Tourism
The Tiny Northern Town of Santikhiri “Mae Salong” Chiang Rai
Mae Salong is a mountainside Chinese village settled by the 93rd Regiment of the KMT after the Chinese Revolution.
CHIANG RAI – As the mist rolls over the tiny village of Santikhiri formerly known as Mae Salong perched on the hills of northern Thailand, it is hard to imagine that this is the same tropical country better known for the humid streets of Bangkok and the sunny beaches of Phuket.
But Santikhiri (Mae Salong), a two-hour drive from Chiang Rai, is unlike anything else in Thailand. For one thing, tom yam soup is hard to find in the coffee shops dotting the narrow road snaking up from the dusty plains far below.
Instead, the star of the morning market, frequented by women in colourful headdresses – identifying them as Akha tribeswomen – is a hot soya bean drink and crispy youtiao. Both prove to be a reviving breakfast, given the daytime temperature that dips to 12 deg C in mid-January.
Then there is the scenery. Endless vistas of thickly forested mountains stretch far away to Laos on one side of the ridge above the town and to Myanmar on the other, with some slopes covered by terraced rows of tea plantations.
Also, the locals are not speaking a lot of Thai.
“Do you speak Mandarin?” the proprietor of our guesthouse asks tentatively when he sees my wife’s and my Singapore passports.
When we nod, Mr Somboon Iamvitayakun, 62, breaks into a relieved smile. “Sorry, my English is not very good. So much easier if we can speak in Mandarin,” he says in Mandarin.
And that is what makes Mae Salong a most unusual tourist spot in Thailand, a country more often than not associated with gold-roofed temples, spicy food and “Same Same” T-shirts.
Here in Santikhiri, if you go by its official name, a distinctive Chinese culture pervades the entire town, whether it is in the faces, language or food.
“We’re all Chinese here. We try to preserve our culture – we speak Mandarin, we keep our traditions,” adds Mr Somboon, owner of Little Home Guesthouse (www.maesalonglittlehome.com), which charges about 1,000 baht (S$41.60) a night for a bungalow for two.
Indeed, wander past the narrow strip of houses sited precariously on the ridges of Doi Mae Salong – “doi” means mountain in Thai – and you will quickly find that most locals speak Mandarin. And if you happen to speak the Yunnanese dialect, you will find yourself right at home.
For Mae Salong, as history buffs will know, was once the refuge of the “Lost Army” of Chiang Kai-shek’s Kuomintang. While most of the Nationalist troops fled to Taiwan when Mao Zedong’s People’s Liberation Army stormed into Nanjing in 1949, the KMT’s 93rd Division, which was fighting in the hills of southern Yunnan province, was forced to retreat southwards, walking for months into then-Burma.
In 1961, after being pushed out of Myanmar where their opium trade financed arms, they trudged again, towards Mae Salong.
It is history that Mr Somboon knows well. His father was a general in the 93rd and he himself fought in the war. “There were just 16 families and 4,000 soldiers here,” he recalls. “Of the original 360 in our unit, there are only three of us still alive. The rest died in war.”
It is hard to imagine the soft-spoken, grandfatherly Mr Somboon as a battle-hardened warrior, but that is exactly what he was. In exchange for Thai citizenship, he and many compatriots of the 93rd Division joined the Thai army to help it fight communist insurgents operating around the porous borders in the country’s north.
“I fought the Chinese. I fought in Myanmar. I fought in Laos. I fought until I was 50 years old, when I was tired of fighting,” he says. “So I stopped fighting and retired.”
But there is no trace of bitterness on the peaceful face of the owner of Little Home Guesthouse, where we stay three nights. He is more than happy to recommend walks around the hills.
Indeed, Mae Salong, while proud of its origins, appears to hold no grudge over its retreat or the losses of the past.
At the Chinese Martyrs’ Memorial Museum (admission 20 baht; along Highway 1089), a large hall and several rooms pay tribute to the troops who fought and died, while also celebrating its residents’ confident march into the future, with pictures of them in meetings with regional leaders.
At the tomb of General Tuan Xi-Wen (along Highway 1089 and behind Day Market), an old soldier stands guard, inviting visitors to pay their respects to Mae Salong’s founder – though many are more interested in the views that the hilltop tomb offers.
Walk around town and you will quickly understand why thousands of Thais flock here in the colder months of the year – between November and February – to drink in the clean, crisp mountain air, sup on fresh mushrooms and strawberries, and revel in the novelty of shivering while waiting for dinner to be served on open-air verandahs.
Breathtaking views can be enjoyed from just about everywhere, along with cherry blossoms and alpine-like flowers in the winter months.
And if you are tired of the oolong tea being served in every other coffee shop, you can retreat to the rather modern Sweet Maesalong Cafe (www.facebook.com/sweetmaesalong) for a latte or cappucino, which you can sip as you take in the view of the countryside from deck chairs scattered around the open-air verandah.
While Mae Salong can be done on a day tour from Chiang Rai, it is worth spending a few days in this mountain retreat, so you can meander for hours along the winding roads that dip in and out of valleys, passing through rural tribal villages where time seems to stand still.
Even in Mae Salong itself, progress – evidenced in a brightly lit 7-Eleven in the town centre – has not destroyed the village atmosphere.
Schoolchildren trudging uphill to school, teens laughing as they race past on noisy scooters (three to a bike, no helmets, of course), women carrying their day’s marketing in rattan baskets slung on their backs – there is enough life to watch simply sitting at the coffee shops just inches away from the road.
Adding to the sense of isolation is the journey between Chiang Rai and Mae Salong, the only way being a one-hour ride on a songtheaw from several towns at the foothills.
Squeezing onto one of Thailand’s ubiquitious shared pick-up taxis can be an adventure in itself, as you start counting the number of passengers the tiny vehicle can take – if you include those perched on the bumper at the back. At one point, we got to 28.
But if you want a taste of Yunnan and a breath of fresh, cold mountain air without getting out of Southeast Asia, it is worth the ride.
-By Leslie Koh
People from more nations will be now able to enter Thailand without a visa beginning Monday. This is part of an effort to increase tourism and encourage visitors to stay longer, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Friday.
According to Ms. Traisuree, Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has signed four documents that will make it easier for foreigners to travel. These modifications will all take effect on Monday, provided they are published in the Royal Gazette.
The instructions include 93 more nations on the list of individuals who can visit Thailand without a visa, up from 57 previously. People from these countries can stay for a maximum of 60 days. Additionally, from 19 to 31, nearly twice as many nations will be able to obtain visas on arrival in Thailand.
To attract digital nomads, artists, and tourists interested in learning or practicing skills such as cooking and Muay Thai, the country will also introduce the Destination Thailand Visa service.
The new form of visa, which is valid for five years, allows travelers to stay for up to 180 days.
According to Ms. Traisuree, students holding visas for master’s degrees or higher will not be required to leave Thailand immediately upon graduation. They will be able to stay for an additional year to hunt for work or vacation.
In order to enhance the economy and tourism, the cabinet took a general decision on these additional measures in May. The statement was meant to be released in June, but it was pushed back.
Ms. Traisuree believes that this is the greatest sort of visa for persons who want to work from home in the Land of Smiles and explore the nation without the various restrictions and complications that come with conventional tourist visas.
Getting a DTV will give you a 5-year multiple-entry visa that lets you stay in Thailand for a total of 180 days a year, with the opportunity to stay for another 180 days.
Ms. Traisuree said that the Destination Thailand Visa is great if you want to work from home in the Land of Smiles and see the sights without the many restrictions and problems that come with a regular tourist visa. The Destination Thailand Visa will cost 10,000 THB.
Qualifications for the Thailand Destination Visa (DTV)
According to Thai Embassy, to be eligible for the visa, you must fulfill the following conditions (which could change):
- You have to be 20 years of age or older
- You have to be able to afford the cost of the visa
- To sustain your stay in the nation, you must demonstrate that you have at least 500,000 THB in your bank account
- Proof of your employment with a recognized company is required.
For digital nomads or remote workers who want to make the most of their travels and yet have the opportunity to work while they’re there, the Destination Thailand Visa is designed just for you. Additionally, it is ideal if you are traveling to Thailand in order to partake in any of the following activities:
- Thai food prepared with Muay Thai
- Instruction and conferences
- Sports medicine therapy
- International talent International music and art events
Thailand DTV Visa Benefits
Additionally, there is uncertainty about these details and they could change:
- In comparison to other Southeast Asian nations that provide comparable visas, Thailand has less stringent income requirements and charges for the visa. For another 10,000 THB, you can extend the visa once, for a maximum of 180 days.
- There are ninety-three foreign nations that qualify for the Thailand DTV Visa.
- With this visa, you can lawfully operate remotely for foreign clients and companies while in Thailand.
- Your spouse and any children under the age of twenty may accompany you.
- You are exempt from paying taxes on your foreign income because the visa allows you to stay in Thailand for up to 180 days.
Drawbacks of a Thailand DTV Visa
You are unable to work for a Thai company that needs a Thai work visa, even though you are still able to engage in some activities and make money. Your DTV will end if you decide to change the kind of visa you are currently on.
Additional information on the visa’s release date and application process will be available in late June or early July of 2024. You will most likely be able to apply for it via the Thai immigration office, a Thai embassy, or a Royal Thai Consulate.
Thailand’s Hotels Association (THA) reports that another German tour operator has gone bankrupt, but that this will have a far less effect than the recent bankruptcy of FTI Touristik.
Following notification from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Thai Hotels Association has now confirmed that the Cologne-based luxury tour operator Itravel Group has formally filed for bankruptcy.
Southern Thailand is home to numerous high-end resorts, which Itravel aims to attract, according to Thai Hotels Association president Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun.
As a result of Itravel’s bankruptcy, he said, the hotels association is currently collecting data from its members.
On Monday, the organization wrote to the TAT and the Foreign Ministry, requesting that they assist hotel operators in keeping up with legal developments surrounding the bankruptcy of the German tour operator FTI, which resulted in a loss of almost 111 million baht for hotels around the country.
Hotels having issues with Itravel
On Monday, during the THA monthly meeting, Mr. Thienprasit noted that they also emphasized the case’s urgency to Minister Sermsak Pongpanit of Tourism and Sports.
In response to allegations that hotel operators with business partnerships with Itravel were experiencing issues with financial transactions, the agency issued an alert to the industry, according to Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas.
He speculated that the losses might be lower with Itravel, an online travel agency that focuses on the niche luxury market, than with FTI, the third operator.
According to the Bangkok Post, at Monday’s THA meeting, Mr. Sermsak stated that the ministry will look into measures to assist hotels, especially since the goal of 3.5 trillion baht in tourism earnings for this year is still very ambitious.
According to Mr. Thienprasit, the organization is opposed to the government’s plans to increase the legal foreign ownership of condominiums from 49% to 75%. This, he added, might lead to an increase in unlawful accommodations and make other condo residents feel uneasy about having more guests around the clock.
Unscrupulous investors
He said that some international investors are already breaking the law by renting out their rooms to day guests, even though the Hotel Act only permits rentals of at least 30 days.
An increase in the foreign ownership quota for condos, according to Mr. Thienprasit, could entice unscrupulous investors and lead to the construction of even more unlawful rooms, which now exceed the number of registered hotel rooms by a factor of two.
The success of Thailand’s hotel industry is highly dependent on the business of tour operators. These collaborations bring in a constant flow of visitors, particularly during busy seasons.
It is more convenient for passengers to book comprehensive packages offered by tour operators, which include hotel accommodations and activities. Because of this arrangement, hotels may anticipate a specific amount of bookings without having to spend a lot on advertising.
Additionally, hotels are able to provide more affordable rates, which appeals to guests who are mindful of their budget. But if tour operators go through slumps or start focusing on other places, this dependence might be disastrous.
Source: Bangkok Post, Thai PBS
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SEE ALSO: Thailand Named Top Spot for Most Popular Tourist Destination
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