Lopburi: The less known climbing destination of Thailand

by John Dominic Crisostomo (Singapore)

A leap into the unknown Thailand

"Rock!" A woman's shriek echoed from the vegetation just above the platform of limestone where we were standing on. I instinctively grabbed the lower end of the rope I was holding downwards, effectively applying a braking force. I braced for impact as I heard leaves rustling just above my head. A rock the size of a basketball emerged and flew by the direction of the man beside me. QX, who was tethered in the same piece of nylon as I am, quickly ducked to avoid the rock from hitting his head. "Do not pull the rocks down!" QX shouted right after dodging. That was the first time I have seen rocks falling while climbing outdoors. Everything happened so fast, and I cannot seem to think about what could have happened if the fly hurled in my direction. "Slack! Slack!" The unseen woman continuously shouted from the leaves above, followed by several pulls on the thread that connects the three of us. I noticed my right hand still firmly holding down my end of the rope. I loosened my grip and starting paying her more slack. The situation is under control, at least for now. I continued to pay out the rope while feeling her movements. Behind me, the wind continues to blow. The empty sunflower fields of Lop Buri looms two hundred meters below. We arrived at Don Mueang International Airport two days ago. QX fetched us with a white rented sedan, and we immediately drove off on a two-hour road trip to Lop Buri. "So, what do you guys know about Lop Buri?" QX started about fifteen minutes in one of Bangkok's freeway. "Monkeys and Buddhist temples!" Aeriel, who was sitting beside me, happily quipped. She has been traveling for a little over sixteen hours now without sleep. She flew from Cebu to Manila right after clocking out from work, then boarded another flight to Kuala Lumpur, and finally, to Bangkok. QX chuckled. "Yes, Lop Buri is also famous for its sunflower fields. But most especially, King Narai..." He went on to tell some stories about this particular monarch from the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Judging his eloquence, he knows these historical facts out of passion. I sat back and listened intently, although a bit tense in my posture. I am still unsure of what to expect. I have been anxious for the past few weeks. Qing Xin Cheang, most commonly referred to as QX, runs a rock climbing guiding company based in Taiwan. He and his wife are originally Singaporean but have decided to relocate to Taiwan near the scenic crags of Longdong. QX is one of the two people in Asia who has a coveted Rock Guide certification from the American Mountain Guide Association. We have booked him to learn and become more efficient when it comes to multi-pitch climbing. Multi-pitch is a discipline of rock climbing where you ascend heights that are higher than the length of a single rope. In most indoor climbing gyms, a rope's length goes from around 30 to 35 meters while in outdoor climbing, it is usually twice the length: 60 to 80 meters long. Standing 240 meters high, the sheer face of Khao Chin Lae 2 towers behind the Buddhist monastery of Wat Pa Suwannahong. Situated in the middle of the vast agricultural fields of Central Thailand, the limestone formation is a sight to behold. For the past fifteen years, access has been granted to climbers from all over the world. My girlfriend and I have only been climbing for well over a year. After leading our fair share of outdoor climbs and some pitches on our own, we decided it was time to try and reach greater heights. We were both aware of the risks and why it was significant to seek qualified instruction on this endeavor. Climbing is inherently dangerous, and all the literature and the materials do not fall short in emphasizing it. "OFF BELAY!" Aeriel has reached the next anchor successfully. Even though she was nowhere to be seen, I shouted the same command to make sure it was accurate. When she shouted the same word again, I snapped the rope out of my belaying device.