There cannot be a more obscure city in Northern Thailand than Phrae (pronounced somewhat like Prey). Capital of the province of the same name, Phrae is a rather pleasant and friendly city with a population of over 100,000 people.
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What about Phrae? There is nothing really outstanding about the city – it lacks both the sleepy charm of Nan and the historical significance of Ayutthaya - but in all candor, I really cannot say that I know Phrae very well as I stayed there for only a brief two nights before continuing my journey. Like most cities in Thailand however, there are some very interesting places to see in the area.

When I asked the officer from The Regional Thai Tourist Office in Phrae, “Why do Thai Tourists come to Phrae?”, he answered me by saying “Phrae has some very interesting temples and it’s a stopover point for those journeying further north”

Upon recommendation of the Tourist Office, I visited Wat Phra That Choe Hae, considered the most important temple in Phrae. Located on a hill about 10 kilometers outside of the city, I renamed this important religious complex “The Tiger Temple” because of the many large tiger figurines scattered around the site. I guess you could say the place was crawling with tigers.

Located about 20 minute drive from the city is Phae Muang Phi (sounds like Pet Monkey), a park noted for its unusual earth pillars. As I have seen some more extensive earth pillar formations at more remote locations like Laluk in Sakaeo Province and at Sao Din in neighboring Nan Province, I have jokingly named Phae Muang Phi as “The Walk in Earth Pillar Park”, primarily because of its easy accessibility.

The highlight of my brief stay in Phrae was Ban Na Tong, a small rural village located about 30 kilometers outside the city (about a 45 minute drive). Surrounded by the lush greenery of the countryside, I am guessing Ban Na Tong – a community consisting of about 100 households – is at an elevation of 3000 feet above sea level.

Ban Na Tong is one of the areas where the Siamese Big Headed Turtle – an endangered species - can be found. In the village, they keep two of these turtles as pets in a small enclosure – I affectionately named them Pia and Nong. The community is experimenting with sustainable tourism by offering Homestay accommodations to visitors; prices are cheap – about 600 baht ($18USD) per night including meals for two people. Tour guide is for hire at 150 baht ($4.50USD) for the whole day.

Come to think it, Phrae is not too bad after all!

Check out my Phrae Photo Gallery

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.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the famous proverb of the Three Wise Monkeys – “Hear no evil, Speak no evil, See no evil.”

With a little choreography, I recreated the Three Wise Monkeys famous pose in Ban Na Tong, a small rural village located about 30 KM from Phrae in Northern Thailand. I chose three kids from the local school there, had them place some Bua Tong - Wild Mexican Sunflower – on top of their heads and placed the children in front of a monkey shrine.

I’m sure they had no clue, what the significance of this pose – but then again, I could be wrong. Westerners probably are not aware of the origins of “The Three Monkeys” proverb as well – it is based on a 17th century carving over a door of a famous shrine in Japan, but apparently the philosophy has deeper roots – from a Buddhist legend in 8th century China.

All I know, it makes for a classical – somewhat hilarious picture.

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….

I met Mah Jong and his colleague, Kah Ching at Phu Lang Ka Resort in rural Northern Thailand. They are somewhat typical of dogs of the rural area – average height with short yellow hair and a somewhat stocky build. To be honest with you, the typical Thai dog is somewhat drab in appearance.

Traveling throughout Thailand, I have seen so many look-alikes among the dogs in the countryside – one wonders if they are all related as Thai people don’t believe in getting their dogs fixed and the females have such large litters. As pets, the stereotypical Thai mutt do not cost more than 1 baht – in other words they are free for the asking.

Mah Jong and Kah Ching are not pets of Kevan, the owner of Phu Lang Ka or any of this employees – these Thai pooches belong to some of Kevan’s neighbors. During the height of the tourist seasons which last from November – February, they can be seen hanging around Phu Lang Ka Lodge for most of the day, going from table to table looking for food, eating the many leftovers from the guest’s meals.

Unlike Jah Thep (Kevan’s dog) who is a very civilized, sweet and obedient dog, these mutts are professional freeloaders or moochers. Mah Jong and his cohort do not provide any valuable service to the owner such as extra security i.e.watch dogs nor do they really mingle with the guests like Jah Thep. You’d think that these dogs would at least bark when a stranger approaches – not these mutts!

And when the season is over and the food supply dries up, these pooches disappear and go elsewhere

To be honest with you, I have never seen a better-fed doggie than Mah Jong. On my first night at there, I saw him down the leftovers from a large grilled fish, Thai soup, rice and greens from one table, then he went to another table to devour some more leftovers.

Depending upon how you look at it, I guess Mah Jong and Kah Ching can be considered professional recyclers or seasonal busboys.

This edition of TRAVEL PHOTO OF THE WEEK features a digitally rendered watercolor of Doi Chiang Dao in Northern Thailand. Rising dramatically above the rural countryside and the town of Chiang Dao to a height of 2186 meters (7174 feet), Doi Chiang Dao is the 2nd highest peak in Thailand. Chiang Dao is located 77KM from Chiang Mai, about a one-hour drive.

Situated on the slopes of the mountain is Wat Tham Pha Plong, a very sacred Buddhist Temple and sanctuary. If you’d like to visit the temple, there is a paved walkway consisting of 560 steps to this very spiritual site (an easy 15 minute walk). The views from the temple are absolutely heavenly.

In a way, Doi Chiang Dao reminds me superficially of the mountains surrounding the sacred site of Machu Picchu in the Peruvian Andes.

In Thai language, Doi=Mountain peak, Tham=Cave and Wat=Temple.

THAILAND UNDISCOVERED refers to the small, sleepy towns and villages (and out of the way places) in Thailand’s rural countryside. Far away from the craziness of Bangkok and the popular tourist meccas of Chiang Mai and Phuket, it is a side of Thailand that few tourists have visited. However this particular traveler prefers to travel off the beaten track - call me the intrepid traveler if you will!

On my most recent trip, I journeyed to Nan Province and the small mountain resort of Phu Lang Ka in Northern Thailand. Located in the northeastern half of the Golden Triangle, this region of Thailand is rich with history and natural beauty – from the mist covered valley at Phu Lang Ka to the unusual earth pillars at Sao Din in Nan Province. In addition, there a number of hilltribes that populate this rural region - from the Yao (Mien), Hmong and Khamu to the very primitive Mlabri, a nomadic forest tribe more commonly known as Spirits of the Yellow Leaf, found only in the mountains of Nan. Most importantly, this is part of Thailand which has yet to be overrun by the tourist crowd. It is truly Thailand undiscovered!

Want to learn more about Nan and Phu Lang Ka?
See my fascinating video (available in high definition)!

While I was a guest at Phu Lang Ka Lodge in Northern Thailand this past November, I was invited by the owner of the lodge (Kevan) to attend a special memorial tribute by the Yao and Hmong hilltribes to the belated Princess Galyani, the King of Thailand’s elder sister. Universally loved by the people of Thailand, she died on January 2, 2008 after a long struggle with cancer. Among the Hilltribes in particular, Princess Galyani was considered a very special lady – she was revered for her acts of kindness and for her many contributions towards their welfare.

This Special Hilltribe tribute took place at the community school at the nearby village of Pong in Phayao Province on November 21. Organized by the director of the school and his staff, this tribute drew Hmong and Yao from the outlying villages and communities. The director of the school coincidentally happened to be Kevan, the owner of Phu Lang Ka Lodge as well as the President of the Yao people of Thailand. The tribute at the small village of Pong in upcountry Thailand was quite different than the lavish funeral and cremation ceremony that was staged in Bangkok a couple of days before. Watched by many Thai people on TV, over 100,000 people attended the official Funeral ceremony for Princess Galyani.

Sharing the large grassy field of the community school, the Hmong and Yao conducted their own independent tribute/memorial to Princess Galyani – the Yao were congregated on the north end of the field while the Hmong were on the south end. I guess separate tributes were allowed for the Yao and Hmong because they have a different set of traditions and customs regarding the afterlife and rituals for the dead. In addition, this allowed the Hmong and Yao to conduct their tributes in their own tribal language. Looking around me, I noticed that the most of the people in attendance were outfitted in their own traditional tribal dress - the women in particular wore some very exotic and colorful outfits.

I spent most of time on the Yao side of the field, where Kevan introduced me to some Yao dignitaries who had immigrated from Phayao to the USA. One of his friends, who was now living in Salem, Oregon, explained to me some of the unique Yao customs and traditions pertaining to death and the afterlife.

Motioning to a group of people who were pounding away at something at a nearby table, he said - these people are making imitation silver coins (spiritual monies) from paper which will be used to pay the Toll keeper at Heaven’s Gate for the Princess’s entrance to the other side. Pointing to another group of people, they are making gold bars which will offered to the spirits to insure the Princess has a comfortable existence in the afterlife. The newly minted silver coins and gold bars are then fed to a burning fire to finish the transaction with the spirits/gods. In Yao culture, he explained, a man’s worth is not measured by his material wealth but by his spiritual wealth.

The Special Hilltribe Tribute to Princess Galyani really opened up my mind - it is an experience that I will never forget.

Traveling to Phu Lang Ka in Northern Thailand was quite an experience for me. Not only was the view and ambiance absolutely wonderful, but I had an opportunity to learn a little bit about the history and culture about the YAO people, one of the principal hilltribe groups in the area. According to Kevan, the owner of Phu Lang Ka Lodge, there are approximately 50,000 Yao people (otherwise known as Mien) in Thailand - most of whom live in the Northern Provinces of Nan and Phayao. As the elected president of the Yao people of Thailand, he and his wife are very active in keeping the culture and heritage of the Yao people alive.

While I was visiting his school at the nearby village of Pong, Kevan presented me with a little booklet called the Passport of the Yao people - it told the story of the history and origins of the Yao people . Very interesting! Returning to the lodge, Kevan and his wife showed me (and some other guests), a very unique scroll-mural, which was sort of a pictorial history of the YAO people. I don’t know if this is one of a kind document or a replica, but I was astounded at the vivid detail.

In short, the Yao people originate from southern CHINA. According to Yao Folklore, their ancestral origins can be traced to a heroic dragon dog with human attributes by the name of Pan Hu who was recruited by the local Emperor to assassinate the tyrannical KING who ruled the land. After completing his mission, he returned to the Emperor with the King’s decapitated head in his jaws and was rewarded for his heroism – Pan Hu was given permission to marry one of the Emperor’s daughters and was granted a substantial amount of property. Pan Hu and his wife had 6 sons and 6 daughters – their twelve children and their families multiplied and spread throughout the highland regions of Southern China and Southeast Asia including Thailand.

Pan Hu’s legacy was the 12 tribes of the YAO (the descendants of Pan Hu’s twelve children) - sounds similar to the biblical story of the 12 tribes of Israel.

I really enjoyed myself in NAN, a relatively small and obscure city in Northern Thailand that few travelers have heard of. All my touring was taken care of by Fhu Travel, the most experienced tour operator in the city. Because of the scarcity of tourists in the area, I was the only participant on my two all-day excursions. Fhu Travel assigned a dedicated tour guide and driver to handle all the touring arrangements for me. Over the course of the next two days, I spent most of my time with these two gentleman who were born and raised in the area and had an opportunity to learn more about their lives. Nong, the tour guide, was a rather husky young fellow of about 25 years old who had fairly good command of the English language. Before working as a tour guide, he labored in the rice fields. He was married but his wife (and his young daughter) lived in Chiang Mai - about 5 hours away by car - where she worked as a teacher. Chaat, the driver, was a fellow in his late 30’s; like Nong, he was also married but his wife lived with him in Nan. While I was with them, both Nong and Chaat were always smiling and laughing as we often chatted about TIGERS (Thai girls).

When they talked among themselves, they spoke in their native Lanna which is somewhat different than Thai, the predominant language in Thailand. Lanna is considerably more nasal than Thai and some of the words are completely different. During my two days of touring, I sort of developed a friendship with these two gentlemen and I really enjoyed their company during the short time that we were together. When Nong talked to me, he always addressed me as Sir – I guess out of habit and respect - and I always retorted that I didn’t like to be called Sir, and pleaded with him to call me by my first name or any one of the many pet names I go by.

When we talked about TIGERS (Thai girls), both guys would become very animated, especially Chaat. Smiling and laughing, Chaat would say, “THAIgers very dangerous, eat money.” I guess this was a pet expression of his as whenever we passed by a young and attractive Thai girl, he would repeat his mantra with a big silly grin on his face “Thaigers very dangerous, eat money.” We all laughed and chuckled. Agreeing with Chaat, “I added Thaigers are very dangerous, but Farang gals more dangerous (and more expensive) yet.”

At the end of the 2nd day of touring, I told Nong and Chaat, since it was my last night in Nan before moving onto Phu Lang Ka, that I would take them out for a drink at the Dhevaraj, the most prestigious hotel in the town. Chaat was especially excited about meeting Nancy, the young and attractive female singer who was performing at the hotel’s nightclub. Later that night both gentlemen showed up at my guesthouse on their motorbikes and we proceeded to the Dhevaraj. On the way, Nong confided to me that neither himself nor Chaat - both men had been born and raised in Nan - had ever been to the Dhevaraj nightclub before, let alone inside the hotel. When I asked why, Nong replied, “We have never been there before Hanu, because we are not of the higher class.” He was alluding to the primarily Chinese Thai patrons of the Dhevaraj who were from Chiang Mai and Bangkok. “Nonsense I said, you’re the equal to any of these people, don’t put yourself down.” I guess my words, made them feel less self-conscious about themselves as we went inside the lounge, shared two large Changs (Thai beers) as we proceeded to enjoy the Thai cabaret show that featured Nancy and a number of other singers.

From this experience, I guess you could say I learned something about class-consciousness among Thai people. Anyhow next time I go to NAN, I will look up Nong and Chaat again and take them out for another round of drinks at the Dhevaraj. Hopefully, Nancy (and some other ThAIgers) will be there to join us!

By all means, check out my initial report on Nan!