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Nakhon Phanom targeting both domestic and international tourists

Nakhon Phanom, a Thai city located on the Mekong River, is looking to get more tourism exposure thanks to 7-days merit circuits for Thai and Buddhists. While foreigners might prefer to discover the mixed heritage of Thai, Laotians Vietnamese and French in town…

NAKHON PHANOM – it will never been a priority destination for foreigners. But it might become a great place to discover for experienced travellers in Thailand. And definitely a place to come for Thai travellers, who are profoundly Buddhist. Located just on the Mekong River and facing the city of Thakek in Laos’ Khammouane Province, Nakhon Phanom is a surprisingly pleasant place with its well maintained Riverfront, its nice restaurants and a string of old buildings along the Mekong river. Most of the Thais however would probably not stop just for that. But they certainly would crisscross the province to make merit and pray in eight Buddhist temples which are all linked to a day  

In a bid to promote its local tourism, Nakhon Panom is now launching tours to attract Thai and other Buddhists for worshiping Buddha’s relics according to the day they were born during the week. A sure way to attract good fortune. 

Buddha’s relics’ visit of all seven days of birth in Nakhon Phanom begins with “Phra That Phanom”, the province’s most famous temple with major Buddha’s relics. That Phanom district is considered auspicious for people born on Sunday and for those who were born in the year of the Monkey. The temple was rebuilt after the stupa collapsed following heavy flooding in 1975. But it is always considered a spiritual centre of the Northeast people and Laos people.
 
Monday-born worshippers will visit Phra That Renu. Inside the temple, visitors will see golden and silver images of Buddha as well as jewels from former aristocrats and governors. Phra That Sri Khun in Na-Gae district will be the most auspicious for the ones born on Tuesday while “Phra That Mahachai” at Phra That Mahachai Temple in Pla Pak district will bring good luck to Wednesday-born believers…

Thursday temple, Wat Phra That Prasit is probably the most surprising from an art point of view. In its main hall (Ubot), paintings over the wall were done in the early 1950s and bears striking similarities with comics from the same time. The artist seems to have taken its inspiration from a Marvel’s comic with its demons looking like villains and praying women with their typical 50s style hair-do.
 
Phra That U-Ten contains Buddha’s relics to be revered by people born on Friday. Non-believers will however admire the stupa with its intricate delicate sculptures.Finally Phra That Nakhon is one of the most charming as well as it is surrounded by a meadow and woods with its stupa dating back from 1757. It is the special worship place for those born on a Saturday.

Although the visit of stupas and temples offers interest, it might seem boring for foreign travellers, especially as little information is provided in English. Then Nakhon Phanom’s history might be the main attraction point for non-Thais. The city’s location across the Mekong river and facing Laos is reflected in its architecture. Among all Thai urban centres, Nakhon Phanom has a fairly good collection of French-style mansions and houses.

The most spectacular structures are the former Governor’s residence and the former City Hall. Both have been carefully restored. The old City hall is today a library but with its coat of yellow painting and its manicured garden, it evocates more a Palladian villa in Italy than a Thai building.

Many smaller houses carry also the Indochinese influence, probably provided by a large Vietnamese community, which fled the colonial rule and then the war. In fact, Vietnam’s most emblematic figure, Ho Chi Minh, spent four years in Nakhon Phanom from 1927 to 1931. Its small wooden house has been converted into a simple museum where the guardian will proud to tell that some of the trees and flowers to be seen today were planted by Uncle Ho himself! The house is almost like a pilgrimage with banners and flowers surrounding a shrine dediated to Ho Chi Minh. A piece of communism history in the midst of Thailand: this is unusual enough to generate curiosity!

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Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.

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