Si Thep Historical Park

November 14, 2024

The Si Thep Historical Park has two main structures outside the inner city, namely Khao Khlang Nok and Prang Ruesi which lie a couple of kilometers to the north. We decided to visit these two first.

Khao Khlang Nok is the remains of a large chedi, sixty four meters square and twenty meters high. The chedi was most likely a large dome, similar to what we have previously seen in Sri Lanka. When the excavation of the site started in 2008 it was a mound of tree covered earth measuring a hundred and twenty by a hundred and fifty meters and thirty meters high. Some reasonably good renovation has been done to the corners of the base and, with a little imagination, one can picture the dome shaped chedi on top.

About two kilometers east of Khao Khlang Nok, in the spacious and tree filled grounds of a monastery, lies Prang Ruesi. It is leaning over quite precariously and one side is held up by supports.

Then it was on to the main part of the historical park inside the old inner city of Si Thep.

[The area was] inhabited from around the third to fifth century CE until the thirteenth century, spanning cultural periods from late prehistory, through Dvaravati , to the golden age of the Khmer Empire. Si Thep was one of the largest known city-states that emerged around the plains of central Thailand in the first millennium, but became abandoned around the time the Thai-speaking cities of Sukhothai and later Ayutthaya emerged as new centers of power in the Chao Phraya River basin. (Wikipedia)

Only three structures still exist but artifacts from the city are spread out over a large area.

Khao Khlang Nai. This is a smaller and rectangular khao. It probably had a vihara, but possibly a chedi, on top.

The base of Khao Khlang Nai has the remains of some nice stucco work.

Of course, being a park-like environment, the birding was good.

An Asian Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis) doing what Bee-eaters are supposed to do.

A female Small Minivet (Pericrocrotus cinnamomeus). What Leigh calls a mini-Minivet.

Our plan is to spend the rest of our stay in Thailand on the peninsula for a bit of seaside relaxation and some different birding. So tomorrow we head to Lam Narai to catch a train to Bangkok and from there to somewhere down on the peninsula.

Today's ride: 18 km (11 miles)
Total: 2,157 km (1,339 miles)

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