Tour Blog for Friday 25 January 2013

A slice through history..... I kick off a new year and a third season of recorded travel in Thailand and other countries in south-east Asia with a simple 1-day trip, mindful of the fact that finding quality material not too far from Thailand's capital is becoming harder: But not so today as I'm heading for an ancient town in central Thailand some 150 kilometres north of Bangkok in search of a culture which thrived in the area over 1,000 years ago. The town of Lopburi is located on the alluvial plain of the Lopburi and Pa Sak river basin with its topography ideal for human settlement. Accordingly, there is no better place in Thailand to witness this country's historical timeline which can be traced back to pre-history.
On the right lines..... In selecting my transport for today, I'm influenced by my interest in Thailand's railways but in any case Lopburi has a direct link by rail on the Northern line from Bangkok and is a less stressful mode of transport compared to Bangkok's congested roads albeit overall a lot slower. As on previous trips north, I head for the railway station opposite Don Meuang Airport by bus. Luckily, I pick up a 554 service bus with literally seconds to spare. By missing most of the early morning rush-hour traffic, I arrive at Don Meuang railway station with 40 minutes to spare for my intended departure time, an Ordinary Service to Phitsanulok. This is confirmed as I am issued a 3rd class ticket for 24 baht. This will allow me to treat this day-trip as a bonus to my upcoming planned tours still within budget. This is not to underestimate or compromise my visit to Lopburi though.
The spare time at Don Mueang is not wasted. Not expecting too much activity at Don Meuang, I'm rewarded with a spate of train arrivals heading for Hua Lamphong main station from the north and northeastern provinces: Five in fact in the space of 45 minutes. Normally, most of the overnight traffic has arrived in Bangkok by now but there seems to have been delays today with a queue developing north of Don Meuang. I soon begin to see why. The up-line is closed at the station. A notice indicates bridge repairs and everything is passing through on the down-line. As a result my up-line train is delayed but as my scheduled departure time passes the queue into Bangkok seems to have eased. The delay is not too serious and the 201 service scheduled to depart at 10.31 arrives around 11 am, but it's rather full and I have some difficulty finding a seat. With a little patience I manage to settle down to the usual 3rd class routine of comings and goings, the constant call of vendors selling food and drink and the frequent station stops with station staff immaculately dressed in fawn coloured uniforms and insignia waving their red and green flags. The time passes surprisingly quickly; Ayutthaya reached within the hour and Lopburi appearing just after 1 pm.
The historical tour under way..... With some experience now under my belt, I have learnt to be patient upon arrival at unfamiliar destinations. Foreigners arriving at train stations normally attract attention and Lopburi is no exception especially as it is well on the tourist map. In this case samlor riders are eager to secure business. However, for now I busy myself at the station getting used to my new digital camera which has a useful video recording facility while the samlor (3 wheeled bicycle) rider wants just 100 baht for a tour of the city and its main attractions, but I remain intransigent. With this mode of transport disappearing from much of Thailand, it will do well to thrive in the few pockets where it can take its place as a tourist attraction. Lopburi old town is not too busy these days allowing this traditional form of transport to survive. However, for visiting Lopburi's compact old city, it really isn't necessary; none of the main attractions being more that 10 minutes walk from each other. The first and one of the most important ancient structures, Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, is dead opposite the railway station. Before I venture inside, I call at the nearby Wat Nakhon Kosa beside the railway station and for those interested in old railway locomotives there is an example commonplace in Thailand at the station entrance. These steam locomotives were withdrawn in the 1960s when diesel fuel powered locomotives began to appear in general use. Naturally, Thailand would have been keen to discontinue the use of coal, a resource not widely available at the time. As I progress to Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, I get some excellent photo opportunities and spend enough time there to do it justice.
The afternoon is well under way and it's time for a late lunch. On the way to Phra Narai Ratchaniwet I find a small restaurant on a street corner. It appears to be popular with tourists and I welcome a respite from the hot weather outside and a most reasonable service. The walls of Phra Narai Ratchaniwet are dead opposite. Today this complex houses the Somdet Phra Narai National Museum. It's here that I become obstinate. As explained, this is a bonus trip and in the context of achieving a full picture of Lopburi's culture and history it should be included. But the entrance fee is 150 baht for foreign tourists. I believe I can derive all that I need here from websites and other media for the time being as time is ticking on. I could be wrong, but I cannot see why Thai national treasures are more important to foreigners than to Thai people who pay just 30 baht. Having made my enquiries, I take a few photographs from the entrance and depart.
Another short walk reveals a former residence, Ban Luang Rap Ratchathut (Ban Wichayen) and the three prangs of Prang Kheak Sanctuary. Then back towards the railway line is Phra Prang Sam Yot, famous for its resident monkeys. Across the line is San Phra Kan. There are a couple of other monuments this side of the line but to all intents and purposes that is the old city tour completed.
By 5 pm I have several options to return to Bangkok. I can return by train, minivan or tour bus. I choose the minivan which offers a frequent service. It should be the quickest but with congestion reported leading into Bangkok, there is not too much to be gained over using the train. However around 6.30 pm I set down at Rangsit where I can pick up the same 554 bus service I used in the morning. Altogether this has been a quite rewarding day out. I had in the past underestimated what Lopburi had to offer and feel enlightened as a result of this trip.
Footnote..... More than 10 years later in April 2023, I spent a useful day in Lopburi filling in gaps. One gap I discovered was gigantic. I had totally underestimated the historical significance of Phra Narai Ratchaniwet and the museum inside. I would spend nearly 2 hours inside the compound and it should have been more. Returning to the city, I was able to finally make up for what was so obviously missed.
In Detail.