Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The temple is also home to a few quirky attractions that offer a fascinating insight into
the practices of Thai Buddhism. The most obvious of these is a large wooden boat decked
with garlands that originally served to transport King Rama V on an official visit to Phit-
sanulok. Today the boat is thought to grant wishes to those who make an offering and
crawl under its entire length three or nine times. Next to the
wí·hăhn
is a sacred tree with
ladders on either side that visitors climb up, leave an offering, then ring a bell and des-
cend, again repeating the action a total of three or nine times. And directly adjacent to the
tree is an immense gong that, when rubbed the right way, creates a unique ringing sound.
Near each of these attractions you'll find somebody stationed who, in addition to selling
the coins, incense and flowers used in offerings, will also instruct visitors in exactly how
to conduct each particular ritual, including how many times to pass, what to offer and
what prayer to say.
Museum of Phitsanulok
MUSEUM
(Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University, Th Wang Chan; 8.30am-4.30pm)
A new but bare-bones
museum with mostly text-based displays on local history and culture. Upstairs are addi-
tional displays on the five southernmost provinces of northern Thailand - Phetchabun,
Phichit, Tak, Phitsanulok and Uttaradit - but virtually none of the information is in Eng-
lish.
