2019 Q8 4ND: 16 Huay Xai - Golden Triangle Laos - Phayao

“Set high expectations for yourself, but do not discouraged if you come up short. With every failure you are one step closer to success…” 

(A serene and tranquil scene by the Phayao Lake)

Day 16: 16 Dec 2019 (Monday)
Route: Huay Xai – Golden Triangle Laos - Phayao
Distance: 270 km
Hotel: M2 Hotel, Phayao 

07:00 - Breakfast in the hotel room. Packed some complementary Lao Coffee, courtesy from the hotel.

(This afternoon we will be on the other side on the river)

07:30 - Checked out and drove along the Mekong River to The Golden Triangle of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand on Laos side. It was situated about 60km from Huay Xai and took us more than an hour to reach the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone. Had some photo shots around the Blueshield Casino, the Ferry Terminal and the Sam Liam Kham immigration, customs and quarantine checkpoint.

(Drove along the Mekong towards north)

(Less traffic in the morning)

(The sun is up but it's still misty)

(Cool weather for a leisure drive)

(Hills are flattened for further development)

08:30 - The Golden Triangle is one of Asia's two main opium-producing areas. It is an area overlapping the mountains of three countries of Southeast Asia: Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. It has been one of the most extensive opium-producing areas of Asia, and of the world, since the 1950s. Most of the world's heroin came from the Golden Triangle until the early 21st century it became second to Afghanistan. The Golden Triangle designates the confluence of the Ruak River and the Mekong River, to describe the nearby border tripoint of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.

(Arrived at the Golden Triangle Park)

(Chinese colony presence in the area)

(The Immigration and Custom Complex)

(The Departure Hall at the Sam Liam Kham Immigration Complex)

(The yellow dome could be seen from Thailand side)

(Ferry to transport passengers to Thailand)

(Green Dragons guarding the stairs to the jetty)

(Golden Buddha on Thailand Golden Triangle Park)

(Yellow Dragon guarding the stairs to the Arrival Hall)

(Items prohibited in the area)

(The Blue Shield Casino, a major landmark in the Laos Golden Triangle)

(New tower for the casino)

09:45 - Drove back towards Huay Xai then to the 4th Friendship Bridge between Laos and Thailand for border crossing into Thailand.

(Passed through the town of Huay Xai)

11.30 - Border clearance took half an hour each for both borders. At the Laos border, we paid THB200 for passport stamping and vehicle clearance plus THB60 for the toll for bridge crossing. At the Thailand border, we paid THB200 for passport and conveyance and THB200 for vehicle custom clearance paper.

(Huay Xai Immigration Complex)

(Driving on the 4th Friendship Bridge to Thailand)

(Thailand Immigration Complex)

(Taking a breather after border crossing, alhamdulillah)

13:15 - Detoured and stopped at the PTT in Chiang Kong for refuelling and bought halal burger from 7-eleven for lunch. There used to be a Muslim Restaurant in Chiang Kong but it was no more in operation.

(Signage to various destinations)

(A welcoming signage)

(Taking a detour to Chiang Kong town)

(Burgers and crispy goreng pisang)

(Driving to Phayao is straight forward)

(After harvest paddy fields)

(A Buddhist temple at the junction)

(A lonely road to Phayao)

(Bush fires on a dry day)

13:45 - Drove direct to Phayao and checked in M2 Hotel for THB750/night inclusive breakfast
14:00 - Sent our dirty laundry to clean.

(A new boutique Hotel)

(The room is simple and spacious)

18:00 - Drove to the lake side to look for the Muslim Restaurant but it was no more in operation. Watched the sunset by the lake. Kwan Phayao is a lake shaped like a half-circle-moon. Kwan Phayao is the largest freshwater lake in the northern region and the fourth largest in Thailand. There are about 50 species of fish in Phayao Lake.

(Phayao fresh-water fishery)

(Enjoying the sunset by the lake)

18:30 - Drove to Phayao Mosque but Isya prayer was already over so we didn’t visit the mosque.
18:45 - On the way back to the hotel we went to buy some provision at Tesco Extra in town

(Busy traffic at night)

           2019 4ND: 17 Phayao - Phitsanulok👉

👈2019 4ND: 15 Oudomxay - Boten - Huay Xai