A view from the road: Mae Sariang to Mae Samleab. Rice paddy fields, bamboo farm-huts with the backdrop of hills after hills. Right: the containers of cooking oil imported from Malaysia waiting to be sent to Myanmar on the Salawin river - Mae Samleab.
Mae Samleab (also spelled Mae Sam Laeb or Mae Sam Laep) is a village between Salawin (Thanlwin) river and the hills of southern Mae Hong Son province. It is an hour drive from Mae Sariang. Most of the houses are made of wood and are usually of two storey. People are Karen (Kayin), Shan or Thai Yai, Indian, Thai and other minorities. Walking along the street you will likely to hear conversations in two or more different languages. Indian foods such as "Charparty", and Betel nut can be had in some shops. The family members of the restaurant cum shop-house where I ate speak Karen, Thai, Myanmar and Shan.
A typical living room in Mae Samleab. These houses sit on stilts on the slope of the river shoreline. On the opposite are hills and trees, and then the village road between the cliff and the houses. School and temple are on the higher ground. When I visited there in the last week of August 2005, there was no permanent electricity supply, however some homes had solar power generators and a very few with own oil engine generators. I saw a pretty young Muslim lady in Myanmar style makeup on her cheeks. When I asked to take a photo she politely declined.
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