Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Continuing on the lunar year theme... I received this beautiful postcard last year. I was looking for postcards with Year of the Horse stamps and A of Thailand kindly agreed to swap with me.

Mae Hong Son is a town (thesaban mueang) in northwest Thailand, capital of Mae Hong Son Province. It is in the Shan Hills, near the border with Burma along the banks of the River Pai. As of 2005, the town had some 6,023 inhabitants.

Mae Hong Son Province is one of the northern provinces (changwat) of Thailand, on the country's western border. Neighboring provinces are (clockwise from north) Shan State of Myanmar, Chiang Mai and Tak. To the west, the province borders Kayin State and Kayah State of Myanmar.

The name Mae Hong Son means "the city of three mists". It is hemmed in by the high mountain ranges of the Shan Hills and is the most mountainous province in Thailand and is occupies 13,814 square kilometres. The province is covered with mist throughout the year and its terrain is highly suitable for the training of elephants.