Pathum Thani - Wat Pai Lom 
Wat Pai Lom, a temple on the bank of the Menam Chao Phyra, provides the most interesting attraction here and is best reached either by rented boat (five minutes) or by river taxi from Bangkok. The wat itself is of no interest, but the temple grounds are home to hundreds of thousands of openbill storks (Anastomus oscitans), whose numbers have increased more than eightfold in the last 30 years as a result of the protection they enjoy here (use of firearms and hunting are forbidden in the grounds of Thailand's temples).
The site of Wat Pai Lom is thought to have been built during the Ayutthaya period, i.e. long before the founding of Bangkok. Its name means "Bamboo Temple" and was chosen either because the first temple buildings were made of bamboo or because of the dense bamboo forest, which once surrounded the temple grounds.
The site of Wat Pai Lom is thought to have been built during the Ayutthaya period, i.e. long before the founding of Bangkok. Its name means "Bamboo Temple" and was chosen either because the first temple buildings were made of bamboo or because of the dense bamboo forest, which once surrounded the temple grounds.
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Must-see attractions nearby:
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Related Attractions
Storks
Storks live on snails, which they find in nearby rice fields during periods of flooding. They leave the temple in search of food in the morning and return in the afternoon. Bird guano has over-fertilized the trees in which the storks nest, causing them to lose their leaves.
It proves most interesting to observe the storks during the incubation period in March. Raised hides facilitate very close contact, only rarely possible. Photographs, nevertheless, should be taken using a telephoto lens, as storks are sometimes very easily startled.
The over-population of Wat Pai Lom has resulted in an interesting phenomenon, which has attracted ornithologists from all over the world. Storks are usually monogamous, but here they often take several "wives" who are likely to have to share a nest. Giant lizards also profit from the over-population: if the stork does not build its nest properly the eggs will fall to the ground and be rapidly consumed as delicacies.
It proves most interesting to observe the storks during the incubation period in March. Raised hides facilitate very close contact, only rarely possible. Photographs, nevertheless, should be taken using a telephoto lens, as storks are sometimes very easily startled.
The over-population of Wat Pai Lom has resulted in an interesting phenomenon, which has attracted ornithologists from all over the world. Storks are usually monogamous, but here they often take several "wives" who are likely to have to share a nest. Giant lizards also profit from the over-population: if the stork does not build its nest properly the eggs will fall to the ground and be rapidly consumed as delicacies.
