EIGHT HOURS NORTH of Bangkok, Chiang Khan feels like decades distant from the modern world. Nestled in a curve of the Mekong River, with no towns of much note either side of the border with Laos, time did seem to forget this town.
Nostalgic Thai tourists have been visiting for a few years now, to experience Thailand as their parents may have, with barefoot monks making the morning rounds of town. In between Laos style temples, more wooden houses survive here than other places.
The town of Chiang Khan has become hugely popular with Thai tourists.
With its river frontage and mountain surrounds, it is a scenic and relaxing place.
With a large number of wooden, single and double storey buildings, it harks back to a quieter time.
Visitors and locals line the streets in the early morning to offer alms.
Monks make their rounds, barefoot, collecting their days food, a practise as old as Buddhism.
Sak Yant are traditional tattoos, often associated with temples and with magical powers.
The tradition of alms meets the new tradition of facebook pics.
Several temples around town make for interesting viewing.
Flowers in the colour of the Thai flag decorate a Budha statue.
Traditional houses on stilts, with vegetable gardens, are found right inside town.
And with a Mekong sunset, there are many reason to linger in Chiang Khan.
Motor scooters can be rented from a number of places in town, so pick a road and drive.
The Isaan (north-east) region produces most of Thailand's rice. It is largely flat, and green in the wet season.
A farmer brings the new shoots out for replanting.
Repititive, back bending work, in mud, all day.
One shoot at a time. Line after live, paddie aftter paddie.
Despite that, these were some of the friendlist, big-smiling people you could meet.
Elsewhere, pockets of hills form national parks and forest reserves.
A small town or a large village in the valley of the hills.
Sporting the iconic Isaan farmer's hat, this fellow had added fish farming to his livelihood.
Perhaps with an office like this, it's no wonder he is smiling.
Law enforcement and safety standards in Isaan are not quite what we have in the west.
Several small, one street towns around Chiang Khan have markets with a cast of colourful characters.
Small town markets are great for random food experiences, even if I am not a fan of these mystery meats.
Enjoy the views.
Buy yourself some garden plants.
Or contemplate the meaning of life.
It was Laos immigrants who crossed from these mountains during the French occupation who founded the town of Chiang Khan.
Trade between Laos and Siam helped grow the town through the 19th and 20th century.
The 1975 communist take-over put a brake on trade. Crossing the Mekong was often the easiest way to escape the "bamboo curtain" but it was all one way traffic.
Links with Laos are growing again, although in many parts around Chiang Khan and Isaan, it feels like your are in Laos anyway.
For now, under a covid cloud, borders are again closed, walking street empty, and the only tourists are Thais.