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Published: April 13th 2007
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Northeastern Thailand
After not really enjoying Lao hospitality, we set out for North Eastern Thailand and an area known as Isan anticipating a little ‘off the beaten track’ travel. It is really pleasing to say that these four days have been a real highlight and Isan was a unique and fascinating experience. Perhaps it offered an insight into how Thailand used to be in the more heavily touristed areas like Bangkok and the South Islands.
We were to spend the four days travelling daily south to the Aranya Prathat-Poipet border crossing into Cambodia. We travelled across the border from Laos to Nong Khai for one night; then we went south to Nong Khai, Khon Kaen, and Khorat for one night each.
For these four days of travel, we were firmly placed in an area that sees very few Western tourists, in fact we saw very few ourselves and when we did, we behaved a bit like the locals, mouths agape, staring, then smiling and laughing and pointing. Ok, so we didn’t laugh or point, but everything else, we did! Weird.
Few travellers venture into Isan because it has so little to see as a place to visit, but its relative
isolation and few travellers, is what makes it appealing in the first place, so more tourism might spoil its charm.
Nong Khai
Nong Khai is across the Mekong from Laos and the two places stare at one another across that mighty stretch of river. The Thai side seems to chest thump its wealth with an enormous gold Buddha statue staring across to its poor cousin, Laos. (See photo)
We stayed at a great little guesthouse along the riverfront called Ruen Thai Guesthouse, run by a couple of young fellas who’s attention to detail was impeccably neat. (Photo at the guesthouse)
The afternoon of our arrival, we took a walk along the riverside and found that enormous Buddha with its gongs going like crazy. A major highlight was walking down a tree-lined street that flowed on through the real local’s market - it felt like Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, but much smaller and certainly not for tourists. A little bit in from the river, we found a little stall selling ‘herbal products’ that are supposed to ‘keep up sex’, as if!
Andrea then found her holy grail, collagen in a box. (Pictured)
After a night out, we packed and headed south for
Buddha in Nong Khai
Big buddha looking across the river at Laos Khon Kaen.
Khon Kaen
At the bus station, apart from the touting tuk tuk drivers, there was no evidence of tourism, so we set out to find our hotel on foot. Donna and Andrea stopped at a nearby corner with the bags, while Ben and Neil walked to find a city map. A lady from the concrete shop we were standing in front of asked us where we were going. Andrea noticed that Ailee was wearing one of the signature yellow ‘I love the King’ tops. Her name is Ailee. She insisted on calling the hotel and we kept saying ‘no’, because of course we assumed she was looking for a cut of the hotel’s profits. She said she’d drive us there. Again, we declined, but eventually asked how much. She ‘wai’-ed and told us: ‘No money’. We were so happy to meet a Thai that was actually following her Buddhist religion, we started chanting ‘Ailee - jaidee’, which means ‘Ailee - good heart’. She was very pleased.
Khon Kaen is a university town, which gives it vibrance, and nightlife that the other towns in the province didn’t have. There are lots of young people out and about, looking for
Keep up sex
Ben taking a look at 'Keep up sex' medicine a good time of a night and we managed to find some great spots for a few quiet beers.
We found a local bar where a group of older men sat around playing guitar and drinking whiskey. Then, we moved to a student bar for beers. There was a band playing great music, which is apparently banned after 10:30pm in Thailand. A truckload of police rocked up on time, took photos of the band, and the music stopped and everyone in the establishment went silent. One of the waiters spoke to the policeman, money was exchanged, and they left. The music started and the night continued. Whilst trying to blend in to the Thai student crowd, we were virtually accosted by a drunken older guy. After speaking to us in his broken, drunk English for about half and hour, he stumbled off, jumped on his motorcycle and sped off.
We took a deluxe air-con bus from Khon Kaen to Khorat and it was so comfortable (you can see us really happy in the picture - Andrea with the cosy leopard-print blanket). This all ended when the TV began playing Wesley Snipes in Blade loudly dubbed in Thai, and the bus
attendant snatched Andrea’s blanket whilst she was half-asleep and said ‘You ... no!’.
Khorat
Khorat was so charmless when we arrived, we decided to look past the smog and dirty looks locals gave us and approach the city from a ‘cultural’ perspective. The only white people were expats or Asian sex tourists, as most of the brothels had Karaoke. We couldn’t find a simple foot massage without happy ending, either!
It was Khorat that we met Steve, an English expat on a visa run, who told us of his brush with the law, and subsequent seven years at Bangkok Hilton. His wife visited him regularly, and he now does the same for his mates that are still inside. He also mentioned that he wrote a book about it called ‘Inside Out’, in case we wanted to read it.
Khorat night market was interesting, but again not for tourists, which had begun to get on our nerves by now; the shoes were too small and the tops too short for Andrea and Donna. Korat is a great place to shop for everything Thai, as it is their second largest city. The day market was where we found the local market food
delicious. We ate pork and shrimp sticks, fruit, corn, etc. with no illness. Poor Neil had simple fried rice because he always gets sick, and was out of action for two days!
The place we stayed in was funny. Everything was out of date, from the décor to the bus timetables; there were Christmas decorations up, Happy New Year Decorations (although undoubtedly for Lunar New Year), the calendar was out by five months, and when we asked for a bus timetable, it was dated 2003, and likewise found it had changed when we arrived at the bus station.
Overall, we can find no reason to stay in Korat unless it is absolutely necessary to break up the trip.
Aranya Prathat
Finally, we passed through Aranya Prathat on our way to the border crossing into Cambodia. We’d had mixed reviews of the country, so we entered with an open mind and no expectations.
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Nick Richards
non-member comment
Nong Khai
Nong Khai Market my arse - that's bloody Vic Market! You haven't even left the city, let alone the country. No more shots of you floating like a lonely turd in the pool either,okay. This website should be called:www.rub_salt_in_your_former_workmates_wounds.com Watch that peanut oil Benny Boy, you're adidas t-shirt is looking two sizes too small... Have fun you bastard!