1.
High-speed rail
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High-speed rail is a type of rail transport that operates significantly faster than traditional rail traffic, using an integrated system of specialized rolling stock and dedicated tracks. The first such system began operations in Japan in 1964 and was known as the bullet train. High-speed trains normally operate on standard gauge tracks of continuously welded rail on grade-separated right-of-way that incorporates a large turning radius in its design, only in Europe does HSR cross international borders. China has 22,000 kilometres of HSR as of end December 2016, while high-speed rail is most often designed for passenger travel, some high-speed systems also offer freight service. Multiple definitions for high-speed rail are in use worldwide, the European Union Directive 96/48/EC, Annex 1 defines high-speed rail in terms of, Infrastructure, track built specially for high-speed travel or specially upgraded for high-speed travel. Minimum Speed Limit, Minimum speed of 250 km/h on lines built for high speed. This must apply to at least one section of the line, Rolling stock must be able to reach a speed of at least 200 km/h to be considered high speed. Operating conditions, Rolling stock must be designed alongside its infrastructure for complete compatibility, safety and quality of service, category II – Existing tracks specially upgraded for high speeds, allowing a maximum running speed of at least 200 km/h. Category III – Existing tracks specially upgraded for high speeds, allowing a maximum running speed of at least 200 km/h, the UIC prefers to use definitions because they consider that there is no single standard definition of high-speed rail, nor even standard usage of the terms. They make use of the European EC Directive 96/48, stating that high speed is a combination of all the elements which constitute the system, infrastructure, rolling stock and operating conditions. The International Union of Railways states that high-speed rail is a set of unique features, many conventionally hauled trains are able to reach 200 km/h in commercial service but are not considered to be high-speed trains. These include the French SNCF Intercités and German DB IC, National domestic standards may vary from the international ones. Railways were the first form of land transportation and had an effective monopoly on passenger traffic until the development of the motor car. Speed had always been an important factor for railroads and they tried to achieve higher speeds. The line used three-phase current at 10 kilovolts and 45 Hz, on 23 October 1903, the S&H-equipped railcar achieved a speed of 206.7 km/h and on 27 October the AEG-equipped railcar achieved 210.2 km/h. These trains demonstrated the feasibility of electric high-speed rail, however, after the breakthrough of electric railroads, it was clearly the infrastructure – especially the cost of it – which hampered the introduction of high-speed rail. Several disasters happened – derailments, head-on collisions on single-track lines, collisions with traffic at grade crossings. The physical laws were well-known, i. e. if the speed was doubled, the radius should be quadrupled
High-speed rail
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The
Tōkaidō Shinkansen high-speed line in Japan, with
Mount Fuji in the background
High-speed rail
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The German 1903 record holder
High-speed rail
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The German Fliegender Hamburger
High-speed rail
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Burlington
Zephyr passenger train
2.
Thailand
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Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand, formerly known as Siam, is a country at the centre of the Indochinese peninsula in Southeast Asia. With a total area of approximately 513,000 km2, Thailand is the worlds 51st-largest country and it is the 20th-most-populous country in the world, with around 66 million people. The capital and largest city is Bangkok, Thailand is a constitutional monarchy and has switched between parliamentary democracy and military junta for decades, the latest coup being in May 2014 by the National Council for Peace and Order. Its capital and most populous city is Bangkok and its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast, and Indonesia and India on the Andaman Sea to the southwest. The Thai economy is the worlds 20th largest by GDP at PPP and it became a newly industrialised country and a major exporter in the 1990s. Manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism are leading sectors of the economy and it is considered a middle power in the region and around the world. The country has always been called Mueang Thai by its citizens, by outsiders prior to 1949, it was usually known by the exonym Siam. The word Siam has been identified with the Sanskrit Śyāma, the names Shan and A-hom seem to be variants of the same word. The word Śyâma is possibly not its origin, but a learned, another theory is the name derives from Chinese, Ayutthaya emerged as a dominant centre in the late fourteenth century. The Chinese called this region Xian, which the Portuguese converted into Siam, the signature of King Mongkut reads SPPM Mongkut King of the Siamese, giving the name Siam official status until 24 June 1939 when it was changed to Thailand. Thailand was renamed Siam from 1945 to 11 May 1949, after which it reverted to Thailand. According to George Cœdès, the word Thai means free man in the Thai language, ratcha Anachak Thai means kingdom of Thailand or kingdom of Thai. Etymologically, its components are, ratcha, -ana- -chak, the Thai National Anthem, written by Luang Saranupraphan during the extremely patriotic 1930s, refers to the Thai nation as, prathet Thai. The first line of the anthem is, prathet thai ruam lueat nuea chat chuea thai, Thailand is the unity of Thai flesh. There is evidence of habitation in Thailand that has been dated at 40,000 years before the present. Similar to other regions in Southeast Asia, Thailand was heavily influenced by the culture and religions of India, Thailand in its earliest days was under the rule of the Khmer Empire, which had strong Hindu roots, and the influence among Thais remains even today. Voretzsch believes that Buddhism must have been flowing into Siam from India in the time of the Indian Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya Empire, later Thailand was influenced by the south Indian Pallava dynasty and north Indian Gupta Empire. The Menam Basin was originally populated by the Mons, and the location of Dvaravati in the 7th century, the History of the Yuan mentions an embassy from the kingdom of Sukhothai in 1282
Thailand
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The ruins of
Wat Chaiwatthanaram at
Ayutthaya.
Thailand
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Flag
Thailand
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Stupas,
Ayutthaya Historical Park.
Thailand
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Pottery discovered near
Ban Chiang in Udon Thani Province, the earliest dating to 2100 BCE.
3.
State Railway of Thailand
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The State Railway of Thailand is the state-owned rail operator in Thailand. The network serves around 44 million passengers per year, the SRT was founded as the Royal State Railways of Siam in 1890. King Chulalongkorn ordered the Department of Railways to be set up under the Department of Public Works and Town, construction of the Bangkok-Ayutthaya railway, the first part of the Northern Line, was started in 1890 and inaugurated on 26 March 1896. The Thonburi-Phetchaburi line, later the Southern Line, was opened on 19 June 1903, on 1 July 1951, RSR changed its name to the present State Railway of Thailand. As of 2014 SRT had 4,043 km of track, nearly all is single-track, although some important sections around Bangkok are double or triple-tracked and there are plans to extend this. By comparison, Thailand has 390,000 km of highways, the SRT has long been popularly perceived by the public as inefficient and resistant to change. Trains are usually late, and most of its equipment is old, the worst financially performing state enterprise, the SRT consistently operates at a loss despite being endowed with large amounts of property and receiving large government budgets. It reported a loss of 7.58 billion baht in 2010. Recurring government attempts at restructuring and/or privatization throughout the 2000s have always strongly opposed by the union and have not made any progress. SRTs failings are reflected in passenger numbers, which have dropped from 88 million in 1994 to 44 million in 2014, SRT aims to boost its share of cargo transport to six percent with its double track expansion by 2022. Expansion of SRTs freight service, which could earn more money than the heavily subsidized passenger service, has neglected for decades in favour of Thailands roads. Due to SRTs poor financial performance and resistance to reform, there has been a government freeze on SRT staff recruitment for years, SRT officials estimate that the group needs to boost staff by 20 percent to 12,000, with IT staff recruited to overhaul information technology systems. In 2017 the military government has budgeted more than 76 billion baht for SRT infrastructure investments, the funding is to be used for double-track rail expansions, an extension of Bangkoks elevated railway, and construction of bridges, fences, and track improvements. In the fiscal year ending 30 September 2016, however, the SRT had managed to disburse only 53 percent of its investment budget of 60 billion baht. This compares with an average disbursement rate of 80 percent by Thailands 55 state-owned enterprises, disbursement rate is seen as an indicator of efficient management. Tickets may be purchased on-line starting 1 February 2017, tickets may be purchased from 60 days in advance to two hours before departure. The SRT operates all of Thailands national rail lines, Bangkok Railway Station is the main terminus of all routes. Phahonyothin and ICD Ladkrabang are the freight terminals
State Railway of Thailand
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On local trains, several cars may be reserved for school children, much like a
school bus elsewhere. Children board a
Pattaya -Bangkok train at an improvised between-stations stop
State Railway of Thailand
State Railway of Thailand
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UM12C (GE)
State Railway of Thailand
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Refurbished around 2010-2011.
4.
Track gauge
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In rail transport, track gauge is the spacing of the rails on a railway track and is measured between the inner faces of the load-bearing rails. All vehicles on a network must have running gear that is compatible with the track gauge, as the dominant parameter determining interoperability, it is still frequently used as a descriptor of a route or network. There is a distinction between the gauge and actual gauge at some locality, due to divergence of track components from the nominal. Railway engineers use a device, like a caliper, to measure the actual gauge, the nominal track gauge is the distance between the inner faces of the rails. In current practice, it is specified at a distance below the rail head as the inner faces of the rail head are not necessarily vertical. In some cases in the earliest days of railways, the company saw itself as an infrastructure provider only. Colloquially the wagons might be referred to as four-foot gauge wagons, say and this nominal value does not equate to the flange spacing, as some freedom is allowed for. An infrastructure manager might specify new or replacement track components at a variation from the nominal gauge for pragmatic reasons. Track is defined in old Imperial units or in universally accepted metric units or SI units, Imperial units were established in United Kingdom by The Weights and Measures Act of 1824. In addition, there are constraints, such as the load-carrying capacity of axles. Narrow gauge railways usually cost less to build because they are lighter in construction, using smaller cars and locomotives, as well as smaller bridges, smaller tunnels. Narrow gauge is often used in mountainous terrain, where the savings in civil engineering work can be substantial. Broader gauge railways are generally expensive to build and require wider curves. There is no single perfect gauge, because different environments and economic considerations come into play, a narrow gauge is superior if ones main considerations are economy and tight curvature. For direct, unimpeded routes with high traffic, a broad gauge may be preferable, the Standard, Russian, and 46 gauges are designed to strike a reasonable balance between these factors. In addition to the general trade-off, another important factor is standardization, once a standard has been chosen, and equipment, infrastructure, and training calibrated to that standard, conversion becomes difficult and expensive. This also makes it easier to adopt an existing standard than to invent a new one and this is true of many technologies, including railroad gauges. The reduced cost, greater efficiency, and greater economic opportunity offered by the use of a common standard explains why a number of gauges predominate worldwide
Track gauge
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Indian Narrow and Broad gauge tracks
Track gauge
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Track gauge
Track gauge
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Fish-belly cast-iron rails from the Cromford and High Peak Railway
Track gauge
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An early Stephenson locomotive
5.
Prayut Chan-o-cha
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Prayut Chan-o-cha is a retired Royal Thai Army officer who is the head of the National Council for Peace and Order, a military junta, and concurrently serves as the Prime Minister of Thailand. The council, which he appointed himself along with other members, has the power to name the prime minister. Prayut is a former Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army, after his appointment as army chief, Prayut was characterised as a strong royalist and an opponent of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Considered a hardliner within the military, he was one of the proponents of military crackdowns on the Red Shirt demonstrations of April 2009. During the political crisis began in November 2013 and involved protests against the caretaker government of Yingluck, Prayut claimed that the army was neutral. Yet in May 2014, Prayut staged a coup against the government. He later issued a constitution granting himself sweeping powers and giving himself amnesty for staging the coup. In August 2014, a national legislature, whose members were handpicked by Prayut. After seizing power, Prayut launched crackdowns on dissent and he required all students in Thai schools to recite the twelve values as formulated by him. He has also banned public discussion about democracy and any criticism of his government, a poll on Prayuts performance in office conducted in February 2017 found that 48 percent of respondents rated it as good and 35 percent very good. Seventeen percent said his performance was not good or had no comment and he was graduated with a bachelor of science degree from Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy. Like his direct predecessor, Anupong Paochinda, and former defence minister Prawit Wongsuwan, most of them, like Prayut, began their military careers in the 2nd Infantry Division, headquartered in eastern Thailand, particularly in the 21st Infantry Regiment. After graduating from the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, Prayut served in the 21st Infantry Regiment, in 2002, he served as a deputy commanding general in the 2nd Infantry Division, becoming its commanding general one year later. In 2005, he became a deputy commanding general of the 1st Army, which includes the 2nd Infantry Division, Prayut was the chief of staff of the Royal Thai Army from 2008 to 2009, and in 2009 he was appointed honorary adjutant to the king. In 2010, he succeeded Anupong Paochinda as commander in chief, after the 2006 Thai coup détat, Prayut was appointed to the National Legislative Assembly. In this capacity, he joined the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, Prayut sits on the executive boards of a number of companies including a state electricity utility company, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority. From 2007 to 2010 he was independent director at Thai Oil Public Co, since 7 October 2010 he has been a director of Thai Military Bank and chairman of the Army United Football Club. In May 2013, Prayut sold nine plots of land in a Bangkok suburb to a company called 69 Property for 600 million baht, reporters subsequently asked him about the land sale, and the prime ministers position was that the media had no business questioning him on the matter
Prayut Chan-o-cha
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Prayut in 2015
Prayut Chan-o-cha
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Prayut (left) meets US General
Martin Dempsey (right) during his visit to Bangkok (2012)
6.
Pattaya
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Pattaya is a resort city in Thailand. It is on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 100 kilometres south-east of Bangkok, within, the Pattaya City is a self-governing municipal area which covers the whole tambon Nong Prue and Na Klua and parts of Huai Yai and Nong Pla Lai. The city is in the industrial Eastern Seaboard zone, along with Si Racha, Laem Chabang, Pattayas census population figure is 107,406, yet this only accounts for residents who have formally registered in the city. Pattaya is the center of the Pattaya-Chonburi Metropolitan Area—the conurbation in Chonburi Province—with a total population exceeding 1,000,000. The name Pattaya evolved from the march of Phraya Tak and his army from Ayutthaya to Chanthaburi, when his army arrived in the vicinity of what is now Pattaya, Phraya Tak encountered the troops of a local leader named Nai Klom, who tried to intercept him. When the two met face to face, Nai Klom was impressed by Phraya Taks dignified manner and his armys strict discipline and he surrendered without a fight and joined his forces. The place the armies confronted each other was known as Thap Phraya. This later became Pattaya, the name of the wind blowing from the south-west to the north-east at the beginning of the rainy season, Pattaya was a fishing village until the 1960s. Then, during the Vietnam War, American servicemen stationed at nearby U-Tapao or other US bases in Thailand began visiting Pattaya and they rented several houses at the south end of the beach from a prominent Thai, Lord Sunthorn. Despite their short stay, the soldiers had a great time, the word spread among other American soldiers stationed in the region and Pattaya quickly became a hot alternative to Bangkok. Pattaya has a wet and dry climate, which is divided into the following seasons, hot and dry, hot and humid. The city had 104,318 registered inhabitants in 2007, including non-registered residents, the population numbers for Pattaya were estimated by Thai sources at around 300,000 at any given time. Other estimates put the figure as high as 500,000, Pattaya additionally has massive population inflow from tourism, with its 2000 hotels and 136,000 rooms available as of 2015. Due to the tourist industry, many people from the north-east have come to work in Pattaya, there is a fast-growing community of foreign retirees living in Pattaya. Thailand immigration has a special category for foreigners over age 50 who wish to retire in Thailand. Pattaya is attractive to retirees from other countries not only because of its climate and exotic, easy lifestyle. Pattaya, on the Gulf of Thailand, is approximately 160 kilometres south of the city of Bangkok in the Bang Lamung District. The city of Pattaya is a municipal area which covers the whole tambon Nong Prue and Na Kluea and parts of Huai Yai
Pattaya
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From left:
Nong Nooch Garden, Pattaya sunset, Pattaya Beach,
The Sanctuary of Truth, Walking Street
Pattaya
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Pattaya skyline
Pattaya
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View of Pattaya
Pattaya
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Pattaya, Thailand
7.
Hua Hin
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For the island in French Polynesia, see Huahine. Hua Hin District is one of eight districts of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province in the part of the Malay Peninsula in Thailand. Its seat of government, also named Hua Hin, is a resort town. The district has a population of 84,883 in an area of 911 km2, by road, it is 199 km south-southwest of Bangkok. In 1834, before the name Hua Hin was coined, some areas of Phetchaburi Province were hit by severe drought. A group of farmers moved south until they found a village that had bright white sand. They settled there and gave it the name Samore Riang, which means rows of rocks, in 1921 the director of the state railway, Prince Purachatra, built the Railway Hotel close to the beach. Prince Krom Phra Naresworarit was the first member of the family to build a group of palaces at Ban Laem Hin, called Sukaves. King Prajadhipok liked the place so much that he built a palace there which was later named Klai Kang Won. In 1932 Hua Hin was part of Pran Buri District as a minor district, in 1949 Hua Hin became a separate district of Prachuap Khiri Khan. After the building of Thailands southern railway connected the district with Bangkok along with various destinations en route, in August 2016, there were four bomb blasts in Hua Hin over a period of 24 hours. Hua Hin has a savanna climate. Temperatures are very warm to hot throughout the year, with small variations. The year begins with the dry season, before the monsoon arrives in May, rains ease somewhat from June to August before the heaviest rains begin in September and continue through November. Hua Hin District is divided into seven sub-districts, which are subdivided into 63 administrative villages. There is one town in the district, Hua Hin consisting of the sub-districts Hua Hin, there is one sub-district municipality in the district, Nong Phlap consisting of parts of the sub-district Nong Phlap. There are five sub-district administrative organizations in the district, Hin Lek Fai consisting of the sub-district Hin Lek Fai, Nong Phlap consisting of parts of the sub-district Nong Phlap. Thap Tai consisting of the sub-district Thap Tai, Huai Sat Yai consisting of the sub-district Huai Sat Yai
Hua Hin
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View of Hua Hin
Hua Hin
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Hua Hin Beach on a cloudy morning
Hua Hin
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Hua Hin Railway Station
Hua Hin
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Hua Hin Beach in the evening
8.
Chachoengsao
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Chachoengsao is a town in central Thailand, capital of Chachoengsao Province. It is on the banks of the Bang Pakong River and it includes tambon Na Mueang and parts of Ban Mai, Bang Tin Pet, Wang Takhian, and Sothon of Mueang Chachoengsao District. As of 2006 it had a population of 60,893, the town was established in 1549 during the reign of King Maha Chakkrapat of Ayutthaya and originally was a centre for military recruitment. During the reign of King Maha Thammaracha, the kingdom was in a condition due to being defeated by the Burmese. Phraya Lawaek, the Khmer king, conscripted Thais from several towns including Chachoengsao to be in his work force, Chachoengsao is sometimes referred to as Paet Riu, a name derived from large fish locally caught in the past. Paet Riu literally means eight cuts or slices which refers to the way the fish was cooked and served as a dish in Chachoengsao. The town is about 50 km east of Bangkok and can be accessed by train, Chachoengsao is a province in the central region. It has a back to the reign of King Borommatrailokkanat in the Ayutthaya period. Most people settled by the Bang Pakong River and along canals, luangpho Phuttha Sothon is a centre of faith of the people of Paet Riu. In the past, Chachoengsao was a fourth class city under the ministry of defence, during the reign of King Rama I, it was attached to the ministry of the interior. Until the reign of King Rama V, who changed the administration system, in 1916, its status was changed from a city to a province. Chachoengsao is a Khmer word which means deep canal, the western part of the province is the low river plain of the Bang Pa Kong River, which is used extensively for farming rice. To the east is more hilly terrain, with an elevation of more than 100 m. The provincial seal shows the hall of the Sothornvararamvoraviharn Temple. In this hall is the most important Buddha image of the province, the provincial tree is Peltophorum dasyrachis. The tree was assigned to the province by Queen Sirikit on the 50th anniversary of the coronation of King Rama IX in 2000, the provincial flower is the yellow flamboyant
Chachoengsao
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Wat Sothonwararam Worawihan
9.
Chonburi Province
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Chonburi is an eastern province of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, and Rayong, to the west is the Gulf of Thailand. Chonburi is home to Thailands largest tourist oriented city, Pattaya and it is home to Thailands largest and primary seaport, it has a thriving migrant and expatriate population. Due to these factors, the population is growing rapidly. The registered population as of 31 December 2012 was 1.36 million, from historical evidence, Mueang Chonburi has been settled since sometime during the Ayutthaya period of Thai history. The region for centuries was one of towns such as Bang Sai, Bang Pla Soi. King Rama V combined these to form Chonburi Province, the word chon originates from the Sanskrit word jala meaning water, and the word buri from Sanskrit puri meaning town or city. Hence the name of the province literally means city of water, the province is on the Bay of Bangkok, the northern end of the Gulf of Thailand. The Khao Khiao mountain range stretches from the northwest to the southeast of the province, in Laem Chabang, in the south of the province, is one of the few deep-water harbours of Thailand. The provincial permanent legal population has risen at nearly 4% annually from 1,040,865 in 2000 to 1,554,365 in 2010. There is a floating population of long term residents without permanent status, on perpetual tourist visa and/or migrant workers, as well as heavy. Pattaya, on the Gulf of Thailand, is an international tourist destination. Chonburi Province is one of the few Thai provinces which does not possess a city pillar shrine lak mueang, There is a plan to construct a shrine by 2012. The provincial tree and flower is the New Guinea Rosewood, the provincial motto is Beautiful beaches, delicious khao lam, sweet sugar cane, delicate basketry products, and buffalo racing. The province is subdivided in 11 districts and these are further subdivided into 92 subdistricts and 691 villages. Governor Komsan Eakachai House of Representatives of Thailand Chon Buri has eight seats in the house, general Election 2011 Phalang Chon Party is the localism party that established in 2011 for general election by former minister and local politicians. Suchat Chomkin, Ukkit Tansawad, Ronnathep Anuwat, Pansak Ketwattha, Kusumon Khunpluem and he is also known under his nickname Kamnan Poh. He has an influence in his home province of Chonburi
Chonburi Province
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Wat Yansangwararam
Chonburi Province
Chonburi Province
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The Phra Phuttha Maha Wachira Uttamophat Satsada of Khao Chi Chan
10.
Rayong
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Rayong is a city on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand. It covers the tambon Tha Pradu and Pak Nam and parts of tambon Choeng Noen and Noen Phra, as of 2005 the population was 54,641. The main industry is fishing, and it is the producer of Thailands fish sauce. It is also the center of the chemical and auto industries, in 2012 Ford Motor Company opened an assembly plant in Rayong to expand Fords presence in the ASEAN area, employing some 2,200 people. He was later anointed King in Rayong, phaya Tak later became King Taksin of the Kingdom of Thonburi, after which he returned to Ayutthaya, defeated the Burmese and set up a new capital in Thonburi. Rayong is growing as a tourist destination, particularly among Thai people living in Bangkok who see Pattaya as too becoming overrun by Western tourists
Rayong
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Beach in Rayong
11.
Bangkok
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Bangkok is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep. The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres in the Chao Phraya River delta in Central Thailand, over 14 million people live within the surrounding Bangkok Metropolitan Region, making Bangkok an extreme primate city, significantly dwarfing Thailands other urban centres in terms of importance. Bangkok was at the heart of the modernization of Siam—later renamed Thailand—during the late 19th century, the city grew rapidly during the 1960s through the 1980s and now exerts a significant impact on Thailands politics, economy, education, media and modern society. The Asian investment boom in the 1980s and 1990s led many multinational corporations to locate their headquarters in Bangkok. The city is now a regional force in finance and business. It is a hub for transport and health care, and has emerged as a regional centre for the arts, fashion. The city is known for its vibrant street life and cultural landmarks. The historic Grand Palace and Buddhist temples including Wat Arun and Wat Pho stand in contrast with other tourist attractions such as the scenes of Khaosan Road. Bangkok is among the top tourist destinations. It is named the most visited city in MasterCards Global Destination Cities Index, Bangkoks rapid growth amidst little urban planning and regulation has resulted in a haphazard cityscape and inadequate infrastructure systems. The city has turned to public transport in an attempt to solve this major problem. Five rapid transit lines are now in operation, with more systems under construction or planned by the national government and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The history of Bangkok dates at least back to the early 15th century, because of its strategic location near the mouth of the river, the town gradually increased in importance. Bangkok initially served as a customs outpost with forts on both sides of the river, and became the site of a siege in 1688 in which the French were expelled from Siam. After the fall of Ayutthaya to the Burmese Empire in 1767, the newly declared King Taksin established his capital at the town, in 1782, King Phutthayotfa Chulalok succeeded Taksin, moved the capital to the eastern banks Rattanakosin Island, thus founding the Rattanakosin Kingdom. The City Pillar was erected on 21 April, which is regarded as the date of foundation of the present city, Bangkoks economy gradually expanded through busy international trade, first with China, then with Western merchants returning in the early-to-mid 19th century. As the capital, Bangkok was the centre of Siams modernization as it faced pressure from Western powers in the late 19th century, Bangkok became the centre stage for power struggles between the military and political elite as the country abolished absolute monarchy in 1932
Bangkok
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Clockwise from top:
Wat Benchamabophit (Marble Temple),
Giant Swing,
Wat Arun,
Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, view over
Lumpini Park area at night, and
Wat Phra Kaeo
Bangkok
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Map of 17th-century Bangkok, from
Simon de la Loubère 's Du Royaume de Siam
Bangkok
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The city's ceremonial name (partially visible) is displayed in front of the Bangkok City Hall. On the building is the BMA seal bearing an image of Indra riding Erawan.
Bangkok
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The Bangkok city proper is highlighted in this satellite image of the lower Chao Phraya delta. Notice the built-up urban area along the Chao Phraya River, which extends northward and southward into Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan Provinces.
12.
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province
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Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Ang Thong, Lop Buri, Saraburi, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, the name Ayutthaya derives from the Sanskrit word Ayodhyā of the Ramayana epic. Ayodhyā is feminine negation of the word Yodhya which comes from the root Yudh, so, literally, the name translates as A city that cannot be fought and won over in a war. Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, covering 2,556 square kilometres, is on the river plain of the Chao Phraya river valley. The presence of the Lop Buri and Pa Sak rivers makes the province a major farming area. Ayutthaya was founded in 1351 by King U-Thong and it was the capital of Thailand for 417 years from 1351 until it was sacked by the Burmese army in 1767. During this era, now referred as the Ayutthaya period or Ayutthaya kingdom. The Kingdom became a regional player, and a trade center of the East. His reign was the age of trade and culture. The city was positioned in a strategic position, during several months of the year, the flood plains around the cities would be flooded by the many rivers around the city. Enemy sieges were thus impossible, and forced to withdraw and this advantage was a contributing factor in the many failed Burmese invasions. The ruins of the old capital in the Ayutthaya historical park have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since December 1991, the province is also home to the Bang Pa-in summer palace complex. Originally named Krung Kao, the province was renamed to Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya in 1919, according to legend King Ramathibodi I found a beautiful conch shell buried in the ground, and chose the site as the place for his future capital. He then placed the shell on a tray and built a pavilion around it. The seal shows this pavilion with the tree behind it. The provincial flower is the ดอกโสน Sesbania aculeata, and the tree is the fragrant manjack. The provincial slogan ราชธานีเก่า อู่ข้าวอู่น้ำ เลิศล้ำกานท์กวี คนดีศรีอยุธยา can be translated as Old capital city, food larder of the country, poets laureate galore, the province is divided into sixteen districts,209 communes /sub-districts and 1,328 villages. There are two districts which have the same English name, however this is only because the different pronunciation, such ruins indicate that Ayutthaya was one of Indo - China’s most prosperous cities
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province
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A description of the
Siamese method for creating
magic squares, in
Simon de la Loubère 's 1693 A new historical relation of the kingdom of Siam.
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province
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Buddha head overgrown by
fig tree in Wat Mahatat,
Ayutthaya historical park
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province
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Floating pavilion in
Bang Pa-In Royal Palace in
Bang Pa-In district
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province
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Chinese style Palace in Bang Pa-In Royal Palace
13.
Phitsanulok Province
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The first element Phitsanu is a cognate of Vishnu, a Hindu god. The second element lok means globe or world, in 1357, the renowned Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat was erected, and the Ayutthaya Period witnessed the construction of several of the provinces other chief temples. Phitsanulok served for 25 years as the city of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. In 1555, King Naresuan the Great was born in the city of Phitsanulok, Naresuan played a significant role in the history of Thailand, as he expanded the kingdom to its greatest territorial extent, by conquering sizable portions of modern-day Burma and Cambodia. The river waters have also served as a route for enemy invaders, see also Thai–Laotian Border War The provincial seal depicts, Phra Buddha Chinnarat, considered one of the most beautiful Buddha figures in Thailand. The provincial flag is, purple with the seal in the middle of the flag. The provincial tree is, tree jasmine in Thai dok phip ดอกปีบ or kasalong กาสะลอง, the provincial flower is, yellow flame tree in Thai dok nonthri ดอกนนทรี. The provincial animal is, Thai Bangkaew Dog in Thai sunakh bangkaew สุนัขบางะกัว, the provincial mascot is, yellow white tail fighting cock in Thai kai lueng hang khao ไก่เหลืองหางขาว. As of 2010 the population of Phitsanulok was 95% Buddhist, the economy of Phitsanulok Province is driven by agriculture, commercial fishery, mineral resources, industry and tourism. Rice production is the component of the agricultural sector. The provinces rich black soil, intricate canal systems and abundant rainfall provide an environment for growing rice. The province is subdivided in 9 districts and these are further subdivided into 93 subdistricts and 1032 villages
Phitsanulok Province
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Phitsanulok พิษณุโลก
Phitsanulok Province
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Phra Phuttha Chinnarat
14.
Uttaradit Province
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Uttaradit is one of the northern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Phrae and Nan, to the east it borders Xaignabouli of Laos. Uttaradit is 488 km north of Bangkok, and 238 km southeast of Chiang Mai, Uttaradit means the port of the north or northern landing, as it was formerly a trade center on the Nan River. In the Sukhothai era several city states subject to the king were in the area of the modern province, Mueang Fang was in modern-day Mueang Uttaradit district, Mueang Thung Yang in Laplae, and Mueang Ta Chuchok in Tron district. During the Ayutthaya kingdom, Mueang Phichai was one of the 16 main Mueang of the Thai kingdom, in the reign of King Naresuan, the ruler of Phichai rebelled, joined by the ruler of Sawankhalok. Their revolt was suppressed and the inhabitants of cities were forced to move south to Phitsanulok. Following the fall of the city of Ayutthaya to the Burmese in 1767, in the reign of King Rama III Mueang Phichai controlled several Mueang of northern Siam like Nan or Phrae, and even Luang Prabang and Vientiane. At the point where the Nan river became shallow a port was established, as this town grew in importance as an important trade point, in 1887 it was made a Mueang subordinate of Phichai. 1899 the center of Phichai was moved to new location. The province is in the Nan River valley, about 45 kilometers north of the city of Uttaradit is the Queen Sirikit Dam, which created a 250 km² artificial lake. The Phi Pan Nam Range reaches the northwest of the province, most of the province was once covered with teak forests, then the major product of Uttaradit. The largest teak tree in the world is found at the Ton Sak Yai Park in the Luang Prabang Range, the 1, 500-year-old tree measures 9.87 m in circumference and 37 m in height. Originally it was 48.5 m high, but it was damaged in a storm, three national parks are located in the province—Klong Tron, Lam Nam Nan, and Phu Soi Dao. The provincial seal shows the mondop at the temple Wat Phra Thaen Sila At, the main item of worship in the temple is a laterite block, which is believed to have been used by Buddha to seek enlightenment. The mondhop is built upon this block, the seal was first designed in 1940, later a garuda as the symbol of Thailand and the name of the province were added. The provincial tree is the teak, the province is subdivided into nine districts. These are further subdivided into 67 communes and 562 villages, Sak Yai At Ban Pang Klua, Tambon Namkrai about 53 km away from the province with an area of about 20,000 rai and consists of various unsorted woods. Most important of all this botanical forest has a biggest teak tree in the world and it has a height of 37 m and a circumference of 9.58 m
Uttaradit Province
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Phraya Phichai Dap Hak Monument, in front of Uttaradit City Hall
Uttaradit Province
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Welcome to Uttaradit on
Rte 11, near the border with Phrae Province
Uttaradit Province
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The largest teak tree
Uttaradit Province
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Khao phan, made by steaming fermented rice batter, is only found in Uttaradit Province
15.
Lampang Province
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Lampang is one of the northern provinces of Thailand. The old name of Lampang was Khelang Nakhon, Lampang is in the broad river valley of the Wang River, surrounded by mountain chains. In the Mae Mo District lignite is found and mined in open pits, to the north of the province is the 1, 697-metre high Doi Luang. Lampang is famous for the production of goods and its mining operations. A great deal of ball clay, china stone, and lignite are extracted from the surrounding mountains, there are more than 200 ceramic factories in and around Mueang Lampang District. Most of ceramic factories are small to medium-sized operations producing novelties, tableware, the largest coal fired power plant in Southeast Asia is in Mae Mo District near the lignite mining area. The plant uses lignite as fuel, the largest concrete plant is also north of Mueang Lampang. This is also powered by lignite, limestone is another abundant rock mined in Lampang. Agriculturally, the province produces rice and pineapples, starting in the 7th century Lampang was part of the Dvaravati period Hariphunchai Kingdom of the Mon. In the 11th century the Khmer Empire occupied the Lampang area, Lampang or Nakhon Lampang or Lakhon, was under Burmese rule after the fall of Lanna Kingdom from the 16th century to 18th century. During the uprising against Burmese rule by Siams new kings in the late-18th century, after the victory, the leader was named the ruler of Chiang Mai, the former center of Lanna, while his relative ruled Lampang. The city continues to be one of the important economic and political centers in the north, Lampang became a province of Thailand in 1892. The province is divided into 13 districts and these are further subdivided into 100 communes and 855 villages. Kaeo Don Tao - it used to be the place where the Emerald Buddha was once enshrined, interesting structures include the large chedi containing the hair of the Lord Buddha, a Burmese-style mondop, an ancient viharn and a museum exhibiting ancient relics of the Lanna era. To the west of town is Wat Si Rong Mueang - a Burmese temple built in 1905 during the time when Lampang was the commercial, major architectural works include the viharn made of wood with several overlapping gables in the Burmese style. Built during the reign of King Rama IV by Burmese, Wat Pa Fang has a large, the extensive Sala Kan Parian is made entirely of wood with Burmese-style overlapping roofs. Almost across Wat Pa Fang is Wat Chai Mongkhon - notable is the kuti which is a white cement building with Burmese-style wooden roof, inside is housed a bronze Buddha statue of fine workmanship cast in Mandalay, Burma. A Chiang Saen-style bronze Buddha statue is enshrined here, commonly referred to as Phra Chao Than Chai by the local people
Lampang Province
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Wang River in Lampang City
Lampang Province
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Rice harvest in Wang Nuea District with the mountains of the
Phi Pan Nam Range in the distance
Lampang Province
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Phra That Lampang Luang, Amphoe Ko Kha
16.
Chiang Mai Province
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Chiang Mai is the second-largest province of Thailand. It is in the countrys north and it is bordered by Chiang Rai to the northeast, Lampang and Lamphun to the south, Tak to the southwest, Mae Hong Son to the west, and Shan State of Burma to the north. The capital, Chiang Mai, is 685 km north of Bangkok, Chiang Mai Province is about 685 km from Bangkok in the Mae Ping River basin and is on average at 300 m elevation. Surrounded by the ranges of the Thai highlands, it covers an area of approximately 20,107 km2. The Mae Ping, one of the tributaries of the Chao Phraya River. The highest mountain in Thailand, Doi Inthanon at 2,565 metres, is in Chiang Mai Province, several other national parks are also in the province, Doi Suthep-Pui, Ob Luang, Sri Lanna, Huai Nam Dang, Mae Wang, and Pha Daeng. The city of Chiang Mai was capital of the Lanna Kingdom after its founding in 1296, during the same period of time as the establishment of the Sukhothai Kingdom. From then, Chiang Mai not only became the capital and cultural core of the Lanna Kingdom, it was also the centre of Buddhism in northern Thailand, in 1599, the kingdom lost its independence and became part of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. This ended the dynasty founded by King Meng Rai, an era that last 300 years, the Burmese occupiers, had a powerful Burmese influence on the architecture which can still be seen today. It was only in the late 18th century that Burma was finally defeated with the leadership of King Taksin. In 1932 the province Chiang Mai moved up to the second subdivision of Thailand when the administrative unit of Monthon Phayap. 13. 4% of the population in the province are members of tribes, among them the Hmong, Yao, Lahu, Lisu, Akha. The seal of the shows a white elephant in a glass pavilion. The white elephant is a symbol in Thailand, and it is depicted to remember the offering of a white elephant by Thammalangka. The pavilion symbolizes that Buddhism prospered in Chiang Mai, especially when in 1477 the teachings of Buddha, the provincial flower and tree is the flame of the forest. The provincial slogan is In the shadow of Mount Doi Suthep, blessed with rice customs and traditions, beautiful wild flowers, Chiang Mai is subdivided into 25 districts. The districts are subdivided into 204 subdistricts and 2,066 villages. The maximum temperature recorded is 42.4 °C in May 2005
Chiang Mai Province
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Pratat Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai Province
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Hilltribe Girls
Chiang Mai Province
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Chiang Mai Train Station
Chiang Mai Province
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Chiang Mai International Airport showing
Doi Suthep temple in the upper left corner
17.
Saraburi Province
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Saraburi is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Lopburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Nayok, Pathum Thani, Saraburi has been an important town since ancient times. It is believed to have been constructed in the year 1548 during the reign of King Maha Chakkraphat of Ayutthaya as a centre for recruiting troops, Saraburi is on the east side of the Chao Phraya river valley. The eastern part of the province is covered by plains and plateaus. Two national parks are located in the province, Namtok Chet Sao Noi protects 28 km² around a scenic waterfall. Phra Puttachai protects the Khao Sam Lan Forest, which consists of hilly landscape and is the source to several rivers, the highest elevation is the Khao Khrok at 329 m. The 44.57 km² were declared a park in 1981. The town, as a gateway to the region, is 108 km from Bangkok. It occupies an area of 3,577 square kilometres, Saraburi has been an important city since ancient times. It is assumed to have been established approximately in 1549 during the reign of King Maha Chakkraphat of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya. It is assumed that the king had ordered to some parts of Lopburi and Nakhon Nayok together. Therefore, from the Ayutthaya period, the story of Saraburi has usually related to battles, maximum temperatures average 33-34 degrees Celsius and minimum temperature averages 23-24 degrees Celsius. April is the hottest month of the year, while winters are cool in January, There are a total of 125,255 students at all levels. Economic conditions of Saraburi in 2007 found that the population has an income per capita 214,537 baht per year, making it tenth highest in the country. Annual GDP was 129,275 million baht, in 2007, Saraburis population was 89. 34% Buddhist,597,138 persons. There are total of 3,443 monks and 274 neophytes, Saraburi Province has 2,235,304 acres of forest, including 460,522.25 acres of national forest. Saraburi has poor air quality resulting from cement production, chiefly stone crushing, at 79 factories, the most important Buddhist temple is Wat Phra Phutthabat, built under King Songtham in the 17th century, is located around a Buddha footprint. It is the most popular site in central Thailand
Saraburi Province
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Saraburi สระบุรี
Saraburi Province
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Phra Phutta Chai National Park
Saraburi Province
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Wat Phra Buddha Baat
18.
Nakhon Ratchasima Province
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Nakhon Ratchasima, often called Khorat is one of the Isan provinces of Thailands northeast corner. It is the countrys largest province by area, with a population of about 2.7 million who produce about 250 billion baht in GDP, neighbouring provinces are Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Buriram, Sa Kaeo, Prachinburi, Nakhon Nayok, Saraburi, and Lopburi. The capital of the province is the city of Nakhon Ratchasima in Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima District, the province is at the west end of the Khorat Plateau, separated from the Chao Phraya river valley by the Phetchabun and Dong Phaya Yen mountain ranges. Two national parks are in the province, Khao Yai in the west and it is 259 kilometres from Bangkok and has an area of around 20,494 square kilometres. The province is rich in Khmer culture and has a long history, the area around Khorat was already an important centre in the times of the Khmer empire in the 11th century, as can be seen by the temple ruins in Phimai historical park. Nakhon Ratchasima Province is one of the provinces there is still a sizable northern Khmer population. A new walled-city with a moat, designated as Nakhon Ratchasima, was built in the 17th century by order of the King Narai, as the easternmost command post. It continued this duty during the Bangkok Period, although it was seized during Chao Anuwong of Vientianes 1826 revolt against King Rama III of Siam. Nakhon Ratchasima has long been the most important political and economic centre in the northeastern region, in the late-19th century, the railroad reached Khorat and it became the junction of two main rail lines in the northeastern, Isan, region. In 1933 it was the stronghold of the royalist troops in the Boworadej Revolt, as they fought against the new ostensibly democratic government in Bangkok. In the 1950s, the Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base was built in Nakhon Ratchasima, from 1961 until 26 February 1976, the provincial seal depicts the revered heroine of Khorat, Thao Suranari. A monument to Thao Suranari stands in front of the old Pratu Chumpon gate, also called The Great Heroine of Khorat, Kun Ying Mo was the wife of the Siamese-appointed deputy governor of Khorat during the reign of King Rama III. In 1826, Khun Ying Mo managed to repel the Laotian army led by Prince Anouvong of Vientiane who tried to control over the Khorat plateau. King Rama III conferred the title of Thao Suranari on Khun Ying Mo, the provincial tree is the sa-thorn The provincial motto is Land of brave women, fine silk material, Khorat rice noodles, Phimai Historical Park, and Dan Kwian ceramics. The province is divided into 32 districts, the districts are further subdivided into 263 sub-districts and 3,743 villages. As of 15 May 2007, the government upgraded all 81 king amphoes to amphoes to streamline administration, khorats economy has traditionally been heavily dependent on agriculture. It is known as a centre for Isans production of rice, tapioca. The Isan region accounts for half of Thailands exports of those commodities, Khorat is also one of two sites in Thailand manufacturing disk drives by Seagate Technology, employing 12,100 workers in Khorat
Nakhon Ratchasima Province
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Statue of Lady Mo in Khorat city centre
Nakhon Ratchasima Province
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Khao Yai National Park
Nakhon Ratchasima Province
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Phimai historical park
Nakhon Ratchasima Province
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Main Gate of Korat
19.
Khon Kaen Province
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Khon Kaen is the fifth-largest of the northeastern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Nong Bua Lamphu, Udon Thani, Kalasin, Maha Sarakham, Buriram, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Phetchabun, the first city of the area was established in 1783 when Rajakruluang settled there with 330 people. King Rama I made Rajakruluang the first governor of the area when establishing connections with the Isan area. The main city was moved six times until in 1879 it reached its location at Nuang Kaw. Khon Kaen was under the governance of Udon in the period of Rattanakosin. The province is divided into 26 districts, the districts are further subdivided into 198 sub-districts and 2,139 villages. The numbers 26 to 28 were reserved for three other planned districts, Phu Kham Noi, Nong Kae and Non Han, there are plans to split off the northwestern part of the province to form a new province centered at Phu Wiang. The other districts which belong to this new province are Nong Ruea, Chum Phae, Si Chomphu, Phu Pha Man, Nong Na Kham. Khon Kaen is partially located on the Khorat Plateau, the Chi River flows through the province
Khon Kaen Province
20.
Udon Thani Province
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Udon Thani is a province in northeast Thailand. It is bordered by the provinces of Nong Khai to the north, Sakon Nakhon to the east, Kalasin Province to the southeast, Khon Kaen to the south and it occupies an area of 11,730 km². The provincial capital is Udon Thani, the city in the province. Udon Thani is said to mean northern city, Udon is derived from utara in Sanskrit, meaning northern direction, as Udon Thani is northeast of Bangkok. Udon Thani first came to notice in the Bangkok era. He captured the city by a ruse, but the garrison he left to hold it unexpectedly met with resistance from the disarmed local forces led by Lady Mo. Anuwong advanced as far as Saraburi, but was forced to retreat, the Thai army pursued him, and the rival forces met in battle at Nong Bua Lamphu, a small city near todays Udon Thani. After two days of fighting, Anuwongs army was defeated and fled back to Laos. Once known as Ban Mak-kaeng, Udon Thani was originally settled as a base established by Prince Prachak to suppress an uprising in the northeastern city of Lao Puan. Ban Mak-kaeng grew slowly from a rural town to become what is now the modern city of Udon Thani. The province is best known for the archaeological site at Ban Chiang and its Bronze Age relics. The Mel Gibson film Air America depicts Udon and includes scenes of the Udon air base, Udon Thani was also the largest base in the region for the CIAs anti-communism campaign in Thailand and Laos. The United States turned the base over to the Royal Thai Air Force in 1976, first, a large number of locals had been paid comparatively well and had learned basic conversational English. This made them more marketable to the world, and a significant number went to work in Middle East oilfields. Second, the base created long-standing ties with the United States, including a US consulate in Udon, but most importantly, the base and the consulate made the city into a regional hub for the northeast, and this continues today. In recent years Udon received international attention because of the discovery of potash deposits. Some anticipate the region would become an exporter of the mineral. However, granting the necessary approvals has been delayed due to public opposition to mining
Udon Thani Province
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Huai Luang reservoir
Udon Thani Province
21.
Nong Khai Province
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Nong Khai is the northernmost of the northeastern provinces of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are Bueng Kan, Sakon Nakhon, Udon Thani, to the north it borders Vientiane Province, Vientiane Prefecture, and Bolikhamxai of Laos. The province is in the valley of the Mae Nam Kong, there are highlands to the south. The Laotian capital Vientiane is only 25 kilometres away from the capital of Nong Khai. The Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, which connects the two countries, was jointly by the governments of Thailand, Laos, and Australia. Over the centuries the control of the province swung between the Thai Kingdom Ayutthaya, and the Laotian kingdom Lan Xang, as their respective powers ebbed and flowed in the region, as of March 23,2011, the province is subdivided into nine districts. The districts are subdivided into 62 subdistricts and 705 villages. The eight districts of Bueng Kan were districts of Nong Khai before, Nong Khai travel guide from Wikivoyage Provincial website
Nong Khai Province
22.
Vientiane
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Vientiane is the capital and largest city of Laos, on the banks of the Mekong River near the border with Thailand. Vientiane became the capital in 1563 due to fears of a Burmese invasion, Vientiane was the administrative capital during French rule and, due to economic growth in recent times, is now the economic centre of Laos. The estimated population of the city is 760,000, the city hosted the 25th Southeast Asian Games in December 2009 celebrating the 50 years of Southeast Asian Games. The name of the city is derived from Pali, the language of Theravada Buddhism. The romanised spelling Vientiane is of French origin, and reflects the difficulty the French had in pronouncing the sound in the Lao language. A common English-based spelling is Viangchan, or occasionally Wiangchan, Thattaradtha founded a city called Maha Thani Si Phan Phao on the western banks of the Mekong River, this city was said to have later become todays Udon Thani, Thailand. One day, a seven-headed Naga told Thattaradtha to start a new city on the east bank of the river opposite Maha Thani Si Phan Phao, the prince called this city Chanthabuly Si Sattanakhanahud, which was said to be the predecessor of modern Vientiane. Contrary to the Phra Lak Phra Lam, most historians believe Vientiane was an early Khmer settlement centered around a Hindu temple, in 1354, when Fa Ngum founded the kingdom of Lan Xang. Viangchan became an important administrative city, even though it was not made the capital, King Setthathirath officially established it as the capital of Lan Xang in 1563, to avoid Burmese invasion. When Lan Xang fell apart in 1707, it became an independent Kingdom of Vientiane, in 1779, it was conquered by the Siamese general Phraya Chakri and made a vassal of Siam. When King Anouvong raised a rebellion, it was obliterated by Siamese armies in 1827. The city was burned to the ground and was looted of nearly all Laotian artifacts, including Buddha statues, Viangchan was in great disrepair, depopulated and disappearing into the forest, when the French arrived. It eventually passed to French rule in 1893 and it became the capital of the French protectorate of Laos in 1899. The French rebuilt the city and rebuilt or repaired Buddhist temples such as Pha That Luang, Haw Phra Kaew, during World War II, Viangchan fell with little resistance and was occupied by Japanese forces, under the command of Sako Masanori. On 9 March 1945 French paratroopers arrived, and reoccupied the city on 24 April 1945, as the Laotian Civil War broke out between the Royal Lao Government and the Pathet Lao, Vientiane became unstable. In August 1960, Kong Le seized the capital and insisted that Souvanna Phouma become prime minister, in mid-December, Phoumi Nosavan then seized the capital, overthrew the Phouma Government, and installed Boun Oum as prime minister. In mid-1975, Pathet Lao troops moved towards the city and Americans began evacuating the capital, on 23 August 1975, a contingent of 50 Pathet Lao women symbolically liberated the city. The next day, an Insurgency in Laos began in the jungle, with the Pathet Lao fighting factions of Hmong, Vientiane was the host of the incident-free 2009 Southeast Asian Games
Vientiane
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Patuxai Gate in the Thannon Lanxing area of Vientiane
Vientiane
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Buddha sculptures at Pha That Luang
Vientiane
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Haw Phra Kaew or Temple of the Emerald Buddha
Vientiane
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Pha That Luang
23.
Nakhon Pathom Province
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Nakhon Pathom is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi, Bangkok, Samut Sakhon, Ratchaburi, the province has long been known for its fruit orchards, but now includes two leading universities and major industrial areas. Nakorn Pathom is home to the Sanamchandra Palace campus of Silpakorn University and it was established in 1923 as the School of Fine Arts by Corrado Ferroci, who under the commission of King Rama V1, was appointed to work as a sculptor at the school. In 1943 the school achieved university status and now includes 12 faculties, a school. There are two campuses in Bangkok, and one in Phetchaburi Province, Mahidol University also has a campus in Nakhon Pathom. Originally known as a medical university, it now teaches all major subjects. Its Salaya campus includes an all-English language international college, like Silpakorn, Mahidol has branch campuses in many other central Thailand locations. Nakhon Pathom is a small province 56 km west of Bangkok and it is in the alluvial plain of central Thailand and is drained by the Tha Chin River, a tributary of the Chao Phraya River. The city of Bangkok has now grown so it extends to the provincial border of Nakhon Pathom. The name derives from the Pali words Nagara Pathama, meaning first city, archaeological remains have been found form the Dvaravati kingdom, dating to the 6th through 11th centuries. Nakhon Pathom Province originally was a city on the route between China and India. Because of sedimentation from the Chao Phraya River, the coast line gradually extended farther to sea. When the Tha Chin River changed its course, the city lost its water source and was deserted. The 19th century King Mongkut ordered the restoration of Phra Pathom Chedi, a city grew around the chedi, bringing life back to Nakhon Pathom. A museum at the chedi displays the archaeological record of the historic area, major resettlement of the province included emigration started during the reign of the Thai King Buddha Loetla Nabhalai. This included Khmer villages, the Lanna populated, and Lao Song villages, Nakhon Pathom today attracts people from all over Thailand, especially from Bangkok and the northeast, as well as thousands Burmese migrant workers. The province contains industrial zones, major university towns, government offices relocated from Bangkok and agricultural, the provincial seal shows the Phra Pathom Chedi, at 120.45 meters one of the tallest pagodas in the world. It is in Nakhon Pathom city centre, and has been an important Buddhist center since the 6th century, the current building was created by King Mongkut in 1860
Nakhon Pathom Province
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Phra Pathom Chedi
Nakhon Pathom Province
24.
Ratchaburi Province
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Ratchaburi or Rat Buri, is one of the western provinces of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, in the west it borders Tanintharyi Division of Myanmar. Ratchaburi is 80 kilometres west of Bangkok and borders Burma to the west with the Tanaosi Range as a natural borderline, the Mae Klong River flows through the centre of Ratchaburi town. Ratchaburi Province is medium-sized province with an area of about 5,196 km2, the eastern part of the province contains the flat river plains of the Mae Klong River, crisscrossed by many khlongs. The most famous tourist spot in area are the floating markets of Damnoen Saduak. The west of the province is mountainous, and includes the Tanawsri mountain range. As the mountains are mostly of limestone, there are several caves containing stalactites. Some caves are inhabited by colonies of bats, and it is an impressive sight when they swarm out in the evening to feed. Other caves like the Khao Bin are accessible for visitors, the main river of the western part is the Phachi River. On the left bank of the Phachi River is the Chaloem Phra Kiat Thai Prachan National Park, the area of Ratchaburi province is divided into three parts. First, the border in the west which is shared with Burma and is about 60 km long, the second contains the Tenasserim mountains and forests with an elevation of about 200–300 meters. The central area of the province is rich in wetlands due to river flow, Ratchaburi has important natural resources are forest which it have area about 38% of the province. Moreover, it has such as tin, tantalum, feldspar, quartz, limestone. The history of the city of Ratchaburi dates back to the Dvaravati period, of the city of Khu Bua nearby only ruins remains. According to legend it dates back to the mythical Suvannabhumi Kingdom predating Dvaravati, Ratchaburi means the land of the king. Ratchaburi dates back to ancient times and was important during the Dvaravati period, the city of Ratchburi is on the banks of the Mae Klong River and was a town of the Suvarnabhumi Kingdom. Burma lies to its west with the Tanaosi range forming the border,1.1 percent of the population are members of the hill tribes, mostly Karen living near the Myanmar border. Some Mon, Lawa, Lao, Chinese and Khmer minorities live in the province, the provincial seal shows the royal sword above the royal sandals on a phan, as the name Ratchaburi means city of the king
Ratchaburi Province
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Damoen Saduak Floating Market
Ratchaburi Province
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Khao Bin cave
Ratchaburi Province
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Wat Khlong, the largest ruin of Khu Bua
Ratchaburi Province
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Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
25.
Phetchaburi Province
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Phetchaburi is one of the western or central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram, and Prachuap Khiri Khan, in the west it borders Tanintharyi Division of Myanmar. Phetchaburi has a park called Kaeng Krachan which consists of a reservoir overlooking its islands. Phetchaburi is at the end of the Malay Peninsula, with the Gulf of Thailand to the east. Except for these border mountains most of the province is a flat plain, with an area of about 3,000 km² the Kaeng Krachan National Park is Thailands largest national park, covering nearly half of the province. It protects mostly rain forests in the mountains along the boundary to Myanmar, the only significant river of the province is the Phetchaburi River. Phetchaburi is an old city, dating back to the Mon of the 8th century. Later Khmer settled in the city, as can be seen by the prangs of Wat Kamphaeng Laeng, in 1860 King Rama IV built a palace near the city of Phetchaburi, commonly known as Khao Wang, but its official name is Phra Nakhon Khiri. Next to the palace the king built a tower for his astronomical observations, on the adjoining hill is the royal temple Wat Phra Kaeo. The provincial seal shows the Khao Wang palace in the background, in front are rice fields bordered by two coconut palm trees, symbolizing the major crops in the province. Phetchaburi Province is an important salt producer, in 2011,9,880 rai worked by 137 families were devoted to salt production in Phetchaburi. The province is divided into eight districts, which are subdivided into 93 communes and 681 villages. Maruekhathaiyawan Palace This beach side wooden palace was used as a royal summer residence by King Rama VI during the 1920s. Facing the open sea, the palace is referred to as the palace of love, Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park This covers a hilly area with an old palace and historical temples in the vicinity of the town. It consists of halls, temples and groups of buildings, constructed mostly in harmonious Thai, Western neoclassic. Khao Bandai It This hill is 121 metres high and just two kilometres south of Khao Wang and it is the site of an ancient temple of the Ayutthaya Period. There are several caves called Tham Prathun, Tham Phra Chao Suea, Tham Khao Luang This cave houses a Buddha image cast by the royal command of King Rama V as a dedication to King Rama III and King Rama IV. At the foot of the Khao Luang Hill, there is a monastery called Wat Tham Klaep or Wat Bun-thawi which has a very large hall
Phetchaburi Province
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Cha Am Beach
Phetchaburi Province
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Khao Wang
26.
Environmental impact assessment
–
Environmental assessment is the assessment of the environmental consequences of a plan, policy, program, or concrete projects prior to the decision to move forward with the proposed action. Environmental assessments may be governed by rules of administrative procedure regarding public participation and documentation of decision making, the purpose of the assessment is to ensure that decision makers consider the environmental impacts when deciding whether or not to proceed with a project. Environmental impact assessments commenced in the 1960s, as part of increasing environmental awareness, EIAs involved a technical evaluation intended to contribute to more objective decision making. In the United States, environmental impact assessments obtained formal status in 1969, EIAs have been used increasingly around the world. The number of Environmental Assessments filed every year has vastly overtaken the number of more rigorous Environmental Impact Statements, an Environmental Assessment is a mini-EIS designed to provide sufficient information to allow the agency to decide whether the preparation of a full-blown Environmental Impact Statement is necessary. EIA is an activity that is done to find out the impact that would be done before development will occur and these EIAs consider activities related to extraction of raw materials, ancillary materials, equipment, production, use, disposal and ancillary equipment. Genetically modified plants - Specific methods available to perform EIAs of genetically modified organisms include GMP-RAM, fuzzy logic - EIA methods need measurement data to estimate values of impact indicators. However, many of the environment impacts cannot be quantified, e. g. landscape quality, lifestyle quality, instead information from similar EIAs, expert judgment and community sentiment are employed. Approximate reasoning methods known as fuzzy logic can be used, a fuzzy arithmetic approach has also been proposed and implemented using a software tool. At the end of the project, an audit evaluates the accuracy of the EIA by comparing actual to predicted impacts, the objective is to make future EIAs more valid and effective. The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol is a specific method for checking the quality of Environmental and Social assessments. The history of EIA in Australia could be linked to the enactment of the U. S. National Environment Policy Act in 1970, which made the preparation of environmental impact statements a requirement. In Australia, one might say that the EIA procedures were introduced at a State Level prior to that of the Commonwealth, with a majority of the states having divergent views to the Commonwealth. One of the states was New South Wales, whose State Pollution Control Commission issued EIA guidelines in 1974. At a Commonwealth level, this was followed by passing of the Environment Protection Act in 1974, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 superseded the Environment Protection Act 1974 and is the current central piece for EIA in Australia on a Commonwealth level. Overlap between federal and state requirements is addressed via bilateral agreements or one off accreditation of state processes, in addition to this, the EPBC Act aims at providing a streamlined national assessment and approval process for activities. The Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts assess the process and this is primarily due to the division of powers between the States and the Federal government and due to which the Australian Government environment minister cannot overturn a state decision. There are strict civil and criminal penalties for the breach of EPBC Act, EIA provisions within Ministerial Authorities in the ACT are found in the Chapters 7 and 8 of the Planning and Development Act 2007
Environmental impact assessment
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Appropriate technology
Environmental impact assessment
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Ethics and principles
27.
Chachoengsao Province
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Chachoengsao is a province of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Prachin Buri, Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi, Chon Buri, Samut Prakan, Bangkok, Pathum Thani and it has a short coastline on the Gulf of Thailand. Chachoengsao or Paet Riu is a province in eastern Thailand and it has a history dating back to the reign of King Borommatrailokkanat in the Ayutthaya period. People originally settled by the Bang Pakong River and along canals, Luangpho Phuttha Sothon is a centre of faith of the people of Paet Riu. In the past, Chachoengsao was a city under the ministry of defence. In 1916, its status was changed from a city to a province, the west part of the province is the low river plain of the Bang Pa Kong River, which is used extensively for farming rice. To the east is hillier terrain, with an height of more than 100 m above sea level. The provincial seal shows the hall of the Sothornvararamvoraviharn temple. In this hall is the most important Buddha image of the province, the provincial tree is Peltophorum dasyrachis. The tree was assigned to the province by Queen Sirikit on the 50th anniversary of the coronation of King Rama IX in 2000, the provincial flower is the Yellow Flamboyant. These are further subdivided into 93 sub-districts and 859 villages, Chachoengsao travel guide from Wikivoyage Website of province Province page from the Tourist Authority of Thailand
Chachoengsao Province
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Chachoengsao
Chachoengsao Province
–
Wat Sothornwararamworaviharn
Chachoengsao Province
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Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary
28.
Rayong Province
–
Rayong Province is a province of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Chonburi, and Chanthaburi, to the south is the Gulf of Thailand. King Taksin came to Rayong after the fall of Ayutthaya, during a short stay in Rayong he built a navy, and then went on to Chantaburi to assemble forces to fight back against the Burmese. There is a shrine in Rayong where local people pay respects to Taksin, although the north is hilly, the province consists mostly of low coastal plains. Several islands in the Gulf of Thailand belong to the province, including the popular tourist destinations, Ko Samet, Ko Mun, the seal of the province shows the island Ko Samet. The provincial tree is Alexandrian laurel, the province is divided into eight districts. These are further subdivided into 58 sub-districts and 388 villages, the Shrine of King Taksin the Great Folklore says that King Taksin tied his elephant to a tree while leading the troops to Chanthaburi to retrieve the Kingdom of Siam from Burmese occupation. The shrine houses a statue of the king, wat Pa Pradu This ancient temple dates back to the Ayutthaya period. The wihan houses a large reclining Buddha image,11.95 metres long and 3.6 metres high, unusually, the reclining Buddha image lies on its left-hand side. There is a coin and antiques museum, wat Ban Don Shadow Play Museum exhibits 100 Nang Yai shadow-play characters, or Nang Yai, which is a large piece of leather carved and painted into different characters. Phra Chedi Klang Nam In the middle of the Rayong River and it is a landmark for the crews sailing in the river to indicate that they are reaching Rayong Province. On the full day of the twelfth lunar month, a celebration is held to change the robe covering the pagoda. Si Mueang Park This place was used for the execution of prisoners. Now it has been rebuilt as a public park, at the front of the park is a famous Buddha image of Rayong, Phra Phuttha Angkhirot. Sopha Botanical Park This 32-rai park is lush with many kinds of trees, in the compound, three traditional Thai houses on stilts, nearly 100 years old, exhibit ceramics from various periods as well as prehistoric pottery from Ban Chiang World Heritage Site. Khao Laem Ya - Mu Ko Samet National Park The park totals an area of 81,875 rai including land, sea and its major attractions include Mae Ramphueng Beach, Khao Laem Ya, and Samet Archipelago. Ko Samet Some people believe that this is the island in Thai classical literature by Sunthon Phu. Ko Samet is a beach attraction of Rayong
Rayong Province
29.
Memorandum of understanding
–
A memorandum of understanding describes a bilateral or multilateral agreement between two or more parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating a common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a commitment or in situations where the parties cannot create a legally enforceable agreement. It is a formal alternative to a gentlemens agreement. Whether a document constitutes a binding contract depends only on the presence or absence of well-defined legal elements in the proper of the document. The required elements are, offer and acceptance, consideration, in the U. S. the specifics can differ slightly depending on whether the contract is for goods or services. Many companies and government agencies use MoUs to define a relationship between departments, agencies or closely held companies, in the United Kingdom, such an MoU is often called a concordat. An example is the 2004 Concordat between bodies inspecting, regulating and auditing health or social care, the term is often used in the context of devolution, for example the 1999 concordat between the central Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Scottish Environment Directorate. In international relations, MoUs fall under the category of treaties. In practice and in spite of the United Nations Legal Sections insistence that registration be done to avoid secret diplomacy, as a matter of law, the title of MoU does not necessarily mean the document is binding or not binding under international law. To determine whether a particular MoU is meant to be a legally binding document, a careful analysis of the wording will also clarify the exact nature of the document. The International Court of Justice has provided insight into the determination of the legal status of a document in the landmark case of Qatar v. Bahrain,1 July 1994. Hence, MoUs are often used to modify and adapt existing treaties, the decision concerning ratification, however, is determined by the parties internal law and depends to a large degree on the subject agreed upon. MoUs that are kept confidential cannot be enforced before any UN organ, as was obvious in Qatar v. Bahrain, disputes may arise concerning the status of the document once one of the parties seeks to enforce its provisions. Although MoUs in the field are seldom seen, the transnational aviation agreements are actually MoUs. S. Such an understanding has been criticised for its inability to be legally enforced and this has been highlighted in the current deportation process of the suspected terrorist Abu Qatada, who is wanted by Jordan in connection with a terrorist attack. However, at present, the Court of Appeal has rejected the UK Governments appeal based on the Courts concern of Jordan obtaining evidence potentially incriminating Qatada through the use of torture
Memorandum of understanding
–
Keyport, Washington, (January 11, 2007) – Left, Rear Adm. Richard Houk, commander, 13 Coastguard District, and Rear Adm. William French, commander, Navy Region Northwest, sign a memorandum of understanding with the Washington State Veterans Affairs. The MoU, signed by 32 organizations, is to ensure all service members returning from
combat zones can take advantage of benefits available to them.
30.
Kunming
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Kunming is the capital of and largest city in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. Kunming is also called the Spring city due to its weather, the headquarters of many of Yunnans large businesses are in Kunming. It was important during World War II as a Chinese military center, American air base, located in the middle of the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, Kunming is located at an altitude of 1,900 metres above sea level and at a latitude just north of the Tropic of Cancer. Kunming consists of an old, previously walled city, a commercial district, residential. The city has an observatory, and its institutions of higher learning include Yunnan University, Yunnan Normal University. On the outskirts is a bronze temple, dating from the Ming dynasty. Its economic importance derives from its geographical position, positioned near the border with Southeastern Asian countries, serving as a transportation hub in Southwest China, linking by rail to Vietnam and by road to Burma and Laos. This positioning also makes it an important trade center in this region of the nation and it also houses some manufacturing, chiefly copper, though some other chemicals, machinery, textiles, paper and cement take key. Though having a nearly 2,400 year history, its prosperity dates only from 1910. The city has continued to develop rapidly under Chinas modernization efforts, Kunmings streets have widened while office buildings and housing projects develop at a fast pace. Kunming has been designated a special tourism center and as such sports a proliferation of high-rises, Kunming will be the hub and terminus for the Pan Asia High Speed Network using high speed trains to connect China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Because of the establishment of National Southwestern Associated University, Kunming was usually regarded as the bulwark of modern China democracy during The Second Sino-Japanese War, Kunming long profited from its position on the caravan roads through to South-East Asia, India and Tibet. Early townships in the edge of Lake Dianchi can be dated back to 279 BC. Early settlements in the area around Lake Dian date back to Neolithic times, the Dian Kingdom, whose original language was likely related to Tibeto-Burman languages was also established near the area. Dian was subjugated by the Chinese Han dynasty under the reign of Emperor Wu of Han in 109 BC, the Han dynasty incorporated the territory of the Dian Kingdom into their Yizhou Commandery, but left the King of Dian as the local ruler. During the Sui dynasty, two expeditions were launched against the area, and it was renamed Kunzhou in Chinese sources. Founded in 765, Kunming was known to the Chinese as Tuodong city in the Kingdom of Nanzhao during the 8th and 9th centuries, Tuodong later became part of the successor Kingdom of Dali. Eventually this changed when Tuodong came under the control of the Yuan dynasty invasion of the southwest in 1252–1253, in 1276 it was founded by the Mongol rulers as Kunming County and became the provincial capital of Yunnan
Kunming
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Clockwise from top: Kunming's Skyline, Kunming Railway Station, Dian Lake, and Yuantong Temple
Kunming
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Old Kunming quarter, containing the narrow and curved Sister Buildings (姊妹楼) behind the Victory Monument on Guanghua Jie, located across the street to the north of the old Bird and Flower Market
Kunming
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The Flying Tigers and P-40 Warhawk in Kunming Air Base, 1944
Kunming
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An old wooden house and a modern skyscraper in the background
31.
Gulf of Thailand
–
The Gulf of Thailand, formerly the Gulf of Siam, is a shallow inlet in the western part of the South China and Eastern Archipelagic Seas, a marginal body of water in the western Pacific Ocean. The gulf is around 800 km long and up to 560 km wide, has an area of 320,000 km2 and is surrounded on the north, west and southwest by Thailand, on the northeast by Cambodia. The South China Sea is to the southeast, the modern Thai name of the gulf is Ao Thai and Gulf of Thailand has been adopted as the official name of the body by the International Hydrographic Organization. Its name in Malay and Khmer continues to be the Gulf of Siam, Teluk Siam and Khmer, ឈូងសមុទ្រសៀម, Chhoung Samut Siem, in Thai, the gulf is historically known as Ao Sayam. The Gulf of Thailand is bordered by Cambodia, Thailand, and it occupies a seabed area of 304,000 km2 from 6° N to 13°30 N latitude and 99°E to 104° E longitude. The northern tip of the gulf is the Bay of Bangkok at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, the southern boundary of the gulf is defined by a line from Cape Bai Bung in southern Vietnam to the city of Kota Bharu on the Malaysian coast. The gulf is shallow, its mean depth is 58 metres. This makes water exchange slow, and the water inflow from the rivers reduce the level of salinity in the gulf. Only at greater depths does water with a higher salinity flow into the gulf from the South China Sea and it fills the central depression below a depth of 50 metres. The seabed morphology in the depression of the gulf is characterised by the presence of elongated mounds. This morphology, widespread within the gulf in water depths exceeding 50 m and it reflects an interaction between sediment dewatering and the erosional activity of the present-day bottom currents. The sediment dewatering and fluid seepage result in the formation of small pits. In 2016, coral bleaching was detected at Ko Thalu and Ko Lueam in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province for the first time, the gulfs many coral reefs have made it attractive to divers. The tropical warmth of the water attracts many tourists, in recent years, the bay has become known for its whale watching activities, targeting the endemic, critically endangered populations of cetaceans and dugongs. It was first classified by Müller in 1776 as Trichechus dugon, presence of the critically endangered Hawksbill sea turtle which is a rare species in Thai waters, was confirmed during whale watching expeditions in January,2016. The area between Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam is subject to territorial disputes. Malaysia and Thailand have chosen to develop the disputed areas. A long-standing dispute between Cambodia and Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand concerns mainly the island of Phú Quốc or Koh Tral in Khmer, Cambodia also claims 48,000 square kilometres of shelf area
Gulf of Thailand
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Location of the gulf
32.
Kaeng Khoi District
–
Kaeng Khoi is a district in the northeastern part of Saraburi Province, central Thailand. The district was created in 1827 and called khwaeng Kaeng Khoi, the district office was in Ban Tan Diao. In 1897, the khwaeng was converted to an amphoe, the office of the district was moved from the Pa Sak River bank to nearby Kaeng Khoi railway station in 1915. The district marks the end of Khao Yai National Park. In the southern part of the district is the Chet Khot-Pong Kon Sao Nature Study Centre, the district is divided into 14 subdistricts, which are further subdivided into 116 villages. Kaeng Khoi is a town and Thap Kwang a subdistrict municipality, there are 12 tambon administrative organizations in the district
Kaeng Khoi District
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Kaeng Khoi Railway Station
33.
Kaeng Khoi
–
Kaeng Khoi is a district in the northeastern part of Saraburi Province, central Thailand. The district was created in 1827 and called khwaeng Kaeng Khoi, the district office was in Ban Tan Diao. In 1897, the khwaeng was converted to an amphoe, the office of the district was moved from the Pa Sak River bank to nearby Kaeng Khoi railway station in 1915. The district marks the end of Khao Yai National Park. In the southern part of the district is the Chet Khot-Pong Kon Sao Nature Study Centre, the district is divided into 14 subdistricts, which are further subdivided into 116 villages. Kaeng Khoi is a town and Thap Kwang a subdistrict municipality, there are 12 tambon administrative organizations in the district
Kaeng Khoi
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Kaeng Khoi Railway Station
34.
Nakhon Ratchasima
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Nakhonratchasima or is one of the four major cities of Isan, Thailand, known as the big four of Isan. The city is known as Korat, a shortened form of its name. It is the seat of the Nakhon Ratchasima Province and Nakhon Ratchasima District. Nakhon Ratchasima is the heart of the Nakhon Ratchasima metropolitan area, Khorat is at the western edge of the Khorat Plateau. Historically, it marked the boundary between Lao and Siamese territory. It is the gateway to the Lao-speaking northeast, as of 2010, the municipal area had a population of 142,645. Archeological evidence suggests that in Sung Noen District,32 km west of present-day Nakhon Ratchasima there were two ancient towns called Sema and Khorakapura. Noting that, the names of the two ancient towns are not known and the names Sema and Khorakapura were only assigned in the 20th century. The latter name was shortened to Nakhon Raj, the present city name is a portmanteau of Nakhon Raj and Sema. The city is known as Khorat or Korat, which is a short version of the ancient Khmer name ankor raj. Prior to the 14th century, the area of Nakhon Ratchasima was under Khmer empire suzerainty and known in Khmer as Nokor Reach Seyma or Nokor Reach Borei, phimai, to the north, was probably more important. King Narai of Ayutthaya in the 17th century, ordered a new city built on the site to serve as a stronghold on Ayutthayas northeastern frontier, Nakhon Ratchasima was thereafter mentioned in Siamese chronicles and legal documents as a second-class city of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. A royal governor ruled the city in a hereditary position, King Taksin of the Thonburi Kingdom sent two of his generals, brothers Thong Duang and Boonma, to defeat the prince, who was executed in 1768. Thong Duang later became King Rama I of the kingdom, and Khorat became his stronghold on the northeastern frontier to supervise the Lao. In 1826, Vientiane King Chao Anouvong, perceiving Siam as weakened, attacked Khorat in the Laotian Rebellion against King Rama III that was to rage on for two years. Lady Mo, the wife of the deputy governor at the time, is credited with having freed the city from Anouvongs army, and has been honored with a statue in the center of downtown Khorat. A full account of the war and its impact on Laos and Siam, is detailed in the book, Lady Mo and Heroism at Tung Samrit, written by Frank G Anderson. The citys old wall, east of the monument was designed, the French-based design is reflected in the moat system that surrounds the innermost portion of the city
Nakhon Ratchasima
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Downtown Nakhon Ratchasima
Nakhon Ratchasima
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The 'Ya Mo Entrance Gate' at the junction of Ratchadamnoen Rd and Hwy 224
Nakhon Ratchasima
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Nakhon Ratchasima Station Railway.
Nakhon Ratchasima
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Khorat City panorama from Fort Suranaree Hospital
35.
Rail transport in Thailand
–
The railway network of Thailand is managed and operated by the State Railway of Thailand. Interest in rail transport in Siam can be traced to when King Rama IV was given a gift of a railway from Queen Victoria in 1855. The first railway line,20 km in length, named the Paknam Railway between Bangkok–Samut Prakan began construction in July 1891 under a 50-year concession with a Danish company and this railway line was electrified in 1925, made it into the first electric railway service of Southeast Asia. This railway line was decommissioned on 1 January 1957, the Thonburi-Phetchaburi line, later the Southern Line, opened on 19 June 1903. On 1 July 1951, RSR changed its name to the present State Railway of Thailand, in 2005 SRT had 4,070 km of track, all of it metre gauge. Nearly all is single-track, although some important sections around Bangkok are double or triple-tracked, the MoU stipulates that a joint Thai-Chinese 1.435 metre standard-gauge rail network project bear fruit in 2018. Thailand is to be responsible for conducting environmental impact assessments and land expropriations, China is responsible for project design and construction. The SRT has long been perceived by the public as inefficient and resistant to change. Trains are usually late, and most of its equipment is old, recurring government attempts at restructuring and/or privatization throughout the 2000s have always been strongly opposed by the union and have not made any progress. Only two percent or less of Thailands freight is transported by rail, despite rail being roughly half the cost of road transport and cleaner environmentally. All intercity rail transportation is managed by the State Railway of Thailand, the deal of contract between BMCL and MRTA are under the concession agreement for 25 years operation. Thailand has 4,431 kilometres of metre gauge railway tracks not including mass transit lines in Bangkok, all national rail services are managed by the State Railway of Thailand. Malaysia - yes - same 1,000 mm gauge Laos - yes -1,000 mm gauge across Mekong River on Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge Cambodia - yes - disused Myanmar - no - defunct -, but projected extension will rebuild the route. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, King Rama V eagerly built a network for Bangkok by employing foreign engineers and technicians. In fact, Bangkok had electric trams before Copenhagen, however, due to a lack of interest and maintenance the tram network was completely scrapped in 1968. Bangkok is currently served by three rapid transit systems, the BTS Skytrain, the MRT and the Airport Rail Link. In 2010 Grand Canal Land Company proposed a 600–800 metre line linking its properties on Rama IX Road with the Phra Ram 9 MRT Station, all operate on 1,435 mm track gauge. All trains have 4 doors on each side per car, an air-conditioning unit, the power supply for all trains is at 750 V DC from the third rail
Rail transport in Thailand
–
British Rail Class 158 at
Hua Lamphong Railway Station
Rail transport in Thailand
–
The
BTS Skytrain
Rail transport in Thailand
–
UM12C (GE)
Rail transport in Thailand
–
AD24C (ALS)
36.
MCOT
–
MCOT Public Company Limited (Thai, บริษัท อสมท จำกัด, is a Thai state-owned public broadcaster. It owns and operates a number of radio and television stations in Thailand, at present, MCOT runs seven national, one international,52 provincial, one district radio station, two television channels, and 2 satellite television channels. On their website MCOT uses the slogan Digitally beyond, mCOTs acting president is Mr Piset Chiyasak. On 10 November 1952, MCOT was established as Thai Thorathat company limited, Thorathat means television even though there were no television services in Thailand then. Television services under the name Thai Thorathat started on 24 June 1955 in time for national day celebrations, in 1977 TTV Radio and Thailand Color Television Channel 9 moved to the present Huai Khwang headquarters in Bangkok and merged to form the Mass Communication Organization of Thailand. In 1970, with the launch of Chong Sam, its newest station, witthayu Tor Tor Tor later became Radio MCOT on 25 March 1977 and became the nations first 24-hour radio station. Color television began in 1970 on TV3 and 1974 on TV9, Chong Kao was renamed Modernine TV in 2002. In 2005, the Ministry of Finance announced their plan to digitize free-to-air television broadcasts nationwide, trial broadcasts were undertaken, involving 1,000 households in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area. MCOT has prepared at least three new channels exclusively for television, besides the two initial channels, Modernine TV and Channel 3. Though the trials had been long over, the channels are still active in test form. In addition, MCOT would introduce regional television channels for each province in Thailand, MCOT was expected to launch its digital terrestrial television services nationally in 2012. MCOT launched digital television in 2013, with full service in 2014. In March 2011, MCOT announced that it is possible that MCOT may be planning to switch to DVB-T2 some time in the future. In 1977, the time of change to MCOT organization. Which is the abbreviation of the organization, under this logo are the English letters MCOT in orange with gray border The logo is shown on commercial breaks and test transmissions. The clock in Thailand was not in colour until 1974, originally the clock was based on the clock tower in Bangkok in black and white. In 1974 the clock was yellow on blue, until the introduction of 24-hour broadcasting in 2002, MCOT used the PM5544 test pattern during the off-air hours of TV9 and EBU Colorbars on Channel 3. Until 2002, MCOT used the Philips PM5534 during off-air hours, currently both stations broadcast 24 hours a day
MCOT
MCOT
–
MCOT
37.
Rail transport
–
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, also known as tracks. It is also referred to as train transport. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles run on a flat surface. Tracks usually consist of rails, installed on ties and ballast, on which the rolling stock, usually fitted with metal wheels. Other variations are possible, such as slab track, where the rails are fastened to a concrete foundation resting on a prepared subsurface. Rolling stock in a transport system generally encounters lower frictional resistance than road vehicles, so passenger. The operation is carried out by a company, providing transport between train stations or freight customer facilities. Power is provided by locomotives which either draw electric power from a railway system or produce their own power. Most tracks are accompanied by a signalling system, Railways are a safe land transport system when compared to other forms of transport. The oldest, man-hauled railways date back to the 6th century BC, with Periander, one of the Seven Sages of Greece, Rail transport blossomed after the British development of the steam locomotive as a viable source of power in the 19th centuries. With steam engines, one could construct mainline railways, which were a key component of the Industrial Revolution, also, railways reduced the costs of shipping, and allowed for fewer lost goods, compared with water transport, which faced occasional sinking of ships. The change from canals to railways allowed for markets in which prices varied very little from city to city. In the 1880s, electrified trains were introduced, and also the first tramways, starting during the 1940s, the non-electrified railways in most countries had their steam locomotives replaced by diesel-electric locomotives, with the process being almost complete by 2000. During the 1960s, electrified high-speed railway systems were introduced in Japan, other forms of guided ground transport outside the traditional railway definitions, such as monorail or maglev, have been tried but have seen limited use. The history of the growth, decline and restoration to use of transport can be divided up into several discrete periods defined by the principal means of motive power used. The earliest evidence of a railway was a 6-kilometre Diolkos wagonway, trucks pushed by slaves ran in grooves in limestone, which provided the track element. The Diolkos operated for over 600 years, Railways began reappearing in Europe after the Dark Ages. The earliest known record of a railway in Europe from this period is a window in the Minster of Freiburg im Breisgau in Germany
Rail transport
–
Four
BNSF GE C44-9W diesel locomotives hauling a mixed freight train along the banks of the
Columbia River, between
Kennewick and
Wishram,
Washington State, United States
Rail transport
–
Horsecar in
Brno, Czech Republic
Rail transport
–
A British steam locomotive-hauled train
Rail transport
–
Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds), located in
Salta,
Argentina
38.
Hovertrain
–
The concept aims to eliminate rolling resistance and allow very high performance, while also simplifying the infrastructure needed to lay new lines. Hovertrains were seen as a relatively low-risk and low-cost way to develop high-speed inter-city train service, by the late 1960s, major development efforts were underway in France, the UK and the USA. While they were being developed, British Rail was running an extensive study of the problems being seen at speeds on conventional rails. This led to a series of new high-speed train designs in the 1970s, although the hovertrains still had reduced infrastructure costs compared to the APT and similar designs like the TGV, in practice this was offset by their need for entirely new lines. Conventional wheeled trains could run at low speed on existing lines, interest in hovertrains waned, and major development had ended by the mid-1970s. Hovertrains were also developed for systems, including personal rapid transit systems that were a hot topic in the late 1960s. In this role their ability to float over small imperfections and debris on the rails was a practical advantage, the only hovertain to see commercial service was the Otis Hovair system. Originally developed at General Motors as an automated guideway transit system, the design eventually ended up at Otis Elevator who later replaced its linear motor with a cable pull and sold the resulting design for people mover installations all over the world. News sources often conflate maglev trains with hovertrains, as both are levitated above the surface, hovering over them. It was noticed early on that the energy needed to lift a hovercraft was directly related to the smoothness of the surface it traveled on. What was surprising was that the amount of energy lost through this process could be lower than steel wheeled vehicles and that meant that for travel above some critical speed, a hovercraft could be more efficient than a wheeled vehicle of the same weight. Better yet, such a vehicle would also all of the positive qualities of a hovercraft. Small imperfections in the surface would have no effect on the ride quality and this could dramatically reduce infrastructure capital costs of building new lines and offer a path to widespread use of high-speed trains. This led to the Levapad concept, where compressed air was blown out of metal disks. The Levapad required extremely flat surfaces to work on, either metal plates, or as originally intended, kucher eventually became VP in charge of the Ford Scientific Laboratory, continuing development of the Levapad concept throughout. A1958 article in Modern Mechanix is one of the first popular introductions of the Levapad concept, a 1960 Popular Mechanics article notes a number of different groups proposing a hovertrain concept. There were various proposals using air ducted from the fans, propeller, or even jet engines. At about the time, Eric Laithwaite was building the first practical linear induction motors
Hovertrain
–
Duke Hospital PRT
Hovertrain
–
Narita Airport Terminal 2 Shuttle System
Hovertrain
–
Tracked Hovercraft test system, the RTV 31.
Hovertrain
–
Aérotrain prototype #02
39.
Maglev
–
Maglev is a transport method that uses magnetic levitation to move vehicles without making contact with the ground. With maglev, a vehicle travels along a guideway using magnets to create lift and propulsion, thereby reducing friction by a great extent and allowing very high speeds. In itself, maglev technology includes no moving parts, Maglev trains move more smoothly and more quietly than wheeled mass transit systems. The power needed for levitation is not a large percentage of its overall energy consumption, most goes to overcome drag. Maglev trains hold the record for trains. Compared to conventional trains, differences in construction affect the economics of maglev trains, for high-speed trains with wheels, wear and tear from friction from wheels on rails accelerates equipment wear and prevents high speeds. Conversely, maglev systems have much more expensive to construct. Despite decades of research and development, maglev systems are in operation in just three countries. In April 2004, Shanghais Transrapid system began commercial operations, in March 2005, Japan began operation of its relatively low-speed HSST Linimo line in time for the 2005 World Expo. In its first three months, the Linimo line carried over 10 million passengers, South Korea became the worlds fourth country to succeed in implementing maglev technology with the Incheon Airport Maglev beginning regular operation on February 3,2016. In Japan a new high speed line, the Chuo Shinkansen is planned to become operational in 2027. In the late 1940s, the British electrical engineer Eric Laithwaite and he became professor of heavy electrical engineering at Imperial College in 1964, where he continued his successful development of the linear motor. Since linear motors do not require physical contact between the vehicle and guideway, they became a fixture on advanced transportation systems in the 1960s and 70s. Laithwaite joined one such project, the hovercraft, although the project was cancelled in 1973. The linear motor was naturally suited to use with maglev systems as well, working at the British Rail Research Division in Derby, along with teams at several civil engineering firms, the transverse-flux system was developed into a working system. The first commercial maglev people mover was simply called MAGLEV and officially opened in 1984 near Birmingham and it operated on an elevated 600-metre section of monorail track between Birmingham Airport and Birmingham International railway station, running at speeds up to 42 km/h. The system was closed in 1995 due to reliability problems, High-speed transportation patents were granted to various inventors throughout the world. Early United States patents for a linear motor propelled train were awarded to German inventor Alfred Zehden, in 1907, another early electromagnetic transportation system was developed by F. S. Smith
Maglev
–
SCMaglev test track in the
Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan
Maglev
–
Transrapid 09 at the
Emsland test facility in Germany
Maglev
–
The Birmingham International Maglev shuttle
Maglev
–
Transrapid at the
Emsland test facility
40.
AGV (train)
–
The AGV is a standard gauge, high-speed, electric multiple-unit train, designed and built by Alstom. Alstom offers the AGV in configurations from seven to fourteen carriages, the trains are constructed from units comprising three cars and single-car driver-trailers. The maximum commercial speed is 360 km/h, design of the train took place through the early 2000s, with a prototype, Pegase, produced in 2008. As of 2016, the only order for the train has been from Italian transport company NTV. The first design studies relating to the AGV were made in 1998, an AGV design, initially named TGV400 was presented in Barcelona in early 2000 as part of Alstoms bid to supply high-speed trains for the Madrid–Barcelona high-speed rail line. The design would retain the articulated Jacobs bogie of the TGV, the new design was the first high-speed train design in modern times that had inter-vehicle articulation and distributed traction. The design used Alstom Onix IGBT based traction inverters, the weight associated with IGBT technology allowed an axle load of within 17 tonnes per axle. The trainsets were to be made up of modules of 3-car sets with two powered bogies per module, each motor bogie had two body-mounted self-ventilated motors, one per axle, rated at 600 kW. The traction electronics used two taps per transformer per module, each powering two parallel connected inverters, with an inverter for each motor. There were two designs, the driving control cars, and intermediate cars, and two designs of bogie, powered and unpowered. Both technologies had been trialled on TGV sets. The carriages were constructed from aluminium alloy as used on the TGV Duplex, the transformers, which weigh 6.5 tonnes, are fitted underneath the end cars, since the presence of the leading bogie allows the mass to be distributed over three instead of two axles. The interior structure was designed to allow easier refurbishment and alteration to the passenger environment, the floor level is kept practically constant throughout the train, including at inter-coach connections. The 2005 specifications allowed a wider carriage than the TGV, with a correspondingly shorter coach length, Alstom claimed operating and capital costs per seat were the same as a TGV Duplex. In 2007 a modified TGV Duplex, the V150, fitted with AGV-type bogies, traction electronics, the design was complete enough to be frozen by July 2006. It had become formalised at basic train lengths of 7 or 14 cars, each 3-car module had either a transformer or one of two traction modules located beneath a carriage. Additional trailer vehicles were to extend the train size beyond multiples of three, braking is by rheostatic braking and regenerative braking, in addition to triple disc brakes on trailer bogies for low speed braking. An eddy current brake was not fitted, the train also incorporates a carbon composite as a structural element, forming a U beam which supports the carriage body end on the secondary suspension
AGV (train)
–
AGV Pégase at
Innotrans 2008
AGV (train)
–
NTV Alstom AGV 575
41.
AVE Class 100
–
The AVE Class 100, or Series 100, is a high-speed train used for AVE services by the RENFE, in Spain. It was the first high-speed train put into service in Spain, in 1992 and this class lived through all the changes involved in the creation of the Spanish high-speed network, originally the plan was to build the high-speed route to Andalusia on an Iberian gauge track. After various changes in the contract with Alstom and compensation for delays the final eight were delivered, the Iberian sets became the RENFE Class 101 which used to operate the Euromed services along the Mediterranean corridor. The train 100015 set one of the most important speed records in Spain and its previous record had been 330 km/h on an earlier test run. The Class 100 was also involved in speed tests using Talgo carriages and this class has almost exclusively served the Madrid–Seville high-speed rail line. They were used on the Madrid–Barcelona high-speed rail line for a period until introduction of the RENFE Class 102. The units used on the Barcelona line had to have their pantographs changed as well as installation of the ERTMS system, in 2007, after fifteen years of service—half of the trains expected working life—the entire Class 100 fleet was refurbished. RENFE announced that the capacity would be increased to keep the cost down, in addition to the work planned for the trains electrification. In 2013, some S100 trains have changed for French homologation making them compatible with French signaling system. The aim is to create rail service between major French cites and main Spanish cities simultaneously with SNCF, the Series 100 trains were manufactured by Alstom and CAF and are directly derived from the TGV Atlantique that runs in France. A Series 100 train is made up of two 4,400 kW power cars with two motorized bogies each and eight cars with shared bogies. It is compatible with the 1,435 mm standard gauge and it is compatible with overhead currents of 3 kV DC and 25 kV50 Hz alternating current. Unlike its model, it has both the ASFA200 and LZB signaling systems, furthermore, since 2004 nine of the trains have the ERTMS system installed, as well as two extra coaches and cooling systems specially adapted to temperatures in Spain. List of high-speed trains Stamps with AVE Class S-100 Ficha de la serie 100 en la página de Renfe Imágenes interactivas en 360 grados de la clase turista y preferente del S-100
AVE Class 100
–
Series 100 train in
Seville station
42.
AVE Class 102
–
The AVE Class 102 or S-102 is a high-speed train used for the AVE service and operated in Spain by the state-run railway company RENFE. Outside of AVE service, Talgo markets this train as Talgo 350, further production of closely related trains, differing in seating arrangement resulted in the S-112. The AVE Class 102 was constructed by Talgo with Adtranz providing the power car technology and it was principally designed for the Madrid-Barcelona line. The trainsets consist of Talgo passenger cars modified in order to allow speeds of up to 350 km/h with power cars at each end, however, its certified maximum operating speed is 330 km/h due to the limits of its eight 1,000 kW motors. The trainsets can consist of up to 12 Talgo series VII coaches, the train is nicknamed Pato, Spanish for duck, due to the aerodynamic design of the power cars resembling a beak. The beak design reduces noise created by air resistance at top speeds, the series trains were intended for a top speed of 330 km/h. This top speed was supposed to be enough to fulfill the condition of a two-and-a-half-hour travel time between Madrid and Barcelona. Experts ascribe this reduction compared to original plans to budgetary reasons, rENFEs original order in 2004 was for 16 series units, delivery of which began in 2004. A follow-up order for 30 similar trains to be delivered in 2008-2010, the first production unit was unveiled in June 2010. In trials with the unit, on 11 October 2002,362 km/h was achieved. Type approval tests began in 2004, type approval requires test runs at speeds 10% above the desired permitted top speed. During the approval tests, a new record of 365 km/h was achieved in the hours of 26 June 2004. After the successful completion of the tests, the first eight series units commenced operation on the Madrid-Zaragoza-Lleida line on 26 February 2005, initially, maximum service speed was restricted to 200 km/h, due to problems with the train control and signalling system on the line. After the commissioning of the control system ETCS Level 1. Since 7 May 2007, the travel with the top speed targeted for the time being 300 km/h. After the stabilisation of the control system ETCS Level 2. However, presently, non-stop runs are carried by the AVE S-103, while the S-102 are deployed for runs with intermediate stops, with travel times between 2 hours 57 minutes and 3 hours 23 minutes. Talgo 350 trains based on the Class 102 design are to be used on the Haramain High Speed Rail Project line in Saudi Arabia under a contract announced in October 2011
AVE Class 102
–
AVE Class 102
AVE Class 102
–
Power unit with a 'beak'
43.
AVE Class 103
–
The AVE Class 103 is a high-speed train used for the AVE service and operated in Spain by the state-run railway company RENFE. The trains were constructed by Siemens, as the member of the companys Velaro family. The ICE3 trains were a joint production with other Germany-based train manufacturers and this caused a delay, during which Siemens had to re-develop the missing components. However, at the end of development, Siemens had a complete high-speed train platform. The AVE Class 103 was intended as only the second member of a family after ICE3, therefore. The AVE Class 103 has been certified to run at 350 km/h, during testing between Madrid and Zaragoza, on 16 July 2006, train 005 reached 403.7 km/h. This is both the current national speed record for Spain, and also the current speed record for a normal series train in standard configuration. On 23 December 2005, RENFE ordered a further 10 identical trains, currently, all 26 trains from both orders have been delivered and are in service. The class has distributed traction, traction equipment was moved underfloor, for the AVE Class 103, four of the eight cars were fitted with two powered bogies each. The trains capacity of 404 passengers is split between three classes, with two coupled 8-car trains total capacity is therefore 808 passengers. In the end coaches, glass screens separate the driver and passengers, the driver can turn these opaque if necessary or preferred. The AVE Class 103 entered commercial service on 22 June 2007, while the trains and the tracks were commissioned for a regular top speed of 350 km/h, the train control and signalling system necessary for such operation, ETCS Level 2, was not ready for service. Thus commercial top speed is limited to the maximum Spanish authorities approve for the line with ETCS Level 1 since 2011,310 km/h. ERTMS is technically capable of supporting speeds of up to 500 km/h, in October 2011 the speed was raised to 310 km/h on parts of the railway. From the opening of the Córdoba-Málaga high-speed rail line on 24 December 2007, on 20 February 2008, the final section of the Madrid-Barcelona high-speed rail line into Barcelona was opened. From that day, the AVE Class 103 were used for the services between Madrid and Barcelona, achieving the shortest travel time of 2h30m on the non-stop runs
AVE Class 103
–
Series 103 train, Velaro E
44.
China Railways CRH2
–
The CRH2 is one of the high-speed train models in China. In 2004, the Ministry of Railway in China purchased an initial 60 sets of the train from Kawasaki Heavy Industries with a speed of 250 km/h. However, the versions of the CRH2 are not related to the E2-1000 Series despite having the same exterior shell. On October 20,2004, the Ministry of Railway in China ordered 60 sets of CRH2A trains from Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan. Along with 60 sets of Bombardiers Regina-based CRH1A, and 40 sets of Alstoms Pendolino-based CRH5A, each of the CRH2A set consists of 8 cars. The first 3 sets were built in Japan, the next 6 sets were delivered in complete knock down form and assembled by CSR Sifang Locomotive, the remaining 51 sets were built by Sifang through technology transfer from Japan. The first train arrived at Qingdao port on March 8,2006 with little fanfare and these trains have a maximum operation speed of 250 km/h and started providing high-speed train service from April 18,2007, the date of the sixth national railway speed-up. According to Chinese and Japanese media, CRH2A trains started test trials ahead of commercial operation on the Shanghai-Hangzhou, on September 14,2010, the Chinese MOR ordered additional 40 sets of CRH2A trains from CSR Sifang. In November 2007, the Ministry of Railway in China ordered 10 CRH2 sets with 16 cars per set and these trains have been given designations CRH2B. Each CRH2B has three 1st seating cars, twelve 2nd seating cars, and one dining car, designed maximum operation speed is 250 km/h with a power of 9,600 kW. The first units were delivered on June 29,2008, after the introduction of the modified E2-1000 Series, Sifang built its own CRH2 with a maximum safe operating speed of 350 km/h. The original train sets imported from Kawasaki had a safe operating speed of 250 km/h. During June 2005 and September 2005, The Chinese Ministry of Railways launched bidding for High speed trains with a top speed over 300 km/h. Along with Siemenss Velaro-based CRH3C, CSR Sifang bid 60 sets of CRH2C, includes 30 sets of CRH2C stage one with a top speed of 300 km/h, in development and research of the 350 km/h high speed train, The CRH2-300 project was launched by Chinese MOR and CSR. In 2006 the China Development Bank provided CNY15 billion developmental financial loans to CSR Group for the projects of 200–300 km/h high speed trains, over 50 academics,150,000 technicians,600 contractors were involved in the project. This trains livery is not like the CRH2A and its blue stripe does not end at the fronts of trainsets. CRH2C Stage one is a version of CRH2A. It has a operating speed up to 300 km/h by replacing two intermediate trailer cars with motorized cars
China Railways CRH2
–
CRH2 at
Nanjing Railway Station
China Railways CRH2
–
The CRH2 developed from the
E2 Series Shinkansen
China Railways CRH2
–
A CRH2E arriving
Beijing West Railway Station as D924 Guangzhou-Beijing overnight train in 2015.
China Railways CRH2
45.
China Railways CRH3
–
In November 2005 the Ministry of Railways ordered 60 Velaro trains for use on the Beijing-Tianjin high-speed rail line. On 27 July 2006, the joint project office was opened at Tangshan, the first three trains were built in Germany by Siemens, and these imported trains were labelled CRH3A. These trains are based on the German Deutsche Bahns ICE3 high-speed trains and were given designations of CRH3A. Of these German trains, the first one was shipped from Bremerhaven on 19 December 2007, on 30 November 2012, the CNR announced new design of CRH3A, with three styles that can operate at top speed of 160 km/h,200 km/h and 250 km/h. The first train was rolled out on June 3,2013, after December 2008, the three imported CRH3A were repainted and renamed to CRH3C. The rest of the trains are now being built by Tangshan Railway Vehicle with some components from Germany, the first Chinese-built CRH3 was unveiled on 11 April 2008. Each train sets consists of four cars and four trailer cars. The bogies are improved versions of the SF500 bogie, innovations include the body bolster, vibration damper, spring parameters, transmission ratio, widening the carbody and increasing the speed of the trainsets. The trains are designed for running at 350 km/h, on 24 June 2008, CRH3-001C reached a top speed of 394.3 km/h during a test on the Beijing to Tianjin high speed line. On 9 December 2009, a pair of CRH3 EMUs reached a top speed of 394.2 km/h during a test on the Zhengzhou to Xian high speed line, on 28 September 2009, an additional 20 CRH3C sets was ordered by the Chinese MOR. In March 2009, a new contract was signed with China Northern Railways to supply 100 16-car trainsets for 39. 2B RMB with delivery from October 2010 onwards. This order for a total of 1600 railway cars is greater than the production of all Velaro. It is planned that the trains will be produced by CNR subsidiaries, Tangshan Railway Vehicles and Changchun Railway Vehicles, in this contract, Siemens acts as a component supplier, with 85% of the content actually made by the company. An additional order for 40 16-car sets and 40 8-car sets was made on 28 September 2009 for 25. 32B RMB, top travel speed for this variant is 380 km/h, though it is capable of attaining even higher speeds. These trains have been designated as CRH380B and CRH380BL in September 2010, the first CRH380BL set with series number CRH380B-6401L rolled off the production line and was unveiled to the public in September 2010. It was manufactured by Tangshan Railway Vehicle, on October 2010, the 16-car train was sent to Beijing loop line for test. On November 2010, the train was sent to Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway for trial run, the trainset reached the maximum speed of 457 km/h on 5 December 2010. More recently, during a subsequent test on 10 January 2011, since 13 January 2011, the CRH380BL enter regular service at the Shanghai–Hangzhou High-Speed Railway and Shanghai–Nanjing High-Speed Railway
China Railways CRH3
–
CRH3C at
Changsha South Railway Station
China Railways CRH3
–
Inside a second class coach
China Railways CRH3
–
Inside a first class coach
China Railways CRH3
–
Premier class seats
46.
China Railways CRH380A
–
The CRH380A is a Chinese electric high-speed train that was developed by CSR Corporation Limited and is currently manufactured by CSR Qingdao Sifang Locomotive & Rolling Stock Co. Ltd. As a continuation of the CRH2-350 program it both replaces foreign technology in the CRH2 with Chinese developments and increases the top speed, the CRH380A is designed to operate at a cruise speed of 350 km/h and a maximum of 380 km/h in commercial service. The trains have had their operating speed reduced to 300 km/h after the Wenzhou train collision, CSR discovered the technology to increase the maximum speed. These research findings were fed into the design for the new-generation high-speed train, the original project was named CRH2-350. The new generations of rolling stock are expected to be used on the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway, the project officially launched in 2009, and was included in the Eleventh Five-Year Plans National technology support program for key technology and equipment development of China s high speed train. The design work includes four categories, schematic, technical, construction, based on the analysis of large amounts of data and experience from the operation of the Beijing-Tianjin high-speed rail. The MOR completed a series of system and optimized subsystem design, then provided CSR sifang with primary data. CSR presented more than 20 types of designs, after further comparison, calculation, optimization, simulation and testwork, on April 12,2010, the final design was published on the Official conference held by Sifang. The train model was exhibited in May at the China Railway Pavilion in the Shanghai World Expo Park, on September 2009, the Ministry of Railway had ordered 100 16-car and 40 eight-car new-generation high-speed trains from CSR Sifang Locomotive & Rolling Stock, the contract worth ¥45 billion. On April 18,2012, the MTR ordered 9 CRH380A train sets for Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, according to CSR, the overall design of CRH380A reflects ten major goals. It also designed the bogie to match the performance of the body and optimized the train bodys natural frequencies, which helps reduce structural vibrations at high speeds and improves ride comfort. The pressure change rate inside the train is less than 200 Pa /s and this ensures good ride quality at high speed. The train is equipped with SWMB-400/SWTB-400 bolster-less bogies and these are a redesign of the SWMB-350/SWTB-350 bogies used by CRH2C, their critical instability speed is 550 km/h. The new trains derail coefficient is 0.34 at a speed of 386 km/h while the maximum coefficient of the CRH2A is 0.73. By reducing sources of noise and adopting new sound absorbing and insulating materials, the noise level is at 67 dB -69 dB when running at 350 km/h, which is similar to the CRH2A running at 250 km/h. High-performance traction system, with YQ-365 motors manufactured by CSR Zhuzhou Electric Co, Ltd and CI11 Traction converters by Zhuzhou CSR Times Electric. The CRH380A has a new power unit configuration to maximize traction power and this allows the train to accelerate to 380 km/h in 7 minutes. Regenerative braking with a maximum energy feedback rate of 95%, with each stop nearly 800 kWh of electric power can be fed back to the electric grid
China Railways CRH380A
–
CRH380A train leaving Shanghai's
Hongqiao Station.
China Railways CRH380A
–
CRH380A at the
Shanghai World Expo 2010
China Railways CRH380A
–
CRH380A leaving
Hongqiao Station
China Railways CRH380A
–
CRH380AJ at
Guangzhou S. station
47.
Zefiro 380
–
Bombardier Zefiro is a family of high-speed passenger trains designed by Bombardier Transportation whose variants have top operating speeds of between 250 km/h and 380 km/h. Additionally the company has independently produced high-speed trainsets for specific markets, such as CRH1, Xinshisu, X2000, Regina, the Zefiro trainset is a conventional single-deck electrical-multiple-unit high-speed train. It consists of powered and unpowered cars, with motorized power cars at either end, car bodies are constructed of aluminium, with the exception of the wide-bodied Zefiro 250 trains, the bodies of which have stainless steel bodies. Trains are made up of 4-car units, each of which contains a transformer, typically, the end cars of each 4-car unit have powered bogies, with the two middle cars being unpowered. The pantograph is located on one of the unpowered cars, the specifications for all current designs describe asynchronous three-phase motors, with forced air cooling. However, Bombardier also offers the option of permanent-magnet synchronous motors and these trains were the first high-speed trains license manufactured in China as well as the highest speed sleeper trains at that time. Under China railways use they are classified class CRH1E. Starting acceleration is greater than 0.6 m/s2, with a 16-car train weight of 859 t, in July 2010 The Ministry of Railways ordered 40 more 8-car 250 km/h CRH1E Zefiro high-speed trains from the Sifang Transportation Ltd joint venture. In September 2012, based on a contract with Bombardier, The MOR ordered an additional 106 8-car trains,60 of which are to be a new variant. This variant is an evolution of the original, and will utilize different materials in order to weight savings. The Zefiro 300 is intended for European operations, with a UIC profile, bogies are FLEXX type with a 2.85 m wheelbase, 50% of which are motorized. Starting acceleration is greater than 0.60 m/s2 and it has an axle load of approximately 17 t. Two 8-car sets can be joined together to form one longer train, a variant of the Zefiro 300 was offered by Bombardier in association with AnsaldoBreda to Trenitalia, the Italian national railway service, as part of a bid for 50 new high-speed trainsets in 2010. Trenitalia selected this bid as the winner on 5 August 2010 and these entered service in 2015 and are designated ETR1000. In September 2009, Bombardier announced an order for eighty Zefiro 380 high-speed trains by the Chinese Ministry of Railways to be produced at Bombardiers joint venture Sifang Transportation Ltd, the order of twenty 8-car sets and sixty 16-car sets was estimated to be worth 27.4 billion RMB. The value of Bombardiers share is estimated at €1.3 billion, under China railways use these trains have been designated CRH1C and CRH1D. Which was in December 2010 revised to CRH380C and CRH380CL and once again to CRH380D & CRH380DL according to the new numbering system, as of the most recent news, the order has been amended to include only seventy 8-car sets, designated as the CRH380D. Orders for the 16-car DL sets were converted to D sets in late 2011, the first three sets have been delivered, with the first undergoing testing
Zefiro 380
–
Bombardier Zefiro 380
Zefiro 380
–
Zefiro 250
Zefiro 380
–
Zefiro 300
Zefiro 380
–
Zefiro 380
48.
FS Class ETR 500
–
ETR500 is a family of Italian high-speed trains introduced in 1993. Designed under the aegis of the Ferrovie dello Stato, it is now operated by Trenitalia on RFI tracks, the opening of the Direttissima line, connecting Florence with Rome, in stages between 1978 and 1991 was the first high speed line in Europe. Then, in the 1990s, FS unveiled plans to build a new high speed network. The new train was to be built by the TREVI formed by Breda Costuzioni Ferroviarie, FIAT Ferroviaria, Tecnomasio and Firema Trasporti. In 1988 the first prototype motorcar, called ETR 500-X and nicknamed Remo, as the brother of the first Roman king and it was tested on the Direttissima line in the combination of a measuring car and an E444 locomotive, reaching a record speed of 319 km/h. In 1990 the 2 first complete trainsets, called ETR 500-Y and nicknamed Romolo, the 3 motorcars of the prototype sets are now based at different locations in Italy and unfortunately have been vandalised and graffitized. The middle cars of the 2 ETR 500-Y sets are now part of the two RFI ETR.500 test trains Y1 and Y2, after the success of the 2 prototypes, FS decided to order 30 mono-current trainsets supporting the 3 kV DC supply of existing lines. Delivered between 1992 and 1996, with interiors styled by design company Pininfarina, they consist of 2 motorcars, four first class cars, a restaurant car, and six second class cars. Although suited for driving 300 km/h, they were limited to 250 km/h on the Direttissima as the current drawn from the catenary at 300 km/h would be too high and this was also the reason why a second generation, dual-voltage trains was ordered. Major routes of train were Chiusi-Milan, Florence-Naples, Milan-Rome Termini, Milan-Naples, Bologna-Rome Termini, Milan-Salerno, Milan-Venice. Between 2006 and 2008, the first generation trains have been upgraded with newly built E.404 6xx dual-voltage motorcars, coupled to the existing middle cars. All E.404 0xx motorcars of the older trainsets have been refurbished and transformed into locomotives of the type E.414 and these trains consist of two E.414 locomotives and 10 former Intercity UIC-Z coaches. Although the coaches are normal Intercity coaches, they mostly remain in semi-permanent coupled formation with the two E.414 locomotives. With the new high-speed lines finally in construction, FS chose to electrify the lines at 25 kV50 Hz AC instead of 3 kV DC as used on the classic network. This allows the trains to drive at their top speed of 300 km/h, as the first generation trains can not operate off 25 kV AC, new trains had to be ordered. As the new trains can run both off 25 kV AC and 3 kV DC, they were designated P for politensione, the new power cars of the trains feature a totally different design than the first generation trainsets, although also designed by design company Pininfarina. These new trains, delivered between 2000 and 2005, consist in original formation of 2 motorcars, four 1st class cars, a restaurant car, and six 2nd class cars. However, with the addition of a Business class car after the four 1st class cars to all trainsets, the second generation trains can be divided in multiple sub-series
FS Class ETR 500
–
The ETR 500 "Frecciarossa" of the
Italian Railways
FS Class ETR 500
–
Prototype set ETR.500-X at an exposition in Bologna in 1994.
FS Class ETR 500
–
ETR.500 mono-current powercar at Roma Termini.
FS Class ETR 500
–
ETR.500 "AV" at Milano Centrale.
49.
British Rail Class 373
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The British Rail Class 373 or TGV TMST train is an electric multiple unit that operates Eurostars inter-city high-speed rail service between Britain, France and Belgium via the Channel Tunnel. It is both the second longest—387 metres —and second fastest train in regular UK passenger service, operating at speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour. It is beaten in both aspects by the Class 374 which is 400 metres long and has a top speed of 320 kilometres per hour, though this is never achieved on HS1 in Britain. It was built by the French company GEC-Alsthom at its sites in La Rochelle, Belfort and Washwood Heath, two types were constructed,31 Three Capitals sets consisting of two power cars and 18 carriages, including two with powered bogies. They are 387 metres long and have 750 seats,206 in first class,544 in standard class, seven North of London trains with 14 carriages, including two carriages with powered bogies. They are 312.36 metres in length and have 558 seats,114 in first class,444 in standard class. The North of London sets were intended to provide Regional Eurostar services from continental Europe to and from north of London, using the West Coast and East Coast Main Lines. The sets were ordered by the companies involved,16 by SNCF, four by NMBS/SNCB. Upon the privatisation of British Rail, the BR sets were bought by London and Continental Railways, the first set was built at Belfort in 1992. Identified as PS1, it was formed of two cars and seven coaches, and was delivered for test running in January 1993. Its first powered runs were between Strasbourg and Mulhouse, and it was transferred to the UK for third-rail DC tests in June 1993, full-length pre-series train PS2 was completed in May 1993. An extra power car, numbered 3999, was built as a spare and this was required for a couple of years, when 3999 was renumbered and replaced another power car whilst it underwent rebuilding at Le Landy. It was overhauled and renumbered 3204 in 2016, the 27 sets still operating on Eurostar were refurbished in 2004/05 with a new interior, designed by Philippe Starck. The grey-yellow look in Standard class and the look in First class were replaced with a more grey-brown scheme in Standard. In 2008, Eurostar announced that it was beginning the process to institute a mid-life update, as a part of the update process, the Italian company Pininfarina was contracted to redesign the interiors, the first refurbished Eurostar was not originally due in service until 2012. The refurbishment could also include a maintenance and a new livery. Maintenance is carried out at close to the three capital cities. In France the trains are maintained at Le Landy depot in northern Paris, the bulk of operations are on Eurostars core routes from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord and Brussels South
British Rail Class 373
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373 218 leaving
Chambéry in
Savoie, France
British Rail Class 373
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The interior of a Class 373
British Rail Class 373
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The original Standard Class interior of a Class 373
British Rail Class 373
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A pair of Class 373s in the standard Eurostar livery at
Waterloo International
Thailand
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