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Kamphaeng Phet,
North, Thailand |
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Kamphaeng Phet Attractions:
Remains of the ancient sites within the city
walls are as follows:
City Walls and Old Fortifications mark the boundary of the
rectangular town area, measuring 300-700 metres wide and 2,200
metres long.
Phra Kaeo Temple
(Wat Phra Kaeo) is a large royal temple in town centre near a site
believed to have been a palace. The temple itself was used on
important city events and had no monks in residence. Major features
include the principal chedi with lion-adorned base and a round chedi
with elephant-adorned base. There are also other chedis of different
bases and remains of several chapels. Its boundary is marked off by
laterite walls.
Phra That Temple here the principal chedi is built of mixture
of laterite and bricks with a 15-metre wide square base. The style
is of Kamphaeng Phet architecture. Sa Mon is the site of the palace
located to the north of Wat Phra Kaeo with a square earthen wall
almost touching the northern city wall. Surrounded the walls on
three sides are moats with a pond in the middle. There are no
standing structures remaining today.
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Phra Non Temple (Wat Phra Non) is fenced in by laterite walls
on four sides. At the front of the temple are a square-shaped pond,
bathrooms and an ancient floating pavilion which is supported by a
large laterite column. The entire column was cut out in one single
piece from its source and measures 1.1 meters on each side and 6.4
meters in height, the largest such stone in the country. A lion
sculpture and Sema stones (boundary stones) can still be discerned.
The large Vihan which once housed the Reclining Buddha has crumbled
entirely.
Phra Si Iriyabot Temple (Wat Phra Si Iriyabot) is located to
the north of Wat Phra Non and has similar pond and bathroom
facilities as its neighbour. Walls on the four sides are of laterite
materials with an entrance also made of laterite. A Mondop structure
houses Buddha statues in four postures-walking, sitting, standing
and reclining in the Sukhothai artistic style. Today only the statue
in the standing posture still remains.
Phra Sing Temple (Wat Phra Sing) is believed to have been
constructed during both the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods. With
laterite walls, it has a square-shaped principal Chedi with arches
on four sides. In front of the Ubosot are ornamental lion and Naga
figurines.
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Chang Rop Temple (Wat Chang Rop) is a large temple situated
on a high hill. Its main Chedi of Ceylonese style is in the middle
of the yard but its top part is broken down. The base is adorned
with 68 half-elephants between which are Bhoti-shaped designs. There
are also traces of demon and female dancers' figures remaining.
Apart from these temples, there are also several ancient sites on
the east bank of the Ping River, including Wat Arwat Yai, Wat
Kalothai and Phra Ruang Road.
Muang Nakhon Chum is an ancient town on the west bank of the
Ping River. Its 2-3 metre-high earthen walls run along the waterway.
It is in this area that the famous religious tablets of Kamphaeng
Phet have been discovered. Within the city walls are a couple of
ancient sites such as the Kamphaeng Pom Thung Sethi located on
Phahonyothin Road just before entering the town. It is part of the
laterite fortifications 83 metres long and 6 metres tall.
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Phra Borom Temple (Wat Phra Borom) That is a temple situated
in the centre of Muang Nakhon Chum featuring a Burmese-style Chedi.
To the south is an Ubosot housing several Sukhothai- and
Ayutthaya-style bronze Buddha statues. The Chedi itself is believed
to originally have been a Sukhothai-type structure, its style having
been altered during a restoration work financed by a wealthy Burmese
about a century ago.
Another ancient town is Muang Trai Trueng. It was built by King
Chaisiri of Chiang Rai who fled invading enemy in 1542 B.E. (circa
999). Today most of the structures are in disrepair with only ruins
of Chedis and ramparts. The town is about 18 kilometres from
Kamphaeng Phet on the Kamphaeng Phet-Khlong Lan road.
Banana Market (Talat Kluai Khai)
This market is on the Kamphaeng Phet-Nakhon Sawan highway at Km.343.
Scores of roadside stalls display and sell both raw and ripe Kluai
Khai (a type of bananas).
The Kamphang Phet National Museum
The Kamphang Phet National Museum, located on Pindamri Road in Muang
district, houses ancient objects and other antique arts articles
from various eras found in the provincial town. These include
sculptured and earthen designs, heads of Buddha statues, traditional
celadon products, sculptures of demons and celestial and human
beings used to decorate Chedi bases or Vihans. It is open
Wednesday-Sunday from 9.00 a.m.-4.00 p.m. More information at Tel: 0
5571 1570.
The Kamphang Phet Province Museum nearby is made up of groups
of Central Region applied architectural style structures. There are
exhibitions on the local history with replicas of the city,
lifestyle and urban and hill tribal customs and traditions. It also
displays the development of Kamphaeng Phet votive tablets and other
resources. The museum is open daily. For more information
Festivals
The Kluai Khai Fair is held in September each year to promote
the local banana for which the province is famous. There are banana
contests and competitions on the making of Krayasat (a local sweet),
as well as many entertainment performances.
The Nop Phra Len Phleng Fair is held during the celebrations
of Makha Bucha (around February). A tradition since the times of
Sukhothai, it is described in the inscription stone found at Nakhon
Chum of how processions were organised to pay homage to the town's
major religious sites. The fair today consists of colorfully
decorated parades of participants dressed in ancient attires
crossing the Ping to pay homage to the Holy Relic on the Nakhon Chum
side of the river.
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Kamphaeng Phet
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