Nakhon Chai Si is one of the districts that make up the province of Nakhon Pathom, which borders Bangkok and whose main city is best known for housing Thailand's largest stupa, the Phra Pathom Chedi. To give you some context, this was last August (2020), and while things had calmed down a bit here regarding Covid, we hadn't left the house since the beginning of the year. So, after eight months without sightseeing, which was exceptionally long, we were itching to explore a bit outside of Bangkok . The opportunity arose when Jitima simply suggested going to a café in the neighboring province. And to give you some insight into my process, I happen to have a document in which I list all the sites that seem interesting to see, as I find them while browsing the internet.
Because even though that café was our starting point, we certainly weren't going to just make a round trip there for that. And as for the area around Nakhon Pathom , I had a few temples I wanted to check out and photograph, and then maybe write about them on the blog. And here we are!
A day of exploration on the outskirts of Bangkok
Let's be clear, this article is a bit "old-fashioned". Because lately, apart from articles about our various trips to Asia, I tended to write fairly "general" articles, especially informative ones, concerning a particular place in particular. This gave content essentially revolving around the questions "what to do here, what to do there, how to get there", because these are more sought-after and therefore popular formats.
I also know that this information will be useful to a greater number of people than an article in the mode "well, today, I did this, hung around there" etc. Said like that, it seems similar and yet, the nuance is necessary, because in the first case, there is not really a notion of time or a particular context, since I regularly present places that I have already visited several times. Whereas in the case of an article like today, it is ultimately a sequence of the day of the visits in question.
Not that it's less relevant, but it's a format that's almost more of a logbook and will be less read, in the sense that I know I'm going to talk about places that probably 90% of you won't have the opportunity to go see. This will usually be due to lack of time and because choices have to be made, and most of these decisions are made by going "to the essentials", which is not a criticism by the way. But in my case, having this opportunity to explore the country more in depth, these outings to "secondary" attractions make sense.
Talking about it remains relevant, because already, even if they are in the minority, some readers here are not new to visiting Thailand. They are therefore quite capable of exploring more in depth. Not to mention expats, temporary or established for the long term and others, who will simply be curious, even for a first time, and above all have the time necessary to allow themselves "deviations", compared to more classic circuits and visits. In short, writing an article like this allows you to get an idea of what is possible to do if you travel independently in Thailand, for example by deciding to explore the outskirts of Bangkok for a day.
There you go, I wanted to make this rather long "introduction" to understand the context of this article, which differs from the trend for months. A bit like I needed to justify myself for doing things differently this time, but it's to concretely understand my writing logic. Because I had the feeling lately that I was finally moving away from the "blog" format to go towards an "informative site" side, certainly practical and still appreciated, but with an almost too impersonal tone. It's been a long time since I really recounted a "typical" day walking around the country to find new places to share with you.
One of the reasons being that in general, I try to visit as many places as possible to optimize my travels, and these typical days will therefore sometimes have a speedy side, almost too "professional", to be mentioned in an interesting way in the form of an article. Except that this is not always the case, because in the end, I will tend, like any visitor, to marvel at what surrounds me, take a lot of photos, and therefore finally, take my time, even if it means leaving aside other visits for another time.
False start and “The Scene Cafe by The River”
Let's finally get down to business, and so we set off for " The Scene Cafe ," located on the right bank of the Tha Chin River. It's only 40 km west of Bangkok , so it takes no more than 40 minutes to get there. Except, to be precise about today, that wasn't the original plan…
Because the café I mentioned at the beginning of this article was actually Irene's Café , a café/restaurant unique in that it's located within the grounds of Mahidol University , a major university situated 25 km from the center of Bangkok, still in Nakhon Pathom. The university is renowned for its modernity and facilities, which Bangkok could certainly emulate. We had already visited it, as the campus houses public facilities and services, such as the animal hospital where we had our dogs neutered.
And among these other public places, this includes this café, set up in a (recent) wooden building that is quite stylish and located at the water's edge, with canals filled with monitor lizards making up the surroundings. We left early (around 8:30) to have breakfast there, but, used to seeing everything open all the time (especially when it comes to eating and drinking), we didn't even think to check beforehand if it was open that day... However, it was a Sunday, the only day the establishment closes... In hindsight, since it's in a university, it seems logical... Afterwards, since we were going to walk around all day, we said too bad and decided to look for another spot. And after evaluating the options in the area, we set our sights on The Scene Café, located 17 km further west of the university.
The reviews are accurate, and above all, the wild setting of the Tha Chin River banks makes you want to relax for a while. Although one of our important criteria is the possibility of finding quality coffee (100% Arabica, with good aromas if possible). And while the setting was perfect, the coffee was a disappointment… Taking advantage of the fact that there were few people around, we sat down at a table by the water and ordered breakfast—in Thailand, that's just a meal like any other, so fried rice was fine for me.
Meal quickly devoured because we were starting to get seriously hungry even though it was already 10am. Almost opposite, there is a beautiful house in the traditional Thai style but built on a recent concrete structure, a mix of genres. We can observe local life there, like these few locals going full throttle with their racing boat while another more laid-back one on his boat, seems to be taking care of his floating "garden". There is also this stork quietly going about its occupation which also consists of eating its morning meal, pecking at the small fish venturing to the edge of the bank.
And without us noticing, an hour passed before we took off from there to make our first real visit of the day.
Wat Klang Bang Kaeo
We didn't have to go far for the next stop, as we only had to walk upstream for 3 km. There we were at Wat Klang Bang Kaeo , a lovely temple nestled on the banks of the Tha Chin River . Since it was already past 11 am, the local market was winding down, but it's a bonus to see if you arrive earlier (however, I'm not sure if it's only on Sundays or the whole weekend, but definitely not during the week). Besides the large parking lot, which partially houses the market, there are several buildings, as is typical for temples in Thailand.
The interesting part is the group of buildings visible on the left as you arrive from the main road. Side by side, you have a viharn and an ubosot (the glossary page will come one day, I promise!), both ancient, dating back to the Ayutthaya period. While the viharn on the left is rather unappealing (I didn't go inside, but from the outside, it's quite ordinary), what interested me here was the ubosot, entirely clad in marble. Indeed, in addition to the skillfully decorated animal sculptures adorned with colorful mosaics, the building's facade is completely covered in marble.
The interior, with its brown and reddish hues, is equally impressive and photogenic. Along the sides, you can see the "classic" murals, most depicting scenes from different periods, some representing "hell" as seen by the Thai people, while the main image (meaning statue) of Buddha rests at the back on its small pedestal. This pedestal stands out because the wall behind it is a bluish fresco symbolizing the three realms of Buddhist cosmology. Behind the ubosot, you can see the temple's main chedi , square-based and surrounded by niches housing statues. Next to the ubosot, you can't miss the pyramidal structure—I'm not sure what else to call it since I'm not certain of its function—but it's surrounded by what look like chedis (more like niches) and has likely just been renovated.
Despite this beautiful appearance, the ubosot is surprisingly not the most frequented building in the temple since it is a small prayer hall ("technically" a viharn but I call it differently so as not to confuse it with the one next to the ubosot). This is precisely where we went so that Jitima could do a small local prayer. While talking about this temple, you will also see a beautiful house in its enclosure, right next to the prayer hall.
Finally, if you don't visit the temple itself, although it was open that day, note that it includes a museum , divided into several themes across three floors. On the first floor, there is an exhibition dedicated to several important previous abbots of the temple, Luangpu Bun (who oversaw the temple from 1886 to 1935) and Luangpu Phoem (his successor), including personal effects, talismans, sacred objects, and their statues. You will also see writings on Thai medicine and herbs, and astrology manuals written by Luangpu. Some of these writings were compiled in a folding booklet whose pages are made from the pulp of a tree (called Samut Khoi), and others on palm leaves.
On the second floor are displayed dishes, crystal objects, brassware and the Luangpu Bun pulpit with mother-of-pearl decoration, donated at the time by Phraongchao Athit Thip-a-pa, the viceroy of King Rama VIII. Finally on the third floor, there is a collection of silver-covered and carved Buddha statues and figurines, an ancient carved and gilded wooden pulpit and a wax model of Luangpu Bun.
It's worth noting that the temple, in addition to being on the riverbank, is also near a canal that gives the temple its name, the Bang Kaeo . If you go to the small bridge spanning the canal (where the road passes), you'll have a photogenic view of the temple and the wooden houses lining the Bang Kaeo canal.
To open the menu showing the different buildings on the map, click on the icon next to the temple name.
Wat Maisupradittharam
Next, there was no need to go far, because it is simply the temple next door, but really, an alley actually joins the two temples, literally side by side. I can mention in passing that opposite Wat Klang Bang Kaeo, on the other side of the road, there is also another temple, which we did not visit (because well, otherwise we never stop), but which demonstrates the concentration, sometimes significant, of temples in a small area.
Wat Maisupradittharam , which I saw frequented by many Burmese, is particularly striking for its gilded structures . You'll be immediately immersed in this atmosphere, as outside there's a gilded reclining Buddha perched on the roof of a small cloister surrounding a viharn, which was under renovation during our visit. The main building, dedicated to prayer, is entirely gilded on its exterior facades, despite a more understated (though not entirely) but also quite unique interior.
Unlike the nearby Wat Klang Bang Kaeo, which features the classic rectangular temple structure with murals along the sides and the main Buddha statue at the back, this temple lacks the typical rectangular layout. Instead, the main Buddha image is located right at the entrance and is impossible to miss: an imposing standing Buddha statue.
Around it you will see a gallery displaying various wax statues of important monks. You will see some other Buddha statues of course and also a set of masks and dolls depicting people from Buddhist mythology and Ramakien. The rest of the structures like the roof of the main monk's dwelling also have gilding, as does the statue of the 3-headed elephant, Erawan, which dominates the square next to the viharn.
Wat Sisrathong
We continued our day's sightseeing, and after about ten minutes, we arrived at the next temple, Wat Sisrathong . Yes, another temple, but Wat Sisrathong is interesting because it's dedicated to the worship of Phra Rahu, the god of darkness . No, he's not a Thai version of the Antichrist, but Phra Rahu, dressed all in black, is, according to Thai legends, an immortal giant who periodically eats his brothers – the sun and the moon. In other words, he's locally considered responsible for solar and lunar eclipses… But beyond this folkloric imagery, this association with the color black also refers to the gloomy aspect of a day. The implication is that, according to the locals, making an offering to Phra Rahu will help ward off bad days because he will be satisfied.
And since black is his color , offerings revolve primarily around it. These include grapes, alcohol (whiskey), other beverages (coffee, cola), jelly, sticky rice (some varieties are black), beans, cakes, and "century eggs" (preserved eggs whose yolks turn black). To make an offering, you must place eight items—and it must be eight—from among one of his favorite dishes on the tables set up for this purpose in front of his image.
And since it was a Sunday, there were plenty of people out enjoying a beautiful day exploring, just like us. We were immediately immersed in the atmosphere upon arriving at the temple parking lot, which adjoins the open hall where the statue of Phra Rahu stands. He is depicted with a black torso, wearing clothes including a golden headdress, and holding what I imagine to be a sun (or a moon, depending on your perspective). The offerings were quite lively, complemented by the placement of incense sticks, also black. For those who wish, it's possible to hire traditional dancers to accompany your offering.
Regarding the rest of the temple, the external architecture isn't exactly "out of place," remaining quite conventional at first glance. However, its configuration differs, as we are now faced with three aligned buildings, plus another hidden behind them, making four buildings in total , situated on a promontory.
The central figure is flanked at its base by two guardians, also black, although the predominant color is the gold of their clothing and accessories. Upon closer inspection, the numerous sculptures decorating the roof and its supports become more visible. The interior of this hall is not the most interesting, remaining rather understated (not that I necessarily prefer ostentatious displays), with a seated Buddha statue as its main feature. The walls are adorned with a few paintings, complemented by decorations around the windows and the tops of the columns.
The most beautiful interior belongs to the building on the right (as you approach the complex), with its rounded ceiling, its paintings dominated by red and yellow, and its Buddha statues. It was here, in fact, that most locals used to kneel to offer a short prayer. When you look closely at the paintings, it's always amusing to notice the originality brought by the artist(s), with some rather "daring" scenes here. Being curious, I took a look inside the other buildings. One is almost empty, with just a statue of King Taksin the Great. Finally, the one on the far left has a ceiling similar to the one on the right, but the difference lies in the walls, which are covered with sculptures rather than paintings. However, it is devoid of statues and, moreover, completely empty.
Wat Phra Prathon Chedi
Our last stop was a temple bringing us closer to the center of Nakhon Pathom, and therefore the furthest from Bangkok. It is certainly the most historically interesting. At 50 meters high, it is admittedly not as impressive as its "neighbor," just 4 km away (with the very similar name Phra Pathom Chedi), considered the largest chedi in Thailand . But Wat Phra Pathom Chedi is one of the oldest stupas in Thailand , its origins dating back several centuries before the birth of the kingdom as we know it today (the establishment of Sukhothai as its capital in the 13th century being considered its starting point).
According to legend, at the cremation of Gautama Sidhartha , the historical Buddha generally referred to here (in Theravada Buddhism), holy relics were divided among eight important royal families and the principal disciples of the time. These relics, composed of pieces of bone, hair, or teeth, were placed in a golden vessel called a "Thona" or "Thana" (named after an ancient unit of measurement), which explains the name of the temple, Phra Prathon Chedi , which can be translated as "Holy Thona Stupa."
As you might have guessed, one of these relics was reportedly sent to Nakhon Chai Si and kept inside a stone stupa as early as 590. Nakhon Chai Si was considered by Thailand at the time to be part of the mythical "Golden Lands," also known as the kingdom of Suvarnabhumi (yes, like the name of the international airport). In any case, it remains undeniable that the city of Nakhon Chai Si was prosperous and held an important position during this period, as evidenced by the remains of other stupas and excavations that have revealed significant trade in the region.
It is also undeniable that this city soon became part of the Lavo kingdom , whose capital was none other than present-day Lopburi , and whose Phra Prathon Chedi in Nakhon Chai Si is documented as early as 656. Its architecture was later modified following annexation by the neighboring Khmer Empire, with the addition of a Khmer-style prang at its summit, similar to the one you can see in Bangkok at the famous Wat Arun. Shortly thereafter, the city was abandoned, and the chedi remained covered by jungle for centuries.
However, the addition of this prang is presumed, as the one we see today was actually added more recently by King Mongkut (Rama IV, who reigned from 1851 to 1868) when he ordered the restoration of the chedi. It is therefore estimated that the design at the time the temple was abandoned must have been similar to Phra Pathom Chedi, whose current large stupa, I remind you, actually covers the original structure.
However, the site continued to suffer the ravages of time, eventually partially collapsing in 1962 after decades of neglect. It wasn't until 1999 that the Thai Department of Fine Arts restored Phra Prathon Chedi to its former glory by restoring its base in the Dvaravati style , while preserving the Khmer-style prang at the top . Just to clarify, Dvaravati is the name given to the culture and civilization that dominated central Thailand from the 6th to the 11th centuries.
With this historical summary, you will understand the interest of the place especially since in the end, it is a temple that is not visited very often. Because if the other temples of the day were quite lively, this one was almost deserted. We barely came across one or two families passing by and when I climbed to the top of the prang, accessible via a ladder, I was just all alone (Jitima waiting in the cool of the viharn at the foot of the chedi).
Wat Samphran (dragon temple)
Probably the most famous on today's list is Wat Samphran, nicknamed the Dragon Temple , and it's easy to see why. Its centerpiece is a 17-story tower topped by an imposing dragon , its body coiled around it. Its origins are rather murky, as it was founded by Bhavana Buddho, considered a member of a sect, although the temple was officially registered with the authorities in 1985. In 2004, the temple's clergy was embroiled in a sex scandal, resulting in lengthy prison sentences for the head abbot and several associated monks. The temple even had to close for a time afterward.
And this is evident in the visit. While the temple once attracted many visitors, allowing the complex to expand rapidly, adding numerous animal sculptures to its garden alongside other usual structures like Buddha statues, one could sense that the temple's "expansion" had stalled. Everything appears unfinished, and the overall effect is somewhat "rough around the edges." However, it must be said, the main pink tower and its dragon are still worth seeing if you're passing through, if only for the beautiful view of the entire region from the top, where on a clear day you can even make out the towering skyscrapers of central Bangkok.
In our case, it was a Sunday, and because there are quite a few factories nearby, we saw many Burmese workers among the day's visitors, although there were also Thai families. The site is surprisingly vast, so allow at least an hour for your visit . As for us, we took the time to get our bearings by admiring the famous dragon from the base before heading up the tower.
Just so you know, the elevator never received the expected funding to become operational… So, the ascent of the 17 floors is done on foot (roughly, it takes about 10 minutes). The unique thing is that it's not via a simple staircase, but through the dragon's body. This hollow structure forms a gently sloping tunnel, allowing you to ascend without requiring too much effort.
At the top, besides observing the view, the attraction is to try to throw a coin into one of the offering bowls of the monk sculptures decorating the central part of the tower. An exercise not as easy as it seems and which "rewards" a successful throw, depending on the bowl chosen, with better luck or better health. The game even became collective, some coins bouncing on the ground at will and collected by the participants, until I found myself with coins that were handed to me without me being the owner.
Overall, the architecture of Wat Samphran is a skillful blend of elements from Chinese and Thai mythology and beliefs , a fairly common practice, though more or less pronounced depending on the temple. Here, it's quite striking, starting with the dragon itself! Among the other features of the temple is a wishing well (or should I say, a wishing pot). There's also a row of nine dragons embracing a crystal ball in their mouths, a metaphor where the crystal symbolizes well-being and happiness, while each dragon represents a member of the family.
At the rear, clearly visible from the top of the tower, is the meditation center , recognizable by its golden Buddha statue perched atop the roof. A few vendors offer fruits and vegetables, as well as snacks, while others sell flowers and offerings. In the garden, which resembles a true jungle, one might encounter a white elephant statue , a royal symbol, but also a sign of good fortune if one walks around it three times.
Another animal, largely surrounded by vegetation and placed there on an artificial pond, you have a giant turtle whose interior forms a concrete tunnel. Next to it, there is another pond, with old barges placed there abandoned, while a small building not far from there is discreetly dedicated to the Chinese goddess of mercy, Guanyin. If you look a little, you will also come across the statue of a peacock.
Other places to visit near Nakhon Chai Si
I mentioned it in my introductory paragraph, but I didn't have time to visit all the interesting places in the region, since I decided this time to focus on the different temples. I know that for some it's not their cup of tea because they will find it "repetitive" but that's the case if you stick to "standard" temples. Most of the temples I visit each give off something, with sometimes unique characteristics that go beyond the simple religious place, moreover, this was the case today apart from possible donations, these remain sites accessible for free.
However, if you get saturated, here is what you can also visit in the area:
Thai Human Imagery Museum (Location) – A museum that could almost be compared to the Musée Grévin or Madame Tussaud in that it is a private wax museum featuring wax reproductions of people. The major difference is that while this museum does include some famous figures such as members of the royal family or important monks, the Thai Human Imagery Museum primarily showcases scenes of everyday life from Thailand of yesteryear.
Jesada Technik Museum (Location) – Another private museum belonging to a major collector of cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles, some rare and eccentric, from all over the world. This is the place I would have most liked to see from this short bonus list, as his collection is apparently particularly impressive and renowned.
Don Wai Floating Market (Location) – A market called floating because it is located next to a canal, but it remains a very local market, located within the grounds of a temple (and yes, there is no escaping it), Wat Don Wai.
Thai Film Museum (Location) – Located within the grounds of Mahidol University, which was our starting point that day, this museum presents a collection of artifacts and studios from the Thai film industry spanning several decades.
Putthamonthon (Location) – Situated opposite the university, across the main road, this is the largest public park in the area. It is managed and houses the offices of the National Buddhist Council, as evidenced by the standing Buddha statue in the center of the roundabout. Besides the buildings used by the clergy, the park includes flower gardens and areas suitable for relaxing and picnicking with family.
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