Chanthaburi

Chanthaburi (Thai: จันทบุรี, pronounced [t͡ɕān.tʰáʔ.bū.rīː]; Chong: จันกะบูย, chankabui; lit. "Moon city") is a province (Changwat) in the east of Thailand, on the border with Battambang and Pailin of Cambodia and on the shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are Trat in the east and Rayong, Chonburi, Chachoengsao, and Sa Kaeo to the west and north.

History

After the Paknam crisis in 1893, French colonial troops occupied Chanthaburi, returning it in 1905 when Thailand gave up ownership of the western part of Cambodia. A significant minority of Chanthaburi citizens are native Vietnamese, who came there in three waves: first in the 19th century during anti-Catholic persecutions in Cochin China; a second wave in the 1920s to 1940s fleeing from French Indochina; and a third wave after the communist victory in Vietnam in 1975. The town of Chanthaburi has been the seat of a Bishop of Chanthaburi since 1944.

Attractions

King Taksin the Great Shrine (ศาลสมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช): The shrine is a nonagonal (having nine sides and nine angles) building with a roof taking the shape of a royal hat with a pointed spire constructed in 1920. It houses a statue of King Taksin the Great.

City Pillar Shrine (ศาลหลักเมืองจันทบุรี): The shrine is assumed to have been originally built of laterite though what it looked like is unknown. The present shrine and city pillar were constructed in 1981 and have undergone restoration.

King Taksin the Great Monument (พระบรมราชานุสาวรีย์สมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช): The monument of King Taksin the Great accompanied by four soldiers in memory of the historic liberation of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya is on an islet in the middle of the swamp.

Si Chan Road (ถนนศรีจันทร์): is the commercial area and centre of gem business. Even though gem mining in the province is not as extensive as it used to be, Chanthaburi remains a major centre for gem dealings with stones from neighbouring countries and abroad being bought and sold.

Wat Phai Lom (วัดไผ่ล้อม): The building is surrounded by a boundary wall with an entrance on each side. Behind the temple, there is a corridor supported by five pillars without decorative capitals. The building’s base line is straight, and there is a pagoda with twelve-redented corners within the wall.

The Catholic Church Chanthaburi (โบสถ์คาทอลิกจันทบุรี หรือ อาสนวิหารพระนางมารีอาปฏิสนธินิรมล): The construction of this old and large Catholic Church reputedly took 275 years to complete. It was built in Gothic-style with stained glass decorations depicting Christian saints.

Wang Suan Ban Kaeo (วังสวนบ้านแก้ว): The palace used to be a royal residence of Queen Rambhai Barni, the Royal Consort of King Rama VII. It also served as the queen's office and demonstration centre where plants were grown and animals raised.

Wat Phlap (วัดพลับ): The hall was used as the place to hold the Ceremony of Murathaphisek or making sacred water—water for pouring over the king's head in the coronation ceremony or other royal rituals—at the beginning of the Chakri Dynasty.

Wat Thong Thua (วัดทองทั่ว): The site of an ancient bot which was built over a Khmer-style temple. It has a large collection of ancient Khmer sculptures. Nearby is the Mueang Phaniat archaeological site with its remains of laterite base of a large Khmer religious sanctuary and moats marking the southern town limit.

Boran Sathan Mueang Phaniat (โบราณสถานเมืองเพนียด): It is believed that this monument might be the original settlement of Chanthaburi City about a thousand years ago. Today, only a ruined sandstone wall and an unidentified earth mound with a height of about 1–3 metres remains.

Wat Bot Mueang (วัดโบสถ์เมือง): It is believed to have been constructed in the late-Ayutthaya period as is evident from its white sandstone boundary markers as well as ordination hall (Phra Ubosot) and Ceylonese bell-shaped chedi. The temple houses a lintel of the late Baphuon style (967–1080 CE/AD) depicting the God Indra on his Airavata elephant in a niche.

King Taksin Shipyard (อู่ต่อเรือพระเจ้าตาก) or Samet Ngam Shipyard (อู่ต่อเรือเสม็ดงาม): From underwater archaeological excavations and examination, several rectangular dock-like areas were found along the shore as well as parts of an old ship believed to be a three-masted Chinese junk measuring 24 metres long and 5 metres wide.

Panichnavee National Museum (พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติพาณิชย์นาวี): In Noen Wong Fort, an exhibition on early Thai marine history as evidenced by over 20 years of underwater archaeological studies.

Chedi Yot Khao Phloi Waen (เจดีย์ยอดเขาพลอยแหวน): The round Ceylonese-style chedi contains a Buddha relic. There is also a mondop built in 1928 housing the Buddha's footprint.

Wat Takat Ngao (วัดตะกาดเง้า): A scripture hall or Ho Trai built in the middle of a pond by an artisan of the royal school toward the end of King Rama III's reign.

Khao Laem Sing (เขาแหลมสิงห์): A small hill with an elevation of 172 m, with a pile of rocks that look like a crouching lion at the front that gave it the name Khao Laem Sing or the "lion hill cape". Khao Laem Sing Forest Park (วนอุทยานเขาแหลมสิงห์) covers an area of 9,500 rai, including dry evergreen forest and beach forest which are home to important flora and fauna.

Laem Sadet–Ao Khung Kraben (แหลมเสด็จ–อ่าวคุ้งกระเบน): The Ao Khung Kraben Development Study Centre, which won the Thailand Tourism Awards 2002. The centre is responsible for research and study for appropriate development guidelines of Chanthaburi's shoreline.

Ao Khung Kraben Non-hunting Area (เขตห้ามล่าสัตว์ป่าอ่าวคุ้งกระเบน): The area suffered deforestation 40 years ago and has just recently seen pioneer plants. There are four types of forest within the area: dry evergreen forest, mixed deciduous forest, beach forest, and mangrove forest.

Wat Khao Sukim (วัดเขาสุกิม): A meditation venue. The temple also houses a large collection of religious items and valuable antiques donated by the public. On display are wax sculptures of over twenty Buddhist monks highly revered by the public.

Chanthaburi Herbal Garden (สวนสมุนไพรจันทบุรี): An agency under the Medical Science Department, Ministry of Public Health, 25 kilometres from Chanthaburi town.

Chong Phakkat Thai-Cambodian Border Market (ตลาดชายแดนไทย-กัมพูชา ช่องผักกาด): At Ban Khlong Yai, Mu 4 Tambon Khlong Yai, 30 kilometres from Pong Nam Ron District Office, 20 kilometres from Pailin, and 68 kilometres from Preah Tabong in Cambodia.

Ban Laem Thai-Cambodian Border Market (ตลาดชายแดนไทย-กัมพูชา บ้านแหลม): At Ban Laem, Mu 4 Tambon Thep Nimit, 46 kilometres from Pong Nam Ron District Office.

Namtok Hin Dat (น้ำตกหินดาด): The 12-tiered waterfall is surrounded by an intact evergreen forest.

Namtok Khao Soi Dao (น้ำตกเขาสอยดาว): The waterfall has 16 tiers with a large swarm of butterflies ideal for butterfly watching and plant study.

Namtok Khlong Narai (น้ำตกคลองนารายณ์): Known as "Namtok Khao So Bap", some eight kilometres from the provincial town on the Chanthaburi – Laem Sing route.

Namtok Phlio (น้ำตกพลิ้ว): It is a medium-scale waterfall originating from an underground stream that springs and cascades over the cliff down to a pool below. Before reaching the waterfall, there is a pool which is a natural habitat of soro brook carp that reside in the stream of waterfalls in some regions only. There are two important monuments within the waterfall area including:

Alongkon Chedi (อลงกรณ์เจดีย์): Built from laterite in 1876 by King Rama V in memory of the king and his beloved consort, Queen Sunantha Kumarirat, and their visit to the waterfall in 1874.

Phranang Ruea Lom Pyramid (ปิรามิดพระนางเรือล่ม): A pyramidal stupa built from granite in 1881 in memory of Queen Sunantha who was killed in a boat accident on the Chao Phraya River.

Namtok Trok Nong (น้ำตกตรอกนอง): The waterfall has three tiers. The 1st tier is known as "Namtok Mai Si" (Mai Si refers to bamboo). The 2nd tier is called "Namtok Klang" which is about one kilometre away from the 1st tier. The 3rd tier is "Namtok Trok Nong" about one kilometre from the 2nd tier and cascades down a cliff of approximately 20 metres high.

Phuttha-utthayan Wat Chak Yai (พุทธอุทยานวัดชากใหญ่): A Buddhist park featuring a fine sculptural exhibition of the Life of the Lord Buddha with narrative signs.

Khuk Khi Kai (คุกขี้ไก่): Was built to hold Thais who were against the French occupation of Chanthaburi in 1893. A seven metre high, square-shaped prison, it was built in bricks with each side measuring 4.40 metres.

Oasis Sea World (โอเอซิส ซี เวิลด์): Dolphin sanctuary and research centre.

Manut Boran Archaeological Site (สถานโบราณคดี “มนุษย์โบราณ”): Excavation 25 kilometres from Amphoe Pong Nam Ron. Prehistoric human skeletons, stone tools, artefacts, pottery, and ornaments some 4,000 years old, now removed from the pits, were unearthed.

Khao Sip Ha Chan National Park (อุทยานแห่งชาติเขาสิบห้าชั้น) or Namtok Nam Pen (น้ำตกน้ำเป็น): Places of interest include waterfalls like Namtok Saba, Namtok I Kek, and especially Namtok Khao Sip Ha Chan, a 15-tier waterfall with water all year round.

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanthaburi_Province