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Some Musings on Chiang Rai northern Thailand

INTRO:  Located just one hour drive below Mae Sai, the northernmost town of Thailand, Chiang Rai is a sprawling town and somewhat popular tourist destination. It's also a stepping-off point for treks to the northwest hills which contain numerous hill-tribes comprising ethnic groups of Karen, Akha, Muser, Lisu, Meo, Lao and others. The Mae Kok river flows west to east across the northern part of the town.  

WEATHER: Mediterranean climate through most of the year. Winters are dry, with cool nights and warm days, never frosts or freezes. From May through October is monsoon season, usually raining hard for brief periods, with balmy intervals or puffy white clouds and the bluest skies of the year. May is the windiest month - December is the coldest. March and April are hazy, as they're at the end of the long dry season - which is also the busiest time for brush burning.

FOREIGNERS COMING TO CHIANG RAI:  As a resident here, the sense I get is more foreigners are choosing to reside here. Among other things, they appreciate the relative easy-going tempo and friendly people - as compared to touristy parts of Thailand where prices are higher. In more touristy places, it's not unusual for locals to get either (A) 'jaded' by continually seeing so many foreigners, or (B) amped up as touts - continually hawking services, products and people to the awkward people with hairy arms, pointy noses and deep pockets.

THUMBNAIL COMPARISON TO TOURISTY PARTS OF THAILAND:  Compared to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya, ...Chiang Rai has cleaner air, no gridlock, friendlier people, lower prices (especially for real estate), and you can wake each morning to the sounds of birds chirping - rather than traffic noise.

FACILITIES ALREADY HERE:  golf courses, riverside parks, sports stadium, movie theatre (Thai language only), two large supermarkets, tennis courts, decent bakery, rural bike trails, airport, tourist police, big markets (day and night), night bazaar, bus station, farang-style coffee houses, riverside resorts, historic temples, car rentals, deli food outlet, hill tribe museum.

FACILITIES NEEDED:  English language movie theater, organic produce market, roller skating / ice skating rink, campgrounds, climbing wall, flea market, thrift stores, go-kart track, paint-ball, railroad connection, canoes/kayaks/windsurf facilities on Mae Kok river.

 SONGKRAN:  a nationwide Thai holiday which, in theory, is supposed to last three days annually in April. Traditionally, it afforded an opportunity for people to bless one-another by sprinkling water upon them. Like a genie let out of the bottle, it's become an orgy of water-throwing lasting two weeks. Unless you want to have buckets of water thrown at you from close range, you cannot walk down a street, nor ride a bicycle nor a motorbike for that entire duration. Throughout Thailand for Songkran, commerce is stifled, grown children are alternately thrilled and angered, and traffic accident numbers soar. As for foreigners; a few think it's fun, but most make plans to leave the country for the duration or stay garrisoned in their abodes.

Comparing touristy spots in Thailand:

     Ken    084 173 2757       Email   ken [at] adventure1.com          Home     about Chiang Rai    
   tips for foreigners wanting to secure property in Thailand 
 

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Farmsteading in Thailand True chronicle of solo American who comes to Thailand with no connections, no handle on the language, and little money - and goes on to develop an organic farm.  Details

...singer of spiritual poems, Milarepa became a living Buddha 900 years ago in Tibet. E-book or Audio-book avail.

Learn Thai quick 'n easy!

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