Beitou (北投) is a district of Taipei City at the foot of Yangmingshan (陽明山 or Yangming Mountain), a collection of mountain peaks that make up Yangminshan National Park. These include Seven Star Mountain (七星山 or Qixingshan), a dormant volcano that last erupted around 700,000 years ago.
Xinbeitou (新北投), the hot spring village around Xinbeitou MRT station, occupies a lush valley that is home to 1200 species of plants, 110 species of bird, and 160 varieties of butterflies.
Beitou Thermal Valley (also called Beitou Geothermal Valley or Hell Valley) is a second, highly acidic “green sulfur” hot spring that is a major tourist attraction in Beitou and the source of the hot creek running through Beitou Hot Spring Park.
The spring water is high in radium, which in the past underwent a corrosive reaction with the andesite rocks on the river bed about 150 meters downstream, creating layers of cream and white diamond-shaped crystals named Hokutolite or “Beitou stone”, ...
The new SRT Bangkok Connex service uses refurbished KiHa 40 and KiHa 48 diesel multiple units originally operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). These classic Japanese railcars, built between the late 1970s and early 1980s and retired around 2021–2023, were donated free of charge by JR East to the State Railway of Thailand. A total of 20 cars (nine KiHa 40 double-cab units and eleven KiHa 48 single-cab units) were transferred in late March 2024, shipped from Niigata Port, and arrived at Laem Chabang Port in Thailand in early June 2024.
After gauge conversion from Japan’s 1,067 mm to Thailand’s meter gauge, extensive refurbishment at Makkasan Workshop included new or overhauled engines and electrical systems, full air-conditioning, leather-style seating in place of the original velvet, closed Western-style toilets, luggage space, priority seating, and wheelchair accommodation. The exterior received a white-and-red livery. Six cars entered passenger service after testing.
The route ...
In this year’s ASEAN Hyundai Cup, Group B concluded with Thailand topping the standings on a perfect record of four wins, ten goals scored and none conceded for twelve points. Malaysia finished second with nine points to advance alongside them, while Myanmar ended third on six points after the final round of matches and were eliminated. The Philippines took fourth and Laos finished bottom without a point.
Thailand entered the tournament as seven time champions and the clear favorites in the group under coach Anthony Hudson. The War Elephants have looked solid and clinical throughout, keeping clean sheets in every outing while rotating players effectively.
Myanmar, coached by Jørn Andersen, showed attacking threat with high-scoring wins over the Philippines and Laos but were inconsistent, suffering an opening loss to Malaysia and ultimately falling short of qualification.
Last night at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand secured a 2-0 victory over Myanmar to finish first in Group B. ...
A visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi is one of the most significant sites in modern Vietnamese history. Following the death of Ho Chi Minh in 1969, the Vietnamese leadership decided, against his own wishes for a simple cremation, to preserve his body for public veneration, much as Lenin’s remains had been treated in Moscow.
Construction of the mausoleum began on 2 September 1973 on the very spot in Ba Dinh Square where Ho Chi Minh had declared Vietnam’s independence in 1945. Designed through collaboration between Vietnamese and Soviet architects and engineers, the structure draws clear inspiration from Lenin’s Mausoleum while incorporating local elements such as a gently tiered roof reminiscent of traditional Vietnamese temples. Grey granite cladding, sturdy columns, and materials sourced from across the country give the building a sense of permanence and national unity.
The mausoleum was formally inaugurated on 29 August 1975, and since then it has served as both a place of quiet ...
