C & C globetrotting around the world…

We booked a VIP bus from Chiang Mai to Sukhothai and were very angry when we were put on the local bus, having paid more than double the fare. We will return to Chiang Mai and see what we can do about it. The ride was 6 hours long and still comfortable, but we don’t like scams. 12Km from the Ancient town of Sukhothai a new city has developed, where all the guesthouses are, so we stayed there too, but there is a sangtau service connecting the two.

In the old town we rented bikes and set out to discover the Ancient Town of Sukhothai, considered the Cradle of the Thai Culture and Kingdom. Ancient Sukhothai rose as the Khmer empire’s power started to diminish in the late 13^th century. Sukhothai was the first Thai Kingdom and a period during which the kingdom flourished. Free trade was encouraged and Buddhist art developed its own Thai style. For example, Buddha was still portrayed with its 32 distinguishing features, but some Thai components were added.

Sukhothai Historical Park is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site and covers about 70 sq km, which comprises most of the ancient kingdom’s capital. Our first stop was the “Ramkhamhaeng Monument”, the monument to the great king of Sukhothai, considered the nation’s founder. The bronze statue shows him seated on a throne holding a book in his right hand and the left hand raised as if he was teaching his people. This great king invented the Thai alphabet still used today. He also declared Theravada Buddhism to be the state religion. To this day, the Thai King has to be a Buddhist.

The second stop was Wat Mahathat, the crown jewel of the old city. Located in the heart of the old town, this Wat is the largest and principle temple of the Sukhothai Kingdom. It is also one of the best examples of Sukhothai architecture, typified by the lotus-bud stupa topped by a conical spire. This vast temple once contained 198 chedi (stupa), but now only some broken columns and Buddha statues remain. The large standing Buddha is in the position of “protecting” with its right hand bent at the elbow. Theravada Buddhism came to Thailand from Sri Lanka and is also practiced in Burma, Laos and Cambodia. It focuses on conquering desire and suffering to reach bliss, enlightenment or nirvana. Buddha is said to have reached enlightenment under a Boddhi tree, so these trees are venerated in Buddhist culture.

Our next stop was Wat Si Sawai, which resembles a Khmer temple with its laterite 3 corn-cob-shaped towers and moat. As it dates back to the Khmer period, it is a former Hindu shrine and a statue of the god Shiva was found there. Next we visited Wat Traphang Ngoen, which is wonderfully surrounded by a water. The main chedi (stupa) has 4 Buddha images in 4 niches at the 4 cardinal points. The one facing the East is walking. Also to the East is an island where an “ubosot” (ordination hall) is located, which can only be accessed by people who have been ordained (eg. monks).

From there we went to Wat Sa Si, also known as Lake Temple because it’s situated on an island. As you enter you see a “Walking Buddha”, which is the least common sight for Buddha. Usually he can be seen sitting (meditating with his hands in his lap or with his right hand down, touching the ground “conquering evil”), standing (either with his right hand up “protecting” or his arms by his sides “calling for rain”) or reclining (the position in which he reached enlightenment under the Boddhi tree before he died). It also has many columns still standing, a wonderful stupa and a sitting Buddha. Close-by there was also a small altar which is still venerated today and where Thai people bring offerings because the city spirit is believed to house in this shrine.

We then biked around the central area to Ta Pha Daeng Shrine, which dates from the Khmer era and is believed to be the first building in Sukhothai. Across from it is Wat Traphang So, a smaller stupa encircled by 24 elephants. In Buddhism elephants represent mental and physical strength, but are also believed to bring wealth and power.

We then biked through the northern city gate passed the 3 city walls and the moat to arrive at a few other temples. Unfortunately we would have had to pay more, so we contended ourselves to see the old Thuriang Pottery Kilns. The 49 kilns discovered were used to produce all the brick and pottery in use for Sukhothai and is believed to even have exported pottery to China. The Kingdom of Sukhothai lasted until the 16^th century, but already became a vassal state of the Ayutthaya Kingdom (close to Bangkok) in the 14th century.

The complex is beautiful and we enjoyed biking around while listening to our audio guide. The people of Sukhothai also had an irrigation system bringing water to the numerous lakes regardless of season. It’s wonderful with lots of coconut palm trees, sugar palm trees, Boddhi trees and mango trees everywhere. Considering it was built after the Temples of Angkor, we were surprised by the simplicity of the architecture. There are hardly any bas-reliefs, only columns, stupas and Buddhas. The buildings are built of laterite and brick, so maybe these materials didn’t allow for intricate carvings.

Back in the new settlement, we walked around to see the new town with its 40,000 inhabitants. Not only is there nothing to see, but it is a very ugly town and with lots of stinky garbage bins everywhere. Definitely not worth going there for that, but the Historical part was very interesting, so a full day suffices to see everything.