Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [380]
THAO SURANARI MEMORIAL
Thao Suranari is something of a Wonder Woman in these parts. As the wife of the city’s assistant governor, she rose to notoriety in 1826, during the reign of Rama III, when she led a ragtag army of locals to victory against the ravaging Vientiane forces of Chao Anuwong. Some scholars suggest the legend was concocted to instil a sense of Thai-ness in the ethnic-Lao people of the province, but locals and visiting Thais still flock to her shrine on Th Ratchadamnoen in adoring droves; she is also known as Ya Mo (Grandma Mo). People burn incense and leave offerings of flowers and food; those whose supplications have been honoured hire troupes to perform pleng koh·râht (the traditional Khorat folk song) on a stage across the street.
Just north of her shrine, in the little white building, is a sort of Thao Suranari museum (Th Chumphon; admission free; 9am-6pm Tue-Sun), which has a cool diorama and even cooler sculpted mural of the famous battle.
OTHER SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Smack behind the Thao Suranari memorial is a small section of the city wall, including the Chumphon Gate, which is the only old gate left standing (the other three are recent rebuilds). It was erected in 1656, by French technicians, on the orders of Ayuthaya King Narai.
When the abbot of Wat Pa-Yap (Th Phonsaen; 8am-6pm) learned that blasting for a quarry in Saraburi Province was destroying a beautiful cave, he rescued pieces of it and plastered the stalactites, stalagmites and other incredible rocks all over a room below his residence, creating a shrine like no other.
Thao Suranari and her husband founded Wat Salaloi (Th Thao Sura, Soi 1; daylight hr) in 1827. Her ashes were interred here after her death and many people hire singers to perform here for her spirit. The award-winning bòht, built in 1967, resembles a Chinese junk and, along with several other buildings, is decorated with Dan Kwian pottery (see Click here). A small statue of the heroine sits praying in the pond in front of the bòht.
Wat Salaloi and Wat Pa-Yap are both stops on the 90-minute trolley tour (per person 20B; 9am-4.30pm) that runs around the moat. It departs from the Thao Suranari Memorial after 10 tickets have been sold.
Wat Phra Narai Maharat (Th Chomphon; 8am-8pm) is of interest because of the very holy Khmer sandstone sculpture of Phra Narai (Vishnu) that was unearthed on the temple grounds. Follow the signs with red arrows back to the southeast corner till you hear Indian music.
Festivals
Khorat explodes into life during the Thao Suranari Festival, when the city celebrates Thao Suranari’s victory over the Lao (see Click here). It’s held annually from 23 March to 3 April and features parades, theatre and folk song.
Sleeping
BUDGET
Potong Hotel (0 4425 1962; 652 Th Ratchadamnoen; s 190B, d 240-350B; ) Potong trades the Doctor’s House’s homey vibe for an unbeatable location. These are some of the cheapest rooms in the city, with good reason. They make the pass list, but just barely.
Doctor’s House (08 5632 3396; 78 Soi 4, Th Seup Siri; r 200-350B; ) The only lodging in town where guests bearing rucksacks are the norm, this homestay has seven simple but clean rooms with shared bathrooms in an old wooden house. There are plenty of bars and restaurants out here, but with a 10pm lockup you won’t get to explore many of them. Bikes (50B) and motorcycles (200B) are available for hire.
Sansabai House (0 4425 5144; 335 Th Suranari; r 270-500B; ) Walk into the welcoming lobby and you half expect the posted prices to be a bait-and-switch ploy. But no, all rooms are bright and spotless and come with good mattresses, mini-fridges and little balconies.
Srivijaya Hotel (0 4424 2194; 9-11 Th Buarong; r 400-500B; ) The Srivijaya is far too ordinary to justify the ‘boutique hotel’ label it’s given itself. Nevertheless, the comfy, spic-and-span rooms guarantee a good night’s sleep.
Assadang Hotel (0 4424 2514; 315 Th Assadang; r 400-500B; ) There’s no escaping the fact that this is just an old