Lop Buri may not be so prominent on the tourist map. But it did play an important role in several different periods of Thai history.
During the times of Ayutthaya, for example, it served as the kingdom's second capital. King Narai the Great (1633-1688) spent much of his 32-year reign there, including his final moments. So visiting the city for a day isn't a bad idea.
Recently, during Lop Buri's annual "Phaen Din Somdet Phra Narai Maharat" festival, held in honour of King Narai, my friend Tui and I travelled to the city. We also brought along folding bicycles so that we could get around the old part of the city easily. It was my first time riding there.
Of course, the Narai Ratcha Niwet Palace, the royal residence of King Narai, which now doubles as a national museum, was the main place to visit. But before we got there we dropped by the shrine of Phra Kan, who is regarded as the city's guardian spirit and the Phra Prang Sam Yot Khmer sanctuary (some call it the Three Towers), which was literally just a stone's throw away.
Judging from their artistic characters in the Bayon style, both the stone image of Phra Kan and the Phra Prang Sam Yot date back to the 13th century when Lop Buri was a centre of Khmer culture in this region. Yes, the history of Lop Buri goes back long before the time of King Narai.
The area where the shrine and the three towers stand is also known nationwide as home of hundreds of Lop Buri's iconic monkeys. These long-tailed macaques can be very naughty. So much so that many shophouses across the street either need to keep the doors closed or have somebody on guard at the front.
However, I was surprised to see that there was a shop that allowed the monkeys to roam freely in and out. The owner was a kind man. He told me he enjoyed having the creatures around. Sometimes, his clients also bring him fruits and other food items so he can feed the monkeys. During our brief conversation, he told me about the story and behaviour of certain individual monkeys. It was obvious he knew them very well.
From Phra Prang Sam Yot, we biked toward the Narai Ratcha Niwet Palace, passing another, older Koh Ker-style Khmer monument, the Prang Khaek, which dates back to the 10th century. Because of the festival, the ancient ruins were superfluously decorated with flowers so we didn't stop by.
At the palace, we parked and locked our bikes next to the ticket booth and explore what is left of the old throne halls, including the one where the great king died.
Part of the palace is used as a museum, the Somdet Phra Narai National Museum. Here, through the exhibition of numerous precious artefacts, you will learn about Lop Buri, from prehistoric times to the Dvaravati period over 1,000 years ago to Lawo and the following Ayutthaya periods all the way to the early Rattanakosin when the abandoned palace was restored by King Rama IV, and to the times of former prime minister Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, who modernised the city and made it one of the country's most important military bases as it remains today.
Because of limited time, we had to quickly walk through the many rooms of the museum and rush to check out other historical sites as well as nearby neighbourhoods and temples. By the time we reached the food market next to the Lop Buri train station, the Sun was about to retire from the sky. It was a satisfying day during which we got to learn a lot. A feast of street goodies was a great way to end the day.
Well, see you here again soon. Until then, if you have questions, news or biking insights you wish to share, please feel free to send an email to pongpetm@bangkokpost.co.th or go to Freewheel Bangkok community page on Facebook.
