THAILAND SAMUT SONGKHRAM

THAILAND SAMUT SONGKHRAM

Samut Songkhram is the smallest province in Thailand, located not far from Bangkok. It takes a little more than 1 hour to the province. For those who enjoy cultural tourism and traditional way of life,this province has much to offer. For example, the people here earn a living from vegetable and fruit farming and coconut palm sugar simmering.Furthermore, the floating markets at Tha Kha and Amphawa still maintains the traditional way of life of a community by a canal.

Samut Songkhram is 72 km from Bangkok, covering an area of 416 sqkm. The province is divided into 3 districts: Amphoe Mueang, Amphoe Amphwa and Amphoe Bang Khonthi.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS:

1.       WAT BAN LAEM OR WAT PHET SAMUT WORAIWHAN

Wat Ban Laem or Wat Phet Samut Worawihan is located in town on Phet Samut Road. This is an important temple of the province. Initially, it was called Wat Si Champa. According to the Chronicles of the royal records, the Burmese led an army to attack the city.Villagers of Ban Laem in Phetchaburi fled from the Burmese to resettle in Tambon Mae Klong to the north of Wat Si Champa and called their village “ Ban Laem”, the same name as their former village in Phetchaburi . Later , the villagers helped restore the temple and renamed it “ Wat Ban Laem”.

2.       DON HOI LOT

This famous tourist attraction of Samut Songkhram is a bar on the mouth of the Mae Klong River. It was formed by the sendimentation of sandy soil called by villagers here as “Sai Khi Pet”. The bar of 3 km wide and 5km long covers 2 zones: Don Nok is on the mouth of Ao Mae Klong, accessible by boat and Don Nai is located on the b in each of the Chuchi village in Chakreng Tambon Bang Chakreng and on the beach of the Bang Bo village in Tambon Bang Kaeo, accessible by car. In the area of the bar, there are many shellfish, such as Hoi Lot (razor clam), Hoi Lai (undulated surf clam), Hoi Puk (Ridged Venus clam), Hoi Pak Pet (tongue shell), Hoi Khraeng (cockle) ,etc. Hoi Lot is mostly found here and it has become a landmark of this place.

3.       CHANG ENG SIAMESE TWINS MEMORIAL AND BOAT MUSEUM

Chang Eng Siamese Twins Memorial and Boat Museum are located in Tambon Lat Yai on Ekkachai Road, around 4 km from City Hall. The statues were built in memory of Chang Eng, the

Siamese twins who made Thailand famous around the world. They stand in the middle of a broad ground decorated with trees and flowering plants. There is a large pond in the foreground. 

Furthermore, the biography of Chang Eng , the Siamese twins is only display in a hall. Chang Eng, the Siamese twins were born on 11 May 1811, in Samut Songkhram. During 1828- 1829, Captain Coffin and Hunter came to Mae Klong to conduct trade and they encountered the Siamese twins. 

They were allowed to take encountered the Siamese twins. They were allowed to take the Siam twins back with them to the US and the United Kingdom for shows in public places where the life stories of Chang Eng who were joined to each other at the chest were repeated again and again .Both of them lived a normal life to the age of 63. The name of “ Siamese Twins” ,made Thailand famous worldwide.

4.       CHURCH OF THE VIRGIN MARY OR ASTANA WIHAN MAEPHRA BANGKOET

Church of the Virgin Mary or Astana Wihan Maephra Bangkoet is situated at Mu 7, Tambon Bang Nok Khwaek. It was built in 1890 by Father Paolo Salmone, a French missionary with supporting funds from his relatives in France, the overseas mission of Paris and Rome and phi;anthropists in Bangkok. It took up to 6 years to complete the construction. The official opening ceremony was held on 11 February, 1896. It is a building of the French Gothic architectural style and coated with pounded lime. 

The interior is decorated with coloured stained glass. There are statues, a pulpit, a holy water basin, various kinds of candelabra and carvings depicting historical stories in the Bible. The church is not far from the river bank.

5.       WAT BANG KUNG

WAT BANG KUNG is located in the same area as the Bang Kung Camp, on the opposite and separated by a road. Within the temple, there is an old ordination hall which houses a large sculptured Buddha image commonly called by villagers as Luangpho Bot Noi.Mural paintings from the late Ayutthaya period.

6.       THA KHA FLOATING MARKET…..

Located in Tambon Tha Kha, this floating marketing still remains the villagers’ way of life in nature. The villagers here do farming and grow various plants. They usually paddle a boat to bring their produce to sell to each other. The vegetables and fruits from their orchards include chili, shallot, garlic, coconut sugar. Guava, coconut, rose apple, pomelo etc. The market is held every 5 days on the second, seventh and twelfth days of the waning or waxing moon in the lunar month from around 8am to 11am. A boat service is also available for visitors to paddle around the village and fruit orchards.

7.       AMPHAWA FLOATING MARKET

It is an afternoon floating market by the canal near Wat Amphawan Chetiyaram (parking area is available). On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, during 12 am – 8pm, the Amphawa Canal is occupied by vendors who pack their boats with food and drinks, such as fried sea mussel, noodles, coffee, O liang ( iced black coffee), sweets etc. There are also things for sale on wheelbarrows on the bank. Visitors can enjoy a cosy atmosphere and music broadcast by the community members, explore the market, have food and hire a boat to see fireflies at night.

 In 2008, the Khlong Amphawa Community was granted an Honorable Mention Award from the UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation. This is regarded as a success of public and private cooperation in conserving old buildings of architectural beauty and significance that well reflect local characteristics.

8.       WAT AMPHAWAN CHETIYARAM

Wat Amphawan Chetiyaram is next to the King Rama II Memorial Park. It is a temple associated with the royal lineage of Bang Chang. Presumably, it was built during the reign of King Rama I. The back of this temple was once a residence of Luang Yokkrabat ( King Rama I) and Khun Nak ( Queen Ammarinthramat of King Rama I) . 

Wat Amphawan Cheti yaram was renovated several times by Kings Rama III, IV and V. The Ubosot (ordination hall) and permanent structures within the temple are mostly formed in the early Rattanakosin style of art and architecture. The ordination hall is a beautiful building. Furthermore, there is a Monument of King Rama II.

9.       KING RAMA II MEMORIAL PARK

King Rama II Memorial Park is the project to honour King Rama II Memorial Foundation Under Royal Patronge, for the graciousness of bestowing exquisite art and culture as a national treasure, which qualified King Rama II to be praised as a Person of the World by UNESCO.

Within the King Rama II Memorial Park, there are many interesting spots: King Rama II Museum is comprised of 4 Thai styled buildings separated into sections. The Central Hall Houses the statue of King Rama II and displays artefacts from the early Rattanakosin era, such as Bencharong pentachrome porcelain, pottery, Khon masks etc. The Park is shady with traditional Thai ambience. It is open daily from 8.30 am to 5pm on Mondaty to Friday and 8.30 am to 5.30 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

10.   BANG NOI FLOATNG MARKET

Bang Noi Floating Market is located on Khlong Bang Noi ( Wat Ko Kaeo), Tambon Kadang –nga , about 5 km from the King Rama 2 memorial park, Khlong Amphawa. Bang Noi Community is one of the oldest Riverside communities of Samut Sangkgram situated at the meeting point of the Mae Klong River and Khlong Bang Noi. It used to be a very important waterborne commercial centre on the Mae Klong- Tha Chin Basins. The Bang Noi Floating Market os the Mae Klong – Tha Chin Basins. The Bang Noi Floating Market is open on the 3^rd, 8^th and 13^th days of the waxing and waning moons, according to the lunar calendar, from 0600- 1200 hrs.