Chiang Rai: Thailand’s Edge

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An October 2006 trip to Chiang Rai by SeenThat

Lizard and Elephants Photo - Chiang Rai, Thailand

Quote: On Thailand’s northern edge, Chiang Rai is a main city in the country’s north offering plenty of activities to the visitor in a serene ambience.

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Chiang Rai: Thailand’s Edge

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Overview

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Chiang Rai is rich in memorials of King Mengrai; most of them are near downtown and are easily accessible. King Mengrai was the ruler of Nakhon Hiran Ngoen Yang (now known as Chiang Saen) before Chiang Rai was established as the administrative centre in 1262. He consolidated his power by merging the different city-states in the North and founded the Lanna Thai Kingdom in 1296 with Chiang Mai as the capital.The King Mengrai Stupa is in front of Wat Ngam Muang and was built by King Chaisongkram to contain the remains of his father (King Mengrai). A related monument is the King Mengrai Great Memorial, located at the intersection leading to Mae Chan. It is a popular place for locals, who put flowe...Read More

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Lotus Guesthouse

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Hotel

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Pedantically caring for their past, expatriates often offer the best opportunity to meet a foreign cuisine in a distant land. The Korean owners of the Lotus Guesthouse in Chiang Rai have managed to create a very reliable version of Korean cuisine in Northern Thailand and that is enough to justify a visit at the establishment. The restaurant is located next to the reception desk, and is surrounded by the two structures that host the rooms; the few tables are open to the cooling breeze, but under a protecting roof, and a nearby television set shows the BBC or other English stations and contribute thus to the feeling of being on an extraterritorial shelter.

I invested B50 ($1.5) on the Kimchi Post Stew and got fried tofu with sesame oil and a whole chili, rice in a small steel pot, sprouts with green onions and small transparent fishes with chili which were an addition to the main dish: a stew of tofu, fatty beef, green onions and cabbage in an orange, tasty soup. Each one of the dishes was served in its own plate and were accompanied by stainless steel chopsticks and a long spoon: Little Seoul in Chiang Rai. The dishes were quite hot and spicy, but tasty and worth the adventure. Other dishes in the menu include soybean paste soup, curried rice, instant noodles, seasoned laver (sic) rice roll and American breakfast.

However, there is more to Lotus than Kimchi. The guesthouse is superbly located, across the avenue from the bus terminal and the night market and at the border of the backpackers’ zone. A nearby temple offers views of the Thai religious life at all times. Despite all that, its interior is surprisingly quiet.

Location is everything they tell in business administration courses; but, again, that does not finish the list of the Lotus Guesthouse virtues. The rooms and the structure in general are spotless and pleasant to stay at. There are single rooms for 80 and 100 baht and doubles for B150; all of them include only an electric fan, but Chiang Rai is cooler than most of Thailand and an air-conditioner is not essential. The bathrooms include a hot shower. The top floor of the main structure includes a very nice sitting coach with a glass table next to it over a floor of wood tiles that are polished very frequently, creating thus a very good and quiet writing corner.
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on January 20, 2007

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Chiang Rai Attractions

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Story/Tip

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Chiang Rai is rich in memorials of King Mengrai and its far past as a capital of the Lanna Kingdom; most of them are near downtown and are easily accessible. King Mengrai was the ruler of Nakhon Hiran Ngoen Yang (now commonly known as Chiang Saen) before Chiang Rai was established as the administrative centre in 1262. He consolidated his power by merging the different city-states in the North and founded the Lanna Thai Kingdom in 1296 with Chiang Mai as the capital.King Mengrai StupaThis stupa is in front of Wat Ngam Muang atop Doi Ngam Muan...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on January 13, 2007

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Temples of Chiang Rai

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Chiang Rai is home to some of the most important Buddhist temples in the country, including the one where the Emerald Buddha was discovered. No visit is complete without dedicating at least a day to the main ones. Placed nearby downtown, they can be easily visited by foot.Wat Phra KaeoLocated on Trairat Road on the northwest side of town, within walking distance from downtown and two blocks south of the river, is one of the best known temples in the country. It once housed the Emerald Buddha, Thailand’s most revered statue; the statue was moved to ...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on January 13, 2007

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Doi Mae Salong

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Attraction

Tea Cup at Doi Mae Salong Photo - Thailand, Asia

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Similarly to Mae Aw (which is much to the northwest from here) Doi Mae Salong is a village settled by Kuomintang people from Yunnan, who escaped China and arrived through Myanmar after the Communists took over. Nowadays, the former warriors concentrate on to...Read More

Similarly to Mae Aw (which is much to the northwest from here) Doi Mae Salong is a village settled by Kuomintang people from Yunnan, who escaped China and arrived through Myanmar after the Communists took over. Nowadays, the former warriors concentrate on tourism, and obviously consider their old uniforms a marketing asset, similarly to the colorful clothes of the Akha and Lisu women that arrive to the town to sell handicrafts. In the spirit of the times, the village is known also as Santikhiri, or Hill of Peace.

However, the area was until a few years ago quite wild, mainly due to the presence of a Shan United Army (SUA) base in the nearby Ban Hin Taek village. As soon as they were pushed back into Myanmar, the Thai government recognized the Kuomintang as refugees and began a process of crop substitution, in which tea became the main crop. The main tea grown up is of the Oolong type, which is partially fermented and creates a delicate infusion tasting middle way between green and black tea. In a more Chinese than Thai style, liquors flavored with insects and herbs can be purchased in the village shops. Other shops offer Chinese jade, preserved local peaches and lychees, dried mushrooms, herbs and wines. The houses are built in Chinese style, and the restaurants serve Yunnanese food, creating thus the feeling of being in Chiang Rai’s Chinatown.

Geographically, the place is on the mountains, 80kms northeast of Chiang Rai, and 1800m above sea level, offering thus a cool climate by Thai standards; cool enough to host Japanese cherry trees which blossom gloriously to welcome every New Year. The town offers awesome views of the surrounding area, and once the morning mist is gone, Myanmar and part of the Golden Triangle can be partially inspected from the hills above the town (and next to the border with Myanmar) where an attractive chedi named Boromathat, was built in honor of the late Princess Mother; the area was off-limits until a few years ago.

The tourism bloom has created many resorts, with some up-market ones, and guesthouses; most of them offer trekking deals in the area, including pony-trekking (B400/day at the Akha Mae Salong and the Shinsane guesthouses).

However, the relative isolation of the place means that it is hard to reach the other area’s attractions from here (the Golden Triangle, Chiang Saen and Chiang Khon among them), thus arriving in a day trip from Chiang Rai may be the best option. Reaching Doi Mae Salong from the province’s capital is easy; all the frequent buses heading for Mae Sai (the border cross to Myanmar and the Gate to the Golden Triangle) stops at Ban Pasang, from were trucks climb up the mountain for a steep fee of B45. Despite being roughly $1.5, this is the highest fee in the province if the distance is factored; the Thai drivers justify the fee by saying the mountain climbing creates additional costs.
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on January 22, 2007