It is no secret among my friends that in any plan for road cycling longer than 20km in total they can freely count me out. So when one of them insisted that I go explore his hometown near Bangkok, despite the obvious fact that it involves almost twice the distance I'm willing to ride, I knew there must be something special and worthwhile.
Nok is a Thai of Mon descent. He lives in Sam Khok, Pathum Thani, one of the areas with large Mon communities where people still take pride in their history and cultural heritage. On several occasions from the times of King Narai of Ayutthaya to the first reigns of the current Rattanakosin period, Mon people fled wars and migrated en masse from their homeland in what is now southern Myanmar to settle down in Sam Khok and nearby areas on both sides of the Chao Phraya River. No doubt, these parts of Pathum Thani are also rich with interesting Mon-style temples and farmland.
Together with a dozen of local cyclists, we started our ride from Nok's home near Wat Bang Luang on the west side of the Chao Phraya, skipping the temple to save it as the last stop on our way back. We headed first to Pathum Thani's old city hall, which was about 3km further north. The century-old building, which now serves as a local museum, sits near the river among a cluster of several other beautiful contemporary structures, including the official residence of the provincial governor and a white floating reception pavilion.
After taking a souvenir group photo in front of the former city hall, Nok led everybody on a narrow lane that runs through a community to our next stop not so far away, Wat Hong. The word hong in the name of this temple by the Chao Phraya refers to a mythical bird that is a sacred symbol of the Mon people. However, the animals that draw visitors to the temple are not those with wings, but fins. The river at the back of Wat Hong is teeming with fish. We had a great time feeding thousands of striped catfish, black ear catfish, silver barb and other species who emerged to feast in frenzy every time we threw food pellets in the water.
From Wat Hong, we continued northward on roads and alleys that follow the river, passing several riverside temples. Among them was Wat Sing, an Ayutthaya-period temple that houses a huge brick urn (it's the first time I ever saw such a thing) and a collection of old Buddha images and pottery. Sam Khok in the old days was famous for jars and other earthenware. Just across the road from Wat Sing is the site of some of the few remaining old kilns. Among the antiques kept in a semi-organised manner in the temple's multipurpose wooden building is a bed presented to a former abbot by King Rama II when he visited the area in 1815 and renamed Sam Khok as Pathum Thani. These days, Pathum Thani is used as the name of the province and Sam Khok is one of its districts.
Further upstream was Wat Chedi Thong, which boasts a set of scaled-down Mon style pagodas. The major pagoda, the one in golden colour standing in the middle, resembles the world-famous Shwedagon in Yangon. A stone's throw from it is a stupa guarded on four corners by sculptures of ancient warriors. I asked a vendor nearby why one of the sculptures was holding a pole with paper decorations at the top end. The answer was that it signified that somebody in the neighbourhood had recently passed away.
Our farthest stop was Wat Bot, near Chiang Rak Bridge. This place has gigantic statues, one of the Buddha and the other of a monk. But what impressed me was the market within the temple grounds, which offers a variety of goodies, from mango and sticky rice to deep-fried fish balls and various other fare, not to mention vegetables and other farm produce. I wish I could have brought home some of the duck eggs an auntie was selling. But I knew none of them would survive the long ride.
At the end of the return leg, as planned, we visited Wat Bang Luang to check out its mural paintings and revered Buddha images. Nok made sure we did not miss the beautiful curved bridge, which connects both sides of the temple's namesake canal.
Despite the long ride (according to my personal standards), it was a very enriching experience. I was also thankful that the route was made up mostly of sois and small roads with little traffic, so it was pretty safe.
Well, see you here again soon. Until then, if you have questions, news or biking insights you wish to share, please feel free to send an email to pongpetm@bangkokpost.co.th or go to Freewheel Bangkok community page on Facebook.
Pongpet Mekloy is the Bangkok Post's travel editor and a mountain bike freak.
- GPS co-ordinates (the old city hall):14°01'13.53" N 100°32'03.41" E
- Trail condition: Roads and small lanes.
- Distance: From my friend's home near Wat Bang Luang to Wat Bot and back, it's about 36km. Of course, you can tailor your route the way that suits you best.
- Getting there: Pathum Thani's old city hall is a convenient start point for the ride. There are many ways to get there. For example, you can take the Udon Rattaya Expressway out of Bangkok and get off at Si Saman exit, turning left towards Nonthaburi Bridge. At the other side of the Chao Phraya River, follow the Pathum Thani Sai Nai Road northwards and soon you will find the city hall.
- Parking: There's a big parking lot by the river near the old city hall.
- Food & drinks: Many restaurants, shops and markets can be found along the route. A little off the way, there's a famous coffee shop by Bang Toey canal that has a miniature rice field where children can have fun playing in the mud.
- What your family can enjoy while waiting: They can visit the area's several temples or find a riverside coffee shop to chill out.
- Accommodation: Pathum Thani is close to Bangkok. But if you really wish to stay overnight, there are small hotels and resorts available.
- Local contact: Contact Sparrow Kun (Nok) via Facebook.
