Wiang Pa Pao

[Phil_ne_uk]

Hi, I’m flying to Chiang Mai next month and am wondering the best way to get to Wiang Pa Pao from Chiang Mai?

Where can I get the bus from and what’s the cost and journey duration. Alternatively what’s the cost and journey duration by taxi?

If anyone has any information I would appreciate it.

Cheers,

Phil

[mongoose]

Bus is available, probably about 2 hours and less than 100 Baht. Taxi faster but a lot more expensive. Hire a songtaew somewhere in between

[my friend I]

Go to the main bus station in CM called Arcade. Buses to Chiang Rai go via Wiang Pa Pao. Takes about 2 hours. Price varies on class of bus fan, a/c or vip. They leave all day mostly in the morning

[Phil_ne_uk]

Thanks for the info guys!

[realthaideal]

Hey Phil UK

Wiang Pa Pao is a long / large area you pass thru on the way to Chiang Rai from Chiang Mai. Like the other person said, you get the bus from the Arcade Bus Station, and you can buy the ticket the day of or, maybe better event he day before - that way will guarantee you the larger VIP bus. If you don't mind sitting shoulder to shoulder on a standard bus then just show up. I'm 200 #'s and one of my shoulders easily goes 1/3 way into the next person's seat on these buses, so I prefer the VIP. It's a little more pricey, but that's all relative, especially if you figure in the comfort.

Your bus will stop in Mae Kachan (pronounced Kajan), about 1 1/2 hrs outside of CM. THis is basically the tip of Wiang Pa Pao. Depending on where you will be going you may just want to buy the ticket to only Mae Kachan. Then take a tuk tuk the rest of the way. Or maybe whoever you're meeting can pick you up there. Everyone knows this station and the little market/ bathroom stop there.

Actually a caution now that I think of it, ......some VIP buses may not stop there. Be sure before you buy the ticket.

Anyway, another way, Get as much info from the ppl you want to meet, and then if you have a person write it in THai, you can do like the Thais do and be dropped off at a very specific point along the route if you alert the driver. But again, best to have it written in Thai so they understand clearly.

What's in Wiang Pa Pao for you ? Sounds like you're going to do an internship on a farm or something. Anything I should go see too ? If it's the Thai gf, pardon the curiosity. That's as good a reason as any to wind up there.

Cheers !

[SamSipEt]

If you are only going for a day trip then perhaps hire a taxi for, I think, around 1,500 baht including fuel and if you do this you could always do a circular trip to take in some of the different scenery along route. Your route could be something along the lines of Chiang Dao / Phrao / Wang Pa Pao and back again.

[Phil_ne_uk]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I’ve a few more questions please.

Will I have to fly from the new Suvarnabhumi Airport?

What will a taxi cost to the arcade bus station from the airport?

The actual place I’m going to in Wiang Pa Pao is Bansunloung, Tumbol, Banpong, Umpher so I don’t know how far this is from Mae Kachan, anyone know??

I know you may wonder why the heck I’m going there, well realthaideal was anyway! Lol

I’m going there to meet my 1st Thai wife so we can get a divorce at the local office. In February this year I found out that I was in fact still married to her even though I posted papers back to her around 1990 and thought we were divorced back then. I wonder what would have happened if I had tried to marry my present g/f in BKK, would they have known I was still married, anyone know?

The last time I saw her was at Heathrow in September 1986 so it’ll be strange seeing her again. I’m presently living in Pattaya with my new g/f who I’ve known over 2 years now.

While we’re on the subject does anyone know the procedure for getting the divorce? Just thought I’d ask. Lol

Cheers,

Phil

[chanchao]

> Thanks for all the replies guys. I’ve a few more questions please.

> Will I have to fly from the new Suvarnabhumi Airport?

Yes. Unless you go by train or bus or drive yourself.

> What will a taxi cost to the arcade bus station from the airport?

Wild guess: 140 baht or so?

> The actual place I’m going to in Wiang Pa Pao is Bansunloung,

> Tumbol, Banpong, Umpher

> so I don’t know how far this is from Mae Kachan, anyone know??

I can look it up tomorrow.. Sounds a bit out though.

> I’m going there to meet my 1st Thai wife so we can get a divorce at the local office.

Ah. Why not meet up in Wiang Pa Pao town then, as that's where you're going anyway.

> In February this year I found out that I was in fact still married to her even

> though I posted papers back to her around 1990 and thought we were

> divorced back then. I wonder what would have happened if I had tried

> to marry my present g/f in BKK, would they have known I was still

> married, anyone know?

Spontaneous combustion upon saying 'I do' most likely. Good that you found out!

> I’m presently living in Pattaya with my new g/f who I’ve known over 2 years now.

If you don't want to fly and like really long busrides then Nakhon Chai Air has a bus from Pattaya to Chiang Mai. (www.nca.co.th) Then you end up at the arcade bus terminal and you can just connect to the chiang rai bus.

> While we’re on the subject does anyone know the procedure for getting the divorce?

LOL.. better ask that on the main forum.. Would suck if you go all the way out there only to learn you need some xyz-document..

[Phil_ne_uk]

If you don't want to fly and like really long busrides then Nakhon Chai Air has a bus from Pattaya to Chiang Mai.

Thanks for your reply , I meant would I have to fly from the new Suvarnabhumi Airport as opposed to the old Don Muang airport. I couldnt fancy driving, I did that in February! lol

Ah. Why not meet up in Wiang Pa Pao town then, as that's where you're going anyway.

Bansunloung, Tumbol, Banpong, Umpher is in Wiang Pa Pao, I think the Bansunloung bit is the actual Soi.

LOL.. better ask that on the main forum.. Would suck if you go all the way out there only to learn you need some xyz-document

She's told me that she has the papers that she'll bring with her from Australia where she now lives.

[chanchao]

> Bansunloung, Tumbol, Banpong, Umpher is in Wiang Pa Pao, I think the Bansunloung bit is the actual Soi.

So.. you didn't pick up that much Thai then in Patters? :-)

'Ban' = village.

Tumbol (Tambon) is the sub-district the village falls under.

Umpher (Amphur) is the district, and as such means nothing by itself, it actually goes in front of the district which in this case is Wiang Pa Pao.

So it's not "Bansunloung, Tumbol, Banpong, Umpher", it's:

Ban San Luang

Tambon Ban Pong

Amphur Wiang Pa Pao

Chiang Rai

(My different transliteration is not significant, nothing wrong with spelling 'Bansunloung' or 'Tumbol')

Note that you have a village name, but not a house number or lot (moo). E.g. " 46/3 Ban San Luang "

> She's told me that she has the papers that she'll bring with her from Australia where she now lives.

I think I'd get better prepared before going. YOU need to find out what papers are needed, and check that she has them.

And if your ex has to come from Australia then I suggest you just meet up in Chiang Mai. Perhaps rent a car at www.northwheels.com and just drive up there.

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Phil_ne_uk]

So.. you didn't pick up that much Thai then in Patters? :-)

Strangely enough, I didn’t come to Thailand to learn Thai :-)

'Ban' = village.

I understood Ban to be house and I’m told that village is Moo Ban.

So it's not "Bansunloung, Tumbol, Banpong, Umpher", it's:

Ban San Luang

Tambon Ban Pong

Amphur Wiang Pa Pao

Chiang Rai

I just typed it out as it was translated for me over 20 years ago. Chiang Rai you say, not Chiang Mai??

Note that you have a village name, but not a house number or lot (moo). E.g. " 46/3 Ban San Luang "

I have the house and Moo No. I just didn’t want to post the full address on the forum.

I think I'd get better prepared before going. YOU need to find out what papers are needed, and check that she has them.

I’ll check it out, thanks for that.

[chanchao]

> I just typed it out as it was translated for me over 20 years ago.

> Chiang Rai you say, not Chiang Mai??

Yes. Wiang Pa Pao is in Chiang Rai province. (Even though it's closer to Chiang Mai town than it is to Chiang Rai town, and more easily reached from Chiang Mai as well)

> I have the house and Moo No. I just didn’t want to post the full address on the forum.

Fair enough!!

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Phil_ne_uk]

Just an update on my trip. I got to Chiang Mai ok last Thursday. The tuk tuk cost 150 baht to Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station from the airport. The bus to Wiang Pa Pao cost 130B baht took about 110 minutes and they dropped me off as the instructions I had written in Thai. My wife was waiting over the road as planned. She had aged quite a bit over the last 20 years. In fact if I had been sitting next to her in a bar I may not have even recognised her!

It was bloody freezing up there too, about 10 degrees! We went to the Umpher the next day at about 11.00am but were told to return at 1.30 when the big boss was there to sign the papers. We did so and it took about 90 minutes to sort it all out. The woman looked at my passport and then at me and asked what my name was. I have a middle name and she wondered why my wife papers didn’t show her first name, then my middle name and then my surname. She must have never divorced anyone with a middle name before! Lol

We each were given a nice divorce certificate in Thai. Anyway the actual divorce cost me 40 Baht at the Umpher, so apart from the travelling costs it’s got to be one of the cheapest divorces one could get!

Thanks again for your help to those who posted in this thread.

Cheers,

Phil

[Ajarn]

Yes. Wiang Pa Pao is in Chiang Rai province. (Even though it's closer to Chiang Mai town than it is to Chiang Rai town, and more easily reached from Chiang Mai as well)

Wiang Pa Pao is closer to chiang rai.. It is more than 100 kilos from chiang mai, and considerably less mileage and time from chiang rai..