Lampang City, Lampang, Thailand

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“Lampang  is the third largest town in northern Thailand. Lampang city is situated in the valley of the Wang River in the heart of Northern Thailand.

The city is still growing rapidly as trading and transportation center. It offers much of the historic interest of Lanna as well as Chiangmai, but without the overt commercialization.

Located in the heart of the North, Lampang is also a good base for excursions and travel within Northern Thailand.” (1)

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The National Folk Museum of Korea, Seoul, South Korea

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“National Folk Museum of Korea is a national museum of South Korea, located within the grounds of the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and uses replicas of historical objects to illustrate the history of traditional life of the Korean people.

The museum has three main exhibition halls, with over 98,000 artifacts: History of Korean People features materials of everyday life in Korea from prehistoric times to the end of the Joseon Dynasty in 1910; Korean Way of Life, which illustrates Korean villagers in ancient times; and Life Cycle of the Koreans, which depicts the deep roots of Confucianism in Korean culture and how this ideology gave rise to most of the culture’s customs.

The museum also features open-air exhibits, such as replicas of spirit posts where villagers used to pray, stone piles for worship, grinding mills, rice storage shelters and pits for kimchi pots.” (1)

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Golden Triangle (Southeast Asia), border of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand

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“It is an area of around 367,000 square miles (950,000 km2) that overlaps the mountains of three countries of Southeast Asia: Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.” (1)

“The Golden Triangle designates the confluence of the Ruak River and the Mekong River, since the term has been appropriated by the Thai tourist industry to describe the nearby border tripoint of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.” (2)

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Wiang Kum Kam, Chiang Mai, Thailand

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“Wiang Kum Kam is an historic settlement and archaeological site along the Ping River, which was built by King Mangrai as his capital before he moved it to Chiang Mai.

It was seriously flooded and finally abandoned more than 700 years ago. The people were moved back to this area again more than 200 years later with a new community, and it was then named Chang Kham village (บ้านชั่งคำ).

In 1984, the Department of Fine Arts Unit 4 discovered remnants of the old city around Wihan Kam Thom (วิหานกานโถม) at Wat Chang Kham (วัดช้างค้ำ) and afterwards excavation was begun; since then many new remains have been found and restoration has proceeded since that time.” (1)

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One Street with Two Nobel Laureates in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa

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Soweto is an urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city’s mining belt in the south.

“Vilakazi Street is perhaps the most famous street in Soweto, or in all of Johannesburg, South Africa. The street claims a rather unique distinction, being the only street in the world to have once had as residents two Nobel Prize winners. Those two men are His Excellency Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela and The Most Reverend Desmond Tutu.

It is also where 13-year-old Hector Pieterson was shot dead, sparking the beginning of riots, on June 16, 1976. A memorial is nearby in Soweto and that day is now National Youth Day.

At the corner of Vilakazi and Ngakane streets, is Mandela House which is a great testament to Mr. Mandela as well as to the greater fight against apartheid and for equal rights not only in South Africa but around the world.”

BY KIRSTEN ALANA Local Expert: New York, New York

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Pala-U Waterfall, Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand

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“Pala-U is a 15-level waterfall along a creek stretching out to the Burmese border. It’s about 60 km west of Hua Hin. It’s in the south end of Kaeng Krachan national park (Thailand’s biggest national park).” (1)

 There are some small wild animals can expect along the way such as butterflies, birds, and elephants.

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