I’m usually pretty good at getting up early. It’s part of the job description for photographers. But this Sunday was a struggle, thanks to a little over-indulgence with friends the night before.

I almost persuaded myself to stay in bed rather than get up at 5 am and head to Rajprasong in central Bangkok for the last of three annual mass almsgiving ceremonies.

I’ve been to a couple of these in the past so it wasn’t essential for me to go again but I’m glad I made the effort because there’s some great photo-opportunities to be had.

The almsgiving is organized in most part by the  Dhammakaya which is located at a huge temple on the outskirts of Bangkok. This controversial foundation is skilled at staging high profile and visually dramatic events, and is popular with a certain segment of the Thai middle class.

On Sunday, as part of Buddhist Lent, the almsgiving was held to honour the Triple Gem, namely Buddha, Dharma and Sangha or the Lord Buddha, his teachings and the Buddhist community.

At 5.30 a.m., ten thousand saffron-robed monks who had been bussed in for the occasion gathered in downtown Bangkok for a prayer ceremony. This was followed by the almsgiving by an equally large number of followers, all dressed in white.

The offerings, mainly dried instant noodles, rice, UHT drinks and coffee powder will be distributed by the army to temples in the troubled southern provinces where daily violence by militant Muslims has made it difficult for monks to go out to receive alms.

Despite the large turnout at the event, it must be said that a lot of Thai Buddhists don’t like these large-scale gatherings because of the involvement of Dhammakaya, an organization that is viewed by many as placing too much emphasis on financial contributions.

The entire event is extremely well organised and runs like clockwork. Plastic sheeting laid out on the road in front of Gaysorn Plaza and Central World have clearly defined areas for worshippers to sit and monks to walk.

After prayers, the monks proceed down the walkway and are presented with offerings. Once the bowls are full, young soldiers empty the the contents into plastic sacks so more offerings can be made.

Those who can’t find a place to sit simply stand at the side of the road and pray.

The majority of those taking part in the ceremony wear white clothing.

Many novice monks take part in the event.

Individual donations are small but plentiful and truckloads of items are collected to be sent down south.

There’s no shortage of colourful characters.

Once the ceremony is over, the monks gather in groups and head back to their buses. The road is then quickly cleared and Bangkok’s notorious traffic returns.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend the Royal Barge Procession in Bangkok last week on what was, unfortunately, a very overcast day. It was the first time the event has been held for five years, and was part of the celebrations to mark the king’s 85th birthday.

The Royal Barge Procession is one of the country’s grandest ceremonies but is rarely held and reserved for auspicious occasions. The ancient tradition, which is thought to date back to the 14^th century and the Ayutthaya period, died out in 1932 with the dissolution of Thailand’s absolute monarchy. However, it was revived in 1959 by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the ninth king of the Chakri dynasty and the longest reigning monarch in Thai history.  During this time the event has only been held on 16 occasions.

The grand spectacle includes 51 historic barges and the 44-metre royal barge, known as the Narai Song Suban or golden swan which was constructed for HM King Bhumibol in 1994, all manned by 2,082 oarsmen.

The procession travels along the Chao Phraya, also known as the River of Kings, carrying the revered Buddha image, Phra Buddha Sihing, and members of the royal family stopping at Wat Arun where they present offerings of saffron robes, food and other necessities to monks.

Throughout the year, the collection of exquisitely carved boats can be seen at the Royal Barge Museum at Bangkok Noi.

It’s been several years since I had the oppurtunity to photograph a Ngiew or Chinese opera so when they were in town for the vegetarian festival I paid a visit.

As welcoming as ever, they invited me backstage to take a few snaps of them getting ready for a five hour performance.

I certainly find it more interesting backstage than in the audience. Looking forward to the next visit.

There was another mass monkathon in Bangkok on Saturday, once again organized by the distinctly dodgy Wat Phra Dhammakaya, a Bangkok temple known for its aggressive fundraising. The mantra seems to be, ‘give us your money and your good deed will be rewarded with personal riches in the future’. It’s a technique you’d expect from rabid TV evangelists in the USA and it is disturbing to see that it has become part of Buddhism too.

In the last few years Dhammakaya has managed to attain almost cult status but despite its high profile well attended events it is actually frowned upon by many Thai Buddhists. As Frank Zappa once said, ‘The only difference between a cult and a religion is the amount of real estate they own”.

But I won’t get into a rant about religion here, tempting though it is. This is a photo-blog after all and my reason for getting up at 4.30 a.m. was to try and capture some striking images.

This time the event was held at the crossroads of Asoke and Sukhumvit roads in downtown Bangkok.

Despite being based in Bangkok, I rarely find time to photograph the city. That has got to change as I recently signed a contract to do a book on the magical metropolis, know to locals as  Krung Thep. With the deadline clearly visible on the not too distant horizon, I forced myself away from the desk and spent an enjoyable morning in Chinatown and relaxed evening in a bar opposite Wat Arun. I can’t tell you how good it is to have a job that allows me to enjoy a beer and eat while working.

Wat Arun is one of the most photographed landmarks in Bangkok. The name means Temple of the Dawn, and the structure is comprised of one elongated prang or Khmer-style chedi surrounded by four smaller ones. The main tower is 82 metres high and features ornate decoration with mosaics made of porcelain and broken bone china. Unlike many of Bangkok’s other temples, this one looks better from a distance, especially when viewed from across the river. Despite its name, the best photographs of it are taken at sunset. Wat Arun is open every day from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Get off at Tha Tien Pier and take a ferry across the river.

Bangkok has more that its fair share of impressive bridges but the Bhumibol Bridge, named after the King of Thailand is one of the most spectacular.

It is part of a 13 kilometre long industrial ring road that connects southern Bangkok with Samut Prakan Province. It’s also just spitting distance from where I live so last night I went out to take a few shots of this monumental structure. 

The bridge spans and features two spans of 702 metres and 582 metres supported by two diamond-shaped pylons of 173 metres and 164 metres in height. At sunset, the multicoloured lights are turned on and the bridge is visible for miles around. 

I’ve been trying to take photographs at Wat Phra Kaew for a while but every time I go it is swarming with coach-loads of tourists.  On two occasions I have simply turned back and promised to return when it is less busy; something that it never seems to be.

I even tried to seek assistance from the TAT, the terribly unhelpful Tourist Authority of Thailand, to see if I could be allowed in before or after opening hours. Although the TAT is extremely good at wasting money on large glitzy PR events and mega FAM trips for foreign media, it seems that when it comes to something useful, the answer is usually a resounding ‘no’ – assuming you are lucky enough to even get a response to your email enquiry.  So, armed with a camera and a high degree of intolerance to mass tourism, I endeavoured to make Wat Phra Kaew appear a serene place that is seldom visited.

Of course, there is a good reason why it is on every itinerary. It is a simply stunning temple…just don’t expect to have a relaxed and contemplative experience. Being shoulder-barged out of the way by a Korean tourist desperate to be photographed imitating one of the sculptures is more likely…

Wat Phra Kaew or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the nearby Grand Palace are highlights of any visit to Bangkok. The compound has over 100 buildings, golden spires and glittering mosaics.

The temple dates back to the founding of Bangkok in 1782, and was built early in the reign of King Rama 1. It is Thailand’s most sacred temple and houses a 70 centimetre Emerald Buddha. The golden robe draped around the Buddha image is changed three times each year by King Bhumibol.

Today, Wat Phra Kaew still serves as a centre for all religious rites pertaining to the State and monarchy.

The easiest way to get to Wat Phra Kaew is to go by boat from the pier at Saphan Thaksin. Alight at Tha Chang pier and walk the short distance to the temple. Entry is 350 baht. Thais are free of charge.

This month’s travel schedule has meant that I am late posting images taken during celebrations to mark the Year of the Rabbit. The day after it all took place, I headed off to Laos for a whirlwind tour of the south, taking pics for a forthcoming book.

Having just returned, I’ve hastily sorted through a few shots taken at night in one of Bangkok’s many Chinatown temples.

 To be honest, the celebrations in the daytime, and mingling with the masses waiting to politicians to make an appearance didn’t do a lot for me so I decided to return in the evening when the whole event is far more atmospheric.

Thousands Thai- Chinese visit temples in the area throughout the day and night to make merit, light candles and incense, and receive blessings from monks.

Chinatown is one of Bangkok’s most historic areas and was originally settled by Chinese traders during the Sukhothai era.  According to local superstition, the long winding Yaowarat Road resembles a dragon’s body and is therefore an auspicious place to conduct business.

The most convenient way to get Chinatown is to travel on the MRT underground to Hualampong Station and then get a tuk-tuk or taxi.

I’m currently working on a couple of book projects and photographing to an agreed list of attractions around Thailand. It’s an interesting process because I am having to tackle subjects that I would normally not bother with. Of course, it is also a great way to build up a good stock of images.

Last night I went down to Hua Lampong Station, the hub for all rail travel in Thailand. Located on the outskirts of Chinatown, the grand old station is a reminder of an age when the train truly revolutionized travel within Thailand. From here, tracks stretch northwards to Chiang Mai and east into Issan, where the line divides at Nakhon Rachasima, with one line running up to Nong Khai and onward over the Laos border, and the other heading for Ubon Ratchathani. A shorter branch line also runs from Bangkok to the town of Aranya Phratet on the Thai-Cambodian border. Train enthusiasts and historians can travel west to Kanchanaburi, the site of the famous ‘bridge over the River Kwai’ and Hellfire Pass, or use the line to travel south to reach Thailand’s islands and beaches. Moving along at an unhurried pace, the comfortable carriages pass through the royal resort of Hua Hin and its beautiful old station and then on to Chumphon, Surat Thani and Hat Yai. From here you can even continue by rail on to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Construction of Hua Lampong Station started in 1910 and it opened for service on June 25, 1916. It’s a beautiful sight when lit up at night.

The recent Red Shirt demonstrations in Bangkok were centred in the Ratchaprasong area, a crossroads close to the now burnt out Central World Plaza.  At the heart of Ratchaprasong is the Erawan Shrine. Located just steps from the Chidlom skytrain station, the colourful shrine was built in 1956 to appease the evil spirits that were said to be dogging construction of the original Erawan Hotel (now replaced by the Grand Hyatt Erawan).

Once the shrine opened accidents that plagued the building site were said to have ceased. Dedicated to Brahma, the four-faced golden image at the shrine attracts thousands of devotees each day who light incense and make offerings of floral garlands.

Although closed to worshippers during the protests, the revered Erawan Shrine is once again accessible 24 hours a day. It is an excellent place to observe Thais in moments of quiet contemplation and also witness the grace and beauty of traditional Thai dance performed throughout the day for those who make a donation.

The history of the shrine, however, has not been all flowers and meditation. In 2006, a mentally ill man who vandalised the shrine was set upon by two street cleaners and brutally beaten to death. I remember at the time that the incident created outcry and condemnation from politicians for the act of vandalism but rather perversely not for the terrible act of murder.