In Thailand there are many cities that decorate their street signs with icons associated with the city. Here are some that I have seen over the years in my travels in Thailand.

Patong Beach, Phuket

Patong Beach in Phuket with a dolphin street sign.

Krabi Town

Krabi Town with a sword-wielding elephant. Of course.

Maeklong

Maeklong is best known as the place where the train goes through a market. The city logo happens to be a drum, so sadly no trains decorate the street signs here.

Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is a city full of buddhist temples, and the signs here look like they try and fit as many temples on the top of the sign as possible.

Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai, not to be confused with Chiang Mai, have broken with the Thai standard black and blue signs by going gold. Maybe they got tired of being confused with Chiang Mai.

Chiang Khong

Chiang Khong is a border town sitting on the Mekong opposite Laos. Their sign features the soon-to-be extinct Irrawaddy dolphin.

Ubon Ratchathani

Ubon Ratchathani in the Isaan region is best known for its annual Candle Festival.

Songkhla

Songkhla in the deep south of Thailand is famous for the Golden Mermaid, and she is the town logo as well.

Thong Sala – Ko Pha Ngan

Thong Sala – the administrative centre of Ko Pha Ngan – has a happy monkey under coconut trees and a dolphin by the sea, and thankfully no wasted foreign backpackers in honour of the Full Moon Party.

Ranong

Another town, another temple. This is Ranong, near the border of Myanmar.

Pattaya

If you had of asked me what I thought would be on the Pattaya street sign, I would have guessed a go-go girl pole dancing, but no, Pattaya have honoured its maritime heritage with a ship’s wheel.

Mahachai

Nothing fancy here. I’ve just added this one to illustrate what an every day street sign looks like in Thailand.

Kanchanaburi

Fish signs in Kanchanaburi.

Nakhon Pathom

Nakhon Pathom street signs feature the Phra Pathom Chedi (the tallest stupa in the world).

Hua Hin

A boat-themed sign for the coastal resort city of Hua Hin.

Pai

Just an ordinary gold sign for Pai.

Mae Hong Son

Mae Hong Son in remote northern Thailand.

Khon Kaen

Mukdahan

Nakhon Phanom

Nakhon Phanom in Northeast Thailand.

Udon Thani

Two different types of streets signs spotted in Udon Thani.

Wat Phra Singh in Chiang Mai is one of the biggest Buddhist temples in the city and houses the Phra Buddha Sihing, an important Buddha statue.

In the Wat compound there are famous Buddhist quotes and sayings attached to trees throughout the garden, which makes for an enlightened walk around the Wat. I like reading inspirational quotes, so on my walks around the old city of I would often make a detour to this garden to ponder these Buddhist quotes on life.

[If everything is gotten dreamily, it will go away dreamily too.]

[Dhamma is systematic practice for a man at every stage of his life.]

[Flattering words are but honey-coated poison.]

[Light dispels darkness. Wisdom dispels ignorance.]

[With Dhamma established in the mind, even bare rice is delicious enough.]

[Those with good eye are inclined to fall into deep well.]

[As you sow so you reap.]

[Until death there is nothing enough.]

[There is no glory for a lazy person however good looking.]

[Without recognition of death, how can there be any knowledge of it.]

[Mans death is the least of all things material. What is left to the world is virtues and vices.]

[The simplicity of the good man is hard to follow. The simplicity of the evil man is easy to follow.]

[Physical charms attract the eyes, goodness attracts the mind.]

[Failure teaches a man how to succeed.]

[Poverty with dignity is better than wealth based on shame.]

[Never is there any effect like that of merit.]

[Without a beginning, there is nothing to worry about the end.]

[The most valuable service is one rendered to our fellow humans.]

[Do not neglect recollection of death.]

[Don’t escape when you have a problem because there always is a way to solve it.]

[Ignorance is the real evil.]

[If there nothing that you like, you must like the things that you have.]

[Better is to speak unpleasant truth than to tell lies.]

[It is easy to know man’s face, but it is difficult to know his thought.]

[Peace is the highest bliss.]

[Eat to live but (don’t) live to eat.]

[In time of suffering, only dhamma is real friend of the mind.]

[Merit making calculated to impress is not real merit.]

[Do try to do good but not to be great, otherwise you will be in danger.]

[Everyone may be a fool but nobody is a fool forever.]

[No other foes are greater than birth and death. No other friends are greater than merits.]

[With mindfulness, a person always prospers.]

[There is no saturating the fire with fuel.]

[The skilled man does not show off, but the man without knowledge usually show off.]

[Crying with the wise is better than laughing with the fool.]

[Anxiety shortens life.]

[Not only to be receiver, but also to be provider.]

[Time and tide wait for no man.]

[Living without hope is like burying oneself.]

[Education is a guide, knowledge is a key.]

[Selfishness is the father of all evil.]

[To defeat others is the starting point of hatred and vengeance.]

[Constant dripping wears away the stone.]

[Every honest work is honourable work.]

[Clean, clear, calm; these are characteristics of a noble person.]

[Good to forgive, the best to forget.]

[It is flooded water that makes mud; it is clean water that wipes away mud.]

Merit is to accumulated, evil is to be abandoned.

Selfishness is the real enemy of peace

[Today is better than two tomorrows.]

[To do good and evil unseen by others are always seen by oneself.]

[A man who will be the public leader, must know how to be the public follower.]

For more Buddha quotes check out 365 Days of Inspirational Quotes and Sayings in Buddhism.

If you are considering to visit Chiang Mai read the guide on where to stay in Chiang Mai.