Doi
Mae Salong & Mae Sai
TOUR CODE : MSS
Drive to Doi Mae Salong Mountain to
visit Akha, Yao and Lisu tribe village. Lunch will be
at local restaurant. Afterwards visit the Fish Cave
and Monkey Cave and continue to Mae Sai, the northern-most
point of Thailand on the Thai-Burmese border. Visit
a Jade Cutting Factory and there is an opportunity for
shopping and looking around the local market before
returning to the hotel.
Doi Mae Salong
The village of Mae Salong, or 'Santikhiri' as it is
sometimes known, is situated on Doi Mae Salong Mountain
about 45 km north of the district of Mae Chan in Chiang
Rai province.
At an elevation of 1,800 m, it is situated on the highest
peak and commands some breathtaking and far-reaching
panoramic views. When the mist comes, the views change
dramatically, especially at sunrise or sunset. The air
is crisp, cool and refreshing all year round and the
winter months of November through February and can be
really quite cold.
Often referred to as 'Little Switzerland' for its unique
and enchanting mountainous scenery, Doi Mae Salong is
unlike any other area anywhere within the country. The
area is special not only for its beautiful alpine-like
landscape and climate, but moreover for it's short,
but fascinating history and political development, as
well as it's distinctive and mixed populace.
The origins of Mae Salong village go back to shortly
after the Chinese revolution in 1949, when renegade
KMT (Chinese nationalist) troops fled to neighbouring
Myanmar - and were later forced to flee into Thailand,
where the Thai government allowed them to stay. The
area where the KMT finally took refuge was so remote
and inaccessible it is thought the Thai government granted
them refugee status, with the understanding that they
would assist in policing the area against Communist
infiltration. As a result, most of the villagers today
are ethnic Chinese and direct descendents of the KMT.
Unfortunately, despite the Thai governments attempts
to integrate the Yunnanese KMT and their families into
the Thai nation, the inhabitants of Mae Salong preferred
for many years to engage in the illegal opium trade,
along side the infamous warlord Khun Sa and SUA (Shan
State Army).
Only in the late 1980's, after Khun Sa was finally routed
by the Thai military - and in effect pushed over the
border into Myanmar, was the government able to make
any headway in taming the region - part of which involved
crop substitution plans and giving the area a brand
new name. Santikhiri means 'hill of peace' and was introduced
by the Thai government in an effort to try and separate
the area from its former image as an established opium
zone.
Other measures were the paving of a new 36 km winding
mountain road that leads to the village from Basang
near Mae Chan - which was previously only accessible
by packhorse.
Most of the inhabitants of Mae Salong still speak Yunnanese,
except for the local hill tribes who are mainly Akha
and speak their own dialect. Consequently a new Thai-elementary
school has also been established, with evening classes
in Thai language.
The crop substitution programs intending to encourage
the cultivation of tea, coffee, corn and fruit trees
seem to be successful - as can be seen from the surrounding
fields of corn and tea and the appearance of such new
produce in all the local town markets. New fruit preserves
and tea factories have recently been set-up. Fruit wines
and liquors are also being produced. Rather ironically,
illicit corn whiskey is now being distilled as an all
too obvious alternative to the opium poppy - but what
makes the whiskey so distinctive are the pickled centipedes
that are found in some of the bottles. Another local
speciality is Chinese herbs, which are particularly
popular amongst the Thai and Chinese tourists.
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