THIS POST IS a continuation of our South Thailand Road Trip posts. Click below for tips on “How to cross the Thai-Malaysia Boarder by car” and our escapades in South Thailand..
1. Crossing the boarder: South Thailand : Lenggong – Pengkalan Hulu – Betong Connection
2. Betong Part 1: Warfare, Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll?
3. Betong Part 2: South Thailand and the Redlight Schwing…
Months before this trip, a Malaysian friend residing in northern Thailand heard we were going to explore the southern extremities. Out of concern, an email arrived in our inbox discouraging us from pursuing this perilous journey. He had heard and read many stories of murders, be-headings, bomb explosions and shootings from the northern Thai news. I guess it’s similar to the news we receive in the Malaysian media except north and central Thailand may get a whole lot more of it, with added sensationalism. Should we stay or should we go? Since we’ve already crossed the border, why not delve a little deeper… deeper into the dark territory where the evil lurks behind every rubber and banana tree…
Yala.. the Muslim part of town..
Above: we thought we’d share pictures of the more ‘extreme’ side of Yala first… of course.. the only extreme thing we found was the extremely friendly locals with big smiles for us tourists. Look at the big wide smiles of the military peeps with their M-16 rifles. Cumi wanted a picture holding the M-16 but they declined… with a smile again.
So we crossed the railway tracks into the non-Muslim part of town, no ruckus anyway, no bombs going off, no helter skelter, no drive by shootings and no madmen wielding machetes. Maybe these things happen when darkness falls! It’s quite possible as well that the civil unrest happens in the outskirts where there is less policing.
Yala , Chinese part of town & Non-halal food
In Malaysia, the house above would be an abandoned home. In Thailand, its a humble abode built ’embracing’ nature. Across the street, we dropped in to a thai chinese economy rice shop. Of course, it was a little queue of people that attracted us here and the half-cut pig face. We didn’t spend much time in Yala as there wasn’t much attraction here and the locals we talked to suggested we continue our journey to the north.
The Need for Speed..
Driving in Thailand is simply amazing. Not just because it’s new territory to us, but the drivers are extremely polite and thoughtful. They don’t honk, cut you off indiscriminately, stomp on their brakes without thinking of cars behind, show you the finger, and/or give you c*ck stares, if you’ve accidentally disturbed their driving experience – something we often do ourselves. The general Thai’s are just extremely courteous, giving you the right of way, if they know they can’t beat your speed, or if their junk is a real smoke sputter-er, or if they anticipate you are a road demon or a crazy Malaysian driver wanting to overtake them:P No speed traps as well. It’s actually impossible to keep to the speed denoted on any signage, you’d have to ride a bullock cart – that’s our excuse anyway!
Come to think of it, we didn’t even see any accidents throughout our road trip.
On to a song… Songkhla!
Seriously? You CAN drive that far up north? I was thinking, was there a limit as to which territory you may/may not cross.
Actually .. One can drive most anywhr one wants.. Just observe local rules and be vigilant.. Like u would in any foreign country anyway.. 😉
nice road trip, wondering what music your were listening to? 🙂
3HT .. oh ! you just asked the right questions.. S***loads of music on our MP3 player.. music for every occasion , but mainly upbeat, happy roadtrip sorta music to keep us awake on the long stretches 😎
Awsome, really miss a good road trip 🙂
ya, u two possess the courage of lions. most of us would be too chicken to go there. 😀
aww gee thx sean.. but really, it’s not that bad. Feel safer in Thais than in some plcs in KL!
Ya lar, what took you guys so long to blog about the rest of the trip? Cis!
Love Cumi and his leprechaun hat! ROFL
Munkey.. well, too many things to do.. it kinda got lost in the mail. but NOW, the posts will be up before end 2010! woo hoo! Yar cumi being INCOGNITO.. fail! haha
Even though Betong is notorious place for men yet I’ve never been there before. I guess I’m a good man.
Nice place to go guys! 5 bintang!!
are you saying that J2kfm is not a good boy? he goes to Betong often! chis.. 😛
Why is CUMI a leprechaun? *lol*
Looks like a nice trip! (but ya loh, like munkey boy said – the posts are so far apart! Not that I should really comment – quite a few of my travel posts also tergendala already. Haha….)
yea, like i said to monkey, cumi incognito. and our posts are not late.. its just in time for the festive season mah:P
OMG you guys are so brave *salutes*
Eiling… no la.. it’s not that bad.. i use to worry, but things were really cool in southern thais!