I recently went on a photowalk with the “Bangkok Photographers” Facebook group, the first one that I have been on for a while. Making the most of the BTS Skytrain line extension earlier this year, it was easy to get to Pak Nam station ( and free 🙂 ) and then a ferry across the river to the 200 year old Phra Samut Chedi and then a walk along a boardwalk through the mangroves to the old Phi Suea Samut naval fort.

Back on the other side of the river stands the “white elephant’ Observation tower ….. finished ages ago but never opened !

Disabled access ?

The old fort was the next stop, it stands on a small island that once used to be nearer the middle of the river. Nowadays the river banks have moved so that the island is just a short distance from the west bank, but getting there still involves several flights of steps to reach a bridge. For a change, there is actually wheelchair access …..sort of, if you look at the pic above right. A 45 degree wheelchair ramp ? And some of the ramps had a step at the top too ….. Disabled access is not a high priority in Thai planning.

Some of the doorways were definitely Hobbit sized !

All in all, a pleasant day out of Bangkok 🙂

How to get there ? The quickest and easiest way is by BTS, getting off at Pak Nam station

Alternately you could catch the air-con bus #511 but it would probably be a slow trip !

Walk along the main road and then veer towards the river, the ferry pier is next to the fresh market (worth a look if you want to see what a Thai fresh market looks like ….anybody for frog ? ). 3.5 baht each way on the ferry, no admission fee to the Temple or the Fort/museum, although you will be required to sign in at the fort’s front gate.

You could also combine this with a visit to the Erawan Museum which you would pass on the way, and is between the Pu Chao and Chang Erawan stations. Just look for a giant three headed elephant, you cannot miss it ! More about that here from my visit a couple of years ago.