Making the most of the lovely weather this week I took a short detour when shopping in Fang. I took the rural road 3059 off the Fang bypass and headed out to
another Chinese district that exists near Fang. The red dot is the mosque, the other a big temple complex.
Since my last visit several years ago the area appears to have got even wealthier and big houses now dominate the streets. The last of the old style KMT Yunnan cottages are being demolished but the big mosque and the small local temple tell of the history.
Above the small village on a forested ridge sits Wat Prathat Mon Pin with a big Buddha protected by two multi headed dragons.
From the Chinese community just 2 kms saw me cross into a modern Thai village where agriculture, particularly orange groves, has provided work and wealth for a mass of citizens since the dam and irrigation system out west was constructed. 30 years ago this was wild country dominated by a big Palong village who crossed from Burma to escape persecution. Now it's all farms and plantations with a big temple complex overlooking it.
It's got the typical "all styles" look of most far north temples with Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhas, dragons and artworks. Very intricate and colourful stuff.
Big mixture up here in the far north, influences from India via Burma, Chinese, Thai Buddhist and ethnic minority Animism. Always something different just around the corner and despite 25,000 kms in 10 months I'm still having fun getting out and about.
another Chinese district that exists near Fang. The red dot is the mosque, the other a big temple complex.
Since my last visit several years ago the area appears to have got even wealthier and big houses now dominate the streets. The last of the old style KMT Yunnan cottages are being demolished but the big mosque and the small local temple tell of the history.
Above the small village on a forested ridge sits Wat Prathat Mon Pin with a big Buddha protected by two multi headed dragons.
From the Chinese community just 2 kms saw me cross into a modern Thai village where agriculture, particularly orange groves, has provided work and wealth for a mass of citizens since the dam and irrigation system out west was constructed. 30 years ago this was wild country dominated by a big Palong village who crossed from Burma to escape persecution. Now it's all farms and plantations with a big temple complex overlooking it.
It's got the typical "all styles" look of most far north temples with Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhas, dragons and artworks. Very intricate and colourful stuff.
Big mixture up here in the far north, influences from India via Burma, Chinese, Thai Buddhist and ethnic minority Animism. Always something different just around the corner and despite 25,000 kms in 10 months I'm still having fun getting out and about.
