Day 3 - Tuesday 30 April

Comfortable…….. The accommodation at Ban Rai Nai Suan has been comfortable overnight and I have taken a more relaxed view by reserving most of my work till the morning. That done, there is something provided for breakfast; rice soup, pastries and coffee. The rice soup is not my cup of tea but anything is an improvement on ‘nothing’. By 10am we’ve agreed on a list of site visits and are ready to make a start.
Kaen Makrut Botanical Garden…….. The Kaen Makrut Botanical Garden is located about 30 km west of Ban Rai along local road 3011 which terminates at Ban Sai. Photographs of the gardens show the whole village in bloom but I’m sad to report that that is only the case in Winter. Now coming to the end of the hot dry season the land is abandoned pending the coming rains when life will start over again. It wasn’t as if I wasn't aware of it in advance but I make the journey anyway to enjoy the scenery deep into the mountains.

Ban Imad Isai Karen Hill Tribe Cultural Centre…….. The Ban Imad Isai Karen Hill Tribe Cultural Centre is located about half way between Ban Rai and the gardens but here again it is practically deserted, the remaining villagers barely scraping a living. It’s sad to see but it is as it is and there are few further options to the west of Ban Rai.

Wat Pha Thang…….. Back in Ban Rai we take a basic meal; there’s few option around midday, then head for Wat Pha Thang a few kilometres north of the town. One drawback of visiting this province is the lack of signage in English and Wat Pha Thang is no exception. The reason can be explained by the lack of interest in Uthai Thani province in general but there are a few exceptions. At this temple is a splendid seated Buddha image of huge proportion. There is a signboard in Thai here and the temple can at least get a mention as I get a translation. The image carries the name Lung Pho To and is 23 metres wide by 52 metres high. It was completed in 1988.

The Ancient Style Woven Cloth Centre…….. The Ancient Style Woven Cloth Centre is located just across the Krasiao River on the way to Wat Pha Thang. The woven cloth centre is a centre for traditional style textiles of Laotian people who migrated to Thailand. Their weaving styles in Sinhs skirts, loincloths, bags and cloth to wrap around the head have been being inherited over generations. Weaving was the traditional occupation of Ban Pa Thung women. It was a small activity of the housewives who adapted the ancient hand weaving style into modern clothing. With their delicate handicraft skill, their handicrafts have become very well-known. The group was initiated in 1995 by Thonglee Phumpol, the group’s president who came up with the idea to create a group of agriculturist women who can create something during the free period after the harvest. The women’s weaving group under the Royal Project was created. They produce textile products with domestic materials and sell these unique Ban Pa Thung’s style silk, clothing and handicraft products. In 2002, Ban Pa Thung Ancient Style Woven Cloth Centre was established to collect and to sell textile products which are the work of the women’s weaving group.
Research into this centre is much easier than expected but my visit to the centre has thrown up an important question. In the centre, the sinhs skirts sell for up to 40,000 baht roughly 1.000 GBP. It can take up to three months to produce one of these garments using traditional methods. Would you work for that money?

Ban Karung Ancient Town…….. Ban Karung Ancient Town lies close the the provincial border with Chainat province alongside highway 333. From photographs I have seen I’m not expecting ancient ruins that I have become used to. Instead the area is occupied by a play-park. However an important settlement clearly existed here given the effort put into creating the moat. From onsite information I’m able to report that a number of religious artifacts have been uncovered from this site but there is no indication of what period they relate to. Further, there is reported to be a brick chedi about 3 km south of the town but nobody seems to know where it is. If the ruin is in brick it could be old, very old and may explain why such little evidence exists.

Wat Ban Rai…….. Returning to Ban Rai, we locate Wat Ban Rai, a sacred temple dedicated to two revered monks, Luang Por Khun and Luang Por Boonson.

Frustrating…….. I’ve now covered the large district of Ban Rai from west to east but not yet to the north. As touring days go it’s been most frustrating with not too much to show for the effort. However that effort has been in time only; the cost minimal. As we head back to Ban Rai, I would dearly love something to turn up that would really surprise me but instead I can hardly keep myself awake. Back at the room it’s a late siesta and I really need it.
Just before dusk we head out for lunch and finally I can let out some slack with wild pig and river fish on the menu. The final act is to work on my blog. At least the sites visited today will not demand to much attention and that chore is complete before I turn in. Next Page.