Myanmar

 by Red

Myawaddy

Myawaddy is a burmese border town between Myanmar and Thailand.

Myawaddy – 16Sep’05
2pm, took a motorbike taxi to the THai Myanmar border. Tourists can cross over to Myanmar and visit the town as long as they have their passport. The Myanmar immigrations will keep the passport and you have to return to Thailand by 5pm latest. I have 3 hours.



On the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, met this ‘volunteer translator’ Thong Li, who speaks very good English. He offered to take me around. Basically Myawadee the town is very different from Thailand. Streets dusty, broken sidewalks. Lots of temples. I visited 3, in depth, since the guide was there. Explained all to me. In detail. See pics. 2nd temple even had porridge at communal gathering in the temple with the people. Got introed to the head monk. Pretty much was very lucky, brought me to market and bought some stuff as well. Actually lots more happened, but spent too long now on this PC. maybe will elaborate later.
Went back cross border, Mae Sot, had dinner at Indian place, chat with this fella who was jailed trying to illegally immgrate to Malaysia…
Yawn. Sorry. Goodnite all. Tomorrow its 1st bus out to chiangmai. Just see pics for more details lah. Damn tired, already halfway down to Bangkok…

in Myanmar / South East Asia / Thailand 0 comments
 by Red

Mae Sot

Mae Sot is the main border town between Thailand and Myanmar located in the Tak province. It houses a large Burmese refugee population.


Mae Sot – 16Sep’05
Early at 5.30 am, I dropped my key at the front desk, everyones sleeping, and rushed to take the songthaew (those 2 row pickups) to Mae Sot. Its a 6 hour ride south, on hills. No coaches go down, probably no tourists too. Starting from Mae Sariang, Im getting mistaken for thai more and more. Prob they see much less foreigners down here. Flemming the danish guy went separate ways, we said bye. He’s going up to Chiang Mai then Laos. Me, I’m off to Mae Sot. Took breakfast of coffee and 2 halfboiled eggs. The two eggs were a real bad idea. In the Songthaew, which was terribly cold, because of the wind, bumpy, motion sickness and I keep feeling the 2 eggs coming up. But the trip itself, in 6 hours, passed throught the countryside, and lots of people boarded on and off. Met a lot of villagers close up that way. Reached Mae Sot at about 2pm. Got really lost trying to orientate myself. Plus this far south, no signs were in English, and even fewer spoke the language. Mostly Thais come to tour here, from Bangkok etc. And its low season. The stupid unupdated map in Lonely Planet didnt help either. After hunting for the tourist police without success, found a guesthouse which appeared on the map. Orientated myself, dumped stuff in hotel. Then set off for Myanmar. It was 2pm.

in Myanmar / South East Asia / Thailand 0 comments