Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [294]
In town, Air Agent (0 5374 0445; 863/3 Th Phahonyothin; 8am-10pm) can book domestic and international flights in advance. Alternatively, book online or go directly to the websites or airport offices listed below.
Air Asia (0 5379 3545/8275; www.airasia.com; Chiang Rai Airport) Flies between Bangkok and Chiang Rai (from 1800B, 1¼ hours, three times daily).
Nok Air (nationwide call centre 1318; www.nokair.co.th; Chiang Rai Airport) With its subsidiary SGA Airlines (0 5379 8244; www.sga.co.th), operates propeller-powered flights between Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai (from 1690B, 40 minutes, twice daily).
One-Two-Go (nationwide call centre 1126; www.fly12go.com; Chiang Rai Airport) Flies between Bangkok’s Don Muang airport and Chiang Rai (from 2100B, 1¼ hours, once daily).
THAI city centre (0 5371 1179; www.thaiair.com; 870 Th Phahonyothin; 8am-5pm Mon-Fri); airport office (0 5379 8202/3; 8am-8pm) Flights to/from Bangkok (3745B, 1¼ hours, three times daily).
BOAT
Another way to reach Chiang Rai is by boat on Mae Nam Kok from Tha Ton (Click here).
For boats heading upriver, go to CR Pier (0 5375 0009) in the northwest corner of town. Passenger boats embark daily at 10.30am, otherwise you can charter an entire boat to Ban Ruammit for 700B or all the way to Tha Ton for 2500B at the pier.
BUS
Chiang Rai’s bus terminal is in the centre of town. The Green Bus (114 ext 8000; www.greenbusthailand.com) desk offers several useful lines, including hourly departures for Chiang Mai and Chiang Khong. To Bangkok, Sombat Tour (0 5371 4971; Th Prasopsuk) has an office across from the bus terminal.
Check the table on Click here for information on bus fares and journeys duration from Chiang Rai.
Getting Around
A shm·lór (three-wheeled pedicab) ride anywhere in central Chiang Rai should cost around 40B. Túk-túk often charge twice that. Shared srng·ta·ou cost 15B per person.
Bicycles rental can be arranged at Fat Free (0 5375 2532; 542/2 Th Banphaprakan; per day city/mountain bike 80/250B; 9am-8pm). Motorcycles can be hired at ST Motorcycle (0 5371 3652; Th Banphaprakan; per day Yamaha TTR motorcycles less than 115cc 150-300B, less than 250cc 700-1000B; 8am-6pm), which has another outlet on Th Wat Jet Yot – they take good care of their bikes. Many guesthouses also rent out motorcycles and bikes.
Several small agencies near the night market rent out a variety of cars (800B to 1200B a day), with and without driver.
The following companies have good reputations but charge a little more.
Avis Rent-A-Car (0 5379 3827; www.avisthailand.com; Chiang Rai Airport)
Budget Rent-A-Car (0 5374 0442/3; www.budget.co.th; 590 Th Phahonyothin) At Golden Triangle Inn.
National Car Rental (0 5379 3683; Chiang Rai Airport)
North Wheels (0 5374 0585; www.northwheels.com; 591 Th Phahonyothin; 8am-7pm)
AROUND CHIANG RAI
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WAT RONG KHUN
Thirteen kilometres south of Chiang Rai is the unusual and popular Wat Rong Khun (0 5367 3579), aka the ‘White Wat’. Whereas most temples have centuries of history, this one’s construction began in 1997 by noted Thai painter-turned-architect Chalermchai Kositpipat.
Seen from a distance, the temple appears to be made of glittering porcelain; a closer look reveals that the look is due to a combination of whitewash and clear-mirrored chips. Walk over a bridge and sculpture of reaching arms (symbolising desire) to enter the sanctity of the wát where instead of the traditional Buddha life scenarios, the artist has painted contemporary scenes representing samsara (the realm of rebirth and delusion). Images such as a plane smashing into the Twin Towers and, oddly enough, Keanu Reeves as Neo from The Matrix, dominate the one finished wall of this work in progress. If you like what you see, an adjacent gallery sells reproductions of Chalermchai Kositpipat’s rather New Age–looking works.
To get to the temple, hop on one of the regular buses that run from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai and ask to get off at Wat Rong