tourism

Tourism in Mukdahan Province, NE-Thailand
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The author's attitudes towards and involvement in tourism

with emphasis on:

Language-tours, Astro-tours and 'you-name-it-tours'
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Kaeng Nang - the "Rapids of the Maidens"

Mukdahan Province

Mukdahan province is bordering the Mekong River in NE-Thailand (Isan). Despite the beauty of the mountainous area and the presence of 9 ethnic groups, tourism is still very limited. This situation likely to change when construction of the Indochina Bridge is finished in December 2006 making it possible to cross the Mekong River and enter Laos P.D.R. at Sawannakhet and continue to Danang in Vietnam on a modern road.
Only a few villages in Mukdahan province have already established home-stay or agro-tourism. Accommodation is mainly restricted to the provincial town Mukdahan.

Short historical outline of Kaeng Nang Village

     Kaeng Nang Village is located in Dong Luang district, Mukdahan Province. The distance to Mukdahan is 55 km 'as the crows flow', but by road more than the double. The nearest district town is Khao Wong, which is located 20 km north of Boa Khao (Kutchinarai), which is located on the main road Mukdahan-Somdet-Kalasin-Khon Kaen. See: Maps.
     Fifty years ago Kaeng Nang was a small village consisting of some 10 houses inhabited by ethnic Phu Tai. The neighbouring villages were inhabited by ethnic Bru ('Kha') and So. Today Kaeng Nang is a large village with more than 1000 households mostly inhabited by Isan farmers, who have migrated to the formerly forested area to grow cash crops as cassava, sugar cane and presently rubber plantations. Thirty years ago the only access to the village was a narrow dirt-track from the Khao Wong Valley, and the wild and isolated area is still remembered as a ''red area'' inhabited by communist insurgents. At that time the forests and wildlife was still 100% intact - now the rest of the forest has been transformed into national parks. When the author first time visited the area in the late 1980s heavy deforestation had taken place and outside farmers had moved in looking for new land in this last 'wild-east' area, where the police only showed up in groups heavily armed with M-16 rifles.
     Nowadays the village is a modern village with bitumen road, electricity and tap water. Mobile telephones were introduced in 2005. Internet is only possible via mobile telephones or satellite.
     The last development (2005) is that investors from Southern Thailand illegally buy up huge tracts of land in preservation forest areas (pa sa-nguan) for rubber plantations. This will have socio-economic and cultural implication on the local society as well as further degradation of nature and also limiting the potentials for eco-tourism.

     The author has used the village as a base-camp when travelling in Thailand and Laos while compiling his Thai-Isan-Laos Phrasebook. The last years the author mostly stays outside the village, working on a private reforestation experiment, doing sundial experiments, and is presently writing on a new book about experimental astronomy applied on the orientation of ancient Khmer temples. In the beginning of 2005 the author constructed a modern stele/concrete air-conditioned office in the village after deciding to stay permanently.

Kaeng Nang Village and Tourism

Tourism has, as in many other villages, also been mentioned as an option for supplementary income among the locals in Kaeng Nang Village. The expectations are probably to high, because main stream tourism seldom benefits the local peasant. The impact of tourism on local shops and restaurants are limited. Mostly only the owners of accommodation and tour-agencies benefit.
Until now no serious attempts have been taken to introduce tourism. One major problem is the language barrier: Nobody speaks English in the village. Another obstacle is that most local people find it odd to demand money for what normally is given away for free: Hospitality, food and water. The people of Isan are proud of their nam chai, which broadly can be translated as generosity, hospitality, taking care of, and helpfulness. Commercialized tourism conflicts with traditional nam chai, which does not count days and meals putting on a price per unit. Kin khao means '(come and) dine' and is used synonymously with 'hello' or 'welcome' and sounds all the time one is wandering around in a village.

     When the Indo-China Bridge crossing the Mekong River is completed in December 2006 tourism will increase in the area.

     The author has since 2003 gently introduced the concept of 'home-stay' to the farmer family he lives with. Their house is newly build and huge (120 square metres upstairs), but they don't believe that anybody will pay money for staying in a farmer's house. They don't realize, that many foreigners - and modern urbanized Thais too - have a dream about experiencing 'real life' or 'simple life' away from the hectic and noisy big cities.

     The head-master of the local school is a friend of the house and is more optimistic. In May 2003 we did a survey trip visiting another Phutai village, Khok Kong Village, where they have practical experiences with 'home-stay' initiated by Thai Tourism Authority. The concept is to have guests living with local families, do treks in the local nature at daytime and watch Phu Tai cultural show in the evening.

     Another optimistic initiator is the leader of the nearby Royal Reforestation Project at Hui Phai, 5 km from Kaeng Nang. Here they are planning to set up cottages next to the dam, where the tap-water to Kaeng Nang comes from.

Huai Phai Dam - a few km west of Kaeng Nang - where the Royal Forestry Department plans to construct cottages for tourist accommodation. Phu Lat Khuai Mountain - a few km east of Kaeng Nang - is described by the French explorer Etienne Aymonier in the end of the 19th century.

     A third initiator is a personal friend of the author. In May 2006 he orientated the author about initiatives aiming at an important and neglected part of Thailand's history: The 14th-October and 6th-October incidents in Bangkok, where students and other demonstrators where shot down my the military. After the bloodshed in the capital city many fled to the forests and joined the communist guerrilla. The nearby Phu Phan is still sung about by famous politically critical singers. The nearby That Thong Waterfall hosts every year a festival in memory of the dead sahai (comrades). Famous singers as Aed Carabao and Nga Caravan participates.
     The author has had similar ideas for years and the target group is foreigners as well as 'the children of the old sahai'. In 2007 we will visit former sahai-leaders and also the caves, where they hid and had hospitals.

     A fourth initiator is the author of this web-page. He is not going to indulge in either home-stay or resorts, but will be helpful for those who do. The sahai-touring got his interest, and he has little by little for years GPS-surveyed the area for potential tourist options.
     The author has personal interest in and is planning to initiate 'astro-tours' in 2006 (see below).

Early morning fog in Phu Sri Than National Park as seen from the authors cottage

The authors former experiences in tourism.

     In the early 90es the author was among the first to introduce 'cultural tours' in Thailand. The itinerary included a few days 'home-stay' in a village: People, who do not know the life of the farmers do not know Thailand because the majority of the Thai people are still farmers.
     The concept was to pick up a small group of tourists in Bangkok and after a few days in the congested capital proceed in minibus to the Khao Yai National Park, which borders Central Thailand and Isan (NE-Thailand). After visiting the ancient Khmer temple Prasat Phanom Rung the accommodation would change from first class hotels and resorts to accommodation in a rice farming village in Central Isan. And after some days in the village (preferably in coincidence with one of the major annual festivals) then change accommodation to a top-class hotel in Khon Kaen, the 'capital city' of Isan. The change of accommodation standard would give the visitor a first hand impression of the social levels of Thailand, where the few are rich and the majority poor, many of them seasonally migrating to the big cities for low wage jobs in an afford to make ends meet.
     A variation of such a tour included neighbouring Laos, where the language and culture is very close to Isan, which centuries ago was a part of Laos (Lan Xang) power sphere.

In February 2003 the author joined a group of Elder-Hostellers from USA on request of North by North East Tours as a travelling lecturer, lecturing on subjects as Daily Life of the Isan People, Religious Traditions in Laos, Astro-archaeology in SE-Asia, Life along the Mekong, Cave Paintings at Pha Taem, and Khmer Religious Art in Present Day Isan. The 3 weeks tour in Isan and Laos was mostly to test if he liked being a host taking care of tourists. And he did like it! Mostly because the guests were literate and socially concerned senior people.

As a member of the Cultural Centre of Mukdahan Province (2004-05) the author occasionally guided Bangkok scholars around in Mukdahan Province together with Khun Surachit Chancharasakha.

In February 2005 North by North East Tours again employed the author, this time as an interpreter for two Canadian journalists, who on initiative of Thai Tourism Authority in Canada conducted a survey on ethnic groups along the Mekong River. Having only two guests the itinerary was changed along the way on demand of the guests. We visited ethnic Bru, So, Lao and Phutai villages along the same route the French explorer Etienne Aimonier travelled in the end of the 19th century and stayed in Kaeng Nang Village two nights also visiting the author's sundial/solar-gate-project. An article was published in the Canadian travel magazine OUTPOST in the May/June 2006 issue, no. 51.


Suan Mali reforestation and sundial site.

The national parks in the Phu Phan Mountain Range has a huge potential for eco-tourism.

1: Eco-tourism

The author has since 2002 discussed eco-tours and trekking with locals in Kaeng Nang Village and neighbouring villages. The below mentioned outlines for itineraries are subjects for further analyze. Local hunters are giving valuable feedback to the author, who has promised them employment as guides if trekking becomes reality. After initiation the author is not interested in either benefiting or participating in trekking.

Common for all tours:

Arrival to Khao Wong (night-bus from Bangkok) city 40 km from Kaeng Nang and from there proceed to by song-thaew bus or mini-bus.

Accommodation:

Village accommodation (home-stay): After arrival stay a few days in the village getting familiar with village life and accustomed to the weather, which is not the warm and dry weather, which Isan is infamous for (around New Year night temperatures can go down to 4 degrees Celsius).
A visit around Songkran (the Water Festival, April 13-16), Ork Phansa (the end of the Buddhist Lent around the full moon in October) or at New Year adds another dimension of natural fun.

Suan Mali (the author's reforestation project) could be used as base camp for trekking inside the Phu Sri Than National Park. Suan Mali has water all year round springing from the rock. Accommodation: Tent or cottages with mosquito nets.

The Royal Reforestation Project, 5 km west of the village, will most probably build cottages for accommodation in 2007/08. Until then camping is possible at the reservoir.

Tour-options:

Phu Lat Khuai Mountain
Location: Some 8 km away (by car to a nearby village). The mountain hosted a communist base-camp in the early 1970'es. The camp and its caves are hard to access and demand a medium good trekker, but cows and buffalos can access. Maybe staying overnight (camping).

Phu Sri Than Mountain:
     Trekking from Suan Mali some 5 km south to Ban Pa Kho Village, which is a village about to be evicted for the purpose of reforestation.
     Ban Pa Kho village is unique by having no access road, no electricity etc. Such remote villages are hard to find in modern day Isan.
     If/when evicted then the Royal Thai Forestry Department will set up a camp for reforestation. The location is surrounded by mountains and is the entry point to a) ascending the Phu Sri Than mountain (the tallest in the area) with a local guide (camping overnight?), b) continuing into the virginal jungle with century old trees and various wildlife (camping?), c) proceed south to the Phutai home stay village Ban Khok Kong.
     Ban Pa Kho can be accessed on motorbike. The author did the trip in April 2005 and continued south to Huai Daeng Village and Khok Kong Village south of the mountain, which was a hard ride.

New aspects: Pa Kho Village will probably be flooded within a few years. A dam is planned to be build only 1 km south of Suan Mali. A survey team did research in May 2005. At the time of writing, Nov. 2006, the authorities negotiate with the villagers about how/where to re-settle.
If or when, then it will be possible to sail to the last remnants of virginal parts of the jungle (!).

Phu Dong Paak Mountain:
     Trekking from Suan Mali some 6 km south-south-westwards to a Border Police camp at the foot of the mountain and ascending to a Forestry Department camp on the mountain top. From the flat mountain top there is a wide view over the jungle to the east and over rice fields and upland fields patterned between mountains to the west.
     Camping on the mountain top or at the foot of the mountain - or returning to Suan Mali?
     Trekking to the Forestry Departments camp demands a medium good trekker. Ascending is said to a harder task.

More mountains will be added as a result of the sahai-research mentioned above.

Other options in the vicinity of Kaeng Nang:

The Royal Reforestation Project's village for evicted forest-encroachers and the associated reforestation initiative is located some 4 km away and can be reached by car.

Kaeng Pho Waterfall 8 km away (by car) or That Thong Waterfall 14 km away (by car).

All day tours by car in the mountains stopping at spectacular views, forest-temples, weaving-projects, rice-wine projects, lakes/dams for swimming or fishing - all depending on the visitors choice.

Considerations:

The Phu Sri Than National Park is under the jurisdiction of the Royal Thai Boarder Police (D. CH. D.), so negotiation with and permission from this unit is needed.

Negotiation with and getting permission from The Royal Thai Forestry Department is needed too, but no obstacles are expected, because they themselves are interested in eco-tourism and has proposed to contribute with personnel.

2b: Astro-tours

Astro-tours or astro-archaeology-tours is a new concept in tourism and includes basic training in astronomy on the authors test-site and visits to those ancient Khmer temples in Cambodia, Thailand and/or Laos, which have embedded solar-alignments - on the correct date.

The concept is a tour visiting ancient Khmer temples on the days when there will be solar events as for example when the rising or setting sun will be visible through the gates of Prasat Phanom Rung. Other options are Prasat Phu Phek, Angkor Wat, Vat Phou (Wat Phu) - and many more.

An optimal astro-tour would start at the author's test-site on experimental astronomy in the Phu Phan Mountain Range in Mukdahan Province, NE-Thailand, staying some days and nights being introduced to basic astronomical aspects, which modern city-dwellers have forgotten being separated from nature.
The test-site, which is the only of its kind in Thailand, is an astro-archaeological experiment in determining the cardinal directions only by using the shadow of the sun - a method the ancient temple constructors most probably used as well.

The annual number of astro-tours will be limited because they will have to 'follow the sun': The beginning of March, at vernal equinox, the beginning of April, and around winter solstice. Autumnal equinox is in the end of the rainy season and the probability for observing sunsets and sunrises is low.
A tour could include trekking in the national park next to the test-site or home-stay in the author's village nearby.

In 2004 the author did a seven months GPS-based on-site research including solar-observations of Khmer temples along the Cambodian border in the southern part of NE-Thailand. This research revealed that many more temples than the hitherto known are options for astro-tours. A one-week visit to the Angkor area showed that the orientation of the temples in Cambodia shares the same pattern as in NE-Thailand.
After the rainy season 2005 the author will continue his on-site research - mainly in NE-Thailand. And in 2006 make tour-itineraries - and complete a book on the subject.

Astro-tours will be preformed exclusively by the author as special tours on the adequate occasions in corporation with a registered tour agency, who got the proper licenses.

2d: Cultural-tours

1. On the track of Etienne Aymonier: Phutai, So, Kha, and Lao ethnic groups.

     In the end of the 19th century the French explorer, Étienne Aymonier - or rather two of his four Cambodian subordinates - travelled inland from Ubon to Nakhon Phanom passing the Phu Phan Mountain Ridge in Mukdahan province.
     January 10, 1884 they set out from ''Mœuong Koutsin'' (nowadays Khao Wong), which at that time only ''had some fifty houses in a plain of rice fields amid mountains. From the village one could observe the ridge of Phou Phan''. ''The inhabitants were all Phou Thaї. The women appeared to my two Cambodians to be fairer than the Laotians, but more plump and with cruder features''. (p. 92). ''The people of Koutsin, entirely Phou Thaї, spoke the same language as the Laotians but pronounced it more quickly, so that a stranger had more problems understanding them.'' ... ''They continued their journey across rice fields and glade forests, which became a dense forest of téal, koki, and sre lao trees as they approached the Phou Phan. They climbed these hills, whose flanks were covered with tall trees growing on clay soil among sandstone rocks.'' (p. 93).
     They entered the Phu Phan Mountain Ridge close to the author's garden, Suan Mali, and made a stop-over in a Phutai village, Ban Phan (Kaeng Nang Village?). The next day they continued passing Dan Village (?), Tha Pœup Village (nowadays Tha Peu), and then traversed a plane on which great slaps of sandstone broke through the surface of the soil. The Lao more or less everywhere referred to such terrain as hin pha lan, 'stones of the sacred zone'. (p. 93). On January 12 they reached Ban Na Lak (same name today), a hamlet of twenty huts, populated by Soué from Ban Mouk (Mukdahan).
       Aymonier believed that the ''Soué of the Lao speaking areas correspond to the Kouї of the Cambodian provinces''. And he was nearly correct. What he called Soué is locally called So. They call themselves Bru, which is also the ethnographical term. Bru, Kha, Soué, and the Kouї all belong to the Mon-Khmer linguistic stock. The area around Ban Na Lak and the next mentioned village Dong Luang is still a cultural stronghold of the Bru.

(Étienne Aymonier: Isan Travels - Northeast Thailand's Economy in 1883-1884, Chapter 9, pp 87 - 107, see map p. 305, White Lotus Press, Bangkok 2000).

In January 2005 - and 121 years later - the author was interpreter for two Canadian journalists, who were doing research for an article about ethnic groups along the Mekong River from Nakhon Phanom to Ubon, sponsored by the Canadian branch of Tourism Authority of Thailand (T.O.T.). The author followed the old tracks inside the mountains, which are more picturesque than the bitumen road - and 40 km shorter.
An article was published in the Canadian travel magazine OUTPOST in the May/June 2006 issue, no. 51.

The area around Ban Kaeng Nang hosts four ethnic groups: Phutai, So, Kha, and Lao. Mukdahan province has at least nine ethnic groupings and there is a potential for cultural tourism. One Phutai village and one Lao village have already T.O.T.-sponsored home-stay options, where the visitor can experience village life, cultural show and exploration of the countryside.

The author is respected and well known in the area and can arrange 'everything'...

2. Phutai in Thailand and Laos

The author is presently working on a book on Phutai Language, Culture and History. The project includes field research about the Phutai in Mukdahan province and of the Phutai in the mountains near the Ho Chi Min Trail in southern Laos, from where the Phutai in Thailand origin.
A local Phutai friend of the author is presently writing a PHD on the Phutai and as he also has a licence to preform tours, cultural tours will be an obtion from late 2007.