Very few tourists have been to Uttaradit, a small, relatively obscure city of roughly 60,000 inhabitants located in the lower half of Northern Thailand. Lying on the banks of the Nan River, historically Uttaradit was once an important trading center. Like most cities in upcountry Thailand, there are some real beauty spots and some lovely scenery in the surrounding countryside.

Why go to Uttaradit? I have always been intrigued by places “off the beaten path”. When I discovered that a Thai friend of mine had often stopped in Uttaradit during her travels in Northern Thailand, my interest was peaked. Moreover, I fell in love with the name “Uttaradit”, which translates to Port of the North. With that logic in place, I had a good excuse to visit Uttaradit on my next trip to Northern Thailand.

How was my trip? After flying into Phitsanulok, I caught a local bus for the 90-minute journey to Uttaradit. I stayed for 3 nights at the Seeharaj Hotel, a traditional Thai style hotel located in the city’s small tourist quarter. The hotel was acceptable, but as an older property it should some signs of wear and tear. For Thai people, it represented a first class hotel and the place to be. Although I was the only farang at the hotel, I had a wonderful time during my brief stay.

Adjoining the lobby was a large lounge/nightclub. At night, the place really rocked as the house band (forgot their name) played a mix of Western pop hits – like Joy to the World and Black Magic Woman - as well as Thai pop standards. One of their female singers did an outstanding rendition of Hava Nagila.

On my 2nd night there, I discovered that one of Thailand’s premier rock bands “Carabao” was performing upstairs in one of their large ballrooms. No wonder, there were so many young couples parading upstairs decked out in their finest threads. In another section of the hotel, a transvestite – ladyboy show took place several times a week. On my last night there, I wandered over to check it out - the music was a little bit loud and the crowd was a little bit “exotic” for my taste.

Directly across the street, there were two bars popular with the young University Crowd, including one, which featured a live band performing Thai folk music nightly. In addition, one block away (and across the street) was Friday’s, a large complex which consisted of a sprawling department store and Uttaradit’s only other major hotel. On the top floor of Friday’s, there was a nightclub with a live band and an adjoining karaoke bar. Needless to say, entertainment options were not lacking in the small tourist quarter of Uttaradit.

As a seasoned traveler, one of the first things I do when checking into a hotel is to ask if they have a safe deposit box in the room (in-room safe) or at the front desk. If they don’t have either one, I ask the manager if I can store my valuables in the hotel safe. Of course an in-room safe or safe deposit box is far more desirable as only you have the key or combination.

Typically smaller budget (and local) hotels and guesthouses do not have in-room safes or safe deposit boxes, in which case storing your valuables in the hotel safe is the only option. But entrusting the hotel with your monies/passports/credit cards etc can be a dicey proposition. The hotel safe may consist of just a desk drawer which can be opened with a key, and in many cases the ‘so called hotel safe’ - especially in many smaller hotels – can be accessed by all the employees.

During my many years of travel, I have never been victimized by a hotel when storing my valuables in the hotel safe. I guess the numbers game finally caught up with me however - on my last trip to Thailand in late 2009, I may have been a victim of hotel theft on two separate occasions. In both instances, small hotels in Northern Thailand were involved - the first instance involved local currency (value of $140USD) and in the 2nd instance, traveler’s checks were involved (I was later reimbursed by American Express).

I am not going to cry over spilled milk, but here are some tips if you decide store your valuables in the hotel safe.

• To make things easier to keep track of, keep your local currency, traveler’s checks and your home currency in separate bundles. By all means, double check your inventory every time your valuables are accessed from the hotel safe.
• Maintain a written log/running account of all your monies, travelers checks etc. Every time you retrieve something from the hotel safe, by all means log it in and keep a running balance as if it was your bank or checking account.
• If there is any discrepancy, possible theft may have occurred in which case you should bring the matter up with hotel manager/owner. If possible, you should also file a report with the tourist police or the local authorities.
• If traveler’s checks are missing (and you have diligently logged in your usage), you will usually get a prompt refund from the company that issued the checks after you have filed a report. After the matter is reported, the missing checks will be deemed void and cannot be cashed by the perpetrator.

If I followed my own advice, I probably would have been unable to prevent the actual embezzlement but at least I would have more conclusive proof that it actually happened. The next step would have been to confront the hotel manager/owner. Oh well, next time…

Thailand is definitely one of my favorite places - there are so many fascinating places to visit and the people are very friendly. After all they don’t call Thailand “ the Land of Smiles” for nothing. I don’t mean to make any broad sweeping generalizations but one thing that I find kind of disturbing is Thai people’s nonchalant “sometimes negligent” attitude towards public safety.

To give you an idea what I mean, on my recent most recent trip to Thailand, I stayed in Banilah, a small budget boutique hotel in Chiang Mai. There was a very narrow walkway to the rooms, and lying across the walkway was a rubber water hose that they were using to water the plants. This was a very dangerous situation as someone who is walking to their rooms (especially at night) could easily trip over the hose and have an accident. At the very least, you would think that the hotel management would have put up a yellow caution cone – as they do in the USA - to warn their guests.

This reminded me a situation, which I observed in Koh Chang a number of years ago, where a water pipe was laid across the middle of the long driveway to my bungalow hotel. At night, unless you had a flashlight, one could easily trip over the hose and fall down. I brought this up with the management, and they gave me a look of indifference and nothing was done about this hazard (even when I returned one year later). Well, two years later, the damn hose was finally removed – I guess one of their customers had an accident.

A 3rd incident was indeed even more disturbing. This past December as I was walking through Suvarnabhumi, the very sophisticated International airport near Bangkok, I noticed an electrical cord lying across the middle of the floor. There wasn’t any caution or warning sign or anything, but somebody who wasn’t looking straight ahead while walking could easily trip.

I am guessing that the prevailing attitude of nonchalance towards public safety in Thai Culture is rationalized follows - if you see broken glass or a puddle of water on the floor, just step over or walk around it. No big deal!

Now I realize that I maybe reading more into this than I should, as I have spent so much time in Thailand over the last 9 years – it could be that these situations present themselves in other countries in the same frequency as they do in Thailand, but I am just unaware of it.

This past December, I revisited PHU LANG KA, one of my favorite places in Thailand. Not too much has changed at Phu Lang Ka since my initial visit in November 2008, however it seems that more & more Thai people have found out about this magical beauty spot in Northern Thailand, primarily through word of mouth. Many Thai visitors post their pictures online on different Thai forums; this no doubt has added to the buzz about such “off the beaten path” places as Phu Lang Ka.

Kevan, the delightful owner of Phu Lang Ka Lodge, has built some additional cottages to accommodate the increasing number of visitors - mostly Thai people – to Phu Lang Ka. However most of the Thai tourists only stay one night before moving on which is not the most ideal scenario for this small lodge.

According to Kevan, Phi Lang Ka only had 5-6 Farangs (Western tourists) during the past year. I find that a real shame as Phu Lang Ka is such a wonderful, high-energy place. Besides enjoying the serenity and the VIEW, there are any number of hikes, excursions and mini treks that can be taken from Phu Lang Ka. If you don’t have your own set of wheels, Kevan can set you up with a driver who can take you around the area.

My stay coincided with the tail end of the Thai Holidays (Kings Birthday Week). With so many Thai tourists on the weekend, Phu Lang Ka was an especially busy place. A group of Thais (about 15 in all) from Phuket as well as a contingent from a digital camera club based in Bangkok occupied most of the rooms while I was there, albeit both groups stayed only one night before moving on.

Displaying the fascinating pictorial scroll on the history of the Yao people, Kevan gave each group of tourists an impromptu education about the YAO. By enlightening strangers – both Thai people and westerners – about the history and culture of the Yao people, he helps keep the YAO flame burning.

Of course, the primary attraction here is The VIEW. Shortly before dawn, Phu Lang Ka buzzes with activity, as most of the guests and daytrippers – with cameras and tripods in hand - assemble outside waiting for the spectacular sunrise to come. On most mornings (during the predawn hours), a thick mist blankets the valley below, and when the sun finally rises above the distant mountains, the view is unforgettable – it is like being in heaven.

See my Phu Lang Ka Photo Gallery
and my review of Phu Lang Ka from November 2008

Planning to visit Phu Lang Ka? I recommend that you stay a minimum of 3-4 nights in order to appreciate the beauty and spirituality of this special place.

Traveling around Northern Thailand - in places like Uttaradit, Phrae, Nan and Phu Lang Ka - I encountered far more Thai than Western tourists. I found them to be very friendly and inquisitive, and I had a chance to talk with many of them. I guess many vacationing Thais wanted an opportunity to practice their English, and they were just curious about me as I was about them.

Usually the conversation would start with “Where are you from?” which is the Thai equivalent of saying Hello, and then like most travelers, we would talk about our travel itineraries and the different places that we would be visiting.

From my many conversations, I learned a lot about the Travel Habits of Thai People. It seems that Thais take very frequent and short vacations of 2-3 nights during the course of the year - many travel over the weekend leaving on a Friday and returning on a Sunday or Monday. Furthermore, I learned that in Thailand, unlike most Western countries, there is no such thing as a paid vacation for most Thai people.

Because most Thai people have such a limited amount of time to travel during the course of the year, they will often stay at one destination for only one night, before moving on to their next destination. As an example, on a long holiday weekend of 3 nights, a group of Thai people will often rent a van complete with driver and stay overnight at three different destinations in three nights - i.e. Bo Klua in Nan Province, Phu Lang Ka in Phayao Province and Sirikit Dam in Uttardit Province - before returning home.

While staying at Phu Lang Ka Lodge – one of my favorite places in Northern Thailand – I met a group of tourists (about 15 in all) – mostly professional people - from Phuket Island. They had rented two minivans along with driver, and their plan was to stay at 14 different places in 14 consecutive nights. Talk about a busy itinerary – made my 42 night Odyssey to Southeast Asia including 15 changes of hotel appear lightweight in comparison.

Another thing that I learned about Thai people – especially with the younger set (35 and under) - whenever possible, they would often pitch a tent and camp out. At Phu Lang Ka, the owner charges campers 100 baht per night per tent.

VERY INTERESTING!

NAN is a special place. After a years absence, I revisited Nan this past November. I have been to so many cities in Thailand but none can compare to Nan in terms of its natural beauty and charm. I guess you could say that I love NAN - it is by far my favorite city in Thailand.

Located in Northern Thailand in the area known as the Golden Triangle, Nan is a small city of no more than 40,000 inhabitants. Lying in a valley surrounded by mountains, not too many travelers are aware of Nan as it is still somewhat off the beaten track.

The personality of NAN is shaped by the long and winding Nan River which cuts through the valley as it flows from north to south. East of the river is Laos. Nan’s indigenous culture is very strong and deeply rooted. The city is as old as the Sukhothai Kingdom and surrounding countryside is home to various hilltribe peoples – Yao, Hmong, Khamu and the very primitive Mlabri.

As I remarked in an earlier post, Nan – with its tree lined streets, rural country roads and old wooden houses - brought back memories of Turlock, a small sleepy river town located in California’s San Joaquin Valley circa the 1950’s. Riding a bicycle around NAN, along the river or into the surrounding countryside – so lush and green - is such a pleasurable experience.

So far Nan has been spared the ravages of mass tourism, but I see signs of more tourism development. A new first class hotel – the Nan Boutique Hotel – opened up not too long ago, and from what I understand there are plans for more hotels like this in the near future. Of course, several new upscale guesthouses have also appeared on the scene in the last year.

In addition - since my visit in November 2008, at least 3-4 fairly upscale coffee shops have opened their doors for business. This is usually an indicator that tourism on the rise. Walking around town, I definitely encountered more Thai tourists (and only a handful of farangs) - most of them were from Bangkok.

While I stayed at Nan Boutique Hotel this past November, there was a tour group from Bangkok who checked in on the same day as me. They occupied most of the hotel rooms, however they stayed there for only one night, which is somewhat typical of Thai tourists.

Nan would definitely benefit from an increase in Tourism but only if the development is carefully planned and controlled so as not to disrupt the lifestyle and traditional culture of the area.

With the cessation of direct air service from Bangkok on PB Air, Nan is still difficult to get to; however there is now direct air service from Chiang Mai on SGA airlines, albeit the planes are prop-jets. Still….

On my most recent trip to Thailand, Khun Moongmink - my friend from Bangkok - joined me on November 30, 2009 in the Northern city of Nan. For the next 10 days or so, she accompanied me as I showed her parts of Northern Thailand – Nan Province and Phu Lang Ka - that she was totally unfamiliar with. Having traveled to these “neck of the woods” the year before, I guess you could say that I – an outsider and a farang - was her tour guide.

In her story of meeting me in NAN, she affectionately refers to me as Papa Mono (the Big Monkey), my nickname in South America. Read on…

In late November, I went on a 10-day tour in the north of Thailand. The tour started in NAN, where I joined Papa Mono (aka Hanumann), my slightly crazed American friend who had arrived there several days before me. He enjoys visiting Thailand every year; I can say that he definitely knows my country better than me (and most other Thai people), especially when it come to the regional areas of the North.

I arrived at the Nan Bus Terminal late in the afternoon whereupon Papa Mono greeted me on his rented bicycle along with an old Thai guy standing beside his Samlor (tricycle taxi), ready to transfer me to my hotel. It ‘s nice to meet ”an old buddy” again – a tricycle which had long disappeared from Bangkok street for over twenty years.

Hopping into the Samlor, the driver followed Papa Mono as he rode joyfully on his bicycle. Acting as if he was a local tour guide, Papa Mono navigated through downtown Nan, greeting every street dog (maah) along the way, waving ’hi’ and causally chatting to many passersbys. Apart from his western look, one would probably think that my farang friend was a local Thai living there for many years.

I wish you could imagine this scene - a cheerful western guide, biking ahead of an old Samlor with a middle aged Thai lady as passenger. A native old man wearing khakis and a battered straw hat drives the Samlor loaded with heavy baggage. Using all his strength, the old man follows Papa Mono through the streets of Nan, as he diligently carries me to my hotel. Such memories are priceless!

I met Som, a middle aged lady from the village of Baan Na Tong in Northern Thailand, who labors many hours a day to make some very exquisite and colorful quilts. It takes her up to 60 hours to make just one piece.

Located about 32 kilometers from the city of Phrae, Baan Na Tong is a very beautiful village surrounded by greenery. The village offers homestay accommodations and is one of the areas where the endangered Siamese Big Headed Turtles can be found.

In Phrae (or in the village), the quilts sell for 4000 baht ($121USD) and in USA, Europe or overseas, they sell for as much as 10,000 baht ($300USD). When the quilt sold through a retailer -whether it be in Thailand or overseas - her cut of the pie is only 800 baht ($24USD). That averages out to only 13 baht an hour, based on 60 hours for production. It doesn’t seem fair, but she isn’t complaining because she enjoys her work.

It’s a shame that artisans - especially in 3rd world countries - make so little monies from their handiwork, while others profit immensely. I probably should have suggested to her that she market her goods through an artisan or artist cooperative in order to her increase her remuneration.

I have seen the same phenomenon happen in other countries – Mexico, Peru, Ghana to name a few - where locally made handmade goods are very cheap to buy locally, but on the expensive side if you buy them in the USA. Someone is making a lot of monies; it surely is not the local artisan or craftsman. Such is the way of the world!

While walking in the downtown area of Nan in Northern Thailand, I happened to stumble upon some sort of local parade/celebration. Not knowing exactly what was happening, I decided to follow the people as they danced - conga line style - into the nearby Wat Apha accompanied by some lively Lanna music.

Inside the complex, the focal point seemed to be a large money tree, and the participants invited me to join the festivities. Offering me food and drinks - the local whiskey, a choice of Thai beers - in addition to encouraging me to dance with them, I could not refuse their hospitality.

I inquired as to the nature of the party with some of the participants, but no one could really speak sufficient English to offer me an explanation. I kept on hearing the word Papa repeated over and over again, but of course I didn’t know what they were talking about. Walking back to my hotel, it seemed that the rest of the town was relatively quiet, so it was safe to say that the celebration was relatively limited to Wat Apha.

It was only after talking to the owner of Nan Boutique Hotel that I found out about the true nature of this celebration. What I witnessed at the local Wat is known in Thailand as the Paa Paah Festival. Celebrated during the months of October and November throughout Thailand, the Paa Paah festival is a special fund raising party for each local temple/Wat – and it is strictly a localized festival, as each temple celebrates this festival independently on different dates.

I consider myself very fortunate as an outsider to have been invited by members of the Apha Wat to join in their festivities. The people were very friendly and hospitable and they had no qualms about me taking photographs of their merriment. It also gave an opportunity to learn more about the fascinating and exotic culture of Thailand

After flying to Pitsanulok from Bangkok, I boarded a bus about 8:00AM to Uttaradit, a small, rather nondescript but pleasant city of about 75,000 people located in Northern Thailand. The bus ride, which would take approximately 2 hours started out very inauspiciously when the bus driver turned on the sound system full blast. The music was absolutely deafening and immediately this bus ride starting was turning into a real nightmare.

Rather than submitting to this early morning torture, I decided to take action. Since most of the passengers probably didn’t understand English, I pleaded with them (I was the only foreigner on the bus) to tell the bus driver to turn down the volume by using my hands – I made a circling motion with my right index finger in front my ear, then covered both ears with my hands, simultaneously uttering “Mai chorp, Mai chorp” (means I do not like).

I knew the other passengers understood me but all they did was make strange faces at me and smiled as if they were saying “You stupid Farang, you’re in our country now and we are not going take any action because it is not our custom, so you’re going to have to suffer.”

As the Thai passengers were not going to be cooperative, I decided to execute Plan B. Whipping out my cell phone, I called Khun Moongmink, my good friend in Bangkok, and I explained to her in English, my problem with the loud music.

Walking towards the front of the bus, I then handed my cell phone to the bus driver so Khun Moongmink could voice my displeasure to him. After talking with her for about 1 minute, lo and behold, the bus driver turned the music off. I smiled to myself, very content with my ability to be assertive.

About 5 minutes later, I looked behind me to find that some of the Thai passengers who were making faces and laughing at me before were now dozing off.

LESSON LEARNED - In Western Culture (or at least in America) we are very assertive and will protest or complain if something is not right and take action if need be while in Asian culture (at least in Thai culture), people have a tendency to be somewhat passive and considerably less assertive; I guess you could say, they just go with the flow! Viva la Difference!