By Wren Mast-Ingle
The attraction of the stunning azure sea and beaches in the south of Thailand has often been the focal point for tourists. South Africans have headed for Phuket in their droves, joining the throngs of Australians, Americans and others as sun and scenery worshippers.
Sitting on the deck of Ron Dunn's classic barge Montha as photographer Peter Lewis and I pulled out into the Pasak River outside the capital Bangkok, we set out to discover the "alternative" Thailand by river and khlong (canal).
Ron is a gangly ex-pilot with a broad Australian accent. He has a passion for barges and the river way of life. Based on an antique rice barge, it is almost totally constructed from golden teak and mahogany. The vessel has many unique concepts, which make her stand out from the other barges on the river.
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Her upper deck includes an air-conditioned lounge and dining area that is inspired by turn-of-the-century colonial architecture, featuring solid golden teak paneling and a hand carving depicting a scene from the Ayuthaya period. Below, the main stateroom has a king-size bed and en suite bathroom. Also below are double-decker bunks en suite.
One of the first things we learned on board is that the journey should be measured in time and not kilometres travelled.
We set off up the Chao Phraya River which, with its many khlong off-shoots, remains an important hub of commerce, transport and everyday living for Bangkokians. Paddled canoes, motorised long tail boats, ferries, rice barges and luxury private cruises provide an endlessly changing view. Barge usage dates back to the Sukhothai era of the first royal barges in the 13th century.
The barges were originally troop carriers, but were subsequently used for religious ceremonies.
In elegant leisure we took in Wat (temple) Phutthaisawan, St Joseph's Cathedral, Wat Chaiwatthanaram, Queen Sirikit's Palace, Wat Kassithirat, Queen Suriothai's Memorial Chedi and Wat Dhamma Ram, which has the mural depicting the Thai monks going to Sri Lanka to re-establish Buddhism.
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