Wolfgang's photos with the keyword: Sangkhlaburi

The famous Wang Wiwekaram Temple, diocese of the revered Uttama Abbot. This extensive temple on the southern outskirts of Sangkhlaburi edges the Khao Laem reservoir. The complex is constructed in an unusual mix of Thai, Indian and Burmese Buddhist architectural styles, and the abbot “Luang Pho Uttama” is highly revered among local people including tribal folks and Burmese. Once we met Phra Uttama Abbot, he passed away in Oct. 2006.

The region is home to several hill tribes, including Karens and Mons, who are unable to obtain citizenship from either countries. Separatist armies have repeatedly tried to take seize of the pass from Burma, with the Mons in effective control until 1990, when Burmese troops regained it.

When I came her the first time in 1985, this border was open for foreigners to step 200m into Burma. There was a smuggling market which is now only located on the Thai side. At the moment we came in Nov. 2009 the border line was absolutely closed for all kind of passing due a serious skirmish between Thai and Burmese border guards. At the background still are the remains of the Japanese Death railway, which would go 460 km further to Rangoon.

During World War II, Japan built the infamous Death Railway (officially Taimen - Rensetsu Tetsudo) through this pass. Some parts of the original rail track still is to see.

Sangkhlaburi is a sleepy town of only 15,000 people from many ethnic backgrounds. There aren't only Mons but the Karen, Thais, Chinese, Lao and even Arakanese and Bangladeshis too. This ethnic diversity makes Sangkhlaburi district unique in Thailand. Sangkhlaburi is also known for its 400m long wooden bridge that spans across the Khao Laem Dam to connect the Mon village "Wang Kha" with the Thai and Karen parts of the town. This bridge was constructed in 1993 and has even attracted Thai and foreign movie teams! Despite its hundreds of years old history, today's Sangkhlaburi is a new town. When an hydroelectric Dam neared was compleded in 1984, old Sangkhlaburi had been demolished and the new town was created on higher grounds. All that remains of the past are the half-submerged structures of the old Mon-Temple and the basements of several buildings.

Construction of the famous Wat Wang Wiwekaram started in 1982 under the direction of the Abbot Luang Pho Uttama. It was built in similar style to the Buddhagaya Temple in India and is now a pilgrimage site for Indian Buddhists living in Thailand. 400 Mon people fabricated 260,000 bricks and donated a majority of the money used in the shrine’s construction.

The landmark is the 59-meter high replica of Chedi Buddhakhaya. The top of the Chedi contains Buddha's relics from Sri Lanka.The shrine houses "Luang Por Khao", a large white marble Buddha image. Near the lake is an exotic bell tower built in Mon architecture.

The temple was built on the donation of villagers who had faith in Abbot Uttama. It is the shrine of Mon's pride and the most important temple of Sangkhlaburi. Thousands of pilgrims make their way annually to the lakeside monastery, where U Uttama’s body lies. Many take weekend breaks at the lake, boarding boats for trips out into the mysterious waters to see the ruins of the indundated village beneath its surface - the foreigners among them usually unaware of the real-life, still unresolved mystery that lurks behind the walls of Wat Wang Wiwekaram.

It is the longest wooden bridge in Thailand linking Sangkhlaburi and Mon Villages. The bridge overlooks a scenic landscape and offers and opportunity to see local people’s way of life. As the eastern Mon were absorbed into the Thai society long ago, the western Mon of Myanmar have settled in western Thailand after World War II and try to keep their sovereign tradition. In Myanmar, the Mon are fighting to preserve the Mon language and culture, and regain a greater degree of political autonomy.

Most of the small villages and settlements along the lake shores have floating houses. Some of them work also as guesthouses.

Wangka (also known as Monside) on the other side of the Bridge is well worth visiting. The village was founded by Luang Phor Uttama in 1949 after he fled Burma with 60 other Mon Families. Uttama passed away in 2006 and since then, the village has been in mourning. This only applies to the Wangka, not Sangkhla. Many of the villagers speak Mon as their first language, so they cannot understand our Thai. Sangkhlaburi is an idyllic place and well worth visiting as it is off the tourist trail and thus great for the tourist who wants to see "real Thailand" (whatever that is). The place is well known to Thais who come here for relaxing weekends away, or alternatively parties on the floating houses. We experienced clashes between Mon and Thai youth on the bridge area.