Northern Thailand

I’ve finally booked my ticket to Amsterdam. Will be visiting my RGS buddy who is living in Deventer, Netherlands in November. But even before I leave for my Europe trip, I'm already discussing another trip during the Chinese New Year period next year with my online friends. We may be meeting up in Thailand.

Some friends suggested going to Chiangmai instead of Bangkok. But I was in Chiangrai and Chiangmai only early last year so I’m not too keen to go there again so soon. It was a family trip and my second brother being a travel agent, arranged the entire itinerary for us. I didn't enjoy the trip as much as when I travelled by myself. Also, I had a very bad throat infection then and it worsened when I went on to Bangkok on my own after Chiangmai. My eyes also got infected and my nose bled very badly.

If I remember correctly, my nose bled three times on the same day while I was wandering around the streets of Bangkok. Blood flowed from my nose, dripping and staining the shopping floor in Maboonkrong and the walkway at Suanlum Night Bazaar. I felt so embarrassed and had to keep holding a cold can of coke on my forehead to “cool” myself down. Quite drama yeah? Anyway, this posting is not about my nosebleed.

For the benefit of friends who have not been to the northern part of Thailand, I would like to share some highlights and pictures of my trip. I didn’t take that many good pictures. I think my brother did a better job. So some of the pictures you see here are his effort.

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Family Trip to Chiangrai / Chiangmai
We flew to Bangkok, then took a domestic flight to Chiangmai and transferred to an awaiting combi immediately to Chiangrai. The journey to Chiangrai took 3 hours. Don't attempt this unless you're a very seasoned road-traveller. It was really exhausting! Do spend a couple of days in Chiangmai to break the journey before going on to Chiangrai

A lovely view of Chiangrai in the early hours. Picture was taken from the hotel room.

On the road towards our first itinerary - Doi Tung.

This is how they sell strawberries, by the roadside. They also have strawberry wine.

Doi Tung Royal Villa

Doi means mountain and tung means flag/banner.

Many of the Thai royal family actually live in Europe, Switzerland. As such, the design of this royal villa is similar to Swiss architecture. The King's mother was said to have lived here until her death.






Chiang Saen - The Golden Triangle…but I didn't spot any poppies there.

Mae Sai - The Thai-Burmese border. This is the northernmost point of Thailand.

A customer driving a hard bargain…hehe! Look at the face of the stallholder. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Pong Num Ron Hotspring. See the two dimwits whom were about to scald their hands by touching the seemingly harmless looking hotspring water at the stream.

Eggs being cooked in the hotspring and sold to tourists.

We visited a mock village of Thailand's hill tribes which includes the Longneck (Karen), Akha, Yao etc. The adults and kids there quickly put on their headwear and accessories when they saw us approaching. The kids obviously got some tips from us when they posed for pictures.




We went up to the highest point in Thailand, Doi Inthanon. Temperature was around 15 degrees up there…very nice.






On your way down the mountain, you can stop at this small market place to get some organic vegetables.

Doi Suthep is another tourist attraction. It's the locals' most important Buddhist temple.


The people there make offerings to the Buddha based on the day of the week they are born. If you're not sure, you can check it out at the temple. For instance, those born on Saturdays will make offerings to this Buddha statue with serpents on its back.