10 The Old Market Town

68| The Garden of Pha DaengNang Ai

Nang Ai, the most beautiful girl in Khomkham City, had secret trysts with Pha Daeng, the ruler of Phaphong. Her beauty, unparalleled and celebrated, was eventually discovered by the son of the Naga king. The Naga prince, transformed himself into a very handsome gentleman and tried to charm her, but did not succeed in winning her heart. Finally, he attempted to trick her by disguising himself into a white squirrel in order to get close to her and kidnap her from Pha Daeng. But, when Pha Daeng and Nang Ai saw the squirrel, they ordered a hunter to trap it. The prince, in the guise of the squirrel, is killed by the hunter. The meat of the animal is fed to the people in the town.

Strangely, the meat of the squirrel kept increasing even though much of it had already been cut off to feed both the people in the city and neighboring towns. Thereafter, a huge rainstorm struck the town suddenly. Considering that it was not a common natural occurrence, Pha Daeng tried to escape quickly on horse with Nang Ai, but in vain. Nang Ai fell from the horse and was drawn into the river. The city became a vast pool. The spirit of the dead squirrel turned into the king of Naga, taking Nang Ai into his underwater kingdom. It was said that those who had not eaten the meat were saved from the tragic event.

Muang Boran constructed a group of statues based on the legend of Pha Daeng and Nang Ai. This monument will surely further the imagination of those viewers who were once stirred by the local tale of the Northeast, Pha Daeng and Nang Ai.

72| PrasatPhraWihan (PreahVihear), Si Sa Ket

Prasat Phra Wihan (Preah Vihear) stands on the summit of Phra Wihan Hill on the edge of the south face of the Phanom Dong Rak Range escarpment on the Thai-Cambodian border, Si Sa Ket Province. This sanctuary was built in the reign of King Suryavarman I around 1038 A.D.

As for the architectural style, beginning from the depression at the foot of the hill slope and moving up to the hill, one passes through a series of 4 groups of stone structures established at different levels. All buildings have gable roofs but not the spired pyramid roofs of palace structures. It would be more correct to call the ruins a monthien.

The crest of the hill is a slab of stone projecting out over the cliff face. A short path leads down to the natural rock shelter underneath the overhanging stone.