Gallery 15
A trip mostly in Northern Thailand featuring a fair few wats, but hopefully with anecdotal descriptions for interest.
1. Above: Wat Pa Ban Tat, Udon Thani
This is another of those wats whose setting can be described as majestic. Everything about it is precise: spotlessly clean, beautifully proportioned and strikingly designed. This is the first time that I have seen a wat that is essentially black and white themed – unusual, but it works. The wat was founded by the nationally famous monk, Ajarn Maha Bua who died in 2011 and is said to have attained enlightenment and will no longer return to earth. There is quite a reverent atmosphere around the place with people talking in whispers as they set off from the entrance. I was politely requested to hitch my shorts down to cover my knees. This was no issue at all as they naturally tend to migrate that way without prompting. And let’s face it, elderly knees are rarely an uplifting sight anyway.
This is another of those wats whose setting can be described as majestic. Everything about it is precise: spotlessly clean, beautifully proportioned and strikingly designed. This is the first time that I have seen a wat that is essentially black and white themed – unusual, but it works. The wat was founded by the nationally famous monk, Ajarn Maha Bua who died in 2011 and is said to have attained enlightenment and will no longer return to earth. There is quite a reverent atmosphere around the place with people talking in whispers as they set off from the entrance. I was politely requested to hitch my shorts down to cover my knees. This was no issue at all as they naturally tend to migrate that way without prompting. And let’s face it, elderly knees are rarely an uplifting sight anyway.
2. Above: Night Market, Khon Kaen
The perils of running an open-air business in the monsoon season! The night market is held every Saturday and takes ages to set up. A sizeable crowd will turn up so there has to be plenty of food prepared, and it needs to be tempting to see off the competition. So, when the rain arrives in true deluge style you can be sure to write off all that endeavour as well as the costs involved. Two Saturdays running by all accounts, saw customers scarpering as stallholders raced to pack away their wares and paraphernalia. You just know with this kind of rain that it will like this for a solid hour, you aren't going to shelter and wait it out. Home time to work out what to throw away and what to put in the freezer. Pic lower right: pig's tails in batter!
The perils of running an open-air business in the monsoon season! The night market is held every Saturday and takes ages to set up. A sizeable crowd will turn up so there has to be plenty of food prepared, and it needs to be tempting to see off the competition. So, when the rain arrives in true deluge style you can be sure to write off all that endeavour as well as the costs involved. Two Saturdays running by all accounts, saw customers scarpering as stallholders raced to pack away their wares and paraphernalia. You just know with this kind of rain that it will like this for a solid hour, you aren't going to shelter and wait it out. Home time to work out what to throw away and what to put in the freezer. Pic lower right: pig's tails in batter!
3. Above: Pattaya, Saigon, orderly Taipei and Bangkok
Having just flown into Taipei from Saigon it was quite novel to see how motorbikes lined up at traffic lights. Painted on the road is a box for bikes to ready themselves for the lights changing. It is placed in front of the cars so that the bikes can accelerate away first. Imagine that in Saigon – it would need to be a pretty big box! I always think that the streets in Saigon were designed to cater for horses and carts, cyclos and the odd jalopy. Add to that, the poorly developed public transport system and you have a recipe for bicycles and later motorbikes. ‘Me first’ is the code in practice on the roads (and the pavements). At the lights in Thailand the green section painted on the road at the front is for motorbikes to line up first – it can also be motorbike motifs in white. Needless to say, cars mostly ignore it.
Having just flown into Taipei from Saigon it was quite novel to see how motorbikes lined up at traffic lights. Painted on the road is a box for bikes to ready themselves for the lights changing. It is placed in front of the cars so that the bikes can accelerate away first. Imagine that in Saigon – it would need to be a pretty big box! I always think that the streets in Saigon were designed to cater for horses and carts, cyclos and the odd jalopy. Add to that, the poorly developed public transport system and you have a recipe for bicycles and later motorbikes. ‘Me first’ is the code in practice on the roads (and the pavements). At the lights in Thailand the green section painted on the road at the front is for motorbikes to line up first – it can also be motorbike motifs in white. Needless to say, cars mostly ignore it.
4. Above: Wat Phra That Chaiyaphum
From Sai Thong National Park to this wat took over two hours in the car. As is often the case, wats are located in such obscure locations. You drive along for mile upon mile through well-cultivated green fields of this and that, with absolutely nothing to suggest a splendid destination is in the off. As the road starts to climb and snake its way upwards, you do start to think, ‘This would be a good place to build a wat…’ The way up begins with red prayer ribbons tied all over, even to the elephant’s trunk for extra luck, and ends with a setting commanding views all around. The nested gold standing Buddhas make a strong visual for your camera, with a bit of blue sky adding the finishing touches.
From Sai Thong National Park to this wat took over two hours in the car. As is often the case, wats are located in such obscure locations. You drive along for mile upon mile through well-cultivated green fields of this and that, with absolutely nothing to suggest a splendid destination is in the off. As the road starts to climb and snake its way upwards, you do start to think, ‘This would be a good place to build a wat…’ The way up begins with red prayer ribbons tied all over, even to the elephant’s trunk for extra luck, and ends with a setting commanding views all around. The nested gold standing Buddhas make a strong visual for your camera, with a bit of blue sky adding the finishing touches.
5. Above: Wat That, Khon Kaen
The main ubosot is impressively tall, the kind of building that defies your viewfinder and challenges you to fit it all in without stepping back into the lake. Even more impressive is the golden dinosaur in the corner, complete with animatronics. One can only assume that this is a model of diplodocus holii, known only to Buddhists. Rather baffled by that one, it was a case of touring the more traditional offerings around the site, while repeating quietly, 'A dinosaur!?!'
The main ubosot is impressively tall, the kind of building that defies your viewfinder and challenges you to fit it all in without stepping back into the lake. Even more impressive is the golden dinosaur in the corner, complete with animatronics. One can only assume that this is a model of diplodocus holii, known only to Buddhists. Rather baffled by that one, it was a case of touring the more traditional offerings around the site, while repeating quietly, 'A dinosaur!?!'
6. Above: Pha Haam Hod Cliff, Sai Thong National Park
Walking along the clifftop in blustery conditions it wouldn’t take too much effort to topple over the edge, despite the many park rangers stationed to prevent just that. The cliffs in Sai Thong National Park, Chaiyaphum are an absolute natural for those seeking an Insta thrill. In fact, if a Thai person sends their snap to a friend, they will likely get a quick photo-reply stating, ‘Been there, this is me in 2016’ in the exact same spot, thus taking the shine off things and fully deflating the sender. The reply is somewhere between, ‘So what!’. ‘What took you so long?’ and 'Do try to keep up!' Perhaps all three.
Walking along the clifftop in blustery conditions it wouldn’t take too much effort to topple over the edge, despite the many park rangers stationed to prevent just that. The cliffs in Sai Thong National Park, Chaiyaphum are an absolute natural for those seeking an Insta thrill. In fact, if a Thai person sends their snap to a friend, they will likely get a quick photo-reply stating, ‘Been there, this is me in 2016’ in the exact same spot, thus taking the shine off things and fully deflating the sender. The reply is somewhere between, ‘So what!’. ‘What took you so long?’ and 'Do try to keep up!' Perhaps all three.
7. Above: Si Thep Historical Park, Phetchabun Province
Si Thep shows evidence of settlement from 2,500-1,500 years ago but became a city state from the 6th century. The size of the site is evidenced by the fact that it is far too big to walk around. The electric trolley-buses take you for a ride, stopping at three key sites located kilometres from the entrance. Walking round there aren’t many clues as to what you are looking at, unless the faded QR codes were a DIY solution (bleached beyond phone recognition). Groups of school children are marched round and seated for a teacher-plenary. I wonder what they learned? I recall that my equivalent school trips involved an awful lot of mucking about and not a lot of listening, apart from the one to Cadbury's in Bournville.
8. Above: Driving Through Nam Nao National Park
Looking at the map it doesn’t seem that far from Udon Thani to Phetchabun despite the app telling you that you are in for a 4.5-hour drive. Once you engage with it you realise why. Right in the middle of the drive is the small matter of the Nam Nao National Park. If the route is advertising ‘Sunrise Viewpoint’ as one of the stops, you can guess that you are going to be quite high up. ‘Choose a Low Gear’ is the main sign as you twist and turn up and down the gradients while pulling to the side to let the speedster pickups fly by. Full concentration required, whatever the road signs say! Pics above: After exiting the park.
9. Above: Wat Phu Thong Thep Nimit, Udon Thani
Approaching from the south-west, the hilltop white Buddha can’t be seen until you are practically upon it. Having said that, the view from the top to the north and east is impressive as it surveys the plain in the direction of Udon Thani. The small road leading up to the hill is one of those where you have to select the gear position that is used for towing a caravan, thankful that you aren’t actually towing one as you chug round the bends this way and that.
10. Above: Wat Hai Sok, Udon Thani
This one wasn’t on the list until the taxi driver said, ‘Nah, you don’t want to go there to have your business enterprise blessed, you want to go to Wat Hai Sok; it’s a no brainer, take it from me.’ To be fair, locals do know about these sorts of things. He didn’t mention that the 40-minute drive features miles of potholes linked by the occasional bit of road though. This is an interesting wat, built from blocks of laterite (or faux laterite from a nearby builder’s yard?) giving it a unique appearance. Sure enough, monks were waiting patiently on the stage for entrepreneurs seeking favour, being in need of some good fortune regarding their ailing endeavour. Purchase your merit-making gift and let the blessings begin.
11. Above: Prang Ku Chaiyaphum
This Khmer laterite Prang (tower) surrounded by a wall, with a baray (pond) nearby dates from the thirteenth century. It was built by order of King Jayavaman VII (1181-1218), as one of the 102 medical stations located at outposts throughout his empire. Sitting just off the centre of Chaiyaphum on a back road in a quiet suburb it stands timeless and rightly oblivious to the ‘progress’ all around. Standing there, you are briefly under the spell of a remnant of an eight hundred-year-old state-sponsored public health system, no less. Evidence suggests that remedies were as much spiritual as medicinal.
12. Above: UD Town
This is a great find if you are new to Udon Thani. Rows of local food outlets and world-brand eateries if you’d prefer. What a pleasure to revisit the BBQ freshwater fish set meal that we used to have regularly at Promenada in Chiang Mai. Having looked up Pla Nin, we find that it is Nile Tilapia, which makes for a soft, fleshy meal, but watch out for the bones (What is a Nile Tilapia doing up here?). There’s quite a buzz about UD Town, with live music in the background and folks strutting their stuff in the best togs. Swensen’s for afters rounds off a perfect evening.
13. Above: San Chao Pho Phaya Lae Shrine, Chaiyaphum
Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae) was the founder of the city of Chaiyaphum in the early 1800s. Originally from Vientiane he led his community to this new site and paid tribute to neighbouring Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat). Conflict was ongoing between Korat and Vientiane and Lae paid the price after his capture and execution at what is now the site of the shrine. Homage is paid annually in May to the ‘city’s father’ at the shrine which was refurbished in 1975. The white exterior is visible from some distance when illuminated at night.
14. Above: Wat Phutthabat Phufaet
A bit of a disappointment, this one. Partly because it had seen better days and might have looked pristine about fifty years ago, and also because you had to take your shoes off before exploring the massive site by treading on gnarly concrete, wet in places after a shower, while tip-toeing round the many sleeping dogs. Alas, my tender tootsies were not up to the task and even with socks on it was a hopeless quest. All those folks striding about barefoot must have had very different childhood feet experiences to me. Me and my perennially scuffed, kickabout shoes and all.
15. Above: Nha Hang Ngon, Saigon
The pink décor rather blasts you out of your comfort zone here. Reading the reviews, there are piles of 5’s balanced by loads of 1’s (just like films and books – there’s no accounting for, or predicting, other people’s taste). From my point of view, it was nearer the 5-end of the scale, with dishes arriving pronto and a hubbub of an atmosphere. Walking round the side galleys it was clear why meals reach the table so speedily - any number of staff were hard at work on their own particular tempting preparations. The place is clearly a well-known stop, with non-locals occupying many of the tables.
The pink décor rather blasts you out of your comfort zone here. Reading the reviews, there are piles of 5’s balanced by loads of 1’s (just like films and books – there’s no accounting for, or predicting, other people’s taste). From my point of view, it was nearer the 5-end of the scale, with dishes arriving pronto and a hubbub of an atmosphere. Walking round the side galleys it was clear why meals reach the table so speedily - any number of staff were hard at work on their own particular tempting preparations. The place is clearly a well-known stop, with non-locals occupying many of the tables.
16. Above: Bac Ho House, Udon Thani
In 1928 Ho Chi Minh (Uncle Ho or Bac Ho) lived on the outskirts of Udon Thani. He only stayed for seven months but even so, an exhibition has been created along with an upcoming expanded complex to commemorate his stay. Looking at the nigh-on 100-year-old utensils and tools, along with the basic living quarters it’s hard to imagine that 20 years later the Viet Minh were operating and eventually prevailed over the French and later still, as the Viet Cong, over the American forces. And all from this – astonishing what determination and circumstance can achieve.
In 1928 Ho Chi Minh (Uncle Ho or Bac Ho) lived on the outskirts of Udon Thani. He only stayed for seven months but even so, an exhibition has been created along with an upcoming expanded complex to commemorate his stay. Looking at the nigh-on 100-year-old utensils and tools, along with the basic living quarters it’s hard to imagine that 20 years later the Viet Minh were operating and eventually prevailed over the French and later still, as the Viet Cong, over the American forces. And all from this – astonishing what determination and circumstance can achieve.
17. Above: Wat Nong Wang, Khon Kaen
The reviews said watch out for the stairs approaching the 9th level as it is a bit scary up there. Alas, floors 5-9 were closed for renovation, as can be seen from the outside scaffolding. Wat Nong Wang is one of those standout wats even so, and sure to make your top twenty list. The nine storey stupa was inaugurated in 1996 to coincide with the King’s 50th anniversary since acceding to the throne. Inside the main hall queues formed for a group blessing on this Saturday morning as the monk intoned into the mic while folks knelt on the carpet and waited to present their pre-packaged offering purchased at the entrance. Every so often the offerings were taken away in a trolley ready to be offered again.
The reviews said watch out for the stairs approaching the 9th level as it is a bit scary up there. Alas, floors 5-9 were closed for renovation, as can be seen from the outside scaffolding. Wat Nong Wang is one of those standout wats even so, and sure to make your top twenty list. The nine storey stupa was inaugurated in 1996 to coincide with the King’s 50th anniversary since acceding to the throne. Inside the main hall queues formed for a group blessing on this Saturday morning as the monk intoned into the mic while folks knelt on the carpet and waited to present their pre-packaged offering purchased at the entrance. Every so often the offerings were taken away in a trolley ready to be offered again.
18. Above: Wat Sutthawas, Pattaya
Wat Sutthawas is one of those wats that I drove past every day going to work when I first moved to Thailand in 1996. It is at the top of a T-junction at the end of Soi Nern Plab Wan, one of the main roads out of town heading east. So, nigh on twenty-nine years later, I actually took a look inside. The main buildings are very attractive but seemingly off-limits. They are surrounded by much monks’ accommodation and school buildings. The big feature seems to be a huge market which takes place twice per week. The Municipal Stadium, home to Pattaya United FC, also shares a boundary with the wat’s perimeter. My main memory from way back is that of picking up a roast chicken on the way home for a quick-fix evening meal!
Wat Sutthawas is one of those wats that I drove past every day going to work when I first moved to Thailand in 1996. It is at the top of a T-junction at the end of Soi Nern Plab Wan, one of the main roads out of town heading east. So, nigh on twenty-nine years later, I actually took a look inside. The main buildings are very attractive but seemingly off-limits. They are surrounded by much monks’ accommodation and school buildings. The big feature seems to be a huge market which takes place twice per week. The Municipal Stadium, home to Pattaya United FC, also shares a boundary with the wat’s perimeter. My main memory from way back is that of picking up a roast chicken on the way home for a quick-fix evening meal!
19. Above: HCMC Metro
The new Metro system is in mint condition having only recently opened. It is similar to what you might expect with other new Asian editions, boasting spotless entrances, platforms and trains. The sliding glass barriers mean that it is impossible to enter the track and the highly enthusiastic station staff ensure that you keep clear of the yellow floor marker, even if there is no train in sight. Things to work on? The exit where the QR code reader takes an age to beep you through and queue jumping at the subsequent waiting line – something that you just don’t see elsewhere. Still, 7k VND to town beats 150k in a taxi at a fraction of the time. A Metro system seemed to have been talked about forever. Now here it is at last!
The new Metro system is in mint condition having only recently opened. It is similar to what you might expect with other new Asian editions, boasting spotless entrances, platforms and trains. The sliding glass barriers mean that it is impossible to enter the track and the highly enthusiastic station staff ensure that you keep clear of the yellow floor marker, even if there is no train in sight. Things to work on? The exit where the QR code reader takes an age to beep you through and queue jumping at the subsequent waiting line – something that you just don’t see elsewhere. Still, 7k VND to town beats 150k in a taxi at a fraction of the time. A Metro system seemed to have been talked about forever. Now here it is at last!
20. Above: Bua Sawan - Dork Kratchiao
The fields of red ginger flowers (dork kratchiao in Thai) at the top of Sai Thong National Park, Chaiyaphum sway gently between the fenced off tracks for the carloads of visitors. It is a lovely sight and kept just that way by posting signs informing you of a 5,000 baht fine if you wander amongst them. A decent deterrent, which clearly works. It is a sweaty walk from the campsite, more than two kilometres either way, following the cliff top. It is easy to see why people come from all over at this time of year (the rainy season). Pictured here: Bua Sawan 2, the second of the flower fields along the walk.
The fields of red ginger flowers (dork kratchiao in Thai) at the top of Sai Thong National Park, Chaiyaphum sway gently between the fenced off tracks for the carloads of visitors. It is a lovely sight and kept just that way by posting signs informing you of a 5,000 baht fine if you wander amongst them. A decent deterrent, which clearly works. It is a sweaty walk from the campsite, more than two kilometres either way, following the cliff top. It is easy to see why people come from all over at this time of year (the rainy season). Pictured here: Bua Sawan 2, the second of the flower fields along the walk.