A story told by Pracob Cooparat
Introduction
It was a trip planned long time ago, but couldn’t be finalized until very late of the year. However we could make it during the early days of December 2009, before the King’s Birthday, which was a long holiday.
Instead of going by plane, we all joined as a group of acquainted friends. I and my wife Dr. Nattanipha Cooparat were among the most senior of the group of six travelers. We got a microbus, arranged by one of our participants. It was a Toyota Commuter, 12 seaters, using CNG, which made our trip very cost effective in term of using subsidized source of power for the vehicle.
It was a 3 day trips started as early as 8:00 am at our house at Soi Aree Samphan 5, Phaholyothin Road, Bangkok. We got into the white microbus, which would be our vehicle throughout the trip of 3 days and 2 nights.
The group members are: Dr. Pracob Cooparat (me), Dr. Nattanipha Cooparat (my wife), Aj. Supaporn Tummasiri, the organizer, Aj. Ekatip from The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), Aj. Waraporn from the Police Academy, Aj. Anchalee, a secondary school director, Under the Office of Basic Education Commission, Ministry of Education.
Aj. Supaporn Tummasiri, besides being a competent university professor in the field of computer sciences, had quite good experiences in real estate development as well as maintenance management. I and my wife were planning to join investment in our family business in developing an apartment building with about 70 units in Soi Aree Samphan, Bangkok. We had to learn something and in this particular subject, she is our teachers. She and her family had develop real estate projects: like service apartments in Bangkok, and Pattaya, and also a hotel in Chiangmai, which was the destination of this trip.
Our main destination was to see and really experience a special kind of hotel, they called “Ketawa Stylish Hotel”, Chiangmai City, Chiangmai Province. We planned to stay for 2 days there, and along the trip to and back from Chiangmai, we planned to visit some tourist place along the way.
Supaporn Tummasiri
Our final destination is Ketawa Stylish Hotel in Chiangmai City (Muang Chiangmai), Chiangmai Province.
Ketawa Stylish Hotel
Address: 121/1 Charoenmuang Soi1 /
Bumroongraj Soi2, T.Wat Gate,
A. Muang District, Chiangmai Province
Picture: From left to right: Anchalee, Waraporn,
Ekatip, Nattanipha, and Supaporn
From left to right: Ekatip, Supaporn,
Nattanipha, Anchalee, and Waraporn
A Trip to Chiangmai - Day 1
A story told by Pracob Cooparat
Group Members
Aj. Supaporn Tummasiri
Instread of going by plane, we join a group of acquainted friends. Amd went by a microbus. The group members are:
Dr. Nattanipha Cooparat, a retired staff of the Faculty of Education
Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok
Aj. Supaporn Tummasiri
Aj. Ekatip
Aj. Anchalee
Dr. Pracob Cooparat
Aj. is from the word in Thai, "Ajarn", a name for calling someone with teaching profession, like professor in Europe.
On December 1, 2009
At 7.51am – Everyone was ready to have a long trip to Chiangmai. started quite early from our home in Soi Aree Samphan 5, Phaholyothin Road, Bangkok.
We took the 2nd State Expressway (Toll road) at Rama VI entrance to go up north. The traffic was beginning to be heavy. Since we used the Toll road out of town during the rush hour, so it was quite OK.
Traveling had always been exciting and refreshing to me. And I knew that the trip to Chiangmai would be long. I studied the Google Map later and found that the distance between Bangkok and Chiangmai was 732 km. and took around 11 hours and 11 minutes of driving time. Usually, we could go faster if we drove at 100-110 km per hour, with fewer and shorter stops.
Our microbus continued onto Rout 31. We passed Nonthaburi Province, Pathum Thani Province, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, the former capital city of Thailand. Then through Ang Thong Province,
Ang Thong Province, Sing Buri Province, and Muang Nakhon Sawan, the gateway to the north. Muang Nakhon Sawan was about 231 km. 3 hours 18 minutes of driving time. from Bangkok.
Our Microbus
Toyota Commuter 12 seats in 4 rolls,
Toyota Commuter 12 seeaters
Our Driver
Khun Kob is the nickname, means Frog.
Sitting Comfortably
The microbus was the new Toyota commuter,
using Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
So the fuel cost was just half of the regular gasolene.
Buying Some Local Products
Along the way we stopped first at a shop before arriving at Nakhon Sawan
At the Rest Area
Along the Highway to the north, there were many rest area, gas station
restaurant, coffee shop, all together in one.
From Left: Supaporn and Nattanipha
Coffee shop, We ordered freshly brewed cups of coffee,
for our morning breakfast.
If you have more days of traveling, you may stop at Nakhon Sawan, the gate to the north.
The word Nakhon originates from the Sanskrit word Nagara meaning city, and the word Sawan from Sanskrit svarga meaning heaven. Hence the name of the province literally means Heaven City.
The Ping and Nan rivers merge near the city of Nakhon Sawan to form the Chao Phraya River. The Mae Wong National Park on the border with Khamphaeng Phet province was created in 1987 to preserve the Mae Wong-Mae Poen jungle.
Bueng Boraphet
If you like the nature, spend sometime at the Bueng Boraphat (may be seen different spell, as Bung Boraphet.
From Widipedia - Bueng Boraphet is the largest freshwater swamp in Thailand, in total covering 212 km². The swamp is located directly east of the town Nakhon Sawan and extends into the districts Tha Tako and Chum Saeng. During the winter months many waterfowls migrate there. Parts of the swamp are protected as a non-hunting area.
Santuary for widelife, Bueng Boraphat, Nakhon Sawan Province
Bueng Boraphet - good for bird watchers,
Bueng Boraphat, Nakhon Sawan Province
Late Lunch at Mushroom Restaurant
12.00 hrs, lunch at Mushroom restaurant, Nakonchum, kampaengpech
Ordering food in a restaurant with menu of food all with variety of mushrooms
Exploring the menu - from left - Anchalee, Waraporn, and Ekatip
All kinds of mushrooms cooked with oyster sauces.
look closer
Fried stirred eggs, "Kai Jew" Thai styled homlette.
Variety of mushrooms - fried with vegetable oils and oyster sauce.
Yam Hed, or spicy Mushroom Salad
Taksin monument
King Taksin The Great
From Wikipedia - Taksin (Royal Institute: Somdet Phrachao Taksin Maharaj; Thai: สมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช 
listen (help·info) or Somdet Phra Chao Krung Thonburi; Thai: สมเด็จพระเจ้ากรุงธนบุรี; Chinese: 鄭昭; pinyin: Zhèng Zhāo; Teochew: Dênchao) (April 17, 1734 – April 7, 1782) was the only King of the Thonburi Kingdom. He is greatly revered by the Thai people for his leadership in liberating Siam from Burmese occupation after the Second Fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, and the subsequent unification of Siam after it fell under various warlords. He established the city Thonburi as the new capital, as the city Ayutthaya has been almost completely destroyed by the invaders. His reign was characterized by numerous wars, fought to repel new Burmese invasions and to subjugate the northern Thai kingdom of Lanna, the Laotian principalities, and a threatening Cambodia. He was succeeded by the Chakri dynasty and the Rattanakosin Kingdom under his long time friend King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke. In recognition for what he did for the Thais, he was later awarded the title of Maharaj (The Great).
Homage to the King Taksin, King Taksin Monument, Tak Province
Thai styled Swords - homage to the Worrior King,
Who led the fight for independence from Burmese.
King Taksin Monument, Tak Province
At the King Taksin Monument, Tak Province
At the King Taksin Monument, Tak Province
Yellow garlands and swords - homage to the Worrior King
Stutue of King Taksin the Great, Taksin Monument, Tak Province
Khuntan shrine
Khuntan shrine, Lampang Sanmuang Shrine, at the opposite side of the highway
This is the longest railway tunnel in Thailand, stretching for an impressive 1,352 feet and surrounded by flower gardens. German railway engineer Email Eisenhofer led the construction and his work is commemorated by a statue located in front of the Khuntan Railway Station. The Khuntan Shrine is also highly respected by the locals.
Beware of accidents, road sign near the Khun Tan Shrine
Lamphoon Province
Tribute to the Khuntan Shrine - to be safe from accident
along the mountainous highway, Lampang Province
Cars and truchs passing and honking their horns
while passing the Khuntan Shrine
If you have a half of a day more, visit the Wat Mahathat in Sukhothai Historical Park, Sukhothai Province
From Wikipedia - Sukhothai, meaning the Dawn of Happiness, was a town founded in the 13th century on the fringe of the Khmer empire. The exact year is unknown but according to the Fine Arts Office it was between 1238 and 1257. Founded by Phokhun Si Intharathit, it was the first truly independent Thai (Siamese) KingdomRamkhamhaeng, who was credited with creating the Khmer-derived Thai alphabet which is essentially the same as that in use today.[ after defeating the Khmers. Sukhothai enjoyed a golden age under their third king, King
Wat Mahathat in Sukhothai Historical Park
Wat Phathathariphunchai
Wat Phathathariphunchai, Lamphun, Muang District, Lamphun Province
Wat Phathathariphunchai, Lamphun,
Muang District, Lamphun Province
Wat Phathathariphunchai, near dark
Wat Phathathariphunchai, in side the Ubosot,
to pay homage to the Lord Buddha Image
Pay homage, in the tradition of Buddhists
Lanna architectural design, Wat Phathathariphunchai
Haripoonchai Temple, Wat, Lampoon
Market on the Bridge
The souvenir shop, on the walking brdge across the river.
in front of Wat Phathathariphunchai,
Among the last customers who shopped, Lamphoon Silk
Dinner at Dao Kanong Restuarant
18.44 hrs dinner at Dao Kanong Restuarant, Lamphoon Province
Thai Lanna food
Dao Kanong Restaurant, Lamphoon City
Just 26 Km from Chiangmai City
for we can order food, in Thai, we called Kao Gang
or Rice and Curry type.
There were many kinds of Lanna food you could order
Lanna mixed vegetable dish called "Gang Hoh"
Lanna Sausages, called "Sai Ua", quite spicy, you can eat it with rice.
Lanna Rice Noodle, called "Nom Chin Nam Ngew"
Night Bazaar
Night Bazaar, Chiangmai
We went to the Night Bazaar, in the city of Chiangmai
via localmicrobus called "Song Taw", or a vehicle with
two rows of seat, quite common, like Jeepney of the Philippines.
We came back to our Ketawar Stylish Hotel Chiangmai City around 22:00 hrs. not very late for we had a plan to tour Chiangmai quite early next morning.
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