Entries about national

The City Pillar Shrine in Surat Thani, Thailand is a sacred shrine that houses the city’s revered city pillar, which is believed to be the protector of the city and its people. The shrine is located in the heart of the city, near the Tapi River, and is considered an important spiritual and cultural landmark in Surat Thani.

The City Pillar Shrine consists of a central structure, which houses the city pillar, as well as several smaller shrines and prayer halls. Visitors can enter the central shrine to pay their respects to the city pillar and offer prayers and offerings.

The city pillar itself is a wooden post that is believed to embody the spirit of the city and its people. It is decorated with intricate carvings and engravings, and is considered a symbol of the city’s history, culture, and identity.

Throughout the year, the City Pillar Shrine hosts various festivals and ceremonies, including the annual City Pillar Festival, which celebrates the city’s founding and heritage. During these events, the shrine is adorned with colorful decorations and offerings, and visitors can participate in traditional Thai cultural activities, such as music and dance performances, parades, and food fairs.

Overall, the City Pillar Shrine is an important and sacred site in Surat Thani that offers visitors a unique insight into the spiritual and cultural traditions of the city and its people.

Ratchaprapha Dam, also known as the Cheow Lan Dam, is a large hydroelectric dam located in Surat Thani province, southern Thailand. The dam was built in the 1980s to generate electricity for the region and to regulate the flow of the Klong Saeng River.

The Ratchaprapha Dam is also known for its stunning natural beauty. The dam is surrounded by lush forests and towering limestone cliffs, creating a scenic and peaceful atmosphere. The reservoir created by the dam is called the Cheow Lan Lake and is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.

Visitors to the Ratchaprapha Dam can take a boat tour of the Cheow Lan Lake to explore the scenic surroundings and spot wildlife, such as monkeys, birds, and fish. The lake is also a popular spot for kayaking, swimming, and fishing.

Near the dam, there is also a small village where visitors can learn about the local culture and sample traditional Thai food. The village also offers a variety of eco-tourism activities, such as hiking, camping, and bird watching.

Overall, the Ratchaprapha Dam and the Cheow Lan Lake offer visitors a chance to explore the natural beauty and rich cultural heritage of southern Thailand while also providing an important source of electricity for the region.

During my visit to Surat Thani recently I stopped by one of the most stunning City Pillar shrines I have ever seen.
It is located near the Tapee River which runs alongside the road that separates it from the busy road, and you can get a good look at the suspension bridge from by the gates.

This city pillar is made from wood of the Golden Shower Tree (CasiaFitsula). (it actually looks like white marble). The top of the pillar is carved into a 4-faced Avalo kite. Vara Bodhisattva looking in the 4 directions.

This is a common style of the city pillars around Thailand. On the large hair curls, there is a Buddha image in the attitude of meditation, which is considered as the guardian of the direction, according to Srivijaya’s belief. Moreover, wood carving of this pillar shows delicate floral motifs in Srivijaya style.

A well-kept shrine which is considered by many to be the symbol of the city, the City Pillar Shrine or San Lak Muang is located in the heart of the city. Standing near the Tapee River, this shrine is lit up colourfully at night and is a great spot to spend some time in the city.

Pran Buri Forest Park Walk
In this video you will see some of the mangroves but mostly the local colourful Crab population that has been allowed to thrive here.
Some were easy to see and some not so easy.......
Founded in 1982 under the majesty of Queen Sirikit, Pranburi Forest Park is located 25 km. south of Hua Hin and encompasses over 3.17 sq. km. of protected land. The park is known for its vast and dense forests of mangroves and twisty trails that lead visitors to all corners of the park. With its pristine views and natural beauty, Pranburi Park is the perfect escape from some of the urban centres in southern Thailand.

The nature reserve is an excellent day excursion from the Hua Hin area (and best of all, it’s practically free). Not only will you be surrounded by the tranquil and majestic scenery, but you’ll also get to see an abundant array of flora and wildlife, many of which are exclusive to Thailand.

The forest floor in the mangroves is covered by muddy sediments formed by the tides, densely covered by horizontally grown tree roots above and below the ground. This muddy habitat is an ideal place for crabs, mudskippers and shrimps. During the low tides, many crabs and mudskippers can be seen from the boardwalk.

During my December break in 2021, I was in Phang Nga on my road trip around the province.

I had seen there was this huge beautiful Limestone park and wanted to visit it. About mid morning was actually a good time to go and visit, still cool enough , but also busy enough. I say busy, but actually most of the visitors were locals doing their morning exercise and jogging.

As we walked around the main pathway through the park, it became apparent why the locals stayed within the main pathway. There, are we found out for ourselves, in due course, two very large troupes of Macaque monkeys. With the lack of tourists and people they have made larger areas of the park their home.

We did narrowly avoid a major skirmish between the two alpha males and their harems. Along with about 20 offspring. Nearly finding ourselves with our backs up against the locked railings at the other end of the park we stayed absolutely still and made no sudden movements or noise that might attract their attention.
Thankfully they all ran like a river of water towards the limestone cliffs and disappeared into the trees. We carefully made our way back , keeping to the main paths.

I did manage before that to get some interesting views of the cliffs, and the surrounding area, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Music free under creative commons licence from Youtube music library
Title: Anomalous Hedges by The Mini Vandals