Topshop and Topman open flagship stores at Central World (first floor) in Bangkok today. In terms of fashion stores, I could see the UK clothing giant doing very well in Thailand. It’s cheaper than Zara and a shade more trendy than somewhere such as H&M. There was a time when I bought almost all of my clothes from Topshop (well, Topman), but I don’t know if I would return to those ways.

I’ve recently started buying all of my clothes from eBay, but I will go and check out what Topshop has to offer while I’m in Bangkok this weekend. As I said, I think Topshop will be very popular because the clothes are affordable and the designs would definitely appeal to young Thais in the 16-to-25 bracket.

At this time of year, the most common question I am asked is, “What is Songkran like?” Some people have heard stories and end up terrified, as if the whole country were about to implode. It’s difficult to explain what Songkran is like. If I told you what the final night of the Vegetarian Festival is like in Saphan Hin, you wouldn’t be able to appreciate the spectacle without seeing it.

Songkran is celebrated April 13 to 15. On days of water play, people’s offensive method range from sprinkling water on passers by to throwing barrels of iced water over random strangers. This is Thai New Year and it’s amazing to see everyone – male, female, young, old – enjoying themselves.

The level of carnage is dependent on where you are. In Bangkok, it’s chaos on Khaosan Road for three straight days. Similarly, in Silom, RCA, Ratchada – people go nuts. On Koh Chang, however, the water play is focused on drenching motorists on one day only. Traveling in a songthaew is a ticket to regret.

On Koh Samui, for the island’s one main day of play, the action is based in Chaweng. The street becomes an all-out war zone. I have yet to visit Chiang Mai, but I’m told it’s unbelievable during Songkran.

In Phuket, where I will be for the duration of the festivities, the party happens in a big way in Patong, as you’d imagine.

During Songkran, it’s impossible to avoid becoming soaked. Those tourists foolish enough to attempt to pass through water zones inconspicuously are usually the people who end up the wettest. There is no mercy. If you’re driving a car and your window is open, you’ll know about it. If you’re riding a motorbike, you’ll still be attacked.

Water guns can be bought anywhere where there is water play. They’re usually expensive – about 350 baht a pop – so you’re better off buying them a few weeks before the festival.

As well as water, people cover each other with talc. It’s harmless, but it will make a mess of your clothes and hair. The most fun to be had during Songkran is on the back a pickup. People drive their trucks, loaded with barrels of water, through areas where people are playing water. I’m hoping to be on the back of someone’s truck tomorrow.

Songkran was traditionally a time to visit family, but Thai people’s fun-loving side, coupled with the eagerness of tourists to become involved, has given the festival a new slant. The water is said to be a way of showing respect to other people and the talc is supposedly a reference to the plaster used by monks to mark blessings.

Hundreds of people in road accidents during Songkran. I have no intention of riding my bike anywhere for the next three days.

Enjoy the holidays.

I was browsing the soft-drinks cabinet at my local 7-Eleven when my eyes were suddenly drawn to the beer section where I saw a can of beer I didn’t recognize. The can was the most gloomy-looking drinks container I had ever seen. The name “Archa Beer” leapt up at me like a geriatric chess player.

I decided that I must have happened upon something remarkable. At just 19 baht, Archa is the cheapest beer in 7-Eleven. I bought one can and hurried home. Back in my room, I opened the can, took a sip, swallowed and was met with the odd sensation of a canned beer with an afterkick similar to drinking straight shots of Sangsom.

I’m unsure when this new brand, with its 5.4% of loveliness, made its was into 7-Eleven, but Archa Beer may well be the most vile canned drink on the planet. The beverage was flat within about two minutes and after drinking half a can, I began to feel a buzz in my head just enough to counter the unusual goings-on in my stomach.

Archa Beer was launched in 2004 “to respond to increasing demands from a new generation of beer drinkers who prefer smooth beer with lower alcohol content”. That would explain the flatness of the beer.

I may have missed out on being a part of a generation of beer drinkers who prefer flat beer and so I was left feeling a disappointed that my 19-baht bargain lacked the refreshing traits of other beers on the market.

Try it for yourself and let me know what you think. Archa Beer may have been on the shelf long before I noticed it.

Traveling itinerary:

• Seen a ping pong show… check.
• Been to Phi Phi Island… check.
• Ridden on the back of an elephant… check.
• Had a picture taken with an enormous, docile tiger… check.

I can understand the curiosity that goes with experiencing the first three on this list, but the whole thing about having your photo taken with a tiger baffles me. Yet every traveler who arrives here with his or her guidebook ends up crouched down next to one of these animals.

I had always assumed that the tigers were sedated. I don’t have an opinion about this either way, but it’s a point of hot debate that crops up in forums or in conversation from time to time. I found this on one forum:

Tiger Temple is trash. The poor tigers are sedated, and it’s filled with fat f-ckin tourists taking their pictures with them. They charge you 300 Baht to enter as well on top of the $30 US price of the tour. The only thing worth the visit on any of those tours is the elephant trek, which you should just hire a driver and have him take you there and then come back.

Some strong words, but perhaps a little misguided. I then came across this response in the same thread:

Unlike some uneducated individuals on this board who attack those who don’t lock step with them, I actually looked into the animal treatment by contacting several big cat experts around the states before going there.

I have heard the argument about sedation before. I think that it comes from, without exception, diurnal individuals who can’t rap their heads around the concept that a nocturnal animal will be sluggish during its sleeping hours.

THEY DEFINITELY ARE NOT SEDATED!!!!! One ran across the canyon and started snuggling with another one when I was there. One of the volunteers told me she had one jump up and lick her and the week before, one decided to stroll through the crowd.

None of the volunteers said that the tigers were poorly treated. If you don’t like the fact that they have to live like this, start a campaign to kick ALL the people living in tiger habitat out of their homes since this seems to be the greatest threat to tigers. Without places like this, blow hards spouting righteous indignation, and not doing anything else, will be the cause of tiger extinction.

Also, on TigerTemple.org it states that “[the tigers] are not drugged. Tigers are nocturnal animals, so they sleep during the heat of the day. The tiger’s eyes are better adapted to lower light levels than their prey species, so they can surprise their prey with greater ability in darkness. This means they are more active and hunt at night. Adult tigers are naturally lazier, whereas the cubs are more active and will play if it is not too hot.”

The tigers are hand-reared by the monks who live at the temple. They cannot, apparently, hunt or fend for themselves and so they will never be released into the wild. On the website it states that the tigers were intercepted because their mothers were killed by poachers.

This particular tiger temple is in Kanchanaburi. At some point, Lonely Planet advised its readers not to visit the temple. I have found several travelers’ reports from various temples across Thailand about the tigers not being sedated, but that might be the problem.

The Lonely Planet reference:

At last count the temple had eight tigers and at least one tourist had been seriously mauled … More responsible operators confided to us that they didn’t think playing with tigers was such a good idea. We agree… we don’t recommend you visit.

Here’s a radical thought: Why don’t people visit the temple, donate money and not have their pictures taken with the tigers? Bet Lonely Planet never thought of that one. I’m all for supporting the temples, but I have no intention of having my photo taken with a tiger.

What have other people’s experiences with tiger temples been like?

Khanom jeen is without doubt my favorite Thai food. It tastes fantastic and although it’s traditionally a breakfast dish, it can be eaten for any meal. I sometimes have late-night khanom jeen from a place in Phuket Town.

Rather than regular rice or noodles, khanom jeen is eaten with a combination of both: rice-flour noodles, which look and taste more like spaghetti than anything. Eating khanom jeen can, at first, be a daunting experience because of the amount of choice in sauces and the sheer volume of condiments on offer.

You can spot a khanom jeen vendor because there will usually be a bunch of bowls prepared with plain noodles placed next to several large bowls of curry. The types of curry vary from one place to the next, but ingredients can include chicken, crab, fish and other types of meat. Coconut milk is usually used, which makes the sauces terrifically creamy.

The curries can be extremely spicy, but are well complimented with cucumber, beansprouts, long beans, shallots, pickled mustard greens, basil leaves and all sorts.

The best thing about khanom jeen is that it’s so damn cheap. One bowl usually costs less than 20 baht. Pick your curry, throw on some bits and pieces and enjoy. If there is one dish that I would give to someone who has never tried Thai food, it’s khanom jeen. If you’ve never had it, you’re missing out.

I never came across khanom jeen in Bangkok (not that I remember, anyway), but it seems to be a staple part of a Southern diet.