Prachuap Khiri Khan: A jewel in Thailand’s crown

[rooster59]

Prachuap Khiri Khan: A jewel in Thailand’s crown

 

By Kitchana Lersakvanitchakul
THE NATION

 

 

The Tourist Authority of Thailand remembers the late Monarch with a trip to Prachuap Khiri Khan

 

While the country has moved on from the overwhelming grief following the death last October of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the late monarch and the benefits he provided to all his subjects are still being remembered and honoured nationwide.

 

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand is among the organisations constantly paying tribute and is now inviting tourists, both local and foreign, to remember the monarch’s illustrious life with a trip to Prachuap Khiri Khan dubbed “Follow the Royal Path at the City of Three Bays, the Gateway to the South”.

 

    We start our visit to the three bays at the Sirinart Rajini Ecosystem Learning Centre. Some 30 kilometres south of Hua Hin where the Pranburi River flows into the Gulf of Thailand, it is the largest mangrove forest in Thailand. An ongoing flood prevention and sewage treatment project makes it easy for us to walk along a footbridge through the heart of a beautifully preserved natural mangrove forest that’s home to various species of crabs. We also climb the 97 steps up to the three-storey Chakhram Lookout Tower from where we gaze out over the panorama of the reforested area.

 

 

We stop off at Tha Tabun Pavilion, which marks the spot where the late King and Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn planted mangrove trees at a reforestation ceremony held on November 16, 2002. The late monarch returned to the centre two years before his death to see the development of the forest project and a new exhibition zone displaying native fishing tools and information about shrimp farms developed on deteriorated forest land. The learning centre has been successful in promoting public awareness of natural conservation for the community’s common interest.

 

Our next stop is Phra Mahathat Chedi Phakdi Prakat on top of Khao Thong Chai at the northern end of Ban Krut beach. A stunning nine-peak pagoda built for King Rama IX in celebration of his golden jubilee, the chedi boasts colourful stained glass windows. We climb to the top and admire the magnificent view over Ban Krut beach before turning back to pay our respects to the large golden Buddha statue called Phra Phut Kitti Sirichai, which measures an impressive 12 metres in width and rises 10 metres into the air.

 

 

The remarkable architecture of Wat Ao Noi also comes as a surprise. Built in 2003 entirely of golden teakwood, it is decorated with paintings and intricate carvings. Facing Ao Noi bay is Tham Phra Non Cave, home to two grand reclining Buddha images.

 

    We end our first day at this gateway to the south by taking in the coastline and seascape from the top of Khao Chong Krachok, a tiring climb up 395 steps that’s enlivened by several stump-tailed macaques playing along the pathway. The King came here June 12, 1958 to attend the containing ceremony of the relics of the Buddha and the Buddha’s footprint and oversaw the planting of a Bodhi tree.

 

    Climbing is back on the following day’s agenda and there are more than a few winces as we make our way up 496 steps to the top of Khao Lom Muak inside the Airforce base of Prachuap Khiri Khan, better known as Wing 5. The agony doesn’t end there though, and soon we are scrambling up rocks to reach the summit.

 

 

“Khao Lom Muak first opened to the public two years ago but was closed following a series of accidents involving visitors falling, slipping and tripping, especially at night. It is now open on holidays and members of the public are invited to conquer the summit. More than 14,000 have tried their luck and this Labour Day holiday we welcomed 1,532 adventurers,” an officer from Wing 5 explains.

 

    “For safety, we issue queue cards that allow 50 visitors to go up every 20 minutes. We have personnel stationed at the summit to take care of the visitors and a small staff of military doctors. A replica of the Buddha’s footprint was built on the summit in 1989 at the order of the then commander. The original plan was to install a Buddha image to mark the late Monarch’s birthday but when the five stones making up the foundation were connected, it looked like a Buddha footprint. In fact, the Fine Arts Department is of the opinion that the foundation was laid in the reign of King Rama IV.”

 

    While the climb is challenging, the view of the three bays of Ao Noi, Ao Prachuap and Ao Manao that awaits at the summit more than compensates for our tired legs.

 

 

A popular tourist destination today, Ao Manao was once a theatre of war.

 

    “During World War II, Japanese warships came into the bay and landed some 3,000 to 4,000 Japanese troops at Ao Manao at 4am on December 8, 1941. We had only 120 airmen on site and the Japanese troops quickly occupied City Hall and the post office at Ao Prachuap. Pilot Officer Srisak Sujarittham, together with other airmen, had gone fishing in order to prepare food for a farewell party for our soldiers, and saw the warships off Ao Manao. He contacted Wing Commander ML Prawat Chumsai of Wing 5 who immediately gave orders to resist. In the battle that ensued, we lost 38 airmen, two families, one policeman and a 13-year-old boy who was studying at Prachuap Wittayalai School. More than 400 Japanese troops were found dead on the beach. The site is today marked by three museums,” the officer explains.

 

    Later that day, we pay our respects to the fallen at the museums. The first museum offers an eight-minute light and sound show that takes us back to the past. The second is a former 10-room military home that’s been converted into a museum featuring five rooms. They include one dedicated to the “Incidents of War” and another named “The Dignity of the Brave”. The third museum reveals a conversation between an old man and a young boy about the events of that time.

 

    A sandstone memorial depicts Thai soldiers fighting against the Japanese amphibious landing and, at the back, the signing of an armistice.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/life/leisure/30316310

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-05-28

[elgordo38]

A great read a calming topic. I guess as I am the lone poster on this great read it must be a sign that the Rooster Ranters are exhausted. 

[Black arab]

Agree , prachuap is really nice for a visit some beautiful bays as well and those quiet coast roads are sound for a bike ride

[Jedsada3]

5 years ago, on the move to the South I stopped in Prachuap Khiri Khan to spend the night... I'm still there. I never moved further!

[crazygreg44]

-deleted-

[KIWIBATCH]

A great read and very interesting...awesome photos...I have never visited this place...but the article has spurred me into planning a trip in the near future.

[hkt83100]

Prachuap is my favorite stop-over on the way from Phuket to Isan. I pass through about twice a year, and I really love this little town. May it stay calm and nice for the times to come. <3

[jaiyen]

We were there recently and was amazed at the number of tourists there now. A few years ago you would see a handful in a day. Now there are hundreds. The locals told me it is going to get much busier as people get fed up with crap holes like Pattaya, Phuket, Bangkok. Also there is a border crossing close by.  One of the last nice place left in Thailand

[kmj]

9 minutes ago, jaiyen said:

We were there recently and was amazed at the number of tourists there now. A few years ago you would see a handful in a day. Now there are hundreds. The locals told me it is going to get much busier as people get fed up with crap holes like Pattaya, Phuket, Bangkok. Also there is a border crossing close by.  One of the last nice place left in Thailand

I think the border crossing is only for thai unless its changed in the past 6 months

[Tofer]

PKK is indeed a cracking spot. For those heading further South on the 41 Wiang Sa has a very decent hotel with great food in their forecourt restaurant. Turn left after Tesco Lotus at the main jct. then 200m on the left.

 

Nothing else in WA unless you want to join the youngsters in the local 'trendy' restaurant another 0.5km along the road, but you get a comfy clean room, a decent massage to sooth your aches and a great meal. They even rustled us up some breakfast an hour before opening. Very friendly and helpful - the real Thailand. Enjoy!

[Mrjlh]

I visited these locations several times while living in Hua Hin.  Thank you for the additional history lesson.

 

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, kmj said:

I think the border crossing is only for thai unless its changed in the past 6 months

 

Nope. Only for Thais. From what I am told, the Thais are ready for the opening, but the Burmese have been dragging their feet for quite some time. They had agreed to build a highway to the Andaman, but very little work has been done, there is little to no infrastructure to support tourism on the other side, and that ridiculous government requires special permits for a hotel that accepts foreigners. So, even the few hotels over there cannot accommodate us. Weak. Very weak. It could be many years until the Burmese are ready. Or able. Or willing. 

[elgordo38]

3 hours ago, Jedsada3 said:

5 years ago, on the move to the South I stopped in Prachuap Khiri Khan to spend the night... I'm still there. I never moved further!

Glad you found your slice of paradise. Hang in there and enjoy before it becomes a sliver. 

[moose7117]

Prachuap is a terrible bloody place,

don't go there, don't stop there, there is nothing to see here, just move along move along !

[zaZa9]

The place is small and pleasant.

But nobody could rave about its beaches ...its heavily tidal and the sand brownish and a tad swampy.

Its not lush , and the Andaman Sea is  far clearer .

I dont 'get' TVs fascination with the place at all.

[geriatrickid]

14 hours ago, zaZa9 said:

The place is small and pleasant.

But nobody could rave about its beaches ...its heavily tidal and the sand brownish and a tad swampy.

Its not lush , and the Andaman Sea is  far clearer .

I dont 'get' TVs fascination with the place at all.

I suppose, it's an attempt to promote  something. The water quality is indeed rather grim as raw sewage and effluent  still  gets dumped. The hotels are nothing special. I like the region, but it will never ever offer the quality of beach found in some  beach resort areas of Thailand. Getting there is a major hassle and requires a  car.  The train schedule is awful and ideally,  if the SRT service was improved, the place would have more visitors. Even better would be a regional airport to allow connections from DMK. And although people are ok, they are no where near as friendly as in Ubon, Udon or even near Ayuthaya.  It seems that the farther south one goes in Thailand, the less likely people are to smile.

[Nong Khai Man]

On 5/29/2017 at 3:17 PM, moose7117 said:

Prachuap is a terrible bloody place,

don't go there, don't stop there, there is nothing to see here, just move along move along !

Have You Been There, Really ???

[wakeupplease]

Beautiful part of the world, shame its let down by the idiots who run it

[Jedsada3]

2 hours ago, Nong Khai Man said:

On 5/29/2017 at 3:17 PM, moose7117 said:

Prachuap is a terrible bloody place,

don't go there, don't stop there, there is nothing to see here, just move along move along !

Have You Been There, Really ???

I guess that moose doesn't want to see too many tourists in Prachuap... and I can understand him 

[moose7117]

15 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

I suppose, it's an attempt to promote  something. The water quality is indeed rather grim as raw sewage and effluent  still  gets dumped. The hotels are nothing special. I like the region, but it will never ever offer the quality of beach found in some  beach resort areas of Thailand. Getting there is a major hassle and requires a  car.  The train schedule is awful and ideally,  if the SRT service was improved, the place would have more visitors. Even better would be a regional airport to allow connections from DMK. And although people are ok, they are no where near as friendly as in Ubon, Udon or even near Ayuthaya.  It seems that the farther south one goes in Thailand, the less likely people are to smile.

I completely agree, why would you want to go to a place like this, the beach in town is not suitable for swimming, There is , apparently, a shortage of places to have a refreshing ale, there is nothing there that you cannot find in much better quality and probably cheaper in much more accessible places throughout Thailand.

There are no girly bars .....................the horror !

 

so just don't go there.

please keep away.

[geriatrickid]

On 5/31/2017 at 3:36 PM, moose7117 said:

I completely agree, why would you want to go to a place like this, the beach in town is not suitable for swimming, There is , apparently, a shortage of places to have a refreshing ale, there is nothing there that you cannot find in much better quality and probably cheaper in much more accessible places throughout Thailand.

There are no girly bars .....................the horror !

 

so just don't go there.

please keep away.

Your sarcasm fails because it is so hollow. If you want to pretend that there is no raw sewage or intentionally dumped industrial waste, fine. That will not  make it go away. You have the same attitude as the folks who pretend that there is no raw sewage issue in the Karon-Patong-Kalim area of Phuket. Many Thais have said something and tried to fix the issue, but people like you, when you  ridicule the issue, undermine their efforts.  The responsible parties keep dumping their crud, because people like you don't say anything other than, no worries, it doesn't exist.  Good job. The water is so clean, that the Thai water quality authorities do not release water quality reports. What people don't know, won't hurt them, right?

 

As for your nonsensical post on girlie bars. Don't pull that holier than though  nonsense with me. There are plenty of them, and they cater to the Thai locals. There are  karaoke joints and a number of "hospitality" establishments.  The region has a large number of military bases and training facilities. Wherever there are boys in uniform aged 18-25, you can be sure that the people who make a living off catering to their sexual desires are to be found.

 

 

 

 

[moose7117]

On 03/06/2017 at 11:12 AM, geriatrickid said:

Your sarcasm fails because it is so hollow. If you want to pretend that there is no raw sewage or intentionally dumped industrial waste, fine. That will not  make it go away. You have the same attitude as the folks who pretend that there is no raw sewage issue in the Karon-Patong-Kalim area of Phuket. Many Thais have said something and tried to fix the issue, but people like you, when you  ridicule the issue, undermine their efforts.  The responsible parties keep dumping their crud, because people like you don't say anything other than, no worries, it doesn't exist.  Good job. The water is so clean, that the Thai water quality authorities do not release water quality reports. What people don't know, won't hurt them, right?

 

As for your nonsensical post on girlie bars. Don't pull that holier than though  nonsense with me. There are plenty of them, and they cater to the Thai locals. There are  karaoke joints and a number of "hospitality" establishments.  The region has a large number of military bases and training facilities. Wherever there are boys in uniform aged 18-25, you can be sure that the people who make a living off catering to their sexual desires are to be found.

 

 

 

 

sorry if i upset you but i am not being sarcastic !

i have seen the people empty plates straight onto the sand on the waterfront.

i have seen the crap flowing from the drains directly into the bay.

 

and there are no girly bars, as in Hua Hin style bars for the busted ass expat to pick up the ladies of the moment.

 

i doubt there is a single town in all of Thailand that does not have a karaoke joint but what good are they to the average sexpat.

 

and as far as your holier than thou attitude towards me............. GET STUFFED !

[geriatrickid]

If you don't want to be shredded don't make inane claims about girlie bars. The entertainment industry exists wherever there is a market for its services and while it may not take the form of the depressing collection of low end bars that cater to  foreign tourists in Hua Hin, they do exist in every nook and cranny town  in Thailand. In PKK, they are to be found wherever Thais vacation. Places such as  Sam Roi Yot, and  along Dolphin Beach  have plenty of bars similar to what finds in Hua Hin  town.  If you think all those tourists go to bed by 20:00 hours and spend their time sipping coconut water down at the wat, you are mistaken.

 

 

 

[moose7117]

On 04/06/2017 at 4:20 PM, moose7117 said:

.

 

and there are no girly bars, as in Hua Hin style bars for the busted ass expat to pick up the ladies of the moment.

 

i doubt there is a single town in all of Thailand that does not have a karaoke joint but what good are they to the average sexpat.

 

 

i am sorry if you not understand what i wrote.

 

say it aloud and slowly and think about the words !

 

i thought i made myself clear as i used small words and wrote in english,  there are no girly bars means that there are no bare like the ones you would find in your soi in pattaya that are aimed at the non thai customer such as you find in walking street in pattaya or in nana plaza which is in bangkok.

i said what good is a karaoke joint to the average sexpat,  this means that the average punter would not only have trouble finding and  communicating with the occupants of these type of bars.

 

i aint talking about Thai nationals on holidays, i am sure they are welcome in Prachuap, i was aiming at the smart assed , know it all expats that everywhere and complain about everything.

 

And as for your condescending tone.....GET STUFFED !

[poohy]

Sadly mr Moose is correct all dodgy places  in PKK are now over the petchasem (there used to one in town but it closed about 2/3 years ago)They indeed only cater for  Thais and probably  a big % of Thai lorry drivers

I have lived near PKK  (and love where i live) for over 5 years but know for fact the water is well unpleasant they closed the water cleaning plant down about a year ago so i guess the town shit goes right into the sea now

[DavisH]

On 2017-5-30 at 9:13 PM, zaZa9 said:

The place is small and pleasant.

But nobody could rave about its beaches ...its heavily tidal and the sand brownish and a tad swampy.

Its not lush , and the Andaman Sea is  far clearer .

I dont 'get' TVs fascination with the place at all.

The ocean there is way cleaner than Pattaya or Hua Hin though. I often go at new year and my spot is practically deserted.

[Covertjay]

Great food, nice beach on a bay at Ao Menau, well maintained city and good roads due to provincial capital funding. Military keeps base zone spotless. Nice langurs make a change from the dangerous monkeys. Scenic drives, great pineapple and incredible street seafood on the Prachuap Bay side.  

 

Love that spot.