An ancient Khmer out-post

Phimai, Thailand

Taken on: 4th May, 2009. Copyright: All Rights Reserved - See Bodhidharma's Eyes's page of Flickr

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Once a part of the sprawling Khmer empire, Phimai was once directly connected by road to the capital of Angkor and was considered to be in integral part of the empire, seeing a steady stream of traders and religious travellers passing through it's gates.

Today, Phimai is not quite so grandiose, but it remains a charming little town nevertheless -- afterall, how many Thai towns have an ancient set of ruins sitting in their midst. The contrast of old versus new striking; the well manicured gardens and finely restored Prasat Phimai is a sea of tranquility surrounded by bustling shops and a vibrant daily life.

The area immediately surrounding the ruins is known as "old Phimai", although other than the ruins themselves there is absolutely nothing ancient about it. "New Phimai" is a couple of kilometres away, in a slightly seedier area with none of the charm of the ... Read our complete Phimai travel guide

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