The Golden Triangle

So, here I am right in the so called Golden Triangle at Chiang Saen on the borders of Thailand, Laos and Mayanmar. Moments after this photo, the Jai and I were on our way across the Mekong River into Laos for the day....but Laos is another country and another story and this is about Thailand.

Close to this 'monument' is an incredible 'museum' dedicated to the horrors of Opium production and addiction and, of course, Britain's massive role in promoting the Opium Trade into China in the 19th Century. The Thais are brilliant at creating museums and this has to be one to visit even if you usually detest museums.

But, for a taste of China without having to go into the country, it's worth making the scenic mountaineous drive slightly east to Mae Salong. In 1949 the 93rd Regiment of the Chinese Kuomintang fled to Myanmar from China after the 1949 Chinese Revolution. In 1961 the 'Regiment' was froced to leave Myanmar and moved across the border into Thiland. The Thai government granted them 'rufugee' status and incorporated them into Thai society without much success until the 1980's. Many of the ex-Kuomintang involved themselves in the opium trade and were a hardened and disciplined force to be reckoned with. It's taken a great deal of fighting and subsequent political manouvering for the region to turn itself into a tea and coffee growing area rather than one of opium production.

Mae Salong is very much 'off the beaten track' and with its Chinese descendants it has retained its Chinese traditions with the town being like a town in Southern China's Yunnan Province.

Nestled up in the hills are a number of guest houses with stunning views. Here, The Jai, complete with a bottle of Chang Beer, heads into the undergrowth and down to our bungalow for the night which was set on a tea growing farm with stunning views across the valley.

I decided to get up at 6am to take photo's of the dawn. Temperature?? 8 degrees!! And did anyone warn me?? Nope...so armed with T-Shirt, shorts and flip flops I shivered through the dawn determined to take some sunrise shots. Pretty stupid, eh?

As dawn broke, this was the view from the bungalow balcony...it was worth the chilly start!

This year I have been attempting to learn the basics of the Thai written language. I go to 'school' twice a week with 10 other silly sods and together we mutter and muble our way through the complexities of the Thai alphabet with its 44 consonants and 26 vowels overlaid with 5 tones. I am pleased to anounce we are all equally useless but we have a good laff and our three charming Thai lady teachers quite enjoy slapping our legs....see, it's ALL different over here. Ah, yes, and we have to address our teachers as Khun Kruu suay...which means 'Honoured and beautiful teacher'. Ha Ha..imagine that 'back home'. We'd ALL be arrested...

Anyhow...I've been struggling to learn Thai but there's nothing in Thai in Mae Salong...it's all in Chinese. Bugga.....couldn't understand a darn word. This bit of Chinese writing is the Dinsom menu at the lcoal steam shop.

Now these are proper dimsoms....in fact they are called man-toh which means steamed Chinese buns. Filled with all sorts of things, depending on what you like, they are brilliant for breakfast on a chilly morning. Here's our chap making the delicious little things....we got there just before a coachload of Chinese tourists turned up and attacked everything that was left.

The Mae Salong region is all about tea growing. There are delightful tea houses all over the mountain. You can pull up, enjoy the scenery and be treated to 93,000 different types of tea to sample. And, along wih the tea, you are served up with these colourful fruits and sweets. It's just great!!

Tea production is now seriously big business with amassive export market. Here's the interior of a Tea Shop with some of the produce on display. We bought all the gubbins..teas, tea pot, tea maker etc etc...excellent. And we we used any of it?? Nope...of course not...as I only drink coffee and Jai says the packets of tea are 'too pretty' to open.

And after this entetaining insight into how a whole region has been coverted away from opium into tea, we drove back down the mountains and back into Chiang Rai.

Chiang Rai and the White Temple

Although there is plenty going on in Phuket, Thailand really is an amazing country with STACKS to see and do. Maybe your holiday could embrace a bit of a sight seeing adventure and then start or end up here with me in Phuket. Or simply just break your stay in Phuket with a couple of plane trips (Phuket to Bangkok/Bangkok to Chiang Rai...or somewhere 'up North') to sample the different climate and scenery. I would very much recommend purchasing a Lonely Planet Guide to Thailand if you are coming here and have a look at some of the maps, places and information given in this essential traveller's handbook to get an idea of what might appreal to you. Chiang Rai, for example, is nearly as far north in Thailand as you can go before hitting the Laos or Myanmar borders. Morning temperatures are in the 12 degrees range (ideal for sight seeing) but climbing to the mid 20's by afternoon (in the Dec to Feb period). It's a delightful northern town but has a dramatic and very popular attraction in the White Temple, correct name being Wat Rong Khun.

Whereas all other Thai temples (Wats) are extremely colurful the White Temple is exactly what it says it is....white! This effect is due to a 'combination of whitewash and clear -mirrored chips' giving an impression of 'glittering porcelain'. This temple's construction began in 1997 and is due to continue for some time yet as the artist/architect Chalermchai Kositpipat incorporates more of the world's 'events' into his murals and paintings as they unfold.

I know art is very much to an Individual's taste etc but the paintings inside Chalermchai's on-site studio are nothing short of brilliant if at times inventively futuristic. I bought a couple of prints for the house...with the orginals selling in the region of $6,000! He is an extremely productive artist with a lot of work on display and the funds he raises are used to develop his masterpiece, the Temple itself which is a incredible and gigantic work of art.

So...if you get to Chiang Rai...this is a 'must see' and invites an opposite and stunning artisitic stance within the framework of the traditional Thai temple.

A busy time!!

It's been a hectic 8 days which have seen me in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar in my attempts to find a big Mekong catfish. The Jai joined me for a few days of sight seeing along the mountains between Myanmar and Thailand...one time Bandit Country, the mecca of the south east Asian Opium trade before dramatic changes took place in the 1980's onwards and the locals were persuaded it would be better for their health if they grew tea and coffee instead!!

Thailand is stuffed full of fascinating sights, lakes, mountains, rivers, temples, many different ethnic minority 'tribes' and cultures. As Thailand is a long country running from 20 degrees North right down to 5 degrees North, the temperature varies enormously. Our fishing today was taking place in temperatures of 34 degrees C. 5 days ago, right up in the north of the country, I was fishing in just 8 degrees C.

Anyhow, these next days of fishing had been carefully worked out thanks to our Game Fishing Captain, John Pearce, in Phuket who knows anyone in the fishing world worth knowing. He had put me onto our guide, Gob, and Gob..altho' we didn't see much of him in his disguise during the day...was excellent and worked really hard to keep us catching right through the day.

The first lake was a good hour's drive north of Bangkok and contained a variety of monster fish including carp to 50kg (yeah....over 100lb!), arapima to 150kg (????what???) and catfish to 100kg. We had come for the catfish....and that's exactly what we caught.

These fish are tough. We needed heavy weight spinning rods and bait runners which were loaded with 30lb mono to 60lb braided hook lengths set just below bait cages. The hook wasn't baited...it just hung free beneath the rice bait ball.

The cats fight with agressive resistance and can be hard to control. The main problem is encroaching on another angler's swim or not being able to stop the fish going under the wooden pylons that support the fishing piers.

In the first photo you can see the houses that you can rent. At £40 per day and able to sleep up to 4, it's a better bet to spend a couple of days on this lake rather than having to travel as we did. We had been warned the journey back could take twice as long because of the Bangkok traffic (the warnings were correct!)

Now, you all know that Thai people can squat all day long with no ill effect. Here I am practicing the semi squat...which is, I can assure you, painful. The reason I am in this daft position is that my 30lb catfish has hurled across the lake towards me and gone belting under the bloody pier trying to take me with it. It took a good 15 minutes to get this buggar back out....not funny when it's a tad warm and the sun is beating on your back. You will also see that The Jai insists I look smart when I am fishing and had only packed my long trousers....bloody great!

Anyhow...with magnificent dexterity...(Gob, our guide handhauled the damn thing out) I coaxed the monster to the net.

Meanwhile our Bertie had more than got the hang of these rascals. The first one (well over 20kg) hurt him. Now Bert's a strong lad, but it's all about technique and making the rod do the work. These fish really are nuts and definitely on drugs...if you bully them they just get angry. What's that Blazing Saddles phrase...'Don't shoot Mungo...he just gets angry'. Wel, give these critters a bit too much grunt to start with and they don't respond too happily either!

Gary has gone over to the Dark Side. He is now a full time Commercial Fisherman back in sunny Weymuff. He doesn't bother with a rod...just reaches in and pulls 'em out. (What? Mungo's mate, you say? Dunno what you mean).

Meanwhile....my next bloody fish had also gone back round the piles. I get the feeling Gary's technique is a lot easier. They certainly put a LOT of pressure on your back when they're jammed underneath you....

Bertie started and finished the day with the biggest fish. We caught at least 10 each. We lost count. So, 30 fish (at least) at an average 20kg = 600kg = 1300lb approx...well, that's pretty impressive for a 6 hour session using just two rods between the three of us.

We met a lot of very fanatical visiting anglers around the lake. Two German lads were on a ten day fishing trip...and then were going back to Germany for two months before returning in April for a 60 day freshwater fishing marathon all round north Thailand. I got some good hints and places from them to go....we are just scratching the surface...there is SO MUCH excellent fishing here to explore. Gary, Bert and I have already got next year's first place in mind. There's a big dam across the River Kwai (as in the film) at Kanchaburi to the north west of Bangkok. Gob has described the snakeheads that live there. We are hoping to do a three day stint there and stay in one of the floating bungalows on the massive lake.....

Meanwhile Steve 'el Crusty Thorne has already ear marked a three day stint at Gillams fishery over to the east of Phuket for Dec this year...and that is definitely a world class venue. You know, chaps, it IS all about how much money you are prepared to pay as freshwater fishing is not cheap. Keeping a big lake stocked with quality big fish is an expensive business....so the angler MUST pay or it just won't work.

Saying that though...we shall be off to our lake in Phuket in the next day or so...and that's £20 for the day. We're also booked to go sea fishing tomorrow evening with our favourite longtail boat Thai Captain....so it's all busy busy....

We finished our day off in the lake's tackle shop!! I mean...look at it. And the gear is real top quality Shimano stuff with plenty of fixed spool reels in the £600++ bracket. Some of the top Shimano bait runners were well over a £Grand. We, miserable paupers that we are, purchased 3 sets of tackle for our next day's baramundi fishing at £150 for the lot!

The Jai laughs at us and calls us 'Keeneo' which apparantly means 'Tight Old Gits' or some such equivalent.

I have many more stories to relate...but I have a feeling the next few days are going to dominate the past ones..Happy Days and Keep Fishing.

Baramundi!!

We had been warned that the baramundi fishing took place in a very exposed area well to the north of where we fished the previous day. When we met our guides Gob (yeah; I know...you all think I make these names up) and Tinkle (see! Well...that was their names...so there) we could tell we were in for some serious heat. Gob and Tinkle were dressed like members of the Taliban and we never got to see Tink's face all day...


Yep; it WAS hot exposed and hot.....but at least there was the beginnings of a five star resort for us to shelter under when the need arose for drink breaks....water only in this case!




There were 50 lakes set in the middle of no-where. They are breeding ponds for the baramundi so, from an angling point of view, it's cheating. The Thai owner is on to something good here....the baramundi are being bred for the Bangkok resturants with each lake netting (get it?!) £20,000 per year. That makes a cool £1 mill. And, as a bit of a bonus for his workers, he allows a LITTLE bit of fishing (we were the only three anglers allowed that day...ah, such influence one has) to take place in one of the lakes where the fish are just about ready to be taken to market.


It cost us £45 each for the day's fishing, plus tips and taxi (taxi had to stay with us all day as we were so far from anywhere) and the fishing gear we had to buy...so it ain't cheap...£100 each approx...but what an experience. (I put the financial details in for you lovely readers so you can get an idea what dosh you need to bring when you come for your holiday here with me!!!). Resembling bass, baramundi are manic fighters. These lakes were only a couple of metres deep so the fish leapt well clear of the water in their efforts, often successful, to throw the lures.

Obviously there's no tackle shop around so we had to provide our own gear. We bought, under our guide's advice, very light Shimano spinning rods with small Shimano fixed spool reels loaded with 20lb green braid. Because of the power of these fish we needed 60lb mono leader tied to the braid with the correct tapered bimini twist leader knot (you know the one lads, that one you all practise tying regularly in the evenings).

The leaders were tied to a variety of lures, mainly rapalas. Some were sinking and others were more like poppers. It was nice to try a couple of different types. But, with so many fish within a contained area, we couldn't go wrong. I guess we must have had 60 between us...maybe more. The fish were mainly in the 4kg range which is the size the restaurants want?

Here we are then, the three Musketeers with three of our hard fighting fish. All the fish were released as they were due to be shipped out later in the week.

OK...there was no challenge in this as regards the actually tracking down of the quarry and fishing in remote, untamed and natural surroundings BUT we caught stacks of manic fish on as light as tackle as we were advised. A brilliant if extremely hot day. The secret was just to be sensible and get in the shade now and then, drink plenty of water and stick a few cubes of ice under your hat!!

Phuket Game Park

Steve El Crusty Thorne and Capt'n Whittall of Weymouth's latest excursion to the Phuket Game Park resulted in the Capt'n (me) attracting hoards of adoring crowds and small children to view the biggest catfish ever recorded (I lie) from this water. This fine 16kg catfish fell to a deftly presented bit of bread squeezed onto a size 14 (hmmm...dunno how sizes are worked out over here....looked like a size 2 to me) thick shanked hook to a 30lb braid trace. The running leger rig incorporated a bait cage with a good handful of bread/fruit/stuff crammed into it. The filled 'bait cage' acts as the weight to cast the bait into the middle of the lake which is apparently 10 metres deep.


This was though, take note Mr Derby and other followers of the legendary Crusty's angling exploits, Mr Thorne's day. His Siamese carp was just on 19kg (over 40lb!) and was the biggest fish of the day and the heaviest to be caught from the lake so far this year....well, it IS the 10th Jan already!

This has made Steve's lake fishing something very special....a 40lb plus freshwater fish is a very fine catch.

And one more before it was released...to show the justifiably ecstatic angler enjoying a final wet wriggle against his toned and tanned body before the fish was returned.

That's the end of Steve's fishing for this holiday. The next fishing adventure will be when I meet Gary and Bert in Bangkok on 22nd Jan. I have arranged for a Thai fishing guide to take us to two waters to the north of the Capital. Our first venue contains some monster catfish...up to 350lb!!!! (I've seen the photographic evidence) Day 2 will be fishing for baramundi using spinning tackle. I am assured to expect anything between 20 to 50 fish each in the 5kg to 12kg range per day. I'm going to invest in a couple of rods/reels for this second day as then we'll have some tackle for the lake in Phuket. It costs quite a high percentage of the overall daily cost in Phuket if we hire rods....so this may be a way to reduce the outlay a bit.

I have made enquiries at Gillhams Fishery over in Krabi. These venues are not cheap...Gillhams is £100 per day (approx) but it has to be regarded as one of the top freshwater venues in the world now. I know that's the sort of stupid claim made by many venues or in various tourist guides...but in the case of Gillhams, it is definitely an accurate description.

It seems like Gary and Bert won't have time for my proposed trip there after the Bangkok lakes....so, I can see me going there on my own at the end of February.

The point of this drivel though is to emphasise just how much amazing freshwater fishing there is available. For you keen anglers, there is just so much on offer....what a winter's holiday you could have here!!

Rawai Sea Gypsy Fish Market

One very special treat is to drive down to Rawai Fish Market and wait for the boats to come in and unload their days catch. Here's the Jai and Om (Bristol Faery's missus) waiting to pounce. Those gals argue every gramme of fish down to the lowest Baht...the poor old Sea Gypsy fishermen must dread it went the Thai women descend on them (mmm?)



The fish are landed and spread out across a number of family stalls right on the sea's edge. There's a huge variety of species witha few reasonable sized fish...these fish come from 20 miles offshore along the 150 metere drop offs and are caught in large 'fish cages'...a bit like a big square lobster pot....the 'cages' are hauled each ay.




Shell fish is not cheap anywhere in the world....so it's good to have the ferocious bartering prowess of Om in particular....

These lobsters are extremely tasty...much sweeter than our home back home but no claws...well, scraggy little claws...the meat is all in the body.




Crusty Steve likes to wander around and look lkike he's in control of the bartering....here's his 'How much??? You can get stuffed' look...bugga me but he's scarey, ain't he? If you were a weather beaten, sun baked Sea Gypsy Commercial Fisheman's wife...you'd be scared of him wouldn't you????

Anyhow, with 4 kilo of tiger prawns, several lobsters, a dose of crabs, a gurt plateful of green lipped mussels and a selection of fresh fish all bough back to the resturant opposite the fish stall for cooking....the gang set to it. It may be seen that our own group expands somewhat during such occasions as Horst (our esteemed EFSA World Presidente) and his family always seem to appear when there's a chance of a bit of free scram about.