Northern Thai News 55

Have you ever heard from Wiang Haeng, a district town near the Myanmar border in Chiang Mai Province? If not, Wiang Haeng is becoming worth a visit and a real alternative to more popular tourist places in neighbouring Mae Hong Son and Chiang Rai Provinces.

It is also a kind of adventure to drive to Wiang Haeng, which is located near the sources of the Mae Taeng River, which flows into the Ping River a little bit south of Mae Taeng. The tour highlights “Eco-Tourism” in its purest form, because you travel to natural and cultural areas that conserve the environment and still guarantee the wellbeing of local people.

Luckily, I had the chance to travel with three other Germans from Chiang Mai, when our guided three-day tour started at the end of last February. Actually, it was the idea of Michael R. Boeder, Advisor in Economic Development, to do this survey trip in order to look for project sites to establish “Schools of Hope” for Tai Yai youngsters in the Thai-Myanmar borderland. Our guide was Noom Hkurh, by himself a Tai Yai from Wieng Haeng, who was fluent in the English language.

We started from Chiang Mai early in the morning along National Road no.107 (Chiang Mai – Fang – Mae Ai) to visit another foreigner in Chiang Dao, who is married to a Lisu and doing a successful research with “tung oil” imported from Myanmar. After having passed Doi Luang Chiang Dao, one of Thailand’s most impressive mountains located within the Doi Chiang Dao Wildlife Reserve, we reached the Muang Ngai intersection (after 84km) and had lunch at the nearby market of Muang Ngai.

We continued on National Road no. 1178 to reach Arunothai, also called Nong Uk, which is still in Chiang Dao District, but very close to the Myanmar border. Dominated by Chinese businessmen - selling tea and herbal medicine - the place is a potpourri of different hill tribes, most of them having settled decades ago in Myanmar’s Shan State. Not far from Arunothai is the Royal Project Foundation site of Nong Khiaw, where many of the hill tribes find work in the agriculture business.

We left Arunothai in the late afternoon to cross the watershed between the Ping and Mae Taeng Rivers further west. The so far paved road deteriorated as soon as we arrived on the mountain pass leading down to Wiang Haeng, which was more than 70km away.

When we hit National Road no. 1322 in time for the sunset, we headed straight north to Ban Piang Luang to spend the night there in the local guesthouse (room for 200Baht). We finished the first long day with a specially prepared Tai Yai dinner in the house of our guide’s mother.

Piang Luang is just near the Thai-Myanmar border and is a typical Tai Yai settlement. The houses look very wealthy and similar to a Chinese settlement. Just a few kilometres away, there is the border point of Lak Taeng, to where we headed early next morning. Our focus of interest was Wat Fa Wiang In, which is a temple divided by the fenced Thai-Myanmar borderline. This old temple was rebuilt in 1968 by Zao Korn Zurng, a respected Shan leader and patron of the temple. At that time, Wat Fa Wiang In provided education for hundreds of children.

However, life suddenly changed after the MTA (Mong Tai Army) surrendered to the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) in 1996 and the Myanmar Military Government seized control of the area. Most of the Tai Yai villagers fled to the Thai side. The temple school was forced to close, while the students scattered to seek their fortunes elsewhere, only to re-open in 1997.

Today, Wat Fa Wiang In is providing housing and education for children from impoverished families, who are unable to feed or send them to school, and orphans, who have no family to take care for them. In1997, the school started with 2 teachers and 26 students. In 2005, the school also added English to the curriculum and currently has 7 teachers and over 70 students, attending 4 classes (2 primary classes and grades 1 and 2). Although the school’s educational offerings are much less than that of official educational institutions, largely a result of funding constraints, the basic education the school provides has enabled several children to further their education in Bangkok.

The school is currently supported by SWAN (Shan Women’s Action Network) and Terre Des Hommes (Germany), providing funding support mainly for stationnary and food. However, this support is increasingly inadequate as more children seek to attend, straining the school’s already limited budget. Thus, it is here that the “Schools of Hope” project comes in.

Back in Piang Luang, we also visited the Sweet Home Orphanage, organised by Mary Phoe Han, 71, who was educated at the Sacred Heart Convent in Loi Lem in central Shan State and now teaches mainly English in her boarding-school funded by donations (see attachment photo). Later, we paid a short visit to a refugee camp and Wat Prathat Saen Hai, with a history going back to the Buddha. There is also a spirit shrine for King Naresuan, who led an army against the Burmese enemy in 1604.

The last night, we spent in a roadside guesthouse in Wiang Haeng, where only a few government buildings were seen from the main road. So, shortly after a local dinner, we went early to sleep to wake up next morning to see another King Naresuan temple shrine nearby, which will become a big park for the people to visit in the future.

On the way back to Muang Ngai, we enjoyed an interesting 70km long and winding road - directly leading through the impressive Chiang Dao National Park. Housing some Lisu villages along the road, the park is the habitat of rare animals, such as goral, banteng, gaur, barking deer, wild boar, porcupine, palm civet, as well as different birds and reptiles.

Arriving in Muang Ngai at lunchtime, we didn’t miss to visit the colossal Phra Naresuan Maharat Pagoda, which was built by the villagers some time ago and sponsored by the Thai Military. At the base of the pagoda is written the history of King Naresuan, who was born in Phitsanulok and later became King of Ayutthaya. Nearby is the model of a palisade wooden camp. Today, King Naresuan is the “icon” of the Thai Military in the whole country. When we arrived in Chiang Mai in the evening, our recommended trip was over.

In another development, coming April is always a special time to visit the Kingdom of Thailand. It is a time of celebration for Thai people to enjoy Songkran - the Festival of Water (on April 13-15). This yearly event is the traditional "Thai New Year" and is a time for visiting friends and relatives, paying respect to the Lord Buddha, and, of course, a time for fun! The latest attraction in Chiang Mai is Latin Night at “Le Recipe” in the Le Meridien Chiang Mai on every Saturday night. Just go and find out!

Furthermore, for spa and spa resorts lover in Chiang Mai, please go to attend the highly acclaimed Asia Spa & Wellness Festival 2009, which will be held at Royal Paragon Hall in Bangkok on March 20-22. This will be Asia’s foremost international exhibition, trade mart and conference for spas, spa resorts and wellness tourism.

The first day is exclusively for hosted buyers, whilst the last two days are opened for the public. Expecting some 300 delegates, the event is without doubt the largest gathering of spa and wellness professionals in Asia. There will be some 60 exhibiting companies from 12 countries in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).

For further information, please contact Reinhard Hohler by e-mail.