Samut Songkhram

Introducing Samut Songkhram

Commonly known as Mae Klong, this provincial capital lies along a sharp bend in Mae Nam Mae Klong and just a few kilometres from the Gulf of Thailand. Due to the flat topography and abundant water sources, the area surrounding the city is well suited to the steady irrigation needed to grow guavas, lychees and grapes. Along the highway from Thonburi, visitors will pass a string of artificial sea lakes used in the production of salt. A profusion of coconut palms makes the area look unusually lush, considering its proximity to Bangkok.

Samut Songkhram is a fairly modern city with a large market area between the train and bus stations. The sizeable Wat Phet Samut Worawihan, in the centre of town near the train station and river, contains a renowned Buddha image called Luang Phaw Wat Ban Laem.

At the mouth of Mae Nam Mae Klong, not far from town, is the province’s most famous tourist attraction, a bank of fossilised shells known as Don Hoi Lot. The type of shells embedded in the bank come from hǎwy làwt (clams with a tube-like shell). The shell bank is best seen late in the dry season (typically April and May) when the river has receded to its lowest level. To get to Don Hoi Lot you can hop on a blue sǎwngthǎew (15B, 15 minutes) in front of Somdet Phra Phuttalertla Hospital at the intersection of Th Prasitwatthana and Th Thamnimit. Or you can charter a boat from Tha Talat Mae Klong, a scenic journey that takes about 45 minutes.

Wat Satthatham, 500m along the road to Don Hoi Lot, is notable for its bòt constructed of golden teak and decorated with 60 million baht worth of mother-of-pearl inlay. The inlay covers the temple’s interior and depicts scenes from jataka in murals above the windows and the Ramakian below.

King Buddhalertla Naphalai Memorial Park (museum admission 20B;park 9am-6pm, museum 9am-4pm Wed-Sun) is dedicated to King Rama II, who was a native of Amphoe Amphawa. The museum is housed in traditional central-Thai houses set over two hectares, and contains a library of rare Thai books, antiques from early-19th-century Siam and an exhibition of dolls depicting four of Rama II’s theatrical works (Inao, Mani Phichai, a version of the Ramakian and Sang Thong). Behind the houses is a lush botanic garden and beyond that, a drama school. To get to the park take an Amphawa-bound blue bus (12B) to Talat Nam Amphawa, then walk over the bridge and follow the road that goes through the gardens of Wat Amphawan Chetiyaram.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009