A Hilarious Incident During My Massage - Chiang Rai, Thailand

Learning that we would visit Asia, our Thai friend from Canada highly recommended us to visit the city of Chiang Rai.

Therefore, we took a side trip from Chiang Mia and visited Chiang Rai for three days relaxing and enjoying its slower pace and nice scenery.

Chiang Rai is a much smaller city than Chiang Mia therefore we were glad to see that the basic infrastructures such as hospitals, training schools, banks and quite a few of nice resort hotels, restaurants and yes, the ubiquitous massage centres, everywhere.

 

 Wherever we travel, we would like to contribute to the local economy as much as we are able. However, neither are we drinkers, casino goers nor serious shoppers; the only way we could spend money is buying their services and dining at the local cafes and restaurants.

 Our Thai friend from Canada highly recommended us to try the Thai massages and we took his suggestions to heart. Though a much smaller city than Chiang Mia, Chiang Ria has numerous massage centres and cafes as well.

 

 Tryng to help the local business and vendors, we gladly taste the food at a few of the resturants, enjoyed our coffee/ tea breaks at the cafes and did not hestiate to shop at the small vendors on the street as well as getting some massages from the local centres.

 

 

  Not too far from our hotel, we saw a few massage centres during our walk to downtown. We chose a massage centre close to our hotel and went for a two hour massage.

This was our way of trying to help local Thai people by bringing them some business and contributing to their economy. Both my husband and I went for the traditional Thai body massage as well as a foot massage.

 

Half way through the massage, my masseuse climbed on the massage table straddling herself over me, giving my body a strong deep massage. I couldn’t help but started laughing as I remembered well how western movies and TV shows depicted Thai massages.

In North America, shows often exaggerated the Thai massages experiences as scary and painful episodes by showing the masseur/masseuse jumping on top of his/ her client's back performing some sort of Kung Fu moves and making the client screaming in agony. It was just pure comical stuff! Seeing these comical images in my head and finding my masseuse kneeling on top of me, I couldn’t stop laughing my head off while lying there receiving the treatment but in a much less exaggerated manner.

The masseuse was beside herself when I was laughing out loud and couldn't stop chuckling for a good few minutes. She couldn't figure out what was going on, what she did and why I was laughing so hard. It was just hilarious!

 

I finally stopped laughing and explained to her the reason so that she knew it was not something she did that caused this unusual behabiour from her client.

  The massage was therapeutic and relaxing and our muscles felt more relaxed with less tension. The two hours flew by in no time. We enjoyed it so much that we went back for another session the next day before boarding the Green Bus going back to Chiang Mia.

  RT, Massage Centre

  Chiang Rai, Thailand

Meeting and Learning about the Kayan Long Neck Tribe in Chiang Rai

Since our goal for our Chiang Rai trip was to relax, we didn’t want to hit all the tourist attractions therefore didn’t sign up for any tours. However, there was one thing that was on our list of must do – a visit to the Long Neck Village.

I found that most of the tours included visits and stop always at a couple of temples and other sites. Not interested in visiting any other sites, we approached the hotel front desk after breakfast asking the staff about visiting the long neck village only. I was happy to find out that we could hire a taxi which would take us directly to the Long Neck Village, with the driver waiting for us while we could spend sometime there and then the taxi would bring us back - all that for 500 Bhat, about Can.$30.00! Loved it!

 

 

 

  This time we had a real taxi vehicle, unlike the previous ride with the elephant tour. The taxi ride took less than 30 minutes, not too far from Chiang Rai. The driver dropped us off at the entrance and waited for us outside.

 

 

  We visited the Long Neck Karen Village, a tourist destination in Northern Thailand, home to the Kayan Lahwi (Padaung) people and a subgroup of the Karen ethnic minority. Arriving at the site, we paid an entrance fee to enter the village. It was drizzling that day and we needed to be careful while hiking down the dirt paths leading us to four or five different villages. It looked like there were only a handful of people living in these villages. Each of these small villages had a couple of inhabitants displaying and selling their handicrafts and souvenirs to visitors.

The "Long-Neck" people, who call themselves the **Kayan Lahwi**, are not originally from Thailand. They are an ethnic minority group from the Kayah State in neighboring Myanmar (Burma). They came to Thailand primarily as refugees fleeing a brutal and long-standing civil war between the Myanmar military and various ethnic minorities in their home region. Starting in the late 1980s and early 1990s, groups of Kayan people crossed the border into Northern Thailand seeking safety.

  The Thai government did not grant them official refugee status but allowed them to settle in designated villages, which have since become major tourist attractions.

Since it was raining that day, the were few visitors to the village. Initially it was just my husband and I exploring on our own. When a larger group of tourists arrived, a few women dressed in their colourful costumes assembled and started to chant their tribal songs. After their performance, we were allowed to take some pictures with them.

There were not too many villagers at all. Not sure if they actually lived in these huts full time. The biggest village was located at the last section of the village - the Long Neck tribe.

There were stalls lined on both sides of the mud road all displaying the same kinds of crafts – hand woven scarves, hand crafted wooden long neck women statues etc. We were curious about the practice of women wearing metal coils around their neck and learned that the practice of wearing brass neck coils is a deeply rooted cultural tradition specific to the Kayan Lahwi women.

The primary reason for women wearing these coils is their cultural standards of beauty. A long neck with many coils is considered the epitome of femininity and elegance. The practice is strictly gendered. The coils are a central part of their cultural identity, marking them as Kayan women. It is a tradition meant to enhance female beauty and signify a girl's transition into womanhood. The first coils are typically fitted on a girl when she is around 5 years old, and more coils are added over time.

We bought a couple of wooden crafted items from one lady and two hand woven scarves from another stall. The ladies were very friendly. One of them even volunteered to put a metal coil on my neck. The metal coli was like a necklace which had a clasp that could be opened and closed at the back. The metal coil could weigh up to 2 -3 kg.

Our tour guide also told us one of the interesting reasons for Kayan women wearing the metal coils. It was to defend against tiger bites. Historically, the Kayan males had always gone out for hunting leaving the women and children behind in their dwellings sometimes for days. While the men were away, tigers would come and attack the women delivering the fatal attacks by grabbing and biting the women's necks. By wearing the metal neck coils, the women could save themselves from these fercious deadly bits.

After visitng the village, I had some mixed feelings as we learned that some of these villages are not traditional, free-living villages. They are, in effect, **controlled tourist sites**. the Kayan people, particularly the women, generate income by selling handmade textiles and souvenirs to tourists. Their ability to live and work outside these villages is legally restricted.

 

I was glad that we visited the Long Neck Village in Thailand as we have seen some reporting on TV. However, there have been some debates about whether visiting the Long Neck Village is an ethical thing to do. Sone of the concerns involve the villages being likened to "human zoos" or "prisons" where resdients have limited freedom.Many toursits choose not to visit becasue they do not want to support the exploitation of this tribe, or becasue the villages are deemed to be faked and have been created for the purposes of tourism.

  After visiting and talking with the Long Neck Tribe, I found that the Kayan women were genuinely happy to see tourists visiting them as their purchase of the souvenirs and handicrafts was an important source of income for them. If you are travelling to Thailand, one of the best way to support the Kayan people will be to visit them in their villages and purchasing handicrafts directly from them. We were glad we did just that!

  RT, Long Neck Karen Village,

  Around Chiang Rai, Thailand

The Late Thai King - Earning the Love and Respect of His People in Chiang Rai, Thailand

The city of Chinag Rai, with a population of about 78,000, was the perfect place for us to have a nice and relaxing holiday during our recent visit to Thailand. It was established as a capital city in the reign of King Mangrai, in 1262 CE. Chiang Rai is recognized as a "Design City" by UNESCO's Creative Cities Network. We were happy being in Thailand and wanted to soak in the culture, the customs and learn about its people and enjoy the food and the beautiful scenery. Not desiring to have a busy schedule, we didn’t run around trying to see all the attractions in Chiang Rai but to enjoy the quietness of this smaller city and make use of the amenities of our resort like hotel.

After breakfast each day, we went out and explored the downtown and some nearby neighborhood on our own. Just like in Chiang Mia, we saw many cafes and came across a few nice coffee shops as well as massage centres.

What impressed us the most was the beautiful highly decorative golden monument and the Chiang Rai Clock Tower dominating the downtown street of city. The golden monument in downtown Chiang Rai is for the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), who was the monarch of the entire Kingdom of Thailand from 1946 until his passing in 2016. It was unveiled as part of celebrations for King Bhumibol’s 80th birthday and stands as a symbol of the city's admiration for his leadership. The late king is often referred to as "The Father" of the nation.

The people of Chiang Rai, and all Thais, built this monument (and many others across the country) to honor him for a lifetime of work dedicated to improving the well-being of his people. His contributions and his projects had a profound impact on Chiang Rai and the entire northern region.

  I was curious to find out what exactly did the late King do to have earned him such immense love and respect for the Thais to build him this golden monument. I found out the tremendous work he did for his people:

  1. Royal Development Projects: The late King spent decades traveling to the most remote and impoverished parts of Thailand, including the mountainous and often underserved provinces of the North like Chiang Rai. He personally identified problems and initiated over 4,000 Royal Development Projects. For the people of Chiang Rai, these included:

* Water Management - He introduced innovative irrigation systems, small-scale dams (check dams), and artificial rainmaking projects to help farmers in the dry season and prevent flooding in the rainy season. This was crucial for agricultural stability.

  * Alternative Crops - Knowing that opium cultivation was a primary source of income for many hill-tribe people in the region, but also a destructive one, the late King pioneered the "Royal Project' which encouraged and supported farmers to replace opium poppies with sustainable, high-value cash crops like coffee, strawberries, cabbages, and flowers. This transformed local economies, provided legitimate income, and helped conserve the environment.

  * Infrastructure and Education - He initiated projects to build schools, clinics, and roads in remote villages, connecting them to essential services and markets.

 

#2.The "Sufficiency Economy" Philosophy

  This was his flagship philosophy, taught to the Thai people. It emphasizes: * Moderation and prudent living.

  * Reasonableness in decision-making

  * Building a strong immune system - against internal and external shocks (e.g., economic crises, natural disasters). This philosophy was applied to agriculture, encouraging farmers to be self-reliant, reduce debt, and diversify their crops instead of relying on a single volatile cash crop. This had a massive impact on the agricultural communities in and around Chiang Rai.

  # 3. Unifying Figure and Moral Compass

  For seven decades, King Bhumibol was a constant, stabilizing presence through countless political coups, economic booms and busts, and social changes. He was widely seen as a moral compass and a unifying father figure who worked tirelessly for the benefit of all Thais, regardless of their background, ethnicity, or social status.

My other question was Why a Golden Monument in Chiang Rai Specifically?

  The people of Chiang Rai experienced the benefits of his work directly. They saw their quality of life improve, their children get an education, their farms become more productive and sustainable, and their communities gain access to healthcare and infrastructure. Therefore, people in Chiang Rai built the golden statue as their way to express:

 

*Gratitude - For the late king's lifelong dedication to their well-being

  *Respect - For a king who genuinely cared and worked for the poorest and most remote communities.

  *Loyalty - To the monarchy as an institution.

  *Remembrance - To ensure that his teachings and legacy continue to inspire future generations in Chiang Rai.

 

I always wonder why Thais love their kings and respect the royal families so much and glad that I have learned a few things about their beloved late kings.

  I did my research on the computer and would like to acknowledge and thank DEEP SEEK AI for providing me with the above information.

  RT, Chiang Rai, Thailand

  2025 Other Important Chiang Rai Monuments

Celebrating Birthdays at the Chiang Rai First Church, Chiang Rai, Thailand

We arrived in Chiang Rai, Thaland for a short holiday. It was Sunday and we went to the 10 a.m. service at the Chiang Rai First Church. This is a huge beautiful church situataed in the downtown area of Chiang Ria, Thailand. There are two parts to to the church, the original building and a new addition built next to the old one in 2014.

We could tell that the church was well loved and cared for by its congrgation as the church ground was well kept with the grass freshly mowed and shrubs trimmed meticulously. Everywhere we turned we saw pretty pots of flowers placed at differently places carefully and intentionally to enhance the serenity and the beauty of the church grounds.

The service was conducted in Thai with simultaneous English translation delivered to the listeners on earpieces. As soon as we sat down, the usher welcome us warmly and handed us a set each of the earpiece. Unfortunately, mine was not working properly and my husband and I had to share a set between us. The Sunday Service was attended by mostly Thai people with only a handful of foreigners including us.

The program of the service was similar to what we have in North America. One thing I found comforting was hearing the familiar hymns sung in Thai language. It sounded so familiar that I thought the congregation was singing in English! One particular program I really appreciated was the acknowledgement and celebration of birthdays by the church. At the conclusion of his sermon, the minister read out the names of the birthday people who were asked to come forward to the altar to receive their blessings and a small gift for each perosn from the church team. What a heart warming gesture from the church leaders!

Unfortunately, due to the language barrier, we didn’t have any interaction or fellowship with any member of the congregation when the service was over. But it was good to be in the house of the Lord in Chiang Rai,, Thailand where 95% of the Thai people are Buddhists with only 5% of the population being Christians. We are thankful that Thai people have the freedom to choose and practise their chosen religion and that Christians are free to follow Jesus in Thailand!

R.T. Chiang Rai First Church Chiang Rai, Thailand

A Bus Ride from Chiang Mia to Chiang Rai, Thailand

After our hotel host dropped us off at the Chiang Mia bus terminal to catch the Green Bus, we were able to obtain our bus tickets from one of the ticket booths with little difficulties. We foud that most Thai people can understand a bit of English. Even if they didn't, they were still very friendly and helpful.

The Green Bus left right on time at 11a.m. from the Chiang Mia bus station. We were seated at the very first two seats right behind the driver. The bus was clean; the coach was air conditioned and the seats were comfortable, equipped with seatbelts which made us feel safer. The bus ride from Chiang Mia to Chiang Rai was about 4 hours with a couple of pit stops in between allowing passengers to use the washroom and to buy some food and drinks on the way.

The bus ride was smooth and there were many toursits among the passengers who were quiet and civil. It was a pleasant ride allowing us a good opportunity to enjoy some rural scenery in Thailand. The bus went past small towns, villages, farm land, forests and rural houses.

The scenery looked peaceful and tranquil.

  Arriving at the Chiang Mia bus station shortly after 3 p.m. we were greeted by a few Thai drivers offering us a ride in their Tuktuk. Not willing to be scammed, we checked out the price going from the bus terminal to our hotel already, we were confident to take the ride when the driver offered us his ride at 150 Baht.

We checked into our resort like hotel with nice amenities such as a good size dining room, an Olympic size swimming pool and a workout studio. We looked forward to have a relaxing and quiet holiday here in Chiang Ria for the next few days! RT, Chiang Rai, Thailand, 2025

Almost Missed Our Green Bus Ride to Chiang Rai at the Chiang Mia Bus Terminal, Thailand!

After staying in the Old City of Chiang Mia, Thailand for a week and enjoying what this lovely city has to offer, we were ready to explore another part of Thailand. Our friend from Canada suggested Chiang Rai, a smaller city, not too far away from where we were. Listening to sound advice and suggestions, that was exactly what we did. We went online and purchased two bus tickets going from Chiang Mia to Chiang Rai at 350 Baht - about Can.$18.00, one way for each person, very affordable indeed! We purchased our tickets online yesterday for the two of us at 367 Bhat one way.

Det, our new Thai friend we made in Chiang Mai volunteered to drive us to the bus terminal. We left out hotel at 10a.m. for our bus at 11a.m. Det told us we made a good choice of time for our departure as the rush hour was over. He aid if we had travelled during the morning rush hour, it would have been extremely congested with students going to school and people going to work.

Our ride to the bus terminal was smooth and only took about 20 minutes from our hotel in the old city.

With our ticket confirmation in our email, it was easy getting the info and confirmation of the bus leaving for Chiang Rai.The ticket officer told us to go to platform 21 and that was what we did. It was only 1030a.m. we found platform 21 and parked ourselves on one of the benches and started checking our cell groups for messages and photo etc. It was around 10;50a.m. no bus arrived at platform 21 yet. I looked over at platform 19, thee were people getting on the bus. Just to be on the safe side, I went over to check, it was our bus heading to Chiang Rai!

Thank goodness! I checked otherwise it would be exactly like the time when we missed our fast train in China where  we waited at the wrong platform. But this time we were waiting at the right platform but the bus was boarding passengers at another platform. We have learned our lesson – always double check we are at the correct spot when we are waiting for plane, train or bus on our travels.

RT, Chiang Mai Bus Terminal, Chiang Mia, Thailand, 2025

An Awesome Experience at the Old Town Night Market - Chiang Mia, Thailand

Chiang Mai is the historic capital of the old Lanna Kingdom. Markets have always been central to Lanna life ( Northern Thailand region) for socializing, trading, and eating. The night market tradition is a modern extension of this ancient culture. The tropical heat of Northern Thailand can be intense during the day. As the sun sets, the temperature becomes much more pleasant, making it the ideal time for both locals and tourists to stroll, shop, and eat outdoors.

As one of Thailand's top tourist destinations, there is a huge and constant demand for evening activities. Night markets are a perfect, accessible form of entertainment that offers a taste of local life. For many locals, a night market stall is a primary or important secondary source of income. It allows artisans, food vendors, and small business owners to reach a large audience with relatively low overhead.

While there are many night markets in Chiang Mia, there are three that cater to tourists. # 1. Chiang Mai Night Bazaar (The Most Famous) This is the original and most well-known night market, running **every night** along the main Chang Khlan Road.

#### 2. Sunday Walking Street Market (The Most Authentic & Charming) This was the one we visited on a Sunday night. This night market, widely considered the best night market in Chiang Mai, is a weekly event that takes over the entire length of Ratchadamnoen Road in the Old City. The setting of the market is unbeatable. It's held within the historic moat and temple-lined streets, creating a magical atmosphere. When we were there, we saw unique handicrafts, handmade clothing and accessories, intricate wood carvings, local art, organic soaps, and beautiful stationery.

Off course there was food, lots of it! There was an amazing array of local Northern Thai snacks and street food. We didn't miss the opportunity to try some new food items. The BBQ ribs were a hit that night and there was a huge lineup for them. I also lined up and got a plate of ribs which were just delicious! The night market was crowded but incredibly charming, cultural, and artistic. It felt like a community festival than a commercial market. Located on Ratchadamnoen Road, through the heart of the Old City, this night market opens on Sundays only, from around 4:00 PM until midnight.**

Loving and Enjoying the Coffee Culture and Cafes in Chiang Mia, Thailand

To our pleasant surprise, we discovered a strong coffee culture and an abundance of coffee shops in Chiang Mai, Thailand. As of early 2024, it was reported that the city of Chiang Mai was home to over 500 cafes. There must be many more cafes now as there has been a rapid growth of cafes in Thailand.