Reginald Le May had many memories to console him in his retirement in Tunbridge Wells in the 1960s. Foremost among them was a pioneering journey he had made in 1924 to one of the most magical ancient sites in the Far East - Si Satchanalai , buried in the forests of northern Thailand. Little known even today, it is a city of ruined temples and elegant spires, of giant figures of the Buddha, and the site of hundreds of ancient pottery kilns. It inspired Le May, who became the first man to open the eyes of the west to the wonders of ancient Thailand. From Bangkok, David Drew traces Le May's arduous and eccentric journey by train, bicycle and elephant. The trail leads on to the present day, to the work of modern archaeologists and to ancient shipwrecks off Thailand's coast.