The Golden Triangle Rider

ernothai · Cyclist Joined: 13 Jan 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Germany

Hi,
can anybody tell me about accomodation around Nam Pat?
Even better would be a tip for Fak Tha or Ban Kok and surrounding.
I would like to break up a trip from Na Haeo to Nan in 2 parts.
Any suggestions for this Trip?
Thanks
Dieter.

Captain_Slash · Posted: 25.01.2007, 04:43 Post subject:

I stayed there two years ago and there was only one place, it was 250 Baht a night then. As you are heading towards Nam Pat from Uttaradit it is on your left about 1km before town.

ernothai · Cyclist Joined: 13 Jan 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Germany

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Captain_Slash
 I stayed there two years ago and there was only one place, it was 250 Baht a night then. As you are heading towards Nam Pat from Uttaradit it is on your left about 1km before town.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Thank you very much for your fast answer.
I really want to tell you, that your reports are the biggest help for planning my trips. And I really enjoy reading them. Actually you also seem to be the only one in the forum who knows about this corner of Thailand around Nam Pat, Na Haeo.

I want to make a trip in february starting from Udon Thani to Nan and back again. Reading your reports I guess you would do this in no more than 4 days, but I am an easy(going) rider with just a 125 Honda (which i hope to rent in Udon). I like to stop often and I seem to have a very weak ass. So I use to break up my trips into pieces no longer than 150-200 km.
Allow me to tell you my itinerary, maybe you have some helpful comment.
First I will go to Sang Khom and Chiang Khan for old memories, have done that before, also half of the way to Na Haeo.
Maybe I can make it from Ch.K. to the NP Phu Soi Dao in one day. Next day either all the way to Nan using the 1268 and 1083,or just going via Nam Pat to Fak Tha and stay there over night (there seems to be a hotel, too). You seemed to like the 1047 very much.
I will stay around Nan a few days, this is my absolute favourite in Thailand.
From Nan I will go to Pak Nai, the fishermen village - I stayed there already 1 night and I really liked it. But, alas for you, there is no western food around.
Then there is again a choice: either I drive via Nam Pat to Na Haeo (there seems to be a nice resort) or I stay a night in Nam Pat (ridiculous distance) and then drive the long distance to Dan Sai via Thong Saen Khan, Chat Trakan and Nakhon Thai. I remember that you were quite fond of the 1143. Does any of the mentioned towns have a hotel or so?
Eventually I will track back to Udon via Loei.
Well, I would appreciate any comment from your side very much.
And I will follow your future reports with great interest.
Thanks and best wishes
Dieter.

Captain_Slash · Posted: 26.01.2007, 05:25 Post subject:

Thank you for your kind words, actually I rode all of them on a Honda 125 Wave two years ago as well before I got the BMW, We would make a good team if we both rode 125s as youve got a weak ass and I have got a weak bladder, so we could make lots of stops between us. I met a couple touring on a tandem bicycle last month and they stayed at both Chat Trakan and Nakhon Thai, they found accommodation in lots of places that I didnt know of. Apparently if there is a sign that has got 24 on it often its a place to stay according to them. If you go from Chiang Khan to Na Haeo the road out of Chiang Khan following the Mekong is really bad now and best avoided for about 25km, I know an alternative route that bypasses the worst bits but only in my head not road numbers, I will be riding this road in the next three or four days as I am now in Udon and will go back to Chiang Mai soon so I will post it then. This is my report of Thailand on my Honda Wave.
http://board.gt-rider.com/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=15

Captain_Slash · Posted: 02.02.2007, 04:28 Post subject:

I did the trip from Chiang Khan to Uttaradit today, for a decent ride and avoiding the terrible potholes leave Chiang Khan travelling south on the 201. If you start from the junction of the 201 with the 2195 head south for 4.4km and you will see a sign in Thai saying 9km, turn right here, on the corner on your right hand side is a km marker, it has been painted over but you can make out 2154 if you look closely. there are a few of the markers on this road that havent been painted over so you will soon know if you are on the right road or not, its a fairly reasonable road but damaged in a couple of places. As you go over a fairly long concrete bridge about 50 metres further on is a white wooden building and a tree, turn left here and follow this road, its concrete and not very wide then turns to tarmac and then after a couple more kms its a nice new shiny wide road, there is no number on this road. You will come to a t junction and you want to turn right towards Ban Na-Jan, this is the 4014 and only goes for about 1.5km then meets the 2195, turn left for Ban Nong Phu and just stay on this road for a fair way until you come to a crossroads with an army checkpoint. To your right is the damaged section of the 2195, straight over goes down to the river and a dead end, turn left and this is the 2195 that goes all the way to Na Haeo. I only encountered one small series of potholes in the entire journey today and it was a good run but I turned left onto the 2294 for Phu Rua so cant comment on the road all the way to Na Haeo

ernothai · Cyclist Joined: 13 Jan 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Germany

Thank you very much, Slash, for this detailed description, it really helps a lot. I just wonder how you found this complicated way yourself. You seem to like Chiang Khan a lot, I do, too. Stupid question: I met a young austrian guy, oliver, with a thai wife and a baby last year when I was there. He should be there by now again. Did you see him? it's a small town, isn't it?
Wish you good riding
Dieter.

Captain_Slash · Posted: 05.02.2007, 03:42 Post subject:

I am always exploring new roads and always looking at different maps as no map seems to have all the roads on them, back in december I spent a few night in Chiang Khan and thats when I rode those small roads. I do not know him myself but another guy staying at Tongkong guest house mentioned that there was some people there and some had children but they had left before I arrived

wimpy · Posted: 07.02.2007, 01:16 Post subject:

Can either of you recommend maps you like other than the B&B maps?

Captain_Slash · Posted: 08.02.2007, 04:04 Post subject:

I have bought Thinknets maps, Suriwong bookshop here in Chiang Mai sells them

wimpy · Posted: 08.02.2007, 04:05 Post subject:

Thanks, I'll take a look at them.

ernothai · Cyclist Joined: 13 Jan 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Germany

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by wimpy
 Can either of you recommend maps you like other than the B&B maps?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Glad that you liked the trip to Khun Satan.
I use a map for this area which is labeled:
Prannok Witthaya Maps Center - Map of Mae Sai, Chiang Saen,..... the east of northern region.
It has a lot of raods which are not on the B&B Thailand North map. And it is in English and Thai. I guess I bought it in the big bookstore in Ch.M. (only 70 B btw.) Sorry forgot the name but everybody knows.
Of course , as usual some roads are completely wrong, but that is the problem with almost all thai maps. You have to have at least 3 maps. If at least 2 of them show the same road then there is a good chance that it exists. Of course I am talking here about the small roads.

wimpy · Posted: 08.02.2007, 18:52 Post subject:

Thanks.

Davidfl · Posted: 08.02.2007, 22:52 Post subject:

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by wimpy
 Can either of you recommend maps you like other than the B&B maps?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yeah the old B&B has become a bit dated & now to be honest even the new B&B North Thailand has a few serious errors in it, but that's not too say it is any worse than the other maps.
The problem with most of the maps, except my own, is that they never check the map on the ground (actually go out & survey) to verify the road classification - dirt / asphalt, good / bad in wet / dry seasons.
Also the routes nos. - many of these are changing. The Dept. of Accelerated Rural Development, that used to look after rural roads is no longer & we actually have the Dept of Rural Roads with new routes nos. & classifications. On the rural back roads now it is not uncommon to see old routes nos. painted out & blank spots while they wait for the new nos. to be issued! Confusing eh?
So it's very difficult for a map to be up to date & I reckon that any map older than 18-24 months will have quite a few incorrect routes nos. as it is changing so fast now.
Whilst incorrect route nos. are not such a serious problem, I think that showing dirt roads as major asphalt highways, or even roads - dirt or asphalt - that don’t exist is seriously negligent & irresponsible to your touring customers.
The data on my maps - kms & routes nos. - I have personally checked on the ground, so if it has kms & a route nos. I’ve been there & checked it for real; not sat in an office scamming info from other maps / satellite images / military topo maps.
Also in my case people track me down & give me abuse for leading them up what thought was the wrong garden path. But for the big publishing companies I don’t think anything happens or people complain direct & even if you did I honestly don’t think they'd react or care very much.
Now overall there is no one good perfect map that has it all accurately. Both the P&N, and Thinknet maps are generally good, but for fine detail you cant beat a GT Rider map for a bikers guide map - there's just not enough of them yet.

Captain_Slash · Posted: 09.02.2007, 01:49 Post subject:

Well get out there, ride all the roads, print the maps and we will buy them David