Phayaprai & Lahu New Year 2024

[DavidFL]

Phayaprai is one of those remote villages "at the end of the road"right out there on the Thai / Myanmar border.

Phaya Phrai Lao Cho Border · 8JJ7+M3W, Thoet Thai, Mae Fa Luang District, Chiang Rai 57240, Thailand

Border guard

maps.app.goo.gl

It's actually "3 villages in one", Lahu, Akha & Shan, called Phayaprai collectively.

3 kms from the original Choui Fong tea plantation, that kicked started the North Thailand tea plantation boom & which was heavily supported by the Royal Project get going, survive, develop the area & support the mountain people in the area, Phayaprai really does have a magic feeling nestled up on that border ridgeline.

Chiang Khong- Thoed Thai.

From Chiang Khong it's a 122kms blast up & over Paradise Road, then through the flat rice paddies & R1016, to hook up with the Mae Salong Road R130 & back into the mountains, to the Akha Sam Yaek turn off & then down that amazing road into Thoed Thai.

Daddy's Coffee is my new fave stop on R1130 for a cuppa & a pee with a view.

5.40PM is my check in time at the Rim Taan Gh, my fave GH in North Thailand, & what a gem of a place it is. Everyone should stay there sometime!

Thoed Thai Accommodation

Rim Taan Guest House 15 Mu 1, Thoed Thai Mae Fah Luang, Chiang Rai Tel: 053730209 400 baht a night Plus A definite GT Rider favourite. Rim Taan Guesthouse is on the GT Rider Golden Triangle guide map. https://www.thegtrider.com/maps-of-thailand-laos-maps/golden-triangle-map

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My fave restaurant the Saraburi, run by Lamduan has moved & is no longer so attractive in the new location; so the Ting Ting it is from now on for the old GTR fellah. And they always have good anyway, so zero complaints.

Thoed Thai Restaurants

Sala Pow Yunnan The "Sala Pow shop factory" in Thoed Thai 5 Flavours Low season 1,000 Sala Pows a day. High season 1,500 - 2,000 a day! Bloody impressive for a Mum & Daughters shop. Location on the left hand side, going into Thoed Thai, before the police...

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Night night from Thoed Thai

More to come...

 

[DavidFL]

Brekky the next morning was some good coffee & "mediocre cream donut balls" at the Wang Coffee.

A cool little coffeeshop right by the morning market, that sadly only opens at 8AM.

The staff are always friendly & a lot of fun, & you soon forget the soggy cream donut balls.

Thoed Thai - Phayaprai is one hell of an amazing road.

Only 14 kms but what a ripper it is winding along that ridgeline.

Probably right up there with the steepest in the country.

The Steepest Roads

Must be about time to put all these together in 1 thread. I thought there was one already, but can't see it right now. Pha Bur R1334 The Pha Bur road is a hidden gem of a steep twister of a road. It is difficult to get photos in there & we had a crack at it this arvo. Some vdo & a bit of...

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Before departure from the Rim Taan I had a long chat with John the owner, trying to confirm the exact location of the right Lahu village for the event.
I had misunderstood that it was actuallly a village on the Hua Mae Kham road, but the local knowledge won out of course & I never made an unfortunate wrong way ride.
There was no mistaking the turn off either once you got on the right road.

Turn off & away you go for a roller coaster ride

Once in Lao Jo it more like a dodgem cars & bikes ride there were so many people out & about for the event.
Secure parking was dificult to find but old some GTR fellah magic worked & I got to park my bike under cover at the home of the local mini mart entrepeneur. I struck up a coversation with his outgoing daugther, & incredibly of all remote drug smuggling border places, learned that she had just returned a month ago from 6 months studying English in Sydney!!! How cool was that I thought.

The festival venue was a mere 360 metres away, on a small cleared hillock.

Smiling friendly Lahu greeted you along the way the way.

It is a while since I've been greeted with so many friendly hellos, waves, smiles & even wais.

The Lahu folks ot Phayaprai certainly weren't shy in being friendly & happy to the farang.

And on the day I was there, I was the only white guy I saw.
It really did feel a bit like a Nat Geo moment being out there alone I thought.

Mutliple stalls lined the road to the venue.

Relaxing for the event.

 

[DavidFL]

Dancing round the "spirit tree" & pole.

This was a truly amazing colourful spectacle & one not to be missed in 2025.

Some vdo from the day.
1. Walking to & entering the scene.



2. Dancing



Lets rock again 2025 @ Phayprai for Lahu new Year,

Interested in Lahu New Year?
Some earlier Lahu New Year Reports on GTR

Lahu New Year 2008 Mae Hong Son back via Soppong River

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Lahu New Year Luk Khao Larm 2009

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Lahu new year 2011

Ban Pang Ma Hun (on the way to Hua Mae Kham past Thoed Thai) 5th February 2011 8am- 5pm. Ceremonies to include: - Rod Nam Dam Hua (calling on the ancestors for their blessing); - Tam Kap Pook (the pounding of rice with sesame to produce a special Lahu food); - Traditional Lahu entertainment...

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Lahu New Year 28 Jan 2012

The Lahu New Year is being celebrated in every Lahu village from 21st to 28th January. Then they will all get together at Ja Pue village, Pahtueng on 28th January 2012. Judging by photos from previous years this will be quite a spectacle, with a lot of people there. To get there you head west...

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Lahu New Year 2015 - Soppong

A sweet chilly 3 nighter in Soppong (or PangMapha) at the Soppong River Inn to check out Lahu (& Lisu New Year.) The masterplan was to rock up a day early & pick up on the early morning Lahu spirit ceremonies that I had never seen. Be here at first light - sunrise I was told by the villagers...

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Lahu New Year - Chiang Khong - 2022

With a tip off & special request to attend I was able to catch the last night of Lahu New Year in the village of Song Phi Nong, 20 kms upstream from Chiang Khong. The light was damn difficult for photos & the dancers had been at it for a week already, drinking, dancing, eating & celebrating on...

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2023 Lahu new Year - Songphinong - Chiang Khong

A few pics from a contact @ the Lahu New Year in Songphinong Note the different Lahu costumes. Songphinong is a bit unique with multiple Lahu types in the 1 village.

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A New Year Celebration in a Lahu Nyi community

“Kho’ Jao We” or “Prapheni Kin Wo” (ประเพณีกินวอ) A New Year Celebration in a Lahu Nyi(1) community A few weeks ago a Lahu friend proposed me to join the Lahu New Year Celebration or “Kho’ Jao We”(2) in Ban Nam Chang from 18 to 25 February 2021. First I planned to stay throughout the whole...

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Some earlier GTR reports with Phayaprai, Choui Fong Tea, & Hua Mae Kham.

A couple of days in, and around Thoed Thai.

About 3 weeks ago I received a message from David GTR to ask if I wanted to join him on a ride up to Doi Mae Salong, and Thoed Thai. I had only been to Thoed Thai once before, and hadn’t overnighted there, so I readily agreed. A time and place was agreed and I set off from Phayao for a very...

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A Top End Meander Chiang Mai- Chiang Khong Return

Dates: 18 Jan 2013 - 25 Jan 2013. The Way: 1. Chiang Mai - Chiang Dao- Arunothai - Doi Ang Khang - Fang. 2. Fang - Doi Mae Salong - Thoed Thai 3. Thoed Thai - Mae Mo - Thoed Thai - Mae Chan - Mae Sai 4. Mae Sai - GT - Chiang Saen - Chiang Khong 5. Chiang Khong - Phaya Phipak - Phu Chi Fah -...

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A fun time on the road for Destination Thailand

Just in from a few days on the road with Dave Silverhawk Early, filming for a TV show on motorcycle travel in North Thailand. It was only a quick blast away for 3 nights & 4 days, but combined with a short Mae Hong Son ride a few weeks ago enough for the guys from Bangkok filming; so they claim...

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On the road with Mum my Brother

Mum's 17th plus trip here, but a first for my brother.....it takes all kinds to make the world go round. We had a super time, rented a mini bus & driver from North Wheels @ 2,000 baht a day plus fuel which was 800 baht a day. It's interesting watch a first timer take it all in & observing what...

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