Chiang Rai Province

[WujouMao]

I stayed up in Chiang Rai to have a butchers at a white temple i saw on Thai TV. it wasnt even in my lonely planet, so i thought its got to be off the tourist track.

The White Temple is a modern temple, about 10 years old. Everything is done by just one man, and he's doing [or by now, should of finished the clock tower in town]












the 'beach area' in Chiang Rai


trustworthy women


i Had a few days to spare before my 30 day limit was up, so i went to Sae Salong as i remember seeing an artical in a Malaysian newspaper a few months prior


This area couldnt be more away than the rest of Thailand. feels more like the back end of China. Mind you, i would say thats cos the KMT live here now


lots of tea farms around here, but this one was vacant






thats not gonna work!


Princess Mother Pagoda






a chinese sand castle?


slash burning and maybe illegal logging


Trust me, she was smiling and i did ask her if i could take her picture.


Mae Sai guesthouse


nice view of Burma from the fence. almost felt like just wading over








This was infact taken in Burma, but i thought it was Thailand

[lannaman]

Great pictures of Chiang Rai.
You were a inaccurate in one respect about the White Temple at Rung Khun. One man provided the funding for it and the new clock tower in the city, he did not build it himself. Actually the whole vast commercial circus around it is a major money-spinner, whether the cash goes to the benefactor or the monks ??????
My own opinion is that it is rather gaudy, likewise the clock tower. Don't try to stare at it without shades!
There is an older temple about 1 km nearer the city, on the right, opposite the U-turn which has really beautiful murals of thai country life both modern and ancient. One artist from Chiang Mai spent two years painting the walls, and for my money infinately more interesting than Wat Rung Khun. This temple is right off the tourist map.
Glad you enjoyed our Changwat!

[CharleyFarley]

The White Temple has become one of those awful coach tour stop-offs that one dreads. They will soon be charging entrance fees I imagine.

[DrB0b]

Great pictures of Chiang Rai.
You were a inaccurate in one respect about the White Temple at Rung Khun. One man provided the funding for it and the new clock tower in the city, he did not build it himself. Actually the whole vast commercial circus around it is a major money-spinner, whether the cash goes to the benefactor or the monks ??????

Every aspect of Wat Rong Kun was designed and supervised by one man, Chalermchai Kositpipat, one of Thailand's most famous artists. He's spent years working on it, it's still not finished. Almost everyone who works on it is a volunteer. Most of the money for construction was put up by Chalermchai himself. He accepts donations but no more than 10,000 Baht from any individual. I hardly think a few souvenir shops, small restaurants, and a gallery selling Chalermchai's paintings counts as a vast commercial enterprise. Not yet anyway.

The Temple is beautiful so of course there will be a lot of tourists going to see it. Currently 90% of the tourists are Thai, very few agencies catering to farangs have it on any of their packages. I've been there many times and I'd recommend it to everybody, both as a work of art and as a symbol of what one man dedicated to his beliefs can do.

A labor of love and devotion



Nuttanee Thaveephol


“Only death can stop my dream, but cannot stop my project,” says Chalermchai Kositpipat, the creator of Wat Rong Khun whose intention is to create one of the most elegant temples in Chiang Rai, which he believes will give him “immortal life”.

The church shines in the sunlight.

There are always many people visiting the temple, even in the evening.

Elegant murals inside the church.

About 10 kilometers from the Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai-Phayao Junction, or about 13 kilometers south of Chiang Rai City, is “Wat Rong Khun”, still under construction in Chiang Rai, the hometown of its creator, Chalermchai, a very famous Thai artist.


The first 18 million baht and 5 years construction has only allowed 50% of the construction to be completed, but is enough to show anyone who visits Wat Rong Khun about Chalermchai and his followers’ faith in their religion and how much they have thrown themselves into this obligation as faithful Buddhists.


Wat Rong Khun is a white temple; inside it contains murals and paintings of the Buddha image and painted enamel ceramic floor that will take another 5 years to complete. The outside is being created with lime sculpture Thai designs decorated with small pieces of mirror that make the building sparkle and shine under the sunlight.


The impression of this temple is not only in its bright and splendid form but also the atmosphere it has. Even though the temple isn’t very far from the city, it is calm and peaceful even during the day.


It seems that the creator and his followers put all of their energies into creating this imaginative temple. Unlike many temples, Wat Rong Khun refuses to accept donations of more than 10,000 baht and the donors cannot have their names recorded on the buildings.

A Sculpture of a creature in Buddhist belief is decorated with small pieces of mirror.

Sparkles of the mirror respond to the Buddhists’ faith.

A small part of the church is still beautiful in the dusk.

Chalermchai wants to create this Buddhist art for his beloved homeland and all human beings by donating all of his ability and his life to the Dharma. Nobody knows when he will pass on but he insists that all the money be used to continue the project and his followers are ready to do that.


The second building is a pagoda, which has just been started behind the wat. There are eight buildings in the grand plan including the wat, pagoda, hermitage, temple, crematorium, monastery hall, museum, and pavilion will be created on the temple’s 7 rai area.


Wat Rong Khun’s white color indicates the religious gracefulness that attracts pure hearts of Buddhist people or anyone from other nationalities to touch and feel the aesthetics.

Chiangmai Mail- Vol. II No. 5 Saturday 1 February - 7 February 2003 Features

[WujouMao]

Great pictures of Chiang Rai.
You were a inaccurate in one respect about the White Temple at Rung Khun. One man provided the funding for it and the new clock tower in the city, he did not build it himself. Actually the whole vast commercial circus around it is a major money-spinner, whether the cash goes to the benefactor or the monks ??????
My own opinion is that it is rather gaudy, likewise the clock tower. Don't try to stare at it without shades!
There is an older temple about 1 km nearer the city, on the right, opposite the U-turn which has really beautiful murals of thai country life both modern and ancient. One artist from Chiang Mai spent two years painting the walls, and for my money infinately more interesting than Wat Rung Khun. This temple is right off the tourist map.
Glad you enjoyed our Changwat!

well then, the staff who were in the sovenier shop lied to me then. They said its still an ongoing progress because only he wants to do it. perfection. what can i say...

The White Temple has become one of those awful coach tour stop-offs that one dreads. They will soon be charging entrance fees I imagine.

coach tour? you're having a laugh. i just go on a normal local bus and asked for the temple. mind you, you should of seen the Thai's faces when i asked for the temple

[phuketbound]

I made it to Wat Rong Khun in 2007. A nice gentleman (from ajarn) took me and another friend (from ajarn), to tour around Chiang Rai. I insisted that we go and see the temple. I first learned about the temple from this site in 2006

I wasn't disappointed. The temple looked like something out of a fantasy storybook, and the art in the gallery painted by Nuttanee Thaveephol (I believe), is also stunning and creative.

The front of the temple was still under construction when I was there. I see by your pictures, Wujou Mao, that the temple looks complete (love the spirits hands coming out of the ground!!)

I took a short video of the temple when I was here. I will try and post it on here (hope you don't mind interrupting your thread). Let me figure out how to post it first.

[WujouMao]

I made it to Wat Rong Khun in 2007. A nice gentleman (from ajarn) took me and another friend (from ajarn), to tour around Chiang Rai. I insisted that we go and see the temple. I first learned about the temple from this site in 2006

I wasn't disappointed. The temple looked like something out of a fantasy storybook, and the art in the gallery painted by Nuttanee Thaveephol (I believe), is also stunning and creative.

The front of the temple was still under construction when I was there. I see by your pictures, Wujou Mao, that the temple looks complete (love the spirits hands coming out of the ground!!)

I took a short video of the temple when I was here. I will try and post it on here (hope you don't mind interrupting your thread). Let me figure out how to post it first.

no mate, not at all. also maybe by now, its differant to when i took the picture. you can see the white paint is missing from the grey concrete walls at the top, and the tusks around the pool area.

[lannaman]

I took a short video of the temple when I was here. I will try and post it on here (hope you don't mind interrupting your thread). Let me figure out how to post it first.
I was puzzled as how to post photos to Teakdoor, somebody told me of this link:

https://teakdoor.com/how-to-use-stuff...a-picture.html (How to post a picture)

I hope this includes videos too. Good luck!

[Marmite the Dog]

I hope this includes videos too.

Nope.

[WujouMao]

I took a short video of the temple when I was here. I will try and post it on here (hope you don't mind interrupting your thread). Let me figure out how to post it first.

open an account at photobucket or other. upload the video and pop the link up here, or upload it on youtube

[phuketbound]

I decided to go with youtube instead of photobucket. Thanks.

The video is not that clear. It was a rainy, and overcast day. I'll post it anyway.

Wat Rung Khun

[lannaman]

Why is uploading made so tricky on teakdoor? TV have a much simpler method.

[WujouMao]

Why is uploading made so tricky on teakdoor? TV have a much simpler method.

i havent used Teak Door's method yet. i use my photobucket account. i guess have a butchers at teak door's and see what you mean

The video is not that clear. It was a rainy, and overcast day. I'll post it anyway.

Wat Rung Khun

thanks for the video

[a. boozer]

I have visited Wat Rong Khun several times since construction started, and seen Chalermchai Kositpipat working there himself as well as supervising and demonstrating working methods to those carrying out different tasks. Despite often being disturbed, he is always most courteous to visitors who inquire about the Wat, and is always willing to have his picture taken. In my opinion the Wat is a modern work of art that is well worth a visit.
Apart from anything else, something I have learned from my visits, that in my ignorance, I had not realized, was that Buddhists do have a concept of hell. Just goes to show how little I know!

[jenben]

what beautiful photos I would love to go there when I visit Thailand in November.

JENNY
GOLD COAST
QLD, AUSTRALIA

[PBateman]

Beautiful photo's. My only memories of Chaing rai was the dreaded long bus rides to Mae Sai doing my monthly visa run ( pre tourist visa restrictions ). Has anyone ever been to that Scorpion Temple on the hill?

[Thetyim]

^
Yep, I've been there
Climb up the tower thingy and there is a nice veiw across the river into Tachilek

[WujouMao]

i havent seen any temples in Mae Sai, but read my illigeal entry into Burma for a laugh

[sharon]

My friends went there a few months ago but your pictures look much more beautiful and interesting than them. I hope I can make it there end of next year.

PS - I always plan but it's always fucked

[traveler]

I made it to Wat Rong Khun in 2007. A nice gentleman (from ajarn) took me and another friend (from ajarn), to tour around Chiang Rai. I insisted that we go and see the temple. I first learned about the temple from this site in 2006

I wasn't disappointed. The temple looked like something out of a fantasy storybook, and the art in the gallery painted by Nuttanee Thaveephol (I believe), is also stunning and creative.

The front of the temple was still under construction when I was there. I see by your pictures, Wujou Mao, that the temple looks complete (love the spirits hands coming out of the ground!!)

I took a short video of the temple when I was here. I will try and post it on here (hope you don't mind interrupting your thread). Let me figure out how to post it first.

Nice Youtube vid PB. I know Brad. I used to live in CR.

[phuketbound]

^Cool! Brad is a great guy, and was nice enough to show us around the area. We even went up to the golden triangle, and Mae Sot. We went up to a place called, 'Doi Wow' which overlooks Burma/Thailand.

[traveler]

^Cool! Brad is a great guy, and was nice enough to show us around the area. We even went up to the golden triangle, and Mae Sot. We went up to a place called, 'Doi Wow' which overlooks Burma/Thailand.

Cool!, I never went to 'Doi Wow' or even 'Mae Sot' - what did you think of these places?

There is also an Elephant sanctuary somewhere up there. There was a 100KG snake there as well! - Did you go to this place?

[MiSo]

I enjoyed your pictures very much, well done! I am heading for Thailand next week, can't wait!

[beano]

Unfortunately the north is a bit smokey this time of the year and usually remains that way until the rain start around April.