Benjamin

Hi People!
     Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai, sometimes written as "Chiengmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of the Chiang Mai Province, which is a former capital of the Kindom of Lanna(1296-1768) and was the tributary  Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 to 1939. It is located 700 kilometers north of Bangkok. among the highest mountains in the country. the city is along Ping River. Chiang Mai means "new city" and was named this way because it was the new capital. Chiang Mai was founded in 1296 by King Mengrai on the location of an older city which the Lawa people call Wiang Nopburi. The city was surrounded by a moat and a defensive wall, as nearby Burma was a constant threat as well as the armies of the Mongol Empire. Chiang Mai formally became part of Siam in 1775 by an agreement with Chao Kaliva, after the Thai King Taksin helped drive out the Burmese. Because of the Burmese counterattacks, Chiang Mai was abandoned between 1776 and 1791. Lampang then served as the capital of what remained of Lanna. Chiang Mai then slowly grew in cultural, trading and economic importance to its current status as the unofficial capital of northern Thailand, second in importance only to Bangkok. Chiang Mai has a tropical climate

Yupparaj Wittalayai School

First government school in Chiang Mai. The land for the school was donated by Her Royal Highness Princess Jao Dararasamee and Prince Intarawarorot Suriyawong, former rulers of Chiang Mai. The school is situated in the center of the old town in Chiang Mai. Modern facilities such as library, scientific labs and computer labs. All classes are equipped with air-cons, LCD projector, screen and audio system.

 Inthanon Royal Project


The Doi Inthanon Royal Project is located on the main Doi Inthanon mountain road in the Hmong village of Khun Klang. It was established in 1979 as part of His Majesty's Royal Project Foundation. It is one of many re-education projects conceived to familiarize the hilltribe people with new agricultural techniques. The research station carries out work on developing marketable crops, ranging from fruit trees to flowering plants, to help the surrounding hill tribe villages, composed chiefly of Hmong and Karen tribes. There are many greenhouses where flowering plants such as lilies, roses and many others are grown. There are also greenhouses for ferns and cacti.

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Reflection Chiang Mai GCP Day 1

Today is day one of the Chiang Mai GCP trip, we traveled via plane. We all met at Changi Airport at 1pm before embarking on the journey. some of us reached the airport at as early as 11.30am being anxious. Some of us had our breakfast or lunch at Changi Airport. After we checked in our luggage, which after we went toward our gate. We spent about one hour waiting for the plane to be ready to board inside the gate’s waiting room. Some of us while waiting went to watch the movie Pacific Rim. We then boarded the Silk Air Flight MI706 and began our three hour flight for Chiang Mai. Lunch was served on the plane at about 4pm Singapore time. On the flight we watched silent shows, which were comedies. We our most of us laughed at the funny moments. We reached Chiang Mai at about 6pm Singapore time, then it was raining but the rain soon died down. We ate lunch at a restaurant which was about a 15 minute drive from the airport. After a delicious meal we then went to our hotel. We left our luggage in the lobby, then went to a shopping mall near the hotel. Some of us bought SIM-card to use the internet while some of us went to buy snacks and drinks. After buying our items, we went back to our hotel, got to know our room and went up to our rooms, which soon after we went to the ninth floor of our hotel were we meet up to do our debrief where im at writing this reflection. I will end of now

Reflection Chiang Mai GCP Day 2

For today, my partner and I had decided to wake up at 5.40am while the wake up call is 6am but we decided to sleep till 6am instead. After doing the various stuff we had to do, like brushing our teeth, etc. Then we headed down to a restaurant in the hotel to eat breakfast. The breakfast was delicious, then we headed to board the bus. I boarded bus 4 with my partner ray, some of my other schoolmates and classmates, together with the secondary 2 seniors. During the trip from our hotel to the mountain, all of us fell asleep during the the first hour or so until we stopped for a break. We then went up the mountain first going to the highest point of the mountain which is also the highest point in Thailand when I first exited the bus. It was cold but hot at the same time, a previous king’s ashes were placed in a structure at the highest point of the mountain, together with his daughter. According to our guide, they king loved nature and told his family to put his remains up on the highest point of Thailand, we then visited the farmers market where the sold different types of produce and products, I saw most of the produce they were selling at a supermarket the day before and it was cheaper than what the farmers market were selling, me and my partner bought a barbecued  sweet potato broke it into half and ate it, it tasted very nice and we both enjoyed it. We then went to eat lunch at a restaurant on the mountain. Lunch was also very nice, after we visited the Inathon Royal Farm Project which was set up by the royal family to help the farmers in Chiang Mai. we had a short trek up the mountain, some of us found it interesting and fun will some found it difficult. We then took a look at the village and a coffee bean plantation. There was a dog that followed us around until the a certain point where it just stopped. Most likely at where it lives. Some of us then bought coffee powder from the plantation. We then went back down and ate dinner, everyone was excited as there was free WiFi there. We then came back to the hotel and bought some snacks and drinks. Then headed back to the hotel, dropped of our items that we bought, and met for the debrief where I am writing this reflection
Reflection Chiang Mai GCP Day 3

Today is day 3 of the Chiang Mai GCP. We visited Yuparaj school today and met our thai counterparts. Tatpicha Loharangsee, or Tay as her chosen shorter name, she’s 15 year old this year and in grade 9. We exchanged information like email’s, etc. I still do not know her hobbies, what she likes and her dislikes as we ran out of time. We ate breakfast at the hotel like yesterday, the food was still he same though. Then we left for the school, the bus was a little late but even though the bus came we still had to wait as a pair went to take their name tags. When we arrived every stared at us which was a little awkward. After the a short speech from the director of their school, a short speech from one of our teachers and two presentations from our secondary 2 seniors. We met our Thailand counterparts and went up to our respective rooms, I first went to the chemistry lab, some of us took of our shoes as instructed by the Thai counterparts but some just keep them on. When in the chemistry lab, I showed Tay how to do soil testing for Ph levels, Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorus. After that we went for lunch then came back to the school. Then I headed to the Physics lab and showed them the arduino uno. We did the first basic circuit and circuits from 10 to 14. Circuit 12 was spinning a motor but it didn’t work for us and other people too. then we headed back to the room we were at in the morning and discussed about a project that we could do together. Then at 4.30 pm Chiang Mai time the students from the school was dismissed.   Then we went for dinner and came back to our hotels for our final debriefs. I hope tomorrow will be a fun and enjoyable day.
Reflection Chiang Mai GCP Day 4

Today is the 4th day of the Thailand GCP. We woke up around 5.30am and ate breakfast like the previous 2 days. Still the same food as the others days too. Then we went to Yupparaj school. In the morning we first had a presentation from the students there about a research they conducted about the relationship between air quality and lichens, which are like fungi and algae mixed together, then we visited temples nearby the school, and did some research, we took pictures of lichens on the north, south, east and west sides of the pagoda. Then we went back to school and attended a home economics class where we learnt to make different Thai foods, I did not actually cook though. But tasted the different foods and it was delicious. We then went for lunch inside the room that we would normally meet at in the school. We then went to the computer lab to continue our research. Then submitted our research reports. We then went downstairs to the meeting room to have a small break, take photos and exchange presents with our Thai counterparts. We then had a presentation about our finalized research. We then said our final goodbyes and left the school and had a 30 minute trip to a restaurant on the outskirts of Chiang Mai. During the 30 minute trip, we all shared our experiences during the trip, from day 1 till day 4. The dinner was great, we were all seated in a long table, and there was a live band playing. after our delicious dinner, we went to the front entrance of the restaurant and let go of paper lanterns. We could see them slowly float up to the sky, one by one. Then we came back to the hotel. Tomorrow would be the last day of the trip, the day we go back to Singapore. 

Overall Reflection For The Trip


Overall the trip was very interesting and very fun, we got to learn more about Thai culture not just from the guide but also from the students and teachers from the Yupparaj school. We learnt more about Chiang Mai’s history and current day situation, learning that Chiang Mai main income is agiculture. Some of us also got to try stuff that we never done before or don’t often do in our life. Like cooking or trekking up a mountain. The scenery at the mountain was also very nice, the view from the highest point of the mountain and the view of the waterfall. The Inahton Royal Farm project was also very amazing, its great to see how much the king cares about his people. We al most likely bought souvenirs, from food to stuff like keychains and hats. I do not think that there is anyone on this trip that did not buy a souvenir home. Sadly today, the day I am writing or typing is the second last day where tomorrow after breakfast, we head back to Singapore. I hope next years GCP trip will be as interesting as this one. I also hope that i may be able to see my Thai counterpart again some day.

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