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melvbot

After going to Nong Khai for a few times I decided to go to Mae Sot for a change.


So we set off from Phetchabun at 2200 to go to Lom Sak this costs 40bt each and takes roughly an hour.

The only bus the wife could find leaves Lom Sak at 2330 so its an overnight job. The bus was one of the newer Scania ones with plenty of legroom and a decent recline on the seats. Heres the bus in all it glory



This was taken in Mae Sot as it was pitch black and I wasnt too interested in taking photos of a bus in the middle of the night. The bus doesnt leave from the main bus station, it leaves from a small office opposite the main Police station in the town centre and is operated by Phetpasert . This costs 310bt.



The usual TVs, nice flatscreen one but theyre too well bolted down to take home with you.

After a few hours kip we arrived in Mae Sot at 0600, handy as the border opens at 0630, nice timing to start off the trip.



The border is about 4 kms away from the bus station so 50bt on a motorbike and youre there in 5 mins. Ive no idea what time the office opens for border passes for Thais but its 1km down the road from the bus station on the same side of the road as the bus station.

Amazingly the border did open at 0630 so off I went to Myanmar by foot. I didnt take my camera and pictures of immigration are more boring than pictures of buses. The Burma immigration was pretty easy, the office is on the right side with a notice for foreigners to go there, some bloke whos after your cash will probably try and help you with this, you dont need it. I handed over 500bt and got my passport back 10 mins later. So back to Thailand.

Again this was easy as its early, there was me an another bloke and that was it. The easiest and most hassle free border crossing Ive been to.

__________________
The Geek Shall Inherit The Earth

melvbot

Now with eveything going well on the timing side something got to give, and its this.

The visa process took about 30 mins so I was done and stamped in again by 0700, once again theres only the one bus that goes unless you want to try and find a bus back to Lom Sak/Phetchabun. The same bus back goes at 1830 so you've got a good 11 hours to wait. We considered going to somewhere like Tak or Phitsanulok to try and get back earlier but I had a major buffalo with my visa. Not really in the mood for sitting on a cattle truck bus for 6 hours we decided to get a hotel, have some food and a few hours sleep so we hopped on a bike and asked the driver to take us to a cheapish hotel.

This is where we ended up



I think its called First Hotel theres a sign that says First Hotel and its the only hotel I saw, I may be wrong you never know. Its opposite a Siam Commercial Bank and a place called Mae Sod plaza. I asked for a hotel card but they didnt have any and anyone I asked after the receptionist left was Burmese and couldnt understand a word of Thai so I dont know the name of the Soi either.

Anyway 270bt for the room which was fine for me considering were were only staying a few hours. This place was fitted out with teak woodcarvings everywhere and I mean everywhere.

The reception desk




This table next was used for nothing other than leaving newspapers on, god know how much this would cost in the UK or US. Wood panelling and marble floors everywhere, some woodologist can correct me if this isnt teak




These carvings are all over the ceilings, not easy to get a decent photo, this is all in the reception area.

melvbot

The keys are on a metal ring that wouldnt look out of place in a jail, no idea what the spanners for either.




No shock to see the staircase was made from wood.




The carvings are just about everywhere you look and most of them have some sort of fish theme to them. Theres hardly a space without one.




The room itself, nothing special really but good enough for a kip and some well deserved sex. TV, no fridge, fan and a cold shower.





I tried to get a photo then this woman lay on the bed, shes Thai and cant help it.

melvbot

We ventured out to get some food and i noticed why theres loads of carvings.

Takes lots of this




Give it to a couple of these blokes outside



Pay them tuppence a year because theyre Burmeses and you too can have a hotel more or less carved out of wood.

The town itself was pretty crap, just all the usual crap you get in any other Thai town so we got some food and headed back to the room for a bit.

After a kip we jumped in a sahmlor and headed back to the bus station, cost about 80bt I think. The bus left as it should, on time 1830, same price 310bt.

On the way back they have a rest break where you can grab some food, they lay some Thai food on for free but its not that nice or filling.

We got back to Lom Sak at 0100, it was cold and boring so no pics. The bus from Lom Sak to Phetchabun was at 0200 from the same office opposite the Police station, again 40bt each.

We got home an hour later a 0300, this way is quicker than Nong Khai in travel time but the hours are shitty to be hanging around at.

Johnny Longprong

Thanks MB. Loved the shots of the timber. How long is it before those skills are lost eh? I hope they have a lot of teak plantations in place. They have the ideal climate for intensive forestry and I reckon they could make a great future economy out of that stuff. Sometime down the track it will be as rare as rocking horse poop. Dream on JLP.

Johnny Longprong

Oh, just a hint. Don't sit in the top deck of those buses. Sooner or later they will have to make a detour under a low bridge and i really don't trust the judgement of drivers other than myself.

Thetyim

First Hotel
444 Inthon Kiri Road. [30 rooms]
Phone : 055-531 233, 546 409, 546 150; Fax : 055-531 340