The Kok River ( Thai : แม่น้ำกก , RTGS : Mae Nam Kok , pronounced [mɛ̂ː náːm kòk] ) is a tributary river of the Mekong that flows in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai provinces in northern Thailand .
13-762: The river originates in the Daen Lao Range , Shan State , Myanmar . It flows eastwards across the Myanmar–Thailand border , crossing at the Thai border town of Tha Ton ( Thai : ท่าตอน , also spelled "Thaton" ). It flows to Mae Ai District , Chiang Mai Province . Most of its length in Thailand is in Chiang Rai Province where it passes Mueang Chiang Rai District after which it bends northeastwards and flows through Mae Chan , Wiang Chai and Chiang Saen districts. It
26-614: A stupa in Mongton . Until the 1990s one of the main crops at elevations above 1,000 m was opium . On the side of the range controlled by the Thai government, construction of roads reaching remote areas and increasingly efficient policing ensured a measure of success of the opium replacement programs in recent years. Owing to the unrest in Burma, the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA) and other groups sought refuge and
39-472: A base for their insurgency in these mountains. Fighting and the ensuing persecution by the Tatmadaw have caused part of the original population to flee. Some refugee camps have been established for cross-border refugees on the Thai side of the range. Some Kayah and Karen communities, like the "long-necked Karen", are regularly visited by organized tourist groups. The Ang Khang Royal Agricultural Station
52-411: A prominence of 1,596 m, one of the ultra prominent peaks of Southeast Asia . On the Thai side the highest point is 2,285 m Doi Pha Hom Pok . Doi Chiang Dao (2,175 m), Doi Puk Phakka (1,794 m), Doi Nang Non , a karstic formation in Chiang Rai Province , Doi Tung , Doi Ang Khang and Doi Wao , where Wat Phra That Doi Wao [ th ] is located, as well as the mountains surrounding
65-641: Is 11 kilometres (7 mi) east of the Hwy 1 bridge. It turns the river into a lake, several miles long, for eight months of the year. Additionally, there is a dam planned on the Burmese side of where the river flows into Thailand, about 32 kilometres (20 mi) upstream from the border. In October 2013 the cast and crew of the British television show Top Gear constructed a bridge over the Kok as part of their Burma Special. The bridge
78-643: Is a mountain range of the Shan Hills in eastern Burma and northern Thailand . Most of the range is in Shan State , with its northern limit close to the border with China , and runs southwards across the Thai border, at the northern end of Thailand. Geologically in the Daen Lao Range, as in the other southern subranges of the Shan Hills, layers of alluvium are superimposed on hard rock. The range extends east of
91-530: Is a wide, shallow, and slow-moving river. There is about 600 metres (2,000 ft) of small-scale whitewater halfway between the towns of Tha Ton and Chiang Rai. For several kilometres downriver from Chiang Rai, the river becomes a lake, until it reaches the irrigation dam near Wiang Chai. The Kok River is a tributary of the Mekong River, with its mouth at Sop Kok in Chiang Saen District, opposite
104-484: Is in the mountains of the range. It was founded in 1969 by the King of Thailand and is notable for its temperate climate that allows the cultivation of flowers and fruits characteristic of cooler climates. In March 2011 there was a magnitude 5 earthquake in the Burmese side of the range with the epicenter north of Chiang Rai town. There were over 70 deaths and more than hundred wounded. Loi Pangnao Loi Pangnao
117-700: The Lao border. Phahonyothin Road crosses this river near Chiang Rai City. Altogether, there are five bridges crossing the Kok River near Chiang Rai city. The main tributaries of the Kok River are the Fang and the Lao River , the latter having its source in the Phi Pan Nam Range . There is a small dam with 11 gates which provides irrigation for rice fields east of Chiang Rai. The dam
130-898: The Salween until almost reaching the Golden Triangle area, separating the Salween watershed from the Mekong watershed. At its southern end the Thanon Thong Chai Range (เทือกเขาถนนธงชัย) subrange stretches further southwards into Thailand between the Sai River in the east and the Pai River in the west; the latter separating the Daen Lao from the Thanon Thong Chai Range. Some geographers include
143-461: The Thanon Thong Chai Range subrange as part of the Daen Lao Range. The Khun Tan Range also extends southwards from the Daen Lao Range, parallel to the Thanon Thong Chai mountains, but it differs geologically and structurally from the latter. The western end of the range is not clearly defined. Elevations range between 400 and 2,500 m. The highest point is 2,563 m Loi Pangnao in Burma, with
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#1733055880546156-504: The village of Santikhiri ( Doi Mae Salong ) are also part of this range. Historically the area has been sparsely populated. Only some hill tribes such as the Wa , Akha , Yao , Lahu , and the Lisu people lived in scattered small villages across the range. Many Shan people believe King Naresuan was cremated in the Daen Lao Range, in the southern part of Shan State , and his ashes interred in
169-582: Was originally planned to be built over the River Kwai , but the River Fang which flows into the Kok was chosen "accidentally". The show aired in two parts on 9 March 2014 and 16 March 2014. Following production of the episode, the bridge was taken down, despite the producers and crew wanting it to stay in use for the locals. Daen Lao Range The Daen Lao Range ( Thai : ทิวเขาแดนลาว , pronounced [tʰīw kʰǎw dɛ̄ːn lāːw] ; Burmese : Loi La )
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