Sangkhla Buri

Sangkhla Buri is a district town in western Thailand near the border with Myanmar, in Kanchanaburi province. It is known for its multicultural population including Thai and Mon communities and for wooden bridge architecture.

The town’s most recognisable landmark is the long timber Uttamanusorn Bridge that crosses the Songkalia River and connects to a Mon village and temple complex. Nearby is the old Wat Wang Wiwekaram site, a temple that is partly submerged when reservoir levels are high and visible in drier seasons.

Sangkhla Buri developed as a frontier trade and community centre and grew with the settlement of Mon refugees and migrants in the 20th century. The bridge and temple complex have become focal points for local religious life and tourism.

Geographically the town lies in mountainous western Thailand close to the Myanmar border, in a river valley setting of forested hills and reservoirs; it is one of the westernmost district centres in Kanchanaburi province.

• Cultural mix and border location: The town is a cultural meeting point of Thai, Mon and Burmese communities and serves as a base for river excursions and visits to the border area with Myanmar.

What to See#

• Uttamanusorn Bridge (Mon Bridge): A long wooden footbridge built by local Mon craftsmen that links the Thai town with a Mon village across the Songkalia River and is one of the longest timber bridges in Thailand.
• Wat Wang Wiwekaram (old temple): Wat Wang Wiwekaram and the partially submerged old temple nearby, visible at lower water levels and forming an important cultural site for local Thai and Mon communities.

Sangkhla Buri sits on an arm of the huge reservoir behind the Vajiralongkorn (Khao Laem) Dam, which flooded the old town and its valley in 1984. The new town stands on the shore, and across the water lies Wang Kha, a village settled by Mon people, many of whom came as refugees from Myanmar.

The Mon Bridge. The two sides are joined by the Uttamanusorn Bridge, known to everyone as the Mon Bridge: a wooden footbridge about 445 m long, the longest in Thailand. The Mon abbot Luang Pho Uttama started it in 1986 with mostly Mon volunteers, to replace a floating bamboo crossing. Floods brought down its middle section in July 2013, and army engineers rebuilt it in 2014. Cross early in the morning, when mist sits on the water and the boards are still quiet.

Wang Kha. The Mon village on the far side has its own language, food and customs, and many residents wear the longyi and thanaka paste familiar from Myanmar. Treat it as a neighbourhood, not a show: ask before photographing people.

Wat Wang Wiwekaram. Luang Pho Uttama’s temple, on a hill above Wang Kha, mixes Mon and Thai styles. Its chedi, modelled on the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya in India, is the landmark of the far shore.

The sunken temple. The original temple, abandoned when the reservoir rose, stands in the water off Wang Kha. In the dry months, when the level drops, its walls emerge and boats can take you close; in the wet season only the top shows or it disappears entirely. Longtail boat trips on the lake from the town piers also pass floating raft houses and drowned trees.

Three Pagodas Pass, about 20 km north on the Myanmar border, is the usual excursion, and the forests of Khao Laem National Park and Thungyai Naresuan lie close by.

Sangkhla Buri is about 210-250 km northwest of Bangkok. Regular buses run from Kanchanaburi (about 3-4 hours); private minivans and hired cars are common for flexible schedules.

• Visit early morning to see the wooden Mon Bridge (Saphan Mon) with fewer tourists and to watch local fishermen.
• Respect local Mon and Thai communities-dress modestly at temples and ask permission before photographing people in religious settings.
• Use the small local markets as a way to learn about cross-border trade and the town's seasonal rhythms.