River Kok

The Kok River (Thai: แม่น้ำกก, rtgs: Maenam Kok, Thai pronunciation: [mɛ̂ːnáːm kòk]) flows in Southeast Asia.

course

The river originates in the Daen Lao Range, Shan State, Burma. It flows eastwards across the Burma–Thailand border, coming in at the Thai border town of Taton (most often spelled Thathon). 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 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 Taton and Chiang Rai. Alongside the Mae Kok river, an hour's boat ride upstream from Chiang Rai town, has an touristy "elephant camp" on its north shore.

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 the Lao border.

Phahonyothin Road crosses this river near Chiang Rai City. Altogether, there are five bridges crossing the Mae Kok river near Chiang Rai city.

Tributaries

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.

Boating, rafting and rock climbing

Boomerang Adventure Park

Boomerang is the only rock climbing and adventure park in Chiang Rai. Located just 3km from Chiang Rai town the rock climbing and adventure park features outdoor rock climbing, 24 top rope climbing routes on souring limestone cliffs, zip lines, traverse climbing, slack lines, bouldering and caving. Boomerang rock climbing and adventure park also features Asia’s largest swing at 53m high with a 45m arc! Guests are also welcome to camp in the grounds and there is an on-site restaurant, solar showers and washroom facilities. The adventure park site is located at the idyllic Mae Kok river, which is in the vicinity of several waterfalls and hill tribes.

2km from Ban Nam Lat on Soi 5

Small long-tail boats ply the Mae Kok between the towns of Taton and Chiang Rai.

Dams

There is a small dam with 11 gates which provides irrigation for rice fields east of Chiang Rai. The dam is 11 kilometres (7 mi) miles 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 in to Thailand, about 32 kilometres (20 mi) upstream from the border.

Top Gear

In October 2013  the cast and crew of the British television show Top Gear constructed a bridge over the river Kok as part of their Burma Special. The bridge was originally planned to be built over the River Kwai but the Kok was chosen "accidentally". The show aired in two parts on 9 March 2014 and 16 March 2014.

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kok_River