Cha Am July 2022
Tumlay caravan (trailer) camp, cafe and bar. I'm not sure of the attraction of places like this. Why drive someplace only to stay in a trailer. But, this place was completely full that day. To each.
This is commonly known as Jurassic Mountain, but the actual Thai name is เขาตาจีน (Khao Da Jin - Chinese Eye Mountain?). The wall belongs to a Buddhist Monastery called Tham Chedi Nam Khao Ta Chin Bureau of Monks (สำนักสงฆ์ถ้ำเขาตาจีน - The English translation is bizarre.) I've cycled by this place many times but never stopped, thinking there was nothing to see. Recently I'd seen posters inviting people to come and see a cave with a Buddha Image.
The first time I visited there were many broken and empty crypts. I'm not a believer in the supernatural, but I have to admit it was creepy. After that I always called it "The Scary Wat". The next time I visited, the broken crypts were gone. I assumed they had been hauled away. On this visit I discovered that they had simply been destroyed (with a sledge hammer?) and the detritus spread around the grounds.
This handmade crypt is set into the limestone cliff. It was made from some cement and construction bricks. I have no idea what the blue pain signifies.
I believe this is Kaempferia galangal. Also known as galanga (ข่า in Thai), the rhizome of which is used in cooking all over SE Asia. This one was growing right out of the limestone cliff about two meters above ground level.