Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai, Thailand

cassiopeia

wokeh nak sambung balik..
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12/12/06 = ONE DAY TOUR=
[Chiangmai - chiangrai (hot spring, Chiang Saen, Golden Triangle) - Laos - *back to* Chiangrai (Mae Sai, Hilltribes villages) - Chiangmai]


map perjalanan kami

++INFO (Chiang Rai)+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The northernmost province of Thailand is about 785 kilometers north of Bangkok. Situated on the Kok River basin, Chiang Rai covers an area of approximately 11,678 square meters with an average elevation of 580 meters above sea level.
Despite being 740 years old, Chiang Rai has much less of its history in evidence than Chiang Mai. You can see most of what the city itself has to offer in a single day. The main sights are a handful of temples along the city's northern side. We've listed the sights below as a sort of walking tour, so you can start at the first one and move on to the next. The city is well signed for tourists. Look for wooden signs with gold letters point the way to the main sights of the city.
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Kami semua bgn awal..bg cassio yg first time pegi Thailand, rasa sronok sgt tgk cuaca sejuk dan pukul 6 pagi pun dah terang (tak tau la tmpt korang camne, coz kat Ipoh ni kol 7pg baru la cerah. ke semua camtu?) :malu:
dari Hotel Traveller Inn, kami berjalan ke booth yg kami pegi smalam, coz pemandu pelancong kami akan amik kami dari situ.
dekat je, jalan yg sama.. loy kroh road..famous road ni..

++ PICS+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Loy Kroh road, center of Chiang Mai, near Thapae Gate, thailand


The Night Bazaar, Chang klan Road the most famous tourist shopping street in Chiang Mai Thailand


ni map hotel...Traveller Inn ni dekat2 situ gak..
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sambung balik cite, booth tu namanya "enguin Tour 2" -32/1 Loy Kroh Rd, A.Muang, ChiangMai-
they told us pukul 7am..dekat 7:10am, van tu pun sampai...
then we met our tour guide..nama dia susah gile nak hafal so dia ckp panggil je la dia..Tommy. (forgot la driver van tu nama ape, tapi adik cassio panggil dia Jerry coz tak ingat nama dia!) :lol   *kartun Tom & Jerry* wakakakak...
his english ..of coz lah bagus, pelajar Universiti la katakan. he told us to wait for a few minutes, coz ade 2 org eropah akan ikut sama. (but only halfway trip, coz the next stop, dorang akan tukar van ke Longneck tribe)
Then dalam kol 7:30am, our 1 day trip pon bermula! :love:
First, Tommy ckp kami akan melawat Hot Spring..kalo tak silap cassio ade byk Hot Spring kat sini..more than 50!
so cassio tak bape ingat la yg mana satu cassio pegi coz cassio hilangkan kertas perjalanan yg Tommy kasi.. :ting:
rasanya cassio pegi yg ni, tapi tak pasti la..coz descriptionnya sama ngan ape cassio lihat..
di situ kami rebus telur ayam dalam kolam panas tu..
ade river dekat situ, tak panas la..

++ INFO +++++++++++++++++++++
Wieng Pa Pao hot spring: This is located at a midway point between Chiangmai and Chiangrai on highway 1019. Most people travelling by road stop at Wieng Pa Pao for a short break. Here are restaurants, a fresh produce and flower market and a bazaar selling items made by the hilltribes and lowland Thais. One popular activity at the hot spring is to hard boil eggs in the boiling water. The clever vendors have attached baskets on a long pole making the activity safe and fun for customers of all age to boil the eggs. If you can't encourage your children to cook at home, they will love to boil eggs here. Other than this the hot spring hasn't been develop for recreation use but plans are underway to develop this spring as a spa.
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Then, 2 org europe tu pon tukar van..so kami sekeluarga (5) with our tour guide and driver teruskan perjalanan. Tommy pun ceritakan pelbagai sejarah dan jawab soklan my parents tanye. Tapi, cassio tak bape dgr sgt coz terpukau dgn keindahan jalan di bukit2. :ting:     (cassio tau cassio ni teruk kan? hehe)

2nd stop, kami singgah di Chiangsaen (an ancient city) -tengok kat map perjalanan tu-
but only for a few minutes..cassio pun beli la souvenirs kat sini dan makan ais krim.. :lol

++PIC / INFO++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


The chedi at Wat Chedi Luang in the middle of Chiang Saen

On the banks of the Mekhong River at the southern-most point of the Golden Triangle tourist area is the ancient city of Chiang Saen. The town is still very small, even though it appears to have been a major trading crossroads since the seventh century. It was probably part of the kingdom of Yonok, and birthplace of Mengrai, who founded the kingdom of Lanna.
It was actually around 1328 that the city you can see today was laid out when King Saen Phu, Mengrai's nephew, moved the capital of Lanna to Chiang Saen, which he named after himself. This is when the walls were built and the moat dug.
During the long history of conflict between the Siamese and Burmese kingdoms, possesion of Chiang Saen passed back and forth. Finally, after pushing the Burmese completely out of Siam, King Rama I had Chiang Saen leveled in 1804 to remove it as a temptation to the Burmese. It was reoccupied by descendants of the original citizens in 1881 on the orders of Rama V.
Chiang Saen today is an interesting place to spend some time, although most visit on a day trip from Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai. You can easily make out the remains of most of the city's walls and moat, as well as several temples and defences. In the grounds of the old Wat Mahathat is an information center that can provide you with current information about what has been restored.
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3rd stop, tempat yg my dad dah janji nak bawak kami pegi sejak 4-5 tahun lepas...the famous Golden Triangle!
Kat sini, Tommy ckp dia dan driver akan berhenti..kami bolehla pergi naik bot ke Laos jap.
Tapi my dad rasa lagi elok bwk dia skali pegi ke seberang coz boleh la kami jadikan dia sebagai interpreter kami. :lol
So, my dad pon bayar tambang bot keliling sungai Mekong...tak ingat la bape.. :ting:
At first i thought it would be kind of big boat..cam feri kecil ke (wah..melampau fikiran cassio masa tu! :lol)
but NO..masa tgk bot tu....or can i say..SAMPAN? cassio takut. :ting:
masa tu mulalah..otak gile, fikir nanti tenggelam la, macam2! :nyorok: my whole family ngan pemandu pelancong tu selamba je naik..cassio teragak2 (actually, cassio ni takut sikit ngan air  :ting: )   then org yg bwak bot tu kejap2 berenti tgh2 sungai Mekong, kasi peluang kat my mom ambil gambar.
I was so afraid coz sampan tu cam bergoyang2 sgt.. :ting:   bila dia bwk laju, rasa cam nak terbalik je sampan tu, pastu air sungai Mekong tu terpercik habis kat badan cassio. Habis basah baju ngan seluar cassio! rasa cam cassio dah mmg jatuh dah pon dalam sungai Mekong tu..  :lol
tapi dalam ati, rasa happy sgt coz slama ni teringin sgt nak tgk sungai Mekong yg slama ni blaja kat skolah. rasa cam byk impian dah tercapai!

+++INFO+++++++++++++++

The Golden Triangle was an expansive area taking in parts of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar. The region was famed for providing an estimated 50% of the world抯 illicit heroin and opium supply. Various US Agencies (including the CIA) were (supposedly) active in the region to counter opiate production and it is one of the few places on earth outside Vietnam where 慉gent Orange

Originally posted by cassiopeia at 4-1-2007 11:14 AM


hai.. :tq:
i love chiangmai so much..

bangkok...tak bape menarik sgt..
maybe coz cassio tak pegi tour around bangkok..
cuma pegi bape tempat je.. ^^;;

tak penah try urut kaki..
my par ...

kalo urut kaki yang tepi road ...i think 180 baht you can get in CM.
so far...the cheapest yang i pi urut kaki is CM.



after dinner kat anusarn market...i just relax and do the foot massage.


kalo in spore i think is S$24 per hour...too expensive  for me.

cassiopeia

Originally posted by matz_rockz at 4-1-2007 11:55 AM



kalo urut kaki yang tepi road ...i think 180 baht you can get in CM.
so far...the cheapest yang i pi urut kaki is CM.



after dinner kat anusarn market...i just relax and do the foot ma ...

oo...my mom pun ckp camtu..
tapikan...my parents tu mcm dah gila nak urut kaki kat sini je.. :lol
cassio pelik, kalo cassio jalan berjam2 pon..takde plak nak urut2 ni..
dorang baru je jln 1 jam.. :ting:
agaknye cassio baru 1st time dtg kat sini, so cassio excited sgt sampai tak hirau penat kot. :ting:

cassiopeia

hmm..dah tak muat dah nak taip..  :ting:
so sambung sini ok? byk lagi nak cite nih..
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4th stop..kami singgah Laos! Kat sini paling famous tentula Snake Whiskey.
My dad beli gak walopun tau tak bleh..hehe...dia kata nak kasi kat his chinese friends.
and so many *unique* local gifts too..  :ting:
mmg byk nama pelik2..Thai Fried Rice with Crocodile, Bag of Roasted Roasted Scorpions, Meal Worms, Roasted Weaver Ants, Juicy Preserved Pregnant Crickets, Giant Water Bugs, pig抯 brains, snakes, snails, frogs and barbecued rat!  
:puke: :geram:  Unik gile kan?
ff:  Cassio hampir2 termakan Giant Water Bugs kat food court at Siam Paragon di Bangkok.
Kami di situ just for 15-20minutes. My mom beli LOTS of things. Kat sini mmg murah sgt. Byk souvenirs yg menarik!
Then naik bot sampan tu skali lagi..huhu...again i was breathless. Takut sgt katakan! :ting:

++++PICS++++++++++

Laotian snake whiskey
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5th stop kami ke MaeSai. Kat sini, kalo sape suka jed, beli la. Murah betul. Hari tu ade kedai yg ade org muslim jual jed, dia leh ckp Melayu skit2. Gelang jed yg mak cassio beli tu, kalo kat Malaysia, maybe RM300 lebih..tapi kat sini RM100 lebih je! My mom borong lagi brg2 dia. pompuan mmg la gile bab membeli-belah ni.. :nyorok:
Kami kat MaeSai dlm beberape jam.

++INFO++++++++++
Mae Sai is the northernmost district of Chiang Rai Province in northern Thailand. It is a major border crossing between Thailand and Myanmar, which Asian Highway Network AH2 (Thai highway 1 or Phahonyothin road) crossing the Mae Sai River to the town Tachileik in Myanmar.




The street leading to the border is lined with stalls which sell various cheap items brought over from Myanmar, resulting in a heaven for tourists .....


This bridge links Thailand to Myanmar
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Selepas tu, perjalanan diteruskan. Kami di bawa ke restauran. Tak ingat ape nama but really full or europeans kat dlm restaurant tu.  Ini dimasukkan skali dalam pakej tour kami. Disebabkan dah lapar sgt, kami pun turut serta la makan. Lagipun, Tommy kata ade vegetarian foods. So cassio pun pegi la tgk foods tu..kat tepi dia ade nama. Tau ape hidangan istimewa kat situ? Fried pork, pork soup, pork this, pork that..ALL PORK.. :geram:
Ade nasi goreng for vegetarian and sup ayam. masa tu lapar nak mampus so amik je la sup ayam tu. tawakal je la ape perencah dia bubuh. dah darurat sgt. :jeling: :nyorok:

Then we went to our last stop. The hilltribes village. Kena naik bukit. Sejuk betul cuaca kat situ memandangkan dah petang waktu tu. Kat sini pun ade jual souvenirs. Terserempak dgn bape org europe yg dtg bermalam kat sini. Pemandangan kat sini is so beautiful. Yg tak best tu, I could see dogs and pigs EVERYWHERE. eww..
And, there was this woman dtg ke arah mak cassio ckp nak amik gambar tak? Of course la kami nak bergambar ngan dia coz dia pakai baju hilltribes. Infact all of them pakai baju tribe masing2. Tapi rupenya dia mintak bayar kalu nak bergambar ngan dia. Hampes. -_- Akhirnya amik jgk la pic.

At last, our trip pun berakhir. They took us back to Chiangmai. We arrived at night, almost 8-9pm. Sehari tour ni rasa best giler, and we managed to see lots of things, meet lots of peoples, and do lots of things. Walopun penat, tetap rasa gembira.
So, before we went back to our hotel, Travellers Inn, kami pegi la jenjalan lagi sekitar road kat situ. Pegi 7eleven beli snacks foods and drinks. (BE CAREFUL ABOUT ONE THING! Cassio tgk byk maggi cup and snacks dah luput tarikhnye.. :jeling:  )

So then kami balik kat hotel. Di sebabkan terlalu penat, cassio pon tertido. Then terjadi la satu perkara yg tak penah kami rasai.
ni quote dari thread lain..

last year kat hotel Traveller Inn di Chiangmai, Thailand..  malam tu ade gempa bumi..bergegar semua bangunan kat situ..  cassio plak tido mati lam bilik..so tak rasa pape la..    sib baik adik gerakkan.. hahahaa..  dia gerak ckp "bangun! cepat turun!"  pening kpale dibuatnye tgk semua pelancong panik ...cassio pon lari je la..  pastu bape minit pastu masok brita kat tv pasal gempa bumi tu..  tapi mana la paham dia ckp ape.. hehe...    haha...hampes..agaknya kalo gempa bumi tu berterusan dan adik cassio tak gerakkan cassio..  ape la akan jadik ye..   pelik tol coz cassio tak penah tido mati..  bygla...adik cassio ckp katil tu bergoyang sampai cassio hampir nak jatuh tapi tak terjaga plak cassio...  hahaha

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Then malam tu sumer tido awal coz besok nak naik train balik ke Bangkok.

[ Last edited by  cassiopeia at 5-1-2007 01:30 AM ]

skyline

cassio.. thnx so much for your valuable inputs!

sky nak pegi next week..  hotel baru nak cari.. tapi apsal sume penuh je ni.

Bulan january ni peak ke kat sana

hmm

cassiopeia

Originally posted by skyline at 4-1-2007 08:41 PM
cassio.. thnx so much for your valuable inputs!

sky nak pegi next week..  hotel baru nak cari.. tapi apsal sume penuh je ni.

Bulan january ni peak ke kat sana

hmm

ur welcome! :tq:
oh! enjoy your holidays then!
hotel kat mana sky nak stay? bape lama nak pegi?
cassio leh tolong tgkkan ..
peak season slalunya musim sejuk camni la..but i really doN't know much about it..sorry again.
Anyway, kalo sky pegi dulu then cari hotel kat sana pun boleh. Cassio tgk byk sgt hotel kat sana.
Pasti sky jumpa yg ade kosong. Cuma berbeza harga dan keadaanlah.

++INFO++
The cool season lasts from late October to the end of February. Average daytime temperature is 21

cassiopeia

anyway, nak sambung ke report sampai abih?
wah..byk sgt ni.. :jeling:
lagipun the next day kami ke bangkok, takde kena mengena ngan thread ni.
so i think, my report dah habis la ye.. :ting:

skyline

baru register online - book kat youth hostel je, biasa la budget traveller.. wakakka.  Lain la cassio mak pak tanggung .. heheh.

Lupa nak tanya, rasanya ni pun cassio kena refer kat parents cassio.. *wink*

Duit baht elok tukar siap2 kat mesia or tukar masa kat sana?

Or tukar USD kat sini dulu, pas tu tukar baht kat sana?

Betul ka suhu rendah cam tu.. kalau macam cameron highlands or genting tu mlm2 sejuk juga - malasnya nak bawak jacket.

borderBOYS

Masjid Jamik Sheikh Abdullah Hussain Al Kelabi di Chiangmai...Khabarnya masjid ini dibina hasil dari dari sumbangan seorang dermawan dari Arab Saudi. Tulisan Cina di hadapan masjid menunjukkan pengaruh Masyarakat Cina Muslim Thailand yang berasal dari Yunan (Kuanming) yang merupakan antara etnik Islam di Chiangmai....



[ Last edited by  borderBOYS at 5-1-2007 11:33 PM ]

borderBOYS

Masjid Sheikh Abdullah Hussain Al Kelabi, Chiangmai..

cassiopeia

ff:

wah...new layout..terkejut tadi..
pening skit tgk..tapi takpela...pelan2..   :ting:

hurm...rupenya itu la masjidnye..
ari tu tanye kat pakcik bawak tut-tut kat chiangmai, boleh bawak ke kami ke sana?
dia ckp dia tak tau mana.. :jeling:
padahal cassio nampak signbod tulis arah ke masjid tu.. :hmm:  :ting:

cassiopeia

Originally posted by skyline at 5-1-2007 06:41 PM
baru register online - book kat youth hostel je, biasa la budget traveller.. wakakka.  Lain la cassio mak pak tanggung .. heheh.

hihihi...btol jgk...papehal pun mak bapak cassio yg bayar..
cassio ni tukang enjoy je... :lol

Duit baht elok tukar siap2 kat mesia or tukar masa kat sana?

Sky pegi naik ape? Kalu naik bas atau memandu sendiri, baik tukar di sempadan. Biasanya ade kedai yg tulis "penggurup wang" so Sky tukar duit kat situ. Baik siap2 tukar kat mesia coz Sky ckp Sky ni budget traveller, bleh la agak bape byk duit nak guna kat sana. takut terlebih guna duit ke, ye tak? Tapi kalo kat sana, tetibe nak guna byk duit, Sky leh la tukar duit kat sana gak. ^^
Mana2 pun ade money changer ni.

Or tukar USD kat sini dulu, pas tu tukar baht kat sana?

hmm..yg pasal ni, ntahla.. :ting:  Sky guna USD ke? rasanya tukar duit kita pun untung gak. bergantung la...pagi tadi mak cassio di sempadan, dia tukar duit untung sikit. Masa cassio pegi last year, rugi. Depends la. Cassio taktau nak nasihat pasal ni coz cassio tak penah buat.    :ting:  sori..

Betul ka suhu rendah cam tu.. kalau macam cameron highlands or genting tu mlm2 sejuk juga - malasnya nak bawak jacket.

Tahun ni musim sejuk dorang sampai lewat skit. So, aritu masa cassio di chiangmai, takla sejuk sgt. Setakat baju lengan panjang pun dah cukup dah. Tapi, sesetengah org sejuk sikit pun tak tahan. :ting: So, pasal ni, depends la pada Sky. First time pegi ke ni?

[ Last edited by  cassiopeia at 6-1-2007 02:50 AM ]

cassiopeia

Here are a few specific do’s and don’ts worth pointing out.

The Monarchy

All members of the Royal Family are held in the highest reverence in Thailand and visitors should show similar respect. Negative remarks about the monarchy may be considered lese majeste, an offence carrying severe punishment in Thailand. When the national anthem is played, at 8.00 am and 6.00 pm everyday and at public events or in cinemas, for example, you are expected to stand. The best guide is to check what other people are doing and follow suit.

Religion

Do not insult the religion in any way, whether it be the majority religion, Buddhism, or any of the minority faiths. It is an offence to commit any act that may be considered insulting to a religion. For the traveler, this means proper conduct in temples or any location containing religious images.
All Buddha images, large or small, are considered sacred. Don’t climb atop or pose for photos in front of images of the Buddha.
Always dress neatly in temples – shorts and sleeveless shirts are considered inappropriate.
Do not wear shoes inside the main chapel of a temple where the principal Buddha image is kept. It’s OK to wear shoes in the temple compound.
Monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by a woman. A woman wishing to present something to a monk or novice should first place it on a piece of cloth. This can then be retrieved by the monk.
In a Muslim mosque, men should wear hats and women should be well-covered with slacks or a long skirt, a long-sleeved blouse buttoned to the neck, and a head-scarf.

Social Etiquette

In the big cities such as Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Western customs are well known and widely accepted. Upcountry, traditional customs and social behavior are still used. Here are a few customs to keep in mind.
Thais greet each other with a ‘wai’, a prayer-like, palms-together gesture, not a handshake. Generally, a younger person ‘wais’ an elder or senior person, who will then return the gesture. Even though most Thais are familiar with the Western handshake, a ‘wai’ is always appreciated.
Thais regard the head as the highest part of the body, literally and figuratively. Don’t touch Thais on the head, even playfully. If you accidentally touch someone’s head, offer an apology immediately.
Similarly, the foot is considered the lowest part of the body. Don’t use your feet to point at either people or objects. Don’t touch anyone with your feet. Don’t rest your feet on tables or chairs. Don’t step over people – always walk around or politely ask them to move. When sitting on the floor, try to tuck your feet underneath and to the side so they’re not pointing at anyone.
When handing objects to people, use both hands or the right hand only. Do not slide or toss objects across the room. Get up and pass them in person, no matter how inconvenient this may seem.
Public displays of affection are frowned upon. Some Thai couples may be seen holding hands, but this is the extent of public affection in polite society. Kissing in public is not acceptable behavior.
In Thai society, losing your temper or even speaking loudly is a sign of poor breeding. Keeping ‘face’ is of paramount importance. Never raise your voice or show anger, it will get you nowhere. Keeping cool, hiding your emotions and smiling is far more productive.

More....

- Personal security. Don’t get isolated in remote areas, especially after dark.
- Guides.  Don’t use a guide who approaches you on the street, even if he appears to have genuine credentials. He may be a trickster.
- Don’t buy gems, except from a  reputable dealer. It is not illegal to sell inferior quality gems at inflated prices. You might return home to find that your gems are worth less than you paid for them. Don’t hand over money for any goods which are to be mailed on to you, or have yet to be made to your specifications (though a deposit is usual). If you must post purchases home, then do it yourself.[/quote]

[ Last edited by  cassiopeia at 6-1-2007 05:53 AM ]

cassiopeia

Advice for Visitors to Chiang Mai Thailand

When you arrive in Chiangmai, it helps to know a bit about transportation within the city. At the airport, train station, or bus station, you will probably be met by the representatives of various guesthouses and hotels and tour operators. If you have a specific place in mind and you don't see the specific signboard, you can always call the place to have someone pick you up from the train station, airport, or bus arcade depot. Taxis are available at the airport, with a price of 150 baht to most destinations.

The common vehicles of public transportation are more varied than public buses. The terms 'dtoog dtoog' and 'sarmlor' are open-air, three-wheel vehicles, and 'zeelor' and 'songthaew' describe vehicles with four wheels. Whenever you get in a 'dtoog dtoog', 'zeelor', or 'samlor', you should make sure that they take you where you want to go. Often the drivers work on commission and may tell you that the place you want to go is dirty, closed, or full if they don't have a previous agreement with the place you have in mind. Always negotiate the price before you get in a dtoog dtoog or samlor. A zeelor ride should cost 15 Baht on a regular route, more if you hire it out to go somewhere out of the way.

The best way to get around Chiangmai is by 'songthaew'. These are covered pick-up trucks with two benches in the back. “Songthaew” means “two benches” in Thai. You will see them everywhere, and it's easy to get them to pick you up.



All you need to do is to put your arm out and look at the driver, and they will stop. Then tell the driver which street you want to go to, and if he is going that way, he will shake his head "yes"; if not, he will say "no" and go on. Don’t worry—there will be another one right behind him. When the driver turns down the street you want, start looking for where you want to get off and press the switch located on the roof of the cab. The driver will pull over, let you out, and then you pay him.

The fare should be 20 Thai baht or less (around 50 cents). If you tell the driver a hotel or establishment, he will think you want to hire him for a private trip, and the price will be much more. Negotiate any price beforehand if you want to go to an establishment.

The Thai people have several customs that are important to remember to avoid causing offense. Never touch the head, because it is the most sacred part of the body. The feet are the lowliest part, so don't point them at others or rest them above ground level. Never stop a rolling Thai Baht coin or any type of Thai currency with your foot, as the money here has a picture of the king on it.

Respect for the king and religious customs is another important part of Thai protocol. They have great respect for the royal family, the flag, and anything with an image of the king, including the money. When you visit a Buddhist temple, you should always remove your shoes before entering any buildings. Men should wear long pants, and women should wear knee-length or longer skirts. Women are not allowed to touch monks or make prolonged eye contact with them. Do not sit on the walls surrounding the jedee, which contains the temple's sacred relics of the Buddha.

Meeting and making friends with different people is an exciting part of travel anywhere. In Northern Thailand, it helps to know a bit of the language and something about the protocol. To say "hello", say "Sawasdee Krup" for men and "Sawasdee Kha" for women. To learn more Thai before you come, an excellent free teaching website can be found at http://www.learningthai.com/. You will gain loads of respect from the Thai people if you learn just the basics.

The Thais put a lot of emphasis on manners, so it's a good idea to learn to say "Thank you". In Thai, it's "Kob Khun", followed by "Krup" or "Kha" for women. The "wai" made by placing your palms together in front of the upper chest is the traditional Thai gesture of greeting or respect, and the gesture is always appreciated. The custom is that younger people "wai" elders first, so let the children and persons you think are younger than you "wai" before you "wai" them.

Whatever happens, though, don't display your anger, because the Thais will think you uncultured, and ranting will get you nowhere. Smile and think "no problem". Thais do not like confrontation, so getting angry will get you nowhere in Thailand. Here is an example:

Let’s say you arrive at your hotel and want a nice, hot shower or bath. You turn on the tap and find the hot water is not working. What most people would do is call the front desk and complain, and if you are tired, you might raise your voice a little, saying, “The hot water doesn’t work—what’s the problem?” It might take a long time before someone comes to check it out, if at all. What you should do is say, “I don’t know how to get the hot water turned on in my room; would you please have someone show me?” Someone will come to your room within a minute or two to check it out.

Thailand is a country of gourmands. Eating out is one the nation's favorite activities, and knowing a bit of table manners will help you appear more civilized. Waiters and waitresses in Thailand are trained to take your entire order. When they take the order, they will often ask "one", which is their way of asking whether they got it correctly or not. The entire meal is customarily served at the same time, but the empty dishes are removed one by one. Some street-side restaurants will not remove any dishes or bottles until you finish your meal. This is because they do not write down your order. They shout your order to the cook, and after the meal, they will count the plates and bottles and figure out the bill then.

Chiangmai and the north have plenty of night entertainment available. It runs the gamut from restaurants to nightclubs, discos, or video bars. Thai people are often as interested in meeting you as you might be in meeting them, but one should exercise discretion and sometimes a bit of caution, especially in matters of the heart. In romantic situations, Westerners and Thais both occasionally get hurt. The best advice is to think with your head AND your heart. Enjoy yourself, but be very adult about any given situation.

Many visitors to Chiangmai enjoy taking trips outside the city. We recommend these trips highly, but don't forget to bring a few extras in case of emergency. Flashlights and extra batteries, as well as film and camera batteries, are recommended, as are matches or a lighter. Jackets may be needed for the cold evenings, and don't forget a first-aid kit and the ever-important toilet paper for emergencies. Ear plugs are a good idea if staying overnight in a hill tribe village, as the roosters can be very loud at 3am.

Keeping healthy on holiday is essential. If you feel ill, it's probably a good idea to see a doctor in one of Chiangmai's clinics or hospitals. If you are worried that you may have come down with malaria, Chiangmai has an excellent malaria clinic. There you can get a 30-minute test. For more information, call the Regional Center at 222275. Whatever you do, don't take chances with your health while traveling away from home.

While Chiangmai is a great place to visit, just like any other city, crime is never on holiday when you are. Theft seems to be the most common tourist-targeted crime, and this includes credit cards and passports. How about carrying half your cash in a body money belt? If you must leave your passport or credit cards anywhere for safekeeping, we recommend using a safety deposit box in one of the local banks or your hotel. Do not give anyone valuables to put in a safe. Make sure you both have a key to the safety box and a list of items that you put in. When you go trekking, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) suggests that a photocopy of your passport is acceptable identification to carry on the trek.

Every visitor should be well-informed about Thailand's laws on illegal drugs. Drugs that are illegal in your home country are just as illegal in Thailand. There are no "recreational" drugs in Thailand. The list of banned substances includes marijuana and hashish, as well as opium, heroine, and cocaine. Unfortunately, some people come to Northern Thailand with the impression that the use of some drugs is okay. This is a misguided and very wrong impression. There are now undercover police in hill tribe villages, and you will get caught. Naivet

skyline

Sky pegi naik air asia, beli tiket masa promotion price ari tu..  Tak larat rasa kalau naik kenderaan darat hingga ke utara nun.

Mmg first time nak gi north - b4 pernah gi bangkok n pattaya.  Look forward nak ke chiang mai sebab teruja sgt baca thread ni.. hehehe.

OK, rasanya i will change to baht kat sini.

Lagi satu nak tanya - khabarnya restoran/gerai makanan halal pun quite banyak kat sana... betul ke??  

Thnx again cassio.
:tq:

cassiopeia

Originally posted by skyline at 7-1-2007 12:14 AM
Sky pegi naik air asia, beli tiket masa promotion price ari tu..  Tak larat rasa kalau naik kenderaan darat hingga ke utara nun.

:lol   mmg sakit badan kalo ikut camtu..lebih2 lagi naik Van macam ari tu..
bas boleh lagi.....ketapi pun ok...  tapi van... :jeling:
tak recommend for those yg nak travel ngan selesa dan cepat..
tapi kalo sape nak adventure dan merasa pemandangan indah di Thailand, naik la bas atau ketapi..
i'm sure sape yg naik Van seharian cam cassio ni boleh patah kaki.. :nyorok:

hmm..about makanan halal..sepanjang cassio di sana, mmg byk tempat yg jual makanan halal..
tapi masakan siam ni mmg tak colourful.. :jeling:  sekadar nak isi perut tu blehla..
just my opinion ok?
sesak2 pegi la 7eleven..kan berlambak kat sana.. hehe..

cassio bwk makanan segera dari umah lagi..yela..takut tetiba lak rindu nak makan foods yg biasa cassio makan.. :lol

soda

Originally posted by tukaz at 14-1-2006 11:03 PM
chiangmai...mmg aku lebih suka dari bangkok yg polluted dan sebok tak tentu masa tu..betul rasa bercuti ler..
chiangmai ni nyaman kalo banding dgn phuket, bangkok ..sini pun byk tourist..kalo si ...

kalo nak gi lagi nnt leh mintak tukaz jd tour giude la ekkk...hehehe

sbb kite pun mmg berangan nak gi chiangmai ni....bila nak jd kenyataan tak tau la...leh berangan utk tahun ni lak la....

borderBOYS

[table=98%][tr][td]ROYAL FLORA RATCHAPHRUEK 2006
International Horticultural Exposition
for His Majesty the King
At the Royal Agricultural Research Center, Chiang Mai, Thailand
1 November 2006

borderBOYS

Antara tarikan kat Royal Flora ...





Rumah Malaysia kat Royal Flora...

thank you for all the chiang mai reports.
really appreciate all your effort.
thanks again