If you have ever been to Thailand you will know how important the local Buddhist temple is in every day life. Many Thai people will regularly visit the temple to leave offerings for good luck and a sign of respect for the Buddha. Kaitlyn Moore visits a local flower market in Chiang Mai and ponders the ready-made gift offerings on sale.

Update 2011: Loy Kratong is on the 10th November 2011. The serious flooding this year makes this festival all the more relevant (read on to find out about the River Goddess) and the usually spectacular events in Bangkok will be more low-key though celebrations in other parts of the country such as Chiang Mai are [...]

Thai sausages are relatively unknown outside of Thailand, which is unfortunate, as Thailand has a long tradition of preserving meat, and creating new flavors, with their spiced sausages like Naem and Sai Ua. Thailand’s street markets are crowded with vendors selling the local specialty sausage, grilled, smoked, or even deep-fried.