Burma

This is the Thai border looking into Burma. In seeing some of the conditions people would rather live in, than live in Burma, I can't imagine it to be the best of places.

So when given the opportunity to go and have a look at the border, I leapt at it.

I knew that Thailand has limited free press and that the border is a sensitive issue so I was expected a brief visit, perhaps peering out through the window of a car.

What I found was almost a tourist attraction. Putting Lands End to shame, there's a massive sign to have your photograph taken, pointing to the last bit of Thailand. Ice cream and stands galore, there is a market community thriving on day trippers. In fact the whole area is dominated by the border.

I still don't fully understand why it is exists? Of course I understand why there is a border, just why is isn't fully implemented?

There are regular boats that cross over to Thailand without the battering of an eyelid. We watched as men and a bike poured into a rubber ring and made the journey across, for around 20p.

No sign of the border control. Yet in my journey from Mae Sot to Chaing Mai, we were stopped six times and the coach searched three times (even my bag, perhaps incase I had smuggled Along out) .

Many live here in No Mans Land. It's rent free, and that's about all it has going for it. For its lodgers, this is better than what came before.

I don't feel I know enough to debate the hows or why this is happening. As a journalist I was amazed to see it unfold.

From an outsiders point of view it's intriguing, the border seems to be a bit like the roadside cardboard policemen I have encountered.

Following the hand gensture, I persume they are telling motorists to stop for the police. In Thailand's bonkers traffic system, no-one takes the slightest bit of notice and carries on regardless.

There was no real chance this would work, yet it was introduced and financed, and remains in place all the same.