Money Town

Wat Arun

This is the 3rd walk in Kenneth Barrett's book 22 Walks in Bangkok and the longest so far.  I decided to help myself with the amount of time required for the walk by getting a taxi all the way to the start at Wat Arun.  This isn't the starting point suggested by Mr Barrett but it is a more practical place to start  than Wichaiprasit Fort which is his first point of interest.  Indeed I wasn't even sure I could view this place up closely as I felt a little nervous about using the road suggested to get there.

Wat Arun Detail

Wat Arun (or Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan to give it its full name) did seem like a more appropriate starting point and as one of the most famous sights in Bangkok I did think it warranted a good amount of my time.  As temples go it is unusual in that you get to climb up part of it and that enhances the view out of the Chao Praya River, which it stands adjacent to.  The night time view of the temple lit up with the river in the foreground is one of the iconic views of Thailand.  I have seen few pictures of it up really close though and this is a shame for the decoration and detail is exquisite.  I was captivated by all the figures and imagery that adorn the walls, whether it be the central prang (which is the tallest in Thailand incidentally) or the supporting ones.  I spent a fascinating half an hour inspecting all the figures that are carved into the sides and then went down to the river to see how the majority of people see the temple when they visit.  Most people come by river and it is easy to see why - it's a far more pleasing way to arrive than through the back door as I did.

Siamese Selfie

The river was as crazy as ever - so many vessels roaring up and down that the surface of the water is continually choppy.  In the water were large fish being fed by the locals and egrets and herons using the floating weed as vantage points from which to look for any opportunities.  The boats bringing tourists stayed as briefly as needed to disgorge their passengers before racing off to the next pier.  On shore were people from all corners of the world coming to visit this most famous of Bangkok sights.  The small grouping that caught my eye the most were some Thai ladies dressed in their Siamese finery taking selfies of each other.  Beside them were a couple of cats lazing in the shadows seemingly oblivious to all the hullabaloo going on around them.

Tonson Mosque

Having given the temple a good once over I decided to push on.  The guidebook suggests that it is possible to view Wang Derm Palace, Wichaiprasit Fort and Wat Molilokayaram.  The reality is that the Palace is off limits within the navy headquarters, while the fort is only visible from the river (or indeed from Wat Kanlayanamit on the Old Harbour walk) and Wat Molilokayaram is almost  invisible and not nearly as interesting as temples later in the walk.  Apparently it is a lot more important than its surreptitious presence suggests, being an important study centre for Buddhist monks. I passed by all of them quickly and passed underneath the main road to find Tonson Mosque on the other side.  This is the oldest mosque in Bangkok although the present structure is not the original - it was rebuilt in 1827 and again in 1954.  It presents quite a contrast to the Buddhist temples, being rather plainer in style but unmistakably Arab looking.

Wall Art

I walked along the narrow soi running alongside the mosque and was rather taken by the artwork that had been applied to the wall alongside.  Of particular note was a military man (or merely a postman?  difficult to tell) in a kayak seeming to be delivering a letter and alongside a scene showing basket weaving and children playing.  I'm not sure of the significance of these pieces of artwork but they aren't unusual in Bangkok or even other places in Thailand that I have visited.  At the end of the soi was a rather good looking Wat, this one called Wat Hong Rattanaram.  It was set in some very colourful looking grounds and the blossom and flowers were particularly eye-catching.  However, I soon realised on closer inspection that none of them were real!  I guess it helps with maintenance...

Plastic Orchid

I pushed on down the soi and followed a moped making heavy weather of the journey principally because of the load on the back, which I can only describe as large bags of pork scratchings (of course they may have been no such thing!).  I also watched the postman carrying large piles of letters and parcels to the dozens of addresses crammed into quite a small area.  Doing so from his small moped seemed like a world away from the huge trolleys and vans employed in the UK to perform the same task.  At the corner was another mosque although this one was a little plainer than Tonson Mosque.  The Arabic writing along the side of the building did catch my eye though - it almost looks like a work of art in itself.

Wat Ratchasittharam

I crossed yet another very busy road by means of a footbridge.  One thing that always catches my eye as I negotiate these bridges is the tangle of wires that are attached to the support columns - it is usually pretty easy to reach out and touch them if you want to.  I assume they are sufficiently insulated but one can never take anything fro granted in Thailand.  I walked along the road for a few blocks and dived down a side road to the left to reach Wat Ratchasittharam passing through a huge decorated archway as I did so.  I've never quite understood the significance of these archways, of which there are many in Bangkok.  I've always assumed they are to mark the entering of a neighbourhood associated with a particular Buddhist temple - perhaps someone might enlighten me?  In this case it felt almost like I entered a rural area as it was so quiet compared to the busy main road I had been walking along.  The temple was deserted but it did warrant further investigation for its beautiful artwork depicting scenes of The Buddha's Life and the Royal Barge Procession in particular.

Fruit Stall

I retraced my steps back to the main road and soon came upon a young lady keen to practice her English on me.  We passed the time of day, which most consisted of her complaining how hot it was.  Strangely I wasn't suffering that much but I empathised with her and she seemed happy with our discourse.  A little further on and I came upon the shuttered entrance to an MRT station.  This won't be open until later in the year when the extension of the Blue Line opens west of Hua Lumphong Station.  When the MRT does come it will open this part of Bangkok up to a whole new set of travellers that can get to Wat Arun more easily than using the river services.  It will be interesting to see what effect the new services have on traffic too.

Temple Visitors

By now people were gearing up for lunch.  Alongside the main road the barbecues were fired up and the skewered meat was being cooked ready for the passing trade.  Bags of fruit were arranged and market stalls were prepared.  I always wonder how much of the food they actually sell for there appears to be copious quantities of all of it.  The main road was abuzz with traffic and little seemed to be stopping at this stage.  I was curious about the song thaew services - they seemed to be operated by the smallest and largest ones I had ever seen - at one extreme were crammed converted tuk tuks while at the other were almost like lorries.  I took a look at the two temples along this part of the road - the first was a very golden affair and not deemed worthy of a mention by the guide book while the second called Wat Chinoros was very white.  It was while here that I started having a little trouble with the suggested route as it didn't seem to make a lot of sense.  I had to double back from here to cross to Wat Khrua Ran - the two temples seemed to be the wrong way around.  On the road between them I cam upon one of the murals similar to one I had seen earlier although in this case it was in glorious technicolour rather than being in black and white.

Former Royal Residence

I crossed yet another main road via a footbridge and past a restaurant absolutely packed to the gunnels - not sure what its secret was compared to the many other places nearby.  Maybe its proximity to the naval quarters was a clue?  Wat Khrua Won did not detain me as it looked off limits to casual visitors and I wandered north along Arun Amarin Road, still surprisingly close to Wat Arun considering how much I had walked by this point.  I crossed over a khlong (canal) and the road immediately widened out.  Not far past this point I reached the southern extent of the next section of Skytrain to be constructed; I assume another section of the Blue Line which will continue on to Tao Poon and complete the loop that it will eventually become.  This section of the line will no doubt be very useful for those serving in the Thai Royal Navy for to my right were the various buildings associated with this part of the Thai armed forces. 

Feeding Frenzy

I walked completely beyond the naval headquarters before diving down a side road to my right that led to Wat Rakhong, the eighth of the walk so far.  This was perhaps my favourite of the day and I spent a little time here listening to the bells that were being played and the ceremonial acts that were being performed in different parts of the temple including the presentation of offerings and lighting candles.  It was a far busier temple than any I had yet been to and was clearly one in general day to day use rather than just being a tourist attraction.  I was able to walk around to the other side were there was an old fashioned teak house that was once the king's former residence.  It seemed a little small by modern standards for such a purpose and now serves as a library.  The house is on stilts for it once stood in a pond but this has now been filled in and in its place is a shaded seating area that I was glad to make use of.

Welcome Party

After a few minutes I took the opportunity to wander over to the river on the other side of the temple.  This was once again clearly the best way to arrive at the temple for the view backwards was most appealing.  The pier is guarded by a couple of naval statues that look like they are part cartoon and part standing to proper attention.  They are clearly oblivious to all the vendors that have set up shop here to see to the needs of tourists getting off the Chao Phraya boats.  They even include fish food and feeding the fish is a popular activity here too, fuelling a feeding frenzy in the water.  This area is geared around the jetty for not only is the temple a draw but also the Patravadi Theatre, which acts simultaneously as a live venue and a school for performing arts.  Next door is a lovely looking house that was the home of Khunying Supatra Singholka, a woman who did an awful lot to promote women's rights in 20th Century Thailand.  She was also the owner of a shipping line for the boats along the Chao Phraya river so would probably enjoy the fact that her home is now an upmarket restaurant.

Skytrain Construction

I found the walk really confusing in this area as seemed to switch back and forth between Arun Amarin Road and Itsaphrap Road.  The suggested route appeared to require me to double back to Ban Matoom and Bang Chan Lo so I could see these areas of ancient commerec.  However the construction work for the skytrain appeared to preclude this and after trying to find it for a while I gave up feeling rather frustrated.  The same applied to Ban Khao Mao further on although this was more about me not having much confidence that I would see much.  I instead headed for Wat Sutthawat, a small temple set in a courtyard away from the main road and surrounded by flats.  It wasn't really open for inspection and so I continued on my way heading past a market that was starting to prepare for the evening's activities.  It was here that I saw the sort of wildlife that I didn't much fancy bumping into - a rather large rat that was wandering along the side of one of the stalls as bold as brass.

Wildlife

I proceeded through the market watching the stallholders getting all the deliveries of fruits and vegetables ready for the evening before finally managing to cross the railway that was the obstacle to me getting to Wat Suwannaram.  Above the level crossing is the new skytrain station for the area, contrasting beautifully with the bumpy and almost disused looking track of the branch line that leads to Thonburi station, something of a backwater on the Thai rail system these days.  I crossed the line and doubled back on the other side to find Wat Suwannaram further on.  This old temple is located besides a rather busy khlong where long tailed boats sped up and down.  They wisely kept their distance from the rather fierce looking snake sculptures lined up alongside the dock for the temple.  They also seemed to protect a number of very sleepy looking Thai men on the dock - I took it that they were long tailed boat drivers in between shifts.  I tiptoed past them and headed on my way.

Don't Come Close!

The next section of walk was for me perhaps the most enjoyable of the whole day for although it seemed incoherent on the map in real life it was anything but.  I found my way to Wat Thong market which was deserted and headed through it to walk through the Ban Bu district.  This is an area of dense housing with only footpaths through it (although it didn't preclude the use of motorbikes as I soon found out).  It was a shady path courtesy of awnings across sheltering me from the sun which I was most glad of.  Ultimately the path ended up at the locomotive depot at Thonburi and just across from my position was engine number 850.  In keeping with its British counterpart, the very handsome Lord Nelson (also engine number 850) this one has equally good looks but there the similarity ends as this one is in black livery.  I was really pleased to be so close to the railway depot, it was like being at a heritage railway.  There was a fair amount of activity belying the backwater feel of this railway station.

Ban Bu

Thonburi station was once a major terminus on the Thai railway system but most services were diverted to Hua Lumphong decades ago and the original station has now been subsumed within an enormous hospital complex.  It is only when you get to the river side of the building that you realise that the hospital has effectively been built around the old station, which is mostly still in existence.  An old Japanese railway engine which has been tarted up with a lick of new paint is now the centrepiece of what remains of what was once an extensive station yard.  The clock tower is the only clue to untutored eyes that this was a railway station.  The park created from what was once th entrance to the station is most agreeable and for me the centrepiece was definitely the frangipani tree in full bloom.

Thonburi Depot

I took the boat from here back into central Bangkok and then on to home.  I had mixed feelings about this walk.  It is true that  there are some fantastic sights along the way but for me there was too much crammed in and the route too convoluted to make it as enjoyable as it could have been.  Doing the walk in the four hours suggested is unrealistic and in the heat much of the route finding was frustrating and ultimately in vain on occasion as construction and/ or progress means that the place isn't how it was described in the book.  I might explore this area again though, simplifying the route and leaving out some of the more minor points along the way.  My instinct is that this part of the city will look very different once the MRT Blue line opens it up as surely gentrification and further modernisation will follow.  This will undoubtedly be a mixed blessing for there is a good deal of charm that I saw on this walk that will be lost forever.

Former Thonburi Station