Chiang Rai

Well I haven't changed my opinion of Chiang Rai. It's still a dump.
But it comes alive at night, with a night market that surrounds two stages, one either end of two large seating/eating areas. One end the seats and tables are all wooden and the stage is encased in a cut metal structure, built to look like a temple, that glitters silver in the night. Here customers pay top dollar for their food and drinks and are waited on. At the other end the stage is unnadorned and the tables and chairs yellow painted metal. The customers go and get their own food and drink from the stalls that line the walls of the area.
I spent time at both ends, first the posh end, watching a kitch show of transvestites in long pink dresses (when I arrived there were some young Thai musicians trying to play traditional music. I wasn't expecting this sudden turn of events!) Later in the evening I met my friend Richard and his Thai wife, who invited me to sit at the plebian tables and proceeded to cover the table with shish kebabs, chips, sushi, nuts, flagons of beer and fruit juice.

The market place is far less impressive than the one in Luang Prabang. Only a few tribal women from the Akha tribe, Lua tribe and maybe one other selling a few things. Lots of stalls selling new stuff - knickers, teashirts etc.