11th November, 2023: The CNR Special Express went slowly, with an average speed of 80 km/h. Mum and I argued whether it was preferable to travel all the way to Bangkok’s Krung Thep Aphiwat station, keep our stuff in lockers, and then return to Ayutthaya, or to arrive here at 04:30 (according to the train schedule). The former was a possibility because the ruins opened at 08:00 hours, but Mum woke me up at 05:00 hours to tell me the train had been delayed. What better opportunity exists than the latter? We checked to make sure we were ready, and I checked the on-screen monitor for the train’s location, which was displayed to the passengers in real time. I needed to go to the restroom for a second.
Here are some pictures of the toilet, urinal and shower that come with the State Railway of Thailand’s first class train. The lower middle picture shows the outside of the train and the lady train conductor.
Mum asked the lady train conductor, who promised to do it when we arrived. The time was 5:45 a.m., and there came a knock on the door. It was time to relocate our belongings. Only a few second-class passengers were waiting to disembark, and we were the only first-class passengers to arrive in Ayutthaya. We arrived at the railway station after 15 minutes. As the train entered Bangkok, we said our goodbyes to the conductor and the train. To get to the platform, I crossed a railway track using wooden boards laid along the path. We changed clothes in a washroom at a station corner (3 baht per person) before heading to the luggage storage facility. It was an ordinary station with two ATMs. We appear to be the first to make the deposit. There were two personnel inside, one of whom recorded the information and handed us the receipt. We benefited from the delay.
To be honest, I did not conduct much research on Ayutthaya before visiting. No one approached us as we exited the railway station, with the exception of one tuk-tuk driver who tried to urge us to take his tuk-tuk to the Old City. We traveled three kilometers in the early mornings to our first point of interest, Wat Phra Ram. The roads were not too busy. We crossed the Preedee Bridge after strolling to the intersection of Rochana Road and this one.
A look into the history of Ayutthaya. From 1350 to 1767, it was the capital of Siam (then known as Thailand). It was an island city that served as a major trading port in Southeast Asia. It was a rich city with gilded temples and palaces until it was sacked by King U-Thong (most likely). It was a mandala, or area of local influence. Aside from its enticing expansion, the Lanna (where Chiang Mai is located), Sukhothai, and Lanxang (corresponding to Thai northeast) mandalas crossed with the Ayutthaya mandala, leading in disputes. The Burmese attacked Siam and sacked the city after a 14-month siege during the Later Ayutthaya eras. The vast majority of temples and palaces were demolished, and their occupants were slaughtered or enslaved. Soon after the Burmese invasion, General Phraya Taksin regained the land lost to the invaders and moved Siam’s capital to Bangkok. Restoration work began in 1969, and today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This city’s official name is “Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya”.
We strolled down Rochana Road, which has sidewalks that alternate between brick-laid and overgrown with grass in certain areas. We needed food because we were sweating terribly, but all of the eateries were closed. We only had water and chocolates that I bought in Chiang Mai.
At 7:00 a.m., the tourist busses began their trek to the railway station. There was a just completed family marathon, and folks were resting after a long run. (In the area of Suriyothai Park). We arrived at Wat Phra Ram around 7:30 a.m. We had to stroll through the adjacent park because it didn’t open until 8:00 a.m. Mum video-called Dad and showed him the Ayutthaya ruins. We arrived at Wat Phra Ram after a half-hour. As it turns out, you must pay 50 baht for each temple you visit, rather than a single ticket for all Ayutthaya ruins, which I believe the officials can provide.
Let me go over the structure of a Thai Buddhist temple architecture that I’ve studied so far (based on other reputable sources). In Thai, wat literally means “school,” or, in this case, monks’ residential quarters alongside a temple precinct. Check out my infographic about the site plan of a Thai temple. Their temple site plan does not follow rigid criteria, but it may differ based on the period in Thai history. A chedi at Chiang Mai temples (Lanna) may differ from those in Ayutthaya.
Wat Phra Ram: It is said to be the ultimate resting place of the city’s founder, King U Thong. There are few visitors here, although it features one of Ayutthaya’s tallest prangs (spires). Mum and I entered and spent about 20 minutes admiring the temple’s architecture, as well as the stark stupas, stones, and headless Buddhas scattered throughout. Nestled among the foliage and a nearby pond, this structure appears to be pure and preserved in its splendor.
We had to eat breakfast after leaving Wat Phra Ram. I noticed a small restaurant near the Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit, which was 400 meters away. We walked towards it, saw the restaurant, and looked over the menu. It was just opening, and they said it would take some time to get ready. We went to Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit shortly after this fruitless restaurant hunt. We didn’t eat breakfast. Outside the temple, there was a cafe. We both drank coffee, and I quickly went to the temple. Mum did not come in. It was 08:45 a.m., and I could see hordes of Western tourists entering the area from one end of the temple. They did not go into the temple but proceeded towards the ruins of Wat Phra Si Sanphet.
Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit: Because it is a temple, entry is free. It houses one of Thailand’s largest Buddha bronze figures, measuring 12.5 meters tall and 9.5 meters across the laps. It was constructed in 1538 and destroyed twice: once by a lightning-caused fire and again by a Burmese invasion. They were repaired in the 20th century. The photographs below convey the full tale. The temple features images of its historical and current states. It has monk bowls and contribution boxes, as do many Buddhist temples, for reasons such as temple reconstruction, among other things. The Buddha statue, known as Phra Mongkhon Bophit, represents the Buddha subduing Mara.
Clearly, a great deal of effort has gone into its reconstruction.
After the temple tour, I proceeded to Wat Phra Si Sanphet.
Wat Phra Si Sanphet: This temple is based on Bangkok’s Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha). This was the largest temple in Ayutthaya, built around 1350. However, because this complex was part of the royal palace, monks were not permitted to reside there. The cremated remains of three Ayutthaya kings are housed in three chedis: King Boromtrailokanat, King Boromracha III (the first two chedis were built during King Ramathibodi II’s reign; the first king mentioned is the king’s father, the second is the king’s elder brother), and King Ramathibodi II (built during King Boromracha IV’s reign).
In addition, it held three mondops and two wihans until being sacked by the Burmese. The gold from Buddha images, particularly the huge Phra Si Sanphetdayan (completed during King Ramathibodi II’s reign), was melted.
When I strolled around the perimeters of the temple (around the chedis) in the complex, I was astounded by the scope of the devastation, given the temple’s long history. Fortunately, the intruders avoided touching the chedis.
It took me about an hour to finish, and I watched inquisitive people go around snapping photos, some of whom were accompanied by guides who taught them about the city’s history and architecture. I was starving when I went out, but I was able to get breakfast. Mum, on the other hand, was disappointed with the ruins and asked me (from that point forward), “How many more ruins to see?” I didn’t spend any more time and headed to Earl’s Restaurant on Naresuan Road. We booked two Grab bike taxis from our location at the Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit (Mae Kulap; the bike taxis had trouble finding us). The eatery only had two clients, both Thai. I ordered Pad Thai, my favorite dish, while Mum got shrimp rice and pineapple juice.
We took a GrabTaxi to our next destination after eating here (Mum despised the bike taxis since they were so quick that she nearly lost her footing).
Wat Mahathat: This temple was constructed in 1374 during the reign of King Boromracha I and finished during the reign of King Ramesuan. It served as the seat of Ayutthaya’s supreme patriarch. It is also known as the Monastery of the Great Relic and is situated at the intersection of Chikun and Naresuan Roads. It housed the Buddha’s relics. It had a tall prang that stood about 43 meters tall before falling on its own during King Songtham’s reign, but it was restored under King Phrasatthong’s reign. However, it collapsed once again. Accounts of its destruction were cloaked in mystery, with some alleging that “strange omens were seen.” Because the Buddha’s head is intertwined with the roots of the Bodhi tree, it draws a great number of visitors.
I traveled to the other side to investigate Wat Ratchaburana, which is unique among ‘wats’ since you can crawl inside the prang to see the crypt. The burning heat of the sun intensifies with each passing minute.
Wat Ratchaburana: King Boromracha II founded it in 1424 as a cremation ground for his two brothers, Chao Ai Phraya and Chao Yi Phraya, who died on the battlefield while battling for the kingdom. It’s directly across from Wat Mahathat. There were two chedis constructed there. Aside from the other damaged structures, the prang is the most well-known; travelers come here to see the crypt, which houses Buddha’s remains. The stairs to the crypt are currently closed.
The claustrophobia-inducing stairs up to the prang began to wear off. If you want to view fruit bats, go ahead and enter the prang.
My next destination is Wat Chaiwatthanaram, located west of the Old City. We phoned a GrabTaxi and were surprised to see the same driver, Kheda, who had picked us up at Earl’s Restaurant! This temple was located five kilometers from Wat Ratchaburana.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram: The temple was established in 1630 to honor King Prasatthong’s mother. It is located along the western bank of the Chao Phraya River. According to historical documents, the temple’s architecture is identical to that of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat. This temple is famous for its gallery and eight spired roof halls (meruses). The outside of these halls depicted images from Buddha’s life, but the majority of them had crumbled. The interior walls of the gallery are adorned with 104 sitting Buddha statues in the Victory over Mara stance. This temple was previously accessible via waterways.
Aside from the ruins, I observed a reconstruction of one of the merus funded by the American Embassy in Thailand during my visit. This structure took approximately 30 minutes to examine. I’ve yet to visit the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum.
We needed to eat, so we took another Grab vehicle taxi to Seven Seas Restaurant, which is close the railway station. We took some country roads and were at our location in about twenty minutes. Mum wanted to try more restaurants down this route, but there weren’t any that she liked, so we headed to the Seven Seas Restaurant. The restaurant was empty except for us. We were given menus, but the server was more interested in inviting Westerners here, who only glanced at the menu before leaving.
Despite calling the waiter, she appeared uninterested in us (similar to the Earl’s Restaurant) until I indicated for her to come and take our order. This is an example of subtle racism. We left the restaurant after lunch around 14:00. It is time to continue on to Bangkok, one of the world’s most multicultural cities!
We returned to the railway station and purchased two third-class tickets for a train from Nong Khai to Bangkok, which arrives at 15:30 hours. After recovering our luggage, I sat on the bench and watched the mobile news before entering the station. When I returned, Mum informed me that the train’s arrival announcements had already been made and told me to head straight to the platform. The sky was cloudy, but no rain fell that day. The railway conductor cried loudly, “Saam, Si, Haa, Hok” as a warning to the passengers to stand in the designated areas as he expected the train to arrive with its numbered cars aligned with his gestures and calling out the numbers. The train arrived shortly thereafter, and we loaded our stuff. Our seats were 39 and 40, and the passengers across from us were two Thai females.
Traveling across Thailand’s three rail classes was an intriguing experience. At 16:45, we arrived in Krung Thep Aphiwat. Meanwhile, I was attempting to contact with the Bangkok AirBnB host’s father about our late arrival (the host (Mrs. Bee) lives in Canada, and her father, Mr. Pimon, maintains the rooms), but we assumed he didn’t comprehend what we said. I checked at my phone’s Bangkok transit map shortly after we arrived at the Krung Thep Aphiwat terminal and learned we needed to transfer between two lines to get to our destination: the MRT Blue Line and the BTS Silom Line.
The Apartments (The Station) were located on Charoen Krung Road, near Sathorn Pier. We had to take an escalator down from the terminal to reach the Bang Sue MRT Terminal. It was quick, simple, and smooth. Bangkok’s metro and bus networks provided priority seats for the elderly, children, pregnant women, the crippled, and monks. We alighted at Silom MRT station and transferred to Sala Daeng BTS station. It was a little challenging because there were no escalators at the BTS station. We arrived at the Saphan Taksin BTS station around 18:00 and rolled our luggage through Charoen Krung Road to our location.
I called Mr. Pimon to let him know we were arrived, and he arrived 15 minutes later on his rusted-looking scooter. He spoke in weak English. The apartment was on the 7th floor. Unlike the gentleman at ARMO Nimman, he said little. He escorted us to the flat and asked one of us to accompany him to another room somewhat ahead of the flat to dispose of our segregated rubbish. Mum questioned him, “Do you stay here usually?” He did not answer and walked on. He was fatherly, yet direct. As soon as we entered the drawing room, he instructed us to take out our phones and connect to the Wi-Fi, which had the password inscribed on the panel. He showed us rooms and objects, but Mum interrupted him and said, “Where is the fridge, sir?” He responded casually, “I don’t know…”
“Don’t talk much to this guy…” I spoke to Mum. He led us into the kitchen, opening nearly every drawer to show us where the utensils and silverware were. He informed us that we needed to obtain detergent powder and fabric softener at the 7-Eleven on the ground floor immediately. He began to ask why we had taken the train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. “You guys wasted time,” he stated when we responded truthfully. “You squandered a day when there is so much to see in Bangkok…”
When Mum mentioned that we used the trains to see the lovely scenery detailed in Part II, he responded that flying from India to Thailand would also result in no scenery. Following that, he remarked, “I will arrive at 10:00 a.m., when you check out, and I hope to see you guys leave from here at that time.” He stated that he will inspect the unit before we can check out. Well, it’s their property, so their rules apply; but I didn’t expect him to engage in this minor, unnecessary debate (it’s our vacation plan, not his), considering that we were already fatigued to the point of collapse.
After he went, we had to go grocery shopping for dinner and breakfast the next day. The flat located near Bangkok’s South Civil Court. Aside from shopping, we toured the districts around the apartment, including tiny passageways and small roadside markets, despite the mild rain. The diesel from the trucks, the rotting stench of the veggies, and the fresh preparation of products at the street food businesses all gave Bangkok a distinct smell as we strolled. We went to bed at 23:30, thinking that the following days would be less stressful than the previous ones.
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