Chanthaburi - Laem Sing

[genghis61]

There is also a small museum building featuring relics recovered from the archeological dig -the crockery identified as being of Chinese origin, photos recording the discovery of the hull of a Chinese barque which is now preserved in the adjoining building, estimated age 300 years; and some interesting old maps

..

and in the next building where the hull of the old ship is preserved under water; some nice fish also
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[genghis61]

As I mentioned, all a work in progress, they have more items than can be displayed and another large building is well under construction featuring what appears to be a modernised version of a ship from the era.

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Maps - won't fill the post with pics of them, but a small obsession with me, there was no info accompanying this one - note in the second pic mention of 'The Dwelling of the Hollanders' and a town of 'Amsterdam'

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Overall - in the mildly interesting category for the average tourist who like historic places; not a word of English anywhere I'd like to know more about the old ship preservation and origins of the maps. Great location by the river, just one small Thai-style cafe nearby.

. .

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There's a B Post article here for a little further reading
Warrior of independence
The story of King Taksin the Great and his army's retaking of Ayutthaya from the Burmese invaders

[Yemen]

Very nice thread, thanks for posting.

[keekwai]

So let me get this straight. King Taksin never actually made any ships in the "King Taksin Shipyards" ..and most of the archeological relics and ship are Chinese. It's one of the local "attractions" I haven't seen yet. I might jump on the bike this Saturday.

[genghis61]

^ I was cautious with wording, cannot find anything conclusive re T building ships there

from that BP article I quoted, sounds as though the ships were already there:

Mr Erbprem said: "The reason King Taksin the Great chose Chanthaburi as his base was because Chanthaburi was located the farthest distance from the Burmese and was abundant with natural resources and had a big river where many cannon-equipped junks were being docked.

"King Taksin needed to gather weapons and forces. Those junks were equipped with weapons and capable of carrying more weapons and towing small ships."

Kammanit Direksilp, head of King Taksin's Shipyard Museum at Samet Ngam in Chanthaburi, said King Taksin used Chanthaburi as his base for gathering junks to support his operation. It is believed he used a 4.4-square-kilometre area in Samet Ngam as his shipyard. This area is full of waterways and located only 4km away from the river mouth."

In 1981/2, the wreckage of a 24-metre-long and 8-metre-wide ship believed to be one of King Taksin's warships was unearthed there together with Chinese pottery. Similar wreckage and more than 100 ancient artefacts and carpenters' tools were later found at the site. There is archaeological evidence that suggests seven shipyards were lined up there at that time.

It took about six months for King Taksin the Great to prepare a naval fleet to regain Ayutthaya. The troops travelled by water from Chanthaburi past Rayong, Chon Buri, Pak Nam Samut Prakan, Thon Buri and Tambon Phaniad.

"In the 11th lunar month of the year of the pig (1767), the king led his 100-vessel naval fleet and 5,000 soldiers to depart Chanthaburi," reads the royal chronicle.

So seems he gathered his forces with ships there; some sites refer to it as 'dockyard' and it was an established trading point with Chinese . . .

That article says it was a warship, maybe it was, but not as I have read a Thai-built one, as they identified the wood as being a pine from southern China, and the crockery bits are also of Chinese origin.

It wasn't what I expected, but a nice trip all the same - we went by accident, looking for a temple and missed a turn somewhere, saw some signs and thought why not.

[keekwai]

^ I just looked up the Thai name for the place "อู่ต่อเรือ พระเจ้าตาก" (dock Taksin) .. อู่ต่อเรือ (oo dtor reua) means "dock or shipyard"

One of those "One size fits all" Thai words I suppose!

[genghis61]

'on tour' today, and stopped in Laem Sing for a late lunch.


The French jail and military barracks are still there . . .


Not one other person at the beach, and we had a 150-seat restaurant to ourselves. The sea was an unappealing shade of brown, silt carried down from the river a few hundred metres away


Views from the bridge - hills in the first pic are where we'd been earlier in the day, Namtok Phlio National Park


And the bridge, photo taken from north side


Cross the bridge to the north side, turn left and continue about 300m to the Chinese Chaopho Laemsing Shrine

[genghis61]

continuing north on the coast road - fish farms on the right and the Gulf of Thailand to the left. Road now completed and with cycle lanes each side the whole way - approx 50km of those extra red lanes.


9km north of Laem Sing then 400m inland - the spire is visible a long way off, Bunchaem Fa Stupa - 239 steps to the top. Much as I like trees - if they were to trim the ones surrounding the spire there would be spectacular 360 views, Gulf of Thailand, coast and inland rivers all in view.

From there, either back to the coast road which leads to Chao Lao (8km), or continue inland to Tha Mai and on to Chnathaburi

[Neo]

Excellent thread cheers, I never knew that was all there as I sped past on my way to Koh Chang so many times, it would make a good alternative.

[genghis61]

the coast road is part of a highway project called Buraphachollatit, which aims to create a scenic route along the coast linking the three eastern provinces. The Taksin Maharat Bridge at Laem Sing as opened May 2008, and think the one at south Chao Lao about the same.

Our first trip May 2010 there was about a 10km section rough/unsealed, but now the Laem Sing - Chao Lao section is completed , only roadworks some improvements and widening at the south end of CL over the hill.


Laem Sing from the air - and an idea of the size of some of the fish farms here



1. South end of Chao Lao beach and the only difficult hill on my cycling route - just to the left (out of picture) is the second major bridge on the coastal route
2. Laem Sing towards top right, and the southern end of Chao Lao at bottom left

[estonianinhelsinki]

What do you advise on staying at Faasai Resort, ten minutes walk from Kung Wiman beach? we (husband and I) plan to visit Thialand w 3 children in Dec-Jan.

The family owned Faasai looked intersting as I myself hate these Phuket type of resorts - however the girls 9, 12 and 15 and especially the 15 year old would like to see "other people" around. Could not find any resort type hotel at the chanthaburi beaches (in itself it should be a good sign ;-)

I have been backpacking to Koh Chang, (not to Koh Samet - ?? is it something?) on this side of Thailand. Then also have been backpacking to Krabi & PhI Phi islands in 1988 and Phuket resort in 2004 when the youngest was 2,5. So I have seen the resorts... Been alsobackpacking up north, Chiang Mai area.

Would like to find a good palce to stay for ca 1 week so the kids would also be happy and then plan to travel to Siem Riep to see Angkor Wat.

ps would you advise on renting a car in BKK airport and then drive by ourselves to Chanthaburi? Thought that then we are more independent and can explore the Chanthaburi area

[khmen]

Shit, where's all the great photo's from this thread gone?

Shame, they were really nice too.

[superman]

Stayed at Chao Lao the other week. The resort we used was Chanthaburi Hotel Chaolao Beach Hotel Resort Thailand Beaches BoomBoom Hotel and Resort We enjoyed it, and will use it again for sure.

[keekwai]

Boom Boom Hotel?

[superman]

I thought that. But take no notice of the name.

[estonianinhelsinki]

is it on the beach and how is the beach? noticed it is near the river mouth on the map
thanks

[superman]

It's within 300m of the sea. Most beaches are screened off and serviced by the adjacent land owners. So you need to access over someones land and then are expected to use their facilities when purchasing food, drinks etc.
The beaches are cleaned by the people that make a living from their use.

[keekwai]

I'm not a big fan of Chao Lao beach. Pretty grubby when the tide is out. Plastic bags, bottles and general garbage everywhere. I like Laem Sing better.

[superman]

I'm not a big fan of Chao Lao beach. Pretty grubby when the tide is out. Plastic bags, bottles and general garbage everywhere

No different to staying home in Buriram then ? Irrespective, the kids liked it.