Sunday 26 February
Introduction.......It seems to be a winter of discontent in the UK as people grapple with the effects of geopolitics and a miserable winter but for me, I hope it's the start of something much better as I depart for Thailand for another longer spell. However, planning for more delightful trips is not initially on the menu as I set aside some time and resources for upgrades at the residence in Bang Khen. Most of this will be spent on upgrades to the kitchen so there will understandably be some inconvenience meaning that I can't start planning anything other than weekend trips after I arrive. However, well before I even consider that there is another issue which is health related. I need to get my sleeping pattern back in order after jet lag with anxiety being the cause. This involves securing temporary medication which will allow me to make some progress. That progress starts on the first Sunday while there is no building work undertaken. Interestingly a day trip is organised in conjunction with local friends which should be a real deviation from the way we normally travel.
First things first.......What doesn't involve a deviation is the ritual excursion down to Pradiphat Road to change some currency. Curiously Linda Exchange, the office I normally use is closed today but it's normally open on a Sunday. Thankfully there are other options in Prahiphat Road, and I achieve a slight improvement on the exchange rate . This first stopover also allows our other travellers to exchange money too.
Over the last couple of days local friends have suggested this day trip to take in some sites that had previously eluded them. The problem with that, is that I’m likely to revisit sites I’d visited before and fear nothing additional would I be able to add to my website. However, on the day of travel one of those sites has been removed. It seemed it was just a little too far away. That has fortuitously allowed me to add a site from my wish list while still appealing to our other friends. From Pradiphat Road we head to the Sirat Expressway and head South crossing the Chao Phraya River via the Rama IX bridge. From there we enter Samut Prakan province at Phra Pradeang then onward to Paknam Samut Prakan at a point where the mighty Chao Phraya River enters the sea. Here is located the Bangkok naval base open at weekends for recreation and in my case to explore a rather important historic site.
Phra Chulachomklao Fort.......Phra Chulachomklao Fort is a coastal fortress in a sub-district in Khlong Bang Pla Kot, Phra Samut Chedi District, Samut Prakan Province. With no evidence of the date, approximately in March 1884, King Chulalongkorn (King Rama V) built this fort to protect the enemy from England and France. King Rama V built this fort in the style of a western artillery turret, which contained 7 153/32 mm Armstrong cannons, nicknamed a 'crouching tiger cannon,' which were the major weapons of this fort, making the fort most modern in those days.
King Rama V, besides the idea of building this fortification, also came to test-fire a crouching tiger cannon himself on May 28 in 1893. This fort was used to fire against French warships in the crisis of R.E.112 (Franco-Siamese War) with Rear Admiral Phraya Chonlayutyothin being the guardian of the mouth of the Chao Phraya River.
At present, Phra Chulachomklao Fort is under the supervision of the Bangkok Naval Base where they built a statue of King Rama V in 1993 to commemorate his virtues. The Royal Thai Navy also organized a museum open to the public. For this reason, they considered this fort as another important tourist attraction in Samut Prakan Province.
HTMS Maeklong.......HTMS Maeklong, former escort vessel now museum ship is a prominent attraction at the fort giving almost total access to those who wish to climb aboard, young and old alike including our group members.
HTMS Maeklong, built in Japan ,was commissioned in 1937 and served as patrol ship during WWII and undertook Royal and other duties subsequently until decommissioned in 1995.
Thankful.......I'm really thankful that's our colleagues appreciated our suggestion to come here and seem to be impressed with what they've seen. To celebrate the event, we take lunch at HTMS Mae Klong Club Restaurant and what an amazing experience it is too with a good selection of seafood dishes to which we've been attracted over the years including tom yam goong, boo phat pong galee, fried fish and crab fried rice. Communal shared eating works far better than separate orders in my opinion.
Remaining Agenda.......It hasn't been a particularly early start today and we've managed to stretch out our visit to Phra Chulachomklao Fort with that glorious lunch. Then, post clambering around HTMS Maeklong there is still a lot more to see in the fort area. In particular I'd like to view those massive Armstrong cannon which are located to the rear of the Rama 5 statue. In addition to those seven massive guns there is an informative visitor centre located within the monument building currently showing a video outlining event leading up to the Pak Nam incident of 1893 and its consequences. However, this is a bit of a whistle stop tour as I am recalled back to the car park while the video which is only in Thai rambles on. It seems that the day is far from over yet as the party has identified another attraction 30 minutes away. However, for me another box has been ticked here, anything else will be a bonus and of course I must go with the consensus regarding what happens next.
Wat Sakhla.......Wat Sakhla is a temple in Na Klua, Phra Samut Chedi District with a leaning prang tower and a flower-lined indoor pool overlooked by a Buddha statue. Its name 'Na Kluea’ means 'salt farm' since most of the occupation of the locals in the past was salt farming. The area was originally called 'Ban Sakhla' with a long history dating back to the late Sukhothai and early Ayutthaya periods.
This is another attraction looked on favourably by our visitors. For my own part I never know quite what to expect when arriving at a new temple. I had seen a picture of the leaning prang chedi, but I should have guessed there was more here than just an ancient monument. Lost within a multitude of other temple buildings are a couple of contemporary halls one of which would be a viharn (sermon hall) and the other an ubosot (ordination hall). Otherwise, this temple advertises its historical connections and is obviously quite popular at weekends.
Bang Pu.......Now late in the afternoon I'm aware that our visitors have yet another attraction in mind. However, leaving it this late I start to feel they will be disappointed. These site visits take more time than you would think particularly working with a group, but had I known what was planned late in the day I could have stepped in and suggested we be more economical with the time. From our current location Bang Pu is not far away as a crow flies but it lies on the wrong side of the Chao Phraya estuary. We need to head back to the Kanchanaphisek Bridge which we passed on the way here in order to cross over to the east bank. It will take at least an hour allowing for traffic. The plan apparently is to catch the sunset at Bang Pu but I think it will be too late. Katoon is leading but it's a race against time. Precisely at dusk there will not only be a glorious setting sun but also the spectacular flight of seabirds as they come to roost on the mudflats. Katoon and I arrive just in time to see the final flurry of seabirds settling in for the night. While I've been here before, it's a pity for our companions who haven't, since all it took was to arrive 30 minutes earlier.
Conclusion.......By the time we arrive back at our respective homes it's nearer to 8pm as we do some final shopping and bid our farewells. For me personally I hadn't thought this excursion could work given what had happened in the last 24 hours yes miraculously this day trip was all good. Another first today was that I used a new video camera I brought with me from the UK for the first time. Well, while there’s enough material, I can work with, it will take a little more time to get used to. Tomorrow the builders are back working at the residence and it's too early to tell when my next excursion will be. Hopefully as we approach the weekend things will be much clearer.
Next Page.
Introduction.......It seems to be a winter of discontent in the UK as people grapple with the effects of geopolitics and a miserable winter but for me, I hope it's the start of something much better as I depart for Thailand for another longer spell. However, planning for more delightful trips is not initially on the menu as I set aside some time and resources for upgrades at the residence in Bang Khen. Most of this will be spent on upgrades to the kitchen so there will understandably be some inconvenience meaning that I can't start planning anything other than weekend trips after I arrive. However, well before I even consider that there is another issue which is health related. I need to get my sleeping pattern back in order after jet lag with anxiety being the cause. This involves securing temporary medication which will allow me to make some progress. That progress starts on the first Sunday while there is no building work undertaken. Interestingly a day trip is organised in conjunction with local friends which should be a real deviation from the way we normally travel.
First things first.......What doesn't involve a deviation is the ritual excursion down to Pradiphat Road to change some currency. Curiously Linda Exchange, the office I normally use is closed today but it's normally open on a Sunday. Thankfully there are other options in Prahiphat Road, and I achieve a slight improvement on the exchange rate . This first stopover also allows our other travellers to exchange money too.
Over the last couple of days local friends have suggested this day trip to take in some sites that had previously eluded them. The problem with that, is that I’m likely to revisit sites I’d visited before and fear nothing additional would I be able to add to my website. However, on the day of travel one of those sites has been removed. It seemed it was just a little too far away. That has fortuitously allowed me to add a site from my wish list while still appealing to our other friends. From Pradiphat Road we head to the Sirat Expressway and head South crossing the Chao Phraya River via the Rama IX bridge. From there we enter Samut Prakan province at Phra Pradeang then onward to Paknam Samut Prakan at a point where the mighty Chao Phraya River enters the sea. Here is located the Bangkok naval base open at weekends for recreation and in my case to explore a rather important historic site.
Phra Chulachomklao Fort.......Phra Chulachomklao Fort is a coastal fortress in a sub-district in Khlong Bang Pla Kot, Phra Samut Chedi District, Samut Prakan Province. With no evidence of the date, approximately in March 1884, King Chulalongkorn (King Rama V) built this fort to protect the enemy from England and France. King Rama V built this fort in the style of a western artillery turret, which contained 7 153/32 mm Armstrong cannons, nicknamed a 'crouching tiger cannon,' which were the major weapons of this fort, making the fort most modern in those days.
King Rama V, besides the idea of building this fortification, also came to test-fire a crouching tiger cannon himself on May 28 in 1893. This fort was used to fire against French warships in the crisis of R.E.112 (Franco-Siamese War) with Rear Admiral Phraya Chonlayutyothin being the guardian of the mouth of the Chao Phraya River.
At present, Phra Chulachomklao Fort is under the supervision of the Bangkok Naval Base where they built a statue of King Rama V in 1993 to commemorate his virtues. The Royal Thai Navy also organized a museum open to the public. For this reason, they considered this fort as another important tourist attraction in Samut Prakan Province.
HTMS Maeklong.......HTMS Maeklong, former escort vessel now museum ship is a prominent attraction at the fort giving almost total access to those who wish to climb aboard, young and old alike including our group members.
HTMS Maeklong, built in Japan ,was commissioned in 1937 and served as patrol ship during WWII and undertook Royal and other duties subsequently until decommissioned in 1995.
Thankful.......I'm really thankful that's our colleagues appreciated our suggestion to come here and seem to be impressed with what they've seen. To celebrate the event, we take lunch at HTMS Mae Klong Club Restaurant and what an amazing experience it is too with a good selection of seafood dishes to which we've been attracted over the years including tom yam goong, boo phat pong galee, fried fish and crab fried rice. Communal shared eating works far better than separate orders in my opinion.
Remaining Agenda.......It hasn't been a particularly early start today and we've managed to stretch out our visit to Phra Chulachomklao Fort with that glorious lunch. Then, post clambering around HTMS Maeklong there is still a lot more to see in the fort area. In particular I'd like to view those massive Armstrong cannon which are located to the rear of the Rama 5 statue. In addition to those seven massive guns there is an informative visitor centre located within the monument building currently showing a video outlining event leading up to the Pak Nam incident of 1893 and its consequences. However, this is a bit of a whistle stop tour as I am recalled back to the car park while the video which is only in Thai rambles on. It seems that the day is far from over yet as the party has identified another attraction 30 minutes away. However, for me another box has been ticked here, anything else will be a bonus and of course I must go with the consensus regarding what happens next.
Wat Sakhla.......Wat Sakhla is a temple in Na Klua, Phra Samut Chedi District with a leaning prang tower and a flower-lined indoor pool overlooked by a Buddha statue. Its name 'Na Kluea’ means 'salt farm' since most of the occupation of the locals in the past was salt farming. The area was originally called 'Ban Sakhla' with a long history dating back to the late Sukhothai and early Ayutthaya periods.
This is another attraction looked on favourably by our visitors. For my own part I never know quite what to expect when arriving at a new temple. I had seen a picture of the leaning prang chedi, but I should have guessed there was more here than just an ancient monument. Lost within a multitude of other temple buildings are a couple of contemporary halls one of which would be a viharn (sermon hall) and the other an ubosot (ordination hall). Otherwise, this temple advertises its historical connections and is obviously quite popular at weekends.
Bang Pu.......Now late in the afternoon I'm aware that our visitors have yet another attraction in mind. However, leaving it this late I start to feel they will be disappointed. These site visits take more time than you would think particularly working with a group, but had I known what was planned late in the day I could have stepped in and suggested we be more economical with the time. From our current location Bang Pu is not far away as a crow flies but it lies on the wrong side of the Chao Phraya estuary. We need to head back to the Kanchanaphisek Bridge which we passed on the way here in order to cross over to the east bank. It will take at least an hour allowing for traffic. The plan apparently is to catch the sunset at Bang Pu but I think it will be too late. Katoon is leading but it's a race against time. Precisely at dusk there will not only be a glorious setting sun but also the spectacular flight of seabirds as they come to roost on the mudflats. Katoon and I arrive just in time to see the final flurry of seabirds settling in for the night. While I've been here before, it's a pity for our companions who haven't, since all it took was to arrive 30 minutes earlier.
Conclusion.......By the time we arrive back at our respective homes it's nearer to 8pm as we do some final shopping and bid our farewells. For me personally I hadn't thought this excursion could work given what had happened in the last 24 hours yes miraculously this day trip was all good. Another first today was that I used a new video camera I brought with me from the UK for the first time. Well, while there’s enough material, I can work with, it will take a little more time to get used to. Tomorrow the builders are back working at the residence and it's too early to tell when my next excursion will be. Hopefully as we approach the weekend things will be much clearer.
Next Page.
Samut Prakan Province
Heading to the Chao Phraya River in
Phra Samut Chedi District
Phra Chulachomklao Fort in
Phra Samut Chedi District
HTMS Maeklong at Phra Chulachomklao Fort
Khok Nong Khlong Na Phra Chun Fort, Laem Fa Pha, Phra Samut Chedi District
Wat Sakhla, Na Klua,
Phra Samut Chedi District
Heading to the Chao Phraya River in
Phra Samut Chedi District
Phra Chulachomklao Fort in
Phra Samut Chedi District
HTMS Maeklong at Phra Chulachomklao Fort
Khok Nong Khlong Na Phra Chun Fort, Laem Fa Pha, Phra Samut Chedi District
Wat Sakhla, Na Klua,
Phra Samut Chedi District