Slow Train to Aranyaprathet

Thursday 31 July.

Early start to catch 0648 from Ban Thap Chang to Aranyaprathet; a distance of approx 200 km for 45 baht, (approx S$2) . The train was busier than I expected with lots of local people plus about a dozen western backpackers in my carriage. All the windows are open so there is a pleasant breeze. Thanks to the heavy rain last night, it is fairly cool anyway and rather overcast.  

Homage to the King at Ban Thap Chang

Open windows provide natural breeze

Quite built up as far as the airport area and a bit beyond but after that a rural flat landscape of large green rice fields and ponds many supporting populations of white herons. At 7.45 we stopped in a quite large town Chachoengsao Junction where we branched off to the left onto a single track. Clickety clack, Clickety clack. This train stops at every single station along the way including some tiny halts.The next large town is Kabin Buri where lots of women with vegetables to sell get on. Most of them get off at an isolated halt, Phra Prong.

Traditional house in rural Thailand

Man with the Green Flag.
Now I understand why they don't use red, white and blue stripy ones 

Rural Station

Some sunshine now to brighten up the scenery which is now dominated by woodland, mostly plantations of small spindly trees along with rows of small bushes. Fewer and smaller rice fields. Still very flat with occasional hills visible in the far distance. Arrived approx one hour late,  at about 1230  in Aranyaprapthet station from where I got a tuk tuk to the Indochina hotel about 1 km out of town. Most of the backpackers were heading straight for the Cambodia border.

Aranyaprathet Station

Aranyaprathet Station

The hotel is more upmarket than I expected but the location is rather isolated. I had expected; "hoped" might be more accurate, that the road from the hotel to the town  centre would have some cafes and bars but it is dominated by car repair shops, agricultural vehicle sales and builders merchants. But even when I got to the town centre, there wasn't much for the average tourist, no backpacker cafes etc. And indeed why should there be? It has useful shops and services to support the people who live here. Eventually found a small cafe that wasn't empty and managed to order some fried rice with pork that cost me the princely sum of 40 Baht.  Realising that I was probably not be hitting the local nightlife tonight, went into a Tesco Lotus Express store to buy an few bits and pieces and a can of beer. Very suprised when the shop assistant explained with some difficulty that she couldn't sell me the beer because I might be under 20 years old!  Not only am I retired but I look the part. Only a special Tesco Lotus card would be adequate proof, a UK passport was just not good enough. Further up the road in a local store they sold me the beer no questions asked!

 

Traditional buildings in downtown Aranyaprathet

Traditional buildings in downtown Aranyaprathet

Traditional buildings in downtown Aranyaprathet

Traditional buildings in downtown Aranyaprathet

Traditional House in the outskirts of Aranyaprathet

Really Useful Things on the Road from Hotel to Town Centre
Rear axles

Really Useful Things on the Road from Hotel to Town Centre
Spirit Houses

Really Useful Things on the Road from Hotel to Town Centre
Engines for small tractors

Modern Thai Architecture
Can you spot the Tesco Lotus Express?

Didn't feel like making the trek into town again in the evening, so looked along the road in the other direction but found only a couple of empty bars with little sign of food, so had dinner in the hotel restaurant, initially outnumbered 5 to 1 by the band. They tried hard, singing some Elvis Presley, a rendition of "My Way" that might have got them shot in the Philippines,  and Hotel California among others. Since I have zero musical talent I am in no position to complain but it makes me realise how good the bands in the Singapore bars are. The food wasn't up to usual Thai standards, chicken with cashew nuts in a sweet and not sour sauce, but it looked pretty and came with a cold Leo beer. By the time I left there were as many diners as members of the band. 

The Band