Fang & Back - A Fang Meander

UPDATE JULY 2015

Still pottering around Fang & the town is booming. Loads of new hotels, restaurants + a few pubs & numerous new moo banns being built. The pace of change is staggering but Fang is still a classic traditional rural up-country town - & its not that easy to find places still with a bit of classic charm. There are still plenty of beautiful old wooden residences / shops (not yet bulldozed & replaced by concrete shop houses.). Long live Fang.

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The city pillar at night

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Out to the east of Fang across the Fang River & on the road to Mae Saluk there is a massive new temple being built.

Wat Thamma Chaloen

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Back in town on the west side....the Wat Chong Paen is looking magnificent

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Wat Thep Amnuay

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The big black Buddha above the memorial shrine to Fang's saving prince & princess

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is now a gold colour

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Fang is a beauty of a classic town. Take your time, ride around the back streets. Spend a night or two there. Don't pass by in a rush thinking it is a backwater. It is worth it.

I counted at least 10 new hotels in town & then there are heaps of new coffee shops & restaurants

The Galileo - the new upmarket restaurant

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The Crepe Cafe - something I'd never ever expected to see in Fang

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Check out the GTR Fang accommodation tips

Fang Accommodation

Preeya Mansion a gem of a find A nice building + under cover parking 350 baht! Air con, gas hot water. Strong WiFi. Cable TV - BBC . Big beds. Tables. Cupboards Get a downstairs room - Room A1 & a view of your bike parked under cover Contact details GPS Waypoint: N19 55...
www.gt-rider.com www.gt-rider.com


Check out the GTR Fang restaurant tips

Fang Restaurants

Fang A new, good & funky place to eat at is Uncle Jack's Hideaway Uncle Jack is a great guy & has a sense of humour - note the hours of business. Uncle Jack's Hideaway Uncle Jack & The SEO Guy The SEO GUy was highly impressed with UJ's genuine moustache. Captain Slash, what your missing...
www.gt-rider.com www.gt-rider.com
 
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DavidFL said:
Fang still has one other interesting piece of history - the Fang oil fields & petroleum museum.

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What's that you say Fang oil fields?
Yep that's right oil fields & a refinery in Fang.

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Oil was first discovered in Fang over a hundred years ago, when oil was found seeping out of the ground. A well was built & the oil, believed to be magic was used as an ointment for skin infections.

In 1921 the first real wells were drilled with steam power by Prince Kampangphet Akkarayothin & a US Geologist Wallace Lee.

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These first wells were dry & abandoned, but in 1958 HM The King & Queen visited the oil fields & ceremoniously spud a well.

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Since then over 240 wells have been drilled in the Fang basin.

There have been 7 oil reservoirs
1. Chaiprakarn (abandoned 1984)
2. Mae Soon
3. Pongnok (abandoned 1985)
4. Sansai
5. Nongyao
6. Sanjang
7. Banthi

According to the Petroleum Museum, there are currently 60 wells scattered around the Fang basin. Not all are in production. Wells are used for 9 months, then closed down for 3 months for servicing. The total oil production is 1,200 barrels a day. The Mae Soon field is the biggest producer.

The Museum entrance

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and indeed these must have been exciting adventurous days.

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And just a few hundred metres east of the museum & refinery is another shrine.

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The Jao Por Kor Mue Lek Shrine.
Considered one of the most holy places in Fang.
Jao Por Kor Mue Lek was a fine warrior & the leading warrior for the King of Fang in the battles against the Burmese.
It is believed he is the protector of the Fang land & its treasures.
In drilling for oil in the Fang basin several miraculous events related to safe & successful drilling have occurred & homage paid to Jao Por Kor Mue Lek accordingly.
His shrine is highly respected by the staff of the refinery & drilling operations.
Click to expand...

This is great info, had no idea oil drilling took place in Fang.
Must visit on my next trip up north.
 
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Reactions: DavidFL
2020 & still meandering around Fang - there's a lot out there to the West.

Nam Roo
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Nam Roo is a pretty forest park situated west of Fang. It is a popular family picnic spot with a nice pond for which the water comes from a spring at the site.

The spring & water source
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The pond is situated on a hill and there are some outstanding views of the surrounding countryside
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Check it out sometime
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You take the hot springs road from Fang & continue straight, following the signs, then you turn left
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Nam Roo is on the new GTR GT map coming out
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Google Maps Location: Google Maps
 
Last edited:
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Reactions: Eoin Christie
DavidFL said:
Fang still has one other interesting piece of history - the Fang oil fields & petroleum museum.

View attachment 67402

What's that you say Fang oil fields?
Yep that's right oil fields & a refinery in Fang.

View attachment 67403

Oil was first discovered in Fang over a hundred years ago, when oil was found seeping out of the ground. A well was built & the oil, believed to be magic was used as an ointment for skin infections.

In 1921 the first real wells were drilled with steam power by Prince Kampangphet Akkarayothin & a US Geologist Wallace Lee.

View attachment 67404

View attachment 67405
View attachment 67406
These first wells were dry & abandoned, but in 1958 HM The King & Queen visited the oil fields & ceremoniously spud a well.

View attachment 67407

View attachment 67408

Since then over 240 wells have been drilled in the Fang basin.

There have been 7 oil reservoirs
1. Chaiprakarn (abandoned 1984)
2. Mae Soon
3. Pongnok (abandoned 1985)
4. Sansai
5. Nongyao
6. Sanjang
7. Banthi

According to the Petroleum Museum, there are currently 60 wells scattered around the Fang basin. Not all are in production. Wells are used for 9 months, then closed down for 3 months for servicing. The total oil production is 1,200 barrels a day. The Mae Soon field is the biggest producer.

The Museum entrance

View attachment 67409

View attachment 67410

and indeed these must have been exciting adventurous days.

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View attachment 67412

View attachment 67413

And just a few hundred metres east of the museum & refinery is another shrine.

View attachment 67414

View attachment 67415
View attachment 67416

View attachment 67417

The Jao Por Kor Mue Lek Shrine.
Considered one of the most holy places in Fang.
Jao Por Kor Mue Lek was a fine warrior & the leading warrior for the King of Fang in the battles against the Burmese.
It is believed he is the protector of the Fang land & its treasures.
In drilling for oil in the Fang basin several miraculous events related to safe & successful drilling have occurred & homage paid to Jao Por Kor Mue Lek accordingly.
His shrine is highly respected by the staff of the refinery & drilling operations.
Click to expand...

The Jao Por Kor Mue Lek Shrine.
maps.app.goo.gl

à¸à¸¸à¸à¸¢à¸²à¸à¸§à¸µà¸£à¸à¸£à¸£à¸¡à¹à¸à¹à¸²à¸à¹à¸à¸à¹à¸à¸¡à¸·à¸à¹à¸«à¸¥à¹à¸ · R6XC+M52 Unnamed Road Mae Kha, Fang District, Chiang Mai 50110, Thailand

âââââ · Religious destination
maps.app.goo.gl maps.app.goo.gl

It would seem as if there is an annual fair / festival celebrating the heroics of The Jao Por Kor Mue Lek Shrine.
In 2025 the event is just concluding now.

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Sorry I missed it.

Info source: Inside Fang,
'
 
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