Thailand’s World Heritage Sites, Ayutthaya and Sukhothai 2/2023 (Stop 5)

18-20 Feb 2023 Before there was Bangkok, there was Ayutthaya, the capital of the old Kingdom of Siam. After 3 days in Bangkok, I was heading north. I had to go back to go forward. Ayathuya is 80 km from Bangkok, a 2-hour slow train ride from Bangkok.

I checked into a guesthouse at about noon and started pedaling my rented bicycle to the Ayutthaya Historical Park, where landmark temples built by past kings were located. Elaborately carved prang towers, chedis that look like inverted ice cream cones, and walls that are half blown off, dominated the skyline. The sky was high, the crowd sparse, and the old relic of the temples stood perfectly still. It was so tranquil.

From Ayutthaya, I took a train, then a bus to Sukhothai, the capital of the first Kingdom of Siam in the 13th and 14th centuries, about 350km away.

From the new town, I pedalled my rented bicycle through more than 10 km of lush green paddy fields, under an overcast grey sky, to arrive at the old town and the historical park. A few old temple structures beckoned. The most noteworthy was Wat Mahathat. Most notable were the big statues of Buddha, some standing while one was sitting in a lotus position, all surprisingly intact. The columns were left standing awkwardly with no roof to support, pointing at the sky like chimneys. The chedis were again prominent. Buddha statues were omnipresent, often in a meditative position, with eyes barely open. Abundant trees in their midst kept this ancient solemn but fresh.

The breeze was gentle, barely enough to sway the branches. There was no crowd, only the occasional whispers. Some admiring curiously, others reverential, putting their two palms together. Cycling is the best way to see these sites. We do not want to stir up the dust and disturb the peace. In his
presence, peace and serenity descended on all.