Tips for Thailand
General Tips
The Thais are really friendly and helpful. They seem a bit distant at first, but just keep smiling and stay friendly, and you’ll make some friends for life. Don’t rush ’em, coz it doesn’t work. Keep your cool: if something doesn’t get done in 30 minute
The Shan State of Burma and North Thailand – April 1999
Where’s that? Click here to find out
Maesai is a great place to base yourself from because of the surrounding sights to see. Burma, 300 meters away from the King Kobra Guesthouse & Inn, and Laos only 30 kms away, at the golden triangle.
There are several caves to explore and hilltr
Maesai Gems, Thailand
MAESAI BACKGROUND
At the northernmost point of Thailand, near
the Burma borderline, opposite
Tachilek, the twin towns, are now
known throughout the gem world as a
source for rubies.
Burma, now called Myanmar, has been known to produce the world’s best
rubies and often times are fu
The Shan State of Burma and North Thailand – June 1999
Where’s that? Click here to find out
The Golden Triangle (only 30 kms away), also known as Sob Ruak, where the
Maesai river meets the mighty Mekhong river, is a popular destination for
most travelers. There is a little magic that attracts people to this
location expecting to find a pot o
The Shan State of Burma and North Thailand – July 1999
Where’s that? Click here to find out
Crossing the border is a new experience. The procedure changes from time to
time, so always stop by and ask the Kobra (me), for the latest info on
getting across.
From Left – Rick, Steve, the Kobra and a Burmese Immigration
Bangkok, Beaches and Buddhists
I flew into Bangkok on May 31st, and stayed at a YHA before heading for the infamous “tourist ghetto” Khao San Rd, where I managed to stay amongst the throngs of tourists, tuk-tuks and techno music for a week! My guest house was directly overlooking the street, which offered an int
The Millennium Trip – Letter #15
Sawat dii everyone,
A colleague of mine in London has a sister who visited Bangkok in the early 70’s. She recalls that the town smelt overpoweringly of blossoms. Nowadays it smells mostly of smog and, like all of Asia, cooking.
To the traveler, the city appears to be a maze of dual c
The Shan State of Burma and North Thailand – November 1999
Where’s that? Click here to find out. Click here for a map of the immediate area.
Gateway to Myanmar (Burma)
The Burma border is temporarily closed, but Maesai is still a
destination for most. Rumor has it that if the bridge is not open by Oct. 12th, then it ma
South East Asia on a Hamstring – March 8
Saigon, Vietnam to Phnom Penh, Cambodia – March 8, 2000
A minivan took us from Saigon to the Cambodian border. Stuart, our current leader, had warned us that Vietnamese customs might be bored and in the mood to confiscate. Basically, pirate CD’s and videos are a popular purchase in
Hello from Bangkok
Yes, I made it.
With a sizeable bribe (in the neighborhood of – oh, well, exactly a hundred bucks…) to a senior airline offical at a certain Thai Airlines (oops – I hope I’m not sued when the movie comes out…), I left on my scheduled flight to Bangkok. I recogni
Golden Triangle, Burma and Northern Thailand – November 1999
Where’s that? Click here to find out. Click here for a map of the immediate area.
Here is the latest report on travel through the Golden Triangle, north of Maesai, meaning, Eastern Shan State, Tachilek/Maesai (Burma/Thai) border area and on north to Keng Tung and Mong La. Mong La, of Spe
Motorbike Trek of the Kobra
Where do I begin? Well, it all started several years ago when these Dutch dudes stumbled across the Kobra Koral in Maesai, a few boys looking for serious adventure!
These guys were searching for a rough ride and something out of the ordinary. A friend of mine for many years, also Dutch, met
The International Express
“You should buy some. When they run out, they run out.” There is something ominous in the tone of the American lady’s advice. Running to the vendor’s stand beside the train, I buy a roll of toilet paper and hope she’s wrong. Clearly, novices quickly become vetera
Digital Backpacker 2000 #11
August 15th: Paradise Resort
The police took one man out of the Mae Sot – Bangkok bus; he was visibly not amused to continue his journey in a police car. At the southern bus terminal in Bangkok I met a Canadian who has been working in Bangkok for the last five years. His English has chan
Massage in Chiang Mai
I was Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand near the “Golden Triangle”. Chiang Mai is famous for hill tribes, pagodas, trekking and Thai Massage schools.
My trekking hopes were dashed as I’d sprained my ankle on the way from the train station to the bus station in Bangkok.
T
Tales from a Broad #5
Nong Khai to Laos (Part 1)Monday, October 30, 2000
Greetings again from Chiang Mai. I’ve been out of contact in the wilds of Laos for the last couple of weeks and unable to email because it’s brutally expensive to email in the middle of the jungle. So, in an effort to give you a
Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand
Modern Thailand’s Second City
History accurately records the founding of Chiang Mai (CM) as having taken place on April 14, 1296 at 4 am! Because CM is at a higher elevation than most other popular cities and towns, it has a cooler and drier climate. There are three main seasons:
Cool se
Tales from a Broad #4
Khon Kaen, ThailandTuesday, October 17, 2000
Greetings from what can only be described as the armpit of Thailand. Okay, maybe I’m being a bit harsh, but you know when you enter a place and you just don’t get a good vibe at all? I’m having that vibe, so much so that after I
Digital Backpacker 2000 #1
December 8th: Cabbages and Condoms…
Ubon Ratchathani is one of the larger cities in Thailand, the local TAT
(Tourism Authority Thailand) tries to promote the area as “The emerald
triangleâ€, in counterpart to Thailand’s Golden Triangle. It refers to the
relatively intact monsoon forest
Thailand: Lessons on a Bus (1 of 2)
Thailand: Lessons on a Bus (1 of 2)
Thailand
As the songthaew (basically a pick up truck with benches) stopped at the light all the Thai women and myself smoothed our hair. Good to know woman’s vanity is universal.
Not that smoothing my hair did too much good. At this point, Keith and I
