Day 10, Tuesday 28 November

Fortune Mansions……..Fortune Mansions is the latest in a string of hotels/apartments that we’ve stayed in that offer an alternative to the bungalow resorts that normally form a big part of our accommodation needs. That seems to be because we’ve been staying in the cities. Accepting differences in décor and location they all offer good quality accommodation without paying the earth. Breakfast seems to be another source of variation and here it’s not provided, although there is a kettle in the room to make coffee. Overall, it’s not a place we find the need to vacate without reason of onward travel. It will be the latter that determines what happens next. With my blog up to date, I start to plan my stops but there is an issue as I glance outside: It’s raining. Undecided……..Although the rain continues to fall it’s isn’t heavy, just persistent. It was forecast but much as I’d like a break, I resolve to press on for the remainder of the week. As with Buriram I can divide the tour of Surin into two parts. The first includes the city sites and those to the east and north. The second part includes the larger area to the south as far as the Cambodia border. I need to make a decision which order to complete them in and whether it’s means we need to check out of Fortune Mansions. As time ticks on, I decide it would be better to stay in Surin a second night but when I try to arrange that, I’m told we need to change rooms and that decides the issue. If I have to pack, I might as well check out and keep my options open. Then within minutes of departure the order for the next two days is also decided. Katoon heads for a location in the city and that means we will be doing the city tour first.
City Pillar Shrine……..The City Pillar Shrine in Surin, representing the city’s foundation and identity, was designed as a Khmer sanctuary to represent the provinces cultural heritage. It was only a shrine with no pillar for over a hundred years. In 1968 the Fine Arts Department built the new City Pillar Shrine with the 3 metre city pillar carved from the Javanese Cassia Tree. The next location is nearby.

Surin Railway Station……..Arriving at Surin Railway Station, this is definitely a new location for me but would there be any traffic due? Well yes! Two services in fact. An Ubon Ratchathani service is the same as I recorded in Buiram while a service to Bangkok is also due with 30 minutes. With the suggestion that the latter will be late we order lunch near the station, only for me to rush back when the service arrives more or less on time.
Buy now, I’ve revised the order of site visits for the day and pass alongside the site of the old city wall. Unfortunately while evidence of the moat exists, the site of the wall now consists of just an earth enclosure on top of which the city wall once stood.

Phraya Surin Phakdi Si Narong Changwang (Pum) Monument……..Another site within the city is Phraya Surin Phakdi Si Narong Changwang (Pum) Monument. This monument, constructed in 1968, is in honour of the city's first ruler. The monument is situated on the south side of the city where the original city wall once existed.

Missing out……..One of the reasons I considered taking in the city sites the day later is that I'm sure on Mondays and Tuesdays the museums are closed. Surin National Museum is no exception, located ten minutes’ drive south of the city. We proceed there just in case but the gates are locked. The only other site close to the city to the south is Huai Saneng which is another artificial lake, a royal project created by the Royal Irrigation Department. With the weather still overcast and spitting with rain, there’s little point in spending any time here; just enough to take a few photos.

Prasat Mueang Thi……..It’s time now to go prasat hunting again and we leave the city via Highway 226 heading east. The first is located after half an hour’s drive. Prasat Mueang Thi is a Khmer style sanctuary featuring a group of mortared brick pagodas on the same base. Originally there were five pagodas but only the three remain. The sanctuary was modified at the same time as the nearby Si Khoraphum sanctuary. The layout is square with indented corners. The middle pagoda is the largest with access by stairways on all four sides but the apex of the three-tiered roof is missing. The style is popular in ancient Khmer sanctuaries originating from the beliefs of Brahminism. The middle pagoda symbolizes Mount Meru (a mythical mountain at the centre of the universe and home of the gods), surrounded by pagodas at each of the four corners. Precisely in which period the prasat was constructed is unknown but it seems to have been modified with Laotian influence.

Within the temple compound is a huge tamarind tree thought to be over 300 years old which gives a clue as to when the sanctuaries were modified.
Prasat Chang Pi……..Pressing on, Katoon sees a signboard to another sanctuary, one not on my list, which is worth investigation. Prasat Chang Pi is another arokayasala (medical station) built by Jayavarman VII (1181-1218), one of the 102 he ordered built during his reign. It is a Mahayana Buddhist temple with a simple tower within a rectangular enclosure. The sanctuary was built with laterite blocks with carved sandstone doorways. To the northeast is the pond also lined with laterite.

This particular prasat lies in open land and seems better preserved. This is now the third medical station I’ve come across on this tour which makes me wonder how many have survived.
Prasat Sikhoraphum……..The limit of our eastward journey today is reached at Sikhoraphum, one of Surin’s eastern districts. We head for a temple which appears on every list I’ve come across, so it must be important. Reaching Prasat Sikhoraphum, I realise that this sanctuary is to Surin what Prasat Phanom Rung is to Buriram and Prasat Phimai to Nakhon Ratchasima. It is most impressive in a compound with a manned kiosk providing information and collection of 50 baht for foreigners. Realising I can understand some Thai, the official is eager to show me around. I guess not many foreigners make it here which is a real shame.

Surrounding the temple is a U-shaped moat measuring 111 x 125 metres leaving an entrance at the front. The five brick prang structures were built on the same roughly square laterite base. The principal structure is in the middle with its four satellites at each of the four corners. A decorated sandstone lintel over the doorway of the principal structure is carved with scenes of Shiva Nataraja and miniature scenes of Brahma, Ganasa, Vishnu and U-Ma. The reliefs that line the doorframe are also carved with scenes of Apasara and Davarapal (guardian). The styles of the decorative motifs resemble Angkorian, Baphuan and Angkor Wat style of the 11th/12th Century. The temple was dedicated to Hinduism in the 12th Century and converted to Buddhism in the 16th Century.

Prasat Ban Anan……..While at this sanctuary were told about another ruin not far away near the Lam Phok lake. Prasat Ban Anan was built as a Hindu temple in Baphuon art style, constructed with polished brick without mortar and sandstone, lying on a square laterite base with the doorway facing east. Now removed to the museum in Nakhon Ratchasima, a lintel was found here depicting Indra riding on Erawan, 11th/12th Century.

Si Khoraphim Railway Station……..Interestingly, the next location is the train station at Si Khorapum which just happens to be in the direction of travel. Yet again a service is due to pass through which is a DMU heading for Bangkok. It won’t arrive there till morning.

Prasat Chom Phra……..It’s time to begin our journey back but via another district to take in one more ruin. After 30 minutes’ drive, we arrive at Chom Phra. Arriving at Prasat Chom Phra, I’m not too surprised. It’s yet another of Jayavaman VII’s medical stations. It is a Mahayana Buddhist temple with a simple tower situated in a rectangular enclosure, all built of laterite. To the northeast is the rectangular pond. This is now the fourth arokayasala I’ve located and the second today.

With Hindsight……..It’s now a straightforward drive back into Surin of 20 minutes. Katoon feels we should look for accommodation along the ring road closer to the Big C complex. I locate One Fu Hotel not far from the intersection and we check in just as its getting dark. This three-story hotel is quite typical, is cheap and includes breakfast. However, on this occasion we need the car to go for dinner as this hotel is just too far from the centre of Surin. We take the option of to have dinner at the food court in the Big C complex and for once I’ve come in well under budget for the day. All that remains is that I make a start on my blog as tomorrow is likely to be another busy day on tour and to reflect that with hindsight is was unnecessary to check out of Fortune Mansion this morning. Next Page.