HOT Magazine HOT Magazine - Issue 11, 12 Volume 5 | Page 39

Chiang Khong
We then move on to the great
province of Chiang Rai, where
one of its most curious towns is
our next stop for this chilly Thai
winter. Chiang Khong is a small
place which supposedly mirrors the
sister town of Huay Xai across the
Laotian border. One of the more
interesting facts about this place
is that it’s the home of cyclist Alan
Bate. The British speedster broke
the Guinness World Record for the
quickest circumnavigation of the
earth on a bike seven years ago, a feat
nobody has bested since. This has led
a sea of fame to surround the town,
opening in his regard a large array of
pubs and establishments dedicated
to the celebration of his feat – which
some however, continue to contest,
alleging he may have travelled part
of the journey on a pick up truck.
Chiang Khong is a as ethnically
diverse as Pai, with a great variety of
people from various hill tribes. It will
definitely get cold, so grab something
to keep you warm.
Chiang Khan
We then move to Chiang Khan a
district in the other side of the north.
Located in Loei province in the
northernmost area, this place also
borders the Lao People’s Democratic
Republic and is circled by important
rivers such as the mighty Mekong,
the Hueang and the Loei. Chiang
Khan Boasts a fascinating history and
is known to have been established
toward the latter end of the 19th
century when the French entered
Lao for their colonial endeavours.
The arrival of Lao people would
be succeeded by the arrival of
Vietnamese and Chinese merchants
who establishe