Our contributor’s 365km drive around the captivating Chiang Rai countryside was relatively effortless, thanks to the BMW SUVs at his disposal.
FROM the air, Chiang Rai’s landscape is a combination of thickly forested hills and neat patchworks of farmland. As our group left Mae Fah Luang International Airport, we observed with intrigue as a motorcycle with four riders puttered past. Chiang Rai is Thailand’s northernmost city. Given its agricultural setting, an uncompromising pragmatism is not surprising. And the same is true in the vehicular arena, which Japanese pickup trucks dominate. This is Toyota Hilux country. There were no pickups for us to test, though. Instead, the cars we drove during this trip were an X3 xDrive20d, an X4 xDrive20d and an X6 xDrive30d. There was also a rear-wheeldrive X5 sDrive25d, which gave us an opportunity to test BMW’s all-wheel-drive system against its rear-wheel-drive counterpart.
Chiang Rai’s population is an eclectic mix of native hill tribes and Chinese, many of whom are descendants of Kuomintang soldiers. When the communists came to power in China, these troops fled south via Myanmar and settled in northern Thailand. It was into their midst that we ventured on our first day of driving. Rainfall the night before shrouded the hills in an enchanting mist, and we were greeted by intermittently very steep roads snaking through dense vegetation. I put the hammer down in the X6 and it obliged nonchalantly, as if saying: “Was that all, sir?” Even gaps in the convoy and sudden upward gradients were overcome with nary a flex of the right foot. The diesel engines’ ability to propel was beyond question. That they spin eagerly through a broad and usable range, much like a petrol-driven motor, was a delightful bonus.
The combination of prodigious torque, grip and (in the X6’s case) girth enabled our BMWs to pummel mountain roads into submission. Through all types of corners, damp and dry surfaces, well-paved and hastily patched tarmac, our cars remained stoically unperturbed. There was no ill-will from the locals, and we were graciously allowed to pass many log-laden trucks. The gentle courtesy and generous common sense exhibited by the local motorists made the drive through these parts pleasant and unthreatening. It seemed impolite to “bully” the hills while hunting for the cars’ dynamic limits in the presence of such serenity.
It was much better to take in the oolong tea plantations and appreciate the tranquil charms of Santikhiri village, located atop Doi Mae Salong mountain. Our next stop was an off-road course with muddy tracks and, according to the readouts on the iDrive screen, inclines of up to 35 degrees. The rear-wheel-drive X5, like a kid with a sick note to gym class, sat out this party. The second day of driving saw us heading towards the Golden Triangle – the confluence of Laotian, Myanmar and Thai borders . We gazed across the Mekong River at Myanmar before taking a right towards the sweeping bends of the countryside. As I rounded a sweeping corner while piloting the rearwheel- drive X5, I encountered an inopportune sandy patch. “Too much!” screeched the rear tyres. “Not our problem,” replied the unpowered front wheels. The locals, who so far paid us little heed, witnessed a twotonne pearl-white sports utility vehicle going sideways on a country lane. A few moments of desperate wheel-sawing ensued as the traction control just about caught the spin. Swift admonishment crackled over the walkie-talkie.
Back on the open road, we settled into a comfortable cruise and, before long, pulled up at Wat Rong Khun. Better known as the White Temple, this place is actually an exhibition space owned by Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. The White Temple’s walls are adorned with unconventional murals. Think Bumblebee atop a Podracer, lording over Kung Fu Panda inlaid on horned deities, all under the watchful gaze of a Buddha likeness. It is modern flamboyance combined with a resolutely traditional concept. Some find it vulgar, and the religious function Kositpipat’s temple serves is not the most orthodox. Nevertheless, his art has achieved immense popularity and success.
Come to think of it, this is similar to BMW’s genre-bending fleet of “sports activity vehicles” and “sports activity coupes”. With its quiet allure and refreshing beauty, Chiang Rai provided a myriad of conditions in which these SUVs could demonstrate their abilities. However, these vehicles are not pure off-roaders, and I wouldn’t recommend ploughing a paddy field with them. BMW would prefer you to think of their X models as elevated sporting luxury cars, with a dash of ruggedness and the ability to handle themselves on a country road trip.
