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 Thai this for something different
    November 29 2006 at 10:01AM Get IOL on your
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By Wren Mast-Ingle

The attraction of the stunning azure sea and beaches in the south of Thailand has often been the focal point for tourists. South Africans have headed for Phuket in their droves, joining the throngs of Australians, Americans and others as sun and scenery worshippers.

Sitting on the deck of Ron Dunn's classic barge Montha as photographer Peter Lewis and I pulled out into the Pasak River outside the capital Bangkok, we set out to discover the "alternative" Thailand by river and khlong (canal).

Ron is a gangly ex-pilot with a broad Australian accent. He has a passion for barges and the river way of life. Based on an antique rice barge, it is almost totally constructed from golden teak and mahogany. The vessel has many unique concepts, which make her stand out from the other barges on the river.
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Her upper deck includes an air-conditioned lounge and dining area that is inspired by turn-of-the-century colonial architecture, featuring solid golden teak paneling and a hand carving depicting a scene from the Ayuthaya period. Below, the main stateroom has a king-size bed and en suite bathroom. Also below are double-decker bunks en suite.

One of the first things we learned on board is that the journey should be measured in time and not kilometres travelled.

We set off up the Chao Phraya River which, with its many khlong off-shoots, remains an important hub of commerce, transport and everyday living for Bangkokians. Paddled canoes, motorised long tail boats, ferries, rice barges and luxury private cruises provide an endlessly changing view. Barge usage dates back to the Sukhothai era of the first royal barges in the 13th century.

The barges were originally troop carriers, but were subsequently used for religious ceremonies.

In elegant leisure we took in Wat (temple) Phutthaisawan, St Joseph's Cathedral, Wat Chaiwatthanaram, Queen Sirikit's Palace, Wat Kassithirat, Queen Suriothai's Memorial Chedi and Wat Dhamma Ram, which has the mural depicting the Thai monks going to Sri Lanka to re-establish Buddhism. However, the vihan is usually locked and not open to the public.

The Montha then sailed down the river to Bang Pa-in, where a floating restaurant was our destination for lunch. The afternoon was taken up visiting the Gothic-style temple, Wat Nivet, and attempting to see the Bang Pa-in Summer Palace, which was unfortunately closing as we arrived. Late afternoon saw us anchored at the Piyavan resort at Bang Sai.

Being a dab hand at the stove, I volunteered to cook dinner, especially as we had decided on leg of lamb. The kitchen aboard was equipped with every modern convenience and I cracked open a bottle of Thai whisky to ensure everything went smoothly.

Bovi, the steward, served the dinner of lamb, peas, rice and baked pumpkin in full uniform. The setting could have been out of the Edwardian era with the magnificent crockery and cutlery, and the whole affair was washed down with numerous bottles of good South African (ours) and Australian (Ron's) reds. We did out best to stay up for the sunrise but eventually succumbed to a long day. (I did make a note to tell all that wine in Thailand is hellishly expensive as it carries a 300% duty.)

One of the greatest advantages of travelling around on a barge like this is that not only do you get to choose where and when you want to go, you also get a vast menu of your choice. The order of the morning was a full English breakfast to start the day.

We trouped off the Montha to look around the resort, boasting four styles of buildings from different regions of the country, and then steamed upriver to the Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Centre, which needed more time than we had allocated. One of the best art galleries is at the centre.

We then cruised down to Wat Phailom, the winter nesting grounds of the Asian open-billed storks, but being summer, there were no birds to be seen.

Suan Thip Thai Cultural House in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi, is one of Thailand's finest restaurants, offering Thai cuisine and international dishes. The name translated means "garden of heaven", and this was obvious as we strolled around the beautifully landscaped riverside garden with its magnificent indigenous flora before choosing an inside dining area.

Sipping a welcome drink of lemon grass tea, I watched the colourful women chefs prepare appetisers of crispy rice with sweet minced prawn and chicken dip, together with diced prawn and chicken tartlets. Selected main courses were pomelo salad, chicken soup with coconut milk (tom kha gai), and fried chilli with beef and basil leaves. The delicious lunch, most gracefully served, was washed down with a bottle of Central Victorian Chardonnay.

The next stop at Koh Kret - an island abutting Bangkok, only reached by water - proved a serious challenge as it called for cycling around it, something I hadn't done for about 50 years. But all went well along the narrow concrete pathway that circles the island, snaking through buildings, and past shops and rural houses set back in the foliage. Koh Kret is known for its pottery and we spent an interesting half hour talking to a master potter.

Day four saw a change of barges when Jeff Mills, an American, and his Thai wife Tui picked us up in the Rojana Sung Thong (Our Little Flagship) on an exploratory trip to Khlong Bangkok Noi before heading off to investigate a new future route for barge tourists. We travelled westward through rarely used khlongs and inhospitable lock-minders to Samut Sakhon.

It took two more days to finally reach the Mae Khlong River near the port of Samut Songkhram. Ron and Jeff are still exploring the routes to enable them to eventually offer an entirely new experience to tourists.

Overnight at Baan Amphawa Resort, a few kilometres upriver from Samut Songkhram, was amazing. It's like a jewel carved out of the dense tropical foliage.

Its magnificent suites, individually themed traditional Thai houses, scattered throughout the luxuriant gardens, almost defy description. One might find a poor comparison in South Africa's leading county lodges, although our overnight stay including breakfast only cost R250 per person.

Early morning saw us at the world-famous Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and then back to the Mae Khlong River, now flowing very strongly against us. Jeff finally gave up and moored at a restaurant where we wined and dined away our woes at not being able to reach the bridge on the River Quai at Kanchanaburi.

The following morning we bade Ron, Jeff and Tui farewell and motored to Kanchanaburi to see the War Museum, an intensely emotional experience, the Dutch part of the War Cemetery, the Death Railway and the bridge on the River Quai.

Then it was back to Bangkok to head north to Chiang Mai. Several airlines operate in Thailand and we made the fortunate choice of Nok Air (Nok means bird), an economy airline running a number of Boeing 737s, each with exotic colours and nose painted like a beak.


The return trip cost us about R500 per person, about half of that to Durban. The excellent service, coupled with spot-on time departure and arrival times, were something we could learn from in this country.

There are numerous hotels in the R100 to R200 price range and after choosing a fairly central one, we set off for the Phadang Tawanlon restaurant, nestling halfway up a mountain with a magnificent view of Chiang Mai.

A waterfall cascading down the mountain provides a pleasant background sound and, like many eateries in Thailand, this one encourages the feeling of just whiling away the rest of the day, enjoying the highly spiced cuisine.

Nevertheless, a desire to explore the city stimulated us into a circular drive before a quick change at the hotel and then to Khun Khantoke for an evening of unforgettable northern Thai dishes and classical dances, washed down with a couple of bottles of Californian wine (R120 each) costing more than the rest of the evening.

The spectacular two-storey setting, with a gigantic stage, is reminiscent of a palace, capturing Lanna ambience in a kaleidoscope of colour. Tables are low but there is a drop-down space for comfort of one's legs with food served on a rattan tray called a toke.

Exquisite and graceful dancing interspersed with a knife-welding acrobat, a drum performance and a classical play kept us enthralled.

Taxis and tuk-tuks are also reasonably priced and we set off early to visit Wat Phrathat, built on the summit of Doi Suthep. If you're feeling energetic, climb the 306 stairs (or take the cable car) to the temple founded in the 14th Century by King Kuena, who placed holy relics on a white elephant's back to be carried to Wat Phrathat before the venerated pachyderm died of fatigue.

The famous golden Chedi in the centre of the complex is 25m high and 12m across at its base, and is covered with engraved gold plate.

The view from the temple over Chiang Mai is spectacular and it is worth spending a couple of hours taking in the beautiful carvings, ornamental umbrellas and murals from the life of Buddha. (Entrance is R5).

Just below the temple is a factory with some of the best jade artifacts money can buy. Each piece comes with a certificate, but be prepared to fork out some serious cash. For those who just want to look, the guided tour is educating.

Down the mountainside we saw an orchid farm that featured every shape, form and colour of the vast variety of exotic plants found in Thailand. A couple of kilometres away we stopped at a snake park where the handlers give a heart-stopping performance.

The last day in the Chiang Mai saw us opt for a hot spring resort and we headed for Roong Aroon Resort, just 35km out of the city. In case anyone is in doubt as to the heat of the water, on arrival one gets a couple of eggs in a basket attached to a rod. These dangled in water coming directly from underground boil hard in seven minutes.

We chose the spa bath rather than an ordinary private bath or the pool. A luxurious bathe was followed by the traditional Thai massage - and make no mistake, if you want to walk afterwards you have to insist on a modicum of gentleness.

On our last day we shopped, and anyone who takes any clothes to Thailand should see a specialist.

Low prices on quality goods defy the imagination. You have the fun of bargaining and getting a good deal, but rock-bottom prices are to be had without haggling in the supermarkets such as Tescos.

If you go

  • Visas: South African passport holders don't need a visa to enter Thailand.

  • Getting there: The author flew with Gulf Air on a R4 300 package, including three nights at the Indra Regent Hotel in Bangkok. His exploration of alternative Thailand took 15 days. Thai Airlines has just started flying directly to Bangok from OR Thambo three times a week.

  • Food: From R10 to R30 a head per meal. Drinks cost much the same as in South Africa (except wine).

  • Barging: From R100 to R9 000 a day depending on the barge and the size of the party. Information and quotes from Ron Dunn, email: Ronald@classic-barges.com or check out the website: Classic-barges/a>

    Check out flights on Nok Air at     Nokair/a>

  • Local Thai information: Call Leon Els of the Tourism Authority of Thailand on 011-235-3275,

    email:     leon@agency.co.za or visit Tourism Thailand - Saturday Star



      • This article was originally published on page 2 of Cape Argus on November 27, 2006
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