The Open Roads of North Thailand

What surprised me about driving in Northern Thailand were the traffic-free roads. I have a strong memory of being at the bottom of a steep mountainous road, selecting the low ratio gear and my Mondeo climbing the track with the athleticism of a thoroughbred. Mile after mile up hill and down dale, passing fascinating terraced agriculture with the freedom to stop and visit as I wished.

The roads are well made and there are sufficient road signs in English. On the rare occasion that I was uncertain of what direction to take, locals offered friendly assistance with a warm smile using little more than sign language and the name of where I was going. Having a car was the key to the pleasure of travelling around in northern Thailand.

-- Comments from Laurence Civil, Editor & Publisher of Thailand UPDATE, having driven in northern Thailand.

On leaving the baggage hall at Chiang Mai International Airport, there was a representative of Budget waiting for me. He took me the short distance to their office to collect my car. The documents I needed were a valid driving licence and a passport to prove that I was over 21. Budget World Class Drive offers a selection of well documented routes to explore with maps and key points of interest. In addition to local maps, the office provided me with the book "Exploring Chiang Mai, City, Valley & Mountains" by Oliver Hargreaves, containing a wealth of knowledge about discovering the region.

Budget were able to offer a selection of six car types ranging from a 1.3 litre Honda City up to a 4.0 litre Jeep Cherokee 4WD. I opted for the Ford Mondeo sedan as it offered a comfortable ride for the journeys I had planned. Even in downtown Chiang Mai there is low density traffic.

As I wanted to get out and explore the surrounding area I chose a hotel in Mae Rim Valley and was lucky to be staying at The Regent Resort Chiang Mai, Mae Rim-Samoeng Road, Tel (66 53) 2989181, Fax (66 53) 298189. It has sixteen clusters of two-storey buildings, each with four pavilion suites focussed around a central paddy field. The suites in Lanna style are lavishly furnished, offering luxurious living space. An ideal base for a driving adventure, enjoying the cool mountain air on the terrace at breakfast and after a day exploring to be able to return to a relaxing massage in the spa.

On the first afternoon I explored the Mae Sa- Samoeng loop. Turning left out of the hotel on Route 1096, it as just a short ride to the upland Mae Sa Valley 700 metres above sea level. I passed several orchid farms, the Mae Sa Falls, the Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden (Thailand's first botanical garden, built and developed with advice from Kew Gardens in London) and the Elephant Camp. The road continues along Samoeng valley with spectacular views to the west. The complete loop is just under 100 kms and takes about three hours allowing for stops along the way.

The next day I was up early and out on the road before eight o'clock. I headed for Route 107 in the direction of Fang and onto Thaton to check out raft trekking on the Mae Kok River to Chiang Rai. I passed through several police road blocks checking for drugs and guns. Being a foreign tourist in most cases they waved me on. Under Thai law, drivers are required to carry their passports and driving licence and produce them when required.

After lunch, with Mae Sai as my target destination, I continued the climb passing through Yuannese Chinese villages and onto Mae Salong, the former HQ of opium warlord Khun Sa. Continuing on Route 1130 joining the Chiang Rai-Mae Sai highway north of Mae Chan. From there it was a clear run up to the Myanmar border at Takhilek.

Vehicles hired are not permitted outside the Kingdom of Thailand. To take the car into Myanmar, it would void the insurance cover. It is possible to obtain a day pass to visit Myanmar as a foot passenger for US$ 5 on production of a valid passport.

It is recommended to fill the car with petrol at one of the large drive-in petrol stations before Mae Chang. From there until Thaton, there are the local hand pumps and filling could take some time. All of Budget's vehicles use 95 unleaded fuel at 11.29 baht a litre (17p), far less expensive than in the UK.

For rental of more than 3 days, Budget operate a "Rent Here-Leave There" service and it would have been possible to leave the car at Chiang Rai Airport rather than returning to Chiang Mai.

The round trip journey from Chiang Mai to Mae Sai is some 600 kms and it is recommended to spread it over at least 3 days.

Thailand Travel e-zine would like to stress as strongly as possible the importance of having valid insurance when driving in the Kingdom as provided by International Car Rental Companies. The consequences of being involved in a serious or fatal accident without cover could be serious.