In preparation of our upcoming visit to the temples of Angkor in Cambodia, we wanted to familiarize ourselves with the various styles of Khmer temple architecture. So we headed to Northeast Thailand to study some restored Khmer temples in the area. The Khmer civilization during the 10th to 13th centuries encompassed much of what is now Northeast Thailand, Cambodia and parts of Laos and Vietnam. We visited three temples: Phimai, Phanom Rung and Prasat Meuang Tam.
Phimai
Started by Khmer King Jayavarman V in the late 10th century and finished by King Suriyavarman I in the early 11th century, this small yet impressive temple was built in the Hindu-Mahayana Buddhist style. The main shrine was built of white sandstone while the surrounding shrines and walls were built with with pink sandstone and laterite. This temple pre-dates the Angkor Wat Temple in Cambodia and was later directly connected to Angkor, the Khmer capital, by road proving the temple's importance.
One of the unexpected delights of Phimai was a visit to the nearby Sai Ngam (meaning "Beautiful Banyan"), Thailand's oldest and largest banyan tree. Sai Ngam covers 15,000 square meters (49,200 square feet). At first glance, it looks like a collection of many trees, but on closer inspection, you realize that each "tree" is in fact connected, creating one massive banyan tree. This tree is so large that it has become a popular picnic spot for Thais and a small temple has even been built within its complex system of branches. We rented bicycles to visit Sai Ngam, located approximately 2km from the town of Phimai. Upon reaching a sign that said Sai Ngam, we mistakenly turned off the main road on to a dirt path that we thought would lead us to the "Beautiful Banyan". The dirt path did lead to beautiful rice paddies, water buffalo pastures, friendly locals and eventually Sai Ngam. Upon arriving at Sai Ngam, we realized that the dirt path lead us on a 5km journey that we could have easily avoided by sticking to the main road. Sometimes mistakes like this in South East Asia can lead you to unexpected mishaps, but in this case, the mistake was truly beneficial and gave us a unique insight into rural Thailand.
Built on the cone of an extinct volcano, Phanom Rung rises above Northeast Thailand and you can see Cambodia from it's peak. The temple complex is the largest and best preserved Khmer monument in Tahiland. Constructed between the 10th and 13th centuries, Phanom Rung recently underwent a lengthy 17 year restoration process. This temple built in the Hindu style features many sculptures of Hindu dieties such as Shiva and Vishnu.
Built in the 10th century in the same style as Phanom Rung, Prasat Meuang Tam lies at the base of the extinct Phanom Rung volcano.
