All the charm of the old ways

Rustic house nestles along Paska River. PHOTOS/PHOOWADON

The seemingly rare experience of waking up in a traditional Thai house by a scenic river becomes eminently doable at Khao Kaew, a homestay lodge in Saraburi's Sao Hai district.

Retired teacher and serious antiques collector Songchai Wunnagul bought three rickety old houses on stilts in various places and rebuilt them on a bank of the Pasak.

They were supposed to be his private museum, but then burglars broke in and made off with much of his priceless collection of antiques. Plan B - the homestay - at least lets him share the beautiful houses with guests.

"That one overlooking the river is from Suphan Buri," Songchai tells his visitors. "It once belonged to a notorious bandit."

All three buildings exude character, in fact - to such an extent that they often appear in television soap operas. And the movie "Pi Kaew Nang Hong" was just the latest film to use the location: In one of the houses, the poor female ghost waited for her unfaithful lover.

"They shot it in this house," says Songchai with a sweep of a hand around the spacious veranda where I'm about to bed down for the night. Inside are a lovely, timeworn mirror, old leather storage cases and faded photos.

I unfold a mattress on the porch, say a prayer and spend the night on cruise control - by which I mean my snoring engine keeps waking up my fellow guests.

In other words, I sleep like a log.

It's wonderful waking up to the peaceful morning with the earthy aromas wafting across the paddy field. You feel like you're a million kilometres from Bangkok.

XTRA

Antique price, too!

>> Khao Kaew homestay is between Ton Tan and Tanod temples off Highway 3225, the SaraburiPak Bang road. A night with breakfast and basic accommodation costs Bt150. Call (036) 391 100.

>> Bring a bicycle and explore the picturesque Thai Yuan neighbourhood and other communities along the Pasak River.

>> For the map, check it out in Google Map