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B E Y O N D B A N G K O K
Unseen Thailand
The Mae Klong, known as the “River
of the Queen”, is wide and calm; I
can imagine the giant manta rays
swimming in its murky depths.
The riverbank is dotted with temples
and wooden houses. Nok tells me that
rich clans built temples in the area,
hoping to outdo each other in terms
of grandeur more than anything else.
We visit Wat Bang Kung, where the
old temple is entwined in the branches
of four ancient trees, and the faithful
line up to lay gold leaf on the statue
of Buddha. We talk about the old wars
between Thailand and Burma, and
gaze upon the statues of their warriors,
holy men and kings. Nok says this is
a side of her country that isn’t always
obvious on the surface. So I ask her
what else there is about Thailand that
foreigners don’t always see. She says:
“Consider feelings inside, because we
never show feelings in front of you.”
Clockwise from top: Statues of
muay thai
warriors in Wat Bang Kung;
Buddhist monks at a riverside temple;
Wat Bang Kung’s ancient hall is caught
in the roots of four massive trees
PHOTOS
LESTER LEDESMA
Amphawa’s history
features warriors, holy
men and kings