Bangkok Post : Lasting Legacy

Ob Luang National Park in Hot district is picturesque, its beauty enhanced by strong currents of the Mae Chaem River that have pummelled granite rocks for hundreds of years forming gorges. Visitors can go rafting, enjoy nature trails, walk a rope bridge or trek rocky trials to reach a cliff, Pha Chang, and view paintings of man, elephants and other animals dating back to the Bronze Age. Covering an area of 553 square kilometres, the park boasts several hot springs. Just 12 kilometers northwest of park headquarters is one with 10 private baths, but it is not that popular among visitors. It charges 50 baht for a 20-minute dip and 150 baht for an hour. Also available is message service.

The statute of Phra Nang Chamthewi is located in Nong Dok public park downtown. A queen of Mon heritage and founder of the Hariphunchai kingdom, she was a leading proponent of Lanna culture, art and religion. She annexed Muang Khelang, which today is Lampang, and appointed her younger son Phra Inthawon its ruler, while her eldest son Phra Mahanyot succeeded her to the throne. Wat Chamthewi contains ashes of the queen stored in a pagoda built imitating the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya, India, the holiest site for Buddhist pilgrims. Called Ku Kud, each side of the pagoda is adorned with 15 miniature standing Buddha images.

Lamphun, the original seat of the Hariphunchai kingdom founded in 657 AD, is nearly twice as old as Chiang Mai. A major attraction is Wat Phra That Hariphunchai in the heart of town, built some 800 years ago by King Arthitayarat, a descendant of Lamphun’s first ruler Phra Nang Chamthewi. Its highlight is a 46-metre-tall golden chedi given a major makeover in 1443 courtesy King Tilokarat of Chiang Mai. It houses relics of Lord Buddha. Lanna belief requires of those born in the Year of the Rooster to come here and pay respects at least once in their life time. The temple is open 6am-6pm daily.

The first sign that tells you are in Mae Chaem are these tiered rice fields that stretch for miles in every direction. The district’s 20,000 rai of farms produce 5,577 tons of rice and 8,362 tons of sticky rice a year. Farmers here also cultivate corn and other cash crops depending on time of the year.

Mae Chaem is home to a rare ubosot at Wat Phutha Oen (also called Wat Buddha En). All-wood and standing in the middle of a lotus pond, it was built in the reign of King Rama V and used only for ordination ceremonies, because Lanna belief calls for such rites to be performed without any interruption or outside interference. The temple is open to the public, though women are not allowed inside. The other unique aspect of Mae Chaem is the alms-giving rite. Novices of Wat Ban Thap walk in a line, with the one in front and at the rear supporting a pole on their shoulders from which hang two big baskets, each containing several bowls, into which locals drop off food. Unlike elsewhere no plastic bags are used, making it a rather environmental-friendly process.

Straddling 6,932 ‘rai’, the Mae Chaem Forest Park is perched 760 meters above sea level. Founded in 1973 by the Forest Industry Organisation to promote planting of trees and for research purposes, it provides decent food and accommodation via 25 sturdy teak houses, and outdoor activities such as rafting, mountain biking and camping. Prices range from 500-2,000 baht per night and each house has a balcony and facilities worthy of a three-star hotel, including seminar rooms, and a restaurant that specialises in northern delicacies, ‘namprik num’ (spicy green chilly dip) with fresh vegetable being one of them.

Somthop Chairat is hanging green cotton yarn to dry in the sun. He worked with Chiang Mai University to develop this variety, unique for its green cotton balls, to improve quality and texture of fibre. It’s been more than a decade that he turned his house into what today is Hom Kram Pleuak Learning Centre that specialises in natural dyeing. Located in the northern part of town, it is open to public daily. Also available here is homestay facility for tourists wishing to learn weaving and dyeing.

Konkaew Intakon, 83, has been making brass hairpins since he was young. He lives in Ban Thap in the south of Mae Chaem town. His movements may have slowed with age but when it comes to wielding the hammer to make flower patterns, he seems to have lost none of his strength. His hairpins come in various sizes, and though only old women folk still have use for what he makes, he says his pins are sold in more than 20 countries, among them Korea, China and Australia.

Ban Thong Fai is a community of weavers of the traditional sarong, a wrap-around cloth called ‘pha teenjok’ in local speak. It specialises in 19 ancient patterns such as ‘hong dam’, ‘kud kun jae’ and ‘nok non kum’, all boasting colourful design and pattern at the bottom. What makes it unique is the way it’s created. It takes about 20 days to complete one sarong as progress is slow: you can only weave about 10cm in a day.