Easy does it in Thailand, January 12 – February 27, 2026

I left Seattle on January 12, 2026, for a three month’s trip throughout Thailand and Laos to escape the cold gray winter of Seattle.

Asiana Air on board exercises

Instead of exploring Thailand, like I usually do, I mostly relaxed and took care of some dental work in Bangkok.

Dr. Pacharee concluded that I needed a crown instead of repairing my veneer that she had first done 20 years ago. It required several appointments for measurements, installation, and adjustments. 

20 years ago it cost $250 a tooth and this time it cost $1,000 for the crown. She wasn’t very pleased that I was using superglue to reattach the veneer before I met with her.

On my return to Bangkok I visited Chinatown on February 17th to enjoy the Lunar New Year’s celebration, which was the year of the Fire Horse.  

Unlike previous years, I have visited this celebration. They did not block off the street for a giant food and entertainment fair, nor did they have the lion dragons jumping from pole to pole.

I spent a month on the beaches of Ko Samet and Pattaya when I wasn’t getting adjustments on my upper front crown.

On my way to Ko Samet Island, I again enjoyed seeing Da who had opened up her own massage shop in Ban Phe—the ferry pier to Ko Samet. Over the past four years she was the massage therapist I used when I visited.Ko Samet and she had told me her plans to open up her own shop, which she finally did.  Her friend, Lilly, gave me rides to and from the ferry pier.

Da’s brother, Wut, owns the fruit smoothie store on Ko Samet where got my daily smoothie fix  when I’m on Ko Samet.

Shortly after I arrived, I learned that her mother was hospitalized and then died after a short stay. I was sad to learn of her mother’s passing.

Well, I was in Pattaya. I stopped by what must be the largest 7-Eleven store in Thailand if not the world. These stores come in all sizes and on Ko Samet, they’re right across the street from each other.

Here’s a small 7-Eleven store

Competing 7-Elevenstores on Ko Samet

After relaxing on the two beaches in Thailand, I took a night train to Chiang Mai.

I enjoyed visiting the markets, parks and temples. 

During my stay, I enjoyed having several meals at this restaurant owned by a Canadian who rescued this 16-year-old dog from a wet market when he was just a puppy – – a place where they sell all types of animals for food, including dogs like this one. They call him Foxy because of his appearance.

I took a new, comfortable bus for two hours to Chiang Rai.

I visited two temples, I had never seen before:  the white temple and the blue temple. They were spectacular.

In completing my journey in Thailand, I took an old bus toward Chiang Kong and transferred to a Sangthaew that took me to the Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge. I went through the Thai immigration.

I then took a shuttle bus across the bridge to the Laos immigration which I quickly went through since I had already purchased an E visa online.

I stayed overnight in Huay Xai, Laos before taking the two-day boat ride down the Mekong River to Luang Prabang, Laos on February 28th.

I will return to Thailand on March 11 via the high-speed Laos-China sleeper train from Vientiane, Laos  to Bangkok where I will again enjoy the beaches of Ko Samet and Pattaya and return home on April 9th.