Chonburi - Long Boat Racing

While the provincial capital has a large buffalo race festival,

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2010/10/chonburi-buffalo-racing.html

there is also a long boat race on Mabprachan Reservoir (covering both Nongprue and Pong municipalities) in November.

 The boats compete in two categories: 55 oarsmen or 30 oarsmen.

Run Betsy Run

The festival on the reservoir's shore is small, but there are activities for kids and also a buffalo race.

Chiang Rai - Wat Rong Khun

Wat Rong Khun is actually not a temple. Rather, it is an unconventional and privately owned art-exhibition built in the style of a temple. It is owned by Chalermchai Kositpipat who designed the building details and who has funded most of the construction costs (by now well over USD 1 million).

The bridge of the cycle of rebirth leads to the gate of heaven. On the other side of the gate, you enter the ubosot

The "temple" opened to visitors in 1997, but has only become a major tourist attraction over the past 10 years. It is located around 5 kilometers south of Chiang Rai, so it is within easy reach for any visitor to the city.

Visitors are not allowed to take pictures inside the ubosot, but the entire back wall is taken up by a painting of a red demon with George Bush in one eye, and Osama Bin Laden in the other. Inside the mouth of the demon is a scene depicting the fall of the Twin Towers.
 
Pop culture references are found dotted throughout the demon’s mouth. They include the Kung Fu Panda, Michael Jackson, Neo from The Matrix, Freddie Krueger, Darth Vader, one of the Transformers, Hello Kitty, the Hulk, Batman, the Joker, Jigsaw from The Saw movies, Ultraman, Spiderman, Superman, a couple of Angry Birds, Harry Potter, and Jack Sparrow.

Confused? 
The pamphlet from the gift shop says the painting depicts “the killing of the innocence” by terrorism and fanaticism and that no heroes can save the world.

Rayong - Sunthorn Phu

On the road from Klaeng town to Laem Mae Phim (highway # 3145), there is a small park in honor of Sunthorn Phu.

Sunthorn Phu (1786-1855) is probably Thailand's most famous classical poet - Thai school children are told that he is the father of Thai literature and all Thais know at least the main story line in his canonical 30,000 lines Phra Aphai Mani poem that describe a fantastical world, where people of many races and religions live and interact together in harmony.

Poet on a hill

Although many think Sunthorn Phu was born in Rayong, he was actually born near present-day Bangkok Noi a mere four years after Bangkok (Rattanakosin Island) had become capital. Thonburi had had the honor for a brief period after the Burmese sacked Ayutthaya.

Sunthorn Phu became a famous poets in the early Rattanakosin era. His father was from Klaeng and Sunthorn Phu wrote a poem about his first trip (1807) to his father's home.

Mesmerizing Mermaid

Rayong promotes Sunthon Phu as a native of the province and has dotted the province with statues of Sunthon Phu and characters from his literature.

Chonburi - Wat Yannasangwararam

Wat Yannasangwararam Woramahaviharn is located in Huay Yai municipality, roughly 15 km south of Pattaya. Its location is more easy to pinpoint if you continue on Sukhumvit Road (Highway 3) to the Na Jomtien area where you then soon will find signs guiding you in the right direction.

Construction of the temple started in 1976 and the Royal Family have supported this temple since then. The Supreme Patriarch intended this temple be a place for practicing Dhamma and wanted a location relatively near Bangkok.

Inside the temple compound area, there are plenty of trees to provide shade and full facilities for visitors such as food, drinks and clean restrooms. There is also a museum explaining the basic Buddhist terms to laymen.  My favorite quote is: "You alone can change yourself". You cannot blame other people for your deeds - it is up to you to avoid committing sin by choosing the right path.

Phang Nga – Koh Phra Thong

Koh Phra Thong Beach - White and Wide

This is a wonderful island with wonderful beaches and highly varied fauna and flora, which make the island a great destination to explore.However, visitors must be ready to accept that this island (supposedly) is the last tambon in Thailand to not have a public electricity grid, which means inhabitants only have electricity for three-four hours each evening. Although there is a ferry from the pier at Muh Koh Surin National Park’s office, there is no fixed schedule for departures. Transport to / from the island is mostly by means of long tail boats with Ban Ded being the main connection point on the mainland. After departure from Ban Ded, one passes through mangrove before crossing a short stretch of open water to reach the island.

All but one of the island’s five resorts have only basic structures (huts or tents) for rent. The Oasis Resort offers the best value for money with extremely friendly owners and large tents right on edge of a magnificent beach.

Around 600 people live on Koh Phra Thong. The island doesn’t have any paved roads, but does have some narrow concrete tracks, barely wide enough for one vehicle, that connect most of the populated locations to each other. Other locations are reached by tracks short-cutting through the wilderness. 

The eastern shores of the island are mostly mangrove forests. If you can get a local to take you around in a small boat to see birds and monkeys.The western shores of the island have kilometer after kilometer of truly unspoiled sandy beaches. There are no beach chairs or sun parasols, but plenty of crabs.

Map of Koh Phra Thong indicating savanna area in red

The interior of the island is dominated by a large sandy savanna – tall grass, shrubs, small trees (mostly pine and cajuput) – with small lakes and ponds full of mussels. The savanna is home to around 70 deer, 40 hornbills, and an unknown number of feral pigs. I borrowed a 20-year old book with information on the island. It listed eight different frogs, but 16 different snakes, so it is advisable to take due care when walking around on the savannah or in the forest on the island.To get around on the savanna is relatively easy in the dry season, but during the rainy season, the tracks turn muddy and often disappear as ponds become lakes.

The island has three villages and the southernmost village, Ban Tungthae, is basically cut off from the rest of the island during the rainy season. It had more than 300 inhabitants 10 years ago. But the tsunami dealt a hard blow to the village from which it hasn’t recovered. At present, Ban Tungthae is home to only around 60 villagers and the school is deserted.

Local Transport

The intermittent supply of electricity, poor infrastructure, and basic accommodation brought back memories of Koh Chang 20 years ago. However, even back then, Koh Chang had far more (backpacker) tourists than Koh Phra Thong has today. Back then, Koh Chang was also a popular destination among adventurous university students from Bangkok whenever there was a long weekend. Koh Phra Thong is far more quiet although it does on occasion get some visitors dropping by on their way to / from Muh Koh Surin or if boat services to Muh Koh Surin are suspended due to rough seas.

Big Bird defending its nest against nosy tourists

In any case, although Muh Koh Surin is amazingly beautiful, it is also small and it is easy to get bored. Koh Phra Thong is far larger and offers a multitude of activities, so it is far easier to spend long time on that island. I highly recommend a visit. 

Nakhon Phanom - Temples

Wat Okat at Night

There are several beautiful and important temples located in Nakhon Phanom city. At night, they are lit to show their best side and it makes a stroll along the Mekong River interesting. I have chosen Wat Okat as an example of the night time splendor.

The building to the right houses two images carved in wood. According to legend, these two imaged, called Phra Tiu and Phra Thiam, floated across the river roughly 1,000 years ago. These images are very sacred and seen here with very colorful murals on the walls.

I mentioned Wat Phra That Phanom in an earlier blog

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2011/06/nakhon-phanom-once-upon-time-2.html

Chedi at Wat Phra That Phanon

It is located south of the provincial capital and is probably the most important Buddhist temple in eastern Isan. The 57 meter tall chedi is iconic and presumably contains a piece of the Lord Buddha's chest bone. A large festival to celebrate the temple starts the 10th day of the third lunar month and lasts for a week. This is normally in February, so in about two weeks' time, an estimated 10,000 people will make pilgrimage to the temple.

Chonburi - Sri Racha

Sri Racha is an old fishing village and center for seaborne transport that has grown big. Off the coast is Koh Si Chang. That island provides natural shelter for ships and has for centuries been a stopping point for vessels going to or coming from Bangkok. Even before that, the shelter provided by the island also allowed transshipments to take place - cargoes were moved from large oceangoing vessels to barges that went up to Ayutthaya. Sri Racha therefore became the home to customs house and immigration authorities to handle the interaction with foreign merchant vessels.

Chinese Buddha?

Wat Ko Loi is located on a small island connected with the mainland by a 1.5 km long causeway. The temple mixes Thai style Buddha statues with Chinese religious icons. It is the center for many festivals during the year, including Loy Krathong. On the island, there are also concrete ponds with large turtles and it may bring you good luck to feed them.

Ang Sila is located north of Sri Racha, just south of Chonburi city. It is another old fishing village that has become a popular tourist destination. It is not amazing beaches that attract people, but a reputation for amazing seafood.

Bay at Ang Sila

Rayong - Ko Kloi Market

There are many fake "floating markets" in Thailand. The one in Rayong is the one with the least hassles. It is a relaxed place without annoying crowds. This may be because it is located out of sight behind a PTT gas station on Route 36 (roughly opposite Big C on Rayong ring road) near the Ko Kloi intersection.

Ko Kloi Market as the sun sets

The market opened in 2010 and its theme seems to be "Thailand as it once was". The wooden houses encircling a pond are in old traditional style and so are many of the decorations. Shops and restaurants offer traditional Thai food (and modern coffee) served with "ancient flavor", e.g. in bowls made from coconut shells.

Scattered around are resting spots made up by rows of chairs from movie theaters 40-50 years ago. The atmosphere is very relaxed and family-friendly. Ko Kloi Market can definitely be recommended for Bangkokians stopping over on their way to / from Trat or Chantaburi. It is also a very nice destination for a dinner outside the rainy season.

More information can be found here:

http://taladkokloi.com/home.php

Chonburi - New Year at Wat Song Metta

When entering a new year, this is most often something people celebrate. However, many people take the opportunity to ponder the year that has passed and look ahead at what the new year may bring. Apart from the widespread tradition of making somewhat superficial resolutions for the new year, some people take a more serious approach. They choose to enter a new year while praying at a temple.

People are gathering

Wat Song Metta Wanaram is on a hill overlooking Ban Bang Saray (or Sa-Re) near Sattahip. New Year's Eve it will fill up with people chanting and praying for hours led by the monks of the temple.

Find yourself a place and a white cotton thread

If you are a believer, or maybe just want to try anything to secure some good fortune, then join us tomorrow evening. Or listen in on the internet radio broadcast.

http://www.watsongmetta.com/

Happy New Year

Chonburi - Pattaya Sheep Farm

In Thailand, the trend of making cute animals available for town folks to pet probably started near Suan Pheung in Ratchaburi with the upscale Swiss Valley Hip Resort roughly 10 years ago. Since then, the concept was copied but simplified into petting zoos that catered to people's desire to snap cute photos.

Air craft and wind mill - where are the sheep?

Such venues are in Thailand often called "sheep farms" and at first they spread across Ratchaburi, then started to pop up in Khao Kho, and they are now found all across Thailand.

Sheep galore

There are two sheep farms near Pattaya - actually, in Bang Lamung and in Na Jomtien.

Car rental that I can afford, but I need somebody to push me.

The one in Bang Lamung is the biggest one and if you are young at heart, it can be quite fun to spend an hour there.You can pad and feed sheep, donkeys, ponies, pigs, ducks, geese, and chickens as well as take a boat load of cute photos. Much more fun than the cluster of fake European houses south of Pattaya:

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2013/08/chonburi-mimosa-city-of-fakes.html

Chonburi - Pattaya: City of Culture

Every year in December, Pattaya City sponsors a merit making ceremony early a Saturday morning. Last year, 2,600 monks were bused in. 

At his speech, and I am paraphrasing, the mayor of Pattaya said the ceremony was partly intended to show that Pattaya is not only a city of sin. However, I am pretty sure that this ceremony – starting at sunrise – escapes the attention of nearly all tourists and of the Thais engaged in the many shades of sinful activity that goes on all around Pattaya.

After the speeches, the monks circulated to allow worshipers to pay their respects and get their prayers answered. Considering that the Lord Buddha taught that the way to salvation is to free oneself from temptations and unholy matters such as money, it was an interesting aspect of the ceremony that 60% of the MC’s calls for prayer were for riches.

Chonburi - Pattaya Fireworks

Every year in November, Pattaya City arranges a fireworks competition stretching over two evenings where several nations vie for the honors. I have enjoyed the view both from the exclusivity (USD 100 tickets) of Hilton’s terrace bar and from a less luxurious beach chair (USD 1.50).

The view from up high at Hilton is far better than from shore side, but down at street level one meets more interesting aspects of real life. Last year, a Russian enjoyed the show together with a bottle of Thai whiskey. When the bottle was almost empty, he decided to go for a swim. Fully dressed and seriously drunk, he made it waist-high into the sea before he collapsed. Several good Samaritans rushed to pull the Russian back on the beach where he sat, drenched and smiling, for the rest of the show. 

Roi Et - Wat Pha Namthip Thep Prasit Varanam

Remembering names is not easy. I was in western Yasothon when somebody spoke highly about Wat Pha Namthip. This was supposedly an amazing temple, which I should not give a miss. So, I followed the directions given and soon crossed into Roi Et province where signs started mentioning Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol.  It turned out that there are two names for the same temple. Locals use the name of the temple whereas visitors tend to use the more grand name for the chedi. 

And it turned out that I have been there before.

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2010/01/roi-et-phra-maha-chedi-chai-mongkhon.html

This time, repair and refurbishment work on the chedi was in process, so it was not easy to take pictures of the impressive interior without scaffolding or tools getting in the way.

From the outside, the pagoda is still impressive as well as huge (101 x 101 meters at the base and 101 meters high). To reach the uppermost room, one has to climb a narrow staircase, before one can pay one's respects as well as donate money to the on-going refurbishment work.

Nakhon Pathom - Buddhamonthon

The district is called phutthamonthon, but inside the park, the signs spells it Buddhamonthon. The park covers an area of 2,500 rai and was opened in 1957 to commemorate that it was 2,500 years since the birth of the Lord Buddha. 

After a long pause construction on the park resumed slowly in 1976 and the main Buddha statue was cast in 1981. The statue is almost 16 meters high and in a circle around the statue are sites representing the four main stages in the life of Lord Buddha: his birth, his Enlightenment, his first sermon, and his death.

The park also houses a museum and several ponds. People can relax under the shade of trees and enjoy the tranquility away from the hustle and noise of modern life.

In late 2011, the park was flooded for weeks on end. Almost USD 20 million were spent on draining the area and cleaning up the park 

Uthai Thani - Phathang Temple

This small village temple has an impressive Buddha statue located less than one kilometer of the main road.

On the way to the temple, you will pass the "ancient weaving cloth center" (an OTOP initiative) where you can buy over-priced hand-woven products.

Nong Khai - Si Chiang Mai

Sala Keo Kou is at the provincial capital

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2013/02/nongkhai-sala-keo-kou.html

Water is not falling

I went 80+ km to the west of Sala Keo Kou to explore a couple of waterfalls - Tan Tip & Tan Thong or Than Thip & Than Thong depending on how you transliterate their Thai names into English. However, since my visit was during the dry season, there was almost no water, so that was a waste of time.

Mekong at Hin Mak Peng

However, Si Chiang Mai is nearby - roughly 65 km to the west of Nong Khai city. The town is located on the banks of Mekong, just opposite Vientiane, the capital of Lao PDR. Its name is derived from Chiang Mai as the Lan Xiang king that founded Si Chiang Mai had a grandmother who was queen of Chiang Mai.

Vientiane at night

That origin of the name is rather irrelevant today, but the location gives for some great nighttime views across the river of Vientiane's lights. So, it is very nice to have dinner at one of the many basic restaurants along the river.

Chedi with the remains of Luangphu Thet

A once famous temple is located bit west of Si Chiang Mai. Wat Hin Mak Peng became the permanent base of Ajarn Thet Thetrangsi from 1977. Before that, he had been a "homeless monk" wandering through the rural areas of Thailand. At that time, Wat Hin Mak Peng was at a very remote location, but Luangphu Thet gained a large following as a master of meditation and teacher in the "forest tradition" (khammatthana) of Theravada Buddhism. He gained such a reputation that he on several occasions were visited by members of the Thai royal family, including by HRH King Bhumibol. Luangphu Thet died in 1994, but the temple is worth a visit. The temple grounds are large and with plenty of trees to provide shade and the temple area is adjacent to the Mekong River.

Wat Hin Mak Peng seen from the river

The Mekong River is in itself an attraction. Nong Khai being so far away from the sea, the river banks serve as beaches and locals also engage in fishing.

In the photo, the guys in blue and orange shirts are holding the two ends of a net they've dragged out into and along the river. They are now about to bring the ends together onshore to collect their catch.

Ubon Ratchathani - Sirindhorn Dam

Ubon is more than waterfalls, two-colored river, and caveman art. Ubon also has beaches. The most popular ones are along the banks of the reservoir formed behind the Sirindhorn Dam.

Ice cream anyone?

One grabs a space in one of the floating "houses" and settles down for some great food, a swim in the reservoir, and a tour on the banana boat. If you want, the ice cream man will bring you refreshments.

Ubon Ratchathani - Pha Taem (Part 4)

Caveman Art

I visited Pha Taem before

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2010/03/ubon-ratchathani-pha-taem-part-1.html

Back then, I did not think much about that the pre-historic rock paintings were done by cavemen 3-4,000 years ago. However, during my second visit, it hit me that 3-4,000 years ago is not that pre-historic. Ancient Greece was in fact quite developed at that time (the first Olympic games were held 776 BC). Although the exact time when Neanderthals became extinct is disputed, it is around 30,000 years ago rather than 3,000 years ago. Seen in that light, the cavemen art at Pha Taem became somewhat of a puzzle to me.

The View is Still Great

This time, I also ventured to Chanai Dai cliff. As was the case during my first visit, the trip turned out to be an adventure.

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2010/03/ubon-ratchathani-pha-taem-part-2.html

This time, the adventure was weather induced. Roughly half-way across the dozen or so kilometers one has to drive off-road to get to the cliff, the gates of heaven opened and torrents of rain poured down. The off-road (across rocky surface) turns into a narrow track leading through a forest the last couple of kilometers before the ranger station. The rain water took the path of least resistance, which was that track. Driving, there was no way of knowing how deep the water was or whether parts of the track had been washed away.

Game Over - time to make a U-turn

However, with due care and 4WD, I made it to the ranger station. But then, it was game over. It was clear that although the rain had slowed down, the water flowed at ever higher speed. I made a U-turn before reaching the cliff to get out of the forest quickly rather than risk being stuck.

Chonburi - Sanctuary of Truth

Located on Laem Rachvate in Na Kluea (just north of Pattaya) is a somewhat peculiar structure. While the webpage talks about ancient (Eastern) vision and wisdom as well as of ancient Thai ingenuity, the wooden building's style is an overly "busy" version of Khmer architecture.

While that in itself can be interesting -- and the official website (see link below) goes to a great length explaining the symbolic meaning of the many carvings -- I am not impressed by the entrance fees charges, by the tourists that arrive by the bus loads, and by the numerous side-activities going on to generate revenues.

http://www.sanctuaryoftruth.com/history.php

To me, money rather than spiritual enlightening and pursuit of "truth" has become the main objective. But, each to one's own.