I Love Thailand: The Old Capitals
Thailand Slide Show, Part 3

©1997-2001 Martin Kraemer
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Thailand's ancient capitals


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/lop^bu'rii-/ (Lopburi): a small old town, once a capital of Thailand. The central three-Prang temple ruins (in the background; their picture is on the 500 Baht notes, btw) are today inhabited by monkeys. Cross the rails and walk over to the monkey temple (next image).


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On the eastern side of the railroad tracks in /lop^bu'rii-/ (Lopburi) lies the monkey temple. A wellknown ghost lives here who, when bribed with temple dances and a pig, fulfills your wishes.


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/su'kho+thai-/ (Sukhothai), one of the most famous old capitals beside /lop^bu'rii-/ (Lopburi), /a'yut^tha^yaa-/ (Ayutthaya), Thonburi and /grung-theep''/ (Bangkok), has many old Buddha Statues and temple ruins. Still today do worshippers decorate the old stone figures with gold leaves.


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One of my favorite shots: a boy covering the Buddha's finger with a gold leaf. This is a huge Buddha Statue sitting inside a stone tower just outside of /su'kho+thai-/ (Sukhothai).


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Monks worshipping at the huge Buddha Statue inside the stone tower just outside of /su'kho+thai-/ (Sukhothai). A couple of years ago it was still possible to climb though a tiny passage inside the tower walls to the top and look down onto the Buddha.


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When you leave old /su'kho+thai-/ (Sukhothai) to the west, you feel like entering the country side. For miles you'll see just nature, a few broken ruins and a dusty pathway.


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This famous Buddha Head can be found in /a'yut^tha^yaa-/ (Ayutthaya). Many years ago, the Buddha Statue was destroyed (by the Burmese?) and the head fell to the ground. But the trees' roots erected it again: a sign that Buddhism will always survive.


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One of the reclining Buddha statues found in /a'yut^tha^yaa-/ (Ayutthaya). In old times, the was a roof above and a temple around Him. The temple burned down, but the Buddha remained. Today, roses (very precious flowers in Thailand) are blooming outside of the temple.


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Another reclining Buddha statue found in /a'yut^tha^yaa-/ (Ayutthaya). In the old times, this Buddha was inside a temple as well. Enjoy the calm atmosphere here.


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A very old Buddha statue, brought to Thailand from Sri Lanka during the first centuries of our epoch, can be found in this temple in /a'yut^tha^yaa-/ (Ayutthaya).


©1997-2001 Martin Kraemer
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EMail:Martin Kraemer

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