Thread: Trip to the north with my parents

I thought I would share a few photos of my trip up to the north of Thailand. My parents came to visit this year so they wanted to go see the wife's village and Chiang Mai. I was running out of things to show them in Pattaya so we left just in time.

Here are a few I took out of the hotel window in Tak







Here are a few from Ban Tak. Its really a nice village so refreshing after a few weeks in Pattaya.

This is one of a new bridge over the Ping river the cool old one was lost in the floods




and some kids amazed at all the farang invading there village.



this is the street view in front of the house. The constant wiz of motorbikes going by.





After a few nights in the village it was time to move on. Here are a few from our hotel room in Chiang Mai. Im glad you can open the windows as long as your not going to jump.








The hotel was nice except for the school next door playing music at full volume at the crack of dawn.


My parents were quite impressed with these ladyboys





This was a great old lady selling those woven bracelets for 1 baht each. It would take selling a few of those to pay the bills.





Ill put some more up later. I'm tiered from trying to figure out how to post these pictures.

Nice one mate well done so far .. BTW get yourself a Photobucket account so simple .. just copy the pictures and paste em in ok

Nice start Mike and welcome to the forum.

Can't green you as I already have.

well done , i enjoyed the photos

Here are a few more now that I have the hang of it.

I saw this guy in the hotel elevator in Tak and he was still in there a week later when we got back.




a few more from down town Tak. There seems to be alot of empty buildings and these huge areas done with pavers that don't seem to be used at all. Must have been a gov. project.





rough and tumble city




sun set on the ping river

Cheers mike, nice post keep em coming

Thanks for all the nice comments. I have really enjoyed looking at all the other picture threads and thought I should try one.

I will put up some more pics.

mike

Tak is far from "village," status. Guess your gf has family outside the main city? Main highway around Tak looks as though you could land F-16's on it. Lots of good highways through this area.

Nice photos, thanks.

Originally Posted by ltnt

Tak is far from "village," status. Guess your gf has family outside the main city? Main highway around Tak looks as though you could land F-16's on it. Lots of good highways through this area.

Nice photos, thanks.

Last time we stayed there at Vietian Hotel (named somthing like that) in the back soi there was all shitty stalls and shops and believe it or not a small KFC. Is that still there?

^ I don't know Gary. Hard to find a KFC in Thailand that goes bust. Bets are it still there. There's a nice big one on the main drag and several other's Thai style.

I like the place and the proximity to the river is nice at times. Usually when passing through I notice how hot and dry the place is. Big on education in the area.

I'll be passing through next week so I can see if its changed. Just smoke right now from burning season. Cnuts.

Nic pics. I assume the river is NAM MAE PING. A little more narrative would have been nice (and slighty more informative), but thanks for the trip report.

My wife's family is in Ban Tak but I stayed in the city because my parents were with us. The house isn't big enough for so many people. Believe it or not that KFC is gone. I guess that one out on the highway took its place.

Originally Posted by naptownmike

My wife's family is in Ban Tak but I stayed in the city because my parents were with us. The house isn't big enough for so many people. Believe it or not that KFC is gone. I guess that one out on the highway took its place.

Thanks for that. I always remember how bloody small it was. Havent seen the new one on the main drag but will keep my eyes open when passing through next time.

Nice pic of the Soi full of wooden houses Mike..your photo makes it look calm & peaceful..probably is when there's no motorbikes.
The ladyboys handing out flyers for their 'show' look like the ones that used to have a caberet-show down here in Hua Hin..?
Thanks for the report mike

After three days in Chiang Mai we set off for Chiang Rai. Its my folks first time in Thailand so they wanted to see everything possible. Our first stop was the wife's choice you guessed it a temple.

The "famous" white one on the way to Chiang Rai. Sometimes I think there all famous and we have to stop.





I wouldn't want to fall in here




quite bizarre







We made our way up to the city and looked around for a hotel. We ended up at the Rim Kok just on the other side of the river. Not a bad place amazingly big quite old though it must have been something 20-30 years ago.

here are a few pictures from the outside I forgot to take any in the lobby quite a state of decay.




nice gardens

cool laundry truck





The next morning we headed north. my parents wanted to go to a ring neck village. I feel so bad going to those places just like a zoo for people. I bought a few trinkets at full price to make myself feel better.

I saw a male westerner living in one of these huts with a lady and child. He was about thirty seemed unusual.




I thought this lady had a full life






this child seat looks kind of sad







one of these girls was listening to an ipod culture shock











heading off with mother





We were the only ones at this place it really was quite sad.

that's it for now I have to take the wife somewhere.

Visit the Heroin Museum in the Golden Triangle. Near-by Chiang Rai, go through Chiang Saen and hang a left at the end of the road facing the Mekong River. Follow the road till you see the sign for the museum.

Continue on to Mai Sai for a day of old verses new. Be sure to visit the Queens Gardens on Doi Tung. Nice mountain views and lovely gardens.

Originally Posted by naptownmike

My wife's family is in Ban Tak but I stayed in the city because my parents were with us. The house isn't big enough for so many people. Believe it or not that KFC is gone. I guess that one out on the highway took its place.

I remember doing a job in Ban Tak in about 1971. From your photos, it looks like it has improved a bit. But then again, it needed to.

great thread, well done

Originally Posted by Shy Guava

I remember doing a job in Ban Tak in about 1971. From your photos, it looks like it has improved a bit. But then again, it needed to.

I can't imagine what it must have been like in 1971. All the roads are done in concrete it seems pretty nice for a small town its also kept cleaner that alot of places i have seen in Thailand. Its such a beautiful area with the river and mountain views.

Originally Posted by ltnt

Visit the Heroin Museum in the Golden Triangle. Near-by Chiang Rai, go through Chiang Saen and hang a left at the end of the road facing the Mekong River. Follow the road till you see the sign for the museum.

Continue on to Mai Sai for a day of old verses new. Be sure to visit the Queens Gardens on Doi Tung. Nice mountain views and lovely gardens.

Thanks for the suggestion but unfortunately I'm back home in the U.S. now. We did go up to the golden triangle but it was getting to late to stop at the heroin museum.

We did go to the queens gardens and palace really beautiful.

Here are a few random pictures from Ban Tak not all from this year.


a few ladies bathing at the rivers edge







here are a few cool characters





farmer\hunter this old bridge gets a lot of action



this is the old bridge that got washed away in the floods a few years ago




here are a few more of the old style houses around








a new on going up on the river. Wish it was mine





a few of my wife's cousins






on the back road to tak




mother foraging for something in the river

^Woods expensive now for Thai's, so hence the recycled wood. I figure you know that already Rick? I have an existing house on my North property that I'll eventually sell off the wood to a local after I complete my build. Seller's market for the wood.

^^Sorry you didn't make it to all the suggestions but I know you'll be back. Nice thread and enjoyed the pic.s. Thanks.

nice photos while out and about. thanks for posting the photos.

Well done - thanks for the thread