Mysterious Mekong: a journey through the heart of Indochina

An exhibition of photographs by Reinhard Hohler will be on display at the Mezzanine Floor of Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok, starting on Sunday, June 1, 2008. The unique collection of photos is featuring the Mekong River, the longest river in Southeast Asia, which is more and more threatened by dam buildings and industrial development schemes.

Through his photographs, Mr. Hohler attempts to give the visitor an in-depth perspective on the different geographical, historical and economic aspects of the Mekong River, which runs through the heart of Indo-China. The river should be protected accordingly.

The 72 photographs highlight the landscapes and scenery seen during an expedition in November 2002, which started in Sipsong Panna, Yunnan/China, passing through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia, before ending in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The exhibition includes photos marking the group’s visit to the gravesite of the famous French explorer Henri Mouhot in Luang Prabang, the transfer of the group’s hovercraft around the scenic Khon Falls on the Lao-Cambodia border, as well as a side trip to the ruins of Angkor. When the expedition had finally arrived in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, there was the first continuous navigation of the Mekong River successfully completed.

Reinhard Hohler, 57, is an experienced tour director and media travel consultant in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. He was born in Karlsruhe, Germany, a port on Europe’s Rhine River. After studying geology in his hometown and ethnology, geography and political science at Heidelberg University, Mr. Hohler moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand where he has lived since 1987.

The venue and “green leaf” hotel Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok is located in Bangkok’s business district of Lard Prao and just 30 minutes to Don Muang Airport. There is easy access to the expressway, BTS Sky train and MRT subway. The hotel is also opposite the well-known Chatuchak outdoor market. The whole complex combines the hotel, which offers 607 deluxe rooms, Central Plaza Shopping Mall and Bangkok Convention Center (BCC) all under one roof.