KTMphil
Senior member
Harley Temporary Import at Chaing Khong & detour to Mae Sai
Date: 7th March, 2011
Riders:
Scott & Som on a USA registered Honda XR 400
& Phil on a 2010 Harley Davidson 48
So onward up R118, R1, R1016, quickly through Chiang Saen then south to Chiang Khong to renew our Thai Customs Temporary imports.
There are 2 main ferry crossings from Chiang Khong to Houei Xai, Laos, the northern of the 2 crossings is where the Thai customs and immigration offices are that you will need.
Below is the ferry crossing to look for where you can get your border documents processed:
1/2 way down the ferry ramp on the left you can see the blue Thai Immigration office, the next building down is the Thai customs office with the Thai flags above:
They really go for the maximum load carrying they can get away with, look at how low the ferry's waterline is!
The Laos border town of Houei Xai, taken from Chiang khong
So into the Chiang Khong Thai customs office, I would say the officers there are among the nicest i have met at any Thai border crossing. If you are polite and lucky they may even close out your expiring Thai temporary import and issue you a new one without you having to go to Laos, which would save immense inconvenience and several hours. The officers with the 3 stripes on their shoulders are the ones to respect and can make your life easy or hard.
Here Scott going through his paperwork in the Thai customs office:
My paperwork all finished, while waiting for Scott, I managed to get a few Photo's near the mekong:
With the Wat in Chiang Khong
More Monk Photo's , he seemed happy to be a subject
Getting late in the day, we decided to spend the night in Mae Sai. The road to Mae Sai (R1290) is still under construction, if not finished before the rain comes, it could be quite challenging, here Scott covered in dust on arrival in mae Sai
There's lots of options for places to stay in Mae Sai, we stayed at the Yeesun Hotel 400 baht a night.
To find the Yeesun Hotel in Mae Sai, go north on R1 into the town of Mae sai, 50 meters before the checkpoint take the left slip road passed the Thai Customs office, 50 meters take the left turn through the covered market and the Yeesun Hotel is 200 meters on your right.
Great rooms for 400 baht
Yeesun from the side
Phone number here
Pretty decent water pressure in the bathrooms, normally a problem in Thailand
Dinner at the Lab Lung Air restaurant which is 1/2 km down R1290 (the road to Chiang Saen) about 3 km from the town of Mae Sai
Som (Scotts Som)arriving at the restaurant
Nam - the chef at lab Lung Air, trained and worked in a hotel in pattaya, his wife's family have had the restaurant in Mae Sai for years
Here fillets of pork in gravy
Som checking out her soup
Thai menu's on the wall in Lab Lung Air
After Dinner off to Monkey Island for beers and pool, it's about 100 meters east of the Yeesun Hotel before you get back to the covered market
Nice outdoor setting in the back, right on the river that separates Thailand from Myanmar
The next day before leaving for Chiang Mai, managed to get a few photo's around the border town of Mae Sai - here the most northern point in Thailand with the Myanmar border crossing behind
Looking from the Thai border checkpoint into Myanmar
Roasted Chestnut seller
Natural sea sponge seller, where did she get them?
Getting ready for a day in the market
Getting some breakfast
Burmese influenced construction
Day workers off to the farm
Not sure i'd want to swim in there
Sign if you're lost in the market
Baskets mak mak
Quick, easy and cheap place to eat just west of the covered market - EQ
You can't beat finding a clean toilet on the way home
Date: 7th March, 2011
Riders:
Scott & Som on a USA registered Honda XR 400
& Phil on a 2010 Harley Davidson 48
So onward up R118, R1, R1016, quickly through Chiang Saen then south to Chiang Khong to renew our Thai Customs Temporary imports.
There are 2 main ferry crossings from Chiang Khong to Houei Xai, Laos, the northern of the 2 crossings is where the Thai customs and immigration offices are that you will need.
Below is the ferry crossing to look for where you can get your border documents processed:
1/2 way down the ferry ramp on the left you can see the blue Thai Immigration office, the next building down is the Thai customs office with the Thai flags above:
They really go for the maximum load carrying they can get away with, look at how low the ferry's waterline is!
The Laos border town of Houei Xai, taken from Chiang khong
So into the Chiang Khong Thai customs office, I would say the officers there are among the nicest i have met at any Thai border crossing. If you are polite and lucky they may even close out your expiring Thai temporary import and issue you a new one without you having to go to Laos, which would save immense inconvenience and several hours. The officers with the 3 stripes on their shoulders are the ones to respect and can make your life easy or hard.
Here Scott going through his paperwork in the Thai customs office:
My paperwork all finished, while waiting for Scott, I managed to get a few Photo's near the mekong:
With the Wat in Chiang Khong
More Monk Photo's , he seemed happy to be a subject
Getting late in the day, we decided to spend the night in Mae Sai. The road to Mae Sai (R1290) is still under construction, if not finished before the rain comes, it could be quite challenging, here Scott covered in dust on arrival in mae Sai
There's lots of options for places to stay in Mae Sai, we stayed at the Yeesun Hotel 400 baht a night.
To find the Yeesun Hotel in Mae Sai, go north on R1 into the town of Mae sai, 50 meters before the checkpoint take the left slip road passed the Thai Customs office, 50 meters take the left turn through the covered market and the Yeesun Hotel is 200 meters on your right.
Great rooms for 400 baht
Yeesun from the side
Phone number here
Pretty decent water pressure in the bathrooms, normally a problem in Thailand
Dinner at the Lab Lung Air restaurant which is 1/2 km down R1290 (the road to Chiang Saen) about 3 km from the town of Mae Sai
Som (Scotts Som)arriving at the restaurant
Nam - the chef at lab Lung Air, trained and worked in a hotel in pattaya, his wife's family have had the restaurant in Mae Sai for years
Here fillets of pork in gravy
Som checking out her soup
Thai menu's on the wall in Lab Lung Air
After Dinner off to Monkey Island for beers and pool, it's about 100 meters east of the Yeesun Hotel before you get back to the covered market
Nice outdoor setting in the back, right on the river that separates Thailand from Myanmar
The next day before leaving for Chiang Mai, managed to get a few photo's around the border town of Mae Sai - here the most northern point in Thailand with the Myanmar border crossing behind
Looking from the Thai border checkpoint into Myanmar
Roasted Chestnut seller
Natural sea sponge seller, where did she get them?
Getting ready for a day in the market
Getting some breakfast
Burmese influenced construction
Day workers off to the farm
Not sure i'd want to swim in there
Sign if you're lost in the market
Baskets mak mak
Quick, easy and cheap place to eat just west of the covered market - EQ
You can't beat finding a clean toilet on the way home
