Thailand Route Map

Today, we drove from Chiang Rai to the Thailand/Myanmar border, with Mae Sai being the border city in Thailand, and Tachileik, the one in Myanmar. Is it Myanmar or Burma? The British called it Burma when it was an English colony and, as I have read, still do today. Burma is close to the spoken name in the Burmese language. In 1989, under the Adaptation of Expression Law, the military regime of Burma decided to change name to Myanmar. Myanma is the official written name in the Burmese language, but an English spelling is now used. The people are called Burmese, which covers most of the ethnic groups in Myanmar.

We went to the area called The Golden Triangle, which became infamous during the Vietnam War when it became common knowledge that this was a major opium poppy–growing and heroin–smuggling area. From what I have read, it still is in Myanmar, though smuggling has been extended to include methamphetamine.

On the Road

On our way to Myanmar.

On the Road

Drug checkpoint on the side of the road coming from Myanmar.

On the Road

A very interesting building that we passed with Roman statues on the side of the roof.

On the Road

Close–up of the statues.

Thai/Myanmar Border

We are in Mai Sai in Thailand walking toward the border. Nu took our passports which would be held on the Thailand side. We each also gave him 1,000 baht (about $30 US) for our visas. A good part of that was “tea money” (more or less a bribe or maybe a gratuity to be nicer about it) to be split between the Thai and Burmese border agents. I have read that this is the normal way it is done unless you want to wait days to obtain a visa at the border.

Burmese Woman

This Burmese woman was crossing the bridge between Thailand and Myanmar.  I thought the Burmese people were extremely interesting to see and to photograph. I thought they were the best part of crossing the border into Myanmar.

Our Tut Tuts

We are now in Tachileik, the Myanmar border town. From some reading, Tachileik is the heroin and methamphetamine smuggling center in Myanmar, but it is reported to be both safe for tourists both in the daytime and at night.

We got in tut tuts for the ride to our first stop: the market.

Tut Tutting in Myanmar–Movie

I took a movie of our ride through the streets of Tachileik to our first stop: the market.

At the Market

Many women and girls and some men and boys wear thanaka on their faces and other parts of their body. It is made from a ground bark. It is yellowish white and can be made into a powder form or a cream. The Burmese have been using thanaka for over 2,000 years. It gives a cooling sensation to the skin, results in a smooth skin, and also gives protection from the sun. This young woman has thanaka on her face.

At the Market

Close–up.

At the Market

Fruit, vegetables, meat, staples, cooked food, clothes, etc., were being sold at the market.

At the Market

Cooked food vendor. I have put my photos of our border crossing and the market on a slide show: Go directly to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/tachileik–border–market/

(Slide Shows, Asia, Myanmar, “Tachileik–1: Border, Market”) Note that the slide show is under Myanmar.

Enrobed Elephant Temple

After the market, we got back on our tut tuts and visited the colorful Enrobed Elephant Temple.

Enrobed Elephant Temple–Movie

You are supposed to hit the bell with a club before praying to tell the gods that you are coming to pray. I took a movie of some of my tour mates striking the bell. Joyce (the last one to hit the bell) gave it her all!

Shwedagon Pagoda

Our next stop was at the golden Shwedagon Pagoda.

I put my photos of the Enrobed Elephant Temple and the Shwedagon Pagoda on a slide show. Go directly to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/tachileik–two–temples/

(Slide Shows, Asia, Myanmar, “Tachileik–2: Two Temples”)

Tachileik

People were living in empty spaces underneath buildings. Obviously, there is extreme poverty here and it is not a pretty sight, actually pretty shocking, to see. Tachileik is a border town and I’ve read is not representative of the rest of Myanmar.

Knock-off Market

Our last stop before crossing the border back to Thailand: the knock–off market, quite a big one. Photo: Designer handbags for sale at great prices.

Back in Thailand

We crossed back over to Thailand. I have put my photos of our Myanmar visit from the Shwedagon Pagoda to crossing the border back to Thailand on a slide show. Go directly to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/tachileik–border–knock–offs/

(Slide Shows, Asia, Myanmar, “Tachileik–3: Border, Knock–offs”)