Loei - Where is Loei ??
Last Chinese New Year holiday (2007) 3 of us, Sunny Wong, Abang Hai and me took the opportunity of the Chinese New Year long holiday, we travelled all the way up to Loei, Thailand.
We didn't have a fix Itinerary for this trip, we took it slow & easy, the trip was lead by Sunny Wong, who has many years of travelling/driving experience in Thailand.
On our way, we stopped in Hua Hin, Loei, Nakhon Ratchasima & Surat Thani.
We were told that there was "nothing there" in Loei. A small, quiet, sleepy town; a provincial capital though. A friendly place, it has a good market and a small but very interesting and unmissable night food market near the junction of Ruam Jai and Charoenrat Streets. There isn't a lot in Loei, but a chance to experience a Thai/Isan town almost untouched by tourism.
This was a very different kind of travelling experience and we all enjoy it very much.
Introduction of Loei
Although geographical located in the Northeast, Loei has many things in common with the Northern region with numerous high hills and mountains, wintry and foggy climate. It is the only province in Thailand which has the dubious destination of the mercury plummeting to zero Celsius. Loei is 520 kilometers from Bangkok.
Since Loei is situated among a mountain range, the temperature greatly compared to the rest of Thailand. It can be very hot in the Hot Season with temperature up to 43.3 degrees Celsius (around April). The other hand in the Cold Season (around December) the temperature can to minus 1.3 degrees at night.
Geography
Most of the Province consists of a series of extended low mountain ranges with the town of Loei nestling in a fertile basin. There are three distinct geographical areas in the province :-
The mountains, mainly West of Loei, around Nahaew, Phu Rua, Dansai and Tali districts.
The population here is sparse because of the small areas for cultivation and because the terrain makes communication inconvenient.
The low plains area around the Maekhong River. Loei River in Amphoe Muang Loei and Amphoe Chiankhan and Amphoe Wand Saphung. Agriculture flourishes in this area and it is the most populated part of Loei Province.
Flatter fertile areas at the foot of the mountain around the East and South of Loei near PhukraDueng, Phu Luang, PhuKao, Naduang and Pakchom. Agriculture is more viable here than in the mountain areas and so the population is denser.