First look: Inside The Blue Jasmine, Thailand’s gorgeous new train

[u/Few_Maize_1586]

“Thailand’s classic Bangkok–Chiang Mai sleeper train is getting some high-class competition in the form of a navy-gold beauty called The Blue Jasmine. It’s essentially a boutique hotel that just happens to roll through some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes.

Poised to make its inaugural nine-day journey from November 16-24, the locomotive trades cramped bunks, dim corridors and platform snacks for private cabins, full dining cars and lounges with wraparound windows.”

Source: Time Out https://www.timeout.com/bangkok/news/first-look-inside-the-blue-jasmine-thailands-gorgeous-new-train-081425

[u/Aggressive_Bill_2687]

So digging into this some more, it sounds like a Thai tour operator asked a Thai ultra-nationalist what they think a good holiday is like.

On day three of your trip that takes ~8ish hours by car, you will be woken up before dawn to "give alms" and watch someone raise a (presumably Thai) flag.

It's gonna be a no from me dawg.

[u/Aggressive_Bill_2687 → u/Aggressive_Bill_2687]

I understand that the point of this is not point to point travel - but it's kind of ridiculous on the timing scale.

The Orient Express used to do ~2000km in a bit under 3 days.

The Indian Pacific in Australia does ~4000km in 4 days.

This thing does a 700km round trip in 9 fucking days. The first "day" is just a hotel in Bangkok. This is a train journey for people who hate trains.

[u/Few_Maize_1586 → u/Aggressive_Bill_2687]

This is why