Nakhon Si Thammarat Things to Do

3 more images

This area used to comprise 6 temples but they were incorporated into one temple. The large stupa is in the Srivijaya style and dates from the Ayutthaya period while there is a pink and gold sitting Buddha in one of the original temple buildings.

4 more images

This temple museum is well worth a visit when you're visiting the temple. Unfortunately, there are no explanations in English and very few in Thai so it becomes a bewildering array of religious items, weaponry, household objects, pottery and everything else under the sun strewn around or piled up in dingy corners collecting dust. This is a crazy museum comparable to an ancient Egyptian tomb which has been untouched for thousands of years.

4 more images

Wat Phra Mahathat is the most important temple of Nakhon Si Thammarat and southern Thailand. It was constructed at the time of the founding of the town, and contains a tooth relic of Buddha. The 78 m high chedi is surrounded by 173 smaller ones and dates back to 555 AD. While the chedi is now in Sri Lankan style, it is said to be built on top of an earlier Srivijaya style chedi. At the base of the chedi is a gallery named Viharn Tap Kaset, decorated with many Buddha statues and elephant heads emerging from the chedi. Viharn Phra Song Ma is the buildings which contains the staircase which leads to a walkway around the chedi above the gallery. At the bottom of the staircase are demon giants (yak) as guardians. Adjoining to the north is the Viharn Kien, which contains a small temple museum which is well worth a visit. South of the chedi is the large ubosot building, the Viharn Luang.

2 more images

This small Chinese shrine is located just off the main road near the clock tower. Phra Sua Muang is an angel or the protective spirit of the city and protects it from all dangers plus it also protects the army and gives peace to the locals. It was originally built during the Ayuthaya period but has since transformed into its current style of Chinese architecture.

1 more image

This is a little chapel dedicated to Shiva, that's located across the main road from the Ho Phra Narai which is dedicated to Brahmin. The chapel features a high, narrow red swing which used to be near another Brahmin chapel. The Ceremony of Tri-yampawai or the Swing Ceremony was one of the 12 royal ceremonies held in each of the months of the Thai lunar calendar in the Sukhothai kingdom. Originally held in the first lunar month, it was moved to the second lunar month in the early Rattanakosin period at the beginning of the 19th century. The ceremony was a Brahmin new year's ceremony and lasted for 10 days.

4 more images

The city chronicle mentions a fortification when the town was refounded in 1278. Restorations were recorded at the time of King Ramesuan (14th century), as well as King Narai (1686). The latter one was supported by the French engineer M. de la Mare. The walls spread 456 m from east to west, and 2238 m north to south, thus enclosing an area of about one square kilometre. The northern wall had only one gate, called Prathu Chai Nua or Prathu Chai Sak, plus the southern wall also had only one gate. To the east there were three gates, which connected the town with the sea. To the west were five gates. Today only the northern gate still exists, together with a short stretch of the northern city wall.

This is a small chapel that is located opposite the main road from the Ho Phra I-Suan chapel. It houses the image of Narai, a Brahmin god and was used for Brahmin ceremonies. There is a four-handed Narai image, inside, but there is no evidence to indicate that it's the original. Unfortunately it was closed when I visited so I couldn't see it.

This small building sits on a small mound next to the City Pillar. It's made of bricks covered in plaster with a wooden roof that was added in the late Ayuthaya period. It houses a plaster sitting Buddha image that dates from the Ayuthaya period.