Puek-Tian ( sometimes spelled Puk Tian or Puk Tien) is a small beach resort town located 18 km North of Cha Am. It is famous for its statues in the sea depicting characters from one of Thailand's greatest poets Sunthon Phu and his epic 30,000 line story Phra Aphai Mani.
It is very popular with local Thai families at the weekend, when the come here to sit under the pine tree's, eat seafood, swim and go horse riding on the beach. During the week however, it is usually very peaceful.
Sunthon Phu - (1786-1855) is Thailand's best known poet. He is loved by Thai's not only for his writing, but also for his colourful personal life. Being a commoner with only a temple education, he broke with tradition and wrote in a more ordinary language than the more traditional high brow writers of the past.
All the major characters from Phra Aphai Mani can be seen, either standing in the sea, on islands or on the raised part of the beach. The most prominent of which is a six metre tall Pee Seua Samut, an aquatic she-demon. At low tide it is possible to walk out to these islands to get a closer look.
If you would like to stay in Puk Tian, there are a few small hotels and guesthouses in the town itself, or for a bit more luxury, try the Casuarina Resort, a couple of km south of town.