Day 8, Friday 25th November - Buriram
Work to Do.......Today we have that nice cooked breakfast to look forward to again but it's a day of transition and we must try and manage the time as there is still work to do before we leave this province. It's not the early start I would have preferred but the first attraction is not far away actually right in the town of That Phanom.
Wat Phrathat Phanom.......Before I arrived in Nakhon Phanom, and in fact the reason why I still chose to come here even when this tour was shortened, was to view the spectacular old Phra That Phanom stupa based on photographs that I had seen. While I was in Sakon Nakhon and decided to come here, I was surprised to find that this stupa was not in Nakhon Phanom, the provincial capital, but here in That Phanom further south which is why I headed here. Phra That Phanom is a very old temple which suggests that Nakhon Phanom was more recently settled. What I found that was completely new to me however, is the fact that there are seven phrathats as I've mentioned. Obviously before anywhere else is visited today, the most important and iconic Wat Phrathat Phanom has to be first.
Arriving at the Phrathat, the complex enjoying wall to wall sunshine, I find it lives up to all my expectations and the usual process of taking photographs begins but is soon interrupted. A donation of the cloth ceremony is about to start initiated by monks and wardens who produce a large role of yellow cloth. The ceremony involves carrying the cloth around the Phrathat three times during which the public join in carrying the cloth above their heads. Finally, the cloth disappears into the inner sanctuary where it will bedeck the base of the stupa. The festival proceeds with music and dance, local women dressed up in traditional costume. It's a great opportunity causing me to consider planning some future trips to add some cultural aspects that I tend to neglect to add in my tours.
Wikipedia states that according to legend, Wat Phra That Phanom temple contains Phra Uranghathat /or Phra Ura (the Buddha's breast bone), and as such, it is one of the most important Theravada Buddhist structures in the region. Each year, a festival is held at That Phanom to honor the temple. The week-long festival attracts thousands of people who make pilgrimages to honor the shrine. In Thai folk Buddhism, Wat Phra That Phanom is a popular pilgrimage destination for those born in the year of the Monkey. The temple contains a number of paintings illustrating traditional Thai proverbs.
Wat Phrathat Si Khun.......I depart with no regrets but understand that it's taken more time here than I expected. This has been the fifth phrathat that I have visited but there are two more. One of these is much further north and we could never have expected to reach it in just a day and half here but the last one at least lies in our direction of travel requiring just a 10 kilometre detour.
I mentioned that there is one phrathat for each day of the week and this next one is for worshippers born on a Tuesday. The Buddhist posture for a Tuesday is Phra Non (reclining Buddha) and on a Tuesday I was born. My companion was never going to let me miss Wat Phrathat Si Khun out and I will be obliged to partake in an offering which involves walking around stupa three times.
Unexpected.......It's coming up to lunchtime and my focus has shifted appreciably towards breaking down the distance to our next destination rather than visit more sites. However, as we are within a stones throw of crossing the provincial border with Mukdahan Province a totally unexpected opportunity arrises to visit yet another site too good to pass by. Here in a remote location on the left-hand side of the road is a memorial garden not listed on any map that I've seen but strangely familier and contemporary with other memorials I've visited relating to the Communist uprising of the 1970's/1980's during the Vietnam War. Sparked off by student protests in Bangkok, the uprising quickly spread with Communist strongholds appearing especially in the deeply forested borderlands of Laos and Cambodia. Surprisingly, much of the credit for ending the uprising goes not to regular army units but the local militias, police and civilian volunteers who are recognised by memorials such as this one at Phi Man. The monument was erected in the name of peace.
Race against Time.......Delays accepted, I still remain positive for a good outcome today even though there's the best part of five hours driving to do. So, let's just crack on now and try and reach Buriram where we have a football game to attend. However, over 300 kilometres is a big ask despite relatively light traffic. I originally hoped for a 3:00pm arrival but would accept 4:00pm. Now it's going to be 5:00pm as we continue through Mukdahan, Roi-Et, Maha Sarakham and Surin provinces. The football game starts at 6:00pm so what to do? Check in at our accommodation or go directly to the stadium. My companion doing all the driving now makes good time and we managed to bring our arrival time forward around 15 minutes. Will we have time enough to check in now? We go for it and even though it takes just 20 minutes we still have to get to the stadium through traffic and there's a small matter of finding something to eat. In addition, I really need to buy something for Christmas for my stepson whose wife was born in Buriram. I grab a beer and some food only to find we're not allowed to take anything into the stadium unlike the others I've been to, by which time the game was already kicked off. As we consume what we’ve just purchased I'm beginning to get mad that we didn't manage to reserve an extra hour to cover unforeseen circumstances. However, I should be privileged just to be here at the Thunderdome which is easily the best stadium in Thailand I've been to so far.
Buriram United v Ratchaburi Mitr Phol.......Inside the stadium there is a tremendous atmosphere. Buriram United is easily the best supported team in the Thai Premier League and been on top of the pile for many years. Putting regrets aside I concentrate on the game which matches the home team with the visitors Ratchaburi Mitr Phol. However, despite the great atmosphere neither team seems able to settle and take control with the game becoming fragmented. The second half continues with neither team able to gain a foothold in the game and it looks likely to peter out into a nil nil draw. Then suddenly there is life as with minutes left on the clock the home team score following a delightful through ball and excellent finish that flat foots the defense. The home team are happy but somehow, I'm not feeling 100% after another long day and I prefer to retreat to the room at Hop Inn having no appetite for anything more. Overnight it becomes clear what the problem is as I battle with the streaming cold.
Next Page.
Work to Do.......Today we have that nice cooked breakfast to look forward to again but it's a day of transition and we must try and manage the time as there is still work to do before we leave this province. It's not the early start I would have preferred but the first attraction is not far away actually right in the town of That Phanom.
Wat Phrathat Phanom.......Before I arrived in Nakhon Phanom, and in fact the reason why I still chose to come here even when this tour was shortened, was to view the spectacular old Phra That Phanom stupa based on photographs that I had seen. While I was in Sakon Nakhon and decided to come here, I was surprised to find that this stupa was not in Nakhon Phanom, the provincial capital, but here in That Phanom further south which is why I headed here. Phra That Phanom is a very old temple which suggests that Nakhon Phanom was more recently settled. What I found that was completely new to me however, is the fact that there are seven phrathats as I've mentioned. Obviously before anywhere else is visited today, the most important and iconic Wat Phrathat Phanom has to be first.
Arriving at the Phrathat, the complex enjoying wall to wall sunshine, I find it lives up to all my expectations and the usual process of taking photographs begins but is soon interrupted. A donation of the cloth ceremony is about to start initiated by monks and wardens who produce a large role of yellow cloth. The ceremony involves carrying the cloth around the Phrathat three times during which the public join in carrying the cloth above their heads. Finally, the cloth disappears into the inner sanctuary where it will bedeck the base of the stupa. The festival proceeds with music and dance, local women dressed up in traditional costume. It's a great opportunity causing me to consider planning some future trips to add some cultural aspects that I tend to neglect to add in my tours.
Wikipedia states that according to legend, Wat Phra That Phanom temple contains Phra Uranghathat /or Phra Ura (the Buddha's breast bone), and as such, it is one of the most important Theravada Buddhist structures in the region. Each year, a festival is held at That Phanom to honor the temple. The week-long festival attracts thousands of people who make pilgrimages to honor the shrine. In Thai folk Buddhism, Wat Phra That Phanom is a popular pilgrimage destination for those born in the year of the Monkey. The temple contains a number of paintings illustrating traditional Thai proverbs.
Wat Phrathat Si Khun.......I depart with no regrets but understand that it's taken more time here than I expected. This has been the fifth phrathat that I have visited but there are two more. One of these is much further north and we could never have expected to reach it in just a day and half here but the last one at least lies in our direction of travel requiring just a 10 kilometre detour.
I mentioned that there is one phrathat for each day of the week and this next one is for worshippers born on a Tuesday. The Buddhist posture for a Tuesday is Phra Non (reclining Buddha) and on a Tuesday I was born. My companion was never going to let me miss Wat Phrathat Si Khun out and I will be obliged to partake in an offering which involves walking around stupa three times.
Unexpected.......It's coming up to lunchtime and my focus has shifted appreciably towards breaking down the distance to our next destination rather than visit more sites. However, as we are within a stones throw of crossing the provincial border with Mukdahan Province a totally unexpected opportunity arrises to visit yet another site too good to pass by. Here in a remote location on the left-hand side of the road is a memorial garden not listed on any map that I've seen but strangely familier and contemporary with other memorials I've visited relating to the Communist uprising of the 1970's/1980's during the Vietnam War. Sparked off by student protests in Bangkok, the uprising quickly spread with Communist strongholds appearing especially in the deeply forested borderlands of Laos and Cambodia. Surprisingly, much of the credit for ending the uprising goes not to regular army units but the local militias, police and civilian volunteers who are recognised by memorials such as this one at Phi Man. The monument was erected in the name of peace.
Race against Time.......Delays accepted, I still remain positive for a good outcome today even though there's the best part of five hours driving to do. So, let's just crack on now and try and reach Buriram where we have a football game to attend. However, over 300 kilometres is a big ask despite relatively light traffic. I originally hoped for a 3:00pm arrival but would accept 4:00pm. Now it's going to be 5:00pm as we continue through Mukdahan, Roi-Et, Maha Sarakham and Surin provinces. The football game starts at 6:00pm so what to do? Check in at our accommodation or go directly to the stadium. My companion doing all the driving now makes good time and we managed to bring our arrival time forward around 15 minutes. Will we have time enough to check in now? We go for it and even though it takes just 20 minutes we still have to get to the stadium through traffic and there's a small matter of finding something to eat. In addition, I really need to buy something for Christmas for my stepson whose wife was born in Buriram. I grab a beer and some food only to find we're not allowed to take anything into the stadium unlike the others I've been to, by which time the game was already kicked off. As we consume what we’ve just purchased I'm beginning to get mad that we didn't manage to reserve an extra hour to cover unforeseen circumstances. However, I should be privileged just to be here at the Thunderdome which is easily the best stadium in Thailand I've been to so far.
Buriram United v Ratchaburi Mitr Phol.......Inside the stadium there is a tremendous atmosphere. Buriram United is easily the best supported team in the Thai Premier League and been on top of the pile for many years. Putting regrets aside I concentrate on the game which matches the home team with the visitors Ratchaburi Mitr Phol. However, despite the great atmosphere neither team seems able to settle and take control with the game becoming fragmented. The second half continues with neither team able to gain a foothold in the game and it looks likely to peter out into a nil nil draw. Then suddenly there is life as with minutes left on the clock the home team score following a delightful through ball and excellent finish that flat foots the defense. The home team are happy but somehow, I'm not feeling 100% after another long day and I prefer to retreat to the room at Hop Inn having no appetite for anything more. Overnight it becomes clear what the problem is as I battle with the streaming cold.
Next Page.
Wat Phrathat Phanom, That Phanom
That Phanom, Nakhon Phanom Province
Wat Phrathat Si Khun, Na Kae District
Anusorn Satan Hang Kwam Sangob Phu Pan Noi, Na Kae District
Phrathat Na Dun, Na Dun District
Maha Sarakham District
Chang Arena (home of Buriram FC),
Mueang Buriram