My short travel in North Thailand

Sungai Kolok/Bangkok Train Ticket & Envelope





Sungai Kolok Railway Officers on duty

Day 1, 13 Nov 2008. Sungai Kolok to Bangkok

With a friend Ramly I did a one month trip to north Thailand from12 Nov.2008-13 Dec 2008.

We borded the East Coast bound Malaysian train and get down at Pasir Mas about 30 km from the Thailand border.During breakfast at one of the eating stalls close to the railway station there was a boisterous taxi driver who talked loudly to his friends around him and his voice could be heard across the street.( Typical Malaysian scenes)

The stall owner who make roti canai ( flour pancake) asked if we have any fear going to Thailand due to the current political unrest and spates of bombings in South Thailand.My answer is who's not afraid but life have to go on. Death come everywhere and anytime and we are just travelling.You can't leave home if you are too afraid to travel.

After our last Malaysian meal we went looking for a private taxi to take us to Rantau Panjang checkpoint and found the driver engrossed in a game of Dam Aji ( local version of chess game) under a cool shade of shady tree.

He was a thin man in the late sixties and led us to his worn down grey Proto Saga ( Malaysian National Car of the Mahathir era).I tried to wear the safety belt but the locking bar handle is torn off from the floor due to rust.I just smiled and said to the driver Malaysia Boleh ( in Malaysia everything is possible => a popular Mahathir era slogan often chanted by UMNO supporters (Malaysian ruling political party)

Immigration process at both boders are smooth and efficient because it is still early morning and everyone is on high spirit including the two fresh travellers.

We took the train from Sungai Kolok ( the last border town on the South Eastern border with Malaysia) on a second class coach with sleeper.All lower deck beds to Bangkok were taken so we had to settle for the upper deck beds which were equally clean and comfortable except for the climbing. No problem....anything goes on the road.It was an 18 hrs journey to Bangkok dep.14.20 arriving 10.30 next day.As this is a long trip we packed some foods for dinner, fruits and munchies for our al-kunyah menguyah ( munching) as Ramly use to say.

Picture above show the typical Thai train ticket.Sungai Kolok to Bangkok on 2nd class berth cost 907 Thai Bhat.On the road Bangkok here we come.