Day 11, Wednesday 8 May

B2 approval…….. B2 Boutique and Budget Hotel in Lampang has obviously met with our approval as nobody is that interested to making an early start today. However I guess that the 400 kilometres of driving yesterday has had something to do with that, cutting the distance to Chiang Mai considerably. It seems that as well as needing a break, we must start to prepare for what Chiang Mai has to offer. Most foreigners spend two or three nights in Chiang Mai but Chiang Mai and Chiang Mai province are two separate animals. In planning a route for today we must bare that in mind and not necessarily head directly for the city itself.
At well past 11pm we find ourselves in the restaurant opposite and I wonder if their American breakfast is still available. Well I needn’t of asked since the couple running the restaurant were most accommodating last night. Well that’s lunch taken care of as well. It’s time to get going.
Lampang departure…….. The route from Lampang to Chiang Mai is straightforward enough using national highway 11 but is does cross a formidable mountain range on the edge of Doi Khun Tan National Park dividing Lampang and Lamphun provinces. The latter province was well covered in April last year but what that does do is set up nicely what Chiang Mai has to offer from an historical perspective. Crossing Lamphun province, a small province these days takes little time and we’re soon into the southeastern districts of Chiang Mai province.
Wat Phra Ood…….. Leaving highway 11 heading towards Saraphi on highway 121, we cross over the railway line and Katoon gets an instruction to do an emergency stop. On the left of the road, taking me completely by surprise is an ancient ruin. I just have to stop and check it out. I discover that there is no historical documents related to Wat Phra Ood, the name being given by local people.
Excavation and restoration was carried out on the site by the Fine Arts Department between 1999 and 2001. In the temple compound there is the base of a brick chedi situated behind a large viharn facing east. From archaeological evidence this temple has been dated from 16th-17th century.
While I wasn’t expecting to find an ancient temple ruin quite so soon, it has me thinking straight away about the history and culture here in Saraphi.

Wat Phra Non Nong Phueng…….. Located along the old Chiang Mai-Lamphun Road in Nong Phueng commune, Saraphi district, Wat Phra Non Nong Phueng is an ancient temple dating back to the Hariphunchai Kingdom. It is said to have been established during the reign of Queen Chamathewi by 5 monks and that the queen arrived here to pay tribute. Apparently she received support during the wars with the Lavo Kingdom. On this site there are some old temple buildings and a hall housing a large reclining Buddha. A collection of artifacts kept at this site is provenance of the temple’s ancient past. The temple’s architecture and art style are a combination of Mon, Hariphunchai/Lanna and Chiang Saen.

Wat Ko Mamuong Khiow…….. Now deep into the urban streets of Nong Pheung we locate our second ruin, small and unspectacular. Again there is no record of when this temple was constructed. It’s name was given by local people on account of a large mango tree growing on the site. Excavation by the Fine Arts Department took place between 2003 and 2004. On the site are the bases of a viharn and another rectangular building enclosed by a boundary wall, all in brick. Glazed ceramics from northern kilns and Chinese porcelain from the Ming Dynasty have been found on this site dating it 16th/17th century. It’s here we hear from local people that this is just one of a number of ancient ruins.

Wat Phan Lao…….. Turning of the main road in the commune, it’s now become clear that we are in an area of a significant ancient town which I’ve now identified as Wiang Kum Kam. Unusually for such a settlement there is urban development all around it, making it difficult to stop and park in narrow streets. Wat Phan Lao is one such example. This temple is contemporary with others in the area. Unfortunately at the site the the writing on the information board is too hard to read but there have been excavation by the Fine Arts Department recording finds. More finds were uncovered during construction of local dwellings.

Wat That Noi…….. Wat That Noi is another ruin close by with no record existing in historical documents. It was named That Noi due to the small size of its brick chedi. Originally covered with over half a metre of soil this temple was one of the earlier ruins to be excavated and restored. The Fine Arts Department carried out the work between 1985 and 1986. Here the bases of a chedi and viharn were uncovered. Important artifacts from excavation of the chedi include a terracota Buddha tablet, a stucco of a divinity’s head and giant and mythical animals such as the naga and a bird or swan. This temple is from an earlier period 14th/15th Century.

Wat Changkam…….. Arriving at Wat Changkham, I realise this is the main temple in the Wiang Kum Kam ancient city. From here you can take a tram or a horse and carriage to visit the surrounding ruins and other sites. Now that would have saved a lot of work. The ruin at Wat Changkham is substantial and therefore there is much more information available.
It is believed that Wat Chankham is Wat Kanthom. It was named ‘Kanthom’ after the builder who built the temple whose name appears in several legends and chronicles. According to the Yon chronicles, Phya Mangrai had this temple built in 1290. The chedi was 18 metres by 12 metres at the base. It was built on two tiers with niches. The lower tier had seated Buddha images, the upper one had various standing images. The chronicles also mentioned a sacred Bhodi tree.
The Fine Arts Department excavated and restored the temple between 1984 and 1985 revealing a large viharn and chedi. Terracotta Buddha images were found in the base of the viharn in the Hariphunchai style. The structures date from the 15th/16th Century. Another chedi was added by a Burmese benefactor featuring crouching elephants which gave the temple is present name. Red sandstone tablets were found at the site with three types of alphabet.
1) Mon, 1207-1307
2) Mon/Thai, 1277-1317
3) Sukhothai, until 1397
Wat Kan Thom Kumkam Phirom (Wat Chang Kham)…….. Wat Kan Thom Kumkam Phirom is located near to Wat Changkam in the Wiang Kum Kam ancient City. It houses a memorial to King Mengrai the Great (1292–1311).

Wat Ku Khao…….. Ku Khao in local dialect translates as ‘white chedi’. Presumably Wat Ku Khao had a covering of lime plaster. It was excavated and restored by the Fine Arts Department in 1989. The chedi consists of three tiers on a square base in Lanna style. Only one corner of the viharn remains with the stucco in poor condition. Important artifacts found during excavation include a stone Buddha image and a green glass image. The structure dates from the 16th/17th Century.
With traffic heavy and orientation difficult we call it a day with regard to visiting these ruins, even though there are more monuments in the area. If time permits, I’d like to return to check when traffic is lighter. In the meantime there’s something else I could try.

Saraphi Railway Station…….. Realising the railway is near, I figure a visit to Saraphi Railway Station will provide some relief from the busy streets and so it does. It’s completely deserted, the station staff asleep in the signal room. You can’t really blame them. Only two trains per day stop here so close to Chiang Mai main station.

Grand Canyon, Chiang Mai…….. Still a bit early to start looking for accommodation we may as well head out of town to something completely different in Hang Dong district.some 20 minutes drive away.
The Grand Canyon Chiang Mai is a large quarry that has been filled with water and is a popular spot for swimming and cliff jumping. The Grand Canyon is now also home to a nearby inflatable Aqua Water Park where you can run, jump, bounce climb and flip in a safe environment. The entrance fee is 100 baht but extra for the Aqua Water Park more suitable for kids.
Not really in a position to take advantage of the facilities in the park, I nevertheless would recommend it. It’s an amazing place to cool off and just relax. Take all day about it if you have the time.

B2 Airport Hotel…….. It’s time to head into Chiang Mai and find accommodation. Despite noting four options, none of these do we end up using. A fifth was twice the price advertised. Now past 5pm, we get minced up in the evening traffic, spending 6 minutes at one junction. Fortunately just a short distance along highway 1141, south of the city we locate B2 Airport Hotel, the same group that we used in Lampang. However this hotel has just two floors with no lift. I think I can manage one flight and book for three nights knowing the standard of this accommodation is similar to last night. For dinner we head out onto the main road where there is an incredible variety in international restaurants but I only want to try the local dish kow soi, a curried chicken noodle soup. Strangely after that very little work get done on my blog. At least I am settled now for a while at least. Next Page.