Final Part (30-31 August 2004) KanchanaBuri to SangklaBuri
Wat Wang Wiwekaram and the Three Pagoda Pass, my raison principale for visiting SangklaBuri, were the itinerary of the day.
This extensive temple on the southern outskirts of Sangkhla Buri edges on Khao Laem reservoir. The complex is constructed in an unusual mix of Thai, Indian, and Burmese Buddhist architectural styles. The pagoda is modelled on the Buddhagaya of India. Most of the time, my reason for going to wat has been looking around rather than praying for something, as most people do, methinks. I guess I have nothing else to ask for in life or may be I am an easily contented person.
The Wat complex look very simple
This golden color Pagoda can be seen miles away
Three pagoda pass is only a few miles away from the Wat. Disappointment were written on the faces when we reached the famous Chedi Saam Uong (Three Pagada).
From this picture, you may be thinking that this pagoda is really majestic
I was hoping that the one in front of my eyes were a replica and the real one was further away. With the Myanmar Immigration next to them, these had got to be the real one. Tourism Authority of Thailand ought to be commended for an excellent job of promoting this place.
Compare with other objects hereby, you now have a better perspective of the size
The tour guide told me that there are controversies on who actually built the Chedi, and how many times it was destroyed and rebuilt.
The Myanmar immigration officers, having reasonable good command of English to converse with us, allowed us to cross over to Myanmar side to take some photographs of the Dead Railway tracks. For Malaysian, we still need a Visa to visit Myanmar but I heard that things are changing and ASEAN citizen will be allowed to visit Myanmar sans Visa from 2006 onwards.
Myanmar Checkpoint with a section of Dead Railway Track
Shouldn’t it be “Japanese Old Railway in Myanmar Thailand <1942>” like what American like to say “An American Canal in Panama”
Group Photo for the hero who reached the Peak. By now you will be able to guess which one is the author
The usual sight that is franking all border crossings is market selling cheap goods. There are a lot of Chinese products sold here beside the handicraft from Myanmar. I picked up a teak wood lantern for my home garden for about 200 bahts. There are too many souvenirs dotting my home now.
We headed for KanchanaBuri with a brief stop at a hot spring for a drip. From the bus station at KanchanaBuri, we took a bus to Bangkok arriving late in the evening.
Spending a night at a cheap but noisy hotel in Keosan Road, we took a NokAir flight the next morning to HaadYai and board another bus to Kuala Lumpur. That’s the end of the story on my trip. Thanks for the following.
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