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Monday 17 November 2014
Preparations……..As preparations go this should be a straightforward day on the eve of my departure on a new tour. One could say I’m complacent but I’ve good reason to be relaxed. The only hurdle to jump today won’t appear until 6pm when I collect a car from Survarnabhumi Airport and packing won’t be an issue. In addition I am blessed with having a companion for this tour. A second driver is clearly a benefit but beyond that, extra input and guidance during this tour will be most welcome indeed. Little do I know it that this assistance will be very welcome much sooner than I predicted. Oddly my friend Katoon doesn’t own a car but nevertheless is a capable driver. Realising she doesn’t have a new style driving license she plans to upgrade it today: Its new format designed to be valid in all ASEAN countries. On the other hand I have little to do and head off to Bang Sue Junction to watch the comings and goings on the railway. We meet up and head for the airport. It’s here that the hurdle I mentioned starts to look insurmountable. I’m devastated to learn that they want a credit card when I thought a cash deposit would suffice. I don’t own a credit card. I cancelled it some time ago through lack of use and to avoid charges. The office is insistent that the policy is to record credit card details. A debit card simply won’t do. Time is ticking on then Katoon steps in and fixes the problem by what means is a mystery to me at this point of writing. The panic is over but I’m not quite as relaxed as I was earlier in the day!
A few weeks ago I wrote a preview of the intended tour. It wasn’t very informative as I explained nothing was set in stone. As I write, even my plans for tomorrow are by no means certain but I shall be heading north out of Bangkok. If I don’t start before 8.30am then these plans will already be compromised. These are the joys of independent travel. But then again if I succeed it will be a real boost to this tour.
Day 1 - Tuesday 18 November 2014, Bangkok to Petchabun
Best get started……..Not the best night’s sleep but that’s due to expectations of an early start. I’m awake before 6am. I manage a cooked breakfast and finish my packing by 8am. Final checks and I’m ready. Strange though, it’s in my mind that this is still a backpacker’s trip; a couple of T-shirts, pair of shorts, passport and wallet. It’s never really been like that with modern gadgets etc., but now especially with transport parked right outside the door it’s funny how the mindset changes. I load everything including the kitchen sink into the boot! It’s time to hit the road and I’m only a few kilometres from the Kanchanapisek Tollway that will take me north out of Bangkok.
Bangkok to Keang Khoi……..The Nissan Almera auto is not exactly a sporty job but I’m not heading to the racetrack anytime soon and I just revel in this new found comfort. At Bang Pa-In I head northeast towards Saraburi. Before long I’m advised to pull off the highway for a rest stop. I hardly need one at this stage but that’s completely missing the point. Some of these rest stops are an attraction in themselves going right over the top from providing food stalls, restaurants, souvenir shops and in this case home branded cake which they make in-house nicely packed. It just seems to fly out of the door it’s that popular. The outlet is called Ban Suan before I forget. Not far up the road is another of those extravagant replicas of bygone days which appeals the Thai psyche. It’s just a load of fun; a modern version of the floating market. I don’t stop at this one; I guess it’s just another variation of the one at Hua Hin. Despite this unscheduled stop I’m in Saraburi by 10am. Just a few kilometres more and I will be at my first scheduled stop. Confusing road signs now lead me in a detour which results in me arriving in Keang Khoi via the back door and I’m hugely grateful that it did.
It takes me along a concrete track directly alongside the railway. But I’m on the wrong side for the station. As I noted on a previous trip to Keang Khoi this is an important junction for freight and the marshalling yards are quite extensive. While I will have to make my way around to the station what I do have just off to my right is the locomotive maintenance depot. This provides a great opportunity for me to update my data base. At 11am I make my way to the station.
A 50 cent train journey……..At the station nothing much is happening in the heat of the day. It’s what is about to happen that will make this day so special for me. In February 2012 I came to Keang Khoi full of expectation of making a railway journey around the enormous Pasak River Reservoir. At the same station my hopes were dashed when I learnt the line was closed for track upgrades. I did make it to the Pak Cholisid Dam and to Kok Salung to view the spectacular concrete rail bridges. However I yearned to get another chance to make the journey. Now I’m here and it’s rather ironic that I had to use a road vehicle to get me here. The plan now is for me to travel up-line to Lam Narai Station a journey of an hour and a half. Katoon will cheat and drive up to that station to collect me. This is one of those situations that should go like clockwork and rarely do. I’m sorry to say there is no drama this time. There is a wait at the station until the 11.45am departure. Katoon has departed and I’m in with the locals having paid my 18 baht fare. Remarkable! However before the grand adventure, one sorry sole is determined to upset his fellow passenger with his banter. He is quite clearly over the limit! He receives rebuke from some of the women who lecture him on the evil of drink. Then all goes quiet as the security guard arrives with eyes like thunder. The departing train is hardly full with just the two railcars. It rattles through the countryside stopping just about everywhere. As I look around at the distant hills I can see good reason to include this excursion in a tour called ‘Natural Thailand”.
Ecstatic……..Pasak Cholisid Station arrives at the halfway point. Then POW! The concrete and steel rail bridges come into view, criss-crossing the immense flooded Pasak Valley. The DMU clatters over the bridges. For a while there is no need to engage in the incessant horn-blowing. There are no pedestrians here just the odd long-tailed boat bobbing about in the shallow water. My heart is already in my mouth with camera firing like cazy. The bridges seem endless. I calculate at least 20 minutes until marshland appears indicating that the headwaters of the reservoir are near. But as I just lounge back on my 3rd class seat I just know that whatever happens next today this trip has got off the a most remarkable start; it’s still less than 4 hours since leaving base. The DMU pulls into Lam Narai Station 5 minutes early and there is Katoon sitting in the shade of a pagoda.
Chai Badan to Sri Thep……..From Lam Narai Station is just a short drive to Chai Badan and Highway 21 but it’s time for lunch. It’s just so effortless to pull over and eat where you fancy: Nothing exotic but tasty and excellent on the budget. It’s time to continue north. While it is clear that the rail trip had been on my itinerary for some time, the next stop was certainly not. It’s just a few days since I came across it on a website. Yet it fits in perfectly with this trip even though it doesn’t really fit into the tour title. Leaving Chai Badan at about 2pm this location is just 10 kilometres off the Highway 21. I figure it with take an hour at this site. Ever getting my sums wrong these days my calculation turns out to be optimistic. I cross the border into Petchabun Province, an area that is not familiar to me but one rich in natural treasures. It’s one of the reasons I’ve headed here but first something man-made although not recently.
Sri Thep Historical Park……..Just because I’ve never heard of Sri Thep that doesn’t mean it’s insignificant. Prang Sri Thep is an ancient Khmer temple complex which is all the more surprising I haven’t heard of it. It dates back to the 10th century even before the golden age of Angkor. Of course I will deal with it as a feature in due course. It’s far too important in historical terms to skip over. On arriving at the complex there are just a handful of visitors. I am no stranger to Khmer monuments, a veteran of Angkor Wat, Vat Phu, Prasart Phanom Rung, Phimai, Lopburi and many others. However this site lying near the northern extremity of Khmer influence at the time demonstrates how extensive this civilisation was. By general standards this is a small complex yet still large enough for the site to lay on an electric vehicle included in the fee. The main site contains all the evidence of Hindu and Buddhist worship but other monuments are being preserved nearby. Excavations continue to reveal more and more structures and who knows this may turn out to be a much bigger site than first appears. I have spent nearer to two hours at Sri Thep. I have to move on.
Petchabun……..Petchabun is 120 kilometres to the north. It’s the general area I plan to be in before dusk. I’ll have very little time before then to get my bearings in Petchabun. Again I needn’t worry. As daylight fades I’m heading along the main road in the city. A sign appears on the left. Is it going to be that simple to find a comfortable room here in Petchabun? Yes it is! It’s just a few hundred yards of the main road; convenient for grabbing essentials.
The Grand Apartments…….The Grand Apartments are easily located behind the bus station off the highway 21 in Petchabun. They are typical of a kind found all over Thailand that are multi-purpose, catering for staff and workers who work away from home and any other travelers including tourists. They can be used for short or long term rental. As budget accommodation there are usually no dining facilities; most Thai people eat out and maid service is usually extra. The Grand is modern, only built last year I’m told and the rooms are spacious and clean with on-suite hot shower, digital TV, aircon, refrigerator and wifi. There is even a sink on the balcony presumably for washing cloths. Coffee is complementary in reception. All in all it ticks all the boxes and........wait for it! It doesn't appear on Agoda or any other booking website. As I settle down for the night I reflect on how straightforward the day has been and how in actual fact I’ve crammed so much in when in other circumstances I’ve hardly got started. On top of that I’ve covered nearly 400 kilometres with ease. Great choices and great execution today!
Day 2 - Wednesday 19 November 2014, Petchabun/Khao Kho
Rude awaking…….I wake with a start. The alarm has fired off at 6am. It obviously was set on repeat. I’d rather have slept another hour but the damage has now been done. I might as well prepare for the coming day. It seems a pity to leave the comfort of The Grand yet I didn’t come here to stay in a room all day. I could use The Grand as a base but I decide to move on but I just know that ‘Natural Thailand’ means sacrificing some comforts. I still have some cake I bought in Ban Suan on the way here and coffee in reception is free. I pack up and wake up the Nissan. I didn’t pay it to sleep all day!
Petchabun city…….I’ve no actual plan as I leave The Grand so I make some enquiries that lead me into the city. I will need to gather information but the city has a few interesting sites of interest. I should tick these off my list while I can as I’m unlikely to be returning to Petchabun. As it turns out this is a good move. It gives me the chance to brush up on the history, culture and religion of the area. There are five sites I locate close to the city centre.
A sixth site is located on highway 21 north towards Lom Sak. Again I will deal with these sites in turn as I add substance to my tour pages later. The first two are opposite each other near the city centre; city hall and city pillar shrine. The former is in use but holds little interest as exhibits are presented in Thai only. I can only gather what I am told. The city pillar is a sacred stone pillar, the oldest of it's kind in Thailand dating back to the founding of Sri Thep (11th-12th century). A short drive away is Wat Trai Phum. There is historic as well as religious interest in this site, and a story to tell. From here I head to the city museum and cultural centre. The museum has a number of exhibits both ancient and modern: Small but certainly worth a look. The cultural centre is heavily weighted towards stressing Petchabun’s important role in agriculture. The richness of the soil in plains and valleys produce good quality cash crops, especially maize, tobacco, tamarind and rice. Its forests have also played an important role in the development and practices of local people. Still within the area is another important temple: The former royal temple, Wat Marathat. It’s time to head out of the city north on the 21. Shortly the impressive temple complex Petchabura Buddha comes into view, unmistakable from the distance. A break here is well worth the effort if only for the views of the impressive gardens and lake. It’s now midday and time for an early lunch. It’s also time for a pit stop.
Topping up…….The Nissan was supplied with a full tank of fuel and I’ve made it this far without topping up. According to the gauge it’s still a quarter full, obviously quite fuel efficient. I’ve made some rough calculations as to how much fuel I will use on this trip but I will be in a much better position to know once the tank is full again. Basically I’ve no idea until the metre stops. I predict 1,500 baht. Oops! Wrong again….940 baht. Really! I can dine in style now. The joys of having a car include the ability to stop at leisure at any of the roadside restaurants. I see a sign and instinctively pull over only to realise that this one is more up market and caters for evening dinner rather than lunch. A series of huts skirt a small lake for serious diners. The staff, however, is hard at work preparing food but it seems no trouble for them to knock up a plate of crab fried rice: Not expensive and enough for me. It’s obvious that they specialise here in seafood. They will be busy later but right now I have other things on my mind.
Geography lesson…….The morning’s activities have been most useful in arming me with information for the days ahead. It’s useful background information which has also allowed me to devise a travel plan. But first I need a geography lesson! Petchabun is odd in that it does not sit easily in any of Thailand’s regions. It’s not regarded as one of the northeastern provinces so is it north Central or south Northern? Well whatever it is it is unique. To the centre and south is a vast fertile plain through which flows the Pasak River. This river rises in the Northern provinces and flows out into Lopburi Province. You are welcome to visit yesterday’s blog to follow it there. The Pasak River is an important tributary of the Chao Phraya. Skirting the plain are mountains to the west, north and east. The mountain ranges form natural barriers and substantially alter the climate much to the relief of visitors I might add. The ranges are important natural habitats which Thailand is keen to preserve. It attracts vast numbers of tourists particularly in high season and at weekends.
Natural Areas…….For my purposes I have divided the province into five natural areas. Unfortunately one, Tat Mok National Park is inaccessible to the type of vehicle I have so I have to abandon that. But the remaining four are certainly on my list. These are Khao Kho, Thung Salaeng Luang National Park, Nam Nao National Park and Phu Hin Rong Kla. Actually Thung Salaeng Luang and Phu Hin Rong Kla are in Pitsanulok province to the west but straddle the border with Petchabun. I’m including them for simplicity in planning my tour. An iconic natural site Phu Thap Boek, lies close to Phu Hin Rong Kla and I mention it because of its special interest amongst Thai visitors: More later.
Khao Kho…….Of those listed the easiest to reach from my present location is Khao Kho. It’s 1pm as I head there. I turn left onto the 2258. The road rises steadily and I soon realise the limitations of an automatic car and have to adjust my driving and override the automatic transmission on occasions. Now I know why I gave this tour its name. The terrain soon reveals the affects of tourism as small businesses compete for attention. I stop at a viewpoint dominated by a coffee and souvenir shop. The views are already remarkable. Much more is to come. I still don’t have a detailed map of the area: Seems to be a rare species. Word of mouth seems to be the best option. However a sign points to something intriguing. I’m confused…..a weapons museum? This is like a magnet to me and I’m onto the case. First there is another climb ahead but I am prepared for it. I’m heading to the summit of Khao Kho the principal mountain in the area. At the car park the tourist information boards at last give me my bearings. As I study the map to further refine my travel plans one thing become immediately obvious. I’ve completely miscalculated once again. I almost stare at the board in disbelief. The area is so vast it’s beyond my comprehension. There is so much to do here I could spend the entire fortnight here. I will have to go back and do some serious thinking. How on earth have I missed coming here in all the years I’ve visited Thailand?
Weapons museum…….And right in front of me is the weapons museum. What is this all about? I’m about to find out for 20 baht! As I enter the site there are no buildings except for a command post, exhibition hall and toilets. This is otherwise home to war relics out in the open, here a Huay helicopter, there a howitzer, a mortar and other weapons. The exhibition hall houses light weapons, uniforms and biographical information. A short video is about to start and then the penny drops. At the height of the cold war amidst turmoil in the Far East The Communist Party, alien to the Thai government, gained a foothold in three Thai provinces, Loei, Petchabun and Pitsanulok. It took two decades to dislodge them. While I absorb all this I’m also aware that Katoon’s family lives at Chaing Khan on The Thai/Lao border. They must have suffered the effects of this and it has been mentioned briefly. Katoon would have been a teenager. It’s no wonder that she was packed off to Bangkok to study. I really had no idea this was so serious. It will take a while for this to sink in and certainly cause me to research it further. Just a kilometre along the ridge is the war memorial. On a bluff overlooking the valley are the redoubts and bunkers used in the defense of Khao Kho. And did I mention the view? Well really what did you expect me to say? Very good…..hardly appropriate.
Toy Town…….
I have to pause for breath. There’s really no point in adding to the day’s events. It’s now 3.30pm and I still have to find accommodation. On the way north I notice the gleaming white Chedi Phra Borommasaririkkathat, clearly visible from Khao Kho. I may as well stop and take this in: Yet another site to add to my growing list of sites to review later. From my vantage point on Khao Kho I looked down on the valley below observing the effects of tourism. It’s not difficult to draw the conclusion that the area has been ruined. If I was Noddy I would jump into my yellow car and head off to Toy Town. Whatever are they thinking about? There are no controls whatsoever on building design that creates harmony with the natural surroundings. Oh! well. I just don’t want another long day so I guess it’s off to Toy Town and my white Nissan doesn’t look too bad. The area is cluttered with small resorts. Just pick one. At least I won’t need aircon here. I settle for a room for 600 baht. It’s as I expected, not at all like The Grand but Natural Thailand is where I choose to be. I fall asleep as soon as I’m settled and wake just in time to enjoy a glorious sunset. At dusk the air temperature falls below 20C, quite a relief from the heat of the day. Not sure what to do about dinner, I end up in the house opposite. They get extra income from serving noodle soup. Natural Thailand right! At 10pm I’m still writing my blog. I will turn in soon. I’ve no need to write a long summary on how it’s gone for me today. Would I turn the clock back 24 hours? With pleasure! I’m on a roll.
Thursday 20 November 2014
Ban Hah Tit…….I’m awake at a more sensible 7am and finalise and edit my blog. I consume the last of the cake and extract a coffee from reception at Ban Hah Tit. This name apparently refers to all points of the compass; basically a panoramic view. This is certainly true but then all the resorts go to great lengths to perch their huts and bungalows precariously on the hillsides offering a room with a view. The room here has no aircon; I didn’t even use the fan last night. In all other respects the accommodation can be classed as basic but acceptable. Nevertheless it seems I’m moving on.
Moving On…….In the main on my tours I have had to select a base to work from. Logic suggests that this should continue but on the other hand the car could now be my base and I can stop whenever and wherever I please. This results in less travelling but it also means more time consumed in finding accommodation. It’s not always the case that you are happy with the first room you are offered. I’m aware of high demand at certain times creating a seller’s market. On this occasion I am packed and we’ll just see how it goes. On departure the owner explains that the land around here is expensive. It’s shot up in the last few years through tourism and the owner has a valuable nest egg. As an ex-soldier probably involved during the communist rebellion he was given land in gratitude of his services. This now serves him well.
Set Goals…….As I depart I’ve set myself a goal for the day. It seems I’ve nearly exhausted my stay in Khao Kho and it’s time to move to the next site. Due west is the provincial border with Pitsanulok and Thung Salaeng Luang National Park. However this park is better accessed from the Pitsanulok side and there is only a minor entry point in this area. The road that approaches it therefore has no general access across the border. Nevertheless there are a number of interesting sites around the loop road and I’m off to check them out. As the park extends much further north I will have chance later to tick this box. By the time I set off its gone 10.30am. It seems it will be either and easy day or a very late one.
Khao Kho Palace…….I backtrack skirting around Khao Kho and turn west towards the park. The first site of interest is the King’s palace sited on a hilltop. This is just one of the palaces the royal family owns dotted around the country together with substantial royal land, a situation that has divided opinion in Thailand. Presently there is nobody in residence and the people are free to take advantage of the magnificent views across Khao Kho. From here I press on until I effectively run out of road. I’ve been following the signs for Kaeng (rapids) Bang Rachan.
Keang Bang Rachan…….I consider stopping for lunch but it’s still a bit early, only just midday. I’ll visit the rapids first but I need to negotiate a dirt road. It’s ok and I pull into a parking area. It’s not deserted but there are no tourists. As I approach a small hut I wonder what activity is offered here or is it like Laos with a ticket seller sat on a plastic chair just about everywhere? Well it’s the former as I gaze down at the shallow boats or punts that are available to visitors. Below me are the rapids but at the head of these is calm water fed by a river maybe some 20 yards across. I am offered a brochure but there is no hard sell. I’m free to do as I please. Yet I’m intrigued by what I see on the sign boards. In this age of fast computers and ever expanding technology it’s often easy to lose track of one’s natural roots. It’s at places like this that one can reconnect if only briefly.
As I learnt back in Petchabun the forests around here are rich in fauna and flora. It’s hard to believe that wild elephants and tigers live in these forests but for a visitor like me much smaller creatures are all I’m likely to see. The office has a catalogue of butterfly species, the signboard mentions exotic birds and there are even freshwater jellyfish in the river. I just have to enquire what is on offer here. The guide explains that I should take the boat up river where there is a natural rock ledge where exotic butterflies like to congregate. Anything more will be a bonus. The trip on the placid water will be for 2 kilometres upriver. All I need is a hat, a life preserver, a boat and a man with a paddle. He wants 400 baht but when I offer him 300 he seems quite happy. So Natural Thailand here we come! Underway it does seem strange as the sounds are totally unfamiliar. No road traffic noise, no general din amongst the organized chaos of daily life; just the occasional swish of a paddle amid the bird calls and noises of forest creatures. The forest canopy sits high above the still water. You can’t replicate this in any theme park. This is exactly as it says on the tin. Just so natural! Suddenly out pops a fish eagle, while other bird species flit around the canopy. Butterflies and dragonflies skim over the water in a ceremonial dance until the rock pool is reached. Some ten minutes are spent amongst the multitude of butterflies. The guide on the other hand is preoccupied with something he’s seen in the water. Having deposited his passengers he skirts around the rocky outcrop retrieving something from the water. It’s a wounded bird. He deposits it in the boat. It will travel back with us to base. From my limited knowledge of birds it’s a ringed dove. This gesture will be strange to many people in this often cruel world. I enquire as to what will happen to the dove which clearly cannot fly. The reply confirms that it will be taken good care of. Just wonderful! On the way back the guide points out a hornet’s nest high in a bare leafed tree. I’m glad its way up there out of the way as I’m told a sting can be fatal. In another tree is a bird of prey. Near the starting point is a small temple with access to the river bank. The guide parks up and for a donation fetches some fish food. It is a Thai custom to feed temple fish. It helps the temple of course and feeding the fish brings these magnificent red and gold carp to the surface where they jostle to be served. In Buddhist culture feeding the carp also has spiritual significance. It seems to be a win-win situation. Back at the car park I settle up with the guide then after discussions with a colleague he disappears on a motorbike bird in hand. It is clearly important to him to get this creature some care and attention. It’s still too early not to expect further custom but Katoon informs me that tomorrow approaching the weekend he is fully booked with a party of 20 taking this boat trip. There is something else that Katoon reveals out of conversation during the trip. The area was a communist stronghold and it appears that once the fighting had ended many communist soldiers surrendered but chose to remain in the area. Some are fishermen on this stretch of water known as the River Khek. The Khek also forms the border here with Pitsanulok.
Naam Tok Si Dit…….This excursion estimated to take an hour has actually taken two. Now it really is time for lunch. That uses up another half hour and I’m starting to think about my accommodation for the night. I head on back towards Khao Kho. On my list for today is Si Dit Waterfall. This is off to the left. The area is managed by the military and there is a small fee to pay. As waterfalls go I’ve seen a lot worse but something else grabs my attention. Off to the left is a trail and with no English signs to guide me I’ve no way of knowing where it leads. Even Katoon doesn’t know from the sign she’s read. There is a small presence of two soldiers. Their sole purpose these days seems to act as life guards should visitors get into difficulty in deeper water while swimming. It wasn’t always that way. The trail leads through bamboo thickets then on to a cluster of bamboo shelters or huts in front of which is what remains of a waterwheel. It’s clear to me given the channels fashioned into the hillside and the apparatus that remains that corn or rice was processed through pounding. However there is clearly something more to this, given this remote location. Then as before there is an explanation. These huts were used by the communists during the uprising.
Calling it a day…….I head back towards Khao Kho and I have to make a decision about accommodation. I am inclined to call it an easy day rather than push it further. Then at about 4.30pm I’m back where I started. I could go back to Ban Hah Tit but instinctively I look around before deciding. This proves to be a bit of a chore as accommodation in Khao Kho leans towards the high end of the market. Basically you are paying for the views. Eventually I end up just 50 yards from Ban Hah Tit and settle in. I’m happy with a shorter day and order dinner which I consume on the terrace.
Kularbdoi Resort…….This name translates as Rose Hill, a resort located to the left of Ban Hah Tit. The question has already been asked why did I change rooms? You will only find the answer here! Basically it’s down to price. It was offered at 500 baht on the understanding I stayed for two nights. Apart from that it is a lot more spacious and has a table I can use for my computer and to eat dinner. Normally it lives outside on the terrace. Hot water is fed from a boiler rather than an electric shower. This gives abundant hot water. I’m clearly interested to know if staying for 2 nights works better but my expected stay in Petchabun province is now likely to extend to 6 nights.
Day 4 - Friday 21 November 2014, Khao Kho
Stop start…….As I am awake at 7pm again I am hopeful of an earlier start as I don’t have to worry about packing. Neither do I have anything for breakfast although I manage to get a coffee. However as I continue to work on my blog time is ticking on. Although I’m on the road by 10am, almost immediately I stop for something to call breakfast. I have selected five or six locations for today’s excursion. Apart from one they are all outside the general area of Khao Kho.
Khao Kho Wildlife Sanctuary…….The first stop is a rollover from yesterday. On the way back from Si Dit Waterfall I turned onto a road signposted Suan Sat (wildlife sanctuary/zoo).
Unfortunately I was too late to get admission then as it closed at 4pm. I head back there now. As I reach the car park I’m surprised to see a number of songtheaws parked up in line. The zoo has visitors. As I enter and begin my trek around, those visitors reveal themselves doing much the same as me. Neatly dressed in blue uniform a few dozen schoolchildren have come on a trip. I identify them as coming from Lom Sak. The zoo turns out to be a small affair with animals and birds mostly native to Southeast Asia, India and China. Pheasants, peacocks, jungle fowl and some exotic birds are represented. There are enclosures for deer and other hoofed animals, for Asiatic bears, small cats and macaques. The collection is limited but despite this I’ve decided to record what is here photographically and that has taken time. I should be able to use this material later. I’m sad to learn that animals are sometimes brought to the centre having been rescued by the police. By midday I’m finished and to that extent my tour in the general area of Khao Kho is at an end. I return along the loop then head north.
Route 12…….The intention is to take in the remaining sites south of Route 12 which is the highway that connects Lom Sak in the north of Petchabun province to Pitsanulok to the west. This highway runs straight through Thung Salaeng Luang National Park. With most of this park situated in the adjoining province I figure that after today it need not concern me. I stop for lunch at Ban Camp Son just before the junction with the 12. Apparently Friday is night market day and the area is busy. After lunch I turn left onto the 12. I’m looking for Route 12. Confused? Well Route 12 is the name of a tourist attraction in itself. It’s a collection of quirky souvenir shops, coffee shops and boutiques. Hardly ‘Natural Thailand’ is it. However it is popular with tourists and if you just want to hang around here to relax, you can certainly do that. I then manage to waist more time to establish there is nothing left to explore in this direction and actually manage to cross the border into Pitsanulok at one stage. I turn my steed around and head back east past the junction with the 2278.
Wat Pha Sorn Kaew…….It’s now 2.45pm. I seem to have lost at least an hour somewhere and the feeling grows that the day has been compromised. I’m sure I was on a roll but it now seems the roller needs oiling! I head for an important Buddhist monestry, Wat Pha Sorn Kaew, just a few kilometres north of the route 12.
It’s highly decorated chedi is visible for miles and I just feel this may be my last stop of this day. Arriving at the structure I see its design is tiered to several levels within the spired chedi. Apart from that it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen in Thailand. Five images of the Buddha have been constructed nearby and a further structure looks more like a Bavarian castle. It’s clearly Buddhist but apart from that I’m at a loss as to where the designer got his inspiration. This is one of those times I have to pause and it’s not in awe of what I am seeing. Modesty is not what this monastery is about. It’s a statement of grandeur and an echo of the past when such structures were created as a statement of wealth and power and its grip on the populace who finance it. As I look around I see the powers still exist; victory of the spiritual over the practical. I guess to some, an easy passage into the next life is more important than schools, hospital, transport infrastructure and the like: So wealth and poverty are set to remain together, as they have done throughout history.
There is an obvious need here to feature this temple in due course too. It needs a more detailed description. Due to the design on top of a small hill it is approached by long staircases. For the second time today I’ve arrived at an energy sapping site: It’s time to retire.
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Further pause for thought.
Having written my blog in the ‘raw’, as it were, it is seldom that I change it in retrospect. However, as I work on my site reviews more than a month later this site seems to haunt me and again cause me to pause for thought occupying much more time in review than at other sites. In fact this is the last temple on my review list of 24 and there seems to be a reason for the delay. The fact is I still can’t get my head around it as the site is the most difficult I've had to review. For me to visit 24 temples on a tour that was to concentrate on the natural, is an event in itself yet except for Wat Phra That Pha Kaew I have managed to categorise each temple in turn according to a few simple features. These are history as at
Wat Prathat Sri Song Rak,
culture as at Wat Phon Chai,
architecture as at Wat Neramit Wipattasana
and artistry as in Wat Phumin.
The common denominator is that they are all Buddhist but the reason for their existence distinguishes one from another.
When I review a site I naturally look for these features and often site boards and brochures are most revealing. Failing that, the internet is a most useful source of information. In particular I am most grateful to the Thailand Tourism website for material. Looking for features at Wat Phra That Pha Kaew that I could identify with drew a complete blank as it did not fit easily into any of my categories. Reading the
tourism website
it said this about its purpose:
‘This temple exists with an intention to be a place for the Foundation of Mindfulness practice, which is a core Buddhist principle. This teaching is the great path to purity of body and mind, extinguishment of sorrow the Noble Eightfold path and Nirvana achievement in accordance with Buddhist doctrine.’
It soon became obvious that I couldn’t summarise it so I copied it ‘en masse’ for others to decide. The truth is it means absolutely nothing to me except that it is a doctrine that somebody believes in. The mystery to me in this modern world is why such huge resources were committed to it when there are so many more obvious causes to address.
Unlike in my reviews, here in my blog I am released to offer my opinion. Ed.
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Unnatural…….At 4pm there’s barely time to do anything else. I had in mind a couple of sites on the way back. Another waterfall is just too far away now and besides I am told that access is difficult and requires a stiff walk. B.N. Farm specialises in more temperate crops not normally found in Thailand. That too has to go. It seems a pity but I guess the pace of this tour has to slow at some point. At least on the way back to Khao Kho there is a 7Eleven, a sure sign of modern living. It’s time to stock up with supplies both for dinner and breakfast tomorrow. I’ve already consumed two rice meals today so I won’t be ordering more food today. As I write my notes I’m aware that the afternoon added nothing to the main theme of this tour so in that respect it’s disappointing. It also raises the question; was I right to remain in Khao Kao for a third night? Tonight is the start of the weekend when Thais will flock to the area. I presume that a family has arrived and occupied the apartment above me but on the other hand it could be a mahout and his elephant! That would be wonderfully natural.
Natural Thailand Continued
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