Tachilek Things to Do

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Completely on a whim, we decided to cross the border from Mae Sai, Thailand into Tachileik. We obtained the required $5 day pass at the customs checkpoint, and traversed the Nam Ruak River. Once on the Myanmar side, it's almost like another world. There's a bustling marketplace mostly full of counterfeit goods, and plenty of little stalls featuring Burmese food. Also, atop a hill near the border is the temple Wat Phra That Doi Wao, which I did not visit, but I heard it provides some nice views.

I was most surprised by how strikingly different the people look, being just a few hundred meters from Thailand.... for instance, most of the women (and some men) wear a glistening yellow powder on their faces in various shapes and patterns. Apparently this cosmetic is made from a mixture of tree bark and water, which serves to beautify and protect the skin from the sun.

Bottom-line: Going to Tachileik is interesting for the passport stamp and observing its diverse inhabitants, however there's not much to do here for more than a couple hours.

I went bacause I thought it would be quaint to have Myanmar stamped in my passport. My excite ment in crossing the boreder from Thailand was shortlived as Tachilek was like a wild west frontier town without the fun. It was a waste of time. I felt sorry for the people there as there was a mark edcontrast between Thailand and Burma in terms of the people. I'm sure as Burmese people are as welcoming as any asian country but not in Tachilek. You can smell the oppression in the air. no smiles to be seen which is understandable.

Just across the border bridge from Thailand is a large street market. It caters primarily to locals but there are some shops selling Burmese crafts such as lacquer and wood carving. Otherwise, it is mainly interesting from the standpoint of seeing local people going about their daily lives. There are many beggars in the market, and no doubt they will find you. Supposedly many forms of contraband can be bought at this market, such as tiger body parts, but I didn't see any of this.

I found the "SPADER-MAN" toy shown in this picture quite amusing!

This was the only temple that we visited in Myanmar. The architecture was very unique, much different than you find on the temples in Thailand. The inside walls were painted with murals depicting different scenes of the Buddha, and the Buddha statue on the central alter was white with a rounded face and red lips (again very different from the Buddhas you see in Thailand).

Perched atop a small hill overlooking the city is an impressive large golden paya, or stupa, that was built as a replica of Yangon's famous Shwedagon Pagoda. The large central spire is flanked by many small spires and the whole thing shines quite brightly in the midday sun.

Children hang around the entrance, selling candles and flowers to visitors as offerings. The paya was also being patrolled by a very young soldier carrying a machine gun (he looked no older than 16).