RURAL RELIEF

       There is more to picturesque provinces of Nakhon Nayok and Prachin Buri than the adrenaline pumping activities we generally know them for. The former also boasts a slew of farming communities, but only a handful offer visitors close encounters with their simple way of life and beautiful natural surroundings.
       Our tour began in Nongsang, a village in Pak Phli district of Nakhon Nayok, which for last seven years has been offering visitors an opportunity to tour their community in ox-driven carts, something that these days is a rarity, thanks to Kamron Wongyah,59, a retired school teacher.
       It is an activity popular particularly among European tourists. The kilometre-long ride is bumpy,taking riders through a maze of forest and rice paddies to Kamron's hideout where apart from rice, he also keeps farm animals such as horses,cows and ostriches.
       Reaching his farm we spotted cows and buffaloes grazing in pastures next to his hideout, which also doubles as guesthouse, where greeting us were Kamron's dogs barking at full throttle.
       His farm occupies 100 rai , and the guesthouse provides visitors with only the most basic of amenities such as mattresses, pillows and mosquito nets to ensure the atmosphere and ambience remain truly rustic.
       After a leisurely stroll among farm animals we made our way to Hub Moey, a village in tambon Hintang of Muang district with a population of just 560, a majority of them elderly farmers and children and some construction workers. The village sits in a valley near Khao Yai National Park.
       Hub Moey offers visitors a wider choice of activities to indulge in, starting with a museum that is repository of local culture, followed by a trek through a jungle dotted with towering trees, to the Hindad Waterfall in the company of student tour guides.This is a good place to while away the afternoon.
       Visitors can also go bicycling and enjoy the natural beauty of the area. If you wish to observe the villagers at work making products accorded OTOP status, look up uncle Jampa Boonman, a man in his late 70s whose expertise is making wicker baskets,chicken coops and fishing nets: he will be more than happy to oblige, you can also buy the products from him.
       A few metres from his house lives aunty Thanom Seema. Her specialty include crispy banana fries and rice crackers with fruit and vegetable flavouring.Most residents in this part of village speak Lao and follow the traditional way of life. Also worth checking out is Wat Takinaram located in Muang district,built by Lao craftsmen around 1780.
       Neighboring Prachin Buri, meanwhile, is famous not only for its natural attractions but also archaeological sites, like the ruins of Sa Morakot in Si Mohosot district, where the highlight is a pair of Lord Buddha's footprints believed to be from the Dvaravati period (8th -11th centuries).
       According to the local office of the Department of Fine Arts, the footprints are carved on laterite stones. Close by is a Khmer-style religious ruin dating between 12th-13th centuries, but very little of the original structure is still standing.
       Nakhon Nayok and neighbour Prachin Buri are fascinating provinces worth exploring. The former,106 kilometres from Bangkok, is a popular adventure destination.
       Nakhon Nayok and Prachin Buri are connected by regular buses. For information on bus schedule, call 037-311-932.
       For tour packages, call the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Nakhon Nayok office at 037-312-282 and 037-312-284 or its call centre at 1672.
       Mr Kamron Wongyah can be reached at 089-793-7654.