Canoe From Tha Ton To Bangkok

[theblether]

Has anyone any experience of canoeing in Thailand?

My pal is a world record holding endurance canoeist, his team are being sponsored by Chang to challenge the Round Britian canoeing record.

As it's Chang that are sponsoring he has a notion to canoe solo through Thailand, I was guessing that Tha Ton to Bkk would be the longest route. Is that correct?

What would the route be? Is it even possible? What would the best time of year be to do it?

He's not intending any record attempts, he wants to enjoy the journey. If I can get fitter I may even join him, but that's a big if :-)

[craigt3365]

I've done Tha Ton to Chiang Rai before by boat. Pretty trip. Should be easy in a canoe. Can't speak for the rest of the trip, but with this guy's background, he should be able to handle it.

[villagefarang]

I'm not sure it is even doable but I guess it is worth a try. You would probably need to avoid the driest and wettest time of the year. I would guess some areas might be quite remote depending on which route one decided on. Let us know what you decide.

[seminomadic]

Doing the Mekong fires the imagination a little more than Tha Ton - BKK.

Start at Chiang Khong and wind on down to the delta in Vietnam.

[craigt3365]

Doing the Mekong fires the imagination a little more than Tha Ton - BKK.

Start at Chiang Khong and wind on down to the delta in Vietnam.

VF: Looks like the full length of the Ping or Nan would be the longest route.

But the Mekong would be awesome. I imagine a good part of the Chao Praya is pretty industrialized.

[theblether]

Thanks for the map vf, my laptop is kaput and I feel bereft and naked!!

I've been on that trip to Craig, even I could breeze it, I think I'm liking the Mekong idea too seminomadic.

Very interesting.

[hmj]

If you are talking about a canoe trip without portage, your title is misleading. The watershed for the Fang river is in the mountains South of Si Dong Yen in Chiang Mai province. The Fang river joins the Kok river near Tha Ton. The Kok river drains into the Mekong near Chiang Saen. The map posted by villagefarang does not show these details. Correct me if I am wrong: all rivers in Chiang Rai province drain into the Mekong. My impression is that some provincial boundaries are based on watersheds.

South of tambon Mae Lao in Chiang Kham district, Phayao province, a watershed divides the water into flowing North or South. North is towards the Mae Lao river which joins the Mae Ing river near Thoeng and drains into the Mekong near Chiang Khong. South is towards the Ngim river. In Pong city the Ngim river and the Khuan river join to start the Yom river.

The Nan river will be the longest, the most scenic and the most challenging. It is an area that I do not visit often.

[kuripot]

I could suggest reading a book by Tristan Jones who took a 40 foot sea-going sailing vessel across the Isthmus of Kra called "To Venture Further"

An exert from the website tristanjones.org

Tristan hoped to spread his word about the Atlantis Society by taking Henry Wagner, a 40-foot Thai longtail boat, rigged with sails and designed for the ocean waters, across Thailand's Isthmus of Kra, which he described as "the thinnest part of the long peninsula that dangles down from Indo-China like the tentacle of a dead octopus.

There is no known record of a sea-going vessel ever having done it before. To help him cross the isthmus, he had gathered a crew of Thai youngsters: the orphan Nok, a scruff of a lad with a hideous cleft palate; Som with one arm; and Anant, like Jones, a leg amputee. To make up the complement he had Thomas Ettenhuber, a 23-year old German who was nearly blind, and a Thai dog named Rambo. Tristan had signed Thomas as mate aboard Outward Leg in Europe.. He had been with him for three years.

Tristan and his handicapped crew sailed the boat part way, via the Ta-Pee River, and for two days had an elephant named Plai Thongchai haul the two-ton vessel six miles through the jungle. The entire crossing took six weeks of incredible effort by the disabled captain and crew. After making the crossing, unaided by any others, Tristan and his crew voyaged northward, a further 1,500 miles by sea and river, to Chieng Rai on the border of Laos.. Tristan showed the world that disabled people could not only do the same as their able-bodied brothers, they could do it better if they tried hard enough.

[SIamYank]

With all of Thailand's great waterways and their huge significance on the culture of Thailand this is something that I have often thought about doing.

Golden Triangle to Mekong Delta would be epic and amazing. It would obviously be much more difficult because of the length and the remoteness. than a trip down the central river system. But your Thai sponsors might prefer a trip "through" Thailand rather than around part of Thailand.

Please keep us informed as to the progress this plan. And if your friend is looking for a possible partner for part of the journey... I may be interested. Let me know. I have done a few long kayak and canoe trips in my day and might be easily convinced to do another.

Further... if their are other folks out their that might want to plan some long Canoe or Kayak trips in Thailand, lets talk. It doesnt have to be as epic as Triangle to Delta.... even a long weekend trip would be awesome!

[SIamYank]

There was an American who kayaked the entire Mekong, Tibet to Vietnam. His experiences might be worth taking a look at...

http://www.outdooreyes.com/photo101.php3

[theblether]

Thanks very much gents, very interesting. The route planning is the most essential element, I think we can agree.

I don't think I'm fit for the entire journey, I do know that my friend Don is looking to do it sociably, not a record attempt, at least the first time. Part of our conversation was the hope that interested members would join the trip for the entire length, or parts of it, or at least come along and have a beer with us at the end of the day.

I say us as I will paddle what I'm fit for, and run the support vehicle on the days that are too tough for me.

There's a lot of planning involved. It will certainly be 2013 before it takes place, and depending on the best time of year in regards to water levels as pointed out by vf, it may fall back to 2014.

Everything you tell me will be taken on board, and I will keep you up to date with developments.

Edited June 9, 2012 by theblether

[RoyDee]

I would recommend you also consult Steve van Beek's website (and the man himself if possible) as he has a wealth of experience - his book 'Slithering South' describes his solo journey from source of Chao Phrya river down to the sea in Gulf of Thailand.

http://www.stevevanb...south_intro.php

Quote from his intro: "While living in a wooden house on stilts on the edge of the Chao Phya River, I became curious about the river's source and course. Unable to find any information, I decided to trace it from its source on the northern border with Burma to the sea. In a small teak boat built by a village craftsman, I paddled for 58 days to the ocean."

Best of luck in the planning.

[canuckamuck]

58 days, I'm out

[theblether]

I would recommend you also consult Steve van Beek's website (and the man himself if possible) as he has a wealth of experience - his book 'Slithering South' describes his solo journey from source of Chao Phrya river down to the sea in Gulf of Thailand.

http://www.stevevanb...south_intro.php

Quote from his intro: "While living in a wooden house on stilts on the edge of the Chao Phya River, I became curious about the river's source and course. Unable to find any information, I decided to trace it from its source on the northern border with Burma to the sea. In a small teak boat built by a village craftsman, I paddled for 58 days to the ocean."

Best of luck in the planning.

Thanks very much for that

@canamuck.......would you join in for a few days?

[canuckamuck]

I'm Canadian, How could I turn down a good paddle?

[harrry]

There will have been a lot of changes on the rivers since the book about travelling them was written. Flood prevention and irrigation changes have made many changes and large distances are steep sided concrete troughs with occasional weirs. Not really good for navigation and portages if you cannot get out of the river.

The Mekong has several really extreme rapid systems and at other times almost disapears underground.