A FAMILIARIZATION TOUR OF BANGKOK AND AYUTTHAYA

IT HAS been seven months since I took part in a week-long familiarisation tour of Bangkok, also known as krungthep, “City of Angels” and yet I still recall fondly the simple greeting sawasdee, which means hello in Thai.

The greeting that entails hands clasped in prayer-like fashion is enough to warm any visitor’s heart.

The visit, with a group of travel agents and members of the media, was a real eye-opener.

The visit, with a group of travel agents and members of the media, was a real eye-opener.

Unforgettable journey: Performers at Siam Niramit, one of the nightlife entertainment centres in Thailand where visitors are taken on a captivating journey of the country.

We were taken to many interesting places like Hua Hin, Phetchaburi, Ayutthaya, Ratchaburi, Amphawar, Chaam and, of course, Bangkok which is famous for its temples, the Grand Palace and Asia’s largest outdoor week-end market (Chatuchak).

The seven-day tour by TAT was to usher in the Songkran Water festival which falls in April and is celebrated all across Thailand. The most famous Songkran celebration is in the northern city of Chiang Mai, where it continues for six days and sometimes even longer.

Our first stop that evening after checking into the five-star Amari Watergate hotel was to attend the Siam Niramit dinner and show, a world-class event that depicts Thailand’s historical and spiritual heritage.

Great structure: Visitors making their way up to Khao Wang or also known as Phra Nakhon Khiri historical park located on a hilly area with an old palace and historical temples.

With over 150 dazzling performers and state-of-the-art special effects, it was a captivating journey through history.

With 500 costume changes and one of the largest stage productions in the world, it was also one of the amazing nightlife entertainments in the city centre.

The 90-minute show takes us on a stimulating, very realistic and inspiring journey through the enchanted kingdom of Thailand.

Our actual tour itinerary only started on the second day with a visit to Ayutthaya, a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1351 to 1767.

Ayutthaya is a three-hour drive from Bangkok. Our first stop enroute was the Support Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand, a large three-storey building used for product display and exhibitions of handicrafts for export.

The Summer Palace, a palace complex formerly used by the Thai Kings, located on the Chao Phraya River bank in the Bang-Pa-in district was our next stop.

The Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, originally built in 1448 as the king’s private chapel, was renovated in the 16th and 17th centuries and houses a 17m bronze standing Buddha which was originally cast and covered in gold in 1500 during the reign of the ninth king, Ramathipodi.

“However, history tells us that in 1967, the invading Burmese tried to melt the gold in the Buddha statue by causing a fire to the building. What we see today is a replica,’’ said TAT director (Malaysia and Brunei) Wiboon Nimitrwanich.

The final stop for the day was the Ayutthaya Floating market that features a water theatre with live performances of Thai folk tales and Sepaa song recital.

Smooth flow: The Amphawa Weekend Floating Marke is occupied by vendors who pack their boats with food and drinks.

Day Three was the launch of the Songkran festival at the Shangri-La hotel, attended by more than 300 overseas travel agents and media members.

This was followed by a presentation on the TAT tourism industry, a river cruise on the famed Chao Phraya river and a cocktail party at the Nagaraphirom Park where the nine wonders of Wat Pho are located.

The visit to the Tham Kao Luang, regarded as the largest and most important cave of Phetchaburi was on the fourth day.

We had to check out from the Amari Watergate for a one-night stay at Tara Mantara in Chaam, a beach resort some 300km from Bangkok.

It was a day to visit caves and hills at Khao Wang or also known as Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park on a hilly area with an old palace and historical temples.

The park is located on three peaks of the 92m high hill.

Thankfully, we didn’t have to climb the hills as the organisers were kind enough to book us seats on the cable railway which charges 10 Baht for a one-way trip or 15 Baht for a round trip.

Old relics: The three Sri Lankan-style chedis built during the 15th century at the Grand Palace area in Ayutthaya.

After a hearty seafood dinner, it was time to do some shopping at the Hua Hin night market. You will find countless outlets selling delicious food that is freshly cooked and served to you within a matter of minutes. Other than the food, you can find a variety of local handicrafts, souvenirs and clothing on sale.

On our last day we went to Ratchaburi to visit the Siam Cultural Park that featuresa life-sized wax and fibre glass statues of famous national and foreign personalities and Lord Buddha and his disciples set amid a beautifully landscaped garden.

After lunch we went to the Damnoen Saduak Hospital, a health tourism award winner, to experience two hours of traditional Thai massage and then Wan Baan Kung, a small chapel enclosed within the roots of a banyan tree called Bot Prok Po.

At the Amphawa Weekend Floating Market, by the canal near Wat Amphawan Chetiyaram we saw vendors selling food and drink items like fried sea mussel, noodles, coffee, O-liang (iced black coffee), and desserts.

Upon our return to Bangkok, the group was taken on a tour of the new addition to the city, Madame Tussauds, the 10th from the Merlin Entertainment Group.

We also visited the Siam Oceanworld, one of the largest in South-East Asia with innovative world-class exhibits and over 3,000 creatures from various depths and aquatic regions across the globe and finally to the JJ Weekend Market (Chatuchak) for a last-minute shopping.