Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [351]
Evangelistic Christian missionaries have infiltrated the area and have tried to convert the Talaku, thus making the Talaku sensitive to outside visitation. The village is also located in a ‘sensitive’ border area and foreign travellers are said to have been turned away upon arrival. Local authorities suggest contacting the Um Phang Border Police (0 5556 1008) beforehand to request permission. If you do visit Letongkhu, take care not to enter any village structures without permission or invitation. Likewise, do not take photographs without permission. If you treat the villagers with respect then you shouldn’t have a problem.
Sangkhlaburi ( Click here) is 90km or a four- to five-day trek from Poeng Kloeng. The route to Sangkhlaburi has several branches; the main route crosses over the border into Myanmar for some distance before crossing back into Thailand.
Because of the overall sensitive nature of this border area and the very real potential for becoming lost, ill or injured, a guide is highly recommended for any sojourn south of Um Phang. If you speak Thai, you may be able to arrange a guide for this route in Poeng Kloeng. Otherwise, a few trekking agencies in Mae Sot ( Click here) and Um Phang have previously arranged such trips with advance notice. The best time of year to do the trek is October to January.
TREKKING & RAFTING
Several of the guesthouses in Um Phang can arrange combination trekking and rafting trips in the area. A typical three-day, two-night trip costs from 3000B to 4500B per person (four or more people), and includes rafting, an elephant ride, food and a guide service. The majority involve trips to Nam Tok Thilawsu and beyond, and longer or shorter trips, and trips to other local destinations, may also be arranged.
Rafting trips range from one-day excursions along the Mae Klong from Um Phang to Nam Tok Thilawsu, to three-days trips from Palatha to Nam Tok Thi Lo Re. Most rafting is only possible between November and May.
Um Phang Khi is a ‘new’ area for rafting, northeast of Um Phang. Officially there are 47 (some rafting companies claim 67) sets of rapids rated at class III (moderate) and class IV (difficult) during the height of the rainy season. The rafting season for Um Phang Khi is short – August to October only – as at other times of the year the water level isn’t high enough. Rafting trips arranged in Um Phang typically cost 3500B for a two-night, three-day program.
The companies below have English-speaking guides.
Napha Tour (0 5556 1287; www.naphatour.com; Th Pravitpaiwan; 3-day trek per person 4500B) This outfit offers a variety of programs and English-speaking guides.
Trekker Hill (0 5556 1090; 620 Th Pravitpaiwan; 3-day trek per person 3500-4000B) This highly recommended outfit has the greatest number of English-speaking guides and offers a variety of treks running from one day to four.
Tu Ka Su Cottage (0 5556 1295; 40 Moo 6) Contact this resort for excellent tours, although at research time they only had two English-speaking guides.
Weera Tour (no roman-script sign; 0 5556 1368) Located just off the main road, this company arranges excellent tours, although the number of English-speaking guides is limited.
Sleeping
Most places in Um Phang cater to large groups of Thai visitors, so individual foreign travellers are met with a bit of confusion. Likewise, many of the rooms in town are designed for four or more people, and singles or couples can usually negotiate lower rates, especially in the wet season.
Phudoi Camp Site & Resort (0 5556 1049; www.phudoi.com; 637 Th Pravitpaiwan; tent