December 18, 2024 – Phanom Rung to Prasat – 69 kms – Thongpaeka Hotel

December 19, 2024 – Prasat to Sangkha – 66 kms – Manee Sangkha Hotel

December 20, 2024 – Sangkha to Ban Nong Khen – 69 kms – Terawadi Resort 

December 21, 2024 – Ban Nong Khen to Khao Phra Wihan National Park – 48 kms – Farm Stay

December 22, 2024 – Khao Phra Wihan National Park – 37 km day ride – Farm Stay

We are staying a couple of nights in a tiny cottage less than 3 kms from the border with Cambodia.  Nearby, but on the Cambodian side, is Preah Vihear, UNESCO designated Khmer ruins perched on the top of a mountain ridge.  The ruins are located on the international border and they have a colourful legal and political history.  In 1962 they were the subject of a high profile case before the International Court of Justice (a former U.S. Secretary of State acted as Cambodia’s legal counsel).  The Court found in favour of Cambodia, placing the ruins on that side of the border.  Thailand continued to disagree, and as recently as 2012 there were military skirmishes at the site, causing loss of life and damage to the historical structures.  There are still minefields on both sides. (Nothing says “Stay on the Path” more compellingly than a sign warning of a minefield.)

Access to the historic site from Thailand is still being negotiated, but as it currently stands the ruins can only be visited from the Cambodia side.  That hasn’t prevented the Thailand side from becoming a tourist attraction, as people go up before dawn to see the “cloud fall” of morning fog cascading over the escarpment.  We planned to do the 8 kilometre climb just after dawn this morning, but were shocked by the volume of traffic going up.  Starting long before dawn, and continuing for several hours, the air resonated with the sound of small motorcycles with modified exhaust systems.  It was a Sunday morning and our host told us that a motorcycle club was doing some sort of group ride.

We did cycle up a couple of hours later, when the worst of the traffic had finished taking selfies and come down.  The cliffs are very impressive and the views of the Cambodian plains were well worth the climb. There are also some 10th century relief carvings and a double stupa to visit.  It’s a bit of an odd site, as it is militarized and the walks to various features are between coils of concertina wire and past pillboxes painted in camouflage.

On the way down we took a nature walk through the jungle.  We didn’t spot any large mammals, but there were an abundance of butterflies, birds and orchids (not blooming in this season).  Our final stop was up a road that ended at a Khmer site on the Cambodian side.  It is not accessible by road from Cambodia and Cambodians tolerate the border crossing without any formalities.  Just beyond the historic ruins there were, however, some threatening signs and a military post.

We haven’t decided whether to go north through Laos or south and west via Cambodia, so it’s possible that this brief visit to Cambodia may be our only experience of that country on this trip.  We have to make that decision in a week or so.