Uthai Thani Attractions and Travel Guide

Attractions

Botanical Garden 

It is about 5 km. from the cultural centre. It has a natural fresh and comfortable atmosphere. It takes about an hour to walk around. In the garden, there are useful local plants and various species of plants; such as Sadao Pa whose fruits and leaves can be made into an organic repellent, Ton Sabu whose fruits can be used in bathing, washing hair and clothes, Rang Chuet which has a medical property to sober up. Some plants are poisonous such as hair of Chang Rong which can make people’s skin painfully itch when touching. Ya Nong – upas trees - has a poisonous sap which hunters in the past applied to the end of their darts that used for hunting.

Local Weaving Exhibition and Demonstration Centre (Phaichit Weaving Group)

It is located behind Wat Ban Rai, next to Ban Na Fai Bueng Ta Pho School. Turn into the alley beside the school and go on for 700 metres. It is a group of people weaving cotton cloth with dyes from nature. They also teach others who are interested in weaving. The patterns of the cloth are ancient ones such as Lai Kho Luang, and Lai Kho Kham Duean. There are shops to sell Pha Sin, bedspread, tablecloth, cloth for tailoring and Mon Khit pillow. In this area, there is also a museum of ancient cloth which is more than a hundred years old.

Tham Khao Wong Forest Park 

It is located in the south west of Uthai Thani, being a part of the Western Forest next to Phu Toei National Park in Suphan Buri. The topography includes limestone mountains which are high, undulated and steep, with more than 35% of slope. It is a water source, flowing through Amphoe Ban Rai, Uthai Thani. 

Mueang Boran Ban Ka Rung

Mueang Boran Ban Ka Rung is an ancient local community located in Tambon Wang Hin. The characteristics of the city is an oval shape with an 800-metre diameter. The city has a single ditch with a width of 20 metres and a depth of 3 metres. The part of the ditch which is next to the roadside is deepened. The water flows into the ditch all year and the earthen dyke is 6 metres wide. At present, it is an office of the Highway District. The discovered evidence includes a stone bell, Buddha image in a gesture of descending from Tavatimsa Heaven, potsherds, stone axes, ornaments, and ruins of a pagoda which is about 3 km. south from the city. This pagoda was made of large bricks and its base is 7 metres wide. At present, in front of the Ka Rung City Ditch, there is a shrine of Chaomae Ka Rung on the side of the highway, which is respected by many people. Mueang Ka Rung was registered as a national ancient monument on 8 March, 1935. To get there, take Highway 333, Nong Chang - Ban Rai route, passing Ban Thung Na and Khao Taphap Intersection until arriving at Ban Ka Rung. Before getting to Amphoe Ban Rai about 10 km., Mueang Ka Rung is on the bend, where the shrine of Chaomae Ka Rung can be seen on the left, about 69 km. from the city of Uthai Thani.

Khao Plara 

Khao Plara is a border between Ban Huai Sok in Amphoe Lan Sak and Tambon Khao Bang Kraek in Amphoe Nong Chang. Khao Plara is a large steep mountain with a height of approximately 598 metres. The forest is quite unspoilt. Visitors have to travel by foot and climb up the mountain for 900 metres, taking about 2 hours to get to the top of the mountain, where they can admire the beautiful sight of its topography. On the top of the mountain, a large plain lies covered with Makha – Afzelia xylocarpa - forest. 

On the west cliff at the height of 320 metres, approximately 3,000 year-old cave paintings from the pre-historical period were found. They were drawn with black and red lines. The black lines are quite pale but the red ones can still be seen. The paintings were drawn along the cliff for a total distance of about 9 metres, and they are mostly painted red. There are groups of about 40 pictures including pictures of humans in many characteristics and animal pictures. Those pictures depict the way of life of ancient humans, which is important historical heritage of Uthai Thani. 

Archaeologists divided the groups of paintings on Khao Plara into 4 groups. Group one are pictures of humans with pets (believed to be dogs). Group two are pictures which show the relationship between human and cow, catching the wild cow and the way to bring it back to take care of it. Group three are pictures of rituals. Humans in the pictures had certain accessories, different from others with animals that look like monkeys. Group four includes miscellaneous pictures, most of which are pictures of animals. The coloured paintings were elaborately made and look more life-like than other places. For travellers who would like to climb up Khao Plara: it is suggested that they should prepare drinking water, and put on suitable trainers because the path is made of sliding small grains of rocks. It is recommended that they should carry only necessary things. 

Old City of Uthai Thani

Old City of Uthai Thani is located at Ban Uthai Thani Kao. It was the location of Mueang Uthai Thani since the Ayutthaya Period. Now the ruins still exist, such as Wat Hua Mak, Wat Yang, and Wat Kuti, while the surrounding areas have become rice fields. The temple which remains the same until now is Wat Chaeng. In this temple, there is a prang built in 1538 whose top was destroyed by the Burmese army. The latest repair was in 1985. The old ordination hall is small and has one door, in a style of the late Ayutthaya period. The stucco relief pattern of the prang and on the ordination hall’s gable were made by the same craftsmen. The mural paintings in the ordination hall were made after the latest repair, which depicts the duty of King Taksin the Great. Another remaining temple is Wat Hua Mueang which has ruins of an Ayutthayan-styled ordination hall and small ancient pagoda in front of the old ordination hall. 

Bueng Thap Tae 

Take Highway No. 3265 for about 12 km. from the city. Cross the Khlong Yang Bridge and drive on for about 4 km. Otherwise, rent a boat from the mouth of Khlong Yang to get to the swamp, taking about 5 km. Bueng Thap Tae, located at the end of Huai Khwi, is about 8 km. long and 300 metres wide. It is the source of various fish, so local people live by using water from this swamp and fishing. In winter, grebes from other regions will migrate to this swamp. In addition, on the side of the swamp near Ban Tha Thong, a habitation site of pre-historical humans was found with metal tools, pottery, beads and glass bangles. The evidence shows that they were a civilized tribe because they knew the method to make accessories from metals. Bottles of alcoholic drink brought into the Kingdom of Ayutthaya by Western people were also found.

Local Historical and Cultural Museum

Local Historical and Cultural Museum is located at the Non-formal Education Centre, on Si Uthai Road (near the City Hall). Inside the museum, the exhibitions are arranged in rooms such as Career Development Room, Environmental Conservation Room, and others to display skeletons of pre-historical humans, costumes of city rulers, models of woodcarvings and Thai houses. It is open on Mondays - Fridays at 8.30 a.m. - 4.30 p.m. For further information, please call Tel. 0 5651 1511.

Ko Thepho

Ko Thepho was formerly a cape between the Chao Phraya River and Sakae Krang River, which met together at the south of the cape. Later, a canal was excavated to link both rivers in the northern part in order that the water from the Chao Phraya River will add to the Sakae Krang River in case of lack of rain. This cape therefore became Ko Thepho. 

Ko Thepho is an interesting point for travellers who love cycling. The journey on the isle starts after you cross a bridge which links between the municipal fresh market and Wat Ubosatharam. The bridge is not so long and quite narrow since it provides a small lane for only two motorcycles. Along both sides of the road, there is a bamboo forest, corn and rice field, with a peaceful, shady atmosphere. Local people here earn a living by planting “Manorom” and “Khao Taeng Kwa” pomelo, and Mafai. 

When visitors pass Ban Tha Din Daeng, they can see people selling Suea Lamphan, a mat made of bamboo, in front of their houses, not at the market. If travelling to Wat Phum Tham, it is possible to see a recreation hall with a serene atmosphere. After finishing cycling and reaching the end of the marked route, they will arrive at the pier to cross to Tha Sung. The total distance of the cycling route on this isle is 33 km. 

Tourists can contact Khun Somprasong Srimueang to ask for a map of Ko Thepho and the city of Uthai Thani. Also attend the Uthai Thani Cycling for Health Club (Charoeun Chakayan Shop) 101-102 Tha Chang Road, Amphoe Mueang, Tel. 0 5651 1991 everyday.

Rafts on Sakae Krang River
 
Rafts on Sakae Krang River reflect the lifestyle of Uthai Thani people that has always been linked with water. Water is used here to grow pandanus and for raising fish in floating baskets, particularly gourami, that has become a main occupation of the province and which has made it famous. Tourists can take a boat to view the life of people living on rafts on Sakae Krang River by boarding at Lan Sakae Pier near Municipal 2 Fresh Market in Amphoe Muang or boarding at Lan Suphannika in front of the provincial hall on Si Uthai Road. The route passes Wat Tha Sung and ends at Tambon Tha Sung where Sakae Krang River and Chao Phraya River meets. There are tour boats serving visitors. For more information, please contact Pan House Travel at Tel: 0 2933 0577, 0 2538 0335, 0 2538 3705.

Khao Pla Ra

Prehistoric colour drawings at Khao Pla Ra is another interesting tourist attraction of Uthai Thani. Khao Pla Ra is a mountain range with verdant jungles, no communities and natural water sources. It is also the home of numerous wild animals. It has truly lovely nature in the area around the cave and cliff in the southwestern part of the mountain at around 320 metres avove sea level. Colour cave drawings stretch for around 9 metres. These prehistoric drawings are of humans and animals in red and black.

They show an agrarian society and are artistic expressions of people in ancient times. The drawings give insight into their lifestyle and homesteads. They are certainly invaluable as artistic heritage of the country. A number of earthenware pieces of three-legged pots and stone axes were also found in the area.

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