Hindu god Ganesh

Thai woman praying to Ganesh

Prayers to Hindu god Ganesh

Ayutthaya ancient capital of Siam

Devotees put gold leaf squares on the statue

Thai woman applying gold leaf

For more info on Ayutthay see:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayutthaya_Kingdom

Eyes down ! - clickity click

Pakse market stall holders passing time by playing bingo

Maka Bucha day Bangkok

Maka Bucha is one of the most important Buddhist holidays in Thailand. This celebration marks the great four events that happened during the Buddha's lifetime: the time of the full moon in the third lunar month; 1250 Buddhist monks from different places spontaneously congregated to pay respect to theBuddha (all were monks or 'Arahants', personally ordained by the Buddha).
Traditionally devotees go round a temple three times praying

This woman - in formal uniform - was a civil servant who had just attended

a special Maka Bucha event in the Royal Palace

The Royal Palace on Maka Bucha day -notice full moon

Many Buddhist events take place in park next to palace

Ubon Ratchathani to Bangkok by 7am train

Road to nowhere - view from rear door of train

Pakse Museum

Artist's impression of bombing on Pakse during the war
Map showing areas of heavy bombing during war. On average a US bomber dropped it's load every 8 minutes over a ten year period - making Laos the most heavily bombed place on earth.

Some armaments left over from the war

A collection of currency in the museum imcluded some One Kip notes - anyone who has carried a wad of kip notes in the thousands (one pound UK is 12,000 kip) will be amazed there once was a One Kip note in circulation (I suppose a One Kip note still exists in a National Bank somewhere).