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Taken on: 20th March, 2009. Copyright: All Rights Reserved - See cheuleng's page of Flickr

Read more about Ratchaburi

Also known as Ratburi, Ratchaburi isn't what you'd call a potpourri of tourist delights, but it's a good base for exploring the region's nooks and crannies.

The city radiates south from the Mae Khlong River, and while the riverbank looked like an enormous drain on our last visit, there are plans afoot to develop a landscaped boardwalk in the area.

Though it's quite a large city of 93,000 people, it's off the regular trail so don't be surprised if you're the only outlander you see during your stay.

Ratchaburi lept onto international headlines in January 2000, when it attracted the unwanted attention of a group of Burmese rebels from the God's Army group. The rebels crossed the border, stormed Ratchaburi Hospital and took about 500 patients and staff hostage.

The Thai authorities, wanting to take a strong stance, attacked the compound, killing nine of the rebels. It subsequently emerged that some of the rebels had had their hands tied behind their back before ... Read our complete Ratchaburi travel guide

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