Discovering Lopburi – Thailand’s Historic Monkey City

Over many years of visiting Thailand as a tourist, I picked up plenty of titbits of information by talking to people from different parts of the country. I found out that Sukhothai was not dissimilar to Ayutthaya. That the best massaman curry comes from the south, and that strawberries are grown in the north. Something I learned on an early trip was that Lopburi was famous for its monkeys. I wanted to find out more.

Monkeying Around at Phra Prang Sam Yot

Lopburi Background

Lopburi is an historic city, surrounded by the province of the same name. Its origins go all the way back to prehistoric times. The conquering Khmer built many impressive temples in the city during their rule before Lopburi became part of the Thai kingdom of Sukhothai and later Ayutthaya. 

In 1666, King Narai the Great ordered a new palace built on the east bank of the Lopburi River. The palace was later renovated in 1937, and during King Narai's reign, Lopburi effectively became Siam's second capital before other cities overtook it in terms of population and importance.

My First Glimpse

Having moved to Thailand in December 2021, there were several destinations on my radar. I noted that Lopburi wasn’t much further north than Ayutthaya, making it an easy day visit. However, my first brief look would come the following April when I took the train to Phitsanulok.

The service north was stopping at Lopburi, so with my phone alarm set, I was ready when we were scheduled to arrive. My first impressions were very good. I hadn’t been aware of the temples or the city’s historic significance. I saw a few macaque monkeys on the ruins and was taken by the level crossing over the main road.

It reminded me of what somewhere similar might look in an English town on a summer's day, with lawns around old ruins and young onlookers waving as the train passed. I would certainly return.

Wat Phrasi Rattana Mahathat

Time for a Look Around – October 2022

With my usual planning considering accessibility by public transport and being able to watch a game of football as well as spend time somewhere new, all completed, I took a train north to Lopburi at the back end of October 2022.

Arriving just after midday, I was soon appreciating Lopburi’s past. One of its excellent features is that its old town is close to the immaculately kept railway station, with the usual old steam engine on a roundabout outside. 

Discovering Lopburi’s Past

My eyes were met by the ruins of Wat Bandai Hin to my left and Wat Phrasi Rattana Mahathat straight ahead, which was even more impressive. It was so impressive that I paid the admission fee to have a look around. Who’d have thought that on a football away day, when sticking to a budget is often the priority?

Wat Phrasi Rattana Mahathat was reminiscent of the larger sites I’d visited in Ayutthaya and well worth taking time to appreciate its ruins and imagine its scale when it was fully intact. And for that matter, how was it constructed without today’s machinery? Perhaps we haven’t progressed as much as we think.

Lazing by Lopburi River

Lunchtime Relaxation

It was a hot day, and I wanted to mix learning with relaxation. Research told me of a couple of places I might enjoy for lunch. One was closed, but opposite it, Noom Guest House & Restaurant was exactly what I was looking for, serving Western comfort food and a cold beer.

The open-sided establishment playing chilled-out music from the 70s and 80s was the perfect place to people-watch as they went about their business wandering around the atmospheric local streets. Lopburi had a vibe that I quickly warmed to.

Satisfied, I headed to Phra Prang Sam Yot, by the level crossing, where the monkeys were running wild. I was extremely careful to keep a tight hold of my phone while taking photos. Just across the tracks, San Phra Kan and Wat Nakorn Kosa also caught my attention and were worth looking at.

The Irony of Modern Man

I hailed a passing songthaew I knew was going towards the football stadium, alighting at Si Suriyothai Circle and walking around to the Lopburi Zoo. There was something deeply ironic about animals being confined, while up the road, monkeys were running free. I’ll never fully understand us humans.

There wouldn’t have been time for a look around anyway, but the entrance area would have struggled to inspire me to pay to go in. The large roundabout around the corner was busy and striking, but there was little else to capture my attention on the walk to the stadium, which was further than I planned.

The match between Lopburi City and Hua Hin City wasn’t one to stick in the memory for too long, but as a groundhopper, I was happy I had gone. For the uninitiated, a groundhopper is someone who watches football games in as many different venues as possible. Some are obsessive; I enjoy combining visiting new towns and cities, adding to the experience.

Thankfully, a songthaew arrived opposite the stadium soon after the match, depositing me by the railway night market being set up by the tracks outside the station. It left me time to buy snacks before I boarded the train back to Bangkok.

Lopburi Street Art

A Swift Return – December 2022

An Early Mishap

It was time for Steve, my mate of many years, and me to have another Thursday adventure. When I had told him about my trip to Lopburi, he was keen to see what he’d been missing. It turned into a quality day out and a lesson in friendship.

We were catching the train from Lak Si station. We were a little tight for time, so we decided to take a taxi for the last leg of the trip. It was only after we’d got out and our driver disappeared into the distance that Steve realised his wallet was still on the back seat. Not an ideal start.

He phoned Fah, who made calls to try to locate the cab, while we continued as planned, trying not to let it spoil things too much. Once we reached Lopburi, we went around the two ruins by the station before heading to see the macaques. The way the monkeys misbehaved made us laugh, with what seemed to be gang warfare taking place on a roof over the road.

Helpful Locals

We amused ourselves when recalling friends of ours saying they wanted to come and see the monkeys and feed them, naively thinking they would be ideal playmates. “They’d have their arms off”, said Steve, who was not far wrong.

We found the local branch of my mate's bank as he wanted to withdraw some cash without his missing ATM card. The staff member who sorted things out couldn’t have been more helpful, cancelling his old card and ordering him a new one. We headed off far more relaxed than before.

We wanted to see where we could enjoy a long and lazy lunch after visiting the other attractions. We found a couple, but they wouldn’t be open until we were catching the 6 pm train. Undeterred, we walked through the narrow streets, many of which had ancient features that were unmarked on Google Maps.

My YouTube Video of a Visit to Lopburi

Exploring the Old Town

King Narai National Museum certainly looked impressive, but the admission fee put us off. Instead, we continued exploring the streets and filming material for my YouTube Channel. There was some excellent artwork on the buildings, relating to monkeys and the city.

The old town by the Lopburi River was interesting, and like many such Thai towns, we didn’t know what we would find next. Small independent shops and smiling locals ensure it’s something I will never tire of when arriving somewhere new.

We headed back to where I knew we could relax, passing the impressive Prang Khaek historical shrine, and then seeing a scooter involved in an accident. Thankfully, its rider wasn’t badly hurt. This took place over the road from Noom Guest House & Restaurant, offering us a grandstand view.

A Life-Changing Conversation

We enjoyed a few hours catching up, remembering some of our escapades over the years and listening to the tunes. I had some news to tell Steve. I was as nervous telling him I was marrying Taew and moving to Sisaket as I was telling my close family.

 
Now totally relaxed, we decided to find somewhere else for drinks before the train. Not finding anywhere else, we sat by a man who had set up a small place selling different strains of cannabis as well as beer. The odours emitted by those trying the products created a mellow ambience to match the friendly demeanour.

It was time for the train home. The 6 pm departure required us to book seats and produce ID at the ticket office, which we had done upon arrival in Lopburi. The rapid service back included an air-conditioned carriage and a reclining seat, meaning we soon nodded off. We got back to Bangkok without any other drama.

Relaxing at Noom Guest House & Restaurant

Planning Further Visits

Next time I ideally want to visit Lopburi and the big museum during the King Narai Reign Fair, an annual event that celebrates the former king’s rule over 10 nights. A friend visited for both the festival and a football game, where he found what looked to be an excellent bar with live music. It's definitely on my list for a future visit with Taew.

Thanks for reading.