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BK09 |
( FULL - DAY BANGPA - IN SUMMER PALACE & THE ANCIENT CITY OF AYUTTHAYA )
( DAILY : MORNING ONLY AT 8.00 A.M. )
( TOURING TIME : APPROXIMATELY 8 HOURS ) |
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TOUR ITINERARY :
- DEPART HOTEL BY PRIVATE AIR - CONDITIONED VAN WITH LICENSED ENGLISH - SPEAKING GUIDE
FOR BANGPA - IN
- ARRIVE IN BANGPA - IN TO VISIT THE SUMMER PALACE OF BANGPA - IN
- CONTINUE BY VAN TO AYUTTHAYA
- ARRIVE IN AYUTTHAYA TO VISIT WAT PHANAN CHOENG
- CONTINUE BY VAN TO VISIT WAT YAI CHAI MONGKOL
- CONTINUE BY VAN TO THE INNER PART OF AYUTTHAYA TO VISIT WAT MAHATAT WHERE
THE FAMOUS BUDDHA HEAD AT THE ROOT OF A BHODI TREE CAN BE SEEN
- CONTINUE BY VAN FOR DELICIOUS THAI & INTERNATIONAL BUFFET LUNCH IN A NICE AND CLEAN
RESTAURANT BY THE RIVER AT KRUNGSRI RIVER HOTEL
- AFTER LUNCH, ENJOY A RELAXING 40 - MINUTE BOAT TRIP BY PRIVATE LONG - TAILED SPEED BOAT
ALONG THE RIVER TO SEE DAILY LIFE OF LOCAL PEOPLE AND MANY BEAUTIFUL BUDDHIST TEMPLES
LOCATED AROUND THE SMALL ISLAND OF OLD AYUTTHAYA
- CONTINUE BY VAN FOR THE LAST STOP AT WIHAN PHRAMONGKHON BOPHIT
- RETURN BY VAN TO BANGKOK FOR THE HOTEL
TOUR PRICES :
1 PAX - 8,480 BAHT
2 PAX - 5,380 BAHT EACH
3 - 4 PAX - 4,530 BAHT EACH
5 - 6 PAX - 4,090 BAHT EACH
TRANSPORT :
* WIDE-BODY TOYOTA VAN (3000)( 9 - SEATED )
* MERCEDES BENZ VAN (MB140)( 9 - SEATED )
* LONG - TAILED SPEED BOAT
PRICE INCLUDES :
- PRIVATE VAN WITH LICENSED ENGLISH - SPEAKING GUIDE
- ALL ADMISSION FEES
- THAI & INTERNATIONAL BUFFET LUNCH AT KRUNGSRI RIVER HOTEL
- 40 - MINUTE BOAT -TRIP BY PRIVATE LONG - TAILED SPEED BOAT IN AYUTTHAYA
- 1 MILLION BAHT INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR EACH GUEST DURING THE TOUR
( BANGPA-IN SUMMER PALACE )
THIS SUMMER PALACE WAS FIRST BUILT IN THE REIGN OF KING PRASAT THONG (1629-1656) IN THE
AYUTTHAYA PERIOD. IT WAS FREQUENTED BY THE KING AND HIS SUCCESSORS UNTIL THE FALL OF
AYUTTHAYA IN 1767.
LATER ON, THE PALACE WAS RESTORED BY KING RAMA IV (1851-1868). BUT IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE
REIGN OF KING RAMA V (1868-1910), THAT BANG PA-IN PALACE WAS FULLY DEVELOPED AND TOOK ITS
PRESENT SHAPE. DURING HIS REIGN, SEVERAL MAGNIFICENT BUILDINGS IN THE WESTERN STYLE WERE
CONSTRUCTED, SUCH AS UTTHAYAN PHUMISATHIAN AND WAROPHAT PHIMAN MANSIONS. ALSO, THE
TWO-STOREYED CHINESE-STYLE PALACE, WEHAT CHAMRUN, WAS BUILT AND PRESENTED TO THE KING
IN 1889 BY CHINESE MERCHANTS AS A TOKEN OF THE LONG-LASTING BROTHERLY RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE THAI AND CHINESE PEOPLES.
PLENTY OF LUSH TREES, BEAUTIFULLY ARRANGED GARDENS AND COOL BREEZE MADE THE
SURROUNDINGS IDEAL FOR A STROLL.
(AYUTTHAYA )
THE ANCIENT CITY OF AYUTTHAYA, OR PHRA NAKHON SI AYUTTHAYA, THE THAI CAPITAL FOR 417
YEARS, IS ONE OF THAILAND'S MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS. MANY ANCIENT RUINS AND ART WORKS
CAN BE SEEN IN A CITY THAT WAS FOUNDED IN 1350 BY KING U-THONG WHEN THE THAIS WERE FORCED
SOUTHWARDS BY NORTHERN NEIGHBORS. DURING THE PERIOD OF AYUTTHAYA BEING THE THAI
CAPITAL, 33 KINGS OF DIFFERENT DYNASTIES RULED THE KINGDOM UNTIL IT WAS SACKED BY THE
BURMESE IN 1767.
AYUTTHAYA IS 76 KILOMETERS NORTH OF BANGKOK AND BOASTS NUMEROUS MAGNIFICENT RUINS.
SUCH RUINS INDICATE THAT AYUTTHAYA WAS ONE OF INDO - CHINA'S MOST PROSPEROUS CITIES.
PHRA NAKHON SI AYUTTHAYA A HISTORICAL PARK, A VAST STRETCH OF HISTORICAL SITE IN THE
HEART OF AYUTTHAYA CITY, HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN UNESCO'S LIST OF WORLD HERITAGE
SINCE 13 DECEMBER ,1991.
AYUTTHAYA COVERS 2,556 SQUARE KILOMETERS, AND IS ADMINISTRATIVELY DIVIDED INTO 16
DISTRICTS (AMPHOES). IT IS CONVENIENTLY ACCESSIBLE DUE TO GOOD ROADS AND A SHORT
DISTANCE FROM BANGKOK.
AYUTTHAYA IS AN ANCIENT CITY, FOUNDED BY "KING U- THONG OR RAMATHIBODI I " IN 1350. IT WAS
USED AS THE CAPITAL OF THAILAND FOR 417, DURING THE AYUTTHAYA PERIOD, 33 KINGS OF 5
DYNASTIES REIGNED OVER THE KINGDOM. DURING THE FIRST 180 YEARS , THE CITY WAS PEACEFUL.
THE MAIN ACTIVITY THEN WAS ABOUT THE STATE AFFAIR AND TRADING WHICH MADE AYUTTHAYA ONE
OF THE MOST PROSPEROUS CITY IN ASIA. BUT NINE YEARS AFTER KING RAMATHIBODI LL'S DEATH IN
1529 AYUTTHAYA BECAME INVOLVED, FOR THE FIRST TIME , IN A WAR WITH MYANMAR WHICH LED TO
MANY WARS AFTER THAT.
AYUTTHAYA WAS FIRST DEFEATED BY THE BURMESE IN 1569 , BUT 15 YEARS LATER IT WAS BACK TO ITS
GLORY AGAIN BY " KING NARESUAN THE GREAT ". AYUTTHAYA WAS PEACEFUL AGAIN AND ENJOYED
THE ACTIVITIES IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS FOR ABOUT 118 YEARS. IT CAME TO ITS PEAK UNTIL IT
WAS INVADED AND DESTROYED BEYOND REPAIR BY THE BURMESE IN1767 THE CAPITAL WAS MOVED TO
THONBURI BY "KING TAKSIN THE GREAT" WHO HAD FOUGHT AGAINST THE BURMESE AND DEFEATED
THEM. AFTER 15 YEARS OF KING TAKSIN'S REIGN. THE CAPITAL WAS AGAIN MOVED TO BANGKOK
BY "KING RAMA THE FIRST". THE FOUNDER OF THE PRESENT CHAKRI DYNASTY.
( WAT PHANAN CHOENG )
WAT PHANAN CHOENG
LOCATION : AMPHOE PHRA NAKHON SI AYUTTHAYA
OVERLOOKING THE RIVIR ON THE OPPOSITE BANK FROM THE MAIN CITY, WAT PHANAN CHOENG WAS
FOUNDED SHORTLY BEFORE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AYUTTHAYA AS THE KINGDOMS CAPITAL. ITS
MAIN BUILDING ENSHRINES A HUGE, SEATED BUDDHA IMAGE, THAT IS 57 FEET TALL AN OBJECT OF
PARTICULAR DEVOTION TO THAIS OF CHINESE ORIGIN. THIS PRINCIPAL IMAGE CALLED PHRACHAO
PHANANCHOENG WAS BUILT OF STUCCO IN THE ATTITUDE OF SUBDUING EVIL IN 1325. THE TEMPLE IS A
POPULAR STOPOVER FOR RIVERBOAT CRUISES ALONG THE MAENAM CHAO PHRAYA. THIS TEMPLE
CAN BE REACHED BY BOAT FROM THE FORTRESS RUINS.
( WAT YAI CHAIMONGKOL OR WAT PHRA CHAO PHYA - THAI )
WAT PHRA CHAO PHYA-THAI. POPULARY KNOWN AS WAT YAI CHAIMONGKOL, IS SITUATED TO THE
SOUTHEAST OF THE CITY. THE LARGE CHEDI THERE CAN BE SEEN FROM A GREAT DISTANCE.
IT WAS BUILT BY KING U-THONG IN 1357 A.D. FOR THE USE OF THE MONKS WHO HAD RETURNED FROM
CEYLON AFTER STUDYING UNDER PHRA VANARAT MAHA THERA. THIS BODY OF MONKS WAS KNOWN
AS THE PA KAEO SECT. SO THIS MONASTENY WAS ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS WAT PA KAEO.
THE MONKS OF THIS SECT WERE ENGAGED MAINLY IN MEDITATION.
SINCE IT WAS THE PLACE WHERE THE PATRIARCH STAYED, THE MONASTERY WAS NAMED WAT CHAO
PHYA-THAI WHICH MEANS THE TEMPLE OF THE SUPREME PATRIARCH.
VARIOUS ROYALS AND PRINCES SOUGHT ADVICE HERE DURING THE AYUTTHAYA PERIOD.
IN 1592 A.D. DURING THE REIGN OF KING NARESUAN THE GREAT, THE BURMESE LED AN ARMY TO TRY
TO SUBJUGATE AYUTTHAYA. KING NARESUAN RESISTED THE INVASION AND FOUGHT ON
ELEPHANT BACK WITH THE BURMESE LEADER AT THE DISTRICT OF NONG SARAI IN THE PROVINCE
OF SUPHANBURI, AND WAS VICTORIOUS.
ON THAT OCCASION, KING NARESUAN'S ARMY WAS NOT ABLE TO INFLICT GREATER LOSSES ON THE
BURMESE BECAUSE MANY OF HIS REGIMENTS DID NOT COME TO REINFORCE HIM IN TIME.
THE KING WISHED TO EXECUTE THE OFFICERS OF THOSE REGIMENTS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE WAR,
BUT PATRIARCH VANARAT BEGGED THE KING TO PARDON THEM AND ADVISED HIM TO BUILD CHEDIS IN
MEMORY OF HIS GREAT VICTORY.
SO KING NARESUAN BUILT ONE ON THE SCENE OF THE SINGLEHANDED COMBAT AT NONG SARAI IN
SUPHANBURI, AND A BIGGER ONE ON THE PREMISES OF WAT CHAO PHYATHAI. THIS SECOND CHEDI
BUILT BY KING NARESUAN WAS NAMED PHRA CHEDI CHAI MONGKOL, OR CHEDI OF THE AUSPICIOUS
VICTORY, AND IT WAS POPULARLY KNOWN AS PHRA CHEDI YAI, OR THE GREAT PAGODA.
SO. LATER ON CHAO PHYATHAI CAME TO BE KNOWN ALSO AS WAT YAI CHAI MONGKOL. THE TOP OF
THIS CHEDI IS VISIBLE TO VISITORS FROM BANGKOK AS SOON AS THEY ENTER THE BOUNDARY OF
AYUTTHAYA.
( WAT MAHATAT )
WAT MAHATHAT (TEMPLE OF THE GREAT RELICS) IS LOCATED ALMOST RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF
AYUTTHAYA. APART FROM BEING THE SYMBOLIC CENTER WHERE THE BUDDHA'S RELICS WERE
ENSHRINED, WAT MAHATHAT WAS ALSO THE RESIDENCE OF THE SUPREME PATRIARCH OR LEADER OF
THE THAI BUDDHIST MONKS. THE TEMPLE IS BELIEVED TO BE BUILT DURING THE 14TH CENTURY A.D.
(THE EARLY AYUTTHAYA PERIOD).
THE MAIN PRANG COLLAPSED DURING THE AYUTTHAYA PERIOD, BUT WAS RESTORED. IT COLLAPSED
AGAIN IN 1911, SO ONLY THE FOUNDATION OF THE MAIN PRANG REMAINS AT PRESENT.
HOWEVER, IT CAN EASILY BE JUDGED FROM THE SIZE OF THE BASE, THAT THE PRANG WAS QUITE HIGH.
AS IN MOST ARCHITECTURE OF THE EARLY PERIOD OF AYUTTHAYA, THE MAIN PRANG WAS THE MOST
IMPORTANT EDIFICE IN THE TEMPLE COMPOUND.
FOR TOURISTS, WAT MAHATHAT OFFERS THE MUCH PHOTOGRAPHED BUDDHA HEAD, EMBEDDED INTO A
TREE TRUNK.
( WIHAN PHRAMONGKHON BOPHIT )
WIHAN PHRAMONGKHON BOPHIT
LOCATION : AMPHOE PHRA NAKHON SI AYUTTHAYA
WIHAN PHRAMONGKHON BOPHIT THIS CHAPEL IS LOCATED TO THE SOUTH OF WAT PHRA SI SANPHET.
A LARGE BRONZE SEATED BUDDHA IMAGE (PHRA MONGKHON BOPHIT) WAS ORIGINALLY ENSHRINED
OUTSIDE THE GRAND PALACE TO THE EAST. IT COULD BE DATED TO THE 15TH CENTURY AND WAS
ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO STAND IN THE OPEN AIR. LATER, KING SONGTHAM COMMANDED IT TO BE
TRANSFERRED TO THE WEST, WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY ENSHRINED AND COVERED WITH A MONDOP. IN
THE REIGN OF PHRA CHAO SUA, THE TOP OF THE MONDOP WAS BURNT DOWN BY A FIRE DUE TO A
THUNDERBOLT. THE KING THEN COMMANDED THAT A NEW BUILDING BE BUILT IN THE FORM OF A BIG
SANCTUARY (MAHA WIHAN) TO COVER THE IMAGE IN LIEU OF THE FORMER MONDOP. DURING THE
SECOND FALL OF AYUTTHAYA, THE BUILDING AND THE IMAGE WERE BADLY DESTROYED BY FIRE. THE
PRESENT VIHARN AND BUDDHA IMAGE HAVE BEEN RECONSTRUCTED AND RENOVATED. THE OPEN AREA
LOCATED EAST OF THE VIHARN WAS FORMERLY SANAM LUANG, WHERE ROYAL CREMATION
CEREMONIES TOOK PLACE.
REMARK : ALL PRICES INCLUDE 7% VAT
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