Thailand Part Three – 21st April to 27th April

21st April Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya is rich in the history of Thailand and this region. Particularly its religious and regal history. The historical park comprises vast and intricate temple ruins. There are actually four temples at this site and a Royal Palace. (The temples :Wat Phra Ram, Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Mahathat and Wat Ratchaburana.) You can only imagine the grandeur and how they might have looked, tall, imposing and bright white from the plaster that covers the millions of small red bricks mortared together that enable the forms to occur. The plaster is long gone leaving piles of red bricks.

There are hundreds of Partial statues of Buddha that line the walls. And areas where they have been arranged in reverence, but actually look like a statue spare parts lot!

The archaeological finds from this site are held in the National museum. Chao Sam Phraya National Museum. Well worth a visit. The devotion to Buddhism is evident every where in Thailand, but no more than in the museum. Worshipers gain favour from a particular god by offering golden objects, some in the form of figures and some in the form of simple thin gold sheets embossed with images of gods and deities. There were several rooms at the museum displaying these finds all air conditioned and guarded.

There are rules regarding the photography of Buddhas. You can photograph them but not with any one else in the frame i.e. no selfies or posing.

The city also has markets and a thriving tourist trade in elephant rides. They are magnificent animals, but their exploitation and in some cases poor treatment is saddening. We are offered over our time in Thailand to ride elephants and visit an elephant park but opt not to out of conscience.

22nd April between An Thong and Ban Nam Phung

You will notice that today’s destination is rather vague! Well………..

We head off to Mae Sot today with Fred all topped up with all the necessary nutrients. I notice that the coolant is well down. It is very hot and the other day was 45degrees. Something to keep an eye on! 2km down the road with the engine sounding good and running well, it dies……no warning, no noises nothing?

Without odd noises I’m sure it’s electrical or fuel. Fuel is full, so check leads, coil, points, etc etc cannot find anything. It is early in the day and the roads are not too busy. Looket was right on to it. She gets on the phone and calls a mechanic. When he arrives he does all the same checks. He then proceeds to dismantle the distributor. He’s not very careful and annoys me by completely ignoring me when I have things translated. He wants to set the points gap, which I’m now very quick and good at. But ignores the fact that I have a starter handle to turn the engine to match the cam in the dizzy. Also refuses to use the feeler gauge for the gap instead his sidekick uses a hammer and screwdriver. He won’t even move when I try to intervene and tell him!! He removes the points and heads to the garage where I now hear the grinder going! He grinds down the follower on the points. This is the part that opens and closes the gap. Stuffed set one! I issue him with a second spare set. They also go into the garage this time he welds them. Stuffed set two! It is VERY HOT, so along with profuse sweating, extreme frustration and possibly some agitated pacing!! I am agitated, but remain as calm as I possibly can be. there is an obvious language barrier despite Lookets translations. After Four ridiculous hours he got into his car and left, with his 1000 Baht, not even a word! Weird! Meanwhile Looket has been on the phone again. She’s called Land Rover Thailand. They recommend a garage at Nonthaburi, 50km towards Bangkok. Fred is loaded onto a truck and we drive to see the experts. The truck ends up down a series of very narrow streets outside a private garage with a Series II and a Discovery in it. It’s not a professional garage as expected but an enthusiast! They are great. There are two of them who work calmly together, asking questions of me and working through a logical diagnosis. Fortunately I have spares of pretty much everything. We swap out the dizzy cap, It isn’t that! We replace the coil, not that! We check the HT leads not them? We have spark, but nothing at the plugs? Then after two hours we check the rotor arm in the distributor against the spare I have……it’s a good two mm shorter. No wonder it failed there was no spark to the plugs. A new rotor fitted and ROARRR…. Fred is back in action. You should have seen his face. Biggest smile I’d seen in a while. But not as big as mine? He insisted on photos of Fred inside and out, everywhere, then one of me and him in front of Fred.

Both Julia and Looket have been stars today very patient and good at making sure my stress levels were reduced a much as possible.

It’s getting late in the afternoon so we head off and stay the night at an inn, called The Garden Inn. It is very basic but adequate. We have to forgo a night at Mae Sot as we won’t make it tonight. The pleasures of owning an old car! Breakfast is less than average much like the room! It is ready, sitting on the reception counter when We come come down in the morning. It consists of a couple of dry saveloy sausages, a few lettuce leaves and two cold dry fried eggs. Not very appealing! Fred is sounding a bit rough, still not firing on all cylinders? A quick check during my morning routine finds a lead missing off one of the plugs. This replaced and the he’s purring again. Such a relief after yesterday?

23rd April Mae Sot (Thailand) and Myawaddy (Myanmar)

The run to Mae Sot is thankfully relatively uneventful. Lunch is in Rung’s home town. We arrive in Mae Sot after a drive chasing Rung and Lookets car, over a very steep long and windy pass. Fred manages second and third gear only. The hotel is a really good one. With a pool etc. This is a small haven, an oasis, amongst some fairly untidy and what appears to be a poor area.We park and see a couple of motorbikes loaded for ‘over landing’. One of them is leaking petrol from an extra bladder they are carrying. In the entrance there are some people who, dressed in biking clothes, clearly own the bikes. They are from England and have been travelling for over a year. Literally travelling around the world. Quite an undertaking. And I thought we were doing well?

We are picked up late afternoon by a man from Myanmar, who has driven over with his car, so we don’t have to go through the hassle of taking our car. He drives us to the Myanmar Border. this photo was taken at 8pm! Not a soul in sight a huge change from our visit earlier in the day!

Mae Sot is a town on the border where travellers meet to regroup and sort out visas etc before crossing into Myanmar or Burma as some call it. It is notable as a trade hub and for its population of Burmese migrants and refugees. It is part of the Tak Province and is the main gateway between Thailand and Myanmar. As a result it has gained notoriety for its trade in gems and teak as well as black market services such as people trafficking and drugs.

The border is across a bridge, ‘ The Thai- Myanmar Friendship Bridge’, where the left and right hand drive rules change mid way. Despite there being no actual order to the change both busses and cars seem to change without much bother!

The crossing however is chaotic. There are hundreds of people every where, queuing at windows, up to 20 windows, each window for different purposes. Foreign and Thai passports, Myanmar passports ,work visas, etc etc. we told to queue to window 14 then as we eventually get to the window are told that we should be “over there”? So queue again. Meanwhile the noise and hustle and bustle is incredible. People jumping queues, families escaping the conflict in Myanmar for a better life, with all their possessions in plastic bags. Rows of young men all wearing the same employment agency t-shirts, holding their new passports up in the air, before crocodile walking to waiting busses. Then shortly after the same with a group of young women. I presume they have signed up for work in Thailand? They all have the look of hope on their faces. Eventually we have to cross the road and into an office where there is a man, who doesn’t appear to work for immigration, due to his casual mufty clothing, but apparently does! is directing operations. We are ushered to the front of the queue like dignitaries, and hand over our passports. He also says that is will cost 1500 baht? As our entry to Thailand with a vehicle for two weeks was only 30 baht, we question this but due to the commotion and chaos around us we eventually hand over 2000 baht whereby he promptly hands 1000 back saying “1000 enough”. It’s all a bit slack and not at all formal. Our passports will be stamped and we can come back and collect them later but it must be before 8pm that same day? Again I’m not comfortable leaving the passports nor paying the money, but we were warned of corruption in various places. This I guess is one of them!

Myanmar has a different vibe to it quite relaxed and very poor. The roads are in disrepair and full of potholes. There is squalor and poverty every where, except the people smile and greet you with bright eyes. The houses and stalls even the formal cafes are simple and very quiet. There isn’t the noise or shouting that we had seen in Thailand. First stop was the crocodile temple a large plaster construction of a crocodile surrounded by a moat in which swim turtles and fish. Bells ring from the tops of the temples not loud bronze bells, but many small shiny tinkling bells, that sound in the breeze. As we only have a few hours across the border we are back in the car and whisked away to the next temple. A huge Hindu temple resplendent in gold and images of Buddha. Where we climb a long and wide stairway up to the magnificent temple with ornate cast concrete decorations and effigies everywhere. It too has a moat as well as high walls at its base lifting the temple high into the sky. Below is a large dusty area with a well in the middle. A young man carries two large drums suspended by rope from a wooden device that balances across his shoulders he skilfully throws a bucket down the well so that it tips into the water and fills rather than floats, and then quick as you like hauls it up filling the drums. The drums are then trudged off to a small shack surrounded by shrubs and bushes. He repeats this several times. As we talk to him through Looket, he chatters and smiles. His teeth stained reddy-brown by the nuts that he chews. Were not sure but think they might be Betle nuts? I’ve heard them used as a mild narcotic. The sun sets over Myanmar. Blood orange red sunset. Quite a sight. we head back to the town of Myawaddy and have tea and as it turns out coffee as well. Tea is green, whilst the coffee is a sweet white coffee with a type of heated milk that leaves bits in it the texture is odd but it tastes nice. Myawaddy is a happy place with none of the nearby conflict evident. Buddhists, Hindu, Christians and Muslims all living together in harmony, along with a multitude of stray dogs. The apparent poverty is eased by the lack of concern and the odd game of football. Next stop before returning for our passports is a casino! Yes I know with the poverty around it. We visit a new complex of shops including a duty free shop and casino. It’s a far cry from the simple traditional homes around it. As we leave we hear music, well a kind of music there is a crowd formed around a group of dancers dressed in elaborate dress. Women and Men dressed as woman dance in front of a statue. It’s quite a spectacle. Nearly 8pm so head back to the border. As we reach the archway we see that it is totally empty not a soul there. We exchange our “ticket” for our passports, and leave Myanmar back over the bridge to Thailand changing lanes midway! I’m pleased to have seen this, as it will now give us a perspective on the country we’ve only heard about on the news.

24th April Mae Sariang

The road into Mae Sot was steep and windy, but the road out towards Mae Sariang was even worse. The Landy coped well but it was a test for the water pump and oil pump in the heat. Julia hated it!

The scenery was stunning with high mountain views, thick with native jungle. We still haven’t worked out why they slash and burn along the sides of the roads? But it creates smoke and an unsightly road side. Today our journey was broken often by regular police checkpoints looking for Myanmar refugees or ‘just in case’! We pass a refugee camp called ‘Mae La’. This camp is 20 years old and is home to 40,000 plus people displaced by the conflict in Burma. It is fenced off and has Thai soldiers at regular intervals along the perimeter to ensure the safety of those inside, from cross border raids, by the Burmese army, who several times have tried to burn the camp down, rather than stopping movement from the camp. They get a weekly ration of rice beans and water. Many are now comfortable in the camp and don’t want to leave. Three small boys call out to me as I walk over to say hello, I remember that I have some things in the car to give away. So I return to fetch some coloured pencils and a pad, all I have that might be of use to them, I shake hands and leave. They motion again, this time miming eating. Did I have any food? I didn’t, and felt very guilty. This experience has given us plenty to ponder and think about.

As we push on up the hill, which can only really be done in first gear as the incline is too steep for second. we continue to talk about what we have seen. And wonder what working in a camp like this might be like. Both of us have skills that would be useful in such a camp. After a few nervous hours we reach Mae Sariang, about 200 km southwest of Chiangmai. It is in a valley surrounded by mountains and forests. Its populated by The Shaun (or Tai Yao as the call themselves, a minority group who originated from southern China) and a mix of hill tribes such as The Karen, Lawa and Hmong. We are taken to a Karen tribal village. There is a temple and a shop selling goods made by the people particularly traditional hand woven clothing. The Karen cloth is woven using simple ‘back strap’ looms. The cloth is predominantly red with white, blue or brown vertical stripes. Unmarried girls of the Skaw group wear a plain white dress. The men wear simple forms if the cloth in a sleeveless tunic which of course is not made in ‘man size’! So they don’t fit me when we are asked to wear some traditional clothing to visit the temple at the top of a very steep drive. The village Ute takes all of us, including several very old woman in the back, up to the top. It is stunning and the views are amazing.

The River house, also known as The Teak house guest house, is wonderfully relaxing. Obviously the entire place is hand built from teak and homely. Shoes are not allowed inside and are taken off and placed on racks downstairs. It has a pool that is accessed by walking 150 metres down the street or along the riverbank. So a cooling swim is in order before dinner. Dinner is quite delightful, and romantic. On a deck overlooking the river Yuan. The owners are the son in-law and daughter of the chap who built the house decades ago. He is American and she is Thai but has a very strong American accent. Over a beer we get chatting about our trip, their plans for the guesthouse and his plans for a fly fishing lodge. What a lifestyle. I mention about the leaking radiator. He is immediately on the phone. His brother-in-law’s friend is a mechanic. He’s over like a shot. And arrives in an immaculately restored VW beetle. He confirms my thoughts, that there is a bearing gone in the water pump. And calls a mate who knows a mate who is into Landys! They order a new pump from Bangkok and have it freighted overnight to Chiang Mai. We will have it fitted tomorrow.

25th and 26th April Chiang Mai

The drive today is yet more hills and tight bends. Despite this Julia is a little more relaxed. It is some distance, which we break up with a stop for lunch. (Rung loves her food). As we enter Chiang Mai, there is a storm blowing. The roads are littered with branches and it’s raining quite heavily. Looket is keen to keep to her schedule, of sites and places of interest. Through the driving rain we visit a large temple a top the highest point in the city. As we reach the very top, it is a tranquil and peaceful place, now the rain has miraculously stopped. The tranquility surprises us both as we fought to get there through a hoard of very noisy Chinese tourists. The temple is bright and glimmering with golden statues and golden pagodas. Its late afternoon and I’m conscious that our garage closes at 5pm, so we head straight for the garage of the Land Rover people. Their yard is full of new Landys, very few of which are ‘Series’. In order for the engine to cool, we leave it over night and are reassured by the various people who are there to greet us, that all will be ok. The woman who appears to be the boss, has amazingly sourced a new water pump from Bangkok at a cost of 6000 Baht. This is roughly the cost I paid not three months ago, to get one from the UK. Her price for labour was agreed over the phone, but she now says” maybe we discuss price tomorrow”! Mmmm.

My old Nelson mate, Matt Cant and his girlfriend, Phallai (apologies for the spelling of her name) have been waiting at the bar in our hotel sipping gin for a while now. My beer is very welcome after the stresses of getting Fred sorted, and we chat for a few hours. Catching up with news and stuff from home.

We ask Looket if it is ok for Matt to look after us and show us around Chiang Mai. Giving her a break from her duties, which she is fine about. It’s great to chat, as we have not seen each other for a few years, and phone calls have been too few! Phallai is Cambodian, her English is ‘ok’ but struggles to converse freely, however as the night goes on she relaxes and becomes more comfortable with us. Perhaps shy? Dinner followed by a pint of Guinness and a walk through the markets finishes another great day on the road.

The following morning we lye in til 8.30. It’s nice not to have to pack up and rush out of the hotel to meet Looket and Rung, and race off to the next place! So breakfast is relaxed and leisurely. Chiang Mai is quite a commercial and westernised place (McDonalds, KFC, Burger King etc etc) so Starbucks is our meeting place for Matt. A quick coffee and off in his car. We are visiting the Karen hill tribes about 40 minutes away. Their community has been given assistance to maintain their culture and way of life. The village is made up of many shacks, constructed from bamboo and banana leaves as roofing material. They are built on stilts to accomodate livestock below. The women are stunning. And almost intriguing. I’ve seen a couple of them in Nelson. What is to be intrigued about? Well….they are commonly called the Longneck women or Giraffe women. From the age of 5, a brass ring is added each year until they are 21. It is commonly thought that the neck is stretched, however the brass rings, which actually weigh quite a lot, push the rib cage down giving the neck its elongated look. Each family has a stall selling a variety of goods from woven cloth, traditional embroidery, knives, and other ethnic nick nacks. It’s all a bit commercial and aimed at the tourists who pay to visit.

By the end of the day my mind is back to Fred, who should, we are told be done by 4pm. On arrival at the garage we find them under the bonnet with bits of radiator and other assorted parts lying on the ground around them. They are a while off finishing so leave to allow Matt to go to the local police station to pay a fine for accidentally heading down a one way street. Instead of an instant fine, the police remove your licence and get you to collect it from the station, the following day after paying your fine. I’m sure some of our boy racers would be better at behaving and better at paying up, if this was the system back home?

Fred is now back on his wheels and cooling his V8 without the constant leaking.

That evening we again explore the old city walls. Constructed from thousands of red bricks. It’s gates are wide and ornate, and at night they are illuminated extenuating the size and scale of them.

27th April Chiang Rai and Chiang Khong

Today is our last full day in Thailand. Matt and Phallai follow is to Chiang Rai to The White Temple or Wat Rong Khun. It is the most bizarre place. A blend of art and Buddhism.

Each of these metal discs have a hand written message wishing good luck of a message of hope or a prayer. They are hung in a gallery/pergola each day. Thousands of them!

The designer, Chalermchai Kositpitpat a famous Thai visual artist ! Must have had ‘Carte Blanche’. It is extraordinary. White in colour signifying the purity of the Buddha. With glass that symbolises the Buddha’s wisdom and the Dhamma, the Buddhist teachings. Apparently it’s not finished and will eventually have nine buildings, including an Ubosot, a hall to enshrine Buddhist relics, a meditation hall, the monks living quarters and an art gallery. The toilet block by itself is quite a building, elaborate, and to distinguish it from the religious part golden.

The flashiest Khazie I’ve ever seen!

Matt unfortunately has a meeting back in Chiang Mai so we say a sad farewell as he heads off leaving us to continue the day up to “The Golden Triangle”.

Here is the geographical point in the Mekong where all three countries meet. Thailand, Myanmar and Laos. This is renowned as the worlds major producer of opium.

(above) Laos looking from Thailand. (below) Myanmar looking from Thailand.Myanmar.

This however has improved and changed due to some of the initiatives of the previous Thai king, who did a great deal to improve the well-being of his people. One of his many projects was to introduce the growing of all things, strawberry’s. By giving the opium growers a viable alternative, the trade in opium was dramatically reduced.

That evening we check in to Chiang Khong, the last town before Laos. Our last evening in Thailand, and also the company of Looket and Rung. They have been brilliant as guides and we will miss their company. We have a farewell meal out before we say goodbye in the morning. It’s also my mothers birthday. So a lovely phone call to her in Yorkshire, ends a busy and fabulous day.