Chainat
Chainat General Information
Chainat is located on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. The community was moved from the old site at Sankhaburi in the reign of King Rama IV. Chainat was an important town used several times as a base to confront the Burmese army. Every time, the Burmese were defeated, thus originating the name of Chainat which means a place of victory.
Chainat occupies an area of 2,469 square kilometres and is administratively divided into 6 districts: Amphoe Muang Chai Nat, Amphoe Hankha, Amphoe Manorom, Amphoe Sankhaburi, Amphoe Sapphaya, Amphoe Wat Sing, and 2 sub-districts: King Amphoe Nong Mamong and King Amphoe Noen Kham.
Chainat Festival Information
- Straw Bird Fair
Straw Bird Fair This annual fair is organized by making good use of straw, a by-product in rice farming. Various species of huge straw birds will come perching on elaborately decorated floats during the straw bird procession in early February of each year. After the competition, all straw birds will be displayed at the Chainat Bird Park. Local products and agricultural crops will also be available in the fair.
Chainat Attactions Information
- Chainat Bird Park
This is located 4 kilometres before arriving in Chainat. Birds of more than 100 species live in a huge cage which maintains a natural environment. The park also has an aquarium which has a collection of various kinds of freshwater fish found in the Chao Phraya River. Local products such as bird models, wickerwork, and pomelo is available at the shops in the park.
- Wat Phra Borommathat Worawihan
This is an old temple on the bank of the Chao Phraya River. Located 4 kilometres from the town, it can be accessible by Route Nos. 340 and 3183. There is an old pagoda housing Lord Buddhas relics. It had been originally constructed with laterite in the Khmer period and was renovated in the Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin periods.
- Wat Saket
This area is located to the south of Ko Chang close to Salak Petch Bay. It is the area where the battle between the Thai and French Naval forces was fought over the eastern border conflict. The Thai Navy holds an annual event to commemorate the combat victory and make merit for the dead naval forces on 17 January.
- Aquarium
Is near the intersection in front of Ang Thong Provincial Prison. Here you can find a lot of huge Amazon serpent-headed fish and other native fish like rad (gouramy), sawai (genus Pangasius), thepo (genus Pangasius).
- Ban Bang Sadet Court Doll Center
Is a high raised Thai house behind Wat Tha Sutthawat in Tambon Ban Bang Sadet. The former name of this Tambon was Tambon Ban Wattan. When Their Majesties the King and the Queen visited and offered help to those who suffered from flood in 1975, the people were overwhelmingly pleased with their Majesties presence and contributions. In remembrance of their gratitude to Their Majesties, the people approvingly changed the name of Ban Wattan to Ban Bang Sadet.
The establishment of Ban Bang Sadet Court Doll Project was initiated by Her Majesty the Queen in 1976. Its main purpose is to help the villagers earn supplementary income. Besides admiring the shaded and magnificent scene over the bank of the Chao Phraya River, visitors can observe court doll production in the friendly villagers' houses. Center of collaboration in the form of a co-operative system resides at Ban Bang Sadet Court Doll Center. Some project members will demonstrate court doll making and the products on sale are available at fair price. Court dolls are the exotic clay invention displaying Thai-style course of life and culture, e.g. Thai childrens' recreation, Thai orchestra or various types of Thai fruits appropriate as souvenirs.
- Drum-Making Village
Is located in Tambon Ekkarat, behind Pa Mok market on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. Take the inner road passing Amphoe Pa Mok Municipality Office running parallel to the irrigation canal for approximately 17 kilometers. From time to time, drum shops can be found on both sides of the road. People of Ban Phae have begun producing drums since 1927 after the harvesting season. The raw materials used are cowhide and rain tree wood because its texture is soft and able to be dug easily. We can observe drum-making procedures starting from lathing wood, laying cowhide sheet, and embedding pins. We can find sophisticated and magnificent drums here in various sizes, good for souvenirs. If you go passing the Tambon chief's (Hongfah Yodyoi) house, you will find the largest drum in the world of 3692 cm wide and 7.6 meters long, made of 6 pieces of connecting Albizzia lebbek. It was built in 1994 and taken about one year to complete.
- Wat Pa Mok Worawihan
Is located in municipal Tambon Pa Mok on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River approximately 18 kilometers away from Amphoe Mueang. Take Highway No. 309 (Ang Thong Ayutthaya route) at Km 40, then take Highway No. 329 and 3501 to find a signage to Wat Pa Mok. In the temple compound, there is a beautiful gilded reclining Buddha made of brick, and plaster. The image is 22.58 meters from the topknot to the feet. It is assumed to have been constructed in the Sukhothai period. Legend of this Buddha image was that he floated along the river and sank in front of this temple. People offered sacrifices to the Buddha image before pulling him from the river to house on the riverbank. In the royal chronicle, it is mentioned that before leading his army to attack Phra Maha Upparacha, King Naresuan the Great stopped at this temple to gather his troops and paid homage to the image.
Due to the erosion on the riverbank near wihan, King Sisanphet III commanded Phraya Ratchasongkhram to lead the removal of Buddha image from the riverbank. King Thai Sa controlled this removal and invited the Buddha image to enshrine in the new wihan in Wat Talad, 168 meters away from the river. Later the King commanded to merge Wat Talad and Wat Chipakhao into one temple and renamed as Wat Pa Mok due to the abundance of Wrightia religiosa (Mok) trees all around. Besides the reclining Buddha, this temple is famous for wihan Khian, where the wall confronting to the river has a tall stand formerly used by the King, mondop of 4-foot prints, and tower of monastic library, etc.
- Bats at Wat Chantharam
Wat Chantharam is an old temple locating in Ban Chang, Mu 5, Tambon Khok Phutsa, approximately 4 kilometers to the west of Pho Thong District Office. Take Pho Thong Sawaengha Road for approximately 1 kilometer and then turn left for another 3 kilometers. Inside the precinct of this temple is crowded with trees, which have become habitats for numerous basted birds for centuries. These bats look for food at night, whereas during daytime, they hang themselves upside down along the black-color branches to be seen from distance. Visitors can enjoy visiting them in every season.
- Fish Park at Wat Khoi
Is located at the Noi River in front of Wat Khoi, Mu 1, Tambon Pho Rang Nok, 12 kilometers from Ang Thong province. Take Ang Thong Wiset Chai Chan route, on Highway No. 3151 Km 27-28, you will find the signboard of the Fish Park at Wat Khoi, then turn right to take a short cut along irrigation canal for approximately 2.3 kilometers. Fish at Wat Khoi have been abundant for 50 years since Phrakhru Sukitwichan (Luangpho Khem) was an abbot. Later in 1985, Phrakhru Sorakitchaton, the present abbot had the place renovated. With the coordination from the Office of Amphoe Pho Thong Fisheries, this venue was declared as a fish sanctuary. The police will see that the fish are not disturbed. At present, there are various species of fish living together over 50,000 e.g. sawai (genus Pangasius), rad (gouramy), thepo (genus Pangasius), buek (Pangasianodon gigas), tapian (carp), etc. Fish foods are available for visitors to enjoy feeding them. Beverage stalls are also available.
Within Wat Khoi compound, another attraction is an ancient Thai-style teak temple hall of religious instruction built on eight-angle pillars. Under the temple hall, various kinds of antiques are exhibited e.g. boats from China such as towing boat, sculling boat, Thai-style gondola, and covering boat. Collections of tools and equipment used in growing rice e.g. cart, wheel, and plough handle are also displayed. Aquaculture harvest equipment like bamboo fishing trap can also be found. Besides, there are mondop, wihan, chedi, ubosot, monks' compartment, praying hall, historic remains of ancient classroom and antiques from foreign countries e.g. ancient lamp from Washington D.C., ancient clock from Paris, and teak monastic cabinet from China in the reign of King Rama V, or ancient cradle. Neighbors in this area established Coarse Rice Production Center in a form of cooperatives for distribution to the public. Local museum displays various kinds of ancient boats e.g. towing boat and sculling boat, and farmers' equipments e.g. stone mortar, hand rice mill, rice winnowing basket, etc., which clearly review life style of the Thai people in the central region.
- Ban Khu Mueang
Is located in Tambon Ban Phai, 4 kilometers from the north of Sawaeng Ha District and 3 kilometers from Bang Rachan stockade. At Ban Khu Mueang, archaeologists discovered ruins of an ancient city, which presumably existed during Thwarawadi period. Its evidence shows a wide ancient moat and earthen mound, some fragments of pottery, animal bones, beads, and medicine grinding stone. At present, it is a simple canal without any traces of historical sites.
- Bird Sanctuary
Is located at Mu 2, Ban Riowa, Tambon Ban Phran, 24 kilometers from Ang Thong province. Take Pho Thong Sawaeng Ha Road (Highway No. 3054) Km 18-19, turn into Ban Tambon Nongmaekai until reaching Nongmaekai School. Then go along the laterite road for 6 kilometers until you reach Wat Riowa. In this temple, thousands of birds of various species naturally dwell there including the egret, heron, open-billed stork, night heron, cormorant kingfisher, etc. Certain kinds nearly become extinct and cannot easily be seen in other places.
- Nai Dok Nai Thongkaeo Monument
Is located in front of Wiset Chai Chan Witthayakhom School at Mu 2, Tambon Phaichamsin. Follow Ang Thong Wiset Chai Chan route between Km 26-27 for approximately 1.5 kilometers into Soi Pu Dok Pu Thongkaeo 16. This monument was constructed by Wiset Chai Chan together with Ang Thong people to commemorate the two heroes of Ban Pho Thalay, Wiset Chai Chan people, and Grandpa Dok and Thongkaeo who sacrificed their lives in the battle with Burmese at Ban Khai Bang Rachan prior to the defeat of Ayutthaya in 1766. Crown Prince Wachiralongkorn on behalf of His Majesty the King presided over the opening ceremony of this monument in 1977.
- Wat Khian
Is another ancient temple locating at Mu 8, Tambon Sanchao Rongthong, near Wat Wiset Chai Chan, which is 12 kilometers from Amphoe Mueang. Follow Highway No. 3454 for approximately 1 kilometer. Inside the ubosot are exquisite mural paintings featuring stories of 10 former incarnations of the Lord Buddha, which were presumably the workmanship of a painter school in Mueang Wiset Chai Chan in the late Ayutthaya period. The painting features are similar to those painted in the same period being in the ubosot to Wat Ko and Wat Yai Suwannaram in Phetchburi Province.
**Information Reference : tourismthailand.org
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