Thailand – Laos Travel: Day 8 – Part 1 – Lunch at Chakrapong Mosque and a Visit to Coin Museum

Continued from Thailand – Laos Travel: Day 7 – Part 7 – Finding Cheap Hotels and Khao San Road. For pre-travel, please refer here.

Travel Date: January 4, 2017
Day: 8
Location: Bangkok

While at the Negara Buku book fair in Shah Alam in December 2017, I met and got acquainted with Meor Farid Asyradi (author of the famous and bestselling book Travelog Mr. Traveler) and Normi Ahmad Shafie (author of the book Krabi: Pergi Naik Bas, Balik Naik Tren and Seoul Dengan RM1,400 Je?). After a lengthy discussion, they suggested that I should convert my travelogue writing in a blog into a book. In respect of their suggestions, I took the time to listen only but deep in my heart, I was not ready to make a printed book because I was comfortable passing on free information to all of you. This blog is actually growing every day because the ‘unique visitors’ are quite many, which is 800 people a day. Well, let’s continue the story of this Thailand-Laos trip which is almost a year not complete yet. I’ll also do my best to contribute information.

Pictures of memories with Meor and Normi at the Negara Buku book fair.

That morning we woke up at almost 11 am. We slept very soundly because of the exhaustion on the previous day and was still not over. No activity in the room was made that morning. Tatie wanted to eat Maggi and I tried to turn on the butane stove we brought. When I opened the barrel located next to the adapter, it suddenly sounded like the gas was leaking.

I stepped downstairs and looked for a store that could borrow me a plier. By not taking a shower just for the wife and children who want to eat breakfast. After entering the 5th store, it was only then that I got help to lend plier. I tried to pinch and twist but to no avail. Finally returned empty-handed.

I don’t dare try to light the fire. What if it explodes? Since the gas barrel seemed impossible to replace with spare parts, so I decided to end the history of the butane stove and its gas barrel here and left it in this room before we left Bangkok the next day. And save a little space and the weight of my backpack.

At 12 noon we left the hotel to go somewhere looking for a halal restaurant. I think it is better to head to Khao San Road as it is easy to find tuktuk, taxis and restaurants.

Arriving in Khao San, I saw two Thai girls wearing hijabs and passed in front of us. As usual, I greeted and made a hand signal as if putting food in my mouth and saying ‘halal’. Probably because they understood so they quickly showed me the location. They also suggested another restaurant but at the east end of Khao San Road called ‘Aesah Rotdee’.

Because the first restaurant that was shown by them was closer to our current location, so we headed there. I will tell you about Aesah Rotdee in another blog post.

This is a stall located in the alley leading to the Chakrapong Mosque. Here there are three stalls. One is the category of Muslim stalls, the second is non-halal stalls and the third is the Muslim restaurant located in the middle of this alley.

On the outside, there are also fish balls, hotdogs and so on that can be packed and eaten while walking.

This is the situation in the alley we stopped at. For me, the condition of the hallway is quite clean because on the outside there are labels and grades from the Thai Ministry of Health.

I heard some advice that if you want to buy halal food, make sure the seller wears a hijab. In this case, we can’t think deeply until our heads are wrinkled because the situation in non-Muslim countries is always considered as an ’emergency’. Like it or not, have to eat what is available as long as it is halal and reject other criteria. This situation is considered a moderate level when compared to the search for halal food such as in Norway, Lithuania, Poland, China, Japan and others that are much more difficult.

Among the lunch dishes served here. The price is quite reasonable and almost the same as in Malaysia.

After taking a plate of side dishes, we headed inside. Here, chairs and tables are quite limited. We were lucky because there was an empty table here. If we come after 1pm, there may be no empty tables at all because many of the office workers will come.

While Tatie was having a meal, I took Aqif for a walk up to the back of the alley. And when Tatie had finished eating, it was Aqif’s turn to be fed.

See the food stall in front? It is not halal and please choose the right one. While on the left, there is a Muslim restaurant called S.M. Lokhande. On the entrance wall is a health certification by the ministry.

This is the inside of the restaurant but there are no customers. I saw that the ala-carte food did not have many options compared to the stall in front.

Then I bring Aqif for a walk to the back of the alley and at first, I thought, I will definitely meet the Chakrapong Mosque. Here it is …

The architecture of the building is not like the mosque we usually see. More to the form of business buildings.

This is also the entrance. I find that most mosques in non -Muslim countries are closed. Maybe for security reasons or maybe on local government orders.

Upon entering the main door, on the right side, there is a place for ablution.

And on its left, there is an entrance to the main prayer hall.

Seen some Thai Muslims who started praying here. The time is now Zohor (a noon pray time for Muslims). I turned back to the food stall earlier because I wanted to inform Tatie to perform a pray here after eating.

After eating and performing a praying, we continued our journey to the nearest tourist location, the Coin Museum. Before starting the walk, I asked an old man who sells hotdogs about when this stall would close. He said it was usually closed between 4.00-5.00 pm. For those of you who want to eat here, please take note.

GPS location for halal stalls and Chakrapong Mosque (also called Chakrabong or Chakrabongse): 13.761404, 100.497398

Stepping into the Coin Museum is not far, only 350 meters away. I don’t think it’s necessary to put GPS coordinates because it’s easy to find through Google Maps.

Arriving right in front of Khao San Road, we stopped for a moment and sat on the sidewalk. Deliberately we wanted to see the famous Khao San atmosphere during the day. Apparently, there was no activity, only at night. Vehicles can also enter and exit via Khao San Road and are closed when night falls.

Where is Khao San Road? A white vehicle that was parked was the entrance.

Then we continued walking to the Coin Museum. I was also interested in a shophouse that sold cooking gas canisters that looked a little short and cute. Very different in size than in Malaysia. However, in Indonesia, it is even smaller and chubby.

The atmosphere of unloading goods, namely bottled and canned drinks. Possibility to be distributed to 7-Eleven there. From what I saw through the road culture in Thailand from the south to Bangkok, vehicles are very rare to be seen parking on the side of the road. There may be no parking space at all. The only vehicles that stop are lorries to unload goods, taxis, buses and tuktuks.

If there was no vertigo problem while boarding the ferry on the Chao Phraya river yesterday, most likely we would have set foot here looking for a budget hotel.

Then I saw the writing “Indian Food”. Then I asked if it was halal or not. He said it was halal. But deep down I was a little apprehensive. If true, I plan to mark the location of this restaurant and come by to eat at another time.

A modestly large stupa is located on the outside of the Coin Museum. Looking back at this photo, the angle I took was very timely as it saw a woman walking on the left side while bowing down. For me, it’s priceless.

Right next to the stupa, there is a gate that reads Coin Museum. Yes, it is not difficult to find.

Pictured in front of the museum. At this time it is lunch hour and there is no staff at the inquiry counter.

Among the examples are large replicas of old coins on display at the museum entrance. We waited for a while until a counter clerk came. Apparently, no activities could be carried out with the guidance of the museum staff until 2.00 pm. The time now is 1.20 pm. Oh God, my H&M shirt looks bad even though I just bought it new before starting this journey.

The counter clerk asked if we wanted a tour guide inside. It’s free but have to wait until 2pm. I say no because we will only be here for a while. However, playdough activities and stitching using yarn caused us to be here beyond 2pm. We should have followed the tour guide’s offer earlier.

The building originally served as the government’s Financial Management Bureau and was later converted into a museum. It houses an exhibition of old and new local coins including those from abroad.

This is a description of the Royal currency and the transition to the modern currency.

History of currency during the reign of King Rama IV, the king who reformed the Thai currency system.

Then we surveyed in the corner of the corridor as there was an art exhibition produced by children as well as tourists who came here.

Playdough sets are also on display here by works and art from children who have visited here.

This is the corridor I mentioned earlier. At the end of it, there was nothing, only a locked exit door.

All the above pictures are descriptions, collections and exhibitions of replicas of ancient currency forms in Thailand. You can read the description through the picture below because it will be a bit long for me to rewrite it here.

The activity of stitching and sketching examples of replicas of ancient currencies on paper can be taken home as memories.

We let Aqif play with playdough even though he is used to playing at home. Probably excited about plastic sticking molds with various shapes to produce playdough. For parents who bring children like us, here is the perfect place to spend time.

Results from stitching and sketching activities. Save it and take it home, don’t throw it away.

Ok, I don’t know what the name is. When we draw or write on the blackboard, the thread in the orange pen will stick to the board and produce the patterns we want.

While Tatie and Aqif were doing the thread activity, I looked around. Seen some tourists coming and being guided by the staff here for a briefing session. It’s free but you have to write your name and follow the attached schedule. It would be nice if we wrote the name when we came in here earlier. I didn’t expect to hang out here for a long time until after lunch hour.

This room can only be entered with museum staff.

This is an example of the exhibition behind the door. In general, this museum is suitable for those who love the history of currency from ancient times to the present and specifically for Thailand only. Meanwhile, this place is also suitable to let go of tired long walks out there while doing various art activities.

The video we took here.

I’m less interested in history. Not all history I’m not interested in, just certain ones. After this, where do we go? Mae Phra Thoranee Beep Muay Phom. What is that? Just follow us. Let’s read in the next blog post … Thailand – Laos Travel: Day 8 – Part 2 – Mae Phra Thoranee Beep Muay Phom & The Grand Palace, Bangkok.