Wheels of fortune

[Lite Beer]

Wheels of fortune
Kitchana Lersakvanitchakul
THE NATION

Campaign aims to get tourists pedalling in Phetchabun and Phitsanulok

CHOSEN BY THE Tourism Authority of Thailand as one of the "hidden gems" of its "Discover Thainess" campaign, the northern province of Phetchabun has now been paired with Phitsanulok in an attempt to jointly promote the cultural and natural richness of both areas.

"The twinning is a strategy to spread tourists from a major province to a minor one nearby," explains Lerdchai Wangtrakoondee, assistant director of TAT's northern office region 3, which is in charge of Phitsanulok, Phetchabun and Phichit.

"Tourists used to stop in Phitsanulok only but since we launched the campaign, they are now visiting Phetchabun in greater numbers. And now that Phetchabun is among the top five northern provinces to visit on a list that also includes Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, we are expecting to see more than five million tourists coming to all three provinces."

"Phitsanulok, which is home to the famous Phra Chinnarat Buddha image, has long been paired with Sukhothai on the historical tourist route. But it has plenty of other potential too and we are aiming to promote it as a great place for cycling trips," Lerdchai adds.

And certainly the province has plenty to offer the cyclist. Chosen as the location for Nok Air's latest cycling tour named in honour of Pha Bok Rak, (cliff of love) in the middle of a forestry development project initiated by His Majesty the King at Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park, it boasts magnificent scenery, high peaks and plenty of history.

Our group set off from Wat Sam Saeng Tham for the gruelling 20-kilometre climb to the Phu Hin Rong Kla park office. Spread over Phitsanulok, Phetchabun and Loei, the park is home to many different terrains including waterfalls, lush forests and rock formations. The park has recovered from the damage it sustained over the 15 years of battles between the army and the Communist Party of Thailand, which used it as their base, and was given national park status in 1984.

In addition to the magnificent flora and fauna, other popular sights are Lan Hin Taek and Lan Hin Poom, fissures created by the shifting of the Earth’s crust.

"Our bike routes run from the national park to Phu Tab Berk in Phetchabun and from Thung Salaeng Luang to Thung Nang Phaya. We have also introduced routes through Phitsanulok's historical destinations and in Phichit's old town and Wangkrod district, which is home to the Chao Pho and Chao Mae Wang Klom Shrines, ancient buildings and the former home of Luang Prathuangkhadee, Phichit's first prime minister," says Lerdchai.

Highway 12 leads to Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew in Phetchabun's Khao Kho district, a monastery and temple adorned with more than five million colourful mosaic tiles and pottery items as well as five white Buddha images on the same lotus-shape base.

"The highway should be taken at a slow speed so as to enjoy the beautiful Sakunothayan, Kang Song, Poy and Kang Sopa waterfalls and perhaps stop off at one of the many new coffee shops and resorts that have sprung up here," says Lerdchai.

Phitsanulok itself has many sights worth seeing too, and a tramway tour takes visitors to the city pillar shrine and Chan Palace, the birthplace of King Naresuan the Great, which will soon host a monthly sound-and-light show.

Local wisdom can be discovered at the Sgt-Major Dr Thawee Folk Museum, where the exhibits include rabbit-shaped coconut graters once common in Northeast and Central regions, a cat-shaped coconut grater from the North and a metal grater from the South.

"Traditionally, a man would shred the coconuts by sitting astride the grater. It was considered impolite for women to sit the same way, so they had to sit to one side, which made the work harder," the museum guide explains.

"The Phitsanulok people used to live on houseboats tied up on the banks of the Nan River but in 2007 the houseboats were completely destroyed in a fire, which was started by a four-year-old child playing with matches. Today, the people live in houses built of wood and concrete.

"Tradition also had it that if a girl child was born, the placenta would be put in a bamboo tube and buried in the ground under the house, while if the child was a boy, the placenta would be buried under a big tree in the forest to signify putting down roots," the guide continues.

No visit to Phitsanulok would be complete without paying respect to the Phra Chinnarat Buddha image at Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat and that's how our group ends its visit to two provinces that are more than worth their tourism salt.

Fly and bike

Nok Air has three flights daily between Don Mueang and Phitsanulok. For details, visit www.NokAir.com.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/life/Wheels-of-fortune-30259607.html

-- The Nation 2015-05-09

[BigBadGeordie]

It's all about timing, whilst I have no doubt this would be an interesting trip, but to launch this initiative now, given the recent spate of cyclist deaths just seems so wrong to me.

Do these people live in total isolation to the rest of Thailand?

[klauskunkel]

more targets

[quandow]

Airlines are getting refused entry into other countries due to unsafe planes, bicyclists now frequently getting run over by drunks - hmmm, what's next TAT - "Take a Five-Year tour aboard a Thai fishing vessel?"

[Lupatria]

Here is a catchy slogan for this nonsense:

"If life gets boring- risk it! On a bicycle tour in Thailand!"

[Suffinator]

So they can be killed by drunk drivers, drivers who have no actual driving skills and where most of their vehicles are defective; mostly the brakes.

Yeah sure I'd ride a bicycle in Thailand .. NOT.

[elgordo38]

It's all about timing, whilst I have no doubt this would be an interesting trip, but to launch this initiative now, given the recent spate of cyclist deaths just seems so wrong to me.

Do these people live in total isolation to the rest of Thailand?

Each site should have a sign saying "Cycling can be dangerous to your health" All those scary adds on cig packs got to me.

[Johnny S]

Driving Motorbike is pretty scary here and then to drive bicycle with all these incompetent drunks on the roads - No f...... way