Travel to Thailand – Tachileik-Mai Sai Markets Burma
Within the infamous Golden Triangle that borders Thailand, Laos, and Burma lies Mai Sai, Chiang Rai’s northernmost district. Here travelers will find a bridge that divides two worlds, one is the rise of Thailand and the other is the country hidden under a shadow laced with opium, Burma. Burma, whose government has changed its name to Myanmar, is one of the most remote countries in the world, a mysterious and unexplored destination for Western travelers, a country left untouched by the momentum of development.
We stumble upon a makeshift parking lot and give the attendant 10 baht to look after our rental car, from here it’s only a short walk to the Mai Sai border crossing. Being from Australia we had never trekked to another country and the thought of trekking to Burma made the 4 hour drive from Chiang Mai well worth it. At the border we are ushered into a small and unusually hot room where a man dressed in a military uniform sits behind his desk and questions our intentions in visiting his country. His English is hard to understand and before we can respond he tells us that we are only visiting for the day to shop at the border markets. 500 baht is given and to our surprise the passports are held and will supposedly be returned when we try to return to the Kingdom of Thailand. The already sour heat is even more sweaty knowing that we are walking towards Burma without passports.
The markets are packed with stalls and produce spilling down narrow lanes as men and boys push us with baskets of get-well pills and DVDs of questionable content available at “cheap cheap prices.” Remembering the advice I got from a drunk expat the night before in a bar, I move my wallet to the front pocket of my jeans, this isn’t just a precaution, it’s necessary. When the senses begin to calm down, there are plenty of bargains to be found if you have a keen eye and the time to sift through the junk. Everything is cheap here, cheaper than the popular Chiang Mai night markets which now offer market goods at tourist prices. There is a copy, a fake, a ‘real copy’ or a look-alike for just about any product you can think of. The watches look good until you realize that they are twice as thick as the real thing; however, this is forgiven when you realize that the designer watch offered at Tachileik will only cost you a couple of cappuccinos in your hometown. I show interest at a table of designer pens and suddenly a young girl hands me one and asks me to test the quality, surprisingly it writes very well and just as surprising are the English girls compared to their Thai sisters. Then another girl hands me another pen that also looks cool and is surprisingly useful. This continued until there were six girls at the table and I tried 6 pens, after some intense negotiation we agreed on 2 pens at 300 baht, about 8 US dollars.
Two hours of walking, negotiating and dodging the occasional motorbikes speeding through the narrow lanes of the market, a couple of sneaky photos of the market and we decide we’ve had enough adventure for the day and are heading back to Thailand. Returning to Thailand is a relief, as passports are returned and stamped with a minimum of fuss and the harassment of young people desperate for loose change is behind them.
Although not the real Burma, it was an interesting and unique experience that resulted in some fascinating memories, a couple of undercover photos and a Myanmar Walk stamp in the passport. Visiting Burma was a choice we made lightly and learning more about the military controlled country has made it clear that the choice needs to be given more thought and consideration. More locally to Mai Sai is the dismal environment of illegal border crossings, drugs and people smuggling, all global problems that are all too easily forgotten when on holiday.
The drive back to Chiang Mai over the mountain takes us to Chiang Rai and a stop at the famous White Temple (Wat Rong Khun). White Temple is a modern temple designed and built by the artist Chalomchai Khositphiphat about 10 years ago. The intricate details covering the grand temple are an incredible sight and the all-white design edged with silver glittering on dragons and other mythical creatures creates a surreal atmosphere. The site also has a room displaying paintings by Chalomchai Khositphiphat.
A few dodged cows and a bit of nervousness waiting for the first gas station in Chiang Mai and we arrived safely after dark, ready to tell the story of our trip to Tachileik about some Chaing’s.