Thailand Uthai Thani: the charms of the small “purple” town Central Provinces, Uthai Thani, Travel to Thailand 4.8 (19)Uthai Thani is a city and province 200 km north of Bangkok. The small metropolis of Uthai Thani, is located on the banks of the Sakae Krang, a tributary of the Chao Phraya, into which it flows only a few kilometers away.Uthai Thani is certainly not the kind of destination you think of before going to Thailand. It is a central region that seems just a vast area of fields dedicated to agriculture (mainly rice and sugar cane), with a monotonous and flat landscape. And yet, its city and its floating houses, its old streets lined with wooden houses, where purple predominates, have an unequivocal charm.And if in this article I will focus on the municipality, I will just add that the province spreads to the west, it also includes part of the mountains bordering the border with Burma. The province of Uthai Thani therefore offers a mixture of varied landscapes, mixing the agricultural countryside and heights, with waterfalls and nature corners in a region that breathes authenticity. Summary hide Uthai Thani Street Markets The old town and its purple facades The floating houses Wat Uposatharam (Wat Bot) Wat Sangkat Rattana Khiri Where to sleep in Uthai Thani Getting to Uthai Thani Uthai Thani Street MarketsAfter having passed many times by the “flagship” temple of the region (which I present to you in this article: Wat Tha Sung, the crystal temple), I finally had the opportunity to visit the city center of Uthai Thani. Luckily, the day of my visit was a Saturday, market day (soberly marked Sakreakang Market on Google Maps), which enlivens the area around the old street “Rat Uthit Alley”, a stone’s throw from the river’s edge.Riverside which also houses another market (marked Sakae Krang Riverside Market on Google Maps), also present during this first visit, and again in progress when I passed by there recently on a Wednesday.Rat Uthit Street Market is a typical market in a provincial town in Thailand. A cool atmosphere, plenty of food, with a common area to taste what you find in one of the many carts available to you along this artery. An artery which is also preserved because surrounded on both sides by shophouses (store house in literal translation).Short massage session.To see a permanent market, you can take a tour of the covered market (marché au frais or Fresh Market for English speakers), which normally takes place every day. The structure is generally "modern" so it is far from the century-old look of some old markets. However, it remains a very local market, the welcome included.There is so much of everything that I wouldn't necessarily know who sells what. In general, you can clearly distinguish what is a dessert from the rest, but the choice is vast. Vegetables of all kinds, meats, fish, shellfish, local specialties.In front of the gentleman's stall. Well yes, I'm not making it up.This will also be the case when you walk through the streets adjacent to the riverside market, called Sakae Krang Riverside Market. For sure, the latter takes place at least on Saturdays and Wednesdays. According to Google Maps information, it would even be open every day. I can't certify it, because I went there at least one day (a Thursday), when the market was not taking place. But I don't know if it was related to the health conditions with Covid or if the confusion comes from the presence next to the covered market.To come back to the notion of welcome, in Thailand, you immediately notice when a city is not very touristy. Because in addition to having all eyes turned towards you, the welcome is all the warmer. As I walked around the market, there were lots of smiles, "hello", invitations to taste everything, which meant that I could almost have eaten for free, helping myself left and right. Obviously, the two photos below, and others that you will notice immediately, were taken before Covid.The old town and its purple facadesAnother peculiarity, even if this one is more recent, is that Uthai Thani is nicknamed the purple city. And indeed, you will quickly notice a large number of facades and houses painted in purple, but why then you will ask me?The reason is quite simple. In Thailand, each day of the week corresponds to a color. That is why, in addition to the national flag, and possibly the one symbolizing Buddhism (orange with a wheel of dharma in the middle), you will come across colored flags with a symbol in the middle, the seal of the royal family.The most common is yellow, because the current king (and his father too, lucky break) was born on a Monday. Purple corresponds to Saturday. It is the birthday of one of the princesses, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, daughter of Rama IX (and sister of the current king therefore), particularly appreciated by the Thais.On April 2, 2015, Thailand celebrated the princess's 60th birthday. The municipality wanted to mark the occasion especially since Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn owns a house in Uthai Thani. Therefore, the citizens of Uthai Thani are showing even more fervor and loyalty to this particular member of the royal family.As it is a rather atypical color to paint walls, it gives a rather unique aspect to Uthai Thani. But apart from this touch of color, we still come across many wooden houses, shops with an old-fashioned look which gives Uthai Thani an undeniable charm for me.The floating housesOne of the known specificities of Uthai Thani is the presence of floating houses, which can be found on a strip of about 3 km around the city, on the Sakae Krang River. Its authentic floating dwellings, most of them made of wood, are proof of the simplicity of life here. This is not something recent, nor a reconstruction for tourist purposes, it is the real way of life of some citizens of Uthai Thani, for more than a century.The inhabitants of the floating houses are typically farmers or fishermen, who raise fish or catch them to sell them at the markets. The latter are busy very early to sell them fresh in the morning, so you won't see much movement in the afternoon.In addition to seeing them along the banks behind the covered market, nicely landscaped by the way, you will have the best view of the pedestrian bridge (and motorbike bridge too) connecting the old town to the Uposatharam temple, located just opposite. The latter completes the aesthetic picture on the banks of the river and you can, while you are there, cross over to pay a little visit. Wat Uposatharam (Wat Bot)The photogenic Uposatharam Temple (still known by its old name, Wat Bot Manorom, or simply Wat Bot) is a temple on the banks of the Sakae Krang River, opposite the municipal market. Although I didn't stop there during my first visit due to lack of time, I made sure to take a look when we returned to the area with Jitima.Wat Uposatharam.The second time I stopped in Uthai Thani, it was at the temple that I parked, before joining the old town via the bridge mentioned above. To get there, it also involves going through a beautiful wooded road, a protected area (Paya Mai Forest Park), because the temple itself is in a non-urbanized area, quiet.View from the bridge leading to the temple.This temple was founded in the late 18th century, at the beginning of the Rattanakosin era (at the founding of Bangkok, to give a better idea of the time). Interesting things to see include murals in the ordination hall and the viharn. Other paintings can be found on the exterior facades, in addition to stucco bas-reliefs, which have particularly ornate motifs.Wat Sangkat Rattana KhiriAnother temple that may be worth a visit is Wat Sangkat Rattana Khiri, which is interesting because it dominates the only hill in the area, thus offering a breathtaking view of the city and its surroundings.The temple is in two parts, the main part being at the top of the hill, but there are also some buildings at the foot of it. There is notably a viharn with a Sukhothai-style Buddha statue. I did not take a look there, because what interested me most was the view of the city. And to do this, if you have a vehicle, you do not need to climb the long series of steps connecting the two parts of the temple, because a road leads directly to the top from the other side of the hill.From the parking lot, a structure built on the side allows you to have a first glimpse of the view of the city. But the view is clearer from the area behind the temple.View of the temple hill from the parking lot.From an architectural point of view, there is a bit of everything. Near the parking lot is a large building called Sala but here it looks like a local museum. You can see different statues of Buddhas as well as a model of the hill and Uthai Thani, and some photos.On the back platform, where you will have the best view, you will see a square structure with a large pointed roof that dominates the area, what is called a mondop and which has a Buddha footprint inside. There is also a Chinese influence, with the presence of a Chinese Buddha (with a big belly) and a Chinese pavilion next to it. The whole thing seems recent, however, so there is nothing historical here.From this area of the temple, next to the famous stairs, you will see the city on one side, where you can clearly see the river and its floating houses. On the other side, you can see a hill in the distance, which also houses a temple (Wat Mongkol Rattana Khiri) but above all you have a privileged view of the countryside, with mainly rice fields visible. It was surprisingly green for a month of March, when I took these photos.On the opposite side, the city.On the front side, the countryside.Where to sleep in Uthai ThaniI have only slept once in Uthai Thani so far. In addition to the one I tested, I also offer you two other interesting hotels I saw while doing my scouting.Araya CottageBudget: from €24Located just 2 km from the city center, Araya Cottage is a small family establishment, created around 2019. It has a set of bungalows, rather spacious, with all the necessary modern comforts. The exterior is furnished with a garden with its charm, also with a pond with a privileged view of the sunrise. If you have a vehicle, this is a good option as you can park your car directly next to your bungalow. The only downside to note is that there is no breakfast on site. Learn more and book Araya CottageComeneeteeuthaiBudget: from €35Located 1 km from the market on one side and Wat Sang Kat Rattana Khiri on the other, the hotel is in an area with a group of old wooden houses, surrounded by a square with a playground. You will have several nice cafes and restaurants nearby. The hotel itself is new, furnished in a sober but pleasant decor, for a price that may be a bit high for a small provincial town, but worth the experience, I think. Learn more and book the ComeneeteeuthaiPae Baan Baan Uthai ThaniBudget: from €93So yes, it's not cheap. But if you can afford it and like original experiences, then it's well worth it! Because the Pae Baan Baan Uthai Thani is a 120 m² floating villa, in keeping with the spirit of Uthai Thani. You can enjoy a privileged view of the river from your private terrace, while enjoying your hearty breakfast. The villa has two bedrooms, so it's also a solution if you're traveling with your family. However, it's better to have a vehicle, because this house is a little out of the city (4 km from the old town, on the other bank in addition). Learn more and book Pae Baan Baan Uthai ThaniBook your hotel in Uthai ThaniYour hotel in Uthai Thani via AgodaYour hotel in Uthai Thani via BookingFind accommodation in Uthai Thani with HotelsCombinedGetting to Uthai ThaniHere I will mention the modes of transport to access Uthai Thani:And this section partly explains why the city and its province remain little visited. Uthai Thani is not located directly along the highway leading to the north of the country. It is small so there is no airport nearby or train line.The bus: From Mo Chit bus station, located in the north of Bangkok, you will have buses going to Uthai Thani. Allow 3 hours for the journey. By car : If you rent a car, it takes at least 2 hours to drive to Uthai Thani province from Bangkok. Join the highway that passes by Don Muang Airport and continue on Route 30 towards Ayutthaya and then Nakhon Sawan. Uthai Thani will be signposted to the left at one point.Regarding this last option, I advise you to read my article on driving in thailand.Small additional info, the nearest major city is Nakhon Sawan, located 45 km north of Uthai Thani. So there might be more choice of schedules by going first to Nakhon Sawan and reaching Uthai Thani via a local bus (1h30 journey). Especially since to reach Nakhon Sawan, you have the option of taking the train. Powered by 12Go systemDid you like the article? share on Pinterest! Did you like the article? Vote on the article Note globale 4.8 / 5. Number of votes: 19 No votes yet. Be the first to rate this article! Did you like the article? Follow me on social media Urban exploration Markets and shopping Temple 1 4 Roman 27/04/2022
