Phi Ta Khon Festival, Dan Sai, 2011

Jul 25, 2010
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A bunch of us rode over to Dan Sai for the 2011 Phi Ta Khon festival, leaving CNX at different times but all arriving on the first day of the festival. The old hands will say that as this festival is now in the Lonely Planet, its too commercialized. Perhaps as the election was on the Sunday, cutting the festival short one day, the tourist turn out was not so high. What ever the case, it was a load of fun with good company and a few beers along the way.
Trip reports of previous years are on this site so without being too repetitive hear are a few snaps;-

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We got a few rain showers but the band played on powered by how knows what in a bottle

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A lot of different bike groups were there including some heavily tinkered KSR's

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and you can get a new rim fitted in less that half an hour

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getting the old rim one off is a snip

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Perhaps because of the damp, some of the local concoctions seemed to have starting problems. However we had race mechanics a plenty amongst us to help them get going. The briefing on what to do for bump starting......

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A happy biker now up and running......

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Pretty funky plough master

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Trying to figure out what he needs to do to his Fat Bob to make it look like as good as this

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and everyone you need to know was there

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We carried on after the festival to Loei and then on to ride the famed R211 from Chiang Khan to Nong Khai along side a very high Mekong river. It was so spectacular we rode back in the opposite direction the next day.

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For anyone who hasn't been to this knees up I would say 'give it a go', you wont be disappointed. The ride from Uttaradit to Dan Sai is worth the effort in any event with lovely long planes, rolling hills and some nice little twisties coming into Dan Sai.
Next time I will come back along the R2331 through the Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park which I am told is a ripper of a ride.
Bon Voyage!
 
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Jul 25, 2010
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Whats the problem Ron. It all makes perfect sense to me....or perhaps I have lived in LOS too long! Is that possible?
Just look at the gal in the background. She seems to get it all so to speak.
 

Rod Page

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I must be what you refer to as an 'old hand'. Having been to several PTK's in recent years, it should nonetheless be done once. (I actually headed down past Um Phang as an alternative this year).
The Mekong - there's a great site - Mekong River Commission - where you can monitor the rises & falls of the river through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam & to some extent China. I find that following river levels at the Chiang Saen base makes it esay to wing up there to see it at its mighty best - I tend to head up when its around 7m+ (for means of comparison when you were there it must have been between 3&4 metres). Tamilla GH is another interesting spot - if you head down to the Mekong via the steps beside the guesthouse you can see a sign on the corner of the building indicating the level the river has reached in flooding (by then it around 10/11m at Chaeng Saen station).
 

cdrw

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While there are many earlier and informative posts from DavidFl's trips to the festival, I'll add a few of the few hundred I took to Ron's contribution:

The stage is readied and awaits the following days celebrations
stage.jpg


At his house, locals and spirit mediums gather to tie string amulets
on the arms of Jao Por Guan, the spirit leader, and his wife Jao Mae.
JaoPorGuan1.jpg


No comunity festival is without music and food.
music.jpg


Crowds view the celebrants in front of the stage...and elsewhere on the
streets of Dan Sai
crowds1.jpg


Skydivers - over a dozen firefighters from Phitsanulok drop in for the festival
Skydivers.jpg


Rockets are launched and some go astray...
rocket.jpg

Rocket-1.jpg


Not far from the the main street of Dan Sai is a spectacular large Wat
and it's manicured gardens
wat-1.jpg

Wat.jpg


Up a narrow road, before the river Muan (Mun?) enters Dan Sai,
is an area where locals picnic.
River.jpg


The GT-Riders have their own celebration...;-)
beer1.jpg
 

DavidFL

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Some piccies at last.
I met up with Ron & Kop in Uttaradit.
The Seeharaj was our place of stay - it could be better for the price.

Breakfast the next morning saw the delightful Ms Kop arrange a birthday cake for Ron after brekky.

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it was pretty funny,especially our happy birthday "tune" in the breakfast dining area.

Onto Dan Sai & our place of abode this year

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a petite hut, not quite worth the festival price of 1,500 baht. We did however have the honour of being the very first guests. Big deal some of you might say, & so it was, not everything worked, opened or closed properly. Ha. Ha.

more to come...
 

DavidFL

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The parade continued............

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It's a festival for elders

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the beautiful

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and the young

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Dans Sai's Phi Ta Khon festival is a bit of a crazy festival, & even the buses get into the mood

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It was all special.

Even some of the bikes

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Hope you enjoyed the pix. I will be back next year 2012!
Thanks too, to the guys who made the trip & enjoyed the camaradie.
 

Jurgen

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All great pictures from a colorful traditional venue, a pity that I am always in Europe during that time :( ... At least some illustrations to dream about it :)
 

DavidFL

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Phi Ta Khon 2012 is on in Dan Sai 22-23-24 June 2012.

Other Dan Sa Phi Ta Khon reports are here

Dan Sai / Phi Ta Khon 2004 Return

Dan Sai / Phi Ta Khon 2005 Return

Phi Ta Khon 2006

Phi Ta Khon 2008 - Dan Sai, Loei Province - 1st Impressions



Some accommodation
(needs more input).

I am booked into Dan Sai 21 & 22 June; & Loei 23 & 24 June.
See you all the there for a few days outrageous fun.
 
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