Day 2, Thursday 21 September - Phichit
Survival....... Having survived the night at New Hua Hin, no breakfast is available or planned for. We will need to go hunting for that. However, there are a few sites we could visit nearby on foot anyway. First I head back to the railway station and manage to catch a sprinter train then we walk across the Tewamonkol pedestrian bridge to the temple on the opposite bank of the Nan River.
Wat Tewa Prasat Phra Phuttha Ket Mongkhon....... Wat Tewa Prasat Phra Phuttha Ket Mongkhon or Luang Pho To Taphan Hin at Theva Prasat Temple, is a Buddha image in the posture of giving blessings, with a lap width of 20 metres, a height of 30 metres, with a pedestal of 4 metres high, built in 1965 and completed in 1970. The Buddha image has a beautiful appearance and proportions and is the largest in Phichit Province. If traveling by train, you will see the glowing yellow Buddha image from a distance.
Discharged....... With no access to Google Maps due to not been able to charge up the battery on my computer overnight i'm at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to planning site visits today. I do have a preprpared list but mostly it will be down to my companion today to come up with a list of local site visits. What she comes up with are a couple more possibilities before we need to leave Taphan Hin.
Street Art....... We arrive at the road bridge over the Nan River where there is some interesting street art. The subjects are so general in nature and so numerous that I can't begin to describe them all but they certainly are interesting visually and occupy both sides of the bridge arch. While we are parked near the bridge another opportunity arises.
Priceless Collection....... Located in one of the wooden houses alongside the river in view of the Ratratrangsan Bridge, a local man has painstakingly put together a particularly fascinating collection of artifacts which not only span the centuries but span the continents as well. So much history has he managed to capture that I am mesmerized by the objects, art and recorded history that he was managed to accumulate including priceless manuscripts, objects from colonial times and historical records. These go back to the kings of Ayutthaya, the discoveries at Angkor, the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900 and much more. When it comes to regional history I'm all ears and this local man is more than eager to show off his collection. However we must make more progress and head north away from Taphan Hin.
Wat Khao Rup Chang....... Wat Khao Rup Chang is located in Dong Pa Kham, Phichit City district. Khao Rup Chang translates as 'elephant picture mountain', a mountain with a rock formation at its pinnacle that looks like an elephant and of course where there's a mountain in Thailand there's likely to be a temple. Those who make it to the top of a long staircase where a spire has been built are treated with gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside.
The Ayutthaya-style Chedi (or stupa) is built from bricks, though its tip has crumbled. White rocks, remnants of a shrine hall, resemble the shape of an elephant. The murals within the interior of the temple's mondop, or square pavilion, have largely faded away. The temple also enshrines the statue of a walking Buddha and replicas of the Buddha's footprints. Wat Khao Rup Chang is located along the Phichit-Taphan Hin road some 15 kilometres from city.
Wang Krot....... Moving closer to Phichit city we arrive at Wang Krot railway station. Few serices stop at this station but a through train rushes past during our visit. Actually, Wang Krot is better known for it's cultural street market and the is plenty of evidence that it is still an important part of life here. Also worth a visit is the former governor's residence which is kept as a museum and is free to enter. Now well into afternoon we locate another temple.
Wat Tha Luang......... Wat Tha Luang is a Buddhist temple in Tambon Nai Mueang, Amphoe Mueang Phichit. It is regarded as the most famous temple in the province and also considered as the provincial temple. The temple sits on the Nan River's west bank close to the Provincial Hall.
This temple is believed to have been constructed in 1845 during the reign of King Nangklao (Rama III). Its name comes from the former tambon (sub-district). Wat Tha Luang was also known as Wat Ratchadittharam but this name is not as popular or well known as it should be.
Phichit......... While September is no known for its unsettled weather, today is particularly hot and I'm starting to feel the effects. As we will be staying in Phichit tonight, it makes sense to take a break and find accommodation for the night. Thankfully, there are far better options in this provincial city than at Taphan Hin and my companion wastes no time in locating suitable accommodation at Mee Pronsawan Hotel and Resort. We book for two nights to allow us to better explore this interesting province.
At 4pm we're ready to go out again and of course we start at the railway station where I can begin recording more activity including the 201 service from Bangkok to Phitsanulok.
Our day's activity ends at Bueng Si Fai, a gorgious natural lake southwest of the city, to enjoy the sunset.
Next Page.
Survival....... Having survived the night at New Hua Hin, no breakfast is available or planned for. We will need to go hunting for that. However, there are a few sites we could visit nearby on foot anyway. First I head back to the railway station and manage to catch a sprinter train then we walk across the Tewamonkol pedestrian bridge to the temple on the opposite bank of the Nan River.
Wat Tewa Prasat Phra Phuttha Ket Mongkhon....... Wat Tewa Prasat Phra Phuttha Ket Mongkhon or Luang Pho To Taphan Hin at Theva Prasat Temple, is a Buddha image in the posture of giving blessings, with a lap width of 20 metres, a height of 30 metres, with a pedestal of 4 metres high, built in 1965 and completed in 1970. The Buddha image has a beautiful appearance and proportions and is the largest in Phichit Province. If traveling by train, you will see the glowing yellow Buddha image from a distance.
Discharged....... With no access to Google Maps due to not been able to charge up the battery on my computer overnight i'm at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to planning site visits today. I do have a preprpared list but mostly it will be down to my companion today to come up with a list of local site visits. What she comes up with are a couple more possibilities before we need to leave Taphan Hin.
Street Art....... We arrive at the road bridge over the Nan River where there is some interesting street art. The subjects are so general in nature and so numerous that I can't begin to describe them all but they certainly are interesting visually and occupy both sides of the bridge arch. While we are parked near the bridge another opportunity arises.
Priceless Collection....... Located in one of the wooden houses alongside the river in view of the Ratratrangsan Bridge, a local man has painstakingly put together a particularly fascinating collection of artifacts which not only span the centuries but span the continents as well. So much history has he managed to capture that I am mesmerized by the objects, art and recorded history that he was managed to accumulate including priceless manuscripts, objects from colonial times and historical records. These go back to the kings of Ayutthaya, the discoveries at Angkor, the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900 and much more. When it comes to regional history I'm all ears and this local man is more than eager to show off his collection. However we must make more progress and head north away from Taphan Hin.
Wat Khao Rup Chang....... Wat Khao Rup Chang is located in Dong Pa Kham, Phichit City district. Khao Rup Chang translates as 'elephant picture mountain', a mountain with a rock formation at its pinnacle that looks like an elephant and of course where there's a mountain in Thailand there's likely to be a temple. Those who make it to the top of a long staircase where a spire has been built are treated with gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside.
The Ayutthaya-style Chedi (or stupa) is built from bricks, though its tip has crumbled. White rocks, remnants of a shrine hall, resemble the shape of an elephant. The murals within the interior of the temple's mondop, or square pavilion, have largely faded away. The temple also enshrines the statue of a walking Buddha and replicas of the Buddha's footprints. Wat Khao Rup Chang is located along the Phichit-Taphan Hin road some 15 kilometres from city.
Wang Krot....... Moving closer to Phichit city we arrive at Wang Krot railway station. Few serices stop at this station but a through train rushes past during our visit. Actually, Wang Krot is better known for it's cultural street market and the is plenty of evidence that it is still an important part of life here. Also worth a visit is the former governor's residence which is kept as a museum and is free to enter. Now well into afternoon we locate another temple.
Wat Tha Luang......... Wat Tha Luang is a Buddhist temple in Tambon Nai Mueang, Amphoe Mueang Phichit. It is regarded as the most famous temple in the province and also considered as the provincial temple. The temple sits on the Nan River's west bank close to the Provincial Hall.
This temple is believed to have been constructed in 1845 during the reign of King Nangklao (Rama III). Its name comes from the former tambon (sub-district). Wat Tha Luang was also known as Wat Ratchadittharam but this name is not as popular or well known as it should be.
Phichit......... While September is no known for its unsettled weather, today is particularly hot and I'm starting to feel the effects. As we will be staying in Phichit tonight, it makes sense to take a break and find accommodation for the night. Thankfully, there are far better options in this provincial city than at Taphan Hin and my companion wastes no time in locating suitable accommodation at Mee Pronsawan Hotel and Resort. We book for two nights to allow us to better explore this interesting province.
At 4pm we're ready to go out again and of course we start at the railway station where I can begin recording more activity including the 201 service from Bangkok to Phitsanulok.
Our day's activity ends at Bueng Si Fai, a gorgious natural lake southwest of the city, to enjoy the sunset.
Next Page.
Phichit Province
Wat Tewa Prasat Phra Phuttha Ket Mongkhon, Taphan Hin
Tewamonkol Pedestrian Bridge, Taphan Hin
Ratratrangsan Bridge, Taphan Hin
Street Art, Taphan Hin
Ban Gow Sao Ban Jan, Taphan Hin
Nan River, Taphan Hin
Wat Khao Rup Chang, Dong Pa Kham, Mueang Phichit District
Yan Kao Wang Krot Market,
Bang Mun Nak District
Wang Krot Railway Station,
Bang Mun Nak District
Wang Krot Clock Tower,
Bang Mun Nak District
Former Governor's Residence, Wang Krot, Bang Mun Nak District
Wat Tha Luang, Nai Mueang, Phichit
Nan River, Nai Mueang,
Mueang Phichit District
Phichit Railway Station, Nai Mueang, Mueang Phichit District
Bueng Si Fai, Tha Luang,
Mueang Phichit District