Buriram - Thailand

Drive to Isaan

When I visited the giant Khmer temples of Angkor in Cambodia a few years ago, I also heard about a few small replicas in Thailand. And now, as the final piece of my trip this year, I had to visit them. What looks easy on the map turns out to be a day trip in reality.

In the morning, I took the bus from Sukhothai to Pitsanulok, as there is no train connection in Sukhothai. After an hour, I reached Pitsanulok train station, where a train to Bangkok should take me the next 7 hours. This time, I decided to book 3rd class. That means no air conditioning, open windows, and lots of lively vendors. There were many things offered here. From rice with chicken or pork, grilled chicken legs, boiled eggs, sticky rice with mango, coffee, iced coffee, and soft drinks, there was something for everyone. I had a window seat, which always provided a fresh breeze during the journey, but also direct and unobstructed diesel fumes from the snorting locomotive at the front of the train. However, it became increasingly stuffy on the train in the afternoon. You had to hope that the train would always remain in motion.

We reached Bangkok 'Doing Mueang' Station at 6pm. Here, without the wind during the journey, I felt like I had been run over by the train. But all I had here was the dream of a shower, a faucet with lukewarm water had to suffice for refreshment. Bangkok was, of course, not my final destination today. I used the following 2 hours to stuff myself with a noodle soup, a fruit salad, and some coconut pancakes. At 8pm, my next train arrived, which took me to Buriram for the next 6 hours. Luckily, I managed to get a place in the 2nd class sleeper car, what comfort. However, solid sleep was rather impossible with constant shaking and tossing. At 2:30am, I stood in 'Lam Plai Mat', a small town just before Buriram. The streets here at this time were deserted, in the distance, one or two cars could be seen as if in a dream. I still had to walk 1.5 km to my accommodation. The way seemed endless, and it was now also the hour of the dogs, but not the friendly ones you meet here during the day. No, now came the ones that would gladly eat me. How could I disturb their beauty sleep? But as the saying goes, barking dogs don't bite, and they all barked at every house I passed. But I reached my accommodation unharmed, where the still awake owner was already waiting for me.

Now I was somewhere in the middle of nowhere, and without a scooter, nothing was possible here. After breakfast, I took a suburb train to nearby Buriram and rented a scooter here for the next 3 days.

Phanom Rung

The next day, I drove to Phanom Rung, where there were Khmer temples on the Thai side. I had to drive 70 km to reach this site. What I found here were 2 impressive temple complexes, but comparably tiny compared to the big brother in Angkor. Nevertheless, the 'Phanom Rung' hidden on a mountain and the nearby 'Prasat Mueang Tam' 8 km away, at the foot of the mountain, in the middle of a small village, are definitely worth a visit.

It is clear that with a visit here, you are a bit off the beaten tourist path, but that's exactly what I'm always looking for over and over again.