Thailand

As one of the only countries in Asia never to have been colonized by outsiders, Thailand has a long and proud heritage. The country has something for everybody; the highest levels of spirituality openly coexist with the most seedy of vices. Indeed, one could say that within its relatively small territory are striking examples of everything that is wrong and right with the world.

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A study in contrasts, Thailand is where I was first exposed to the teachings of Buddhism, a fascination that still captivates me today. On the left, one of the glittering gold Buddha Images found in the Wat Po temple complex. To the right, the very opposite of meditative tranquility: rush hour in Bangkok, said to be the worst traffic anywhere in the world.

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Thailand's seemingly irreconcilable contradictions are summed up best by the two faces that the country projects to the outside world. On the left, a glimpse of serenity & devotion from one of the monks who form a mainstay of Thai society; on the right, the face of one of the estimated hundreds of thousands of sex industry workers who have given Thailand one of the wildest reputations on earth.

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All Thai males undergo training as Buddhist monks for at least part of their lives, and people in religious clothing are seen everywhere in the country.

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A country perpetually in transition from third world to first, construction is taking place everywhere. Here a group of workers gives supporting evidence as to why Thailand is often called "The Land of Smiles".

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Bangkok as seen from the top of the Baiyoke Sky Tower, the tallest building in Thailand.

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Thai dance is arguably one of the most distinctive and beautiful art forms on earth.

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Thai architecture is breathtaking. This view is of the royal palace grounds.

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After the old capital of Ayutthaya was sacked by the Burmese in the last century, Thai leaders abandoned the site and moved south to today's present capital, Bangkok. The contrast between the haunting decayed spires pictured below and the glittering gold versions of today seen in the photograph above is positively eerie.

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Another shot from Ayutthaya.
Nothing says contempt for your enemies more than beheading their religious symbols...

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Not quite as opulent as those found in the cities, these lonely-looking structures at Three Pagodas Pass mark the Thai border with Myanmar in the mountains of the west.

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Some views from the southern part of Thailand and the breathtaking islands in Phang Nga Bay.
Below, a shot from Hong Island.

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The distinctive view from the coast of James Bond Island,
the backdrop for a scene from The Man with The Golden Gun.

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The Muslim village of Panyi, built entirely on stilts in the Andaman Sea,
lies in the shadow of a massive limestone protrusion.

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The island of Phi Phi Ley, location for the film The Beach

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Gigantic sitting Buddha at Wat Si Chum in Sukhothai, the first capital of the ancient kingdom of Siam.

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Among the ruins in the Sukhothai Historical Park, a UN World Heritage Site.