The real Thailand

BANGKOK ― It is hard to find anyone who is unaware of Thailand’s overplayed vacation locations, but the country still holds areas for even the most hardened traveler to gleefully explore the new.

And although Thailand’s reputation as a tourist destination is undeniable and Koreans are fast becoming a sizable market, they are still but a small portion of the 16 million tourists that visit the tropical country each year.

But recognizing its neighbor’s proximity to their country, the new Thai government is looking to actively make traveling for Koreans a breeze.

“The language is no longer a barrier like before,” said Sansern Ngaorungsi, Deputy Governor for the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

According to Ngaorungsi, the government is trying to urge its people to learn Korean and is taking active steps in promoting the language including teaching Korean in 29 universities, nine of which offer majors in Korean language.

Thailand has always handled tourism well and harbors an ambitious goal to increase the figures to 30 million tourists a year. But it is not just the numbers the new government is looking to add to, but also different locations and different industries.

One of those locations is Chachoengsao Province, which is home to numerous destinations old and new, religious and holistic, that may be somewhat unfamiliar to the average Korean traveling to Bangkok, Chiang Mai or the beaches.

Wat Sothorn Wararam Waravihan

Home to one of the most respected statues of Buddha, this popular temple has Thais regularly coming from around the nation to pay their respects and hope that their prayers will be answered.

And the multi-billion baht temple is a breathtaking sight to see with its meticulously intricate designs on the white and gold exterior, and the celestial ceiling inside gazing upon the fine Italian marble floor.

Panyawat, one of the tens of thousands of Thais who visit the temple every year, has good reason to pay his respects to the Luang Por Sothorn Buddhist statue, located on the banks of the Bang Pakong River.

The extravagant Wat Sothorn Wararam Waravihan is the most visited temple in Thailand, attracting 10,000 visitors a year. (Robert Lee/The Korea Herald)

The Bangkok native and father of two daughters, pays his respects to the statue after his barren wife bore two daughters, which Panyawat believed was thanks to his prayer efforts at the temple.

Inside the temple one can regularly see the heartfelt image of an innocent young child diligently praying in front of the golden statues before gingerly placing flowers as an offering.

According to legend, the revered statue had floated down the river, and after numerous failed efforts from villagers upstream, it granted a villager the ability to haul up the statue to where it sits today.

An alleyway at the Ban Mai Market in Chachoengsao Province, where the riverside market is more than 100 years old and boasts some 120 stalls. (Robert Lee/The Korea Herald)

Ban Mai Market

Just a half hour ferry coast down the Bang Pakong River is Ban Mai’s riverside market which remains largely untouched in over a century and boasts some 120 shops and stalls.

“Chachoengsao Province has a 100-year-old village which still keeps its original lifestyle and when foreigners do come to this area, they are fascinated that the Thai local life is still there,” said Ngaorungsi.

Largely estranged from foreigners, the market has kept its fares catered to the local Thai community, with fresh herbs and vegetables, mangoes and coconut over rice as the region is well known for the fruit.

Any foreigner who has been to Thailand would be surprised at the lack of tacky tourist souvenirs in this market, replaced with freshly cooked food quickly being handed out for samples confident of its taste. The ever-familiar T-shirts with native beer logos are put aside for local sweets, toys for children and handcrafted goods originally meant to grace the home of a Thai.

Walking through the tight alleyways, common sights are locals standing in line for Thai iced teas, or desserts made from eggs.

If a long walk has left tourists famished, they can banquet at one of the river side restaurants that offer the freshest seafood, the heartiest curries and herbal teas made with anything from flowers to lemongrass to wash it all down.

The real Thailand that is still untouched, naked, raw and perfect for those feeling culturally devoid and the market, just a little over an hour drive from Bangkok, is the perfect stop that offers all of the above.

Rainbow Arokayal Resort

After a long day of sightseeing and shopping among hectic, surging crowds, finish the day in peace and tranquility at a spa resort in the untouched, still-wild forest along the Bang Pakong River, for the ultimate indulgence.

The Rainbow Arokayal Holistic Health Clinic provides a first-class pampering experience that will leave weary travelers feeling younger and healthier, with their numerous health-oriented treatments.

Detoxify in one of their most famous treatments, a red volcanic mineral stone bath that will not only relax every single muscle in your body, but also helps in sweating out all that smog and pollution from the capital.

Then get a long aroma full body massage to those pesky knots kneaded out of the muscles that already feel like jello from the detoxification.

To ensure the healing lasts, the resort provides local cuisines prepared from the freshest ingredients around.

Enjoy the rest of the night in one of their riverside rooms.

By Robert Lee, Korea Herald correspondent
(robert@heraldcorp.com)