The wooden bridge, the Three Pagodas Pass, the Three Rivers, the Great Forest Heritage, the Thai-Karen-Mon, the myriad of nature, the homage to Luang Pho Uttama, the border town of Sangkhla, the westernmost region. l l


The U-Ta-Man Bridge, also known as the Mon Bridge, is the longest wooden bridge in Thailand, stretching 850 meters. It is the second-longest wooden bridge in the world, after the U Bein Bridge in Myanmar. The bridge spans the Songkalia River in Nong Lu Subdistrict, Sangkhla Buri District, Kanchanaburi Province.

This bridge was built under the initiative of Luang Pho Uttama, the abbot of Wat Wang Wiwekaram, between 1986 and 1987. [2] It was constructed using the labor of the Mon people and served as a wooden bridge for the Mon and Thai people living in the area. Today, it is a famous tourist destination in Kanchanaburi province.

This trip was for two people on September 16th.

At first, I admit I was scared. What was Sangkhlaburi like? Would the people be friendly? Would it be scary to go there with just two of us? My head was full of questions, but I thought, "Well, I've already made up my mind, so I have to go."

First, we booked our accommodation (you can also walk in, there are a lot of places to stay, starting from 200 baht). But for our accommodation, I'm proud to present it to those who are easy to eat and sleep. The place is called Coffee Berry and it's only 300 meters from the Mon Bridge.

Oh, for the trip, we traveled by van because we wanted to save time. We bought tickets at Mo Chit 2nd floor, ticket booth 15-17. We told them we were going to Kanchanaburi Bus Terminal, Happy Win. The price was 120 baht each way. The first round was at 5:30 am, but we woke up late, so we got the 7:30 am round. We arrived at Kanchanaburi Bus Terminal around 11:30 am and then took another van from there for 175 baht. We chose the 12:20 pm round. While we were waiting, we walked around the bus terminal to find something to eat. It was delicious, we both had two bowls.

Note: The total cost is summarized in the post.

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After lunch, it's time to get on the bus. I suggest you sleep because you'll get carsick. The Thong Pha Phum section is full of S-curves. The view along the way is mostly green.



After a winding journey, the van finally deposited us at Sangkhla Market around 3 PM. We hopped on a motorbike taxi for the final leg to our accommodation, paying 15 baht for the short ride.


Our accommodation for tonight is incredibly charming. It's called Coffee Berry and costs 800 baht per night. Our room is named Espresso, and it was the last one available. We almost didn't get a place to stay, but luckily we called to book just in time. Breakfast is not included. It's a small coffee shop with only a few rooms. When we first entered, there was a slightly musty smell, but it improved after we turned on the air conditioning for a while. What's unique is the bathroom... it has a hatch that opens to allow you to watch birds! Pretty cool, right? 55555






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After checking in at our accommodation, it was time to explore the area. We took a leisurely 300-meter walk from our lodging to the Mon Bridge. Along the way, we met a friendly group who invited us to join them on a boat ride to visit the temple in the middle of the water. The six of us shared the cost of 400 baht, which came out to only 65 baht per person. What a steal!

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We have a guide here, but some words are still unclear. While I understand most of it, I think looking it up on Google might provide a clearer explanation. Haha!



The first point of interest is the underwater temple (formerly Wat Wang Wiwekaram). The abbot's quarters of Luang Pho Uthama were once located here. However, after the dam was built and the water level rose, the temple had to be relocated to higher ground. We will visit it later before we leave. Oh, and if you come during the dry season, you can see the entire temple building. Okay, see you next time.


The second point of interest is Wat Somdet (Old), located opposite the town of Ba Da. It is the abandoned ubosot (ordination hall) of Wat Somdet (Old), which was left behind when Sangkhla Buri town was relocated due to the construction of the Khao Laem Dam (now known as the Vajiralongkorn Dam). The climb up the 65 steps is quite a challenge. Upon reaching the top, before entering to pay respects to the principal Buddha image, visitors are asked to make three wishes: 1. Touch the door to ask permission from the threshold guardian to enter, and 2 and 3 can be any wishes you desire.


Point 3 Where is Wat Si Suwan? Oh, it's submerged. If you want to see it, you have to come during the dry season (March-May), when the water level in the river drops significantly, allowing you to walk into the old church.



The three key points can be summarized in less than an hour. However, it was truly an unseen experience. The atmosphere while sitting on the boat was a mixture of fear and excitement, and it was difficult to say which emotion was stronger. To make matters worse, the boat broke down in the middle of the journey. We were literally stranded! 555 During the boat ride, we also caught glimpses of the Mahabodhi Temple, which was truly magnificent. If there had been some sunshine, the view would have been even more stunning.

Please translate the following sentence from Thai to English:

The rain has caught up, let's ride quickly…



Finally, we got soaked... We ate lunch at a restaurant next to the bridge while waiting for the rain to stop. The food was delicious and the view was great. After lunch, we went for a walk and took some pictures at the Red Bridge.



After a while, the lights on the bridge turned on, and more people started taking pictures. Let's take a look at the atmosphere at night.



On our way back to our accommodation, the owner of a shop at the foot of the bridge offered us a ride to the market. We were curious to see what the legendary "moo jum" was all about, so we decided to check it out.



In conclusion, I wouldn't dare to try the pork dipping. My answer is a resounding no. I'm too scared! After walking around for a while, I took a motorbike taxi back to my accommodation. It rained lightly all night in Sangkhla, making for a very comfortable sleep. Oh, I have to wake up early tomorrow to offer alms to the Mon people.


September 17th

  • Set the alarm for 4:30 AM.
  • Leave the room at 5:30 AM.
  • Walk to buy offerings for the monks.
  • Tip: You can buy offerings on the Mon side for 99 baht and rent a Mon outfit for free.
  • Each shop will have different offerings for sale, so choose whichever one you like.
  • (The monks will walk out to receive offerings around 6:20 AM.)



After making merit by offering food to monks, it's time to find something to fill our stomachs. We're sitting down to enjoy the legendary "Nang Yai Jok" (a popular rice porridge stall in Thailand) once again.



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After eating, we hurried back to rent a motorbike to ride to the Mahabodhi Temple. We rented it from the uncle's shop opposite our accommodation. He gave us a discount and charged us only 100 baht. We had to return the motorbike to him before noon.

Before leaving, we took some photos around the bridge.


On the way to the Buddha Gaya Pagoda, the beauty of the Mon way of life is truly a bridge of smiles.

**A short drive brought us to the Mahabodhi Stupa. The journey was easy, and the views were spectacular. We asked for directions along the way and didn't get lost.

The Mahabodhi Stupa is a large monument adorned with a 400-baht gold umbrella. It houses the sacred relics of the Buddha, brought from Sri Lanka by Luang Pho Uttama. The stupa was built upon Luang Pho Uttama's request to enshrine the relics, including a fragment of the Buddha's right thumb bone, no larger than a grain of rice. It serves as a sacred place of worship for Buddhists.**

The Buddha Gaya Pagoda, located approximately 650 meters from Wat Wang Khanai, was initiated in 1978 by Luang Pho Uttama. Inspired by the original Mahabodhi Temple in India, the pagoda serves as a central location for Buddhists of all nationalities. Construction was funded entirely by donations from Luang Pho Uttama's devotees, including cash, gold, and building materials. Around 400 local Mon villagers, both men and women, contributed by hand-crafting 260,000 clay bricks. In 1982, the pagoda was reinforced with concrete and steel.




The second temple, Wat Wang Wiwekaram (new), is located nearby and can be reached by car. This temple houses eight red wooden pillars salvaged from the original temple that was submerged underwater. Wat Wang Wiwekaram, also known as "Luang Pho Uttama's Temple," is not only a significant tourist destination in Sangkhla Buri district but also a highly revered temple for local residents and a spiritual center for the diverse ethnicities residing in the district, including Thais and Karen people. Notably, for Thai people of Mon descent, Luang Pho Uttama is considered a "deity of the Mon people." Wat Wang Wiwekaram was built due to the strong faith in Luang Pho and served as his residence during his time as a monk. Therefore, the temple is seen as a representation of Luang Pho and a sacred place for the Mon people to perform their traditional ceremonies and host other events. For instance, every February, the temple holds an event commemorating Luang Pho Uttama's birthday, featuring various activities, religious ceremonies, traditional boxing matches, and cultural performances such as Mon dances and Karen "tong" dances. Additionally, participants dress in traditional Thai-Mon attire.

The temple complex houses several significant buildings open to visitors and worshippers. These include:
- The Nine-Spires Pagoda

- Marble Sanctuary

- The ordination hall

  • Mammoth ivory


**


The text describes a scene filled with beautiful photographs, possibly taken at a temple. The writer expresses gratitude for the opportunity to view these images.

Here's a breakdown of the translation:

  • มีรูปถ่ายสวยๆให้ชมเต็มไปหมดเลยค่ะ … - This translates to "There are beautiful photos everywhere to see…"
  • (ขอบคุณภาพสวยๆที่วัดนะคะ) - This translates to "(Thank you for the beautiful pictures at the temple)."

The writer's tone is appreciative and joyful, suggesting they enjoyed the experience of viewing the photographs.



After visiting Wat Wang Wiwekaram (New), we still had some time left, so we decided to drive to see the raft at Songkalia River. It was about 5 kilometers away, or a 20-minute drive. However, when we arrived, we turned around and left because the water was flowing very strongly, and there were not many shops.


On the way back, we stopped for lunch at the market and bought tickets back to Kanchanaburi Bus Terminal at 12.20 pm. We asked a motorbike taxi to pick us up at our accommodation.

In conclusion, we arrived home around 7 pm.


The total cost of the trip was 1,105 baht, excluding food, souvenirs, and motorbike taxis.

1. The fare for a Happy van from Mo Chit 2 to Kanchanaburi Bus Terminal is 120 baht one way and 240 baht round trip.

2. The fare for a van from Kanchanaburi Bus Terminal to Sangkhlaburi is 175 baht one way and 350 baht round trip.

3. Accommodation cost 800 baht divided by 2 equals 400 baht.

4. Boat charter fee to visit the temple: 65 baht per person.

5. Car rental fee: 50 baht per person


#kanchanaburi#sangkhla buri
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