Note : The following information is provided by organisers of Chiang Mai Ram Katha.
New Information:
Thailand Katha postponed: Due to political unrest, Thailand Katha has been postponed. Sorry for any inconvenience. Please make your own necessary travel adjustments including hotel bookings. We will keep you posted of any further updates.
Nilesh & Rohita Jasani
Email: rohita@africaonline.co.ke
Anyone travelling from Africa, please note that valid yellow fever certificates will be required.
Miscellaneous
Visas – Please note that European Passport holders DO NOT require visas to enter Thailand, however most other nationals DO REQUIRE visas, therefore kindly check with the respective Thai Embassy in your country, as visas ARE NOT available on arrival.
Please note that Chiang Mai does not have an international airport, the nearest main International Airport is Bangkok, and it is an hour’s flight from there.
The weather in Chiang Mai at the end of May will be on average around 25 Degrees, and it gets cooler in the evenings.
In Chiang Mai, Thai is the main language spoken.
Currency: Thai Baht. 1U$ is appx 30 Baht, 1GBP is appx 50 baht, and 1Thai Baht is appx 1.40 Indian Rupees.
Vaccines: Please consult your doctor, and note that you will need to carry mosquito repellants.
There will be a limited number of rooms available at Suan Bua itself (rates appx 1400 baht), however we have negotiated special rates at two nearby hotels which are appx 3kms from Suan Bua (Belle Villa Resort – rates appx 1800 baht, and Baan Klang Doi Hotel, Resort and Spa – rates appx 1200 baht). These rates will include breakfast and transportation to Suan Bua. To make a reservation for any of these hotels, please contact:
Ms. Rungtip Mahattanawat (Chiang Mai)
Tel: +66 81 9987196, +66 53 365270 - 9
Email: rung3547@hotmail.com
Web: www.suanbua.com
Kindly note that there are many other hotels in Chiang Mai, and if you are to stay anywhere else, then please ensure that you either hire a car or make sure that there are taxis available to transport you to and from Suan Bua.
Catering: Please note that both lunch and dinner will be provided at Suan Bua for all people attending the katha.
Transport Facility
Suan Bua is approx 25 minutes away from the airport. The cost for a taxi is approx 700baht.
Misc Details
Chiang Mai... ‘’The Rose of the North’’
Chiang Mai, with crumbling stone walls and a sparkling moat that surround the old city core, is called "the Rose of the North." It is Thailand's second largest city, the capital of the northern region, and a symphony of art, religion and nature.
The richly carved and gilded temple, are perhaps the most interesting of its many attractions of the holy relic of the Buddhadotting the city. The one temple every first-time visitor absolutely, positively must see is the mountain-top Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep. The temple is a "must see" not only for its importance as a pilgrimage temple, but also for the outstanding views it affords of the city and its surrounding plain, when the weather cooperates. A trip to the temple is usually combined with a stop at the royal Phu Phing Palace and the Doi Pui Maeo village. There are, however, many other temples in Chiang Mai worth a visit. Some of these are a bit off the tourist trail, including the favourite, Wat Umong.
In the lush tropical jungle of Chiang Mai's Maesa Valley, a big family of elephants lives side by side with their mahout caretakers. "Maesa Elephant Camp" is home to one of the largest assembly of elephants in the north of Thailand. Their philosophy is to create a natural and healthy environment for the elephants while working to conserve and breed them, due to the dwindling number of Asian elephants left in the wild.
Chiang Mai city itself has plenty of historic and cultural legacies, while the rest of the province has several pretty waterfalls and caves.Its surroundings are among the most popular attractions along with this you can visit some fantastic mountains and Doi Suithep/Pui National Parks which lies nearby.
Chiang Mai includes a commendable zoo and exciting Night Safari, hot springs, mountain drives, ruins of the earliest Thai kingdoms, and a charming old town full of timeless lanes that are lined with teak houses and traditional shop houses.
Remarks : Additional information will be added to this website as and when available.
