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So these two are sitting in the less than opulent surroundings
of The Meeting Place, waiting for their visas to Laos and weeping
and wailing about how poor folks are in these parts. Sheeet! So! Never being one to take kindly at such goings
on, and also
never having really learned to keep one's big mouth shut, I gave
them one of my mighty "jeez you cretin" looks and proceeded
to dress them down.
Introduction
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Highlights l
How
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Interactive map
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"Poor for chrissake, poor?. See any beggars here?" They
hadn't. "See any Benzes?" They had. Lordy I'm a smug
S.O.B. But what the heck I had been wandering around these parts
for the better part of two days now, didn't that make me an expert?
And I was surprised, no make that amazed at what I saw. Clean,
well cared for highways and country roads, villages certainly far
short of Beverley Hills or Meridian, Mississippi even, but again
clean and well maintained.
And wait a minute, who could go hungry with all of the fruit and
fish around? After all weren't we in the heart of the rice bowl of
Asia, and on the banks of The mighty Mekong to boot? Poor my butt.
Boy I surely showed these guys a thing or two. Don't mess with
real travellers kiddies. For some reason the girl got up and left,
probably to go shopping.
The poor guy was trapped. Ordered by pussy power to man the visa
vigil. Never mind, he was impressed, and as the only female in the
room had left, there was no need for my posturing any more. Bring
on the visas, I wanted to go to Laos. But it was not to be. Rules
change like the wind shifts in this part of the world and Yanks,
Aussies, and anyone else (6 countries in all) who had an Embassy
in Vientiane, the Lao capital, were obliged to get their visas in
Bangkok. So there!
My traveling buddy was American, but took his persona- non-grata
status with good grace. Sort of. With a minimum of moaning he
suggested we jump back in his jeep and mosey on down the road.
Down by the riverside, so to speak. We started to shake rattle and
roll our way to Nakorn Phanom.
If you have never visited Isan, Thailand's vast Northeast, you
should. For, it is my humble opinion that if you restrict yourself
to the better-trodden paths in The Kingdom, you are denying
yourself a true Thai experience. Now I am not suggesting that
Phuket or Pattaya are unworthy, or that Hua Hin is a drag, no
sirree. But Thailand is a vast country, a vast experience, and
normal tourist destinations can be a mite - shall we say-
westernized? But I digress, let's get back to our jeep and the
open roads of Isan.
Aw heck, lets go back even farther than that and look at the real
reason I was so surprised at the cleanliness and standard of
living. You see, this part of Thailand is one which the media
usually describes best by inserting the adjective "improvished"
before the name. In fact reports regularly come out of the
International media, especially television, and particularly the
BBC about the poverty, disease, child selling, and other such
"bull" that is a supposedly regular occurrence in
Thailand in General and Isan big time. So, "goin' down the
road" I really expected to confront mothers selling their
daughters at roadside stalls, AIDS infected prostitutes offering
me the kiss of death for pennies, and regular funeral pyres of
those who died of starvation, disease and general feeding frenzy
mayhem.
You think I'm going over the top? Well try this for size! In the
past 6 months on the respected BBC world service TV, I saw a story
which claimed that one northern village had so many people dying
from AIDS that they had to build a two-way walk path to the
crematorium. Another stated that there were no less than 600,000
gay bars in Thailand, another had the stage presence to interview
a mother holding a baby just outside a Bangkok slum and asked her
(the hapless mum, who probably didn't understand what was going on
anyway) if she would sell the infant for 10,000 Baht. "Yes"
she replied. Huh!
Anybody who has any Thai experience whatever will tell you that
either she did not understand, or that she was paid to answer yes
for the benefit of "The Beeb." The point is that there
is a hell of a lot of misinformation being presented about
Thailand. And, this barrage of bullshit has scared a lot of people
off, leading them to believe that it is best to only visit known
and promoted destinations in The Kingdom, and not to venture too
far off the beaten path. The northeastern experience is truly Thai,
and nowhere will you get a better feel for the traditions, the
religion, the friendliness, the "Land of Smiles". I am
not claiming there is no poverty in Isan, or any other corner of
The Realm for that matter.
But my suggestion is, that not having a TV or a microwave does not
constitute destitution or impending doom. My contention is,
however, that real poverty can be found in all cities and
countries regardless of their standard of development or standard
of living. Perhaps the real poverty in the villages of Thailand is
that these good people are so often "out of the loop."
Perhaps the real poverty stems from the lack of meaningful work
except during rice harvest, and empty days under the hot sun.
Perhaps the poverty of an unfed mind is really what should be
addressed quickly. The rest, given time, should take care of
itself.
Isan-North East
Attractions:
Just a few hundred kilometers north from the
Gulf of Thailand, a narrow mountain range forced rivers to carve a
channel due east through an arid sandstone plateau towards the
Mekong River basin. In contrast to the north-south flow of most
Thai rivers, the and Chi seek out the Mekong River in the east
Thailand's last travel frontier and Isan's ultimate key to
prosperity the "Gateway to Indochina" Culture,
traditions and travel routes flow like the rivers towards the
mighty Mekong.
Nature has blessed the Northeast plateau with a unique opportunity
to become the gateway to Laos and Cambodia. But it is a distinct
travel destination in its own right. To the west and south of this
ancient plateau, the narrow mountain ranges of Phang Hoei and
Dangrek are the natural borders that separate the Northeast from
the central and northern regions of Thailand and neighboring
Cambodia.
To the east and north the mighty Mekong River winds southward
marking the border between Laos and Northeast Thailand. In between
these natural barriers, a culture and way of life has emerged that
is known as Isan. A rich mixture of Lao and Khmer influence
emerges in the language while a love for fiery salads and spicy
food is seen in the cuisine. Even though Isan is known for an
unhurried life- style, its festivals are noted for their color
& zest.
The Northeast, through a network of highways, provides the land
bridge
to explore Laos and beyond to the coastal resorts of
Vietnam. This new found role as the "Gateway to Indochina"
is accelerating the growth of tourism throughout the Northeast,
creating new tour options and itineraries that will eventually
extend beyond the Mekong River through Laos and Vietnam. A journey
through the Northeast leads travelers to four border checkpoints
on or close to the Mekong River.
Visitors can cross the river or travel by road to fascinating
towns in neighboring Laos. The Northeast beckons travelers who
need to explore and step beyond the traditional tourist resorts.
Highway 2 begins at Saraburi, 90 km north of Bangkok, where the
road swings eastward from the north-bound trunk route towards a
narrow gap in the mountain range that separates the Northeast
plateau and its 19 provinces from the rest of the country.
Beyond the stark limestone hills stands Nakhon Ratchasima the
gateway to Isan. As travelers approach the city, the landscape
change from rolling hills to arid red soil plains. On the southern
horizon are the mountains of Khao
Yai National Park that eventually merge with the Dongrek
range the spans the border with Cambodia.
Close to the national park's hilly terrain stands the 992-meter-high
Khao Lamang, where the Mun River starts its journey to the Mekong
basin 400 km in the east. Rivers like the Mun and Chi are the
lifelines for the sandy arid plateau - the cultural link with
neigh- bors is through festivals and sports. From Nakhon
Ratchasima travels can also head due east on pro- vincial highways
towards Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket, Surin and Ubon Ratchathani following
the Mun River basin on a fascinating tour of the lower region.
Or they can head north-east on Highway 2 to Khon Kaen, the
heartland of Isan and preferred gate-way for a tour covering the
upper region. By using a combination of road, rail and air
transport it is possible to unlock the attractions of the upper
and lower regions or combine them into one magnificent journey.
Occupying 170,000 square kilometers, the Northeast represents a
third of the country's land mass.
It is this vastness that appeals to travelers while creating a
logistical challenge for tour planners. Busy gateway city Nakhon
Ratchasima is in stark contrast to the sleepy backdrop that the
Mekong River basin presents. From the road that clings to the
border and river bank, there are view of Laos - forested hills and
village communities trading and fishing on the river. To the
northwest of the region Udon Thani and Nong Khai provide yet
another profile - national parks and the mountains of Loei. High
up in the parks of Phu Kradung, Phu Luang and Phu Rua the
landscape and diversity of the vegetation is impressive.
Rural towns like Buri Ram, Surin and Chaiyaphum demonstrate yet
another feature of the Northeast tapestry - cattle herders, silk
weavers, rice and farmers. All 19 province have their own unique
charms and attractions, but certain routes have emerged as the
most practical for overseas visitors.
The flow of the Mun River towards the Mekong basin provides one
natural tour route from Nakhon Ratchasima to Ubon Ratchathani.
Khon Kaen acts as another natural gateway for a tour route to Udon
Thani, Ban Chiang and two Mekong River towns, Nakhon Phanom and
Nong Khai. A combination of the two routes using air-conditioned
buses, two domestic flights and a rail trip allows tour operators
to offer five to seven day itineraries that highlight a
fascinating mix of natural, cultural and historical attraction to
introduce the Northeast to travelers.
The future beckons the Northeast on both the trading and tourism
fronts. As road links improve and key routes are opened to
Cambodia and Laos, the regions' economy will expand beyond
agriculture. Aviation, communication, and tourism are all poised
to make an impact in the Northeast as the era of Mekong River
basin trade dawns. Borders have opened to overland travel allowing
tour planners to link Northeast itineraries with destinations in
Laos and eventually Vietnam.
Highlights
Impressive Angkor ruins dating back to
the Khmer empire at mai, Phanom Rung as well as a host of other
smaller historical sites linked to the Khmer period.
Nakhon Phanom for its spectacular view of the Mekong River and
Laos beyond. Plus the important religious site of Wat
Phra That Phanom, venerated throughout the Northeast.
Traditional cotton and silk
weaving villages located in Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen,
Roi Et and Udon Thani. Loei's mountains and national parks with
temperate climate and plant life.
Bronze Age archaeological
sites of Ban Chiang and Ban Prasat. Meditation in
traditional monasteries founded by the region's most revered monks.
Khao Phra Vihan, an Angkor monument on a cliff top just across the
border with Cambodia.
Mekong River - its rapids, riverside life-style, festivals,
villages and trading at the checkpoints on the border with Laos.
How
to get there
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