Onwards to Preah and Nan and the Second Main Goal of Doi Phu Kha

From Route 12 Khao Kho coffee shop, it was a decision time ... to Uttradit or to Preah for the night. Uttradit had a boat crossing over the Srikit lake while Preah didin had much but was of a longer distance and cheaper accomodation. In the end I decided on Preah as the accomodation was not only cheap but it was in a old teak wood house with intricate carvings which looks like a historical building. Plus side to Preah was that the journey will go through small roads in outskirts Uttradit as well. I reach quite late and for the first time riding at night in Thailand as well and reach closed to 8pm.

Go INN Preah Old Town 

Next day was the easy ride to Nan and staying in the hostel. Since I had time, I thought of doing the Si Nan National Park loop as a 4 hours journey. End up going though many curvy roads in the country side only to end up at the starting point of the loop and decided to call it a day and headed back to Nan. Evening by the Nan river was a supprise with the locals practicing dragon boat up and down the river. After dinner was laundry duty and then back to the hostel to sleep.

Riding Around Nan 

Local Practicing Dragon Boat in Nan River 

The next day from Nan it was a short ride of 100 km to Doi Phu Kha National Park. The loop is usually done by going through Nan-Pua-Doi Phu Kha National Park then loop back through Bo Klua but I decided to do it the other way around. The ride was quiet with barely anyone else around and the viewpoints along the way was making the journey of 100km impossible to reach since I was stopping so much just to admire it. The roads was spectacular grade with beautiful smooth tarmac along lovely winding corners.

The Viewpoint along Doi Phu Kha Loop 

Curvy Roads along Doi Phu Kha Loop

The View Point along Doi Phu Kha Loop

At Bo Kluea was a short stop to check out the rock salt well which is a so called tourist attraction. Interesting to find a salt well deep inland in mountaines area which was a first for me. Entrance is free and mostly locals earns from salt scrub massages and suvinour that tourist buys.

Salt Pit at Bo Kluea

Salt Pit - Bo Kluea

The Salt Pit - Bo Kluea 

Doi Phu Kha National Park entrance was 200 baht for Forginer + 20 baht for motorbike and 30 baht to camp with own tent. Tonight I camp alone at the campsite, with no other visitors here Its pretty quiet to a fault. Facilities are basics with lights around the campsite, clean water and toilet with cold showers. My trusty multifuel burner still holding up and cooking simple maggie mee with baked beans for dinner.

Doi Phu Kha 

Doi Phu Kha National Park Entrance 

Doi Phu Kha National Park 

Doi Phu Kha Camping Site 

My Campsite at Doi Phu Kha 

The national park has no reception. That was told to me at the entrance when I signed in. Throughout the day setting camp, cooking then washing up I did not receive any signal at all but suddenly around 7pm I got full bar and manage the customary call at night to mom. 

Traveled on: May 2023

Petchabun 5 Tier Buddha Temple & a Hunt for Route 12 Sticker

One of the main reason for aiming and plotting my route this round so forcefully for Petchabun district was to see the famous five tier buddha temple, Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew. Back in 2018 when I was really roaming Thailind in detail, I missed out the central spine area and this was what I missed out unknowingly until the trip was done.

Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Keaw - Petchabun Thailand 

First stop aim was temple, but before that, along the way out from Khao Kho was to find a bike shop to check out Bragge chain and general condition due to the mud ride and fall yesterday. I stopped at this bike workshop in Khao Kho called 71 Bike that was pretty cool and looked like a niche handling cafe racer modification shop of all sorts of big bikes. I got Bragge throughly clean up espescially the chain and re adjusted the brake peg which was somehow dented due to the fall making it now higher from the foot rest.

Fixing up Bragge at Khao Kho 

While the good guys were doing good work with bragge, I scouted the shop and saw this beautiful Yamaha 400 cc classic bike. The owner could speak a bit of english and he explained that this was the limited edition Yamaha series which only produce 500 peices in the world. The tank colour looks like the Yamaha classic guitar and the special serial mark on the bike was 71 which matches his plate number 71 and also his shop which was called 71 Bike shop. Pretty cool and unexpected insight when I am not expecting it.

71 Bike Shop - Khao Kho

Limited Edition Yamaha 400cc Classic 

I notice quite a few stickers on his window which was from all touring riders around the world. One particular sticker cought my eye which was Khao Kho Route 12 sticker. I was already riding the Khao Kho loop and asked him where to get this sticker. He did not sell it but told me of the coffee shop which does down the road.

Wat Phra Sorn Kaew looked like a tibetian style temple and really rich. The view simply breathtaking, the architecture and micro detail could make one stay there for days without ever getting tired of just looking. I spent around 2 hours there just soaking in the ambiance.

Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew - Petchabun 5 Tier Buddha Temple

I timed my arrival at the temple around noon where I could video call mom and show her the temple and let her pray through the video call for recovery. Sometimes pictures does not tell the story, sometimes video also does not tell the stories but these days there are live video calls ... the next best thing from being there in person I would think.

After temple visit it was a mandatory stop to hunt for the sticker. Sliding off the main road to the coffee shop and I saw a group of Malaysia bike plates. I could only have a big smile on my face and chatted up with the group a bit. Big bikes ... touring thailand for a week and doing a whooping 1200km per day. Not much development from there and while getting a coffee at the shop I kept scouting around where the sticker would be sold and saw none. Finally I asked one of the bikers if he knows and it was down a small little stairs tucked just behind the coffee counter and viola, another cafe with a view and upon asking, stickers of Route 12 obtained.

Route 12 Coffee Shop - Khao Kho

While most riders going on tours from Malaysia or Singapore would be collecting stickers along all the famous route markers, this was actually my first time coming to know about it. So Khao Kho route 12 was my first sticker and hence starts my riding stickers collection hunt.


Traveled on May 2023

Lopburi to Khao Kho & First Fall for Bragge

From Lopburi it was a decent ride to Khao Kho. After 5 days of flat riding all over Thailand I was happy to see some mountains. Khao Kho was suppose to be the 1st place for camping as well so I was a bit more excited.

View from Khao Kho Royal Palace Viewpoint

I reached Khao Kho easy enaugh to the marked main camping site. Pretty basic by the side of the road with toilet but thats it. I was quite early so I thought to go riding around to see the sights if there was a better spot. I wouldnt mind spending 100 to 200 baht for paid camping site if there is a chance for food and charging pot really. Detour to see the Khao Kho Palace which looks like a Iban longhouse and then the storm came and I got stuck in the hut shelter for two hours.

Khao Kho Main Free Public Camping Site 

Khao Kho Main Public Free Camping Site 

Khao Kho Royal Palace Carpark 

Taking Shelter from the rain 

Two hours was a long time for me to research where to go for paid camping. So once the rain stopped I started riding to one of the camping spot I thought would be good. Road became small road to path to dirt road. Due to the rain the dirt road also became a mud path. Funny thing thou, I actually reached the marked camping spot through all the hard mud road without a hitch. The camping ground however had no one manning it, nobody home ... so I had to find another pronto.

Nobody Home at Campsite - Khao Kho

I turned around and thats where the problem started ... going downhill on mud is no joke. I went pretty slow .... almost walking pace but the bike was heavy with all my luggage and throtle control is not very good yet making the back wheel spin too fast in the mud. At one point the back wheel slipped and the bike tilted beyond my balance so I just let it fall to the right. Almost a stationary dumb fall and pretty slow so nothing was damage.

Tried to pick up the bike myself but alas it was too heavy for me. Walked downhill calling out to all the private camping ground building but no one was around. The thrid one had a guy and somehow I manage to convince him to follow me to help pick up the bike. Thailand people are really friendly and helpful. He walked with me back to the bike and helped lifted the bike then I was on it again slowly navigating the muddy road down hill.

Bragge First Fall - Khao Kho 

Great Help from Local to pick up Bragge 

I stopped at the guys camping ground thinking I should just spend the night here as a thank you. The guy call his friend a girl that could speak english and she told me it was 3000 baht. What ?? that is a crazy amount way out of my budget. I had to apologize to them repeatedly. I could not afford it I told them and they were quite friendly telling it was not an issue and that I could rest there first before moving on. I thank them many times and requested a photo with my savior then I was off again downhill back to the gravel road before hitting cement road ...

Looking from one camping ground to another and most of them had no one around. I ended up back to good road and found a very nice huts + camping ground but when I asked for the price they quoted me 850 baht for the hut and 250 baht for the camping. I bargained the camping to 150 baht and all was good. Borrowed a hose to wash out Bragge from all the mud and stones hoping the chain would still be ok since it was globs of muds sticking to it. I could only imagine how much mud must have got into the front spokret so I kept washing and pushing the bike to rotate the chain and washing again.

Paid Camping became Paid Hut - 500 Baht per night Khao Kho

Cooking my Dinner for the Night in Khao Kho

Once that was done, the guy asked me if I wanted the Hut for 500 baht .... a big smile on his face and with my exhauseted journey and fall, it was like a big temptation to have a bed instead of setting up tent and sleeping on wet grass. 500 baht it was .... and now I am all settle down.

I hope Bragge did not take too much damage with the mud track ... need to go for a good wash tomorrow and find some workshop to oil the shit out of the chain.

Luckily I took the offer and paid 500 baht for the one bed bunglo at Khao Kho. Somewhere around 3am a huge thundershower came down and absolutely drench everything. I slept even more soundly with good cool weather and nice rain sounds on the roof top.

Traveled on : May 2023

Pushing On – Chumphon to Cha-am to Lopburi

I had a rest day in Cha-am which was productive as well. Initially I thought that I would have to service the bike at a random workshop since google did not ping up any GPX center. The random one I picked “Kawasaki Motoaholic Hua Hin” turn out to be a GPX authorize service center so all was good. I had to do a run back to the hotel room to bring the service book but that was alright and the bike was oil change nicely at 5000km.

GPX Service Center at Hua Hin 

At the service center I gave a call to mom and she was still emotional and look no better than the day before. But by evening she was more calm .... going though the acceptance phase that the money is not an issue was key in my opinion.

Since I was very near Hua Hin already, I headed to the Market Village shopping center which was a regular stop for me previously and got some lunch and bought a towel which is much needed since I left mine back in Hatyai. I still had plenty of time in hand so with mom in my mind I headed to the Lua Phuar Tat Temple in Hua Hin. Nothing much really, drop a prayer and walk around and deciding thats the end of the rest day, I headed back to Cha-am to rest.

Lua Phuar Tat Temple - Hua Hin 

Lua Phuar Tat Riding a Three Headed Elephant - Hua Hin 

Along the way back, I saw a monk upfront waving his hand to the cars but none stopped. I decided to stop, thinking of giving him a ride to as far as Cha-Am. He ended up asking for water ... but I had no water on me. I offered a ride but he refused .... and he kept saying he has no money to buy water. I open my wallet to gave him 200 baht but he said it was not enaugh. 

A frown came and went very fast on my head but I decided what harm can he do. He asked for 500 baht ... and at this point I was more smiling than angry. It may be a scam, it may be a phony, it may be genuine, it may be a joke .... but I respect the game when I have been hooked. I was probably vulnarable too due to mom’s condition so without much thought I gave him the 500 baht, bade him good journey and left him on his own.

Next day it was the long ride to Lopburi. Skirting close to greater Bangkok took a lot out of my endurance riding. It was not even 400km for the journey but it took me nearly 9 hours. At lopburi and this is a first for this trip as I did not have a hotel booked in advance, I stopped at the first marker previously research on my map. Get Inn ... 350 baht a night. Decent and clean ... but only after I had bath ,,, eat ... and got time to wind down ... that the place feels odd.

Private One Bed Bungolo - Get Inn Lopburi 

Using google lens I translated some notice sticking inside the room ... so its was 200 baht for 3 hours or 350 baht for overnight. The room had a very very hard bed and the bedsheets were very old and rough but still clean ... pillow was crap and they had a huge ass "wall to wall" mirror. I think this is a special motel. 

Next morning I saw some people driving in ... a couple ... yep definately a special motel. What I could not understand thou was why here, coz I was not exzactly in Lopburi downtown ... I was in the middle of nowhere an outskirt .. just a junction with barely anything ... oh well.

Onwards North to Khao Kho .... 

Traveled on: May 2023

Morning Call, Mom Had a Stroke

Early morning in Chumphon, I got a wake up call from brother informing me that Mom got a stroke and he was on the way to the hospital with her.

I hung around till late morning, not starting any journey to get more info on Mom. Bro eventually gave me a video call and seeing that mom was able to walk albiet a bit weak gave some confidence that its not a major stroke. I started the journey to Cha-am. 300Km ride and every stop I made, I ping up Bro for another update. Mom seams to had a mile stroke so in a way it was very fortunate. I am more worried for the follow up after the stroke for knowing mom, not being well does not bore well with her mentally and no idea how this will affect her since its a hard for her being out of control.

Mom was admitted to the hospital and Docs were positive as the stroke was caught on early but warn us of ongoing degration before getting better. MRI is schedule for tomorrow morning and with that there is nothing much I can do being so far away. I dont even know what I could do if I was in SG to be honest.

I hope all goes well .... but multiple scenario running in my head is not something I would put anyone through it. Right now mom’s in the best place she could be and all we could do was hope for the better. I was midway now very close to Bangkok, there was a few options at this point really. Cancel the test run to China and head back .... push on and continue the trip leaving everything to Bro to handle, head in to Bangkok and chuck the bike and fly back to help stabalized if required ... or a second choice of flying from Chaing Mai back if I am needed slightly later. Scenario after scenario .... but the one thing that was obvious, there was nothing I could do at present.

The next few days, frequent calls to mom shows her getting better. By the time I reached Lopburi, mom had recovered enaugh to look me with all seriusness telling me to continue on with the journey no matter what. Bro told me that mom will be stuck in the hospital care anyway for a month that no help was needed and that was the best place to get the rehab done with full care.

Onwards it is to China, but the plans after China would definately be changed undoubtly. Throughout the journey I kept on calling mom, and by the time I was in China, the daily call became something to look forward to where stories and sights are shown through a video call, sharing my excitement and journey a little more directly to mom. Hopefully transfering the positive exceitement of adventure too for a little smile.

Fast forward a month later after finishing the ride in China and I’m back in SG. Its a long recovery journey for stroke patients and in a way it is lucky that I had all the time in the world with no commitments now. Travel plans will have to change and put on hold but then again I had no plans to begin with this year other than the test run to China. Initial plan was to just chill and burn time till the right season comes in 2024 so with this new situation with mom it worked out for the best.

Two weeks later after I arrived SG we finally discharged mom from the hospital and transfer her back to my place in JB. Chilling at my place while I imagine myself doing full masterchef cooking everyday while shuttling mom to rehab every other day is not too bad a way to burn time after all.

Traveled on Jun 2023