Discovering Ratchaburi

Since my first visit to Thailand in September 2004, I'd passed through many places without really getting to know them, usually on the way to somewhere else. Ratchaburi was one destination I always wanted to revisit, especially as it offered the chance to catch up with friends, arrive by train, and watch some football.

Ratchaburi Basics

Ratchaburi is the name of the province and its main town, as is often the case in the Land of Smiles. It’s located in central Thailand, bordering Myanmar and lying around 80 kilometres west of Bangkok. The province has a population of around 900,000, with the city having around 50,000 inhabitants. 

Ratchaburi’s economy is primarily driven by agriculture and food processing, supported by light manufacturing and ceramics, which includes the production of the iconic Dragon Jars - large ceramic water vessels decorated with hand-painted dragons.

My First Visit

I first visited Ratchaburi back in October 2013, nearing the end of a holiday that I’d spent time in Bangkok, Krabi, and then the next-door province of Samut Songkhram. After waking and going to see the Mae Khlong Market train arrive, it was time to find out how I would get to Hua Hin, where I wanted to spend a couple of nights.

A train journey would have been elongated unless I found a bus going to Nakhon Pathom. When I was advised that there was a bus going to Ratchaburi, my mind was quickly made up as it offered me the choice of taking another service south or catching the train.

An Interesting Bus Journey

The bus ride was fascinating as we drove along a highway familiar to me, but this time continued straight on rather than turning left to go south as the Hua Hin bus does. It was new scenery for me to take in.

The fare was 25 THB (£0.55), and for that, we were treated to a Thai drama on the TV over the driver's seat. I had no clue what was happening on the screen, but it followed the usual pattern. The girl finds the boy, falls in love before they fall out, and eventually make up with some storyline around it.

What impressed me most was that it ended exactly as we entered Ratchaburi. Was this perfect timing from our driver, or had he delayed our journey, so the few passengers remotely interested saw the end? I will never know.

The bus terminated on Kraipetch Road. I decided to grab the opportunity to visit Ratchaburi Stadium. I wasn’t sure where it was located, but salvation was at hand when I spotted a large tourist map at the side of a busy street. A young local astutely saw my expression and came to help. 

A Hot Afternoon in Ratchaburi

Before long, I was traipsing down the hot streets getting nearer my target. My luggage consisted of a rucksack on my back and my laptop bag in front. It was tiring work, but I would not be beaten. There was a collection of street cafes outside the stadium, which also featured other sporting facilities as well as the main arena. 

Just as I arrived, I was passed by a couple of double-decker coaches, carrying Ratchaburi FC supporters returning from their team's away game at Chiangrai United the previous evening. It was now just after 1 pm the following day.

When Your Luck’s In…

I asked him if it was possible, and he kindly took me upstairs through a door into the VIP area. I thanked my new friend after I took my photos and walked around where many fans were being picked up to go home before really chancing my arm to save time and energy.

Opposite the stadium was the city’s main hospital. Behind it was the road to the railway station. To go all the way around would have taken quite some time, so I decided to walk through the hospital grounds in the hope that there was an exit on the other side. After much smiling and greetings, my gamble paid off, and I was heading down to the station.

I saw a couple of lovely places which I noted for refreshments if I had a wait. As I went into the booking office, the clerk serving asked where I was going. When I replied “Hua Hin”, he ushered me and sold me my ticket for 23 THB and told me that the train was arriving in a couple of minutes!

The Video I made for my YouTube Channel on my Return

A Welcome Return

Fast forward to May 2022, I was now a Thai resident. The previous week, I had visited Kanchanaburi for a stopover so I could have another look around, similarly to my return to Ratchaburi.

My reason for heading back to Ratchaburi was largely inspired by my friend Dale, who helped me many times when I needed information about Thai football, and was going to watch his team, Chonburi FC, in action there.

A Cramped Journey

My adventurous streak led me to take a bus from Minburi into the centre of Bangkok and then the MRT underground railway to Hua Lamphong station, where I could catch a train to Ratchaburi. I had pre-booked a ticket online for the 12.30 pm sleeper service that would go all the way to Su-ngai Kolok, on the Malaysian border.

My fare was 87 THB, and my carriage had normal seating before converting to bunk beds long after I had alighted. Unfortunately, the convertible nature of the car meant little legroom, which was exacerbated by a local stretching out to sleep opposite. We were over thirty minutes late arriving in Ratchaburi, with the journey taking three hours in total. 

Saturday Night in Ratchaburi

Using previous knowledge, I cut through the hospital, getting a few looks before heading to my digs for the night. It turned out to be a nice enough room, as I settled for an hour’s nap before ordering a taxi on the Bolt app to Mitr Phol Stadium to watch the game. My Bolt taxi to the out-of-town venue took me past Khao Kaen Chan, the province's highest mountain, which looked like a worthwhile attraction to visit on a future return.

I met up with Dale, his wife Nui, and their friends Tim and Val, as we enjoyed an excellent match in a quality stadium. They kindly gave me a lift back into town in the back of their pickup truck as Dale and I supped a can of beer. I left them as I wanted to go for a walk and try to find some bars by the riverside night market.

Nowhere appeared to serve beers, as some pandemic restrictions were still in place. I ended up buying some food and an early night before heading out early the following morning for another walk and to try to find where the bus departed from to Bangkok and enjoy the riverside in daylight.

Journey to Bangkok

The train times weren’t convenient, meaning that a bus was the best option. I located the stop from many years earlier outside the Numsin Hotel and asked the receptionist about the service, only to be met with blank looks.

I was told that it no longer left from there. However, as is synonymous with the friendly nature of most Thais, she went outside and commandeered a tuk-tuk driver who wasn’t working to take me to the correct place.

I was deposited at Sri Mueang Market and directed to an office selling tickets for the small buses. I bought some snacks, and we were soon on our way as I got out at Central Pinklao and caught a bus into the city, with lots of time on my hands before meeting some friends on holiday from Australia and taking them to watch Port FC in action in the evening.

Conclusion

Two visits, nearly a decade apart, have convinced me that Ratchaburi deserves far more than a stopover. Friendly locals, easy transport links, attractive riverside walks, football and beautiful countryside all combine to make it somewhere I'll happily return to again.

If you enjoyed this story, feel free to check out my YouTube Channel, where I share videos about everyday life in Thailand, local football, and travel across the country, including my return visit to Ratchaburi.

Thanks for reading.