Mountain View Towing

One of the most interesting aspects of business life in Thailand is the company outing, annual or biennial.

Officially, the event is an extension of the office, but in a more relaxed atmosphere. The reality is that there is normally a formal meeting of the company when the directors or senior managers give a pep talk to staff, and the rest of the long weekend is about getting better with colleagues, make new friends and generally having a really great short break. And, as a "farang" a foreigner in Thailand, the more you get into the spirit of rupture, the more you enjoy it. Of course, there will be times that you make a complete ass of yourself, but hey, it's a break, it's free, and it can be real fun!

A while back I went to a company like exit, having been invited by my local business partner to join the company on their first outing of the year. The destination was a "resort" hotel, the River Kwai Village Hotel, or "Jungle Resort in Sai Yok district of Kanchanaburi province, which is on another sixty kilometers from the provincial capital, the city of Kanchanaburi.

Sai Yok much like many districts in the province of Kanchanaburi, with its lush forests and jungles, beautiful rivers and streams, waterfalls flow in the rainy season, and although course, as elsewhere in Thailand, some very interesting temples.

A little over four hours after the luxury car in Bangkok we got to the hotel Rive Kwai Village. By car, you can probably do it in half past two, but if you've been on a company outing in Thailand, you know you need a break every two hours for lunch is required!

Directly in the business meeting on the first morning, and three very short pep talks later we were in the action packed weekend. The hotel is on the banks of the Kwai Noi River, and most rooms have views over the river and mountains, so the first day was set aside to explore the river on a raft of Thai style. This is not to be confused with Western rafts - they are houseboats and are large enough for forty people, boats towed by powerful long tail, and come with a mobile disco., Food and a full range of beverages enough for a good day.

The Kwai Noi is remarkably untouched by the pollution at this stage, and is ideal for swimming in the many large pools that dot the shady banks of the River. Add in some great views of the jungle, a great outdoor cooking and a few beers and you have all the ingredients to make a truly wonderful day in Thailand.

The second day consisted of a tour extremely well-oiled many districts in districts of Kanchanaburi. Methods of transportation include our deluxe bus, local train and mini-buses. For me, the highlight of the day was going to Prasat Muang Sing Historical Park by the local train from the city of Kanchanaburi to Tha Kilen Station. Some parts of this line follow the route of the railway infamous death, and you have to wonder in what terror the poor being forced into labor during the Second World War could have ever built.

Prasat Muang Sing was probably built during the height of the Khmer influences and is supposed to be an outpost of Angkor. As such, the style is the Khmer ruins. From my description you can feel that, if some information is available on its origins, much is still unclear. This may be partly because the site has been invaded, even in the same way that the temple complex of Angkor is gone, and Prasat Muang Sing has been restored only thirty five years ago.

This was the last stop of the weekend, a.