1st visit to Ban Choisee Tai, Salaween National Park

[KTMphil]

This is one special village at the end of a trail in the middle of nowhere - Ban Choisee Tai, Karen tribal people

 

[KTMphil]

Ban Choisee Der 15km north of Ban Choisee Tai, just as special

As happy as you could be

...more to come

 

[KTMphil]

The plan was to get some new trail data in the Salaween National Park as these trails arn't recorded anywhere expect hand drawn on the Thai Military maps. This trip was to get trails further west than the previous trip.

Ban Po Sur is the best place to leave a pick up, you'll have to drive 30km of double track dirt to get there.


A couple of maps below of the area covered. This region to the west of Ban Sao Hin has been a restricted, sensitive, border area in the past, which explains why no maps have the trail data here.

Map Copyright RideAsia.net - Permission to copy/ reproduce required






Zoom of the new trails found

Map Copyright RideAsia.net - Permission to copy/ reproduce required

 

[KTMphil]

Piping hot but the trails were dry, rock hard mud in most places

Evidence of the burning was everywhere

 

[KTMphil]

Once you get 20km west of Ban Po Sur there are 100's of stream crossings

Single track follows the river bank

 

[KTMphil]

First new settlement to the north of the main trail

North bound through this settlement onto the next, then a huge tree still burning blocks the trail

You can see the trail to the north ahead

 

[KTMphil]

Don't particularly want to lift the benzine laden bike over the huge burning tree, luckily some young locals come by and get help

They try with a hatchet at first

Then realize they need a big saw

 

[KTMphil]

A little north and the trail gets you to the settlement of Ban Un, quite a big village, totally self sufficient

As with most of the villages in this area, the missionaries had past through in the past and they were Christians

 

[KTMphil]

Cool water crossing

Looks like a happy, well kept village

A KM north, the trail kind of turns thin, with the bag on the back it becomes a pain in the ass, so time to turn back. The trail does continue

 

[KTMphil]

Getting late in the day, time to think of sleeping options, the school at Ban Choisee Der seems a good option. It's the school holiday's and the is deserted

Last bit of sun to dry everything

The school's solar array all finished

 

[KTMphil]

Get the hammock all rigged up for the night

Then a walk around the Ban Choisee Der village before dusk

New leaf, roof panels at the ready

Interesting WC

 

[KTMphil]

Pounding the rice husk

New house to be finished before rainy season

 

[KTMphil]

The pigs hear "their" bowl and stand at the ready

 

[KTMphil]

Dry firewood all ready for cooking during the SW monsoon

Shy but curious

 

[KTMphil]

Couldn't figure out why everyone was so dirty. Water was plentiful, other villages were never this bad in the same area.

 

[KTMphil]

Buffalo return to the village at dusk for their dinner

Local lady

One more

Fixing the rice separator

 

[KTMphil]

Gourmet dinner consisted of some scrounged rice for 40 Bht, tinned mackerel & a very warm Chiang

 

[KTMphil]

Up bright and early & headed off south towards Ban Choisee Tai. There's about 10 stream crossing, it looked like it would be interesting getting there in rainy season

What a fantastic village, everyone very frightened at first, no one would come near until I'd taken my helmet off

Then once a couple had plucked up the courage to come over they then came like a hurd

 

[KTMphil]

Wasn't long before the whole village was there, you instantly tell this was a remote place

Government office in Ban Choisee Tai

 

[KTMphil]

After 15 minutes everyone became more relaxed and smiles were everywhere

 

[KTMphil]

If this trail continued south from Ban Choisee Tai, it would meet with the Salaween river. The locals in the village told me this is as far as a motorcycle can go on this trail, from the village it's a 2 hour walk south to the Salaween river. This is where Alex & I were trying to get to from the Salaween river a few weeks back and couldn't find a way north.

This was one of the most fascinating villages i've ever been to in SE Asia, truly remote

 

[KTMphil]

A walk around Ban Choisee Tai

I've found you can always judge a village (& people for that matter) by the condition of the dogs in the village. These were some of the worst cared for dogs i'd ever seen, this was a destitute village.

There were many dogs in the village like this, I don't think it was just contagious mange

 

[KTMphil]

Idealistic view around the village

The locals say this is a guest house they have built in the village which they charge 40 bht a night for sleeping, I will come back and stay here for sure

Inside the GH seemed quite popular with the men

I walked around taking photographs, the locals followed me everywhere

 

[KTMphil]

Ban Choisee Tai

 

[KTMphil]

Time to get out of there, the trek back east to Ban Po Sur

Bike in the truck at the ranger station (great place to leave the truck or anything FYI)

Then SE to Mae Sariang

One of the most enjoyable village exploring trips ive ever done and all done in 2 days

 

[KTMphil]

The Thai Military maps of the region can be quite mesmerizing

 

[2wheels]

Fantastic Phil!

I notice, for the first time, those roads heading towards the border in the Mae Sariang area and decided to base myself there for a few days when it's greener.

Especially like tis pic.

 

[Captain_Slash]

It looked fun Phil, is that area pretty much mapped out now?

 

[KTMphil]

It looked fun Phil, is that area pretty much mapped out now?

Nope - Still a bunch to do in there Colin. The Thai Army have showed me some trails that link up, so will have to go back and see if it's possible on a motorbike (before it rains).

 

[FrankT]

Pfew, pretty remote mate, no electricity to cool down the Chang I guess? Nice pics!

 

[Gnasher328]

That's real exploring. They seem a bit optimistic building a guest house.
T.

 

[Ally]

That's real exploring. They seem a bit optimistic building a guest house.
T.

It's Phil's hearing

They said ghost house & Phil paid the admission fee.

Ally