Lone Rider
Blokes Who Can
Another day and another trip this time to Fang, Doi Lang and the border roads- again an early morning departure with the fog still lingering over the ricefields
Wat Thep Nimit Nuntaram on Rd 1001 was my first stop to have a look at their bell tower. Wasn't really impressed with it as it looked like having put there as a kind of afterthought - but at least the views were nice from the main temple grounds
Next stop was Wat Phrathat Sunantha (N19.11473 E99.00863) - very nice looking temple but it was clear that money was not one of their problems with a big Mercedes Benz and a new Toyota van in the garage.
One thing it had going for it so early in the morning was the peace and quiet with no noise other then from birds in the forests around it. Sat there for a long time soaking in the quietness and thinking about everyday life and all the things and bickering which are going on among the biking communities "back there"
Behind the main temple, a new development is going on, again with no money spared
One of the new window shutters in the new part of the temple - partly still wrapped in plastic
The Hindu deities Ganesha and Shiva (I think but not sure about that so please set me on the straight path in case I have it wrong) in its separate quarters
Cruising along the 1346 I found a sign for the Nong Krok Hot Spring with a small shrine which was considerable less opulent than the temple I just came from. The hot springs were completely deserted but the local government had done a good job not only to spruce up things a bit but also maintaining it
Further on Rd 1346 I spotted a sign which I could not read, so time to explore - it turned out to be a meditation cave and although there was only 1 monk and 1 lay person, they indicated that from time to time there wre more monks and hermits residing there.
Next stop was Fang and Wat Phratat (N19.90555 E99.15154) - another temple without money problems and with its own coffeeshop and back-up generator
From here on it was more of "reality on the ground" with military checkpoints, interrogated what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go, checking everything in the car and being photographed together with the car and noted in many big books.
Checking wat I had in the car and being entered in the big book (and later on being noted again that I had left the area) on the road northwards along the border towards Doi Lang
The border road with nature trying to retake the road
View from the Doi Lang Ranger station and Campgrounds in the Doi Pahompok National Park
This is Thailand
and that ridge next to the road is Myanmar with a close-up of one of the many Myanmar army camps on the ridge
Barbed wire fence along the border indicating in Thai, English and Burmese that this is not the border but just a barricade - the border is probably just a few meters away to the west
The repairs of the collapsed road are still holding up well but we are still very early on in the rainy season
This is how the road was last year before the repairs has taken place (photo Captain Slash)
see also http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-...ng-thai-myanmar-border-west-doi-pahompok.html for a report of my previous trip to the area
A picture for Captain Slash - and yes the Mae Mao reservoir and mini-hydro power project is low on water
From here it was uphill to Doi Angkhan with 3 military checkpoints to negotiate to take the direct route up to Norlae. The Norlae road is only open from 7-10 in the morning and from 4-6 in the afternoon but it is also quite often offlimits to all - the last time I was here - January 2013 - I was not allowed on the road
At the last checkpoint I was aked if I wanted to see their camp and they radioed ahead to let me in - not a big deal though as there were quite a few local ladies selling their trinkets right at the Army Camp
View from the Norlae military base with the Khoa Hua Lon Myanmar army base on the next hill - in between these two there is slightly to the left the Pa Kee Myanmar army camp
Map of the border area - the blue star indicating the No Lae army camp I visited is on the other side of the road and right smack on the border
The Khoa Hua Lon Myanmar army base with porters bring in supplies which they bought in Norlae in Thailand - there was one guy in Myanmar army uniform with them but when I stopped to take a picture he became decidely unfriendly so decided to be the wiser of the two
It was quiet on the border so this guy took time to paint his quarters to camouflage it so it will blend in with the surroundings
The Norlae (Thailand) base very close to the Pa Kee Myanmar base and the gate which keeps them apart
Bamboo markers indicating degrees on the compass so the guys in the trenches can tell the guys with the big guns where to point them. There were quite a few other gadgets to help them pinpoint directions but did not take pictures of these.
From here it was home to Chiangmai with a quick look at Doi Angkhan where it was very quiet - only 2 cars at the parking area and most of the ladies selling trinkets were sleeping in the shadow
Ban Luang on Rd 1340 which runs paralel with Rd 1249 for a short while
Viewpoint along Rd 1340 (N19.76642 E99.01124) with the view to the west and to the east
Wat Thep Nimit Nuntaram on Rd 1001 was my first stop to have a look at their bell tower. Wasn't really impressed with it as it looked like having put there as a kind of afterthought - but at least the views were nice from the main temple grounds
Next stop was Wat Phrathat Sunantha (N19.11473 E99.00863) - very nice looking temple but it was clear that money was not one of their problems with a big Mercedes Benz and a new Toyota van in the garage.
One thing it had going for it so early in the morning was the peace and quiet with no noise other then from birds in the forests around it. Sat there for a long time soaking in the quietness and thinking about everyday life and all the things and bickering which are going on among the biking communities "back there"
Behind the main temple, a new development is going on, again with no money spared
One of the new window shutters in the new part of the temple - partly still wrapped in plastic
The Hindu deities Ganesha and Shiva (I think but not sure about that so please set me on the straight path in case I have it wrong) in its separate quarters
Cruising along the 1346 I found a sign for the Nong Krok Hot Spring with a small shrine which was considerable less opulent than the temple I just came from. The hot springs were completely deserted but the local government had done a good job not only to spruce up things a bit but also maintaining it
Further on Rd 1346 I spotted a sign which I could not read, so time to explore - it turned out to be a meditation cave and although there was only 1 monk and 1 lay person, they indicated that from time to time there wre more monks and hermits residing there.
Next stop was Fang and Wat Phratat (N19.90555 E99.15154) - another temple without money problems and with its own coffeeshop and back-up generator
From here on it was more of "reality on the ground" with military checkpoints, interrogated what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go, checking everything in the car and being photographed together with the car and noted in many big books.
Checking wat I had in the car and being entered in the big book (and later on being noted again that I had left the area) on the road northwards along the border towards Doi Lang
The border road with nature trying to retake the road
View from the Doi Lang Ranger station and Campgrounds in the Doi Pahompok National Park
This is Thailand
and that ridge next to the road is Myanmar with a close-up of one of the many Myanmar army camps on the ridge
Barbed wire fence along the border indicating in Thai, English and Burmese that this is not the border but just a barricade - the border is probably just a few meters away to the west
The repairs of the collapsed road are still holding up well but we are still very early on in the rainy season
This is how the road was last year before the repairs has taken place (photo Captain Slash)
see also http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-...ng-thai-myanmar-border-west-doi-pahompok.html for a report of my previous trip to the area
A picture for Captain Slash - and yes the Mae Mao reservoir and mini-hydro power project is low on water
From here it was uphill to Doi Angkhan with 3 military checkpoints to negotiate to take the direct route up to Norlae. The Norlae road is only open from 7-10 in the morning and from 4-6 in the afternoon but it is also quite often offlimits to all - the last time I was here - January 2013 - I was not allowed on the road
At the last checkpoint I was aked if I wanted to see their camp and they radioed ahead to let me in - not a big deal though as there were quite a few local ladies selling their trinkets right at the Army Camp
View from the Norlae military base with the Khoa Hua Lon Myanmar army base on the next hill - in between these two there is slightly to the left the Pa Kee Myanmar army camp
Map of the border area - the blue star indicating the No Lae army camp I visited is on the other side of the road and right smack on the border
The Khoa Hua Lon Myanmar army base with porters bring in supplies which they bought in Norlae in Thailand - there was one guy in Myanmar army uniform with them but when I stopped to take a picture he became decidely unfriendly so decided to be the wiser of the two
It was quiet on the border so this guy took time to paint his quarters to camouflage it so it will blend in with the surroundings
The Norlae (Thailand) base very close to the Pa Kee Myanmar base and the gate which keeps them apart
Bamboo markers indicating degrees on the compass so the guys in the trenches can tell the guys with the big guns where to point them. There were quite a few other gadgets to help them pinpoint directions but did not take pictures of these.
From here it was home to Chiangmai with a quick look at Doi Angkhan where it was very quiet - only 2 cars at the parking area and most of the ladies selling trinkets were sleeping in the shadow
Ban Luang on Rd 1340 which runs paralel with Rd 1249 for a short while
Viewpoint along Rd 1340 (N19.76642 E99.01124) with the view to the west and to the east
