Tachileik, Myanmar (Burma) Yea, Shopping!

We got up about 5:00 AM.  We dressed and I filled out my departure card for leaving Thailand as well as a new entry card for our return later today.  They are a lot easier to do sitting at a table then when standing in line at the immigrations window.

We have two goals today.  The first is to see Pastor Lota's Church in Burma.  The second is to find a jade chess set for a special friend in California.

We left our place around 6:30 AM and had our usual breakfast at the morning market.  We then headed to the Thai Immigrations office so Daeng could get her paper to visit the border city of Tachileik.  It took only a few minutes as we were the only ones there at 7:40 AM.  The cost to her was 30 Thai Baht (about 90 cents US)

We met Saimoon at the border bridge.  Saimoon is a Burmese guide that we have know for many years.  He speaks English and several other languages very well. 

The border crossing was very easy and the Burma side did not even give us a hard time about using a ten US dollar bill instead of 500 Thai Baht.  The difference is about 200 Thai Baht.  I think the reason is when they asked for the 500 Thai Baht, Daeng gave them the 10 US dollar bill and said she would use the 200 Thai Baht that was saved to buy a new purse.  Daeng had also ironed the bill with a little spray starch so it was a pretty good looking bill.

We got our Burma permits and left my passport at the border office for pick up when we return later in the day.  I did mention that the passort did not belong to me but belonged to the United States.

We called Pastor Lota on his cellular telephone.  He said to wait for him, he would pick the three of us up and take us to his church.  We waited in the Valentine Tea Shop.  We had Burmese Milk Tea.

Pastor Lota arrived about 15 minutes later in a pickup truck with about four door jams for his new church school.  There was four other fellows with him.  He said hop in as the trip was only about 20 minutes long.

I must say, it was the bumpiest ride I have every been on and I have traveled a lot of dirt roads.  I was worried about the six folks in the back, sitting on the wooden door frames.  If I had know it was this bad a ride we would not have gone. 

When we arrived at the Akha Christian Settlement we were greeted by everyone.  Almost everyone spoke English, to some degree, also.  There was a kid's bible class going on.  It was wonderful to hear the kids singing bible songs.

We sat and had tea and talked about all kinds of things.  Saimoon was a big hit with everyone as he explained how God had saved his life.

We talked with Pastor Lota and the other church Pastor's wife.  We donated a little money, 3,000 Thai Baht, to help buy cement for the new church school building.  We took one more picture and hopped back in the pickup truck for the bumpy ride back. 

The nice part is Daeng and Saimoon would not have to sit on the wood door frames on the way back, they can just sit on the pickup bed.  I sat in the cab with the driver; give me a break, I'm old. (Yep, I used the old card on this ride.)

Now for shopping, we visited hundreds of purse shops.  Daeng said no more pictures after about the fortieth purse shop.

You can buy a knock-off of just about any purse made in the world.

The folks in every shop will tell you it is real.  Then they wonder why we don't trust them.

Purses, purses and more purses.

Then, clothes, clothes, clothes and more clothes.

Saimoon had gone on ahead of us to visit some jade shops to see if he could find a chess set.  He called on the phone and met us. 

He took us up around the corner to visit a shop that had lots of jade.  We did see a nice set but it did not have any feeling, as I say.  The pieces were just normal and had no special look.

There was a beautiful wall picture done of the Dead Sea.  It was all done in polished jade stones.

We visited several other shops but with no luck for something that was really special.  It was now about 2:00 PM, after the pick-up truck ride and walking several miles through out the Tachileik Market we decided to call it a day.

Saimoon said he had some other things to do and would go on ahead of us and would see us again in the next day or two. 

Daeng wanted to look for a friend that she had not seen in over twenty-five years so we said: "good-bye" to Saimoon and we went looking for Daeng's friend.

On the way through the many side-walk shops Daeng saw a bronze shop and told me to take a look.

In the back of this shop was a chess set, made of bronze, that looked very old and had a wooden case that was also the chess board.

It was not jade but differently had a classy look to it.

The more I looked at it and touched the figures, the more I liked it.  It was a special set for that special person.

We made the deal for the set and the shop owner put it all in the wooden case and wrapped it in paper to go.

We know felt it was a worth whiled day.  It is a special chess set for that special person.

We picked up my passport and made the walk over the Mae Sai River bridge to Mae Sai.  Immigrations stamped my passport and we were back in Thailand, again.

We hopped on our motorbike that we had left in front of the bank and made it home for hot showers and dinner.  It was another great day in the "Land of Smiles" and "Burma".

Mae Sai 05/03/2010 Charcoal Gang

Daeng went to meet a man that wants to buy her land that is a few miles out of town. I am hanging out and I thought I would tell you about the story of the "Charcoal Gang".

Thailand has logged out all the trees. That means a couple of things; the thousands of elephants used to haul trees have lost their jobs and there is no more lumber, mostly teak, to build homes, furniture or to make charcoal.

There are two main types of fuel used to cook with in Thailand: bottled gas and charcoal. With no lumber, where does the charcoal come from? One of the places it comes from in Myanmar (Burma).

To read about how charcoal is made CLICK HERE!

Now for the story of "Charcoal Gang" that brings it across the river here in the Mae Sai area. I should say "Black Charcoal Gang" as when you handle charcoal you get BLACK.

The "Charcoal Gang" puts the big bags of charcoal on rafts made of bamboo and rubber inter-tubes and float it across the river from the Burma side. Then they carry it up the steep bank of the river to a flat area. This all happens before dawn.

Not only do they bring the charcoal but they bring their own two wheel carts to haul it in. I tried and I can not lift one of these cards, let alone carry it up the steep river bank.

They assemble everything in this area under the watchful eyes of the armed Thai military.

The morning we took these pictures someone was trying to smuggle Burmese rice across the river.

Charcoal is okay but no rice! Check out the "NYPD" T-shirt on the Thai soldier.

The head military man had a little meeting of the "Charcoal Gang" to tell them "Charcoal is okay but no Burma Rice!"

They then paid the "duty" for bringing the charcoal onto Thailand.

At dawn they pushed the carts with the charcoal over the little hill into this little town of Mae Sai.

Once it is over the hill the carts spread out to different areas of the town and they divide up the big bags of charcoal into small bags and sell it for 5 THB (15 cents USD) a bag.

At the end of the day or after all the charcoal is sold they cross back over the bridge into Burma to repeat the cycle again, tomorrow.

All that so we can have a HOT cup of tea as my Aussie friend, Peter, says.

Mae Sai 04/12/2010 Tachileik, Myanmar & Cat Telecom

We slept pretty well with the air conditioning. We got up early and had some fruit and coffee. That is pretty typical. We left the house around 6:45 AM and had some breakfast; pan fried chicken, vegetables, steamed and fried rice.

We needed money to pay for the installation of the air conditioning yesterday but had to go to three ATM machines before we could find one that would give us the 25,000 THB we needed. This is a big holiday season and everyone is using the ATM’s.

We stopped and paid for the AC around 8:15 on the way home. I took a morning nap and Daeng went into Tachileik, Myanmar (Burma) to give her Aunt some things to take to her home for the Songkran holiday that officially starts tomorrow.

There are really three reasons I stayed home beside the TV/Internet guys coming. The first one is I slow Daeng down in the border crossing thing. She can, after obtaining a day crossing pass, just walk back and forth across the bridge. It is pretty busy, as you can see in the picture.

I have to go through immigrations leaving a departure card, have my passport stamped on the Thai side and then leave my passport at Myanmar immigrations on the Burma side. On the way back, I have to give Myanmar immigrations the little card they exchanged for my passport and pick up the passport before coming back into Thailand. On the Thailand side, I have to fill out an arrival card and have my passport stamped again.

The second reason is I have to pay 500 Thai Baht or $15.00 US Dollar on the Burma side to cross over the bridge into Tachileik. Daeng pays 30 THB a day to Thailand immigrations and 10 THB to Myanmar immigrations. She can cross over as many times as she wants during the day if she gets her hand stamped.

The third reason is the “water thing” that is happening in this part of the world this week. It is the celebration of “water” because “water” is a life thing. You need water not only to live but also to grow food, like rice.

During this celebration water is sprinkled on people to help cleanse them and wish them good life BUT this has gotten out of proportion and people will throw buckets of water on you while you are traveling g on a motorbike. Think about it, five gallons of water thrown on you while you are traveling 40 miles an hour on a motorcycle. THAT IS TERRORISM!!! Enough said!

The men, or should I say gang of boys (about seven), from Cat Telecom came a little after 1:45 PM. That’s not bad for being told 1:00 PM. They told us that they could not run the wire because there was too much traffic, due to the holiday, but would do the inside work today and return next Monday.

The inside work meant drilling one hole in the wall and mounting the ground rod outside. It was fun to watch seven men doing the work, one to hold the extension cord plug in the wall outlet, one to open the window to run the extension cord. Then one to plug in the drill, one to hold the drill and one to push on the drill, another to make sure it was straight and the supervisor, of course. I think that was seven.

Remember Cat Telecom is a government owned company. I’m not judging, I’m just saying.

I asked about the television and they acted like they had no idea about what I was talking about.

Daeng got back and we hung out doing a few things on the house. I spray painted one of the florescent light fixtures to see if the acrylic lacquer we purchased yesterday would work okay. The fixture looked great after three light coat of paint. The light even seemed brighter after cleaning the tube and reinstalling it.

One was enough as it is HOT. It feels like it is over 100 degrees, maybe hotter upstairs. It is about 4:00 PM and time to call it a day, it’s a holiday.

Daeng called the man from Cat Telecom and he said nothing could be done until next week and he was off this week, too. Oh well, TIT, which stands for “This is Thailand”.

I should not have prayed for help to give me patients and tolerance. Like the saying goes: “Be careful what you pray for as you might get it!”

After dark we took a ride over to Tesco/lotus and talked about an “Air Card”. That is a little devise that plugs into the USB port of the laptop so you can use the cellular system to have Internet any were in Thailand that you have cellular telephone service. The cost of the device ranged from 2000 THB to 4300 THB ($62 to $135 USD) plus air time charges. No one could tell me, in English, what the air time charges are?

We were told that an English speaking person would be there at 9:00 AM tomorrow morning. We went home frustrated. TIT!

Day #2 Surprise Trip to Myanmar (Burma)

At 4:00 AM the ceiling light came on in the class room we were sleeping in. I got up and walked down the outside hallway to the end of the school to use the restroom. It was very quiet so I just walked back and crawled under the blankets. It was pretty cold, maybe 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

I woke up at daylight as everyone else was getting up, dressing, brushing teeth and just getting ready for the day. It was about 6:00 AM.
Daeng woke up and we walked down to the cooking area to see what was happening. It was pretty busy in the cooking area as feeding a couple hundred people is work.

We went into the kids sleeping area and everyone was up, had made their beds and put things in order.

Some music started from the stage area and the kids were all gathering at the stage.

We were impressed that this much activity was happening before 6:30 AM. Pastor Lota and the other young ministers in the group had the kids singing and dancing around.

At about 7:30 AM it was time to eat and eat they did. Everyone lined up with their round metal trays and orderly got lots of food, rice, noodles, vegetables and a pork stew.

Daeng really enjoys helping to feed people.

After we all ate it was time to have the closing program of the three day event.

The wind came up and blew a lot of dust around along with destroying the back drop of the stage area.

When I counted the people attending it was over 200 including the adults. That is a lot of folks!

Well, it's time to go home. Daeng was worried about my safety being smuggled back to Thailand so she arranged for Pastor Lota to go with me on another motorbike, just in case something should happen.

We packed up everything in Rev. Sunit's pick-up and Waen's pick-up and we said good-bye. Daeng went with Wean and told me she would see me on the other side.

Everyone waived at us.

Even the soldier at the Shan Army Checkpoint waived.

We did good until the third big hill and the motorbike I was riding on got a flat tire.

We talked it over and decided to send the driver and motorbike on alone to take care of the motorbike. Pastor Lota and I would walk the rest of the way together. The other motorbike driver would stay with us to be sure everything was okay and we didn't get lost on the trail.

It was kind of a good thing as we had a chance to do a little bonding on the way.

It was a nice walk, especially in the down hill parts. We walked through a tea plantations and tried the tea leaves. It was a sweet tasting tea leaf.

We came across an "AKHA" lady that was collecting vegetables out of the jungle.

In an another area we ran into some cows wallowing in the mud.

We stopped for a drink of water from a mountain spring. I think it was the best water I have tasted here in Asia. The rule here is the same as in Mexico as well as most countries in the world: "Don't drink the water!"

Toward the end of the walk we ran into some kids with home made go-carts. the go-carts were pretty cool as they were made with bamboo.

When we finally made it to the main road on the Thailand side everyone was glad to see us as they were very worried.

We made it back to Mae Sai, tired, dirty and glad to be home.

This trip will always be remembered.

Note: We have not used names, exact locations and pictures that we felt would harm anyone involved. If you would like more information or pictures of people involved please email us at FunnyPlumber@gmail.com.

Surprise Trip into Myanmar (Burma)

We call this our "Surprise Trip into Burma" story. We had no idea we were going into Burma. Let us tell you why.

About 10 days ago, Pastor Lota called to tell us he was putting on a "Camp Out" for a few hundred kids that live up in the mountains. He proceeded to tell us that most of them are orphans and live at this school.

He ask if we could help with some money to provide food and expenses to put on this event. He also asked if we would like to go to the event. We asked questions like how many kids, how far away, how many days was the 'Camp Out", etc.? We never thought to ask : "What Country?"

We have been involved with Pastor Lota's projects with kids in the past. He is great with the children! I think the term in the USA is he's "jeggie" with them. He always has fun with his message and everyone else has fun, too.

Our belief is that if people, kids are people, don't have fun they won't stick around very long. We feel this is true for jobs, church, recovery programs and life in general.

Last Sunday, Daeng and I visited his church and after the service talked more. He told us that for the three day event he still needed about 15,000 THB. This was to feed the several hundred people for the three days and to provide printed material and support services for the "Camp Out".

Now, my idea of camping out is a hotel with room service closing at 2:00 AM but I wanted to see what he was involved in. We were told that if we just wanted to come for one night he could arrange for us to be picked up on Friday and return with them on Saturday.

We said: "Let's make it happen!". We electronically transferred the money into Pastor Lota's account and waited until Friday.

At about 8:30 Friday morning we got a call to let us know we would be picked up about 10:00 AM. We packed a backpack with things to survive for the next 36 hours camping out. You know, things like instant coffee, bathroom tissue, tooth brushes and a change of clothes.

I did take my CPAP (breathing machine that I use when I sleep) machine as we were told there was electricity. I did not bring my battery pack to Thailand this trip as over the last four years and nine trips I have never needed it, even at the Chang Mountain trip.

"Waen", the driver, picked us up in a nice Toyota pick-up truck right on Thai time. Thai time is aways "around" a given time. Don't complain, it's not personal, it's just the way it is. Daeng always reminds me that "It's not personal, just accept it."

We kidded him a little about the Thai fix for the acceleration problem in the Toyota. The Thai fix is turn off key and step on brake. We all laughed.

The smoke from the jungle fires was not bad so we could see the sun. We drove about 45 minutes and stopped for gas. We offered 500 THB (exchange rate is 33 THB to 1 USD) for gas but Wean said: "No, but thank you." as he paid the attendant. Yes, they pump the gas for you here and there are no "self service" gas stations.

While we were getting gas, Daeng went into the 7-11 and bought some bottled water and potato chips. Yes, there is a 7-11 on every block here in Thailand. If there isn't a 7-11 there is a Circle K or a Food Mart.

We traveled south on Thai route #1 for a few more miles and then turned west as if we were on the way to Ban AYO. Speaking of the Ban AYO project, we received a call from Chom-nom's wife that he was arrested for possession of Yaba. Yaba is a drug containing methamphetamine. That is all we know at this time but will find out more in the next couple of weeks.

We traveled farther up the road to Mae Salong but then turned onto route 1234. We kidded as I am working on my speaking Thai and ,like a child, I said the route numbers in Thai several times. They are "Neung, Saung, Sarn, Seeh". Of course they, Daeng and Wean, laughed at me.

About a half hour later we pulled over to the side of the road and Wean said he had to make a phone call as this was the last place a cellular phone would work. Daeng and I had some mountain rice and egg at this little place along the road.

We than drove up the road about fifteen minutes and stopped, again. I was told that this is as far as I could go in the pick-up. I was confused. Wean told Daeng, in Thai, that I could not go any farther with them and I would have to go with the man that was waiting for me on a motorbike.

I still did not understand what they were saying. Wean told Daeng that I could not go through the Thai Army Camp on the Myanmar (Burma) border. He explained that the motorbike driver was going to smuggle me, on the motorbike, up through a narrow motorbike trail across the Burma border.

Daeng would go with Waen along with our bags, through the Thai Army Camp into the Shan Rebel Army area where the school was located. He also told us that Pastor Lota had arranged everything. It sounded like an adventure to me. I have know Pastor Lota for four years, Daeng for many more years, and was also sure that Pastor Lota would not risk our safety.

I jumped on the motorbike and waved to Daeng and Wean as they drove away.

Well, the motorbike trip was an "E Ticket" ride. If you don't know what a "E Ticket" ride is just ask any old person that has been to Disneyland in the olden days. Disneyland sold booklets of ride tickets and an "E Ticket" was the best rides. Example: I think the Tea Cups was a "B Ticket" and Space Mountain was an "E Ticket".

I had to walk part way because the path was too steep for the little motorbike to make it up the hills with this old, fat man on the back. The trip on the motorbike took us about an hour. Some of the path was very narrow with steep drop offs on one side of the path. The streams we crossed were fun, too.

I was relieved to see this huge clearing with the Toyota pick-up sitting to the side of the clearing. There was also a large stage set up.

When we got down the hill to the clearing Daeng ask if I was okay and told me she was worried about me. She is such a caring person and a great wife.

We had tea and meet the leader of this area. We talked a great deal about the needs of the people. This is an area of refugees that is protected on one side but the Shan Rebel Army. On the other side is Thailand and the Thai Army.

It is high in the mountains, which is good because no mosquitoes, and pretty safe from the Myanmar (Burmese) Army. I think of it as a Burmese refugee Camp but still in Burma.

The biggest need is food and water as it is hard to grow much food in this mountainous area. Drought is also a problem.

The tea plantations near by do hire tea pickers but that pays only about 70 THB ($2.00 USD) a day. That means if they could work everyday, which they can't, they would make about the equivalent of............. You do the math!

The kids were playing soccer in the cleared field. It was very dusty but the kids did not seem to care. They were just having fun.

Then, about 3:00 PM came the next surprise. I was told that I need to hide out for the next few hours as some Thai soldiers were coming to play soccer with the kids. It was not for my safety but because if they saw me they would retaliate against the people in the village for having me there.

I did not want to cause any trouble for anyone so I ask what should I do? They told me that a guide would take us to the hospital area. That was about a 20 minute walk away. When everything was clear they would let us know.

It was a nice walk up the hill and through another village area to this little hospital area. The hospital has twenty (20) beds and at presently two patients.

We also met the man they call "Doc" and learned a lot from him as he speaks perfect English. He takes care of things at the hospital area.

We met a Shan Soldier that I would consider as being a hero. About four months ago he was on patrol with four other soldiers and come across a land mine. I am told that he did not want his fellow soldiers to be hurt. He removed the land mine, to dispose of it, and it went off in his hands.

He lost both hands, one eye and was pretty beat up by the land mine explosion. None of the other soldiers were hurt.

We were told that a Doctor from Canada came to the area and helped this soldier. We talked with the soldier who seemed to be in very good spirits under the circumstances.

The other patient was there due to stomach problems and had only been there for two days.

We both got very grateful!

We hung out by this little hospital area for a while and then took a walk up the hill to "Doc's" home. His wife had a baby a month ago and he was doing the cooking to help his wife.

Someone radioed, walkie-talkie style, that it was okay for us to walk back.

As we walked back we saw kids doing back flips down the side of the hill that had been cleared. Because of the steep slope and sandy soil the children had soft landings.

When we arrive back to the school area they had some food for us. We sat and eat as youngsters and adults started to gather by the stage area for some entertainment and worship.

The electricity for the lights, speakers and sound system was coming from an old gas generator.

Pastor Lota is a very good guitar player and was getting down on the strings.

A good time was had by all. I was pretty beat so we left the stage area to bed down in one of the school rooms.

We will sleep on mats with lots of blankets because up in the mountains it is cool at night.

They shut off the generator at 10:00 PM so I will sleep without my CPAP machine for the first time in maybe seven years. I will sleep on my side and try not to snore.

I'm sure Daeng will wake me if I snore as we are sleeping on the concrete floor with about 10 other folks at this "Camp Out".

Good night! Sleep tight! Don't let the bed bugs bite! Where white when you walk your bike. Keep your pants up, your legs crossed and come home from school in a group. (I raised four girls as a single parent.)

Tomorrow is another day!

Note: I have left many of the pictures and names of folks involved out of this story to protect them. If you would like more information, pictures or the exact location please email me at FunnyPlumber@gmail.com.