Dawn to dusk weekends away beckon travellers this month

This weekend, travellers and local residents in the northeastern town of Buri Ram can assemble at Phanom Rung Historical Park to view dawn through the 15 doors of a historic Khmer-style stone castle during the Phanom Rung Light Phenomenon.

The phenomenon takes place four times a year. The two sunrise events happen between April 3-5 and Sept 8-10 and the two sunset events occur between March 5-6 and Oct 5-7. Perched atop an extinct volcano, Prasat Hin Phanom Rung was constructed between the 10th and 13th centuries as a devotion to the god Shiva and replicates his throne hall on Mount Kailash, which serves as the centre of the Hindu universe.

According to Khmer inscriptions, this ancient structure was the work of Narentharathitta, a member of the Mahithon Pura dynasty who was connected to the cousin of King Suryavarman II who built Angkor Wat….