Northern Thailand - July 2007

I was in Thailand for a few weeks this summer. Weena and I took at trip to northern Thailand. This was my 4th time in Thailand, and while life and sights are a little less surprising now that I know what to expect, there are lots of beautiful places and interesting things to learn. One of the things I wanted to do was visit some hilltribes. Unfortunately, most of these villages are not accessible without long walks in multiday trips. So, we took a tour to a set of villages that are set up for tourists. It wasn't as authentic as I would have liked, but it was interesting anyway. Most striking is the sight of the long-neck Karen women. The rings they were are surprisingly heavy (5 to 10 kilos, I think, perhaps more), and they push the shoulders down giving the appearance of long necks. It turns out there are several groups of Karen, the the long neck Karen are actually from Burma (Myanmar). That will have to be a destination for another trip. The clothes, jewleries and customs of other tribes like the Akha, Hmong or Lisu are also something to see, but it takes a bit closer attention to notice their crafts.

These region or northern Thailand, and regions across the border in Burma and Laos are known as the Golden Triangle and are famous for opium production. That has declined in recent times but tourists, specially Thai tourists, still come to this parts, not for the opium, but for cheap chinese imports at the markets, and to visit the site of the capital of the Lana kingdom that existed in this region around the 12th and 13th centuries and that after many changes became the Kingdom of Thailand.

This region is also know for tea production. There are many varieties of really good teas I had never heard of. In a visit to a tea plantation and factory, I learned about tea tasing. In some ways it's similar to wine tasking - smell first, then drink - but the cups and other implements are quite different. This is a picture of at a tea shop in Mae Salong.

Mae salong is a fairly remote town that feels like I imagine china might be like (at least the southwest of China). The people immigrated here from China which is not that far north beyond Burma. The noodle soups and wantan soups are very tasty, and here is easier to find chinese food than Thai food.