The town and its impressive ruins are sited on the banks of the Menam Ping.
It is possible to wander through the ruined monasteries and forts of Kamphaeng Phet, many overgrown with verdant trees, without meeting a single person. The town was originally built by King Lithai in the 14th century as a garrison to protect and consolidate the power of the Sukhothai Kingdom (Kampheng Phet translates as ‘Diamond Wall’) at a time when surrounding states were growing in threat. In total, the old city, now a historical park, encompasses an area of more than 400 ha. Modern Kamphaeng Phet is sleepy and easygoing with a proportion of its older, wooden, shuttered and tiled buildings still surviving.
Kamphaeng Phet videos
