Day 4, Monday 3 April - Mukdahan
No Complaints.......There have been no complaints at all about our stay in Noble Place, but we need to move on to pastures new but in which direction is a matter of debate. While there are always new things to discover we must compromise somehow or else we will end up spending most of our time just driving around. My original idea was to head for Amnat Charoen today but there are few attractions heading in this direction. Instead, due to there being more options in the north of Yasothon province, a better option would be to cross into Mukdahan. We manage to get a better start this morning than of late and head to Sai Mun district where we make our first visit.
Hor Trai at Wat Sra Trinurak.......Hor Trai, or library of Wat Sra Trinurak is an old library located in the middle of a pond for at least a hundred years. The building is in Burmese architectural style made of wood and is 8.30 metres wide and 10.50 metres long, with 4-level metal-sheet rooves and long eaves at all sides. The front door is beautifully carved. It has housed ancient Buddhist scriptures for a very long period of time. According to the temple's survey, the temple was founded on April 7th, 1459, which was in the reign of King Trailokkanat (1376-1488).
At this point we are still considering options but end up heading towards another attraction on my list which is the most obvious, located in Thai Charoen district.
Ban Song Yae Catholic Church.......Ban Song Yae Catholic Church (The Archangel Michael’s Church) is one of the Unseen Thailand attractions. The large church was built of wood composing of almost 300 small and big wooden posts and 80,000 sheets of wooden shingles. This is the biggest wooden Catholic church in Thailand aged more than 50 years. Since 2004, Yasothon province in collaboration with related agencies has annually organised a mass wedding ceremony in a Catholic style on Saint Valentine’s Day at this church.
At this point I should mention where I get the information from to compile a visit list. In many of the larger or more visited provinces compiling a list is quite easy but here in Yasothon there is a scarcity of online information. I initially use the tourist authority of Thailand website which has given me a good start but as soon as you arrive in a new destination more and more attractions are advertised in various locations. One option is to completely forget onsite information as all the interesting attractions seem to be sign posted with blue information boards. There is one more source of information that we regularly use and that's by word of mouth which means asking local people and one of the best places for this is at local restaurants no matter how austere they appear. Heading to our next site visit is proof that this works and we soon pick up information from the blue boards and find ourselves in Kut Chum district where there is a distinct change in scenery. Ever since we left Nakhon Ratchasima there has been an endless flat and barren landscape with most rice paddies now totally unproductive in the hot dry season. As we follow the blue boards we reach an area of low hills, forested with blackened and weathered limestone rock formations quite familiar at higher elevations in Isan provinces.
Phu Tham Phra.......Phu Tham Phra is located in an elevated and exposed area of weathered sandstone in which a number of Buddha images have been enshrined at the summit in and around a cave.
Wat Pa Phuk.......Wat Pa Phu is located in another area of eroded sandstone rock where wind and rain has caused cracking and weathering creating rock stacks in a picturesque setting. It is also a religious site.
Phu Mak Phrik.......Phu Mak Phrik he described as a priest camp a place for meditation and a place for monks to retreat from their normal duties. Surrounded by sandstone rocks and cliffs monks can come here to find solitude in primitive and self-sustaining conditions.
These natural features albeit now used for religious purposes has provided a more balanced view of this province which so far has only yielded historic sites.
We now decide to continue our exit into Mukdahan province whilst taking advantage of any attractions that we might find on the way. However, by 3pm nothing obvious has appeared as we cross the provincial border. Here we stop at our first site visit in Mukdahan Province which attractive as it is has only recent history.
Wat Phudantae.......Wat Phudantae located in Nikhom Kham Soi district is home to a large image of a standing Buddha adorned with a halo on top which can be seen from quite a distance. It was built in 1941 out of a monk's residence where highly respected monks came to meditate. it was previously used as a place to stop over for those on pilgrimage to Phra That Phanom.
Now at 4pm we are close to our arranged accommodation for the night. Mukdaview Hotel is comfortable enough allowing us a short rest, but we are soon out to exploring again. Wat Roi Phra Phutthabat Phu Manorom.......Wat Roi Phra Phutthabat Phu Manorom, is situated on Phu Manorom, a small mountain located in the southern part of Mueang Mukdahan. Within the temple’s compound, there are some interesting attractions to visit. The main feature is Phrachao Yai Kaeo Mukda Sitrairat, enshrined at the temple on top of the mountain. This giant Buddha statue, which can be seen from a good distance, has a lap width of 39.99 metres and a height of 59.99 metres in the posture of Subduing Mara. The total height from the base to the top is 84 metres. Phrachao Yai Kaeo Mukda Sitrairat was built on the occasion of King Rama IX’s 84th birthday anniversary, 5 December 2011.
The other significant feature here is Phaya Si Mukda Maha Muni Nilapala Nakkharat, a giant Naga statue found slithering across the stony area on the left side of the path up to Phrachao Yai Kaeo Mukda Sitrairat and magnificently raising its head to face the Mekong River below. It was built to be a guardian of Phrachao Yai Kaeo Mukda Sitrairat and to be revered by devotees. This majestic and greenish-blue-coloured Naga statue is 122 metres long, with a 1.5 metres diameter, and is 20 metres high.
Due to its prominence to the south of the city, this temple attracts many visitors and is an ideal location to view a sunrise. Much work has been undertaken here recently to create a viewing platform which is aesthetically pleasing in itself while offering gorgeous views across the Mekong River into Laos. Now after sunset, it's time for dinner and there's an ideal place north of the city.
Second Thai/Lao Friendship Bridge.......The Second Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge (Mukdahan-Savannakhet) is located on Chayangkun Road (Highway No. 212) in Ban Song Pueai, Tambon Bang Sai Yai which is 7 kilometres to the north of Amphoe Mueang Mukdahan. It is a part of the East West Economic Corridor (EWEC) route, which starts from Myanmar, passes Thailand and Lao PDR., and ends in Vietnam. The construction of the Bridge began in January 2003 and had its official grand opening ceremony on 20 December 2006. The 2-traffic-lane bridge with a length of 1,600 metres and width of 12 metres crosses the Mekong River and leads to Ban Nakae, Muang Kaysone Phomvihane, which is 5 kilometres to the north of Savannakhet Province of Lao PDR.
From a visitor's point of view the best time to visit the bridge of in the evening. Along the bank to the south are concrete terraces, wide enough to set up tables and it's to here, people flock for a splendid dinner in view of bridge, nicely lit up after dark. A popular dish here is a Korean style BBQ, where all the ingredients are brough to the table so you can cook yourself over a charcoal burner. This is ideal for us but there are of course, many other menu options. In fact, the shops and restaurants here stretch for hundreds of metres. Understandably, it's a not to be missed attraction in Mukdahan.
Next Page.
No Complaints.......There have been no complaints at all about our stay in Noble Place, but we need to move on to pastures new but in which direction is a matter of debate. While there are always new things to discover we must compromise somehow or else we will end up spending most of our time just driving around. My original idea was to head for Amnat Charoen today but there are few attractions heading in this direction. Instead, due to there being more options in the north of Yasothon province, a better option would be to cross into Mukdahan. We manage to get a better start this morning than of late and head to Sai Mun district where we make our first visit.
Hor Trai at Wat Sra Trinurak.......Hor Trai, or library of Wat Sra Trinurak is an old library located in the middle of a pond for at least a hundred years. The building is in Burmese architectural style made of wood and is 8.30 metres wide and 10.50 metres long, with 4-level metal-sheet rooves and long eaves at all sides. The front door is beautifully carved. It has housed ancient Buddhist scriptures for a very long period of time. According to the temple's survey, the temple was founded on April 7th, 1459, which was in the reign of King Trailokkanat (1376-1488).
At this point we are still considering options but end up heading towards another attraction on my list which is the most obvious, located in Thai Charoen district.
Ban Song Yae Catholic Church.......Ban Song Yae Catholic Church (The Archangel Michael’s Church) is one of the Unseen Thailand attractions. The large church was built of wood composing of almost 300 small and big wooden posts and 80,000 sheets of wooden shingles. This is the biggest wooden Catholic church in Thailand aged more than 50 years. Since 2004, Yasothon province in collaboration with related agencies has annually organised a mass wedding ceremony in a Catholic style on Saint Valentine’s Day at this church.
At this point I should mention where I get the information from to compile a visit list. In many of the larger or more visited provinces compiling a list is quite easy but here in Yasothon there is a scarcity of online information. I initially use the tourist authority of Thailand website which has given me a good start but as soon as you arrive in a new destination more and more attractions are advertised in various locations. One option is to completely forget onsite information as all the interesting attractions seem to be sign posted with blue information boards. There is one more source of information that we regularly use and that's by word of mouth which means asking local people and one of the best places for this is at local restaurants no matter how austere they appear. Heading to our next site visit is proof that this works and we soon pick up information from the blue boards and find ourselves in Kut Chum district where there is a distinct change in scenery. Ever since we left Nakhon Ratchasima there has been an endless flat and barren landscape with most rice paddies now totally unproductive in the hot dry season. As we follow the blue boards we reach an area of low hills, forested with blackened and weathered limestone rock formations quite familiar at higher elevations in Isan provinces.
Phu Tham Phra.......Phu Tham Phra is located in an elevated and exposed area of weathered sandstone in which a number of Buddha images have been enshrined at the summit in and around a cave.
Wat Pa Phuk.......Wat Pa Phu is located in another area of eroded sandstone rock where wind and rain has caused cracking and weathering creating rock stacks in a picturesque setting. It is also a religious site.
Phu Mak Phrik.......Phu Mak Phrik he described as a priest camp a place for meditation and a place for monks to retreat from their normal duties. Surrounded by sandstone rocks and cliffs monks can come here to find solitude in primitive and self-sustaining conditions.
These natural features albeit now used for religious purposes has provided a more balanced view of this province which so far has only yielded historic sites.
We now decide to continue our exit into Mukdahan province whilst taking advantage of any attractions that we might find on the way. However, by 3pm nothing obvious has appeared as we cross the provincial border. Here we stop at our first site visit in Mukdahan Province which attractive as it is has only recent history.
Wat Phudantae.......Wat Phudantae located in Nikhom Kham Soi district is home to a large image of a standing Buddha adorned with a halo on top which can be seen from quite a distance. It was built in 1941 out of a monk's residence where highly respected monks came to meditate. it was previously used as a place to stop over for those on pilgrimage to Phra That Phanom.
Now at 4pm we are close to our arranged accommodation for the night. Mukdaview Hotel is comfortable enough allowing us a short rest, but we are soon out to exploring again. Wat Roi Phra Phutthabat Phu Manorom.......Wat Roi Phra Phutthabat Phu Manorom, is situated on Phu Manorom, a small mountain located in the southern part of Mueang Mukdahan. Within the temple’s compound, there are some interesting attractions to visit. The main feature is Phrachao Yai Kaeo Mukda Sitrairat, enshrined at the temple on top of the mountain. This giant Buddha statue, which can be seen from a good distance, has a lap width of 39.99 metres and a height of 59.99 metres in the posture of Subduing Mara. The total height from the base to the top is 84 metres. Phrachao Yai Kaeo Mukda Sitrairat was built on the occasion of King Rama IX’s 84th birthday anniversary, 5 December 2011.
The other significant feature here is Phaya Si Mukda Maha Muni Nilapala Nakkharat, a giant Naga statue found slithering across the stony area on the left side of the path up to Phrachao Yai Kaeo Mukda Sitrairat and magnificently raising its head to face the Mekong River below. It was built to be a guardian of Phrachao Yai Kaeo Mukda Sitrairat and to be revered by devotees. This majestic and greenish-blue-coloured Naga statue is 122 metres long, with a 1.5 metres diameter, and is 20 metres high.
Due to its prominence to the south of the city, this temple attracts many visitors and is an ideal location to view a sunrise. Much work has been undertaken here recently to create a viewing platform which is aesthetically pleasing in itself while offering gorgeous views across the Mekong River into Laos. Now after sunset, it's time for dinner and there's an ideal place north of the city.
Second Thai/Lao Friendship Bridge.......The Second Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge (Mukdahan-Savannakhet) is located on Chayangkun Road (Highway No. 212) in Ban Song Pueai, Tambon Bang Sai Yai which is 7 kilometres to the north of Amphoe Mueang Mukdahan. It is a part of the East West Economic Corridor (EWEC) route, which starts from Myanmar, passes Thailand and Lao PDR., and ends in Vietnam. The construction of the Bridge began in January 2003 and had its official grand opening ceremony on 20 December 2006. The 2-traffic-lane bridge with a length of 1,600 metres and width of 12 metres crosses the Mekong River and leads to Ban Nakae, Muang Kaysone Phomvihane, which is 5 kilometres to the north of Savannakhet Province of Lao PDR.
From a visitor's point of view the best time to visit the bridge of in the evening. Along the bank to the south are concrete terraces, wide enough to set up tables and it's to here, people flock for a splendid dinner in view of bridge, nicely lit up after dark. A popular dish here is a Korean style BBQ, where all the ingredients are brough to the table so you can cook yourself over a charcoal burner. This is ideal for us but there are of course, many other menu options. In fact, the shops and restaurants here stretch for hundreds of metres. Understandably, it's a not to be missed attraction in Mukdahan.
Next Page.
Yasothon Province
Hor Trai at Wat Sra Trinurak,
Na Wiang, Sai Mun District
St Michael's Catholic Church (Ban Song Yae), Kham Toei, Thai Charoen District
Phu Tham Phra, Kham Nam Srang,
Kut Chum District
Wat Pa Phu Limestone Phutthastan (Luang Pho Sunee), Kham Nam Srang,
Kut Chum District
Phu Mak Phrik Priest's Camp Site,
Si Kaeo, Loeng Nok Tha District
Mukdahan Province
Welcome to Mukdahan
Wat Phudantae, Chok Chai,
Nikhom Kham Soi District
Wat Roi Phra Phutthabat Phu Manorom, Si Bun Rueang, Mueang Mukdahan District
Phaya Si Mukda Maha Muni Nilapala Nakkharat at Wat Roi Phra Phutthabat Phu Manorom, Si Bun Rueang,
Mueang Mukdahan District
Second Thai/Lao Friendship Bridge, Bang Sai Yai, Mueang Mukdahan District