Day 14 Mukdahan gateway to Indochina
November 24, 2009 by Don Ross
Filed under Blogs, Don Ross, Mekong Odyssey 09
Technically it is called a wind chill factor when the temperature you feel is a good 5 degrees below what the thermometer displays. It felt like 15 degrees Celsius as we left Nakhon Phanom for the 54 km ride to That Phanom. We had perfect conditions – four-lane highway, quite deserted and a brisk wind pushing us southwards.
Phra That Phanom, possibly the most revered of all Buddhist sites in I-san, survived a serious earthquake during the 1960s that damaged the chedi, but there is no sign of that catastrophe, In mint condition, the golden tipped chedi and temple roofs reflect the morning sun, making it the perfect photo background for throngs of local tourists. Facing the Mekong and Laos, beyond, it is a symbol of I-san’s religious heritage and attracts thousands of visitors daily.
It is particularly significant for people born in the year of the monkey or on a Monday. I am not sure why but if you are a monkey then a visit is going to bestow a blessing. I qualify, so I hope the blessing will give me a breeze at my back and cool weather all the way to Ubon.
You could literally spend hours in the temple courtyard admiring the architecture or mediating in its quiet cloisters.
We have just one hour to spare and we want to check out the village to see if there are any hotels or restaurants in the vicinity. One small hotel had that dated appearance, usually associated with properties built just after World War II with hefty timbers, shutters at the windows and tiny balconies.
While we are fascinated by the heritage of That Phanom and the old world charm of its houses and hotel, we recognise that our daily ride is sustained on the food we order. Again the PTT gasoline station with its 7-Eleven saves the day with its CP hot meals. We microwave them at the store and stick into a meal that sells for Bt32 to Bt40. In the past, the daily cycle ride would have been sustained on noodles and fried rice.
Peter notes as he wheels into a PTT station for an afternoon refuel, “7-Eleven has changed the face of road travel in Thailand.”
We see a few motorcyclists travelling north as we head towards Mukdahan, 54 km from That Phanom, noting whatever transport you choose this is a great country to explore. The road is not as smooth or wide now, but we tuck in closely to the white line and thankfully all drivers are courteous and give us a wide berth.
I-san people are very hospitable and friendly, waving to us as we journey slowly towards Mukdahan. Over the last 20 km the road improves widening out with four lanes and even a lane for motorcycles.
Just 9 km from the town we see the sign for the Thailand Laos Friendship Bridge No 2. At an intersection we turn left on to a highway leading up to a very impressive customs and immigration terminal and beyond the bridge itself.
The question on our minds is: “Can we ride the bikes across?” The lady in the customs kiosk is friendly, but rules are rules and one of them states no cycles allowed on a friendship bridge.
“It’s a motorway,” she tells us with a smile. “You will have to beg a lift in a pick-up or take a bus across.”
There were queues of cars, trucks and tankers waiting to pass customs, while close by travellers disembarked from a bus to pass through immigration.
Contrary to publicity, this is not a one-stop shop where you check-out of one country and check-in the other all in one building. No that would be far too simple a solution. Travellers need the stress of crossing the bridge and repeating the whole process all over again. I have no idea what would happen if the Lao immigration refused entry. It is quite a long walk back across the bridge.
Mukdahan is a busy little town with an imposing boulevard facing the river. Again I am astounded at the width of the river and the volume of water passing by.
The most important spot is undoubtedly the Indochina Market where you could buy anything short of a second hand coffin. Crowded with tourists it’s the heart of the town’s commerce until the clock strikes 1800, when it disappears as fast as dusk becomes night.
A block away the night market strikes up with the same array of food and deserts as we found in Nakhon Phanom.
We check in the Huanum Hotel right in the centre of town. Rooms cost Bt300. The hotel has free internet in the lobby and when the owner sees we have cycles, she put us in the ground floor rooms allowing us to roll up to the door and fall off in a heap on the bed. That is cycling friendly.
Today, we have travelled 110 km from a town that will be the site of friendship bridge No 3, when it opens in 2012, to a town that has enjoyed the benefits of a bridge for three years already.
Mukdahan is a key junction on a road network called the East-West Corridor. In the minds of developers the corridor will ultimately link towns in Myanmar and Thailand to Laos and Vietnam’s central region and ultimately the ports on the Gulf of Tonkin.
To residents, the bridge just moved the heavy vehicles 9 km north of the town and left the ferries operating as normal. If you are Thai, Lao or even Vietnamese you can cross the border on these ferries that operate from the town centre. All other nationalities are forced to travel north to the bridge and complete immigration and customs formalities. There is even a small resort near the bridge, Indochina Homestay for those in transit.
I suppose that is called a new revenue stream, but for Mukdahan shopkeepers, life goes on with the revenue stream the Mekong has supplied for generations.
Tale of the Tape: Today’s distance 110 km; average speed 23 kph; cumulative distance 1,210.12 km.
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Email details to the Mekong Odyssey 09 email mekongodyssey09@ttreport.com attention Don and Peter.
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