While the main procession through the streets of Mae Hong Son began on the 2 April 2009, we had seen the Shan, parading around the town with their young boys over the last 2 weekends. They had travelled around the market, shops and temple where stall holders had given them offerings and gifts. The “gonging” sound of their chimes was a familiar sound but nothing compared to the noise that resonated throughout the night before the procession, with the Chinese temple being quite close to our humble abode. Families were preparing their sons for the big spectacle the next day through the streets of MHS and no doubt the men had been drinking long into the night. They had to celebrate as well! The noise at the Temple was just an entrée for what was to ... read more

As I said MHS is a small town where you can get to know the locals fairly well. Or for that matter they get to know who you are pretty quickly because there are but only a few foreigners who call MHS home. So much so, that we were invited to our local tuk tuk driver, Khanit’s monk ordination. When I had first arrived in MHS the girls had introduced me to friendly Khanit who we see regularly at the night market where his brother has a stall. Attending a monk ordination was definitely a first for me and it is fascinating learning more about Buddhism and Thai culture. Basically every Thai Buddhist male is expected to be ordained a monk during his lifetime, duration decided by him or his family. They are not considered mature ... read more

After a 6-7 hour winding journey through 1,864 curves (yes they count them, you can even get a certificate for passing the experience) from Mae Hong Son I eventually arrived in Chiang Mai. While the scenery is spectacular, the drive is definitely not for those who suffer from motion sickness. I spent 10 days in Chiang Mai learning Thai language and was joined by Jac, my previous housemate in Mae Sot. Chiang Mai, 700 km from Bangkok is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. The city is situated on the Ping River and serves as a major centre for handcrafted goods, umbrellas, jewellery and woodcarving for tourists. Often referred to as Thailand’s “Rose of the North,” Thais speak of their northern capital as a quaint, moated and walled city surrounded by splendid ... read more

Taken from a few resources (UNHCR, CAL & TBBC), below is information about Camp 1. As its the biggest in the MHS region I will be spending most of my time here. Camp 1 is located 25km (approx one hour drive) from Mae Hong Son and was initially opened in 1996 to accommodate around 1,800 refugees. Due to the ongoing fighting in Burma, newcomers have arrived making the current camp population according to UNHCR figures in June 2008, 19,380. The camp population is 94% Kayah/Karenni, broken down into various sub-groups who speak different dialects and who are mostly farmers. Non-Karenni residents are Karen, Shan, Burman and Pa-o. Of the population in the camp 48% are Animist, 42% Christian (predominantly Catholic) and 10% Buddhist. The Karenni people call themselves Kayah Lee or Kazah Lee, meaning Red People. ... read more

Not long after settling into MHS I found myself already back in Mae Sot town. While I was dreading making the 8 hour journey through all the twisted curves again I had no choice but to return for a visa run in Mywaddy, Burma. I spent a week in Mae Sot which coincided with the farewell of an Australian work colleague, Claire. On the day after arriving into Mae Sot Daryl drove me to the Moei River Friendship Bridge to do my border run, which proved to be an amusing experience. He explained to the Thai immigration officer that we were there to renew my visa. The officer wasn’t that receptive to Daryl, proceeded to speak to me in Thai and had a hard time believing I was the foreigner, even after I showed him my ... read more