Chiang Rai Province and The Golden Triangle

Chiang Rai Province and The Golden Triangle - 14 September 2023!

30/9/2023

Yesterday was the most spectacular experience of our holiday so far. I had arranged a day excursion with 'Get Your Guide' online, before I left for Thailand, to see Chiang Rai province. There is so much to see in Chaing Mai and the surrounding provinces, that I wouldn't have time to fit it all in. I chose to see the iconic White and Blue Temples, as well as a detour to see the ‘Long Neck Karen People,’ and finally a boat ride to The Golden Triangle, encompassing the border of Thailand, Myanmar/Burma and Laos.

I have done many of these excursions before in other countries, and knew pretty much what to expect. An air-conditioned mini bus picked us up from our hotel at 7am, and we drove the short distance to pick up others, on the way to our first stop at The White Temple. There were three people from the United States, two from Italy and two from Spain, nine of us in total. Unsurprisingly, Darrell and I were the oldest people there, with all the others being in their twenties. It honestly feels only yesterday I was that age myself, so it can be quite depressing saying we were the oldest couple in the group, but we are getting older, and that’s not going to change.

The White Temple

It took us about four hours to reach the White Temple in Chiang Rai, after a brief stopover at the Hot springs on the way. Now, this brief stop, was akin to motorway service stations in the UK, but completely different. There were market stalls, shops, hot and cold street food and of course, the hot springs. We were warned by our guide, Eddy, not to touch the water, as it was boiling and would certainly injure us if we went too close. The area on the way to the temple was green and lush and extremely tropical in nature – it was littered with small traditional villages and an abundance of farms and superb mountain views.

The White Temple or 'Wat Rong Khun' is a modern religious building, opening its doors in 1997. It was constructed by Chalermchai Kositpipat, and dominates the skyline for miles around. This was the biggest and in my opinion the most beautiful temple I have ever seen. Being on a tour, it was sad we only had forty minutes to look around this vast complex, but it did give us a taster, should we want to return in the future.

We had both expected rain and had come fully prepared, but as we entered the temple, the sun was shining brighter than ever, reflecting harshly off the mirrored tiled surfaces, everywhere you looked. This place was like a fairy tale, and it was a building where dreams are made. Given the chance, I will be back one day; everyone who travels to Chiang Rai Province, must take some time to go here. Despite the crowds, there are areas to sit, reflect and admire the views.

You do find a lot of the Neo Thai, modernist architecture, all over Thailand, and it does speak volumes for the visionary architects who design and build these vast religious monuments. To look at the building, you would think it has been here years, but in fact, it has only been open for a quarter of a century. I am in admiration of a society who constructs such amazing structures. These beautiful buildings are Thailand's heritage in the making; the west has so much to learn!

The Blue Temple

From The White Temple, we drove twenty minutes to The Blue Temple, or Wat Rong Suea Ten. Once again this is another amazing modern building, built in Neo Traditional Thai Lanna Style, by local artist Phuttha Kabkaew, who was an apprentice to Chalermchai Kositpipat. The Blue Temple is no less impressive, and sits majestically on the edge of Chiang Rai city. I am literally in awe of all the religious buildings I have seen, they are beyond imagination, and so far removed from what we are used to in the west.

When I look at modern, British and European construction, of public and religious buildings, there is a clear difference in style. Thailand looks back towards its traditional roots, while incorporating modern techniques into their buildings; Europe tends to champion new, untried styles of architecture, that more often than not, sits awkwardly in the environment that surrounds it. For me, contemporary Thai architecture is far more athletically pleasing, and blends far better into the local landscape. The modern equivalent in the UK, just never look right and always look out of place; we have much to learn from Thai people, whose spiritual nature exudes in their buildings, even today.

The Baandam Museum

From The Blue temple we travelled to the Baandam Museum or Black House Museum to us foreigners. Designed by Thawan Duchanee, this private art collection displayed in traditional northern Thai buildings, spans 160,000 square meters, and is stunningly alluring and beguiling, sat in the most attractive grounds imaginable. There is also a cat rescue sanctuary on site, with some very well cared for felines, enjoying their best lives. I would have dearly loved to have taken one home, but with Australia's quarantine laws the way they are, that would be impossible. This was a place I could have spent far more time exploring. It was extremely peaceful and calming, even with hoards of tourists in situ.

Long Neck Karen People

Next stop, we visited the ‘Long Neck Karen People’ (Kayan Lawhi) in their settlement, about half an hour drive away. Now, like all of you, I am sure you have seen photographs or documentaries of this once reclusive tribe, who live in the northern mountains of Thailand. The women wear large brass coils around their necks – these are not individually made, as many people believe - they are made from a single piece of metal work, forming a large neck brace, that sits on the collar bone, in one extremely heavy piece of body jewellery.

Before we went we were assured, that the tribe received 100% of the money they made from the sale of local handicrafts and for me, it was a very humbling experience, spending some time with them, watching them at work and play, in their traditional home. All of them were welcoming and very open to questions and photographs. Asking to take a photo was a little embarrassing at times, but I was always sure to buy something from them as well – it felt like the right thing to do.

Walking around the village, I was struck by just how these people live; it is unlike anywhere I have ever been before. I have seen television programmes on similar tribes in the past, but nothing prepares you for the reality, when you see it up close and personal. It was an extremely emotional experience, and I feel truly honoured to have gone to observe their lives, even for a short period of time.

The Golden Triangle

By now, all of us were feeling tired, we had been driving for eight hours or so, but there was one final stop on this tour of Chiang Rai – The Golden Triangle. This is the area that links Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Burma, and it was the highlight of the tour for most of us. We travelled along the borders of these countries in a rather old rickety boat, observing the differences in geology, geography and construction, and it was very different to what I had imagined.

After being given a bottle of Laos Beer, which tasted wonderful by the way, (Although I’m not sure the driver or other guides should have been consuming the stuff as well, but hey this is Thailand) we took an hour's trip on a long boat up and down the border region. What surprised me more than anything was the construction work going on in Laos. Modern buildings, including Laos’s biggest and tallest skyscraper, were popping up all over the foreshore. According to our guide, this is mainly due to Chinese investment, which has pumped a lot of cash into the area. Myanmar, on the other hand, looks relatively unchanged and sits perfectly into the natural landscape.

I couldn’t help feeling a little sad at what might become of this area, if construction continues at the rate it is, but then much of the natural landscape in this isolated area has changed over the years anyway. I just hope some protections are put in place to preserve what is left of the natural environment, for future generations to come.

For me, this was the experience of a lifetime, seeing things I have only ever seen in books or on TV. I was fortunate to see and observe from a distance, so have a somewhat distorted view of traditional Thai life. However, I am glad I have dipped my toes into Chiang Rai province, it is certainly be an area I would love to return to again!