Pai

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trubrit
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Pai

Post by trubrit » December 11, 2017, 12:48 pm

Recently up in the mountains of Pai, a charming little place after you have negotiated the treacherous winding 250kms road up the mountain. We stayed at a little resort complex owned by a friend and had the most relaxed holiday I can remember. The town was packed with young seemingly educated farangs , the ones I spoke with were all on gap break from uni, no bar or sex tourists here, just these guys and girls getting around on rented push bikes or small motor bikes.The local police chief admitted that any business openly catering for the mongers is instantly closed down and fined heavily .It was a real treat to experience the real Thailand, good food , excellent service in both restaurants and street vendors and no constant hello farang calls .Sightseeing, there were many interesting and unusual temples, handicraft villages and elephant corals but the best for me was a visit to China town a village constucted in aunthentic Chinese style where visitors could rent traditional dress and wander around freely, no entrance fee and dress hire just 100bht each. There was also a hot springs nearby to visit, but being a national park the entrance fee had the usual farang rip off of 10 times the Thai price but it wasn't strictly enforced as I got in for 30bht , courtesy of my friends who knew someone that knew someone, wink, wink.All in all I would heartily recommend it , I certainly will be going back but flying from Chiang Mai on the once a day twelve seater areoplane, that drive up the mountain was a killer on both driver and vehicle .
Some photos:
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China town
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Our resort
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parrot
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Re: Pai

Post by parrot » December 11, 2017, 1:40 pm

We flew to Chiangmai back in 2010.....then rented a car and drove to Pai...and later to MaeHongSon. Yes, there are something like 1544 horseshoe turns through the mountains, but we actually enjoyed the drive. Lots of places to stop and chill......coffee, views, eats, etc. We enjoyed our day in Pai.......excellent night market, plenty of good food, and wide variety of resorts. The girls did the hot springs and lava mud rub somewhere in that area. Definitely lots of Bangkok folks there enjoying 'country life'. An excellent vacation.

stereolab
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Re: Pai

Post by stereolab » December 11, 2017, 2:05 pm

parrot wrote:
December 11, 2017, 1:40 pm
We flew to Chiangmai back in 2010.....then rented a car and drove to Pai...and later to MaeHongSon. Yes, there are something like 1544 horseshoe turns through the mountains, but we actually enjoyed the drive. Lots of places to stop and chill......coffee, views, eats, etc. We enjoyed our day in Pai.......excellent night market, plenty of good food, and wide variety of resorts. The girls did the hot springs and lava mud rub somewhere in that area. Definitely lots of Bangkok folks there enjoying 'country life'. An excellent vacation.
The hardest road I have ever experienced, but I would do it again in a flash. Pai is a lively wee town, with excellent food outlets and some really smart hotels and resorts. If you get the opportunity to go, my wife flew in this week to take part in a cross country marathon, take it without a thought.

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Re: Pai

Post by thighlander » December 12, 2017, 3:10 am

So you experienced the real Thailand by going to a fake Chinese village? Gay trashpackers with no money for shave foam are morally superior to guys, who like beautiful Thai women? Gap year? Bwahahaha. Oh, did anyone mention that the biggest crackdown in bar laws in 20 years happened after a woman claimed she was raped, while hitchhiking at 3am in Pai? Serious problems with police up there, including the murder of a tourist. Come get high in Pai..smoke some tree bark and drink some Sangsom infused with cleaning solvents. There are reasons why those minibus fares are subsidized...the traps are set for tourist ripoffs.

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trubrit
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Re: Pai

Post by trubrit » December 12, 2017, 6:46 am

thighlander wrote:
December 12, 2017, 3:10 am
So you experienced the real Thailand by going to a fake Chinese village? Gay trashpackers with no money for shave foam are morally superior to guys, who like beautiful Thai women? Gap year? Bwahahaha. Oh, did anyone mention that the biggest crackdown in bar laws in 20 years happened after a woman claimed she was raped, while hitchhiking at 3am in Pai? Serious problems with police up there, including the murder of a tourist. Come get high in Pai..smoke some tree bark and drink some Sangsom infused with cleaning solvents. There are reasons why those minibus fares are subsidized...the traps are set for tourist ripoffs.
Quod ali cibus est alis acre venen um. :-"
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FrazeeDK
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Re: Pai

Post by FrazeeDK » December 12, 2017, 8:54 am

the wiki article on Pai mentions the Kuomintang Route Army had elements that settled in Pai after the Chinese Civil War. Perhaps that is the root of the "Chinese Village"..
Dave

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