Day2Night Issue 2 : One day travel in Koh Kret
History Koh Kret is the island in Chao Phraya River.
Left: Guideposts in Koh Kret Above: The Mutao Pagoda in Koh Kret Right: A Guideposts that show all attractions in Koh Kret
Koh Kret is the island in Chao Phraya River. It is in Prakret city, Nonthaburi Provide. There are 4.2 square kilometers area. There are many Thai-Mon peoples live in Koh Kret. The Beginning, Koh Kret was began from a canal digging shortcut Chao Phraya River, when Sanphet IX (Thai Sa) was the king of Ayutthaya.
Afterward, A canal was spread out by current’s changing until a cape became a island, Koh Kret in the present. In Ayuthaya period, Koh Kret was a richness community. It was a big market for people of south Ayuthaya. There were many temples. Until King Taksin, the king of Thonburi, gave this area for Thai-Mon People live in
Koh Kret. In the present, Koh Kret is an importance tourist attraction that near Bangkok. It is well-known in Thai-Mon community that has many Thai traditional sweets and many potteries. And the outstanding symbol of Koh Kret is the Mutao Pagoda, Mon pagoda or the lean pagoda, that you must see when you
came Koh Kret. I went to Koh Kret since I was young with my father. And I came back it again and again when I was older because I liked its lifestyle. I thought it had a simply lifestyle.
Transportation I traveled to Koh Kret by a bus and connected a motorcycle to a small port in a temple to ‌
Left Left : A small boat returns from Koh Kret Left Above: Inside a bus that I sat to Koh Kret Left Below: A port at the Sa Nam Nhia temple Right Above: A boat that bring many travelers to Koh Trek Right Below1: Many travelers at a land port Right Below2: A selling boat ticket counter at a Koh Kret port
I traveled to Koh Kret by a bus and connected a motorcycle to a small port in the Sa Nam Nhia temple to across the Chao Phraya river by a boat.It was easy to go to Koh Kret. You can use many public transportations or a texi meter car to many ports that can across the Chao Phraya river to Koh Kret.
When you arrived in Koh Kret, You can walk or ride a bike or float a boat to travel around Koh Kret. There is a boat ticket was sold at a Koh Kret port and there is a bike rental near a port too. But today, I wanted to walk and took a photo around Koh Kret.
A travel boat ticket price for 1 adult is 60 Bath (around 2 Dollars) but a child ticket price is 30 Bath (around 1 Dollar) for travel around Koh Kret island. On weekday, it has only one trip at 13.00 but on weekend, it starts the first trip at 10.00 and has every hour. Until the last trip on weekend is 17.00.
It uses time to travel around Koh Kret is 1 hour and 30 minutes. Another traveling around Koh Kret is riding a bike. There are many bike rental shops around Koh Kret. Its rental price is 40 Bath per day. And you unnecessary to ride a bike return to your bike rental shop. It easies to travel around Koh Kret Island.
Attraction Koh Kret is an interesting cultural tourist attraction. You will see many temples, Thai traditional desserts, and Thai urban lifestyles.
The Temples Koh Kret has many Thai and Mon temples.
Left Left: A Shin Upagutta Model in front of the Phai Lom church Left Above: Inside the Chim Plee church Left Below: Thai style pagoda in the Sao Thong Thong temple Right Above1: The biggest spirit tree in the Poramaiyikawas temple. Right Above2: The entrance of Sao Thong Thong Church. Right Below1: Left side of Poramaiyikawas church Right Below2: Buddhas footprint model in front of the Phai Lom church
Koh Kret has many Thai and Mon temples. The first temple, that tourists can visit when arrived Koh Kret, is the Poramaiyikawas temple. It is a Thai-Mon temple and it has an attractive point, that is the Mutao (Mon) slope pagoda. The top of this pagoda points at Myanmar, Mon motherland.
Another interested temple is a Phai Lom temple. It is an old temple that was builded in the late Ayutthaya period. There is a beautiful church because its entrance has a florist scraped wood. Moreover, it has 2 golden Myanmar swans and 2 pagodas in front of its church. And there is a beautiful big golden pagoda too.
Next temple that tourists will visit is the Sao Thong Thong temple. There is the highest top of pagoda in Prakret city. It was designed in squared-based stupa with indented twelve corners, one of thai pagoda styles. And another side of its church has 2 pagodas have a Langka or bell figure and a carambola
figure. Another interesting temple in Koh Kret but it is another side 3 temples before that is the Chim Plee temple. It has a small old church. It was builded in 100 years ago. And the base of church was curve like a Chinese junk. And there is 2 Chinese giants at the entrance of temple.
Thai Desserts Koh Kret is a Thai traditional dessert supply that people know.
Left Left: Thai dumpling Left Above: 4 Thai traditional desserts Left Below: Thai dumpling with fried garlic Right Above1: A Thai dessert shop in Koh Kret Right Above2: A Thai purple flower dessert shop in Koh Kret Right Below1: A hot sweet candy seller Right Below2: A sweet ice stick making tank
Koh Kret is a Thai traditional dessert supply that people know. There are many type of Thai traditional desserts such as Thai dumplings, bean-pastes, egg yoke fudge balls cooked in syrup, and golden threads. Many types of Thai traditional dessert had originated from Portugal. It made from egg,
powder, sugar, and coconut milk. If you walk around Koh Kret, you will find many Thai traditional desserts and spend a lot of money to buy them because they look beautiful and delicious. I thought I wanted to make them but they had many methods to do. The most favorite dessert that I like is the Thai dumpling. Its name is same
the Chinese dumpling but it is difference. I thought it likes a tapioca pearl but its appearance like a little white bird. I thought it was a beautiful and delicious dessert. Another dessert that I like so much is a hot sweet candy. It has three colors, white, red, green. A seller will make some hot sweet
to be a cartoon character. I had ever eaten it when I was young, but now it hard to find a hot sweet candy seller. I like to order a hot sweet candy with tube and I will blow wind slowly in tube to make a hot sweet candy became a sweet balloon. It is very fun but it hard to eat it after that.
Lifestyles Almost peoples who live in Koh Kret have Thai nationality but have Thai-Mon lineage.
Left Left: A woman was gilding Buddha model. Left Above: A seller who sell steamed fish with curry paste Left Below: A country coffee shop in Koh Kret Right Above1: A man who make paper dinosaur puppets. Right Above2: A shop of fried fish with curry paste Right Below1: A retro photo shop Right Below2: An artisan potter was building an earthenware.
Almost peoples who live in Koh Kret have Thai nationality but have Thai-Mon lineage. Koh Kret’s people try to save their culture and make it to be an attractive culture for tourists. I thought it good for tourists but it hards to save their culture when many tourists visit their lifestyle. Even so,they save
many place in Koh Kret and keep it in origination. And they use only some place to be a market and a tourist attraction. Almost of them are Buddhist, so there is many temples. There are many retro shops for sale coffee, food, and photo. Another one that well-know thing in Koh Kret is earthenwares. Koh Kret has many
pottery suppliers. Some pottery supplier can teach you to make earthenware. I paid 50 bath to make it. I thought it didn’t hard if I alway do it but it didn’t burn, so it will melt if it get water. The earthenwares will strong if they burned already. There are many pots, lanterns, and bowls for sale.
I walked around Koh Kret to visit another place in Koh Kret that isn’t a market. I found a simply lifestyle of Koh Kret people. I hope Koh Kret teenagers will save their culture and realize their culture value that is simply and beautiful.