Jon Gallagher
Well-known member
I meant Khao Yai (must learn to get these names right!). Sounds like you have a good itinerary. As you say, no time to do it all... I'll be interested in what you find at KK as well
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Kaeng Krachan Access? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Paul Pearson
- Start date
Jon Gallagher
Well-known member
I'm just taking a multi-lingual map!
gandytron
Well-known member
Don't take it personally - I have lived here 5 years and I still have a few taxi drivers look at me like I'm mad when I ask them to take me to certain addresses in town because I pronounce the place with an ever so slightly incorrect tone.
The classic phrase every student of Thai linguistics uses as an example of how hard it is to learn the language is "new wood never burns" which in Thai sounds something like "Mai maai mai maii"!!!!
A bi-lingual map, a good sense of humour, lots of smiles and patience will help you a lot and your attempts at the simplest of phrases will be appreciated and will probably be met with a lot of friendly giggling. Many road signs are now in English, which helps a lot.
Enjoy!
The upper road does need a high clearance vehicle, but theres no need for 4wd at the moment. Big tyres might help though. My vigo made mince meat of it.
Lots of Broadbill action when I was there, although I seemed to miss most of it. All I saw was Silver Breasted and Long tailed. Others saw Black and Red from the path that crosses the stream on the HQ side of Ban Trang (about 100m E of campsite), and Black and Yellow just before first stream to the W of Ban Trang. I had an imm Greater Spotted Eagle on the approach road (before the gate), which seemed a tad odd.
John
Lots of Broadbill action when I was there, although I seemed to miss most of it. All I saw was Silver Breasted and Long tailed. Others saw Black and Red from the path that crosses the stream on the HQ side of Ban Trang (about 100m E of campsite), and Black and Yellow just before first stream to the W of Ban Trang. I had an imm Greater Spotted Eagle on the approach road (before the gate), which seemed a tad odd.
John
Paul Pearson
Well-known member
Welcome back John
Hope you had a great trip.
Any chance of a quick summary of your highlights across the trip. I think you also visited Khao Yai? How did you get on hunting down the goodies there??
best regards
Paul
Hope you had a great trip.
Any chance of a quick summary of your highlights across the trip. I think you also visited Khao Yai? How did you get on hunting down the goodies there??
best regards
Paul
Paul
Look at the Khao Yai thread, I wrote something there. I am still in Thailand, btw, hiding from the midday heat at Phetchaburi.
I just had 2 spoonbilled sandpipers at Pak Thale. Take the road that runs along the east side of the village, then the first track on the right that runs straight through the salt pans, to a carpark with a bamboo shield around it. From here, walk 100m NE and the two birds were pretty much alone (no stints nearby) on a mud bank.
Also 2 black faced spoonbills. From near the harbour (about 500m SE of it), one can see a large 3 storey shell of a building (just floors, a few walls and steel rods) inland. Drive on a dirt track (with stones outlining it) towards the building and you can drive right up to it. Just beyond this big shell of a building, is a large pan and amongst the roosting Grey Herons were the two spoonbills. Also Richards Pipit, which may or may not be odd.
Oh, and make sure you take a copy of the sanscrit spelling of Pak Thale as the sign is in Thai only. If pronouncing it to locals, put the emphasis on the "le" part of Thale, a bit like saying @touche@
John
Look at the Khao Yai thread, I wrote something there. I am still in Thailand, btw, hiding from the midday heat at Phetchaburi.
I just had 2 spoonbilled sandpipers at Pak Thale. Take the road that runs along the east side of the village, then the first track on the right that runs straight through the salt pans, to a carpark with a bamboo shield around it. From here, walk 100m NE and the two birds were pretty much alone (no stints nearby) on a mud bank.
Also 2 black faced spoonbills. From near the harbour (about 500m SE of it), one can see a large 3 storey shell of a building (just floors, a few walls and steel rods) inland. Drive on a dirt track (with stones outlining it) towards the building and you can drive right up to it. Just beyond this big shell of a building, is a large pan and amongst the roosting Grey Herons were the two spoonbills. Also Richards Pipit, which may or may not be odd.
Oh, and make sure you take a copy of the sanscrit spelling of Pak Thale as the sign is in Thai only. If pronouncing it to locals, put the emphasis on the "le" part of Thale, a bit like saying @touche@
John
paddleasia
Birding in Southern Thailand since Feb '93 - http:
Not exactly true. Thale is a flat tone. The 'th' is pronounced as a 't'. The first part is short and choppy. It's more of a ta! leh. If anything, the emphasis is more noticeable in the first syllable than the second one.
BTW, "Pak" means 'mouth' and "thale" means 'sea', so this means the mouth of the sea.
Ciao,
Dave
Fluent in Thai after 15 years of livin' here.
Paul Pearson
Well-known member
Can anyone let me know where the substation that is referred to in various gen is along the road/jeep track at KK? Is it near Ban Krang campsite?
Thanks
Thanks
Even the dirt road to Ban Krang campsite is pretty rough and a vehicle with good ground clearance is essential to avoid losing ones deposit on hire cars. After Ban Krang getting across the streams without damaging a car is tricky as previously described and getting up the hill is rough. Taking a motorbike up it without being an experienced off road driver would be foolish - there are a huge number of motorcycle fatalities on Thailand's roads, we don't want to add to them from these ranks.
A 4 wheel drive would be preferable for this road but a good 2 wheel drive with excellent ground clearance will probably suffice. Personally I don't leave it to chance and take a 4 wheel drive every time now.
The other option is to get one of the drivers who can be contacted through HQ to take you up. Mr Biak is particularly good and has eyes like laser beams when it comes to spotting birds.
I'll be updating the page on Kaeng Krachan on thaibirding.com soon.
A 4 wheel drive would be preferable for this road but a good 2 wheel drive with excellent ground clearance will probably suffice. Personally I don't leave it to chance and take a 4 wheel drive every time now.
The other option is to get one of the drivers who can be contacted through HQ to take you up. Mr Biak is particularly good and has eyes like laser beams when it comes to spotting birds.
I'll be updating the page on Kaeng Krachan on thaibirding.com soon.
Paul Pearson
Well-known member
Nick
We have hired a 4WD for KK - it actually worked out at about the same price as a normal 2WD. The price difference used to be prohibitive but this seems to be no longer the case; we found the same in the north as well (for DCD)
We have hired a 4WD for KK - it actually worked out at about the same price as a normal 2WD. The price difference used to be prohibitive but this seems to be no longer the case; we found the same in the north as well (for DCD)
The road is not that bad really, but you definitely need high ground clearance for the road beyond Ban Krang. When I was there, one could easily do the road to Ban Krang in a 2WD car, but not beyond Ban Krang. The whole thing is all a lot more fun in a high clearance 4WD though - you can look for birds and worry less about pot holes, channels, ridges, mud etc.
Paul Pearson
Well-known member
Thanks John
Can you (or anyone) let me know where the substation that is referred to in various gen is along the road/jeep track at KK? Is it near the Ban Krang campsite?
Thanks
Can you (or anyone) let me know where the substation that is referred to in various gen is along the road/jeep track at KK? Is it near the Ban Krang campsite?
Thanks
Whilst it is possible to get to Ban Krang in a normal saloon car it isn't advisable. You would have to spend your time concentrating on the road instead of being able to look for birds. The potential for ripping off the exhaust is high and losing the deposit on a hire vehicle. Much better to have a suitable vehicle and relax and enjoy the birding.
There are 3 places that are staffed along the road. 1 at the entrance where tickets can be bought (no need to stop at HQ where the staff are slow). 2. At Ban Krang campsite. 3. At Panoen Tung
I know of no other "substation".
There are 3 places that are staffed along the road. 1 at the entrance where tickets can be bought (no need to stop at HQ where the staff are slow). 2. At Ban Krang campsite. 3. At Panoen Tung
I know of no other "substation".
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