Mae Chaem is a small, ethnically diverse town nestled in a valley below Thailand’s highest mountain. Its history dates back to the 14th century. It’s inhabitants include Lua, Hmong, Karen, and Tai Yuan peoples. The Tai Yuan are renowned for a particular type of weaving, specific to Mae Chaem. Called Teen Chok, the weave features … Read more
The Thai cabinet has approved three additional public holidays for 2025. The holidays include a four-day holiday to celebrate HM the Queen’s birthday from May 31 to June 3. Also, the birthday holiday of HM Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother will be extended by a day from August 9-12.Overall, there will be 21 public holidays … Read more
How former opium-producing towns in Thailand’s Golden Triangle are cashing in on their troubled past via museums and more. Article by David Frazier. In the Thai part of the Golden Triangle, which straddles the borders with Myanmar and Laos, museums dedicated to the area’s opium-producing past have opened One has ‘the largest collection in Asia’ … Read more
Bokeo Airport Completes 90% Construction, Operations to Start This Year The cost of construction is estimated to be at around USD 175 million, covering an area of 300 hectares. Construction began in September 2020 and the airport is being built according to the safety standards of the Department of Civil Aviation in Laos and the … Read more
Luang Prabang Plans to Attract 4 Million Tourists by 2025 The province’s five-year tourism plan hopes to attract 4 million tourists by 2025. Currently, at its midway point, Luang Prabang has seen 1.1 million tourists spending over USD 500 million. In the last two years and five months, the UNESCO heritage site has seen only … Read more
Bun Luang and Phi Ta Khon Festival 2023 23-25 June 2023, Dan Sai District, Loei The most outrageous festival in Thailand. Also known as the Ghost Festival, this unique celebration is full of colour, culture and tradition. Its most well-known element is the grand Phi Ta Khon parade by locals who dance and strike poses … Read more
Thailand and Malaysia have agreed to build a new road The road will connect the Sadao border checkpoint in Songkhla to Bukit Kayu Hitam town in Malaysia’s Kedah state to boost ties between the two countries. The Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) deputy secretary-general Chonthun Sangpoom said on Thursday that the SBPAC and state … Read more
380 New Species of Animals and Plants Discovered in the Greater Mekong Region A color-changing lizard, a thick-thumbed bat, a poisonous snake named after a Chinese mythological goddess, an orchid that looks like a muppet and a tree frog with skin that resembles thick moss are five of the 380 new species described by scientists … Read more
Tha Khek certifies 71 old colonial buildings as national heritage. Khammouan province has been certified 71 French buildings and houses as historical conservatories to preserve as a historical learning center for the next generation and become another important province for attracting domestic and international tourists. The deputy Mayor of Tha Khek, Mr. Sihnguan Inthalard, said … Read more
Air Asia to Restart Flights From Vientiane to Kuala Lumpur in August. Air Asia will resume three weekly flights from Vientiane Capital to Kuala Lumpur in August to boost more tourism between the two countries. The announcement came from Ms. Zalina Ahmad, the Deputy Director of Tourism of Malaysia’s International Promotion Division for Southeast … Read more
Deputy governor Thapanee set to take over as TAT chief. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has selected Thapanee Kiatphaibool, its deputy governor for domestic marketing, to be the next governor, a source from TAT’s executive board said on Thursday. She is set to replace current TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn, who retires at the … Read more
Phu Kho Noi ready for tourists as rains restore greenery damaged by fires. Phu Kho Noi mountaintop, a popular viewpoint for enjoying the famous sea of mist, has once again turned green following rains last month after the area was damaged by forest fires. Villagers of Ban Boong village in Tambon Na Haew of Loei … Read more
The Lao New Year festival program for Luang Prabang has been announced, featuring a variety of activities for both visitors and residents to enjoy from 11 to 20 April. The most important days are from 14 to 16 April, with events typically including a traditional market fair, an elephant procession, sand stupas along the riverbank, … Read more
The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department’s Road Safety Centre released data on road accidents during the seven days which ended on 4 January 2023. The seven deadly days period ran from the 29th December 2022 – 4th January 2023. A total of 317 people were killed in 2,440 road accidents in Thailand during this period … Read more
Phayao city will hold their annual boat racing competition on the beautiful Phayao lake on 4th December 2022. There will be boats of 8 rowers & 12 rowers, plus a Sub board Race. For more information, please contact Phayao Provincial Tourism and Sports Office Phone number 054-887210
The Golden Triangle arguably got it’s name from Khun Sa the infamous Shan freedom fighter or opium warlord who reigned in the 60s & 70s. At his peak he had a trained militia of 10,000–20,000 men & dominated the regions drug trade; ending up with a million dollar reward for his capture. In 67 he … Read more
The KMT Kuomintang were the nationalist Chinese forced out of China & Myanmar when they lost the war against the communist Chinese forces. In a long march that led them through S-W China & Shan State in Myanmar, they eventually settled in North Thailand. Many were repatriated to Taiwan, but two 2 groups stayed & … Read more
Vietnam to grant e-visa to citizens from 80 countries from 1 July 2020 Citizens from 80 countries will be allowed to get an e-visa from July 1, the government said in a resolution signed on Monday. The 79/NQ-CP resolution was issued in line with the Law on Foreigners’ Entry Into, Exit From, Transit Through and … Read more
The Thai Laos border has an interesting history with communists & Hmong people competing for control of an area once neglected by the Thai government. Roads built on the Thai side to access the area in the old days were nicknamed Death Roads by the Hmong for the loss of life on both sides fighting … Read more
VIENTIANE, April 23 (Xinhua) — All the beams of the Luang Prabang cross-Mekong River super major bridge of the China-Laos railway have been installed, according to the Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd. (LCRC), a joint venture based in Lao capital Vientiane in charge of the construction and operation of the railway. The LCRC told Xinhua on … Read more
The best pizza around, in the North of Thailand, seems to be @ the Mekong Pizza at the Golden Triangle; and is confirmed by the many rave comments by riders who have eaten there. GT Rider has had a GTR dinner there with 13 people attending & everyone loved the meal & event. Living in … Read more
India-Myanmar Cross-Border Bus Service to Operate Soon By Zarni Mann & Myat Pyae Phyo 20 February 2020 Mandalay – The long-awaited bus service to cross the India-Myanmar border through India’s northeastern state of Manipur is set to operate from April. The 579-km service between Mandalay and Imphal, the capital of Manipur, will be the first … Read more
The 3rd edition GTR Golden Triangle map has been released & will be on sale from 15th February 2020. From overseas you can mail order a copy here For mail order in Thailand please email [email protected] The price inside Thailand is 350 baht including EMS postage. The 2020 edition of this map has more detail … Read more
Bangkok (AFP) – Thailand has spiked Chinese-led plans to open up a key stretch of the Mekong river, in a rare victory for activists fighting to preserve Southeast Asia’s most important waterway. Beijing has long wanted to blast 97 kilometres (60 miles) of rocks and dredge the riverbed in northern Thailand to open up a … Read more
Thailand to return orangutans seized from smugglers back to Indonesia Monday, 03 Feb 2020 BANGKOK:Thailand on Monday (Feb 3) is set to repatriate orangutans seized from wildlife smugglers back to the sanctuary in Borneo Island, Indonesia. It will be the third time that Thailand returns smuggled apes to Indonesia after sending 14 in 2015 and … Read more