Jan 2025 - Susu - Regional Product Manager

Just three-hours northwest of Bangkok lies Uthai Thani — a quiet town often skipped by tourists,  and that’s exactly what drew me there. With its misty lakes, sparkling temples, emerald rice fields  and peaceful rhythm, it feels like stepping into a slower, more grounded version of Thailand. 

Alarm clocks aren’t needed at Uthai River Lake Resort in Uthai Thani. Here, nature sets the  schedule. Mornings started with birdsong echoing across a misty lake. I closed my eyes and just  breathed it all in — still and peaceful. 

One morning, I drove to Wat Thasung, a temple from the Ayutthaya period — a time of significant  artistic and cultural development in Thailand. The temple sparkled with mirrors, glass and gold,  everywhere I looked. A short 20-minute drive away, Wat Uposatharam offered a subtler kind of  beauty, with ancient murals depicting stories of the Buddha’s life. The paint may have faded, but  I felt the stories remained vivid. 

I then boarded a boat and glided through a floating village on the Sakae Krang River at sunset.  The brightly painted stilt houses seemed to come alive under the warm glow, their reflections  dancing on the water’s surface. Smoke curled from kitchens. Kids waved and shouted hello as my  boat passing by. Women washed clothes on the doorsteps. The whole village moved with the  same easy rhythm as the river — steady and calm but full of life. 

Back in town, I wandered through Chinatown, where many buildings are painted purple — a  tribute to Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. Following the scent of sizzling street food, I found a  tiny stall and devoured a perfect plate of pad thai. 

Uthai Thani isn’t loud or flashy. It doesn’t try to impress. It invites you to slow down, notice the  little things and find beauty in the calm. And when I left, I took a little of that tranquility home  with me.