Day 6 - Wednesday 29 June 2016

Final day........This may be the last day of this current tour but there are plans to visit at least four sites on leaving Leam Sing Beach. For a change we get something warm from 7Eleven and are packed and ready by 10am. Today’s program should allow us to arrive back in Bangkok before dark. Two sites are on the way out of town towards Chanthaburi.
Wat Paknamleamsing........Oddly now on day 6, Wat Paknamleamsing is the first Buddhist temple to be featured when often on these tours they feature strongly. The most common reason for taking in interest in Thai temples is usually for historical reasons, an era, an event, a culture where there are distinct architectural differences. In this case it could be an event but more importantly it’s the dedication of a man, Luang Por Soon. Luang Por Soon was a monk of the village (tambon) of Pak Nam Leam Sing. He helped descendants from French and Vietnamese soldiers who saw something virtuous in him hence the respect that the villagers hold for him today. His shrine lies within the temple grounds in Leam Sing.

Oasis Sea World........It’s hard to ignore the fact that further along the banks of the Chantaburi River is the Oasis Sea World which is described as a dolphin conservation area. There are two kinds of dolphin, the Irrawady dolphin and the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin. Dolphin shows are held everyday for tourists.
I have to mention that this attraction will not be reviewed by me. In principal I don’t approve of dolphin shows and at this site there is a hefty premium for foreigners. I presume it would be attractive to children so for a family of four it would cost 1,000 baht. I’ve no need to make further comment. However Oasis Sea World lies on the banks of the Chanthaburi River and my attention is drawn to the oyster beds nearby.

King Taksin Shipyard........As we make our way back to Chanthaburi the route is far from straightforward being blocked from this direction by the Chanthaburi River Delta with its numerous arms. Katoon prefers to use the traditional method of asking directions. I just think it’s wasting time in this era of GPS. Nevertheless there is an unexpected discovery. The King Taksin Shipyard is marked on Google Map but I had dismissed it as it seemed quite difficult to get to so finding a sign board it’s not dismissed any more. Even so I’m not sure what to expect there. The approach road is in poor condition; it’s quite clearly not on any tourist map. When I arrive I find a tranquil setting alongside one of the arms of the Chanthaburi River. What is striking is the magnificent shrine to King Taksin, just about the best I’ve seen. At this point I’m not aware of the significant of this site. All I have to go on is the likelihood that this is the site of the shipyard associated with the King which dates it to 1767 after the sack of Ayutthaya by the Burmese. Lunch is taken here overlooking the waterway. The diversion to the great shipyard has added another site to the days’ quota.

National Maritime Museum........Trying to make up time I insist we use GPS now and soon we’re back on the outskirts of Chanthaburi. It has been mentioned earlier that the National Maritime Museum is located in the grounds of Khai Noen Wong (Noen Wong Fort). This is the first opportunity I’ve had to find it open. Approaching from a different direction I begin to appreciate how massive the fort is, quite capable of accommodating a garrison of some size but it’s the maritime museum that secures my attention now. There is an entry fee for foreigners of 100 baht while Thais go free but I anticipate it will be worth it and a welcome respite from the rain which is now falling heavily.
As I enter this museum I have an obvious question. Why is it here in such a remote corner of Thailand? The emphasis is on ‘national’ not local. As I read the introduction I find the prime purpose of the museum is to safeguard the often well preserved artifacts found in national waters. Much of it has been removed by treasure hunters destroying its provenance. The museums goes to great lengths to record, research and preserve what remains but of course it also has an interest to exhibit its finds. Probably its most iconic exhibit is a full-scale junk of the type used for trade complete with an example of a typical cargo. Fortunately there is good English signage describing the exhibits which also include models of craft from ancient times through to the modern. This has absorbed more time than I thought but finally I’m able to answer the question of why the museum is here.
An important section of the museum covers the events following the sack of Ayutthaya which destroyed a proud civilisation that had lasted over 400 years. A bedraggled band of fugitives fought their way south from Ayutthaya finally capturing the town of Chanthaburi. There the force regrouped and recruited support. Along the banks of the Chanthaburi River they assembled an invasion force. Conventional warfare of the time did not employ naval forces so when the fleet sailed up the Chao Phraya River the Burmese were easily overpowered and fled the old city. This adds an important piece in Thailand’s history much of which I was aware of already but this is arguably the most important site visit on this tour.

Wat Yothanimit........As the rain continues to be a nuisance, I see a sign to a temple nearby. Wat Yothanimit lies within the grounds of Khai Noen Wong and was build around the same time as the fort in the 1830’s for the town of Chanthaburi. The ordination hall contains a stucco image of the Lord Buddha. The bell shaped stupa and laterite walls also date from this time. I wonder what type of umbrellas they used then!

Chanthanaburi exit........It would be a simple matter now to connect with Highway 3, Sukhumvit Road and make our way back to Bangkok but the last site visit of the day is still some way off. It may be that we cannot reach Bangkok now before dark if we include it. Nevertheless we opt to take the coastal road past Ao Krung Kraben. It seems there is a lot more mileage in the Chaloem Burapha Chonlathit scenic route yet. We head further west until we exit Chantaburi Province. In a sense I can now declare the Chanthaburi tour over but we’re both curious about the extent of the scenic route. In my case it’s quite pronounced since not long before I started this website, I spent several months near Kleang in Rayong Province. It should be familiar territory to me but it isn’t. Even in this relatively short time the Chaloem Burapha Chonlathit route has been extended. As we travel deep into Kleang District I’m still no wiser. When I stayed near here there was talk of building a bridge over the substantial waterway of the Prasae River. It’s clear that this has finally happened. Not only does the new road span the river but continues elevated for some distance to clear the mangrove margins.
HTMS Prasae........Arriving at the last planned destination of the tour it’s perhaps not surprising that it’s raining again. By the time we reach the Prasae River it’s heavy with stong winds. To arrive at the memorial under the conditions seems unfair but I persevere and take photos for the sake of reference for this website but as mentioned this area is familiar to me and it’s clearly not the first time I’ve been here.
HTMS Prasae was originally USS Gallup (PF-47), a Tacoma-class frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945 and from 1950 to 1951. It was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for Gallup, New Mexico. She also served in the Soviet Navy as EK-22. In October 1951 she was transferred to the Royal Thai Navy and served until decommissioned in 2000. She has been on display at the HTMS Prasae Memorial beside the Prasae River since 2003.

Krom Luang Chumphon Shrine........Despite there being a number of attractions in Pak Nam Prasae, the weather and time are now against us. There is just one other memorial of naval interest nearby. It is a shrine to Admiral Krom Luang Chumphon. There have been other references to the admiral elsewhere in this website but a brief introduction to him is included here:

Admiral Krom Luang Chumphon Khet Udomsak (1880-1923) is considered to be the father of the Royal Thai Navy. He was the 28th son of the prominent Thai King Rama V, and he showed an early interest and ability in nautical matters. He spent six years in the UK studying in the Royal Naval Academy. Upon his return to Thailand (Siam) he held a number of important positions in the Royal Thai navy. He is noted for modernising the navy and creating a professional officer corps. He became the Commander of the Navy in 1922.
Return to Bangkok........It’s now after 5pm and it’s clear that we will not make Bangkok before dark. Nevertheless steady progress is made back along the 344 from Kleang, joining the Chonburi Highway 7 for Bangkok. We arrive back in Kubon at 7.45pm taking a late dinner bringing this interesting tout to a close.

Thursday 30 June 2016

Postscript........Remembering that prior to the Chanthanaburi tour I went into hospital with recurring cellulites and was given antibiotics. For the most part the infection seems to have receded but not the swelling. The 6-day tour was tailored to take into account a repeat visit to the doctor to check on progress. When I return to the hospital what was hoped to be a straightforward visit proves not to be the case as I have much longer to wait. When the doctor checks on progress he is not happy. He wants to know why there is continued swelling in my leg. As far as I am concerned the swelling is normal in the hot conditions; at least that’s what my own doctor tells me. On this occasion, although the condition has been a lot worse in the past, the doctor would like to see the results of an ultrasound test. Unfortunately Noppharat Hospital does not have those facilities so I need to get the test done at a private hospital. I need to make my way to Sinphaet Hospital not far away. The test costs about £60 but still less than holiday insurance. I will need to wait now till Tuesday for the doctor at Noppharat to see those results and stay on antibiotics. While I already know I have blood circulation problems, just maybe we can get to the root of the problem whereas in the UK when my leg doesn’t swell up there is no inclination to do anything!