BANGKOK – The locals call it Khao Mang Gai but this Thai version of Singapore’s national chicken rice dish is a must for any Thai visitor.  Here’s what it is:  tender slices of steamed (or boiled) chicken topped with a spicy chili sauce, served with fragrant jasmine rice that’s been cooked in coconut milk and seasoned with bits of fresh [...]

                                  By MONICA BYERS LONDON – When you ask visitors what they’ve done or they’re planning to do in London….well, actually, why even ask?  The answers are completely predictable:  Buckingham (aka Bucking-HAM if you’re American) Palace, double decker bus tour, Tower of London, visit [...]

  BANGKOK – Yeah I know, BIG time tourist spot but for me, the Jim Thompson House is totally NOT about the famous JT silk; but rather a first-rate example of traditional Thai-style architecture, something not easily found on the streets of Bangkok.  Take the guided tour, which is fairly short but full of fun, interesting facts – e.g., the [...]

  BANGKOK – If you want quick-access, beach action without having to plane-it or suffer the unbearable solitude of Hua Hin then head out to Pattaya.  You can do a lot worse than this sex, sand and sleaze by the sea shore and it’s just a short cab ride from Bangkok.  Stay in the quieter Jomtiem area, where the beaches [...]