Khmer Temple in Thailand – Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima

One of the tourist attractions that can be seen in ISAN part or Northeastern is the ancient temple of Cambodian or Khmer.
The historian believes that marks one end of this temple is the ancient Khmer highway from Angkor Wat, located now in Cambodia. The enclosed area of 1020x580m is comparable with that of Angkor Wat. Phimai must have been an important city in the Khmer empire. Most buildings are from the late 11th to the late 12th century, built in the Baphuon, Bayon and Angkor Wat style. However, even though the Khmer at that time were Hindu, the temple was built as a Buddhist temple, as Buddhism in the Khorat area dated back to the 7th century. Inscriptions name the site Vimayapura (which means city of Vimaya), which developed into the Thai name Phimai.
The inventory of the ruins was done in 1901 by the French geographer Etienne Aymonier. Most of the restorations were done from 1964 to 1969 as a joint Thai-French project. The historical park, now managed by the Fine Arts Department, was officially opened by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on April 12, 1989.
Many believes that Khmer temples was the greatest engineering of ancient time of the world.

Why Khmer?

Khmer is the name of the Empire that was the largest empire of South East Asia based in what is now Cambodia. The empire, which seceded from the kingdom of Chenla, at times ruled over and/or visualized parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand,Vietnam, Myanmar, and Malaysia. During the formation of the empire, Khmer had close cultural, political and trade relations with Java, and later with Srivijaya empire that lay beyond Khmer's southern border. Its greatest legacy is Angkor, which was the capital during the empire's zenith. Angkor bears testimony to the Khmer empire's immense power and wealth, as well as the variety of belief systems that it patronised over time. The empire's official religions included Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism, until Theravada Buddhism prevailed after its introduction from Sri Lanka in the 13th century.

Thailand’s Travel

Thailand is the land of smile, the most exciting tourist destination in Asia. The place where you can find striking historic landmarks. The ancient kingdom of Cambodia is emerging mostly in the northeast part of Thailand. Beautiful monuments, sitting, standing and reclining Buddha statues, Buddha Temples, Beaches in the south, Plateau in the Northeast, mountains in the North, River and lakes and the long border line of Mekong River to Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. Nevertheless, why the call Thailand as the land of smile? Are the people here are always smiling? When I think about Asian is often smile to their guest so why only Thailand got this called? Why not Philippines? Lol..

To answer this question let me first dig some information. Long time ago, westerners come to visit Thailand is the one who founded this name. They are very welcomed by the King’s hospitality, and of course with the assistance of the beautiful smiling women around with them. Its quiet funny to look them smile often even they really don’t understand the visitors. But I think this is their best weapons for the world colonization of the westerners as they are the only one in Asia that was not colonized. They called it also as the land of free (Thailand). Thai greetings is simply executed by the touch your hands together and put it in the level of your nose with bow as they called that as “WAI”. The height level of WAI will also vary according to the hierarchy of individual.

By their unique diversity and cultures you can really amaze Thailand for this matter. Their dancing and singing especially in Issan part or Northeast were MO-LAM as they called is the most exciting part of their cultures. Ethnic’s type of dancing is also unique and well preserve for their guest and visitors. Every school have their own music bands to perform modern songs (rock, hip-hop, love song) but the trademark of their Thai-dancing singing always relatively shown in every occasion.

In my three fruitful years of being an expat in Thailand, I found more interesting places and things, where I can’t imagine how and why they got this? The huge and wide roads in the provinces, the well preserved historical parks, beautiful sanctuaries, sunflower plantation, colorful temples and different type’s festivity. Yet the English proficiency is still struggling. They are the least in Asia of speaking English but the technology is so amazing. Well for that, I can really say (Amazing Thailand). But let say if all the people become smart, that country become worst. As corruption will also increased, debating of the law-makers, and projects for the infrastructure will also stagnant. The bottom line is the economy will decline. In relation with Bangkok incidents last year. The two airports were close due to eagerness of obtaining the power. Every group has their agendas, to be right to rule. Anyway hoping to recover the lost that they had before is my wish to all of us here. I’m still proud of the Thai government to do the right things to their people. The most all the present King of Thailand, who was admired most by his people. The longest reigning monarch in Thai-history. 60 years of his throne is simply the best for the people to admire him as I do too. As I’m wearing the emblem of the Royal Majesty King Bhumibhol Adulyadej. “Long Live the King” as the favorite quote and been written into the yellow wristband that most people wore.

Digital World of Photography

In a recent world, many people linked in the fanatic activity of digital photography. Concerning of the facts that many are involved of photography organization, seminars and gathering with relation of photography. Maybe it is because of the internet are flooding everywhere and no matter of your age, you can easily get or inform of whatever you want it too. It’s obviously due to modern era that makes things happened easily and accurately.

We back 15 years ago. Taking pictures is not easy task to do. Need more time, money, and effort with the skill of photographer is a big factor to get a good quality picture. All of that was done in trial and error. No word as perfect, every time you click the shutter. Angle of shoot, Subject poses, Availability of lights, Background of the subject, Color combination of the entire scene, setting arrangement of the camera pertaining to Shutter Speed and Focal Opening or Aperture. The longer you are working in photography the more you become skilled. And also the more you wanted more gears and gadgets. It’s very expensive equipments for a professional photographer. It’s unusual to become a photographer of that time.

But now a day, photography is rampant all over the world. It is maybe due to the fact of easiness and speedily of the digital technologies. Digital Camera is one of the most sold items in the world. As many people get into fun of taking pictures in an easy way. No need to memorize those settings arrangement of the camera to get a good quality of picture. No need of waiting the result of you’re captured from any printing laboratories to develop the film, just looking and scanning to the LCD if either it’s good or not or retake. And of course with the help of the software’s (Photo editors – like Photoshop and etc...) is big factor of todays. As I’m surfing the net, I’ve seen a lot of good quality pictures most of them were been processed by some photo editors (software). Surfing around flicker.com and you will see how some people get enjoyed of taking pictures as a hobby.

In my time as a photographer, I took pictures coz it’s my business or job. I cover weeding, birthday, burial, graduation and any special occasion. It’s indeed help to get my profession, as I’m a working student during my high school and college days. It almost 50% neat gained per coverage. I invested all to my education without regrets. But today freelance photography business is not really doing well as I’ve heard as friend who manages and shift from still to movie coverage. Many individual now covering their own activities as we all know digital technologies is everywhere. Cellular phones, Compact Digital Cameras, Single Lens Reflex Cameras are growing.



Mid year of 2006, the second coming to Thailand, is the year of flashing back to my memory in photography as encouraging and amusing of photos that I’ve been browsing on the net. Knowing some people who engage in photography in my hometown was the key to my excited mind to comeback shooting as a part of my hobbies not on the business but who knows maybe I will?.. I’m really proud of the Ormoc photographers, The (OPS) Ormoc Photographic Society for their work of art. I can say that some of them are now masters of digital processing. Another that I admired too is the work of Master J, of the (SPAS) Siam Pinoy Aperture Society.