Doi Tung - Mae Sai R1149.

[DavidFL]

Early days on the Doi Tung - Mae Sai Burma border road. It was still being built & was a real toughie in the wet, especially if you were on the mighty old Honda Wing 125 road bike.
Going down, the old drum brakes wouldn't hold.
Going up if you fluffed a gear change you'd be lucky to pull it even with duck paddling & that was after you'd kick started it on the steep slope & were stuck in first!

Notice my Wing parked on the left side, half in the ditch - the only safe spot were it would not slide or roll over.

 

[DavidFL]

For Skybluestu

 

[DavidFL]

The original Akha Guesthouse on Doi Tung, mid-late 1980s.

 

[DavidFL]

Fresh "love" in an Akha village up on Doi Tung "a few years ago."
Two Dutch riding mates were close on 2 metres tall & "enamoured" with the local damsels.....

well sort of.
Compare the hand sizes & the footware too, not just the height.

 

[DavidFL]

R1149 the Doi Tung road, before the Mae Fah Luang foundation had started. Note the lack of trees.
The MFL Foundation has done a fantastic job re-foresting this area!

Still on R1149, but the Burma border road from Doi Tung -Mae Sai. Almost as steep as the DAK - Nor Lae road, & when the clay was greasy it was a killer if your tyres were at all worn down.

 

[DavidFL]

1989. David "dawn" Drechsler

 

[DavidFL]

Building the big new road up to the Royal place

Late 80s / early 90s?

The original trail along the Burma border

Riding the ridge line

 

[DavidFL]

October 1993: The Doi Tung big dipper

Dried snot

On the summit

 

[DavidFL]

The Doi Tung Royal Project

Doi Tung Development Project Sustainable Development doi tung coffee Chiang Rai Thailand Macadamia

Origin of the Doi Tung Development Project (DTDP)

In 1986, the head of the 31st Watershed Conservation Unit of the Royal Forest Department requested the Foundation to help solve the problems of deforestation and prevent the local people, who were struggling for survival, from encroaching the remaining watershed forests of Doi Tung. .

Mom Rajawongse Disnadda Diskul, then Principle Private Secretary to the Princess Mother, was also searching for a location for HRH to reside in Thailand rather than having to travel to Switzerland when she was approaching ninety years old. He found that the climate in Doi Tung was suitable for her health. Upon hearing this report, the Princess Mother and Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana paid a visit to Doi Tung and decided to build a home there so that she can devote her time to reforestation and development projects in Doi Tung. During that first visit, the Princess Mother stated that "I will reforest Doi Tung".

The Doi Tung Development Project is a holistic and integrated sustainable alternative livelihood development initiative. It is the culmination of the Princess Mother's lifelong dedication to development work.​

 

[DavidFL]

Akhas on R1149

There really were some classic days & people to photograph then

 

[DavidFL]

Doi Tung temple

before all the trees came back.

 

[DavidFL]

Once upon a time a "bald hill"

very few trees

 

[Goran Phuket]

Amazing photos and memories.

 

[DavidFL]

The view over Pha Mee - December 1990

 

[DavidFL]

Update 5th June 2022.
30 years on from this photo & fantasizing about finding some old acquaintances.

The 2 ladies at either end are since gone, but jackpot, the dynamic little lady in the middle is still kicking, alive & well.
As lively & strong as you can get at 83 years of age.

A fantastic reunion & chat.

Sharp as a tack still, so there's something good about living up there in the mountains, fresh food & generally clean air.
I sincerely hope I'm as well as her @ 83 years of age.

This gal is also still alive & kicking, however she was away in Mae Sai shopping when I visited = I shall return to meet up again.

Akha Ban Pakha is the place

20°16'09.4"N 99°48'39.2"E · 20.269278, 99.810889

goo.gl

The old Akha Guesthouse, popular with backpackers in the 80s

has had new owners for several years, but is now closed.

Government policy re-enforcement, meant that after decades, outsiders could not operate a guesthouse in the mountains! The original owners were forced to sell to an Akha from the village. Supposedly the original owners are now in Ban Tham, south of Mae Sai.

 

[DavidFL]

January 1995

 

[DavidFL]

1989 Pha Mee

 

[DavidFL]

1989 Akha

 

[DavidFL]

1997