Ban Mae Sam Laeb is a small border trading village perched on stilts along the steep banks of a stream flowing into the Salween River. Basically a single lane, with shop-houses on one side and a mountain-side on the other, its the entrance to the Salween River for boat trip excursions (also spelt Salawin, Salaween).
The river is the border between Thailand and Myanmar for approx 250 kms. Boat trips in Wet Season are not without dangers!
The road is not without its problems either and adds a new dimension to travel in Wet Season. A severe rain event caused some headaches for the local authorities in Aug/Sept 2009, as the following images illustrate.
No idea what the driver of this truck did – location was just over the crest of the ridge-line, on the Ban Mae Sam Laeb side… He’d made it up ok and the only explanation is I could guess at was that as he went over the top and started down, he discovered his brakes weren’t working… and opted for the ditch and the bank.
There are some scenic gems along the way, and the luxuriant greens of rice paddies with a jungle backdrop are stunning.
