Chanthaburi 02.-04.03.2014 (Sun-Tue)

Chanthaburi 02.-04.03.2014 (Sun-Tue)

Sunday 02.03.2014

I had a trip to Khao Kitchakut National Park in mind, so I call the hotel I stayed in last year to ask for vacancies. They have free rooms. There is a major Buddhist festival, it could be that all rooms are booked out, but many people seem to make daytrips from Bangkok, without staying in a hotel.

From Mor Chit 2 take bus to Chanthaburi (230 THB, schedule leave 17:30, reality leave 17:48, water and cake distributed, 80% full). The bus takes the elevated tollway, thereby avoiding all traffic jam and giving a good view. Arrive in Chanthaburi 21:20, walk to hotel, arrive 21:35. Room (no fan, no hot water) for 220 THB, cheapest room I ever had.

Go out to get some food and check the nightlife. Not much activity at night, some people at the bus station. From there, I can see colored light and hear sound from the south end of the park in town center. The park is closed at night. South of it, there is a stretch of bars and restaurants, this is where nightlife takes place. I go into what looks like the largest disco in town, without intend to stay long or to have a drink. One of the doormen follows me immediately with a menu, the disco it is about 10% full and the music is deafening, so I hold my ears, make an excuse and leave.

In a bar/karaoke behind the disco, I spot several ladies who look available. When walking past (to confirm my suspicion), one of them says hello, so I sit down for a chat in English. But when the other ladies tell her (in Thai) to ask me for drinks, I make an excuse and leave.

At that time (11 pm to midnight) all places I saw had low numbers of customers (average 10 % capacity).

Monday 03.03.2014

Go to Khao Kitchakut National Park to join the festival at Buddha’s footprint. (See separate post.) 100 Baht back to Wat Grating, 15:10-36.

From Buddha’s footprint back to Wat Grating. It’s a few km to Grating Waterfall (in the National Park), I take a motorcyle (70 THB, 15:48-56). I have to tell the officer at the entrance twice that I am working in Thailand and show my ID card from work to get in for the Thai price (40 THB; foreigner 200 THB). (Actually I am not working any more, and my ID from work has expiry date 31.01.2013, but I got in for Thai price elsewhere because nobody checks expiry date, and I always speak Thai in such occasions.) The National Park is nice, but only few visitors (maybe because it’s late or weekday; last year Nam Tok Plio was full with visitors, among them many cute boys in swimwear). 

View of the waterfall from the distance:

I had a bath in this natural pool, and found there are "doctor fish", if you stand still for some seconds, they will start nibbling on your skin, like in fish massage:

 

----- Hitchhiking in Thailand (2)

I was told that song theos stop running at 5 pm, so I knew that there is no public transport to get back to Chanthaburi. When leaving the National Park, having passed the entry gate, one of the men around the office stops next to me on his mocy and offers me a free ride to Wat Grating (back at the Wat 17:35). Then a discussion between mocy driver, security guard and others ensue how to get me back to Chanthaburi. This includes the offer to call a driver who would come from Chanthaburi to pick me up, price 500 Baht. I try to explain the concept of hitchhiking, but they don’t get the idea. So I thank them for their efforts, say goodbye and start walking on the main road towards Chanthaburi, stretching out my arm, making a fist and pointing my thumb up every time a car approaches. I don’t have to wait long, 17:43 a car stops with a Thai man and woman, they take me back to Chanthaburi and even insist taking me to my hotel. Arrive 18:20 (with detour to pick up their daughter).

Tuesday 04.03.2014

Van to Pattaya (200 Baht, 11:17 van station near clock tower – 14:23 Thepprasit).

3 Days, 2 nights in Chanthaburi for about 1500 Bath, including all travel, accommodation, food.