[Matajic]

We have just launched a new website about the Seven Wonders of Thailand

http://www.7thaiwonders.com

During October 2007 you can nominate your favourites for wonders in three categories:

Natural Wonders
Man-made wonders
Symbols of Thailand

Then, on 1st November 2007, we will open the website for voting. Results will be announced one year later.

[bortycuz]

What about Hin Ta Hin Yai in Ko Samui?? My friend bought me a postcard and its a really unique rocks formation!! Maybe should be one of the natural wonders.

[Matajic]

I just want to bump this topic up to the top of the page. Next week we will be launching a new website based on this thread. Basically you will be able to vote on Wonders of Thailand. If you haven't nominated a place yet then can you please do so now.

There are three categories:

(1) Natural wonders - like waterfalls and islands
(2) Man-made wonders - like Temple of Emerald Buddha
(3) Symbols of Thailand - like tuk tuk, lady boy etc.

[adverwork]

It's been nominated several times but I would just like to add my vote for Phanom Rung (& Muang Tam), Buriram province.

I'd also like to nominate Cheechan Hill, south of Pattaya, surprised this landmark hasn't already been mentioned?

David

[Matajic]

Thanks, I have added that to the website. What we will be doing is that for the month of September we will be accepting nominations. Then starting 1st November, nominations will close and people will be allowed to vote for their seven Wonders of Thailand. Voting will be open for two months until the end of the year when the winners will be announced.

In a few days we will be giving you a sneak preview of the website so that you can see the nominations so far and also maybe add more of your own. You can also do a preliminary vote, though this will be reset on 1st November.

[Matajic]

What are your Symbols of Thailand? What makes you think of Thailand when you see them? It can be anything from the form of transport, the "tuk tuk", to the brave people of "Bangrajan" who fought bravely against the Burmese. What makes Thailand what it is today?

The following is a short list of ones I have gathered so far:

# Bangrajan
# Buddhist Monks
# Buffalo
# Elephant
# Floating Market
# Hilltribes
# Rice Fields
# Likay
# Siamese Twins
# Songkran Festival
# Thai Boxing
# Thai Food
# Thai Wai
# Tuk Tuk
# Wedding

Can you add to this list? Once all the nominations are in we will be doing a vote for the Top Seven Symbols of Thailand.

[lXwVlTgO]

Symbols of Thailand:

- Thai Smile

- All kind of Flags (National Flag, Kings Flag, Buddhist Flag etc.)

- Thai Heroes; not only those of Bangrajan but also King Naresuan, Queen Suriyothai etc.

- Thai Food: Som Tam etc.

- Buddha Statues

- Loy Krathong Festival

- Making Merit: free Birds, Fishes etc.

- Superstition: Thai Ghosts etc.

- Thai Music: Mor Lam etc.

[Matajic]

Thanks that is great. I just remembered that I once did a blog on this subject. Here is a list from that:

1. Thai flag
2. Elephant
3. Thai smile
4. Thai manners
5. Thai music
6. Thai language
7. "Wai"
8. Thai games
9. Food
10. Loy Krathong
11. Songkran
12. OTOP
13. Thai temples
14. Thai houses
15. Thai fruit
16. Thai sweets
17. Jasmine garland
18. Thai clothes
19. Thai ghost
20. Thai musical instruments
21. Muay Thai
22. Takraw
23. Thai art

24. Thai Stories
25. Thai movies
26. Thai Dancing
27. Thai famers
28. Thai fisherman
29. Thai supermodel
30. Thai culture
31. Tuk tuk
32. Thai herbs
33. Buffalo
34. Horoscope
35. King and queen
36. Thai chess
37. Thai girl
38. Thai boy
39 Thai precious stones
40. Thai flowers
41. Thai dolls
42. Thai money
43. Thai kites
44. Thai soldiers
45. Thai market

These are from a brainstorm session with my students.

Any one else have any ideas for symbols or more wonders for Thailand? We want to get enough nominations to do a launch of the website for this week.

[Emunsesoxmete]

it's on the list at number 35, but to me it seems that the King and the Queen are the most respected symbol of Thailand for Thais. visitors can be very baffled by this symbol, though.

I'd like to add orchids as well, to make "Thai flowers" more specific.

[RicardoHun]

I would like to add the Royal Projects, whose techniques have improved poor peoples lives and attracted interest and adoption by other countries with similar problems.

[adverwork]

If I were to make a list of symbols of Thailand I would have to include ¤ÇÒÂàËÅç¡ (Iron Buffalo) fairly near the top.

David

[Matajic]

We have just finished our first full year of voting for the Seven Wonders of Thailand. We have now posted the winners over at www.7WondersofThailand.com.

At present, the voting option has been disabled while we add the latest nominations. If you would like to add any "wonders" then you can post them here or via the email link on the www.7ThaiWonders.com website. If we are a bit slow in adding some nominations it is probably because we need to find a picture first.

See the list of nominations for 2009 at www.7ThaiWonders.com
See the winners for 2008 at www.7WondersofThailand.com

[RicardoHun]

Thai script? (writing)

[Emunsesoxmete]

Richard, same problem with the small pics on the 2009 website as this year - they keep moving around. so, if I want to look all of them first, and then return, they just turn up someplace different. also, the same pics come up more than once on different pages. it is really clumsy.

[zueqhbyhp]

Hand clappers?

[Emunsesoxmete]

[Matajic]

Thanks for your comments. We are still reviewing the website to make it easier to use. It was set for the pictures to be shown at random. This was for two reasons: The front page stays fresh and it gives every wonder a chance to be seen. I have now changed this to "latest first". This way you can see the new ones we have already added this week.

[Emunsesoxmete]

oh I see. if I look at it differently, it does make sense then

[Matajic]

It was in the news today about the New 7 Wonders of the World. So, what about the Seven Wonders of Thailand? What would you nominate?

Use the following two categories when you nominate:

(1) 7 Man-made Wonders
(2) 7 Natural Wonders

This could be fun.......

Update: We now have a website for this at www.7ThaiWonders.com

[Matajic]

In my list of man made wonders I would nominate:

(1) The Temple of the Emerald Buddha
(2) Doi Suthep
(3) Either the Khmer temple at Phanom Rung or Phimai. I think the former.
(4) The ancient city of Ayutthaya
(5) Phuttha Monthon
(6) Phra Pratom Chedi
(7) Chatuchak Weekend Market

That will do for now. Need to think more.