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Day 10 - Sunday 25 October 2015
Chainat Resort........Chainat Resort has managed to meet all my needs so far and breakfast is included. That in itself will prevent a quick getaway this morning as coffee if available is more often taken in the room but a sir-down breakfast is always welcome. There is another reason for delay. The original tour duration was for no more than ten days. Its day ten and I will run out of clean clothes. By the time I arrange for some laundry and take breakfast its gone 11am before if set off. Surely there cannot be too much I can cover today. There is one consolation, however. I’m now familier with the main roads in the area and the remaining site are grouped nicely together; all south of the Chao Phraya River. So let’s get going!
Chainat Hornbills FC…….photo. Yet as I try to make up some time today, there is a delay immediately. Yesterday I located the stadium of Chainat Hornbills FC. It’s on a minor road off the same highway as the Bird Park just a little further out of town. I can feature it on this site but I’m not heading there just to take photos. There is a match on tonight and I thought to get my hands on a ticket early. However when I arrive there is no ticket booth open as there was at Suphanburi FC at this time. I will have to come back later. The stadium itself is smaller than the one at Suphanburi but it is quite new and has all the bells and whistles that make the Thai Premier League stand out. The team colours are pink shirts with black shorts so the stadium is predominantly pink which certainly makes a statement. OK let’s get this tour moving again! I turn back and head over the Chao Phraya River.
Wat Phra Borommathat Worawihan........ Wat Phra Borommathat Worawihan is locted near the river and is reached after a junction with Highway 340 just south of the bridge. Here there is an old pagoda in the U Thong style housing Lord Buddha's relics. The viharn contains the Buddha image Luangpho Phet. It is a replica; the original is in the museum nearby. The viharn also contains a reclining Buddha and a small collection of antique objects.
Chainat Resort........Chainat Resort has managed to meet all my needs so far and breakfast is included. That in itself will prevent a quick getaway this morning as coffee if available is more often taken in the room but a sir-down breakfast is always welcome. There is another reason for delay. The original tour duration was for no more than ten days. Its day ten and I will run out of clean clothes. By the time I arrange for some laundry and take breakfast its gone 11am before if set off. Surely there cannot be too much I can cover today. There is one consolation, however. I’m now familier with the main roads in the area and the remaining site are grouped nicely together; all south of the Chao Phraya River. So let’s get going!
Chainat Hornbills FC…….photo. Yet as I try to make up some time today, there is a delay immediately. Yesterday I located the stadium of Chainat Hornbills FC. It’s on a minor road off the same highway as the Bird Park just a little further out of town. I can feature it on this site but I’m not heading there just to take photos. There is a match on tonight and I thought to get my hands on a ticket early. However when I arrive there is no ticket booth open as there was at Suphanburi FC at this time. I will have to come back later. The stadium itself is smaller than the one at Suphanburi but it is quite new and has all the bells and whistles that make the Thai Premier League stand out. The team colours are pink shirts with black shorts so the stadium is predominantly pink which certainly makes a statement. OK let’s get this tour moving again! I turn back and head over the Chao Phraya River.
Wat Phra Borommathat Worawihan........ Wat Phra Borommathat Worawihan is locted near the river and is reached after a junction with Highway 340 just south of the bridge. Here there is an old pagoda in the U Thong style housing Lord Buddha's relics. The viharn contains the Buddha image Luangpho Phet. It is a replica; the original is in the museum nearby. The viharn also contains a reclining Buddha and a small collection of antique objects.
Chai Nat Muni National Museum........The Chai Nat Muni National Museum is an archaeological museum located in the temple grounds of Wat Phra Borommathat Worawihan. It is located in a Thai style two-story building. The entrance fee is the usual 100 baht for this type of museum but it is small and one could get around it in 20 minutes but on this occasion it’s hardly busy and the curator is happy to shown us around. The exhibits are labelled in English as well as Thai as you would expect in a national museum. The exhibits are classified into four time periods; Prehistoric, Davaravati, Sukothai and Ayutthaya and Ratanakosin. These time periods are basic to all understanding of Thai history but there are important styles within these groups such as Lopburi, Lanna and Srivijaya (central, northern, southern) which represent regional differences. I mention these as this museum not only contains objects of local origin but come from far and wide. The collection of votive tablets is impressive and come from some sites which are familiar to me. I am particularly intrigued by the votives from the crypt at Wat Ratchaburana in Ayutthaya, some of the 100,000 votives recovered. All in all despite its size I am most impressed by this museum and the courtesy of the curator. I am wiser as a result of my visit here.
Wat Song Phi Nong........It’s time to head south to the ancient town of Sankhaburi which lies in the village of Ban Praek Sri Raja near the highway 340 around the 150 km marker. Legend has it that Chao Sam, one of the three siblings, incited the other two siblings named Chao Ai and Chao Yi against each other for the throne. Both Chao Ai and Chao Yi died and Chao Sam became the ruler. Chao Sam then built two chedis for his late brothers. The two structures in Lopburi style are located close to each other. The second is known as Wat Tanot Lai. That sets up lunch in the village, cheap and filling.
Wat Phra Mahathat........Wat Phra Mahathat lies in the village itself. Eager to make a whistle stop around the ancient ruins of Sankhaburi, this temple takes me by surprise. It’s not a five-minute photo shoot. This was the former royal temple of Mueang Phraek or Mueang San named after the King. The temple houses a distinguished prang with a fluted spire like the shape of a star fruit. The prang, housing Buddha relics, is made from brick on a square shaped base (a plinth) in the Lopburi style. The suggested stop here is thirty minutes to truly understand the scale of this ruin.
Wat Phaya Praek……..Wat Phaya Praek is located outside the compound of the royal temple Wat Phra Mahathat along a minor road. It is in the same style as the other ruins around Ban Praek Sri Raja.
Khun San Statue........The Khun Statue is located in the town square of Ban Praek Sri Raja in front of the Sankhaburi District Office. It commemorates the Bang Rachan folk leader, Khun San, also known as “Hero of the Noi River”. He was the first volunteer for the military from Amphoe Sangkhaburi over 220 years ago. He went on to fight seven courageous battles against invading Burmese forces. The statue was opened on January 19, 1983, and there has been a commemoration on that date ever since.
Khun San Statue........The Khun Statue is located in the town square of Ban Praek Sri Raja in front of the Sankhaburi District Office. It commemorates the Bang Rachan folk leader, Khun San, also known as “Hero of the Noi River”. He was the first volunteer for the military from Amphoe Sangkhaburi over 220 years ago. He went on to fight seven courageous battles against invading Burmese forces. The statue was opened on January 19, 1983, and there has been a commemoration on that date ever since.
Wat Phra Kaeo........Wat Phra Kaeo is an ancient temple housing a beautiful square-based stupa. In front of the stupa stands a Buddha image hall known as Vihan Luangpho Chai, The Buddha image that stood in front of the supa has been renovated showing a delicately carved sandstone lintel at the back of the image. The viharn enclosing the image is new designed to both revere and protect to image.
Wat Changkharam Luang Pho Mo........ Wat Changkharam Luang Pho Mo is located in the village of Huai Krot along local road 3010 heading northeast from Ban Praek Sri Raja. It commemorates Luang Pho Mo, a famous monk from the area. The temple itself does have an old viharn but has not great age. The strange thing about this temple is the particular attachment my companion, Katoon has for it. So much so that I could argue it caused the creation of this tour in the first place. For personal reasons, this was always going to be a visit site during my latest visit to Thailand and I simply built a tour around it. It’s now around 4pm and with formalities over it’s time to head back to Chainat. I debate whether there’s time to go back to Chainat Resort but instead I head straight back to the stadium. The game starts at 6pm.
Chainat Hornbills FC v BEC Tero Sasana FC........ Chainat Hornbills FC v BEC Tero is a Thai Premier League fixture. Both teams are currently just above the drop zone. It should be a feisty affair. Outside the stadium, food and drinks vendors are doing good business but unlike at Suphanburi FC, they do allow you to take food and drink inside the stadium but only in plastic or paper cups and bags. The game starts with a quick goal from the home team within five minutes and they continue to press throughout the first half missing a number of chances. However in the second half it is the visitors who grab a quick equaliser. As the game wares on it is BEC Tero who boss the midfield and take control of the game. Some brilliant individual efforts from their front players bring an equally brilliant performance from the Hornbills goalkeeper but there is no further score in a game that was is tempered at times then just petered out. I would say that the performances are of Football League Div. 1 or 2. The stadium would be a credit for both but the crowd a little disappointing at around 4,400. It's an easy run back to Chainat Resort where understandably I make no attempt to write my blog. It's been a long day. Next Page.