THE CHUGGING of the converted fishing boat stops and the world is silent. The palm tree-lined coast of the Indonesian island is hundreds of metres away.

Although the reef edge is near, the water where we hover is 100m deep. The captain gestures to my family to jump off the boat. I wonder if this is right.

“What, here?” I ask. “Yes here, Turtle City,” he grins.

My trusting four-year-old daughter turns her wide eyes up to me. I flash her a smile and, together, we plunge into the bottomless blue.

Immediately, my sons, aged 11 and eight, are squealing through their snorkels.

Right below us swims a 2m-long green turtle. Sunlight bounces off the ancient creature’s shell in every direction. The behemoth seems to fly as her front flippers haul her through the water. She is unafraid and, soon, we cannot keep pace and watch her glide into infinity.

The clarity of the water is breathtaking and I see several more turtles – to the left, right and far below.

The island of Sulawesi lies 600km north-east of Bali. I have flown from Singapore to Manado in Northern Sulawesi, intending to show my children the wild highlights of this zone.

Over the next nine days, we will be immersed in the underwater paradise of Bunaken Island and encounter monkeys in the Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve.

Emerging from the airport, we take a 40-minute drive to Manado Port, the gateway to Bunaken and other islands.

I am eager for our adventure to begin but, at the port, I notice with great dismay that the water is bobbing with plastic. I find it astonishing that this polluted harbour is the gateway to a natural paradise.

The wooden boat we will take to Bunaken Island is filled with bags of rice, crates of vegetables, beer, crew and, lastly, my family. Once underway, the garbage of the port lessens and my eyes are soothed by mountainous, green views of the mainland.

We are in one of the most diverse coral reef ecosystems in the world, with approximately 2,000 species of tropical fish and 390 types of corals so far recorded from the area. There are still infringements of the fishing rules here, but on the whole, the reef is pristine.

On my first snorkel from the beach, I encounter a green turtle followed by a skittish whitetip reef shark. Reef fish of orange, blue and pink cloud my vision and it feels like I am in an aquarium dream.

I am inspired to dust off my dive certification and go out with a scuba tank.

The in-house divemaster is a local from Bunaken and a man of few words. However, under the water, he conducts my refresher course with confidence, then proudly leads me through his shimmering backyard.

Gently parting some rubbery soft coral, he shows me the tiny, delicate orangutan crab. No bigger than the nail on my pinky, its orange “fur” sways with the current.

A metallic “tap, tap” on the divemaster’s tank prompts me to look straight down.

About 15m below me, a 2m-long blue and green Napoleon wrasse darts upwards and flashes back down, followed by the sleek and silvery body of a shark.

The two dance aggressively and, as I watch, I am astonished to see a 1m-long giant trevally glide over to check out the action.

Dolphins accompany my boat as I bid farewell to Bunaken Island and, when they finally slide away into the glassy expanses, I turn my thoughts to the wild animals of the land.

Sulawesi and the neighbouring island of Borneo have been separated by deep water for more than 50 million years. An imaginary line was drawn between the two in 1859 by naturalist Alfred Wallace and is thus named the Wallace Line.

The animals on either side of the line are quite distinct, with only a few successfully crossing the line. Many native animals unique to Northern Sulawesi are still found in the forests and these are only a two-hour drive from Manado.

Emerging from my mosquito net at 4am the next morning, I hope it is worth the effort.

My torch lights the track as I follow our guide deep into the forest.

Shushing excited kids, I am surprised to hear leaves rustling and see shadowy figures up ahead.

A troupe of macaques is travelling in the same direction as us and, as the sunrise starts to penetrate the forest, they are suddenly, eerily, all around us.

The black crested macaque is one of 127 species of mammals found in Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve. Still hunted for bush meat and threatened by deforestation, the monkey is critically endangered and lives only in Northern Sulawesi.

There are about 40 macaques in the group we are with, all with a distinctive black mohawk style.

Males squabble, chase and wrestle, showing off to females. Mothers piggy-back their babies and munch on bugs they pull from one another’s fur. Rowdy adolescents jump from branch to vine before scampering across the forest floor in play.

I return later that night for a second guided walk. This time, I am seeking the world’s smallest monkey – the tarsier.

Creeping through the dark jungle, I am quickly rewarded by our guides’ local knowledge.

The tiny furball is perched on a branch, having emerged from its daytime refuge.

It is impossibly cute, with enormous eyes, and I laugh as my daughter whispers: “Mum, can we get a tarsier?”

IF YOU GO

nThere are no direct flights between Bangkok and Manado. The best way to travel is via Singapore or Jakarta. Silkair offers four flights from Singapore a week.

nHotels can arrange an airport pick-up to Bunaken Island. It is a 40-minute drive from the airport to the port of Manado. Your hotel boat will meet you for the 40-minute boat trip to the island.

nI stay at Bunaken Cha Cha Nature Resort (www.BunakenChaCha.com). Room rates start at $175 a person a night.

nIt takes about two hours by car from Manado to Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve. Accommodation is basic. I stay at Dove Villas and it costs $26 for a double room, including breakfast. The very friendly owners, Ouldy and Evi, can arrange forest guides and transport to and from anywhere in the region.

“Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor is a diverse region and offers a huge range of attractions to tourists and visitors. We want people coming here to work or travel to have the chance to explore the culture of the area. They’ll find communities offering unique local experiences from exploring bustling markets to making connections with people via homestays and fishing excursions,” said TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn.

“Foodies will love the area, especially the farms and orchards where amazing fruit can be enjoyed.”

Tourist attractions in the EEC area that have become popular for day-trips include the Cartoon Network Amazone water park, which is popular with young people and the exquisite Sanctuary of Truth that is a showcase of Buddhist and Hindu art.

Chachoengsao has many unique local attractions including a 100-year-old market on the local canals and orchards where visitors can take tours and enjoy freshly picked fruit including durian and mangosteen. More natural attractions in the EEC include Ko Si Chang, which has a fascinating history having once been home to King Rama V the Great’s summer palace.

It is currently being developed to accommodate more tourists and attract visitors coming to watch the Air Race 1 World Cup Thailand, being held from November 17-19, 2017, at nearby U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport.

Nearby Koh Samet in Rayong is popular with Bangkok weekenders and boasts sandy beaches and clear waters for bathing. Chon Buri’s Sattahip is home to attractions such as Ko Kham Undersea World. While Thailand’s main gateway, Suvarnabhumi Airport is easily accessible for the Eastern Seaboard, the U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport is being converted into a commercial airport with the construction of a second runway and the building of a new passenger terminal.

Executive chef Dietmar Spitzer and his skilled team also spiced up a wellness workshop with four-day nutritious meals, while a group of 18 wellness participants learned more about the relationship between mind and body, the basics of yoga, meditation, life tips and personal nutrition, and applying aromatherapy and art therapy to healing on every level – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

The wellness workshop kicked off with a gentle rise and shine find your flow and movement by Rhodes, a vitality coach who believes that “Sitting is the new smoking”. He had participants practising the mindful walking and breathing – being aware of each step and of their breath while slowly walking through the resort’s tropical gardens.

The participants also joined in a variety of movements to awaken the body and mind through yoga and meditation to help build strength, flexibility, balance, focus and inner peace with renowned yoga and the enigmatic White.

The wellness retreat was complemented with talks and hand-on workshops on reducing inflammation, balancing blood sugar to cooking demonstration. Spitzer and his chef de cuisine Andrea Genio and their skilled kitchen team also offered a “Healthy by choice” cooking class.

Highlights included Asparagus salad with roasted chickpeas, Melon rice noodle salad, marinated Asian turnip in cucumber wild herbs brew and red radish and roasted vegetables with cauliflower mashed potatoes.

Artist Reilly introduced a workshop on “Art As Therapy: Explore Your Visual Symbols”, during which participants created a visual sketchbook of their personal symbols, took time to draw, paint, doodle and notice what symbols are parts of their life and affected them.

An aromatherapy workshop conducted by Russell was another fun, informative class to educate how to apply essential oils to improve the health and well being and how to make their own toothpastes, face spritz, Lavender spray and more.

Nutritionist Craig Burton was on hand to do blood screening to evaluate the participant’s blood sugar levels, proteins, lipids, inflammatory markers and solutions to help determine their own health challenges.

The hotel is hosting a new series of wellness workshops in October. Seats are limited and you can book a session at (076) 338 000 extension 3752 or email linda.overman@marriotthotels.com.

Find out more at http://www.JWMarriottPhuketResort.com.

Designed to suit all lifestyles, this one-of-a-kind, sought-after series gives members a chance to rub shoulders with basketball great Dwyanee Wade, Hall of Fame golfer Annika S?renstam, celebrated chef Eric Ripert, Irish golfer Padraig Harrington and surfer Laird Hamilton.

“Our members believe life is an adventure worth pursuing,” says David Flueck, senior vice president of Global Loyalty, Marriott International. “We’re focused on taking the best of Marriott’s loyalty programmes – including our partnerships and extraordinary portfolio of hotels – and stepping it up with master classes that provide transformative experiences travellers cannot get anywhere else.”

Travel is one of life’s passions for the 100 million Marriott Rewards and SPG members, and master classes will inspire them to pursue and perfect their other passions wherever they travel. Redeemable using loyalty points, master classes will range from hands on experiences with decorated Michelin-starred and James Beard award-winning chefs, championship golfers, Hall of Fame calibre basketball players, on-property experts and others giants in their fields.

The first master class series include the NBA Skills Training with Dwyane Wade at the JW Marriott Marquis Miami. Wade will share his techniques on the hotel’s NBA approved indoor basketball court.

Michelin-starred chef Ripert will offer an exclusive cooking class over a four-day culinary event at the Cayman Cookout Hosted by The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman. Adventurers can head up to Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Florida and enrols in a master surfing class with Laird, who will guide you how to ride the waves on SurfStream, the world’s first standing wave machine.

Hotel Arts Barcelona presents a private cooking class with Michelin starred chef Paco P?rez and follows with a multi-course private dining experience with wine pairings. The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe introduces a two-day Gold Clinic with Sorenstam to improve your swing and get to know the golf legend over 18 holes on the Old Greenwood Golf Course.

Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay in California will host a Golf Lessons with three-time major champion golfer Harrington while pro golfer Thomas Bjorn will conduct a Golf Skills Clinic at The Westin La Quinta Golf Resort & Spa, Benahavis, Marbella, Spain and French oceanographic explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau will give an under conservation lesson at the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, Hawaii.

Additional master classes available to members of both SPG and Marriott Rewards include a fly-fishing adventure where members fly on The Ritz-Carlton Orlando’s private floatplane to the upper reaches of the historic St John’s River to learn from certified casting instructor angling techniques, as well as a tennis clinic taught by a pro player and a celebrity tennis enthusiast at the US Open.

Future master classes, which will be added in the coming weeks and months, will continue to tap into Marriott International’s unmatched depth & breadth of 30 brands, 6,100 properties in 124 countries & territories, including the Sound Suite at the W hotels, as well as exclusive partnerships with the largest music company, and some of the most popular music venues in the world.

Find out more at Members.Marriott.com.

On a mission to save the world, superheroes are calling on young guests to join the ranks of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, offering youngsters S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Credentials and a personalised ID 1 at a designated location before joining training with the Iron Man Experience simulator.

Captain America stands by at the entrance of Hero’s Welcome space and greets new recruits to the team. Agents will meet the legendary web-slinger at the Spider-Man Heroic Encounter and then walk through Mission: Dimensions of Danger to join Super Heroes in the battle against evil forces through interactive action with Thor and Star-Lord.

Black Widow and Hawkeye show up in Launch Bay while the mighty Thor appears in Odin’s Vault and Star-Lord joins the adventure in the Collector’s Museum. A super hero team will back up guests in helping Doctor Strange recover the powerful Portal Nexus artefact before it falls into the hands of Hydra.

“Marvel’s Super Heroes are some of the world’s most fascinating characters and appear in amazing stories. We’re incredibly proud to create this experience just for our fans in Asia,” says Randy Wojcik, creative director of entertainment and costuming, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.

“Following the incredible success of Iron Man Experience, which inspired double-digit growth in male guests, even more Super Hero-themed entertainment is now here This summer, a number of Marvel Super Heroes have assembled in the park for the first time ever, and guests can step into the exciting Marvel Universe filled with action-packed, interactive elements in a new, Hong Kong-exclusive experience.”

HKDL has also teamed up with Marvel to introduce a limited-edition Marvel comic book, entitled “Iron Man Experience: Hong Kong Heroes 1” that are available during Marvel Super Hero Summer only at the park.

The Marvel team, including the Hong Kong artist Justice Wong and Hong Kong-based writer Howard Wong, spent two months crafting the comic. Set in Hong Kong, the story also debuts a new armoured hero who joins Iron Man and the other Super Heroes to stop the bad guys from taking a secret treasure hidden in Hong Kong’s Stark Expo.

“As Marvel continues to grow globally, so does our international fan base, and it’s important to us that our stories now reflect the world outside the windows of our readers no matter where they live,” says CB Cebulski, vice president of Marvel Brand Management and Development, Asia.

Guests holding with S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Credentials and ID can enjoy a 20-per-cent discount on the limited edition Hong Kong Disneyland Marvel comic book when they have completed specific missions and collected all four Medals of Valor in the park.

Agents looking for new gear can check out the latest collection of 300 Marvel-themed items in the Marvel Supply HQ boasting supercharged T-shirts, awesome stationery and toys featuring Spider-Man, Captain America and the Avengers.

And guests can boost their energy with more than 20 Marvel-inspired food and beverage choices including Stark Kitchen’s Hero Burger Combo that will satiate any hero-sized appetite.

The event also features the Marvel 10K Weekend 2017 in mid-September and Captain America, Spider-Man, Thor and other Marvel Super Heroes will be on hand to cheer the runners on.

Find out more at www.HongKongDisneyland.com.

Based at Como Uma Paro, this six-night trip takes you to the heart of the ethereal Himalayan kingdom. From the gravity-defying Tiger’s Nest Monastery to the temple of the Divine Madman, travellers can enjoy spectacular drives, unique nature walks and a day at the renowned Matsutake Mushroom Festival.

Visitors will spend three nights at COMO Uma Paro and three nights at COMO Uma Punakha, located in the tropical Punakha Valley with its magnificent dzongs, rice paddies and ancient temples. A journey into the kingdom’s heartland starts at the bustling capital of Thimphu, set in a valley dotted with monuments, museums and markets. You then visit the Matsutake Mushroom Festival at Genekha village, where the local community comes together to exhibit their delicious local produce, including their famous mushrooms.

The package includes accommodation, picnic lunches during excursion days (excluding beverages), and five-and-a-half days of privately guided excursions taking in the highlights of the Paro, Thimphu and Punakha Valleys with an experienced English-speaking Bhutanese guide.

Guests can also take advantage of seasonal Matsutake menu, a complimentary packet of Matsutake mushrooms, an one-hour mushroom hunt, a 60-minute Como Shambhala body treatment, private airport transfers and transport around Bhutan and all Bhutanese government visa and royalty fees, service charge and sales tax.

Find out more at www.Comohotels.com/umabhutan.

Following the renovation of facilities and restoration of natural resources, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) has collected Bt1.7 billion in revenue from nationwide national park admission fees from October 2016 until June 2017, DNP spokesman Sompot Maneerat said on Wednesday.

Most of the revenue was collected from the admission fees of Bt428 million at Krabi’s Nopparat Thara Beach and Phi Phi Islands National Park, followed by Bt299 million at Phang Nga’s Mu Koh Similan National Park.

The DNP is aiming to generate more revenue from tourism at the national parks and will allocate the money for the restoration and development of natural attractions, as the budget from the government is not sufficient.

AFTER FLOODING caused by the run-off from the Mekong River put a damper on festivities last year, the northeast province of Loei has sprung back to life, with Dan Sai district all ready to host its annual Bun Luang or “Bun Pawet” and the famous Phi Ta Khon Festival in a week-long celebration that gets underway this weekend.

This year, the unique celebration featuring colourful processions and villagers wearing ghost masks, kicks off at Wat Phon Chai on Saturday and runs through Monday then moves to Wat Sri Phum on June 27-28, Wat Sri Sa Ard, on June 30 and Wat Pho Sri on July 1.

The annual Phi Ta Khon Festival returns to Dan Sai district of Loei province this weekend.

“Phi Ta Khon in Nam Thang and Na Vieng still maintains the traditional masks and procession, but Phi Ta Khon in Na Vieng is now different, having switched to a night parade,” says Witut Suwankoed, Na Viang Yai’s village headman.

“It isn’t scary at you might imagine a night event to be but rather it provides plenty of photographic opportunities. Three prizes are handed out for the winning images of Phi Ta Khon in Na Vieng.”

Four temples in Dan Sai abide by the traditions of the Phi Ta Khon Festival, but only Wat Phon Chai has been promoted over the years and today draws Thai and foreign tourists in their thousands. That fame has come at the cost of the other temples in the area but this could be about to change, as Si Song Rak mayor Waythin Phienwittaya, who performed Phi Ta Khon since he was a child, has been working hard to restore the cultural heritage for the two temples in his sub-district, Wat Sri Sa Ard and Wat Pho Sri, for a few years.

“Phi Ta Khon Festival at Wat Phon Chai is the only venue that’s been heavily promoted. The other three temples join the celebration of Phi Ta Khon Festival but without support from either the public or private sector. The villagers help each other to produce the Phi Ta Khon masks from the original materials and organise the festival by themselves without any promotion. So, the festivals at these three temples don’t attract the interest of tourists even though they deserve to.

“Most tourists only know Phi Ta Khon Festival at Wat Phon Chai. That’s why I’ve attempted to restore the Phi Ta Khon tradition at Wat Sri Sa Ard and Wat Pho Sri,” says Waythin.

“The Phi Ta Khon Festival at the four temples isn’t different in terms of the basics – each features two big ghosts and some smaller ones. Phi Ta Khon Yai (big ghosts) consists of male and female spirits with exaggerated sexual organs. The prototypes for Phi Ta Khon Yai were originally made for Wat Phon Chai by auntie Jop Muensom’s ancestors, and she says that if she didn’t continue the tradition, she would fall ill. The pattern of the Phi Ta Khon mask from four temples isn’t different but it has been adjusted to suit modern times and is made with the modern materials. In the two villages under our jurisdiction, we have chosen to maintain the traditional mask made of coconut husks and huad (rice steamer basket handcrafted from bamboo), while the costumes are sewn from recycled jiwon and sabong , the outer and inner robe of a Buddhist monk respectively,” he adds.

Villagers rehearse for the parade with two Phi Ta Khon Yai.

“This year, the Phi Ta Khon Festival at the other three temples will have a traditional theme. The mask of Phi Ta Khon is separated into three periods. Formerly, the mask was painted using soot only – a dark powdery deposit of unburned fuel residues. Today, it consists of three colours –black, white and red. In modern times, it is more colourful,” says the Na Vieng Yai headman.

The Phi Ta Khon Festival reflects the local Isaan belief in ghosts and spirits. Held once a year, it is part of a grand merit-making festival known as “Bun Luang”. The origins of the Phi Ta Khon Festival can be found in the tale of Lord Buddha’s last great incarnation before attaining Enlightenment. In Buddhist accounts, it is said that when Prince Vessantara, the Buddha’s penultimate incarnation, returned to his city, it was such a joyous occasion that the village spirits came forth to join the welcoming parade.

Two types of “spirits” are featured in the Phi Ta Khon procession, namely the Phi Ta Khon Yai – the supreme Phi Ta Khon, and the Phi Ta Khon Lek”, ghosts that are commonly found. For the former, a sacred ritual must be performed to seek the blessings of the supreme powers before work on the Phi Ta Khon Yai masks can be initiated. It is also a task reserved exclusively for the descendants of families in which the tradition of making Phi Ta Khon masks has been practised for several generations.

“Phi Ta Khon Festival takes place before the ninth month of the Buddhist Lent Day,” says Waythin.

Villagers craft the traditional Phi Ta Khon masks.

“We work with the schools in the areas of our responsibility to teach this tradition to ensure that the next generation will inherit the traditions of Phi Ta Khon.

“During the festival, we will |also encourage agritourism and promote our popular agricultural product, Bong Wan bamboo shoots. We will create dishes made of the bamboo shoots including some desserts where it will replace haew (truffle) in thap thim krob (mock pomegranate seeds in coconut ice syrup).”

As well as the unique masked parade through the town, visitors can enjoy other activities including the Phi Ta Khon mask contest, a junior Phi Ta Khon contest, a recitation of the 13 sermons of Phra Vessandorn (as Prince Vessantara is known to Thais) and exhibition booths from the public and private sectors. There is also a fun food festival and booths selling local products.

And the three other temples in Dan Sai are likely to get a further boost from next year thanks to the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s new “Cool Isaan” campaign, which seeks to promote the traditional way of life in Ban Nam Thang, Ban Nathum, and Ban Na Vieng Yai.

WITH ITS stunning alpine landscape, Switzerland is a magnet for travellers from all over the world, but it holds a special place in the hearts of Thais because it was once home to His Majesty the beloved late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The late monarch, King Rama IX rarely left Thailand throughout the seven decades of his reign, but he spent his formative years, before ascending the throne, in Lausanne, one of the most picturesque of Swiss settings.

One of the buildings at the Ecole Nouvelle de la Suisse Romande looks much the same as it did when King Rama VIII and his younger brother attended all those decades ago. 

For Thais grieving his death last October, there is comfort in reading about his life, and even more in seeking out the places that played important roles in developing his character.

While Lausanne has in many ways changed over time, visiting Thais are delighted to find several buildings in almost exactly the same condition as they were during King Rama IX’s residence here.

One of them is the apartment building at 16 Avenue Tissot, where the future king and his family lived from 1933 to 1935.

He was still a boy, born in the United States just a few years earlier, in 1927. His London-born sister HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana was four years older. His brother HRH King Ananda Mahidol, born in Heidelberg, Germany, and hailed as King Rama VIII near the end of their stay on Avenue Tissot, was older than Bhumibol by two years.

I’d read about the family apartment in the book “Chaonai Lek Lek – Yuwakasat” (“Little Royals – Young Kings”) written by Her Royal Highness the late Princess Galyani Vadhana, so it was exciting to see it in person on my recent trip to Lausanne.

As described in the book, it sits in a quiet corner of the town, in a fine apartment block with “16” displayed prominently on one of the main doors. Since the building is entirely private property, unauthorised visitors are not allowed inside, but my imagination was ably assisted by the Princess’ memoir.

“Mum rented a flat on the first floor because she was worried her children might disturb the people living below with their running and jumping. Under our flat there was only the garage,” Galyani wrote, referring to her mother, who would become known as Her Royal Highness Sri Nagarindra the Princess Mother.

Her Royal Highness Princess Sri Nagarindra and her three children lived in this apartment block in Lausanne from 1933 to 1935.

“The flat had quite an ample sitting room, a dining room, a bedroom for mum and me with yellow furniture, and a bedroom for my brothers with pink furniture.”

I noticed a large balcony at the rear of the apartment block. The Princess recalled that she and her brothers often spent time on their flat’s balcony when the weather was nice, and indeed her book has several photos of them out there. The pictures are black and white, so I wasn’t sure if the balcony railing was the same colour, green, as I saw during my visit.

I could see nothing and no one on this particular balcony, and it appeared that the doors of the flat leading onto the balcony were closed.

From the apartment, I could see Lake Geneva (or Lac Leman, as French-speakers call it) and I also discovered that it was only a short distance to Lausanne station.

Also close by is the Palais de Rumine, once a main building of the University of Lausanne, where the royal siblings studied when they grew older. The architecture is impressive, quite beautiful in the Florentine Renaissance style. It now houses a library of the university and several museums and is free to visit.

Out front is the St Francois Market where the Princess Mother used to buy fresh produce for her family. The market is open only on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The Palais de Rumine was once a main building of the University of Lausanne, where the royal siblings received their formal education.

My tour guide explained that the university had relocated some distance from the Palais de Rumine, to premises large enough to accommodate its growing number of students.

Inside I found a lot of young people pursuing their academic interests, but no clear trace of Thai royalty. That was to be found instead at the Ecole Nouvelle de la Suisse Romande, the school Ananda and Bhumibol attended beginning in 1935 – the year Ananda became King at age nine.

Two of the school’s original buildings, pictured in “Chaonai Lek Lek”, still stand. Inside one is a cabinet displaying many photos and other mementoes of the Thai royal family. A plaque honouring the two boys who became kings adorns the front of the school’s new building.

During my visit, Lysandre Seraidaris was on hand to share stories about the princes’ childhood. His father had been their private tutor, and King Bhumibol personally granted Seraidaris permission to write about their time in Switzerland, based on his father’s recollections.

Originally published in French, his book “King Bhumibol and the Thai Royal Family in Lausanne” has been translated into English as well as Thai. In Thailand, it became a bestseller.

Seraidaris has a formal presentation about “The King I Used to Know” that provides fascinating glimpses into the private lives of the royal family. He confirms that the siblings and their mother excelled at skiing, and Thais are familiar with photos of the family enjoying themselves on the slopes while on holiday.

Princess Galyani remembered in her book another happy occasion. She quotes a letter from her mother about her brothers’ visit to a Swiss chocolate factory, which they were interested to find largely automated.

In fair weather the royal children loved spending time on the balcony just above the garage at their apartment building in Lausanne. 

That was on April 15, 1935, at the invitation of Nestle, the chocolate maker with which the Cailler brand is affiliated. Thais travelling in Switzerland today make it a point to visit the factory, which offers a wonderful, multi-sensory presentation on the history of cacao.

Lausanne also has a vast park where the Princes and Princess played in their childhood. The boys had their picture taken with sculptures of monkeys there, and you can still see the carvings, looking exactly the same as they do in the royal family’s snapshots.

It was an undeniably joyful experience following “the royal trail”, but I had to agree with Kittiphong na Ranong, Thailand’s ambassador to Switzerland, who advised us to focus less on the physical places and more on what it was about the country that instilled in King Bhumibol such remarkable qualities.

“Swiss people are thinkers and inventors,” the ambassador said. “They usually do things by themselves and are fully dedicated to what they do.” And the brothers lived in Switzerland for 17 and 18 years, he pointed out.

He told visiting reporters, as an aside, that the Thai Embassy in Bern has a piano believed to be the first serious musical instrument with which the Princes became acquainted, when they were just nine and seven.

Kittiphong’s words resonate in King Bhumibol’s oft-quoted statement that he cared little about how history remembered him. “If they want to write about me in a good way,” he famously said, “they should write how I do things that are useful.”

So, as much I will always cherish the experience of exploring the royal trail in Switzerland, I recall more the late King’s boundless benevolence, and take to heart his teachings.

The writer travelled to Switzerland as a guest of Government Savings Bank.