Road to Chiang Rai

I like to get out of Bangkok when I can. I find the noise, pollution, traffic and scale of Bangkok a little wearisome. Recently I took a road trip to the Chiang Rai region in the very north of the country. It was was a lot of fun, very relaxing and we collected some great pictures.

To see more pictures of the trip, please go to: http://blog.artthailand.net/gallery/index.php?level=album&id=10

Many people outside Thailand assume that if you have been to Bangkok you have been to Thailand. In fact, Krung Thep (roughly translating to City of Angels), to use it’s Thai name, has been the capital of Thailand, or Siam, only since the very end of the 18th century, succeeding Ayuthaya and Sukothai.

Bangkok (translating as ‘village of wild plums’) was the original site for the capital city and was located west of the Chao Phraya river (in modern day Thonburi).

In 1782, King Rama I decided to move to a more defensible site and moved across the river to found his new capital, Krung Thep. For whatever reason, foreigners have never since caught up with the name change and the old name of Bangkok has stuck. In recent years, Krung Thep/Bangkok has expanded at such a fast rate that it now sprawls over a huge mass of land on both the sides of the Chao Phraya and has engulfed the once independent Thonburi.

Krung Thep is actually an abbreviated version of the ceremonial full name, which is shown below in a romanized form.

Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit

In English this translates, roughly, to: The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (of Ayutthaya) of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn.

Perhaps we should stick to Bangkok!

Early August we set off to Chiang Mai from Bangkok. The trip is for business, to attend a gallery opening in Chiang Rai. It’s easier to fly but I drive whenever I can. We decided to drive straight to Chiang Mai, break for the night, then move on to Chiang Rai the next day. It takes about seven hours to get to Chiang Mai, depending on traffic, the lunatic Formula 1 aspirations of your driver, and taking the right roads. Addisorn certainly has Formula 1 aspirations, and the only traffic problem we had was running into a funeral, but he can’t read a map, so we arrived late.

It’s a pleasant though unremarkable route, mostly by expressway. One joy is to see the rice fields. Field upon field stretching endlessly both vertically and horizontally. Rice farmers and their families working the fields. You feel as if you are going back in time to a more peaceful and simple existence, out from the city into the farming heartland of Thailand.

Last year I took the same route with my children but we spent four days getting to Chiang Mai, stopping off at Ayuthaya, Lopburi, Sukothai, Lampang and Phitsanulok to see a variety of sights.

In Europe I would never describe myself as a church freak. I am happy to visit the odd cathedral here and there but that’s about it. In Thailand I definitely fall into the category of temple addict. I love the Buddhist culture and the temples, whether extant or in ruins, induce all sorts of strange emotions in me.

Of all the places we visited Ayuthaya is the best known, being close to Bangkok, but Sukothai was for me the most interesting experience. Finding good hotels proved challenging. We stayed in some fairly weird places but I am now beginning to get to grips with the concept of Thai travel lodges. Luxurious they are not but they are clean, often set in very beautiful countryside and they do more for me than the functionalism of a convention type hotel.

This time we got close to Chiang Mai at around six and stopped off for dinner in a small town, beside the market. The markets are the soul of Thai rural society.You eat there, you shop there and you see Thailand there. Exotic smells, wonderfully fresh food, often grown by small families selling off their surplus.

In the outer edges of the bigger cities there are very few non-Thai and I always find myself being observed by young and old alike, as if I am an alien from another planet. I try to speak Thai to them , asking perhaps for some noodle soup or some geng daeng (red curry) and they respond with vacant stares which demonstrate that knowing Thai vocabulary is not even close to being able to speak the language!

As almost everywhere in Thailand the people are unfailingly polite and charming. Eventually we find food I can eat and then I observe the food sellers watching me to see if I can cope with the spice! There are chuckles of delight as I cough violently on som tam and expressions of satisfaction as I ask for more.

We get into Chiang Mai itself around eight. Part of our mission is to find some high quality boutique hotels to recommend to future clients.

It’s a nice idea in principle but it can be hell finding these places. We are staying at a place called Baan Singh Kham and we are lost. We call the hotel and the manager tells us to hold on and he will come and find us. After a few minutes he arrives and we follow him to the hotel.

It’s dark so it’s difficult to assess the hotel properly but the rooms, while eccentric, are fantastic, and we are paying just 2,000 baht for the night. You can see more information about the hotel at http://www.hotelthailand.com/chiangmai/baansinghkham/index.html

The site is not great but don’t let that put you off. The hotel is charming, small (I like small), very clean and very beautiful. Take a look at the bathrooms on the site! They are just a lot of fun.

I highly recommend this place. The staff are efficient, polite and they speak good English too. Ok, the place is a little eccentric. The fitness room is a bike on a balcony. New York this ain’t! You know, if I wanted New York I would go to New York. This is Thailand and I am content.

We go into Chiang Mai for dinner and find a pretty good Thai restaurant. We then wander off into the nightlife. It’s not the same as Bangkok. Yes, there are beer bars and gogo bars and a mass of karaoke bars but it is very laid back. In fact it is fair to say that Chiang Mai is generally a laid back city with its own, very unique charm. The three of us play a little pool, drink a little beer and eventually wander by accident into what is termed a gogo.

I am the only farang. No one speaks a word of English and who ever heard of a gogo bar with no poles? Well, there is a pole but it is at the entrance to the bar rather than in the bar itself. We are “entertained” by girls spitting darts to burst balloons, opening bottles of beer and doing various other weird and wonderful things with (how can I put this subtly) various and unlikely body parts.

Next morning I wake early, read in a chair on the balcony and gently watch the world pass me by. We all have breakfast and then set off for Chiang Rai. It’s not far, a little over a 100km but it’s through some very hilly terrain with slow, single lane tracks. Yet this is Thailand maybe at it’s best — green and lush, sun reflecting off the rice fields, the air fresh and clean.

Our destination is uncertain, meaning we have no idea where it is! It’s a new hotel called Doi Hom Fha. All we really know is that it is accessible by track rather than by road and that we have to take a ferry to reach the hotel itself.

Via many conversations on the phone we do eventually find the track, though “track” is a poor description. It’s more a mud trail to nowhere.

Eventually we pass through a small village of open huts and see the horizon of what appears to be a huge lake. We see boys playing in the water, fishing with small sticks. There are men in small, lazy boats fishing in the open water, also amidst the foliage of the shores. The sun lights up a panorama and we are in another world. It’s magnificent, isolated, huge and inspiring.

The hotel itself is hard to describe. It’s better experienced via pictures. The lobby is like a giant cave. I have never seen anything so big in my life. I sense there should be bats lining the walls and ceiling. The manager is hospitality herself except I mean himself as “she” later turned out to be a “he’, wonderfully eccentric, exaggeratedly feminine but fun to know. I could have done without the details of the upcoming “final” operation however.

The rooms are small villas and it’s clear we are occupying the only functional ones, functional being a relative term. The hotel is not properly open for business as yet. The grand opening is in January 2007. This is clearly meant to a 5-star resort and it is, but in a Thai way. So the advertised DVD player is found in one room but not in mine. The aircon works but vaguely so. The tap comes off my shower and the wiring looks more dangerous than an unexploded cluster bomb! And outside showers and baths are a wonderful concept except when it is raining!

Yet it really doesn’t matter. Everyone is friendly and you sense they probably will get everything fixed by January and the place is just so wonderful that I can manage almost any problem. Aso, we are paying 2,500 baht versus a rack rate of 8,000.

The site address is http://www.doihomfharesort.com/index.html. It is worth taking a look.

We are driven around the resort. It’s owned by a Thai who made his fortune in jewelry. You sense this is his fantasy project. Honestly I don’t see how the economics can work but feel the love that has gone into the project. The basis of everything is wine. The vineyards were laid down about 10 years ago with shiraz grapes. There is an enormous, I would almost say fantastic, winery with great vats full of wine.

Next we move onto the jewelry factory where gemstones are being polished by about thirty workers. Beside is the tea house where we sample about 10 different types of tea. All around is the most wonderful scenery you will ever see. What a place this is. If I was staying in a tent I would be happy here and I never do tents! If you want to escape into a civilized wilderness, far from anyone, privacy guaranteed, set in the most beautiful surrounds, then this is the place for you. All of us fall in love with the place. All of us will return.

Later we go into Chiang Rai itself for the gallery opening. On our return we discover that the ferryman has fallen asleep on the wrong side of the lake! Our driver is getting increasingly frantic trying to raise him on the radio. I am beginning to think about the merits of 4 of us sleeping in one car. He does eventually wake up and we cross in the darkness, the lake holding its secrets from us like an eclipse of the moon.

My previous time in Chiang Rai I had stayed right beside the Mekong River. We took a boat into the Golden Triangle passing huge Buddhas as we criss-crossed Thailand, Laos and Burma. We also visited the Queen Mother’s Summer Palace where there is a feast of flowers that overwhelms the senses.

I also had the misfortune to be conned by my children into an elephant ride across the river. This was not cool. Uncomfortable, often scary, am I the only person who suffers from elephant motion sickness? The Mekong and the areas around the Mekong are the equal of Doi Hom Fha, but much more geared to the tourist. I can only say that I adore the whole of the Chiang Rai region. It’s my favorite part of Thailand. I would happily get lost there for weeks on end.

The next day, Sunday, we drove home to Bangkok. It’s a 10-12 hour drive. Addisorn managed to lose us a few times, to the point that we started to believe we might end up in Hat Yai if we didn’t stay awake to guide him! Oh for the joys of satellite navigation. In Europe I can almost close my eyes on a 500km trip from Geneva to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. In Thailand I can get lost going round a corner.

Three days is not nearly enough time to do this trip. We saw almost nothing, yet we also saw everything. I would recommend taking 5-6 days, driving slowly, stopping often, keeping away from the main metropolises, with the exceptions of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. It’s a wonderful experience and a fun and novel way to experience more of what Thailand is about.

Last, some links for you about Chiang Rai:

http://www.chiangraiprovince.com/guide/

http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/

http://www.hotelclub.net/hotel.reservations/Chiang_Rai.htm

http://www.thaiwaysmagazine.com/chiang_rai_map/chiang_rai_map.html

http://www.world66.com/asia/southeastasia/thailand/chiangrai

……….We Put The World Of Contemporary Art From Thailand Within Reach

The Akha hill tribe in Chiang Rai

By: Andy Burrows

For many visitors to Northern Thailand, a trip to visit one of the region's colourful hill tribes is a necessity. These minority groups have their photos splashed across tourist brochures and websites, adding to their appeal and intrigue. Some of the villages receive tour buses and trekking groups on a regular basis as the financial benefits outweigh any concerns over privacy.

The harsh reality of the situation is that most of these hill tribes have been marginalised and live in abject poverty. Few of them are officially recognised by the Thai authorities and they exist without any ID cards or rights. For the many tourists who are happy to get a glimpse of their rural lifestyles, they are often completely unaware of the hardship and suffering they endure.

There are over half a dozen different tribes in the area, and they are all unique in their own way with different languages, dress and customs. Among the poorest of these tribes are the Akha and consequently, they receive special attention from charity workers, anthropologists and missionary groups. They are known to the Thais by the somewhat derogatory name Egor and are usually considered worthless peasants at the bottom of the social scale.

Their origins can be traced back over a century to Tibet, before they migrated to Burma, Laos and Thailand, along with other hill tribes. Over the last two decades, they have been continually persecuted by the military regime in Burma, forcing them to flee and settle in Thailand as refugees. They remain stateless despite having been here so long, and are often exploited by corrupt officials and drug barons in the area.

The Akhas use a Lolo-Burmese language, although it has never been written down, making it difficult to trace its history accurately. Any known history has been passed on by mouth over the generations. Civil rights groups have recently created a system to document their language.

There are over 300,000 Akhas living in Thailand with the majority of the villages located in the province of Chiang Rai. They are usually subsistence farmers who grow vegetables and rice on the mountainsides, and raise pigs and chickens. The men often work in surrounding rice and tobacco fields, starting early in the morning and continuing until the last light. They receive about 100 baht per day, which is considerably less than the national minimum wage.

Their villages are often in remote locations and can be difficult to reach, meaning that the Akhas seldom leave their immediate area. Running water is still not available to all of the tribes so women are sometimes charged with the task of filling up large containers from a nearby well several times a day. A few villages have been fortunate enough to be electrified resulting in a marked improvement in living conditions. Entire families live in a simple houses constructed from bamboo and grass.

Missionary groups operating in the area have also increased problems of a religious nature. Their assistance is often dependant on certain conditions as they try to convert the Akhas to Christianity. Their methods are controversial, although the missionaries would say that they can help to improve their living conditions and future opportunities.

Questionable practices such as removing children from their family homes to give them a more civilised upbringing, has led to much criticism. The religion of the Akha people is closely tied to animism, with a strong focus on honouring ancestors and their parents, and a belief in both good and bad spirits. The presence of certain Christian groups has led to an erosion of their unique and fascinating culture.

The lack of ID cards has not stopped some of the women abandoning their villages in search of work in the big cities. Many end up working in prostitution or poorly paid massage parlours. Unfortunately, the young men often suffer a worse fate as they became smugglers for powerful drug barons. During the government crackdown on drugs in 2003, over 2,000 people were killed, many of them Akha.

The future for the Akha hilltribe is hard to predict as tourism continues to thrive in the area and the Thai authorities overlook them. Their unique culture is slowly fading away as the tour groups traipse through the villages and disturb their normal lives.

Article Source: http://articles-galore.com

Chiang Mai is Andy Burrows second home, his knowledge about Asian and Thai culture is impressive and the best website he advises is:
Extensivewww.1stopchiangmai.com”> Northern Thailand travel and tourist guide
www.1stopthailand.com/golden-triangle/”> Golden Triangle travel info

Chiangrai for the Weekend

Chiangrai for the Weekend

Where do we go for the weekend? A question everyone asks occasionally, and in northern Thailand there are many places to go. Why not Chiangrai? It's close, only 3 hours away by car. It's inexpensive, especially at this time of the year.There's a lot to do, both in the city and outside of it. And, it's fun.

From July to September, Chiangrai is one of the most inexpensive cities in the country. Recent quotes from the major first class hotels in Chiangrai have rooms at below 1,000 Baht per night, and some even offer free use of their gymnasiums, saunas, jacuzzi's and sports facilities. Both hotels and tour agencies also offer day trips to the outer areas of Chiangrai Province and into Myanmar (Burma) at reasonable rates. The cost, of course, is always a consideration, but the other is what can we do there on a weekend.

Chiangrai City might just be the perfect balance between city fun and countryside scenery. In addition to hotel facilities, Chiangrai has a wide variety of excellent dining. German, Italian, French, and of course Thai foods are available at specialty restaurants, and even a few "American-style" fast food restaurants are beginning to crop up. Add to the dining, the nightly entertainment at beer pubs, hotel lounges and a few choice clubs, and you'll find that Chiangrai has plenty for you to do on a weekend away from home.

Daytime in Chiangrai provides you with a whole range of other activities. There is the temple walk ; the various spots along the Kok River , which flows through the city; the King Mengrai Monument on the eastern edge of Chiangrai; and the City Navel Pillar on the west. For sports enthusiasts there are also the hotel gyms, tennis facilities, golfing, and bicycling. Chiangrai is the perfect setting for those who like to pedal.

The City Navel Pillar deserves some extra explanation. Chiangrai is the only city in Thailand that has resurrected the ancient ritual town center once common to all Thai towns and cities of a city pillar representing the seat of the community. The origin of this practice is cloudy, with virtually no records attesting to the significance of the pillar concept; but it is known that the ancient kingdoms in Tai Nanzhao in southern China built city pillars in the centers of their towns as long ago as the 9th century A.D. The importance of the Navel Pillar in Chiangrai might indeed be directly connected with Tai Nanzhao of that period, for it was in the same century that the forebears of Chiangrai's founder, King Mengrai, made their first settlement at Chiang Saen, northeast of Chiangrai City.

The Chiangrai Navel Pillar today is a recent reconstruction in stone of the principles associated with Buddhist mythology and cosmology. Built upon the concept of Meru, the ancient Hindu seat of heavenly wisdom, this pillar is set on a platform surrounded by the symbolic corners of the universe and the rivers that run to the Buddhist heavens. It's a magnificent representation of ancient Buddhist concepts that are still appropriate to the more cosmological nature of the Hindu-Buddhist heritage from which the Thai culture was derived. The Chiangrai City Navel Pillar is located on a hill overlooking the Kok River as it winds through Chiangrai City, and in addition to being worth a visit for the architecture and symbolism of an ancient age, it is also the perfect spot from which to view the entire city of Chiangrai and the valleys that spread out to the east beyond.

For a weekend trip, it isn't necessary to spend your entire days in the city though. Whether you have your own car or plan to use the transport services of your hotel or a local travel agent, there are plenty of destinations to choose from that are within easy distance for a Saturday or Sunday outing.

From Chiangrai City, you can reach any of the following frontier spots within one or two hours. Chiang Khong is due east of Chiangrai. A small fishing and farming town on the Mae Khong River border with Laos, in addition to the very quaint Southeast Asian flavor you get in this town, you'll get a clear view of the town's sister village across the river. Chiang Khong carries on a brisk trade with its counterpart in Laos. Unfortunately, non-Thais can't cross into Laos at this point, but you can go for a riverboat ride and get pretty close.

North of Chiang Khong and also on the Mae Khong is the ancient Thai town of Chiang Saen. This town was the first northern Thai capital. It was founded in the mid-9th century by a Tai king from Nanzhao in southern China and it has been of key strategic importance to all holders of northern Thai territory ever since. The ruins of Chiang Saen, as well as the National Museum, are a pleasant and interesting way to spend a morning or an afternoon.

From Chiang Saen, the famed Golden Triangle isn't too far away. Just a 20-minute drive to the north, or a short ride on a long-tailed boat that leaves from the Chiang Saen Wharf, the Golden Triangle is a beautiful site for picnics and of course you can see where the countries of Thailand, Laos and Burma meet.

A fourth option for your day trip is a drive up Highway 107 from Chiangrai to the border town of Mae Sai. It is now possible to cross into Burma at this point, and you can do so for USD$10 to pay for your Burma border pass for one day in Tachilek, the Burmese counterpart to Thailand's Mae Sai.

For those who prefer the mountains, a day trip to Doi Mae Salong is probably your best bet. This beautiful mountain village is rich in history of the early 20th century war between China and Japan. Today, you can drive to this predominantly Chinese village, from Chiangrai, in approximately 1 1/2 hours. Enjoy the pleasant mountain air, have some good Chinese food, visit some of the healthy mountain farming areas on paths that lead out of the village, and be back in Chiangrai by the time the sun goes down.

There is much more that is available in this unique city of Thailand's upper North, but for the weekend traveller we've tried to highlight here a proper combination that will make your weekend in Chiangrai a trip of fun, pleasure and good memories. See the full color Chiangrai city map for a more detailed guide to the city, and read the remaining Chiangrai articles to learn what you can expect throughout Chiangrai Province.

Thailand's Hill Tribes and .In Chiang Rai, a Restaurant and Museum is Helping Family Planning.

In the Northern Mountains of Thailand, the non-profit arm of the PDA has opened a remarkable restaurant and Museum called Cabbages and Condoms which is helping the locals

Light years away from the mass tourism areas of Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya, lies Chiang Rai, in Northern Thailand, where the Aka, Karen and Lisu Hill Tribes eke out a spartan existence, in many cases with one foot still in the stone-age.

Now it's alcohol, before it was Opium.

Some people believe that visiting them is exploitation, citing the fondness for alcohol that has developed in some villages, but twenty years ago the dependency was on opium. Exchanging one addiction for another may not be an improvement, but I can’t help feeling that the cash cow that is tourism can only better their life.

Non-Profit Cabbages and Condoms Outfil.

To the rescue comes a remarkable outfit called Cabbages and Condoms, the non-profit arm of the Population and Community Development Association (PDA) of Thailand, an organization that encourages the villagers to make the best use of both the cabbages which grow freely in the mountains, and condoms which the PDA supplies. It also runs the most culturally sensitive and environmentally responsible treks in Chiang Rai, contributes to community development programmes and helps preserve the culture and lifestyle of the Hill tribes. It has opened restaurants and drop-in cafes in cities like Chiang Rai, Pattaya and Bangkok, where people can pick up information about the hill tribes and enjoy some local food, like roasted duck curry, steamed cottonfish with condom salad, and Thai Green Mango salad. The small Museum in the Chiang Rai outlet is a fascinating glimpse into the lifestyle of an opium addict.

On site is a handicraft shop which sells a variety of condom related memorabilia as well as village handicrafts like woven silk, carved wood figurines and embroideries, the profits from which all go back to the villages.

Support needed for Hill Tribe people

Despite their charmingly unaffected lifestyle, life is harsh for the Hill Tribe people whose life, in many cases, is one of exploitation by smooth talking men who lure them deeper into debt.

Cabbages and Condoms tries to help but it needs support. Next time you are near one of their restaurants in Bangkok, Pattaya or Chiang Rai, drop in for a meal and buy a little something. Without the tourists to purchase souvenirs from them, the life of the hill tribes would be even harsher.

· Cabbages and Condoms, Chiangrai: 620/25 Tanarai Rd, Muang District Chiangrai 57000. (053) 719167,

Chiangrai 57000. (053) 719167,

Chiang Rai Weather & When to Go

Chiang Rai is 1800 ft above sea level. The addition of grassy plains, jungle canopies, and rivers generally keep the valley cooler than surrounding regions.The annual average temperature is 25 º C and there are three main seasons in Chiang Rai.

Daytime temperatures greatly contrast with the evening during the cool season. The cool season begins in late October and ends in February. The morning averages 21 º C, but the nighttime can drop an additional 10 to 15 degrees. December and January are the coldest winter months in Chiang Rai.

The Hot Season last between March and May. The daily temperature in March is 17 º C and late May rises to 36 º. Since April is the warmest month of the year, try to visit Chiang Rai during the transition from the cool season to the hot season. Early March offers refreshing weather.

The monsoon season is a particularly misty time of year. Do not visit in August or September when the city tends to flood. The monsoons start in May and end in October. Pack an umbrella, raincoat and track the weather reports for outdoor activities. Aside from the rain, the weather is quite mild. The average temperature hovers at 25 ª C.

Chiangrai Golf Courses

Chiangrai Golf Courses

Santiburi Country Club

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., this course features a wide range of sloping lies and natural hazards. Surrounded by distant hills, the golf course and housing development is set on low hilly land. At holes 2,3 & 4 players have to play alongside a huge lake. Most greens are well protected by bunkers and there are several very good dog-leg holes, particularly the par-5 eighteenth, where players have to negotiate water on the right side of the fairway on the approach shot to the green. The clubhouse is very agreeable and hotel accommodations are on site.

Waterford Valley Chiangrai

This beautiful course is situated in one of the loveliest areas of Thailand. The course playing from the back tees is just short of 7,000 yards. Altogether, there are five sets of tees at this eighteen-hole layout and players can be forgiven if they are distracted by the background of mountainous scenery. There are eight OB holes, numerous water hazards and lovely flowers adorning the surrounds. The service in the complex has its own hotel and housing projects fringing the golf course. From November through March the cool weather is ideal for golf and family enjoyment.

Green Fees:	Weekdays (Baht)	Weekends(Baht)
Guests:	600	1,000
Visitors:	600	1,000
Caddy Fee:	-	140
Golf Cart:	-	500

Phan Travel

Phan Travel

Doi Luang National Park Doi Luang National Park covers ares in Amphoe Phan, Amphoe Waing Pa Pao of Chiang rai, and some part of Lampang and Phayao. To get to the park is by taking Chiang Rai-Phayao Highway for 58 kms. to Ban Pu Kaeng, turn right at km.773 for another 9 kms. Main attraction is Namtok Pu Kaeng It is the largest waterfall in Chiang Rai, having strong current cascading all year round.