Chiang Rai - Donation trip

We went to Chiang Rai on Jan 21-24, 2010, mainly to donate books, stationary, and sport equipments to a school called Baan Don Salee which my friend has built a school building and library. The school has 135 students with 2 kindergarten classes and 6 elementary classes, and 70%-80% of the students are Akha, one of a northern hill tribes.

Library

School Band

Akha Dance

P.Ou gave reward to Akha dance team.

Picture with Children at Akha village

The following are places we visited in Chiang Rai.

Rai Mae Fah Luang was a school for Northern hill tribes but now is art and cultural park. Three main buildings, Haw Kham, Haw Kham Noi, and Haw Kaew, are made from Teak wood in Lanna Architectural design. The highlight is Haw Kham which built to give blessings on the 84th King Mother's birthday. In the hall presents Phra Pra Toh, which we pray for good health and protection, the collections of old northern Buddha candlesticks, wood Tungs, etc.

Wat Phra That Pha Ngao

Golden Teak Main Chapel, Jom Jan Pagoda. We walked 300 meters up from Wat Phra That Pha Ngao.

Phra Bharommathat Buddhanimit Chedi, 500 Meter above the Main Chapel.

Wat Phra That Chiang Saen

Golden Triangle, where the 3 countries meet and the Mekong river. It is worth to visit the Hall of Opium Golden Triangle Park, the display tells the opium route and its consequence.

Wat Rong Khun, designed by Artist Chalermchai Kositpipat.

Baan Dam by Artist Thawan Duchanee.

Wat Phra That Doi Tung

Mae Fah Luang Garden, many temperature flowers are grown here. Should visit Hall of Inspiration nearby, you will know why a family is able to give inspiration to Thai people.

Doi Tung Royal Villa is where the King's mother live and work. Many Doi Tung projects were developed here.

More pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/arthivon/ChiangRaiJan10?feat=directlink

Pai, Mae Hong Son

We flew to Pai and stayed in a Cottage at Belle Villa, Pai which is a few kilometers from walking street. Walking street is where everyone must when they go to Pai. I would say it is center of Pai, many activities are done here, such as eating, shopping, sending postcards, listening to music, etc.

View of Cottage and Morning fog.

Walking Street at 6pm on weekday; tourists are buying T-shirt screening about Pai and sending postcards.

There are 8 must-go places around Pai, which we can finish in one day. There are Wat Phra That Mae Yen, Tha Pai Hot Spring, World War II Memorial Bridge, Pai Canyon, Coffee in Love cafe, Wat Nam Hoo, Santichon Yunan Village, and Mo Paeng Waterfall.

P.Ou was in front of the viharn of Wat Phra That Mae Yen; view of Pai from Wat which tourists usually come to take picture of sunset and Pai at night.

At Tha Pai Hot Spring, right picture is pool for tourists to take a bath and left picture is 80-degree Celsius for boiling eggs.

Back to World War II period, the bridge was forced to build and destroy when Japanese left. Pai people rebuilt the wooden bridge in 1946 but it was destroyed again in 1973 by huge flood. Nawarat Steel Bridge was sent from Chieng Mai as requested by Pai district office and it took 1 year to complete the work. However, the bridge was damage by flash flood in 2005, the concrete bridge was built to replace until now.

Pai Canyon or Kong Lan is interesting place to test how brave you are to walk on the narrow ridge. The red cliff has been eroded long time ago creating the 20 meter-deep valley amidst the scenic settings of the red hill of dry dipterocarp and pine forest. It is best to visit this place in early morning or late evening otherwise it will be very hot.

Coffee Break before lunch at Coffee in Love Cafe.

Wat Nam Hoo was built in Ayudhya period. It is a place where a famous Buddha image called Lunag Po Une Muang is situated. Since the bun of the image could be opened and is always full of water, it has become a very respected image for Pai people. Behind the viharn, the pagoda intered cremains of Phra Supankanlaya is located.

Santichon Yunan Village is where we went to have lunch. It was unbelievable delicious. Chinese Yunan have moved here long long time ago and live here peacefully together with other tribes. Traditional red clay houses were rebuilt as hotel for tourist. Tea, dried fruit, and Chinese trinket are also sold here.

Mo Paeng Waterfall is a small waterfall that many come to swim. It easily reaches by car. It is very kind of our guide that took us to Wat Luang as a compliment. Wat Luang is main temple of pai and located at Pai center.

See more pictures of this trip at http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HHG4dyS1z6Bixbr1Dj8ZjA?feat=directlink

Chieng Mai - Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden

Following Thai government policy of Discovery Thailand, we travel domestically to Chieng Mai and Pai, Mae Hong Son in early January. See picture of this trip at http://picasaweb.google.com/arthivon/ChiengMaiPai?feat=directlink

In Chieng Mai, we visited Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, located 27 km northwest of Chieng Mai at the foothills of Doi Suthep-pui, Mae Rim, covering area of about 6,500 rai or 1,000 hectares. The garden was established in 1993 and is the first botanical garden of the country with its aims to serve as a center for botanical studies and research, a center for conservation of the Thai flora, and a place to provide botanical education and aesthetic displays for the general public.

With entrance fee of Baht 40 per person and Baht 100 per car, there are many facilities and interesting places to see. We found "Glasshouse Complex" is the most interesting which we spent an hour to observe the display of various kinds of plants, such as rain forests plants, cactus, lotus, orchid, etc.

For people who like walking and adventure activities, there are a few trails. Thai Plants and Medicinal Herbs Trails is a beautiful route showing 1,000 Thai plants, provincial symbolic tree of Thailand and local medicinal herbs; to complete the route takes about 30-45 minutes. Arborta Trial takes 45-60 minutes which more than 10 families of plants, such as bananas, palms, cycads, ferms, gingers, etc. are displayed. The other trial is Rock Garden-Thai Orchid Nursery which takes about 30-45 minutes, this trial passes Mae Sa Noi Waterfall, the Rock Garden and ends at Thai Orchid Nursery where about 350 species of native orchids are collected here.

We had lunch at Pong Yang Ang Doi as recommended by my friend. This place has remarkable view and unbelievable tasty food.

Chieng Mai - Wat Chieng Man

In B.E. 1839, King Mengrai (frim Chieng Rai), King Ngam Muang (from Payao), and King Ruang (from Sukhothai) built a royal residence and sleeping quarters at this site and began construction of Wat Chieng Man as the same time as they began construction of the new city called Chieng Mai. When the temple and city were completed, they constructed Chedi or Stupa where the royal residence and sleeping quarters had been, and enshrined a sacred hair relic of the Buddha inside the Chedi.

In the evening, we dined at Huen Pen which is northern Thai specialist. The decoration of the place is interesting and it was yummy again.