#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > Laos Forum >  >  Buddha Park - Vientiane.

## Chairman Mao

This is about 20 klicks from Vientiane, back in the direction of The Friendship Bridge (just past it as it happens). I'm sure wikipedia can tell you all about it. Was build in the 50s by some nutcase I think.

If you ain't got yer pickup, rent out a Honda Wave for around 200B p/d. I'm guessing that's prolly what the tuktuk scum charge just to get to this place anyway.





You walk through this guy's mouth to get a full aerial view of the place (coming later).

It was early in the morning and very f'ing bright. Would be a lot kinder on the eyes/camera come evening I'd say.







Laos buddhism does appear to have far more violence in it's mythology than it Thai counterpart.







^ Not a place to drop acid. 

Hieronymus Bosch inspiration?







Joey.









Walk into the demon monkey's mouth and go up a few steps for the aerial view:



All in all an interesting enough place to check out if you're pissing around Vientiane on a Honda Wave.

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## panama hat

> Hieronymus Bosch inspiration?


 :rofl:   An educated Mao!

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## Chairman Mao

Ya, your momma taught me all about him.  :Smile:

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## Bobcock

Interesting pics...thanks.

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## panama hat

> Ya, your momma taught me all about him.



Call me anything, just don't call me Dutch!!!  :ourrules:

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## Chairman Mao

Not a prob, Dutchie.

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## passengers

Nice pics. Must include that in my next holiday plan.

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## panama hat

> Not a prob, Dutchie.


Curses on you and your armpits . . . aside from that the pictures are quite good . . . though a bit gruesome.  I thought religion was supposed to be mainly gentle

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## Marmite the Dog

> Laos buddhism does appear to have far more violence in it's mythology than it Thai counterpart.


There's Thai temples with 'visions of Hell' all over Thailand. They're much more gruesome than this place.

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## Chairman Mao

Don't believe ya.

Prove it.

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## phuketbound

Wicked place, and pics! Some of those statues are huge.

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## sunderlandstephen

That`s the sculpture park ,closest town is Nong Khai.
Park and town well worth a visit.

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## bobsaigon

Right, it's a few clicks outside Nong Khai, on the main road going downriver towards Phon Phisai, near St Paul's Catholic School.  Called Sala K...K....?  Could never figure out why people went there, but wound up taking all my out of town guests to see it, for lack of anything better to do.

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## dirtydog

Yes it is about 5 kms from Nong Khai, it is across the Friendship Bridge and in Laos, it is called Wat Xieng Khouran, it is about 20kms from Vientiane, it is known as a religious sculpture park much the same as the ones in Thailand, but this one is in Laos.

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## Toptuan

No this is NOT the sculpture park located in Thailand outside of Nong Khai.  This is on the Lao side, down the Mehkhong a ways to the east of Ventiane. 

However, the same Vietnamese monk constructed both parks--hence the similarities.  The sculpture park on the Thai side is much more sophisticated and kept in much better repair.

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## beano

Fascinating place.

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## Chairman Mao

Not really.

It was all built in the 50s out of chickenwire and filler.

More slightly tacky and only recommended if you're stuck in the city for a few days and have nothing else to go see.

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## Rural Surin

> Originally Posted by Chairman Mao
> 
> Laos buddhism does appear to have far more violence in it's mythology than it Thai counterpart.
> 
> 
> There's Thai temples with 'visions of Hell' all over Thailand. They're much more gruesome than this place.


The particular Visions of Hell Temple at Wat Thawet, Sukhothai is inspiring.

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## Rural Surin

> Don't believe ya.
> 
> Prove it.


Yes. Marmers is speaking all things true. There are a number of them.

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## Chairman Mao

Oh Jesus.  :Sad:       I wasn't being serious R.

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