Stories tagged with northern
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Mae Hong Son ready for the sunflowers
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) officials have announced that the scenic northern Thai town of Mae Hong Son is gearing up for a busy winter high season this year. The region along the border with Burma kicks off its tourism season on 6 November with the Buatong flower festival, one of Thailand’s real natural wonders. Thousands of Mexican sunflowers burst into yellow bloom on mountainsides around Khun Yuan and Mae Au Kor every year in a beautiful display of colour.
This year for the first time, visitors will be allowed to camp out on the mountains right in the midst of the fields of sunflowers. The flowers typically bloom from mid-November through early December and are one of northern Thailand’s premier annual attractions not to be missed. Parking facilities, healthcare services, toilets and special security patrols will be on hand at the major sunflower sites to ensure a smooth experience for all.
Mae Hong Son’s hotel capacity is already 90 per cent booked for the peak days of sunflower season surrounding the festival, so visitors are advised to make room reservations as soon as possible. Other neighbouring highlights around Mae Hong Son include the Phu Chi Fah cliff and its legendary mists, Pha Pueng Cave and the myriad hilltribes that call the region home.
Posted by: Andrew on 29 Oct 2008, 11:27 -
Chiang Mai ranks best for quality of life
In a recent government survey concerning the level of security for people living in Thailand’s 76 provinces, it was found that Chiang Mai ranked the best, while Bangkok ranked the worst. Surprisingly, Phuket was listed as the second-worst province in the nation for safety.
The human security score averaged 69.65 per cent out of 100 for Thailand as a whole. Bangkok could only manage to score 11.62 per cent, but Chiang Mai racked up an impressive 87.87 per cent, thus earning it the title of Thailand’s most livable city.
Other towns that scored less than 50 per cent includes Chonburi, Nonthaburi, Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, and of course, Phuket. The scores were calculated from a broad spectrum of criteria such as household income, crime rate, employment rate, population density, Internet access, and ratios of students to teachers and hospital beds to doctors.
The official in charge of the survey noted that “the report identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each province. The information will be useful in improving the human-security situation." Other towns that scored high were Phrae, Lamphun, Nan, Phayao and Lampang, all cities in northern Thailand.
Posted by: Andrew on 08 Oct 2008, 12:40 -
Missing Long Neck women found
Eleven woman of a Kayan hilltribe group who went missing from their village in northern Thailand several weeks ago have turned up in Sattahip, near the resort town of Pattaya. Often called ‘long neck’ women due to the gold bands they wear that elongate their necks, they are actually a smaller group of ethnic Karen people who have migrated into Thailand from Burma.
The women were found at a replicated village specially built for them by a man who persuaded them to relocate from the Burmese border. The man and all 11 women were arrested by Thai police. The Kayan women are technically aliens and are not allowed to move without notifying the authorities. The man was arrested with transporting the women and helping them avoid arrest.
In his defense, the man argued that his replica Kayan village complete with authentic Kayan long neck women and souvenirs for sale was a major tourism draw for the area. It allowed people to experience the unique Kayan lifestyle without travelling all the way to northern Thailand, where they normally live. He also said that the women were making good money and everyone was happy with the arrangement.
Several media groups, however, reported that the women were being exploited while the village was under construction. A local politician who vehemently denies any involvement in the tourist attraction insists that they are much better off in the themepark than their own native villages.
Posted by: Andrew on 23 Sep 2008, 18:48 -
Heavy rains hammer northern Thailand
Heavy sustained rains have inundated much of northern Thailand, causing widespread flooding and landslides. Nearly every province in the north and northeast of the country is at serious risk of flooding, with some districts even declaring themselves disaster zones.
One of the worst-hit areas is the central town of Lopburi, where run-off from surrounding mountains swamped some 30 villages and all roads under water. Neigbouring Ayutthaya, a major tourist destination, is in immediate danger of being submerged as the Chao Phraya River is threatening to burst its banks.
The provincial governor of Ayutthaya has declared all 16 of its districts disaster zones. "We're going to declare all districts in Ayutthaya disaster zones so that each of them can use emergency funds to immediately render help to the affected villagers," said Ayutthaya governor Preecha Kamolbutr.
Khao Yai National Park, in Prachinburi, has also been hit hard. Rangers at the park are not allowing visitors to go to the waterfalls or trek in the forest due to the danger of landslides and flash floods. Tourists planning to visit Khao Yai or any towns along the Chao Phraya River are advised to postpone their travel plans until the latest round of rains has subsided.
For the latest updates check out The Nation newspaper.
Posted by: Andrew on 14 Sep 2008, 11:07 -
Seasonal flooding hits northern Thailand
The rainy season is in full swing in northern Thailand, bringing heavy sustained storms that have caused serious flooding in many parts of the country. Worst hit have been the provinces around Lampang, Nan, Chiang Rai and Mae Sai.
The first town to be hard hit by intense storms was Nan, where two people drowned in flash floods and several more were reported missing in the Tha Wang Pha district. The city of Lampang, 100kms south of Chiang Mai, is the most recent site of storm destruction as some 120 homes were damaged by flash floods. Lampang’s Wang Nua and Muang Pan districts were declared disaster areas by local authorities.
Another northern Thai region popular with tourists that has been getting heavy rain over the past days include the entire Chiang Rai province. The head of the district hydrology centre, Manob Tailor, reported that rising waters in the Mekong River pose a very potential threat to another round of flooding in areas near Chiang Saen.
In good news, the horrific flooding last week that submerged much of the market and business district in Mae Sai along the Thai-Burmese border has finally submerged. Mae Sai is a popular border crossing for foreigners looking to renew their tourist visas, and it’s now back to business as usual.
Posted by: Andrew on 11 Sep 2008, 08:58