P615 - Thailand - Phra Si Sakyamuni, Bangkok

Phra Si Sakyamuni, Buddha-Statue in Wat Suthat, Bangkok, Thailand

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P409 - Thailand - Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya, Thailand

Ayutthaya city is the capital of Ayutthaya province in Thailand. The city was founded in 1350 by King U-Thong, who came here to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lop Buri, and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya kingdom or Siam. Ayutthaya was named after the city of Ayodhya in India, the birthplace of Rama in the Ramayana (Thai, Ramakien). In 1767 the city was destroyed by the Burmese army, resulting in the collapse of the kingdom, and the ruins of the old city now form the Ayutthaya historical park, which is recognized internationally as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was refounded a few kilometers to the east.

It is estimated that Ayutthaya around 1600 had a population of about 300,000, and even 1,000,000 around 1700, making it one of the world's largest cities at the time.

阿瑜陀耶（泰語：พระนครศรีอยุธยา），又譯為大城，因《羅摩衍那》記載中的不落之城阿約提亞而得名，泰國大城府首府，人口54888人（2006年）。

阿瑜陀耶由烏通王始建於1350年，是阿瑜陀耶王朝首都。1767年，該城被緬甸攻佔後焚毀，鄭信復國後將都城南遷吞武里，建立吞武里王朝，在老城東重建新城。老城廢墟現為世界文化遺產阿瑜陀耶歷史公園所在地。

References sources : wikipedia

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P345 - Thailand - Phi Phi Islands in Krabi

Phi Phi Islands, Krabi, Thailand

The Phi Phi Islands are located in Thailand, between the large island of Phuket and the western Andaman Sea coast of the mainland. Phi Phi Don, the larger and principal of the two Phi Phi islands, is located at 7°44′00″N 98°46′00″E. Both Phi Phi Don, and Phi Phi Leh, the smaller, are administratively part of Krabi province, most of which is on the mainland, and is located at 8°02′30″N 98°48′39″E.

Ko Phi Phi Leh (or Ko Phi Phi Ley) is an island of the Phi Phi archipelago, in the Andaman Sea. It belongs to the Krabi province of Thailand.

Ko Phi Phi Leh is the second largest island of the archipelago, the largest one being Ko Phi Phi Don. The island consists of a ring of steep limestone hills surrounding a shallow bay, the Mahya Bay.

Mahya Bay (or Maya Bay) is popular for diving, and has become even more popular after the 2000 movie The Beach was filmed there. According to the Lonely Planet's Thailand guidebook, the 2004 tsunami dramatically improved the look of Maya Bay. This was due to the fact that the high waves had cleaned up the beach and removed all the landscaping the Fox production team had added.

Prior to 2004, the island had avoided development. However, it is now a part of Phi Phi National Park and has since begun to see the beginnings of development and some clearing of natural plant life. There are current plans to build bungalows on the island and as of 2004 an entry-fee of 40 Baht has been charged; as of February 2007 the charge for private visitors has been raised to Bt200 per person. There are now permanent basic facilities on the island - toilets, a snack bar and camping sites.

披披群島（Phi Phi Islands，常簡稱為PP島）是泰國的旅遊勝地，位於普吉島與泰國本土同樣屬於南部地區的甲米府（Krabi）之間之海面上。由於近年愈來愈多人前往普吉島度假，使不少嚮往寧靜假期的人選擇鄰近普吉的披披群島。因此泰國旅遊當局從1990年代開始開發這個群島，並開辦旅行團到此遊玩。

電影《海灘》（The Beach）在小披披島取景時，電影公司在拍攝前為了把當地的沙灘建設成與原著近似的樣貌，把當地大量可以防風防浪的植被挖走，然後移植100棵椰樹之類的外來植物，以及興建度假屋。當年拍攝電影時，電影公司之舉受到世界環保人士的猛烈批評。

2004年12月26日，披披群島在2004年印度洋大地震所引發的海嘯中受到嚴重破壞。事後，有關當局在當地重新種植大樹，以希望將來再有地震發生時，大樹可以幫助卸去地震帶來的海嘯所造成的衝擊，從而減輕損害。

披披群島於1983年成為國家公園，範圍內共有六個主要島嶼組成，還有兩個主要海灣。
大披披島（Phi Phi Don）：一系列島嶼當中最大的一個島，並且是唯一有人定居的島。主要由石灰岩組成，是一個原來由二個小島組成的連島沙洲。面積28平方公里，寬3.5公里，長8公里。
小披披島（Phi Phi Lay）：一系列島嶼當中第二大的島，最多遊客前往，以沙灘聞名；面積6.6平方公里，島上東北方的海盜穴(viking cave)中有大象、船隻的古代壁畫。電影《海灘》（The Beach）就是在這裡的馬亞灣取景。
外比達島（Bidanok）
內比達島（Bida Nai）
榮島（Yoong）
排島（Pai）
通塞灣（Ton Sai Bay）：通塞灣位於大披披島，是遊客活動的主要中心，附近有餐廳、酒吧、旅館等設施
羅達狼灣（ Ao Lodalum ）
Yao beach：位於大披披島通塞灣南方，提供潛水活動，觀賞海底的珊瑚礁

References sources : Wikipedia

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P246 - Thailand - Poda Island, Krabi

Poda Island, Krabi, Thailand

Krabi (Thai: กระบี่) is a town (thesaban mueang) on the west coast of southern Thailand at the mouth of the Krabi River into the Andaman Sea. As of 2005 the town has a population of 24,986. The town is the capital of Krabi Province and Krabi district.

Koh Poda is a small limestone island 25 minutes by boat from the beaches of the Raileh peninsular. The circular island is no more than a kilometre in diameter, covered in palm trees and almost entirely encircled by a soft white sand beach. A coral reef lies 20 metres offshore, and the combination of scenery, beach and excellent snorkelling make it one of the favourite places to spend a lazy day in this part of the world.

There is some accomodation in Koh Poda (bungalows), although it's quite pricey. Koh Poda is an Island and is approx. 30mins by [Longtail Boat] ride from Ao Nang Beach.

喀比府位於泰國南部安達曼海濱，據考證是泰國最早有人類居住的地區。喀比因其風光旖旎、奇石突兀且長達160公裏的海岸線及附近130個島嶼而成為泰國著名的旅游勝地之一。喀比城小巧玲瓏、民風淳樸，四周環繞著蔥鬱的青山、碧藍的安達曼海和豐饒的農田。橡膠業、棕櫚業和漁業是當地居民賴以生存的主要手段。

喀比府的海灘及島嶼各具特色、設施完善，從超豪華型的酒店到簡樸的度假小屋一應俱全，且全都面向無敵海景，能充分滿足不同旅游者的需求。沙灘的風格也是多種多樣，PhraNang 灣幼沙如雪、Nopparat-Thara海灘野趣橫生，而披披島則以其碧海銀灘聞名於世。澄淨無暇的海水、寧靜清幽的沙灘、林木茂盛的山巒、色彩斑斕的珊湖礁、千姿百態的海洋生物使得喀比府成為安達曼海濱令人向往的洞大附第。

喀比可謂是泰國西南部最物美價廉的泰式美食之都。在喀比城和Ao Nang海灘眾多的餐館裏你不僅可以領略泰國不同地區的風味，還能品嘗到世界各地的佳餚。當地品種豐富、絕對新鮮的海鮮也定會讓你大快朵頤。落日餘輝中，伴習習的海風和搖的燭光享受一頓豐盛的晚餐，該是多麼愜意。與熱辣鮮香的美味珍比起來，喀比的夜生活卻顯得平靜如水。人們通常的消遣方式是到露天酒吧小酌幾杯、在皎潔的月光下漫步海邊或舉辦一個小型的沙灘晚會。

喀比的活動項目及景點眾多，不一而足。除了欣賞壯觀的貝殼化石墓地、山洞探險、攀崖、劃艇、海上垂釣、在披披島逗留外，你還可以到Poda島或雞島附近海域體驗深潛和浮潛之樂、於風和日麗之時乘長尾船沿秀美如畫的海岸線徜祥、前往巨大的海盜洞親眼目睹驚險刺激的燕窩采集並觀賞古老神秘的岩洞壁畫、造訪綠樹掩映的著名的老虎洞寺廟、游覽Khao Phanom Bencha國家公園，看溪流潺潺。溫泉淙淙。喀比實在是人們休閑度假和蜜月旅行的絕佳之選。喀比府交通極為便利。不僅可以先曼古和普吉乘車前往，還能從曼谷搭火車到 Trang、Puhn Pin或Tung Song後轉乘汽車抵達。此外，泰國國際航空公司及普吉航空公司每天在曼谷和喀比間還開行了數個直飛航班。

References sources : krabi-tourism.com

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