All aboard Thailand's 'floating train'

A lone boatman watched the spectacle of Thailand's so-called "floating train" as selfie-seeking passengers soaked up the water views after disembarking from carriages stopped on a narrow bridge. Railway adventures are gaining popularity in the kingdom with tourists seeking off-the-beaten-track travel experiences away from the hordes visiting temples and beaches.

Lotus ponds, jungles, temples and rice paddies zipped by as tourists in third class hung out the window and took pictures while enjoying the natural air conditioning. Three and a half hours after chugging out of Bangkok, the refurbished Japanese train pulling more than a dozen carriages crossed the Pasak Jolasid reservoir over a series of viaducts and stopped for 20 minutes of selfie time.

The dam is used for agriculture and flood prevention and is fast becoming a tourism drawcard with the popular rail trips running from November to January.