Sangkhlaburi og De Tre Pagoders Pas
Sangkhlaburi is known all over Thailand for several things. This is where the Moon people live, and this is where they built their first temple. It is also here that you find Mon the bridge over some of the Vajiralongkorn dam that was built in 1984. The purpose was to have the rivers tended to be flooded, which often flooded large areas on the way down to its outlet in Samut Sakhon, the neighboring city of Bangkok. Large parts of the area are laid out as a national park, and there are many wildlife here. I first visited the place in 2014, and then the bridge had just been re-dedicated, after a large tree trunk had hit the wooden structure and destroyed part of the bridge.
Unfortunately, the bridge was restored a little too much, see the pictures I have posted last to show how it looked earlier
The monks originally come from Myanmar (Burma), but have been allowed to settle here far away from normal settlement. For many years they have lived a quiet life in their temple. This was flooded when building the dam and their temple was abandoned. It can still be visited out in the middle of the pond, but often it is only the bell tower that is visible, the rest is under water.
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We are here close to Myanmar, and over the years there have been many who have illegally entered Thailand to seek work. The authorities have done a lot to stop, but for years it was possible to apply for a visa and work in the country. However, this visa is terribly expensive, so many still try to enter via the road. Many control points have therefore been set up where all cars are stopped. This is one of them.
2019
It has been evening, but there is light in the many fields down on the water and over on the seabed. A little wood was burned off and it could smell on this side.
2019
The city has not only the old wooden bridge, but also a smaller concrete bridge, called "The Red Bridge". It goes a bit in extension of the wooden bridge.
2019
This is the former entrance to the temple.
2019
The church part itself collapsed on one side, so probably not so many years before the whole temple is rubble.
2019
Other buildings were partly submerged this year.
2019
Hers the bell tower which protrudes slightly above the water surface. It has recently been restored with a new roof
2019
From the south side of the bridge you can rent a boat and be sailed out on the lake, for example. out to the old and now flooded temple
2019
When the bridge was destroyed for years, a temporary bridge of bamboo was made. Most of it was removed afterwards, but here are the remains
2019
The wooden bridge as it looks today. See the bottom pictures to see historical pictures of the bridge.
2019
Then I have reached Sangkhlaburi which is located approx. 25 Km south of De Tre Pagoders Pass.
This is the view from a hotel
Samprasob across the Mon Bridge.
2019
This is the passport itself. Some railway tracks are seen at the back. It is the remains of the Thai-Burma railway that the Japanese built in the years 1941 - 1943. After the war, most of the track was removed.
2019
The pass is named after the mountains to the east, but otherwise you can look at these smaller pagodas.
2019
I have now reached the Three Pagodas Pass, a passport I visited the first time in 2003. Much has changed over the past 15 years, eg. this was the entrance to the pass. Now it is just back a little away from the new 4-track road that has been built. The road contrasts with the few cars passing here. At the hour I was here no one passed. It is only a passport for Thai and Burgmese.
2019
I have reached the southern part of the Vajiralongkorn dam, a huge area that was demolished in 1984. Along the lake's banks there are many houseboats, families living here permanently.
2019
A historical image showing the charm that was over the bridge before the major renovation.
2019
The bridge seen from the south side when building the hotel
2019
A very telling picture of the bridge before it was really discovered. For a long time, the city was one of the most overlooked places to go.
2019
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