Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [342]
There are also literally dozens of Thai-style riverside ‘resorts’ at Nakhon Chum, along the east bank of the Mae Nam Ping. Grand View Resort (0 5572 1104; 34/4 Moo 2, Nakhon Chum; r 290-390; ), the first one you’ll come to on the left-hand side, is similar to many others in quality and price. Techno River Resort (0 5579 9800; 27/27 Moo 2, Nakhon Chum; r 450-1200B; ) is the poshest of the lot, and offers a huge variety of clean, though generally characterless rooms.
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BRICKS & MORTAR
The primary building material of many of the religious structures of Kamphaeng Phet and Sukhothai is laterite (sì·lah laang in Thai), a clay-like substance found over much of Southeast Asia. When still in the ground, laterite is soft and pliable, but when exposed to light and air, it hardens. The early locals discovered this, and shaped the clay into bricks before drying it in the sun. As is evident today, laterite is extremely porous and must be coated with plaster to give it a smooth look. The new and helpful ‘Reconstructed’ placards near most ruins give an idea of what the structures originally looked like.
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Eating
Kamphaeng Phet is definitely not a culinary destination, but there are a few mildly interesting offerings.
Miang Chakangrao (0 5571 1124; 273 Th Ratchadamnoen) sells a huge variety of local sweets and snacks, particularly the shop’s namesake, a fermented tea salad eaten with peanut-rice brittle.
Bamee Chakangrao (no roman-script sign; 0 5571 2446; Th Ratchadamnoen; dishes 25-30B 8.30am-3pm) Thin wheat and egg noodles (bà·mèe) are a speciality of Kamphaeng Phet, and this famous restaurant is one of the best places to try them. The noodles are made fresh every day behind the restaurant, and pork satay is also available.
Phayao Bakery (Th Thesa 1; dishes 45-120B; breakfast, lunch & dinner) It may look closed with its heavily tinted windows, but inside you’ll find a casual, family-friendly atmosphere with real coffee, a variety of baked goods and ice cream. Air-conditioned, it’s a great place to escape from the heat.
Piggy (no roman-script sign; Th Ratchadamnoen; per person 70B; 5-10pm) Mo gà·tá, pork grilled over a hotpot, is one of the more popular dishes in these parts. Simply choose your ingredients from the buffet, then grill your meats, adding your veggies and other ingredients to the broth. There’s no English sign, but Piggy is found on the corner and usually boasts several grilling customers.
A busy night market sets up every evening near the river just north of the Navarat Hotel. There are also some cheap restaurants near the roundabout near the main bridge over the Mae Nam Ping, including the exceedingly popular Kamphaeng Phet Phochana (no roman-script sign; 0 5571 3035; dishes 25-50B; 6am-1am), which puts out just about every Thai fave from pàt tai to kôw man gài. It’s also a good place to try chw góoay, grass jelly, a product made in Kamphaeng Phet. There’s no English-language sign, so look for the rainbow-coloured facade.
Drinking
Much of Kampaeng Phet’s ‘entertainment’ is of the hostess/karaoke variety. For a night of drinking the whole family can take part in, try one of the various riverfront restaurants-cum-pubs. Mae Ping Riverside (0 5572 2455; 050/1 Moo 2, Nakhon Chum; dishes 40-120B; lunch & dinner) offers decent eats, draught beer, live music and cool breezes.
Getting There & Away
The bus terminal is about 1km west of town. If coming from Sukhothai or Phitsanulok get off in the old city or at the roundabout on Th Tesa to save getting a srng·ta·ou back into town.
Most visitors arrive from Sukhothai (srng·ta·ou/2nd class air-con 50/62B, 1½ hours), Phitsanulok (ordinary/air-con 60/84B, 2½ hours) or Tak (2nd class air-con 48B, 1½ hours).
Frequent buses to Bangkok (2nd class air-con/1st class air-con 244/308B, five hours) leave throughout the day. You can also book tickets in advance at Win Tour (0 5571 3971; Th Kamphaeng Phet).
Getting Around
The least expensive way to get from the bus station into town is to hop on a shared srng·ta·ou (15B per person) to the roundabout across