Downtown Phrae

As other cities in Thailand – Chiang Mai and Nakhon Ratchasima for example – Phrae is divided into the Old City and the new one spreading out of the moats in an un-orderly fashion. However, Phrae’s Old City is tiny; it looks more as a former military stronghold than as a civil settlement. Trying to count its tiny blocks wouldn’t give a real feeling of its size; in regular city blocks, the north-south axis measures approximately two blocks, while on the east to west axis it measures about four blocks (the axes are approximations; the town is a bit tilted with respect to the proper compass directions). Moreover, the Old City is oval in shape in sharp contrast to the rectangular moats of its counterparts.

Yet, this small place houses many beautiful temples, moats and ruins of the old wall. Since the town is hardly visited by travelers it kept an unmistakable Thai ambience dating back to a different era.

Being within the Yom River Valley, the town’s shape was determined by that river. Practically all the town is south of it. The Old City was constructed on an (artificially?) elevated area; beyond its northern side, just after the old wall the elevation drops and the houses in the area seem to have been built into the ground. At certain places, if jumping off the road, you’ll land on a roof.

Wat Luang

As the name indicates ("Temple of the City") this is the main temple in town. It is located on the northern side of the Old City, on Kham Lue Road, a bit west of the bridge. Legend says the temple was founded in the year 829, roughly at the same time of Lampang – a Mon city-state later annexed by the Lanna Thai Kingdom.

However, the oldest structure within the temple is an octagonal chedi, named Phra That Luang Chai Chang Kham dating back to 1336. That roughly fits the supposed foundation date of the city.

Built in Chiang Saen style, it houses a Buddha relic brought from Myanmar. The main buildings (Ordination – ubosoth in Thai - and Assembly – viharn - halls) date back to 1872. The bronze Buddha image is a replica of the gold one stolen in 1902 during the Shan Uprising. Another attractive building in the complex is the library, which features three diminishing tiers on its roof.

East of Wat Luang and next to the bridge is Wat Sri Chum, a small temple dating back to the sixteenth century.

Wat Phra Non

West of Wat Luang – almost at the west end of the Old City – this temple is next to the old wall. Following the militarized look of Old Phrae, the Chiang Saen-style ubosoth features narrow openings instead of windows. Within it is a nine meter-long plaster Reclining Buddha. The temple dates back to the seventeenth century.

Wat Phra Bat Ming Mueang

At the southwest corner of the central plaza, on Charoen Nakhon Road and near the town hall, this temple dates back to the 18th century and contains an old chedi housing a replica of the Buddha Footprint.

City Pillar Shrine

One block west from there – on Khum Doem Road - is the impressive City Pillar of Phrae. Of unknown age, it features a script in the Sukhothai alphabet describing the construction of a temple in the town. Thai cities always include a pillar - a symbolic representation of a linga - which is considered to host the city’s guardian spirit or deity.

Wat Sa Bo Kaeo

Just outside the eastern side of the moat, on Nam Khu Road, is this temple. It was built in beautiful Burmese style, which is instantly recognizable by the tiered roofs. Here the striking red roof seems to be divided in two; the two top tiers have been located on a column atop the lower tiers.

Wat Chom Sawan

This temple is a bit out of town - on Yantrakit Koson Road, the road leading east from the Old City - yet it shouldn’t be missed. Built in Burmese style, it features an exquisite tiered chedi, statues made of woven bamboos coated with lacquer, ivory Buddha statues and Burmese texts. The use of tin in its decorations is typical of Burmese pagodas. It dates back to the early 20th century and was built by Shan workers brought by British merchants to harvest teakwood.

Phraya Chaiyabun Memorial

Out of town along Road 101 is the Phraya Chaiyabun Memorial. He was the city governor between 1897 and 1902 and was killed during the Shan Uprising. The central government put down the rebellion and King Rama V ordered the creation of this memorial.

Ban Fai Folklore Museum

The Folklore Museum, in three kilometers from town on the Phrae-Sung Men Road, it features several buildings displaying exhibits about local life, each building is built in a different style, being themselves part of the exhibition, including shop-houses and market structures.

Wat Phra That Suthon Mongkhon Khiri

Two kilometres from Phrae is this wat, which despite being modern offers some of the most attractive religious structures in town. It was constructed in golden teakwood – as the Vimanmek Mansion in Bangkok Index – but in typical Lanna style.

Festivals

Phrae was founded during the 12th century of the Buddhist Era, its founder is unknown. Despite preceeding the foundation of the Lanna Thai Kingdom, and not having been among its main cities (for a short while the city was part of the Phayao Kingdom), the city still keeps the Lanna traditions with unequaled perseverance. Those can be witnessed around March in the Phra That Cho Hae Festival. The event includes a robes carrying procession to the temple, where its chedi is covered up with them. The participants are dressed up in Lanna style.

Beyond that, all the most popular Thai Festivals, from Sonkram (around April-May) to Loi Kratong (around November) can be enjoyed also in Phrae.

Abrupt End

If walking northwards along Charoen Muang Road, the Old City comes to an abrupt end meters before a bridge across the Yom River. The walker is suddenly standing among uninhabited mountains and – if not looking backwards – the illusion of being far from civilization is perfect. Moreover, if not looking carefully downwards he may fall to the river - and into Nature - through the gaps on the old bridge; many of its steps are missing. The sunset here – with the sun trapped between the river and the green mountains – justifies by itself the tip to Phrae.

From journal One Sunset over the Old Bridge