Phitsanulok and Kamphaeng Phet

Since it is my last week in Thailand, it is high time that I made a trip north of Bangkok to visit Sukhothai. It is not a trip to undertake in one day, both because of the long journey and because there is a lot to see in the area. Beside the three sites that are co-inscribed on the UNESCO world heritage list (Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet, and Si Satchanalai), there is also Phitsanulok, a historically significant city with several interesting attractions. Founded in the thirteenth century as Song Khwae (meaning “Two Rivers”), the city became the seat of the Sukhothai Kingdom in 1378. Song Khwae would retain its prominent status even after Sukhothai’s incorporation into Ayutthaya in 1448. King Trailokanat moved his residence to the city during the Ayutthaya-Lanna War (presumably to be closer to the battlefield) and renamed it Phitsanulok, meaning “The World of Vishnu.” In the sixteenth century, Phitsanulok went on to serve as the seat of the Uparaja (or heir presumptive) of Ayutthaya.

I woke up at four o’clock in the morning and called a Grab cab to Don Mueang Airport, from which I took the morning flight to Phitsanulok. The city’s airport was smaller and more informal than I imagined: After leaving the plane we walked directly to the airport building on the tarmac. It hardly surprised me, therefore, that finding a cab using my mobile apps was a little more difficult than in a large city. I eventually succeeded with Bolt, but it took me ten minutes and another ten-minute wait for it to arrive.

My first stop in Phitsanulok was Wat Chan Tawan Tok. What this modern temple lacks in history, it makes up for in sheer pomp and splendour. With its dramatic spires and multi-tiered roofs, this golden temple gleams above the Nan River like a building from a fantasy movie. When viewed from the bridge, it neighbours another golden shrine dedicated to Ganesh on the left, and on the right – within the temple complex – stands a large and mostly golden Buddha. The interior was shabbier than I expected; I saw some women painting statues of the Buddha, which were all lined up on one side of the room, and I concluded that extensive renovations must be underway.

Wat Chan Tawan Tok lies somewhat outside the city centre, so I called another Bolt to take me to the Chan Royal Palace. Located on the western side of the river and to the north of most other attractions, the royal palace was home to the Kings of late Sukhothai and some Kings and Uparajas of Ayutthaya. Nowadays, not much is left of the secular complex beside its extensive brick foundations. The temples, however, are in much better shape: one of them is a well-preserved stepwise building, while the other has several pillars and a standing Buddha. Just to the south of this complex lies the more modern City Pillar Shrine, and making a short trip west from it, I arrived by the city gates. These form part of Phitsanulok’s fortifications, which were built to defend against Lanna incursions and lived on to be used against Burma as well.

Having eaten a second small breakfast at a nearby 7-Eleven, I crossed the river and visited the group of temples on the eastern side: Wat Ratchaburana, Wat Nang Phaya, and Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat. The last temple is the most significant and well-known, as it houses the famous Phra Phuttha Chinnarat – a golden Buddha image whose name translates to “King of Victory.” From outside, the most salient feature of the temple is its tall white prang. It also has extensive grounds, and on the side that lies under the gaze of another standing Buddha, the gardens are criss-crossed by the foundations of an old shrine.

Continuing east by foot, I saw two more Sukhothai-era buildings: the slender Wat Chedi Yot Thong and the stumpy Wat Aranyik. Both sights are special in their own right. While Wat Chedi Yot Thong is the only remaining Sukhothai-style bud-shaped chedi in Phitsanulok, Wat Aranyik can boast of being partially surrounded by moats. On its eastern end, this moat is crossed by a quaint bridge, and walking over it led me to a more modern temple before spitting me out on the road leading to Phitsanulok’s Bus Terminal Number One. This was not until, however, I nervously sidled past a group of growling and barking dogs. Judging by their distended teats, they were protecting their puppies, but this knowledge did not help me in the slightest. Growling dog mothers would become a recurring motif throughout the rest of the day, making me wonder whether even street dogs have mating seasons.

It was twelve o’clock when I reached the bus terminal, and I was already done with my itinerary for Phitsanulok. I could have gone straight to Sukhothai, but since I had already planned to spend a whole day there, I would not have had anything to do had I gone with the initial plan. Instead, I decided to ask about the bus to Kamphaeng Phet, which I originally did not think I would have time to visit. I was told the next bus would leave at one o’clock. This seemed like a reasonable time, so I bought the ticket and went out to find a quick lunch. I ended up procuring it from 7-Eleven, as there were few restaurants in the neighbourhood and none of them had English menus.

The bus departed a little later than it was supposed to and it stopped every five minutes on the way out of Phitsanulok. What I thought might be a two-hour journey turned into a bit of a schlepp, and I began to think that by the time we reached Kamphaeng Phet, I might as well get on another bus and go to Sukhothai. Luckily, however, the bus took a different route to what I was expecting, as on our way to the bus station in Kamphaeng Phet, we passed by the historical park. I tried and failed to explain to the conductor that I would like to stop there but luckily, a married couple was alighting nearby, and I jumped off with them.

Having arrived a little after four, I knew that I only had two hours to see the historical complex by the time it closed. I thus began my mad dash. At the guard post and ticket office just across the road, the official asked me whether I wanted to visit both sites in Kamphaeng Phet or just the one I was entering. The site is split in two by a stream and more recent urban developments, with a few other buildings dispersed around town and freely accessible to visitors. I bought the ticket for only the northern half, as I figured that the southern part might be closed by the time I got there.

However, I underestimated myself. In fifteen minutes, I was standing by Wat Chang Rop, famous for its base with protruding elephant statues. Next, I visited Wat Sing with its brick Buddha statue with a worn face, close to which stands the large, smooth and pale standing Buddha statue of Wat Phra Si Ariyabot. There were very few tourists at that point, and the rustling dry leaves covering the ground reminded me of autumn back home. I cut through, kicking them up with glee as I made my way to the large chedi of Wat Phra Non, which lies close to the southern exit of the northern part of the complex.

I reached the southern half just after five, and although I was preparing to pay for the second ticket (meaning that I would lose fifty Baht for not having bought the combined ticket), there was no one at the checkpoint. That being the case, I let myself in and admired Wat Phra Kaeo Kamphaeng Phet in sheer solitude. This part of the park is home to a large sleeping Buddha and an impressive chedi with a number of niches arrayed in a ring above its base. There are also a few other worn Buddha statues that reinforce the abandoned atmosphere of the place.

I made eye-contact with the guard by the checkpoint on the other side and nodded to him awkwardly as he started making his rounds before closing the section. I was relieved that he did not ask to see my ticket (which, of course, I did not have), but my relief at being left alone soon turned to dismay when I found that while I was taking pictures, he had locked both gates. I guess he must have thought that I would wait by one of them until he came around to let me out, or perhaps there was another gate open somewhere that I did not see. Either way, I was upset that my most logical exit route from the place was barred (and a full half an hour before six o’clock at that). I thought it demeaning to have to wait around until the guard passed by again, so I fastened my bag tightly on my back and climbed over the fence.

As it turned out, the minutes I saved using this manoeuvre – as well as by ordering a motorcycle to the main bus station of Kamphaeng Phet – were worth very little. When I arrived at the bus station a little before six, the ticket lady told me that the next and last bus to Sukhothai would depart at half past seven. I passed the time at a nearby restaurant, which had open-air bamboo and wooden décor as though the busy road right next to it were a beach. More importantly, it had a power outlet, which was a godsend as I had all but run out of power by then and had started memorising place names and other instructions. The menu was entirely in Thai, but it occurred to me that I could simply have my phone translate the dishes from a photo. This did mean that various food items were peppered by entries like “red fire mimosa,” “truck-style curry paste” or simply “evil,” but it got the job done.