rafting

A far cry from tying a few planks to a couple of flotation devices and floating off down stream, these rafts are everywhere on the river.

This is a bamboo raft built around a central panel from which protrude bamboo ribs. More bamboo, in fact probably tons of bamboo, is tethered beneath the ribs, small tents or rattan houses perch on top and they travel miles downstream in this fashion.
Home to several families and dogs for several weeks, when on the move small vessels are attached in front and behind I guess to act as a brake! This one was moored mid stream and the residents had gone shopping by boat at the sandbank market.

Mandalay port was crammed with arrived rafts from which bamboo bundles were removed and swum to shore for sale.
Amazingly enterprising though I can't imagine health and safety 's response.