Lone Rider
Blokes Who Can
On a recent trip to the north of Thailand I decided to visit some new cave temples (at least new for me) and the Wiang Haeng/Phiang Luang area where I had been before.
Overview of the area with the tracks and waypoints of the places visited
Near Chai Prakarn there are a few cave temples of which I had heard but never taken the time to have a look at them. The first is Tham Tab Tao which is on Rd 3001 and about 5 km to the northeast of Rd 107. Wat Tham Tab Tao has been an ancient place of worship for over 100 years for the local villagers. The age of the Wat Than Tab Tao is not known but the nine meter tall statue of Buddha built in Ayutthaya style is believed to date back to 1592 (source: http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/167/tours.shtml). Although they have electric lighting in the caves, the caretaker did not want to switch it on for only one visitor so I had to make do with my torchlight. For the cavers, there is some more information on this and other caves in the area at http://www.thailandcaves.shepton.org.uk/node/44
The entrances to the cave with in between some people hanging around the globe, something for which I have not been able to find an explanation
The ancient Buddha statue - not easy to take a picture of it with one hand holding the torchlight and with the other hand holding the camera
Looking down upon the "Tripitaka" building (scripture hall) in the spring-fed pond
There are more caves and springs in the area and a few kilometers to the east the Nam Lu spring can be found with two shrines (see http://www.thailandcaves.shepton.org.uk/sumps-and-resurgences for a bit more information on this spring).
The sign on the stair to the shrine says "No entry unless you want to make merit by carrying one or more of the plastic cans filled with building sand (right) or gravel (left) up to the shrine"
The Buddha Statue at the shrine at the top
Buddha watching over the Nam Lu (Nam Ru) spring
As there was no one around, I am not sure why this tree trunk was kept under a roof and had quite a few garlands tied to it
Wat Tham Pha Phueng is another 8 km to the north. The cave temple gets its name from the many honeybee nests on the cave wall. There is a sign that says "Do not burn and/or make smoke as the bees get very upset"
After the cave visits it was off for Phiang Luang and Wiang Haeng to the east taking the road from Wat Tham Pha Phueng to Sin Chai and Arunothai on Rd 1340.
Looking down into Chai Phrakan valley
Just after Arunothai a shortcut was made along small village roads to link with Ban Mueang Na on Rd 1178. Most of Rd 1178 is now paved with the exception of a few short stretches and about 15 km towards the end where the road links with Rd 1322
Road construction and upgrading is ongoing on Rd 1178
The Piang Luang / Wiang Haeng valley
At the end of Rd 1322 on the border with Myanmar the road stops at the Lak Taeng Border Check Point. This local border crossing was closed in 1996 when the MTA (Mong Tai Army) surrendered to the Myanmar State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and the Myanmar government seized control of the area. As a result, Wat Fa Wiang In, which straddled the borderline, was cut into 2 parts.
Wat Fa Wiang In on the Myanmar side (above) and the Thai side (below). The small valley in between the two temple parts appears to be heavily mined
The temple was rebuilt in 1968 by Zao Korn Zurng, a respected Shan leader and patron of the temple. At that time, Wat Fa Wiang In provided education for hundreds of children.
Zao Korn Zurng - the tomb of Zao Korn Zurng is about 300 meters to the east of the temple overlooking Myanmar. For more info on the history see: http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/342 andhttp://william-tell.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=200:200&catid=37:37&Itemid=23 andhttp://www.shanland.org/index.php?v...rder&format=pdf&option=com_content&Itemid=301
When Myanmar took over the area along the border from the MTA a lot of the Shan families fled to Thailand and they live now in refugee camps in Phiang Luang and the school was closed. The school re-opened again in 1997 and since then it is providing limited educationdue to a lack of funds to boys who ordain as novices at the temple (see also http://lovestudents2.blogspot.com/).
The temple and the housing and school for the novices and monks.
At the moment part of the temple is being rebuilt
A giant Kilometer market in Phiang Luang indicates that China is 1100 km. away while from here it is only 7 km. to Myanmar or, when seen from the north side, it is 155 km. to Chiangmai and 67 km. to Pai
From Piang Luang it was home ward bound but not before making a brief stop at Wat Phra Borommathat Saen Hai which is just a bit south of Piang Luang
According to the legends, King Naresuan the Great, for whom a lot of shrines can be found in the north (there is also a King Naresuan shrine at Wat Fa Wiang In), rested his troops here in one of his battles against the Burmese and he built a pool at the foot of the hill for his use and that of his elephants. The temple was renovated in 1914 and apparently dates back to the early Buddhist times.
Overview of the area with the tracks and waypoints of the places visited
Near Chai Prakarn there are a few cave temples of which I had heard but never taken the time to have a look at them. The first is Tham Tab Tao which is on Rd 3001 and about 5 km to the northeast of Rd 107. Wat Tham Tab Tao has been an ancient place of worship for over 100 years for the local villagers. The age of the Wat Than Tab Tao is not known but the nine meter tall statue of Buddha built in Ayutthaya style is believed to date back to 1592 (source: http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/167/tours.shtml). Although they have electric lighting in the caves, the caretaker did not want to switch it on for only one visitor so I had to make do with my torchlight. For the cavers, there is some more information on this and other caves in the area at http://www.thailandcaves.shepton.org.uk/node/44
The entrances to the cave with in between some people hanging around the globe, something for which I have not been able to find an explanation
The ancient Buddha statue - not easy to take a picture of it with one hand holding the torchlight and with the other hand holding the camera
Looking down upon the "Tripitaka" building (scripture hall) in the spring-fed pond
There are more caves and springs in the area and a few kilometers to the east the Nam Lu spring can be found with two shrines (see http://www.thailandcaves.shepton.org.uk/sumps-and-resurgences for a bit more information on this spring).
The sign on the stair to the shrine says "No entry unless you want to make merit by carrying one or more of the plastic cans filled with building sand (right) or gravel (left) up to the shrine"
The Buddha Statue at the shrine at the top
Buddha watching over the Nam Lu (Nam Ru) spring
As there was no one around, I am not sure why this tree trunk was kept under a roof and had quite a few garlands tied to it
Wat Tham Pha Phueng is another 8 km to the north. The cave temple gets its name from the many honeybee nests on the cave wall. There is a sign that says "Do not burn and/or make smoke as the bees get very upset"
After the cave visits it was off for Phiang Luang and Wiang Haeng to the east taking the road from Wat Tham Pha Phueng to Sin Chai and Arunothai on Rd 1340.
Looking down into Chai Phrakan valley
Just after Arunothai a shortcut was made along small village roads to link with Ban Mueang Na on Rd 1178. Most of Rd 1178 is now paved with the exception of a few short stretches and about 15 km towards the end where the road links with Rd 1322
Road construction and upgrading is ongoing on Rd 1178
The Piang Luang / Wiang Haeng valley
At the end of Rd 1322 on the border with Myanmar the road stops at the Lak Taeng Border Check Point. This local border crossing was closed in 1996 when the MTA (Mong Tai Army) surrendered to the Myanmar State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and the Myanmar government seized control of the area. As a result, Wat Fa Wiang In, which straddled the borderline, was cut into 2 parts.
Wat Fa Wiang In on the Myanmar side (above) and the Thai side (below). The small valley in between the two temple parts appears to be heavily mined
The temple was rebuilt in 1968 by Zao Korn Zurng, a respected Shan leader and patron of the temple. At that time, Wat Fa Wiang In provided education for hundreds of children.
Zao Korn Zurng - the tomb of Zao Korn Zurng is about 300 meters to the east of the temple overlooking Myanmar. For more info on the history see: http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/342 andhttp://william-tell.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=200:200&catid=37:37&Itemid=23 andhttp://www.shanland.org/index.php?v...rder&format=pdf&option=com_content&Itemid=301
When Myanmar took over the area along the border from the MTA a lot of the Shan families fled to Thailand and they live now in refugee camps in Phiang Luang and the school was closed. The school re-opened again in 1997 and since then it is providing limited educationdue to a lack of funds to boys who ordain as novices at the temple (see also http://lovestudents2.blogspot.com/).
The temple and the housing and school for the novices and monks.
At the moment part of the temple is being rebuilt
A giant Kilometer market in Phiang Luang indicates that China is 1100 km. away while from here it is only 7 km. to Myanmar or, when seen from the north side, it is 155 km. to Chiangmai and 67 km. to Pai
From Piang Luang it was home ward bound but not before making a brief stop at Wat Phra Borommathat Saen Hai which is just a bit south of Piang Luang
According to the legends, King Naresuan the Great, for whom a lot of shrines can be found in the north (there is also a King Naresuan shrine at Wat Fa Wiang In), rested his troops here in one of his battles against the Burmese and he built a pool at the foot of the hill for his use and that of his elephants. The temple was renovated in 1914 and apparently dates back to the early Buddhist times.
