THAILAND question

[Rod Hagen]

Hi. This is not an escort question, so I'm not putting it in the "Asia / Australia Escorts" question. I'm choosing b/w the two and was wondering what are the fundamental differences between Nan and Mae Hon Song? If you had to advise someone to visit one over the other, which would you choose and why? Thank you.

 

-Hagen

[buckguy]

This apparently didn't make it through on last try....so

 

Nan & Mae Hong Son are similar in that they are in relatively forested border areas (Nan, esp. the area N of the provincial capital probably has more forest---neither border is open to foreigners). Both have access to ethnic minorities (in Nan, you mostly go visit on your own; in Mae Hong Son, you can take degrading reks to see them). Both are near national parks. Nan is actually one of my favorite places in Thailand (I lived in Thailand for several years and travelled extensively, mostly to places where tourists rarely visit). Mae Hong Son was one of the 1st places I visited in Thailand & made less of an impression. Both Nan & Mae Hong Son can be reached on flights from Bangkok via upcountry hubs. Both are interesting drives from more conventional airline destinations (the road from Chiang Rai to Nan has a few hair raising turns; the road from Chiang mai to Mae Hong Son is interesting, but less challenging). Both can be reached via comfortable overnight buses from Bangkok.

 

Nan is much less touristy than mae Hong Son. Nan province was officially designated as "remote" until the late 80s. Nearby Loei province (which also is woth a visit...more later) also was "remote". The provincial capital has some unique and architecturally interesting temples (interesting even if you are sick of temples), a good crafts NGO, and a lot of good silver. The central business district includes a number old wooden buildings---a rarity in Thailand. There's only one travel agency in town and no 1st class hotels. There also aren't many restaurants and there's little to do at night. Except for a few Peace Corps people, a german NGO guy and the owner of an Italian restaurant in town, you're unlikely to encounter other Westerners. There are some Thai Lue villages that are easily accessed by "silor" (a truck with two seats facing each other in the back and a cover on top)--these folks have some traditional crafts and interesting temples, but do not dress up, pass around opium or do other hokey stuff. The national park can be reached by silor, although you'll probably have to charter the silor---nice hikes and a cascading waterfall. You can probably rent motorcycles or bikes from the travel agency. There are other hill tribe villages further away and some interesting chalk formations. Speaking Thai is desirable here, although a decent pocket dictionary (I recommend the Lonely Planet one) will probably get you through anything major. In Mae Hong Son, English (or at least enough of it to do business) is much more common. In both palces, you'll have no trouble making long distance calls or finding an ATM. Mae Hong Son has a wider range of accomodations and appeals to people who want something smaller & less touristy than Chiang Mai but have no compunction to be really adventurous. There's more tourist infrastructure, more souvenir stuff (mostly mass produced) but that means that it's less Thai. In the end it depends what you want.....if you want a mildly off the beaten path experience, Mae Hong Son will work. If you want something a bit more adventurous and enjoy truly real independent travel, then Nan is better. Neither place, tho., is really "roughing it"

 

If you go to Nan, check out Loei province, which is catty corner to it. Loei is the beginning of the Northeast, which is ethnic Lao and culturally, as well as linguistically different from the North or central regions (the Northeast is also far less touristed). There are some nice river towns and several national parks in Loei. The one park that draws alot of people is Phu Kradung, which is popular with thai college students on weekends and should be avoided at those times. thre provincial capital is a good hub, but rather undistinguished otherwise. The village of Dan Sai hosts a wild festival called Phi Tha Khon, which is worth seeing, if you're in Thailand at the righ time (it's mid June or mid-July; the Tourism Authority of Thailand website probably has the date). A litte efurther E from Loei are Ban Phu National Park (interesting cave paintings) and Ban Chiang (a bronze age excavation), which can be visited most easily from Udon Thani (an undistinguished medium sized provincial capital), although you can find transit from the towns along the Mekong---the Lonelyplanet guide has useful logistics and background info; it and the Footprints guide are the best for Thailand.

[IM_Moore]

stay away from thailand, first u know u dislike asians, u know what u told me about how u felt about a certain asian man who might be involved in this site. what did u call him again, a slanted eye XXXXXX XXX XXXXX come on rod baby, don't be so hostile toward asians they are my favorite escorts. btw i saw a 'newer' pic of u and man do u looked out of shape and fucking old.

[Rod Hagen]

Buck,

 

I posted a long response, and my PC crashed. This thread must be cursed.

 

I am extremely grateful for your thorough response.

 

I will check the LP guide to find a Nan hotel that will suit Monkey (my BF); he requires AC and private Toilet. I really like the idea of excurting over to Loei (would that be via train or bus?). However, if I decide that it's too rustic for him (not me), we'll hit MHS instead; at least that way we get to run through Chiang Mai.

 

First trip to Thailand, dumping lots of United We'll-Fuck-You-At-Every-Opportunity Airlines to fly first class Singapore Air. Should be a fun journey. Is one evening in Singapore adequate?

 

Amanresorts(.com) give me multiple orgasms, so remarkable in design. And so we'll be in Phuket (god I wish that was pronounced phonetically) for a few days. I know it's way over touristed, and completely unauthentic. I'm sorry. I also realize there are alternative islands, much less touristed and much more interesting (like the beach where all the rock climbers go). However, I live for Aman hotels, so this will be our only beach spot. Can you please recommend some worthy excursions from or within Phuket while we are there? Thank you

 

Lastly, the first few nights we'll stay at The Peninsula (still offering great rates). Is there a category of room that's worth reserving, and in any particular wing of the building? Are the Thai Suites remarkable, or are the Deluxe Suites (quite reasonable) sufficient? On the night before we return home I planned to book us in The Oriental (I'm simply wet in anticipation). The Author's Suites are $900/night, more than I'm currently earning in a week, however they are in the original Structure, the Author's Wing, which is where I want to stay. Do you think that booking in the category just below the ASuites, and then writing a Pre-Arrival letter (not email) to the General Manager explaining that it's our first trip to Thailand, it's some special occasion, yada yada, would be sufficient to garner a guaranteed upgrade into an Author's suite?

 

Thank you again for all your help Buck.

 

RH

 

 

"Having these balls makes

me feel something close to

joy, I think. I must caress

them." -FRIEZA

-Hagen

[IM_Moore]

You are such a sad person. You have no value to anybody yet continue with this Thailand BS. Only to get you off of this board, go bother the people in the Thailand forum on CFS. Icon and his crew of regular posters can point you in the right direction, they won't know what a worthless, empty human being you really are. Isn't about time you head to Canada again?