Chayprapat Waithayakul  

 Wat Phanan Choeng :

Wat Panan Choeng is an old monastery housing Thailand’s largest ancient Buddha image, known as “Luang Po To”.  A historical cronicle state that this gilded stucco image was built in A.D. 1344, some 26 years before the establighment of Ayutthaya as the capital of the Thai Kingdom in A.D. 1350.

In front of this temple, they are many local foods and desserts.  Souvenirs  are also available for tourists such as dried food and handicrafts.

The reason  why this temple became famous was that Wat Phranan Choeng is a huge and old temple.  It used to be the royal temple during the Ayutthaya period.  A lot of people throughout the country visit the temple and show their respect to the Buddha image.

It’s main building enshrines a huge, seated buddha image, that is 57 feet tall an object of particular devotion to Thais of Chinese origin.

Luang Po To’s still renovated.  This will be finished by the end of 2008.

Many people come here to respect the Buddha image especially on weekend and holidays.

If you want to visit this 2 temples and respect the Buddha images, you can travel along Asia Avenue (No.32) from Bangkok  and  turn left to Ayutthaya.  You will see a circle with a big Chedi called “Chedi Wat Sam Pluam”.  Then turn left again and go straight about 1.5 kilometers.  Wat Yai Chai Mongkol is on your left.  Go ahead about 3 kilometers, Wat Phranan Choeng will be on your right.  Also, you can cross the river at the pier of Pom Petch.

Wat Yai Chai - Mongkol : 

Wat Phra Chao Phya-thai, populary known as Wat Yai Chai-Mongkol, is situated to the southeast of the Ayutthaya city.  It’s located near the main Ayutthaya ruins and a short distance from the walls of Ayutthaya.

This temple is famed for an impressively large statue of the Reclining Buddha inside the temple compund.  Built by King U Thong (Ayutthaya’s first ruler) in 1357)

The large chedi there can be seen from a great distance.  This pagoda is bout 60 meters high in Ceylonese style named “Phra Chedi Chai Monghon”.  Normally it is called “Phra Chedi Yai” or Wat Yai Chai Mongkhol now.

We went up to the top and it’s very windy.  But we saw the most beautiful view that we’d never seen before.
Nice View!






People come to play respect and many tourists are seen here especially during weekends and public holidays.

You will see the Buddha images around this temple.

This is a great place to visit and wander around, so give yourself plenty of time for a visit.

Admission Fee : 20 Baht
Temple Hour : 08:30 - 16:30
Direction : Wat Yai Chai Mongkol is in the Southeast of the town and easily accessible by Tuk-Tuk for around 30 Baht.

 Sankhamphang Hot Springs

The Tourism Authority of Thailand and Sankampaeng Cooperative Village collaborated in making improvement to the surroundings of Sankampaeng Hot Springs so that it could become a popular recreation area very near to Chiang Mai City. The spring is 34 kilometres from Chiang Mai by either the old Sankampaeng road or the newer bypass.

Sankampaeng Hot Springs is an ideal destination for those interested in health and well-being. A natural spring emitting water with high sulphur content, the spring is said to cure ailments and rejuvenate the body. The water has a temperature in excess of 100 degrees centigrade and the area is so active that there is ongoing research into how to tap the springs as a potential energy resource.

Sankampaeng Hot Springs is open daily and the admission fee for children is 15 baht and adult for only 30 baht.

Along the way to the hot springs, you will see the Mineral Watercourse  that many people sit and soak their feet.  This water temperature is about 45 degrees centigrade.  I’d done that too.  It’s feel very relax.

Other than The Mineral Watercourse, you can enjoy at the Mineral Swimming Pool or Mineral Bath.  Thai Massage is available here too.

If you would like to boil eggs.  You can buy fresh eggs at the shop near by the hot springs and try to boil them.

- Soft Boil = 3 Mins.

- Half Done = 9 Mins.

- Welldone = 10 - 15 Mins.

The water has a temperature in excess of 100 degrees centigrade.  You should be careful!

 After refreshing myself, It’s time to go back to Bangkok again.  That’s the end of our 3 days trip to Chiang Mai.  See you next time.