, show of winning arts and crafts like flower garlands, sale of plants and gardening tools, region’s cultural performances and fireworks.

Chiang Mai Bike Week

3-4 December, Chiang Mai

Bikers come out to play in the mountains this weekend. Charitable activities in Chiang Mai province and surrounding areas combine to make for great fun.

Isan Grand Kite Tradition

4-5 December, Buriram

See kite competitions of various selected categories, a kite procession and sales of local products.

H.M. the King’s Birthday Celebrations

5 December, nationwide

His Majesty the King will celebrate his 83^rd birthday today. An alms-giving ceremony in the morning is followed by a huge festival of music and culture.

Koh Samet Festival

6-12 December, Samet Island

Become amazed with the night colours of neighbouring Rayong as you enjoy various entertaining events and tasty food.

World Heritage Fair

10-19 December, Ayutthaya

Celebrate this glorious former capital city with a sound and light show, exhibitions, cultural performances, presentations and shopping.

Constitution Day

10 December, nationwide

Today’s celebrations are held annually to commemorate the advent of the regime of Constitutional Monarchy in Thailand.

Vintage Vehicle Procession

14-16 December, Hua Hin

Viewing a beautiful procession of vintage cars as they make their way to Hua
Hin via the Railway Station, Klai Kangwon Royal Palace and Clock Tower.

Sing Buri Fish Festival

25-31 December, Singburi

Fish sculpture contest, fresh fish exhibition, food from fish contest, special dish from great chefs and a variety of industry products on offer.

Spice Up Your Life (and Noodle)!

Much as chicken soup is viewed as something of a home cold remedy in the West, rice noodle soups in Thailand are often earn to ward off colds, hangovers or general malaise. When you face a bowl of noodle and the array of condiments available to season them, you may be prepared to become your own pharmacist, mixing the ingredients to create the right flavour balance and, by implication, to set body and soul right.

If your table has a steel rack containing four lidded glass bowls or jars, the restaurant you’re in served kuaytiaw (rice noodles). Typically these containers offer four choices:

• Naam som phrik – sliced green chillies, usually phrik chii faa (sky pointing chilli) or sometimes phrik yuak (banaa-stalk chilli), in white vinegar.
• Phrik naam plaa – phrik khii nuu (mouse-dropping chilli) in fish sauce
• Phrik pon – dried red chilli (usually phrik chii faa), flaked or ground to a near powder.
• Naamtaan – plain white sugar.

In typically Thai fashion, these condiments offer three ways to make the soup hotter – hot and sour, hot and salty and just plain hot – and one to make it sweet. Some kuaytiaw vendors, particularly in Central Thailand, substitute thua pon (ground peanuts) for phrik naam plaa, which is provided in a separate bowl or saucer instead.

The typical Thai noodle-eater will add a teaspoonful of each one of these condiments to the noodle soup, except for the sugar, which usually rates a full tablespoon. Until you’re used to these strong seasonings, we recommend adding them a small bit at a time, tasting the soup along the way to make sure you don’t go overboard. Adding sugar to soup may appear strange to some foreign palates but it does considerably enhance the flavour of kuaytiaw naam. In addition to the condiments rack, a conscientious kuaytiaw vendor will place a bottle of naam plaa (fish sauce), for those who want to make the soup saltier without adding the spice.

In North-Eastern Thailand, kuaytiaw shops have a more elaborate set-up. Some follow the Lao and Vietnamese custom of serving a platter of fresh greens such as phak kaat hawm (lettuce), phak kaat naam (watercress), phak phai (Vietnamese mint), bai hohraphaa (Sweet basil), saranae (mint) or phak chii (coriander) with an order of noodle soup. These are meant to be eaten raw along with the noodle soup, or they can be added directly to the bowl. Halved limes, a small bowl of ka-pi (shrimp paste) and a saucer of fresh whole phrik khii nuu completes the Isaan (North-Easter) kuaytiaw condiment array. In Isaan dialect, kuaytiaw is often referred to as for (from the Vietnamese, pho).