Description
As you drive up the mountain toward the Khmer temple ruins of Phra That Phu Phek, you'll see a sign for an Ancient Khmer Weir (ฝายขอมโบราณ), with a path that runs into the woods. You won't be able to park a car on the side of the road to walk down the path and explore the Khmer weir, but if you are traveling on a motorcycle, you can just barely park off the road, especially if you continue traveling past the sign for about 30 meters.
The Khmer Weir below Phra That Phu Phek is the only ancient Khmer stone weir in Thailand. A weir is a small dam or barrier built across a stream or river to control the upstream water level. The ancient Khmer people somehow managed to move huge stones across a watershed stream coming off the mountain, in order to manage the fresh water source.
Sakon Nakhon researchers believe that there was a Khmer community living on the mountaintop (where Phra That Phu Phek is located) and in the area around stone weir. If you are interested in other Khmer ruins that you can visit in nearby Sakon Nakhon city, check out Wat Prathat Dum and Prathat Narai Cheng Weng.
