The Mekong

[sceadugenga]

Super Highway, Ban Du, around noon today.

Anything else I can do for you Joel?

[woralak]

Super Highway, Ban Du, around noon today.

Anything else I can do for you Joel?

wow and i thought we had it bad.

Edited September 15, 2010 by woralak

[sceadugenga]

The road between Mae Sai and the Golden Triangle was cut when we went down for a look at the river. We had to detour around it to Chiang Saen.

Heavy rain in Mae Sai for the several hours when we were there and the Sai River was very high.

First pic taken where we stopped for lunch at the Burmese restaurant on the way into town.

And finally the Mekong at Chiang Saen.

[woralak]

The road between Mae Sai and the Golden Triangle was cut when we went down for a look at the river. We had to detour around it to Chiang Saen.

Heavy rain in Mae Sai for the several hours when we were there and the Sai River was very high.

First pic taken where we stopped for lunch at the Burmese restaurant on the way into town.

And finally the Mekong at Chiang Saen.

Good pics Scea,just glad i did my visa run a couple of weeks ago.

[sceadugenga]

I never crossed the border woralak, I'm going to Vientiane next month, similar shopping in the Talart Sao there anyway.

Interestingly a guy posted pics in the Visa forum taken of the Sai bridge from exactly the same place as me and I probably missed him by minutes.

The guys laying the sandbags seem to be expecting more water later.

[woralak]

I never crossed the border woralak, I'm going to Vientiane next month, similar shopping in the Talart Sao there anyway.

Interestingly a guy posted pics in the Visa forum taken of the Sai bridge from exactly the same place as me and I probably missed him by minutes.

The guys laying the sandbags seem to be expecting more water later.

I dont go over the border either normally,i just go to the immigration office in Mai Sai for my 90 day stamp,but the last time i went i met up Kd and Jubby and we went looking for M/Bike gear,boots/rain suit etc,but to no avail they didn,t have my size,Jubby managed to get fixed up with boots and some leg protectors,so i'm still on the lookout,Kd also came back empty handed,still it was good to meet up and chew some fat.

I saw on the news this morning (CNN) Nan has been hit pretty bad with floods also Uttaradit,so it seems to be quite wide spread,and there's more to come apparently,lets hope it misses Chiang Khong.

Cheers Wora.

[Joel Barlow]

The river along the superhighway from Ban Du Market to past Rajapat is now gone -

but this mroning we had fun fishing our soi -

lots of little fish!

had we gotten to it real early (or late, midnight is good), I bet we'd have gotten

some catfish (not that we need them, we have hundreds).

It can be interesting to see them crossing flooded roads in the rain...

[sceadugenga]

Did you see my photos of your river on this thread Joel?

[Garry]

Why were this lot sandbagging? Concerned about water come down from the road? Fair way for the river to rise to get to them.

[Joel Barlow]

Now I did, Scea. Takes a long time to upload with airstick; I hadn't noticed there

was anything there, so thanks for the reminder.

I was able to go across to the gaming shops on the road to Rajapat this morning, though.

All dried up (almost).

Still lots of little fish in our soi-arboretum, though.

[sceadugenga]

Why were this lot sandbagging? Concerned about water come down from the road? Fair way for the river to rise to get to them.

I've seen the carparks flooded on both sides of the river Garry, the water has a way to go yet.

[Lizard2010]

Thanks for the photos and updates.

I see Chiang Mai river is getting higher too.

[woralak]

Two days of sunshine,(what a difference it makes),these were taken today on my coffee stop.

[woralak]

Just to keep you up to date,pics today when taking the coffeee fix,strange boat (Must be High Season).

[Lizard2010]

Thanks again for the update on the river and having your morning coffee break.

Maybe they were able to do a river run while the water level was high, so they could get back to the starting point.

Would be interesting if they got caught down river when the river level drops.

[Asa]

Just to keep you up to date,pics today when taking the coffeee fix,strange boat (Must be High Season).

Thought I saw the German barge on the river bank near Luang Pra Bang on the way to Tham Ting Cave last year..

[woralak]

The Mekong here in Chiang Khong is looking more or less back to normal now,on Sunday next i'll be down there floating my little boat with the missus,with the candle's lit up only to watch it get snagged up 10Mts away,still it's good to keep up with Thai culture (dont ya think).

[kandahar]

We attended a party in Chiang Khong last weekend. It was held in the same resort and restaurant that most of woralak's river pictures are taken from. Great view of the river from the balcony coffee shop and great personnel on hand to take care of customers.

The afternoon party was great as well, with good food provided by the resort and every want or desire quickly addressed by the staff. I didn't know the CK crowd had such good parties but now I do and will not have trepidations about attending future ones there. We spent one night in a nice room at different resort, 600 baht a night. Beautiful place.

CK is a small town and they roll up the sidewalks when the sun settles down for the night. Too small and quiet for me to live there but a nice place to visit. Even the drive there and back was pleasant.

Edited December 8, 2010 by kandahar

[svenivan]

We were up to Mae Sai and Golden Triangle with some visitors today. And also took the boattrip over to Lao. Not very busy, nice weather and came home with a couple of boxes with Beer Lao, the dark one ! ! !

Cannot be many cobras left in Lao....

[jubby]

I'd thought about doing that trip to Laos myself. I've just about gone off Thai Beer. Save a couple of bottles for the Potluck Sven .

Is the trip easy ? . I understand you don't need a passport . More about the Beer, Did you pay in thai Baht ? and how much is this nectar ?

I was half expecting some more photo's of the Mekong from Woralak, I understand he's got a new Camera

[Lizard2010]

The river is certainly flowing ans the colour is still very muddy looking

[svenivan]

I'd thought about doing that trip to Laos myself. I've just about gone off Thai Beer. Save a couple of bottles for the Potluck Sven .

Is the trip easy ? . I understand you don't need a passport . More about the Beer, Did you pay in thai Baht ? and how much is this nectar ?

We paid 400 for our own boat just 100 m northwest of the Big Buddha. My friend that done the trip before said it was cheaper there than on the other side of the Big Buddha.

The trip was included a little bit of sightseing, going north on Mekong passing the casino in Burma. Then down to the Lao-island where everyone pay 20 baht to some goverment official.

There seem to be 2-3 places/jetties where the boat stops, 100 m betwen them, all with many shops.

Price for 24 bottles (330 ml) of the dark Beer Lao was between 920 baht and down to 650 baht. The normal lager is cheaper,

I remember buying the same box without negotiating 3 years ago and paid 525 baht at that time. So prices are up.

The boatdriver adviced us to get the beer inside the car as quick as possible. I do not know if it is not legal to bring alcohol back to Thailand at this place.

You can find many different whisky, sweet liquers, cigarettes, and the special whisky with a snake and a scorpion inside (see my photo in previous post). And for ladies lots of big bags, handbags, clothes, materials etc etc.

[sceadugenga]

About bringing booze into Thailand, I suspect that the one litre law applies to all forms, be it spirits, wine or beer.

Doesn't seem to matter how much actual alcohol is involved.

Back in the day I used to openly stagger back over the MaeSai border with all the beer, wine and spirits I could carry.. literally, and never had them look at me twice.

[jubby]

Thanks for the info Sven.

I wonder if I can just find a boat or ferry that will just whisk me in on a mission to retrieve some nectar only, and come straight back.

I should save the sightseeing for when I have visitors myself.

[sunholidaysun1]

Friends of mine usually take the wives/Gf with them , they all get the boat across to Laos. The Girls go ashore , the men stay on the boat. The girls come back with the beer, carried by a porter or 2 and load it onto the boat. They then cross back to the Thai side, land the beer and come back by BUS. No need to worry about passports as your not leaving the Thai boat or landing in Laos, unless of course you want to exit Thailand and pay $30 to enter on the other side.

[jubby]

Friends of mine usually take the wives/Gf with them , they all get the boat across to Laos. The Girls go ashore , the men stay on the boat. The girls come back with the beer, carried by a porter or 2 and load it onto the boat. They then cross back to the Thai side, land the beer and come back by BUS. No need to worry about passports as your not leaving the Thai boat or landing in Laos, unless of course you want to exit Thailand and pay $30 to enter on the other side.

I'm just wondering if your talking about a border type run here Sunny. Sounds like a good plan, I certainly hadn't thought about it. maybe just send the missus and stay in thailand. forget the boat.

I think the Golden triangle thing is a little different. No immigration post. correct me if I'm wrong.

Edited January 10, 2011 by jubby

[sceadugenga]

No Lao visa required if you cross to the casino and shops opposite Chiang Saen.

[svenivan]

Friends of mine usually take the wives/Gf with them , they all get the boat across to Laos. The Girls go ashore , the men stay on the boat. The girls come back with the beer, carried by a porter or 2 and load it onto the boat. They then cross back to the Thai side, land the beer and come back by BUS. No need to worry about passports as your not leaving the Thai boat or landing in Laos, unless of course you want to exit Thailand and pay $30 to enter on the other side.

They save 20 baht each! You do not need to show passport or ID-card. Everyone has to pay 20 baht, if you are farang or Thai.

I think what they charge for the beer is a little on the top. As I said, they started with 900 and I got them down to 650 for a box so it is little bit of a scam. I think in a normal shop in Laos it is under 500 baht.

[sunholidaysun1]

either way is good but stay on the Thai boat or stay in Thailand and send the girls. The Dark Beer (not Dark Lager) is the best. The blonde Lager is ok as is the darl Lager but the Dark Beer is really good. I have only ever bought it from Vientiane, not sure if you can get it up here on those crossings, ive only ever seen the lagers.

[woralak]

The great Mekong was looking smashing today.