Hualampong rail station near Wat Traimit.

Arrived at Hualampong railway station to make a last minute night train booking to Haadyai but unfortunately no seats were available.

The last train leaving the station was at 22:50 hours. There were many local travellers still hanging around the ticketing hall while some were sleeping on the floor.

An announcement was made when the last train leaves that no one is allowed inside by 12:00 midnight.

 Met a guy who has just came back from his hometown in Sisaket and will be reporting for work at the Bangpli Industrial area in a silverware factory.
Since it was already midnight,cheap transport via the songtheaw is no more available other than the expensive tuk-tuk and taxi,he opted to spend a night here and catch the first songhteaw at 4:00am.

So I joined him to experience the atmosphere here.Surprisingly all available floor space surrounding the rail station corridors were occupied with local people already sleeping and some snoring away.
The station security personnels also made a half hourly interval scrutinity of the area.  

About Hualampong Railway Station:

Bangkok Grand Central Railway Station is located at Rama IV Road,Rongmuang Sub-District Pathumwan District Bangkok. (outskirts of Bangkok Chinatown).
This is the railway hub for the whole country.
All Northern, Southern, Northeastern, and Eastern Train Lines have Hualamphong Rail Station as their first or final stop.
Trips on Thailand's Western Routes depart from Thonburi Rail Station, across the Chao Phraya River.
All North / Northeast-bound trains also make a stop at Don Muang Rail Station (opposite Don Muang International Airport) for convenient air/rail transfer.
Bang Sue is the Main Thai Railways Junction in and out of Bangkok for all Lines N, S, NE, W.

For Eastern Line Train Services, Chachoeng Sao is the Main Junction out of Bangkok, and Makkasan Station is the main SRT Depot.

Many types of Train Service can be found in and out of Bangkok.[ordinary train(ord),diesel railcar(drc),rapid train(rap),express train(exp),special express train(sp exp) and special express diesel railcar(sp exp drc)]  

Time table Southern Lines. 

 1) BKK(08:05) - Nakhon Pathom(09:17) -Ratchaburi(09:55) - Petchaburi(10:28)Hua Hin(11:11) - Prachuap Khiri Khan(12:08) -Chumphon(14:28) - Lang Suan(15:16) & Surat Thani(16:30)----sp,exp,drc. (2nd class)

2)BKK(09:20) -Hua Hin(13:35)----drc(3rd class)

3)BKK(13:00) -Hua Hin(17:10) - Chumphon(21:01) - Surat Thani(00.05) - Hat Yai(05:36) - Yala(08:42) - Sungai Golok(10:45)----rap(2nd ,3rd class)

 4)BKK(14:45) - Hua Hin(18:21) -Chumphon(21:47) - Surat Thani(00:40) - Hatyai(06:27) - Padang Besar(07:55) - Butterworth(11:55)----sp exp(1st 2nd class)

5)BKK(15:10) - Hua Hin(19:08) - Chumphon(23:22) - Surat Thani(01:53) - Hat Yai(07:13) - Yala(09:25) - Sgungai Kolok(11:25)----sp exp(1st,2nd,3rd class)

6)BKK(15:35) - Hua Hin(20:11) - Chumphon(00:35) - Surat Thani(03:18) - Hat Yai(09:07) -Yala(11:20)----rap(2nd,3rd class)

7)BKK(17:05) - Hua Hin(20:43) - Chumphon(01:10) - Surat Thani(04:02) - Trang(07:55)----exp(1st,2nd,3rd class)

8)BKK(17:35) - Hua Hin(21:37) - Chumphon(02:29) - Surat Thani(05:14) - Nakhon Si Thammarat(09:35)----rap(2nd,3rd class)

9)BKK(18:20) - Hua Hin(22:02) - Chumphon(03:05) - Surat Thani(05:51) - Kantan(11:05)----rap(2nd,3rd class)

10)BKK(19:30) - Hua Hin(23:19) - Chumphon(03:47) - Surat Thani(06:27) -Nakhon Si Thammarat(10:35)----exp(1st,2nd,3rd class)

11)BKK(22:50) - Hua Hin(02:08) - Chumphon(05:47) - Surat Thani(08:11) -Hat Yai(12:27)- Yala(14:25)----sp,exp,drc(2nd class only)  

Southern Lines train fares(Thai Baht):

1st class air cond sleeper:-Hua Hin(1,022Baht)-Chumphon(1,234)-Surat Thani(1,379)-Hat yai(1,594) 2nd class sleeper(up,low,a/c up,a/c low):- Hua Hin(352,402,522,622) Chumphon(440,490,680,770) Surat Thani(498,548,758,848) Hat Yai(555,605,855,945)

2nd class seat(a/c,fan):-Hua Hin(382,292), Chumphon(480,380), Surat Thani(578,438), Hat Yai(675,535)

3rd class(a/c,fan):-Hua Hin(294,234), Chumphon(342,272), Surat Thani(397,297), Hat Yai(439,339)

 Eastern Line Timetable(all are 3rd class seats): 

 1)BKK(05:55)-Phaya Thai(06:10)-Ratchaprop(06:15)-Makkhasan(06:20)-Asoke(06:26)-Khlong Tan(06:36)-Hua Mak(06:43)-Lat Krabang(06:55)-Phra Chom Klao(07:00)-Hua Takhe(07:03)-Chachoensao(07:40)-Prachin Buri(08:58)-Kabin Buri(09:48)-Watthana Nakhon(11:06)-Aranyaprathet(11:23)----ordinary

2)BKK(06:55)-Phaya Thai(07:08)-Mkkasan(07:16)-Asoke(07:22)-Khlong Tan(07:40)-Lat Krabang(08:06)-Phra Chom Klao(08:10)-Hua Takhe(08:14)-Chachoengsao(08:59)--Chonburi(09:49)-Si Racha(10:13)-Pattaya(10:35)-Yanasangwararam(10:57)-Suan Nongnut(11:04)-Ban Phlu Ta Luang(11:20)-----ordinary

3)BKK(06:55)--Chachoengsao(08:56)----drc(9 station stops)

4)BKK(08:00)--Kabin Buri(11:35)----ord(11 station stops)

 5)BKK(10:10)--Chachoengsao(11:45)----drc(10 station stops)

 6)BKK(12:10)--Chachoengsao(13:30)----sp,drc.(9 station stops)

7)BKK(13:05)--Aranyaprathet(17:35)----drc(13 station stops)

8)BKK(15:25)--Kabin Buri(17:35)----drc(12 station stops)

 9)BKK(16:35)--Chachoengsao(17:55)----sp,drc(8 station stops)

 10)BKK(17:00)--Chachoengsao(18:50)---ord(10 station stops)

11)BKK(17:40)--Prachin Buri(20:32)----ord(11 station stops)

12)BKK(18:25)--Chachoengsao(19:40)----ord(10 station stops)  

Train fares(Thai Baht):

 Makkasan(2Baht), Hua Mak(3), Chachoengsao(13), Chon Buri(23), Pattaya(31), Aranyaprathet(48)

 Bangkok - Kanchanaburi - Nam Tok Train(3rd class seats only)

 BKK(Thoburi Sation)(depart 07:45/13:55)- Talingchan(07:59/14:10) - Salaya(08:16 /14:24) - Nakhon Pathom(08:53/14:54) - Nong Pladook(09:15/51:11) - Tha Rue Noi(09:50/15:47) - Kanchanaburi((10:45/16:19) - River Kwai Bridge(10:55/16:26) - Wan Yen(11:15/17:03) - Baan Kao(11:23/17:20) - Thakilen((11:37/17:33) - Tham Krasae(11:41/17:51) - Wang Pho(11:52/18:01) - Koe Mahamongkol(12:05/18:13) - Nam Tok(12:20/18:30)  

Getting in or out of the station:-

Airport Express Bus AE4 runs directly from Hua Lamphong to Departure Floor of Suvarnabhumi, THB150. Non air-cond Bus 29 to Victory Monument, 30 minutes, THB8.

Local Bus: 4 7 21 25 29 34 40 53 73 109 113 and Air-con Bus: 4 7 29 73 501 507 Mb 5 4

Passenger Boat: Hualampong Pier (Phadung Krung Kasem Canal) MRT Hualampong. 

  Hotels and Guesthouses nearby: At One Inn, The Chilli Bangkok Bangkok Centre Hotel Baan Hualampong Sri Hualampong

Wat Traimit is a very beautiful and remarkable temple located between the end of Yaowarat Road(1/2 km) and Hualampong rail station(1km).

 In the still of the night,the temple looks like a glittering fairyland.I can't resist seeing this temple whenever I'm in Bangkok.





Inside the four storey marble temple complex housed the Golden Buddha.
This temple is opened from 08:00am till 5:00pm except for Monday.
The entrance fee to see the Golden Buddha which was perched on the highest floor is Baht40 .
The museum entrance fee is Baht100

A portrait of the King of Thailand,His Royal Highness King Bhumibol.

 The temple's location is along Wanit1 Road(Sampheng Road) in the Sampanthawong District.

(Bangkok has 50 sub-divided districts"khet")
Along here was a 24hours convenience store and also a water dispenser in front of a shop nearby. For 1baht,you can fill your pep bottle container(1.5 litre) and save you money if you tend to drink a lot of water. To catch a local bus,wait near the bus stop in front of the convenience store.

The Bangkok Chinatown Gate in the Odeon Circle is less than 3km from Hualampong rail station just after Wat Traimit.
Walk further up keeping to the right is the Yaowarat Road.  

Chinatown area hotels in sequence from Chinatown Gate:
 New EmpireHotel ChinatownHotel Shanghai Mansion BoutiqueHotel White OrchidHotel Check Inn Chinatown Grand China Princess Hotel.

For guesthouses,there are some along the Sois off Songsawat Road.(opposite the shark fin restaurant)

Rong Kluea-Thai border checkpoint.

After the Cambodian immigration clearance which was very swift without much hassle including my French companion,we walked through the short distance Thai-Cambodian Friendship Bridge .

The scenerio at the Poipet Thai border is bustling with the two sides actively doing business with one another.
The economically active populace living along the border with Thailand are heavily dependent on cross-border trades such as garments making,construction,transport and services.
This is a win-win situation as can reduce the impact of poverty and generate employment to the local youths.




The checkpoint is opened daily from 7:00am till 8:00pm to facilitate the movement of people and goods.
Local people are able to travel to Thai border town of Rong Kluea market by purchasing a border pass for Baht10.
There is no way heavy vehicles can pass through not even any sign of motorcyclist.
Only transporters using a wooden carriage carrying heavy loads of goods through and fro.

 Cambodia's economic liberalisation only happens in the late 1980s and with the ending of state monopoly,the country joined ASEAN Free Trade Area(AFTA).




Border crossing is a very interesting adventure as one can see the best of both world.
 The Thai border checkpoint office is not a big one and while my French partner took to the queue while I went to hunt for the embarkation card.

It was a weekend and just after the Cambodian New Year,there were massive crowds as most people were returning to work the next day.

 The Thai immigration officer is very particular that you fill in the address(road name) of your stay in Thailand.

As we emerged from the Thai immigration checkpoint,we need to go through another lane where the police will make a luggage check.

The tuk-tuk drivers were all on hand nearby to greet travelers.We failed to meet our other Cambodian group nor do we recognised the "bus company represenative" at the Poipet side.
There were two white Cathay Tour Bus at the border waiting to receive their passengers.
We showed them our ticket but were rejected.

Now we feel dejected and my French partner thought of staying overnight here but I suggested that we should enquire around.

As we walked out the only exit road beside the bank,we came into this main road of Rong Kluea market.

 Talad Rong Kluea is located in Aranyaprathet, Sa Kaeo Province.
Talad in Thai means market.As you come from the Thai Immigration checkpoint,that corner green colour building is the Kasikorn Bank Limited.
 This market is a heaven to source for secondhand brand name clothes,sneakers,bags and accessories.
Most of their goods were sourced from South Korea.
The quality were superb and cheap costing between USD2-USD10.
Most of the clothing items came via Cambodia because import tax is lower there.
This is a distribution center for Thais who come from all the major towns and cities to buy goods to sell in their shops and market stalls.






  We found this booth and enquire by showing our bus ticket to the lady inside.
She was very good enough to tell us wait for the next van here.
This inferred that the "bus company representative" in Poipet is not trusted as by right he should have told us to come to this booth and switch to a minivan and not making pretentious call for a taxi arrangement.

We waited till 6:00pm when the scheduled van arrived for our 4hours journey to Bangkok.

 From this encounter,I felt that travellers might as well take a local express bus to the border and just walk into Rong Kleua market,take a Thai express bus here or at Aranyaprathet(Baht48) back to Bangkok(6 hours).
Songtheaw(not tuk-tuk) to Aranyaprathet from market(Baht20). All the formalities are very straight forward and fast if your documents are in order.

The local bus will stop enroute to Bangkok at Chachoengsao and Prachinburi.
 Rongkleau to Bangkok Minivan (14 seater)

Time:06:30, 08:30, 10:30, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30. Fare:between Baht440 to Baht500.

From Survanbhumi Airport direct bus to Rongkleau:

Bus Fare:Baht187 Distance:239km Duration:3hrs 50minutes.

Avail:07:15am & 09:30am

Depart Rongkleau:12:30hrs & 14:30hrs.
Check it up phone: 02-1344099.Call Center:1490

The mini van,a Toyota Commander made its way out of Rong Kluea via this exit to Aranyaprathet.

 The market is sub-divided into zones such as Rong Kluea, Golden Gate, Dech Thai, Thesaban II, Thesaban III and Benjawan.

It looks quite similar to Chatuchak Market in Bangkok layout style.
A short drive from here there was a police checkpoint where in most cases passengers have to get down for further checks.Maybe they need to confirm that there were no illegal immigrants sneaking into Thailand.
One minivan next to us has a full capacity packed like sardine of close to 20 young Cambodian workers or maybe student.

Sunset in the horizon.It was a Sunday and the traffic along this highway was very light.Expect to get some slight delay and bottleneck near Chachoengsao when the Thais return to the city after the Songkran festival.
Expected time of arrival in Bangkok will be 10:30pm and will end near the Victory Monument.

Guesthouse stay while in Phnom Penh

It was a Sunday and the streets of Phnom Penh were very quiet.
The weather in the late afternoon was a scorching hot in this April month.

Having arrived at Sorya Bus Terminal near the main central market-Psar Thmey,making a decision where to stay for the night can be an uphill task in view that there was no early booking of particular guesthouse.

Applying the motto S.T.O.P.(Search,Think,Organise,Plan) was a great motivating factor to manage situation like this.

Moving along the main road artery of Monivong Street and turning right into Monivong Boulevard was this Malaysian owned Public Bank. There were some guesthouses near the central market but not for rent maybe they have 'special' long stay clients.





 Monivong Boulevard was also a straight stretch of road and on turning left into Street 53 which joins Oknha Ing Bun Hoaw was the  Wat Phnom.

This Mountain Pagoda was built during the 14th century. The interior has a central altar complex with a large bronze seated Buddha surrounded by other statues.
The surrounding complex has a nice greenery landscape with a grand clock.

 Wat Phnom is a very popular place with lots of local people visiting.They came here to pray for good luck and success in school exams or business affairs.
Sometimes people pray in the hope that they can strike big in forecast numbers.

 Further down the road,was a small market right (Psar Chass-old market) where most of the vendors were already setting up stalls.
 The streets of Phnom Penh has confusing road numbers.One moment at Preah An Duong Road.(Street 110) and suddenly the side road was Street 15.

 At the far end of the road is the Canadia Garden and that is Confederatin De La Russie.
 Preah Ang Duong Hospital just beside the Canadia Garden ,serve as the Tertiary Eye Center, Ophthalmology University Hospital for Teaching of Graduate and Post graduate and Central PBL Coordination.
 Office of the National Program for Eye Health. This is a government supported hospital.

This short stretch is called National Highway 5 and traffic on my side here goes to Wat Phnom while across traffic were moving towards Norodum Boulevard.

 In fact on this side of Street 110 (Preah Ang Duong),there were three guesthouses.

The red-pinkish block is King guesthouse and  next door is Malis Guesthouse.
 They are all in a good location,the best place to stay and The River nearby with a 5 minutes walk.

 Along the riverside road will lead to The Royal Palace (Silver Pagoda), National Museum,Mok Vaeng Park and night market.

King Guesthouse #149&151, St.Preah Ang Duong, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun, Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia Phnom Penh, Cambodia Tel:(855)23 21 56 90 Mobile:(855)11 93 00 11.,(855)99 93 00 11 email:kingguesthouse@hotmail.com.

 A large double bed fan room with attached bathroom,no hot shower.Room rates at USD7.00.

The staff are very friendly and they helped me book bus ticket to Bangkok with free pick up.




 Malis Guesthouse and Restaurant.
In fact most guest houses have the word 'restaurant' attached.They also serve good Khmer food.

Malis Guesthouse and Restaurant also have one at 19, St. 93, Group 80, Sangkat Sras Chork, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh. which is an upper end category.
 E-mail：bonybona_016@hotmail.com Tel: 099318821

Khmer food menu:

1) Banh Chao

Large thin crepe stuffed with bean sprouts and ground chicken, served with mint, Asian basil, lettuce, cucumber and fish sauce.

2)TreyBom Poung Fried fish fillets with lettuce, sliced carrot and tomato in a sweet and sour sauce.

Luck Ro Hotel across the street a few blocks from King Guesthouse near street corner of 110 and 17 of Singkat Phsar Chass. Mobile: +855 (0) 23 722290Email: luckyro@luckyro-hotel.com