Do not be fooled by how simple Ko Samui"s longtail boats look from a distance; decades of local ingenuity have shaped their slender frames. These vessels, known in Thailand as "ruea hang yao," emerged in the early 20th century, when fishermen repurposed vehicle engines to navigate shallow waters that larger boats couldn"t reach. Handcrafted plank by plank, each boat reflects generations of skill. Their hulls burst with bold, striking colours, while decorative cloth and flowers often crown the bows—Buddhist blessings meant to safeguard both the boat and its crew.
Harbour and longtail boats at Ko Samui, Thailand
Today in History
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Zion National Park turns 103
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International Whale Shark Day
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Badlands National Park, South Dakota, United States
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Astoria-Megler Bridge, Oregon
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A beacon in the golden light
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Why are blackbirds tied to winter?
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World Elephant Day
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Sequoia National Park, California, USA
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Boreal owl
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Harbour and longtail boats at Ko Samui, Thailand
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Striated heron on a Victoria water lily, Pantanal, Brazil
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Moeraki Boulders, South Island, New Zealand
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Home of the ‘world’s worst smelling food?’
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Dubrovnik, Croatia
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International Literacy Day
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A peck between penguins
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Pumpkin field, Victoria, British Columbia
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Maritime forest in Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia, United States
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Gollinger Waterfalls, Salzburg, Austria
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Canoeing in solitude
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We can all just get along
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Kings of the north
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World Rainforest Day
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Brown-throated three-toed sloth
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Crescent-tail bigeye fish, Great Barrier Reef, Australia
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Endangered Species Day
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International Day of Human Space Flight
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A delightfully ornate Easter display
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What’s your favourite colour?
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International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, Harbin, China
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

