HTMS Prasae Memorial

The HTMS Prasae was an old Tacoma class Patrol Frigate from the latter part of WWII. She served in the Pacific and later in the Korean War before being transfered to the Royal Thai Navy until she was decomissioned and moved to the mouth of the Prasae River near the eastern edge of Rayong Province.

Being a patrol frigate it’s a smaller ship, and could do with some preservation work, but it’s fun to walk around. You can’t wander around the insides, but you can walk around the exterior decks and visit the bridge. Some of the machine guns still have a bit of movement and a few of the main guns can be moved up and down using the controls, so a bit of fun there.

Having said that it could do with a bit of preservation work, it’s great that the Royal Thai Navy kept the ship as a memorial for people to visit, especially since it has had a history dating back to the second world war. Plus they deserve credit for not charging an entrance fee.

Other than the ship, there is not much else to see. There are plenty of food stalls, but it is on the coast so expect a lot of seafood, and there is plenty of parking on the site. Something a little different to see.

Wat Lahan Yai

Wat Lahan Yai is a quiet temple just up the road from Wat Lahan Rai. It is known for it’s big sitting Buddha. It also has a beautiful raised Viharn decorated in red, gold, blue and white. It was closed when we visited and had the place to ourselves, so it was very peaceful.

I thought it was a real shame that this didn’t attract as many visitors as Wat Mahan Rai, because the site is quite compact and the Viharn is spectacular.

Wat Lahan Rai

Wat Lahan Rai is one of more popular and well known temples in Rayong. Depending on where you are in the city, you will see tourist signs for it. Known mostly for the large golden statue of the revered master Luangpu Thim (Which is actually a really good likeness), the temple is a large site with a variety of buildings.

I actually like this Wat. My wife and I visited here when we were both going through a difficult patch and the peace and calm and clarity we felt here was just what we needed, so this place is a special one for us. Looking forward to returning here one day.