Isaan, the breadbasket of Thailand
The word Isaan (Thai: อีสาน) is written in many different ways. Thai people don't find a consistent transliteration of their words into latin letters. Every suggestion from western script experts failed due to the Thai's sovereignty and pride, meaning, "we do it OUR way". This actually means the Thai do it in NO way, so I always write it in MY way "Isaan".
The area is located on the Korat Plateau… (read more)
The area is located on the Korat Plateau… (read more)
The Royal Temple Wat Hin Mak Peng at the riverside…
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The riverside on the Mekong is a peaceful place where priests come to practice their meditation. Across the Mekong is Laotian territory.
The Stupa in the Royal Temple complex
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Only a few temples in Thailand deserves the honor of being a "Royal Temple". The monk Phra Achan Tet (1902-1994) settled in "Wat Hin Mak Peng". Due to his presence, The Holy compound is now a major temple with royal distinctions.
The Royal Temple in the Wat Hin Mak Peng area
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The gardens of "Wat Hin Mak Peng" are beautfiul and peaceful. It is a scenic and quiet location with trees and bamboo groves.
Wat Hin Mak Peng
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This monastery is located at Ban Phutthabat, Tambon Phra Phutthabat, Amphoe Si Chiang Mai.
Phra Achan Thet Thetrangsi established this place to be utilized as a meditation practice center for monks, nuns, and the general public. The surroundings of this monastery are clean and peaceful, and it was appraised to be a 'Model of Developed Monastery' in the year 1960. The monastery is about 83 kilometers from Nong Khai and about 20 kilometers from Amphoe Si Chiang Mai.
Phra That Bun Paun, Buddha statue under weather pr…
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This believed to be 650 years old Buddha image and the remains of the historic wall and collons are protected under corrugated sheet iron against heavy weather conditions. Its necessary but it gives a feeling you stay in a railway station hall, not at a holy ancient place.
Mekong with low water level caused by reckless Chi…
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China is engaged in an extensive program of dam-building on the river itself: it has already completed one at Manwan, a second is under construction at Dachaoshan, and another twelve are under consideration.
The Mekong River Commission, a panel of the region's nations, has accused China of blatant disregard for the nations downstream in its plans to dam the river in an effort to stop the dams, but to no avail. Since the building of the first Chinese dam, many species have become endangered including the Mekong dolphin and manatee, water levels have dropped as ferries get stuck, fish caught are small and the catch is less than half of before the dam, the turnover at Chiang Rai port is less than 1/4 of previous years, and crossings from Chiang Rai to isolated Luang Prabang have lengthened from 8 hours to 2 days due to inadequate water levels.
Despite all these problems, new dams planned will have significantly worse impact if carried out as planned. All nations downstream and the environment will suffer from added pollution (due to development and relatively lax regulation and enforcement in China compared to Thailand, poisoning the food supply from pesticide runoff and heavy industry, as well as promoting algal blooms from organophosphates from agriculture, as well as water hyacinth infestation), river blockage problems as fish cannot swim upstream to spawn, and potentially devastating very low water flow.
At the Phu Ruea plateau
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Located in Loei, one of the coolest provinces of Thailand. It is rugged mountain range and also the headwater of many rivers of Loei. Phu Ruea is the highest peak of 1,365m above sea level. At the top, it is viewpoint that you can panoramically see Hueang and Khong Rivers. More than half of the top of Phu Ruea is covered with low shrubbery, grasslands and strangely formed rock formations. Due to the cool climate the area is rich in orchid species which flower throughout the year.
A Buddha pavilion at the top of Phu Ruea
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Thai monks come to the top of Phu Ruea where a Buddha Statue is placed in a pavilion. Many Thai and foreign pilgrims come for meditation to this quiet place.
Reeds swayed by the wind in the sunset
Beach at the dam bank
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It looks like the beach at the seaside but its the bank on a dam in Phatthana Nikhom at the border to Isaan. A beautiful alternative to the beaches to Pattaya or Cha Am but often crowded on weekend by ten thousands of Bangkokian weekender.
Huey Krathing dam
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Panorama view to an idyllic landscape in the Loei province. The lake isn't known very much and a beautiful target for individual visitors surging a marvellous place to rest and relaxe.
Have your meal on the float
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For the visitors caoming to the Huey Krathing dam the restaurant offer to hire a float. A small boat pulls the float to the middle of the lake where you can have your meal on the float. The small longtail boat brings you from the restaurant kitchen what you order out the menu card.
Armchairs made from truck wheels
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Loei people show their great ingenuity to use and recycle old and used up lorry wheels to design and create comfortable armchairs. (Seen in Nam Man Dam near Huay Krathing Dam)
Inside the Tham Erawan
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The cave is located high up in the cliff face of a limestone tower. A winding staircase with 360 steps leads up to the cave portal. Actually we do not know how many steps the staircase has, as we read 107, 360 and 600 steps in different sources. Be aware that it will be a strenuous ascent to the cave and take some water with you. The cave is a through cave with numerous chambers. Both entrances offer a wonderful view over the province of Nong Bua Lamphu.
Rather funny is a political mystery. The Erawan Cave is namesake to Amphoe Erawan which is located adjacent in Loei province. Actually it does not lie in this Amphoe, not even in this province, but in Amphoe Na Wang in Nong Bua Lamphu province. It seems at one point in history the border has been draw new.
Tham Erawan in the province Nong Bua Lam Phu
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This cave is 45 kilometres from town on Highway No. 210 (Nong Bua Lam Phu-Loei) past Na Klang and Na Wang to Km. 13, then a right for 2 kilometres and up about 600 steps by foot up the mountain. At the mouth of the cave is a large Buddha image clearly visible from a distance. Inside the cave is a large space with lovely stalactites and stalagmites. The cave is the origin of local folklore called Nang Phom Hom.
The road in Chiang Khan
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Discover this town and you will like it. There are a lot opportunities to fill you program for a one week stay at this quiet place, only the barking dogs, the noisy motorbikes and longtail boats and the overturned karaoke loudspeakers bother the idyllic mood like its happen everywhere in Thailand.
Mekong river near Chiang Khan
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The Mekong often suffer under the low water level. Boats sometime only can go up and down the river if China opens their water gates at their dams.
A number of dams have already been built on the river's tributaries. This has been criticized on grounds of cost as well as damage to the environment and to the livelihoods of affected villagers, though none have been built on the main part itself.
China is engaged in an extensive program of dam-building on the river itself: it has already completed one at Manwan, a second is under construction at Dachaoshan, and another twelve are under consideration.
The road to Tham Erawan
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Tham Erawan (Erawan Cave) is also called Tham Chang (Elephant's Cave), because the limstone tower it is located in looks like an kneeling elephant. Especially the entrance area is shaped like the forehead of an elephant. Actually Erawan is the name of the mythological elephant Airavata in the Thai language. It is typically depicted as an elephant with three heads. Such a statue can be found at the foot of the stair leading up to the cave.
Like most caves in Thailand, this is not a show cave in our western sense, it is actually a public place and a Buddhist temple. This starts at the entrance where a Buddha statue sits, which can be seen from far away. It is said to be the most important Buddha statue in Thailand. All over the cave various Buddha statues an other images are affixed. And there is a stalakmite which again resembles the elephant Erawan, inside the cave. So feel free to visit the cave and be respectful for the worshippers, like if you would visit a church in western countries.
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