Hello friends. We have prepared for you a story about a very unusual place. This White Temple in Thailand. People don’t come here for prayer and there are no monks here yet. This is an object of art that reflects the variability of our world. Here you will see the interweaving of Buddhism with Thai architecture, elements of science fiction and pop art. Unusual combination, Truth?
Thai millionaire artist Chalermchai Kositpipat believed that modern people Buddhism will be difficult to understand. To facilitate this task, he decided to reconstruct the Wat Rong Khun Temple ( Wat Rong Khun) or White temple, located near it hometown Chiang Rai.
So, in 1997, using his own funds, he began implementing a grandiose project.
For several decades now, a team of artists has been working on the implementation of this project. And tourists are already showing unprecedented interest in this place. And this takes into account the fact that it is not located in a tourist-active area.
The work is planned to be completed by 2070. However, the government does not allocate money for this work.
Every smallest detail of the complex has its own meaning, designed to tell visitors to the complex about Buddhism, to help them look at familiar things differently.
The external appearance of the building is formed by two textures: white alabaster and fragments of mirrors.
The fragments are placed on alabaster and sunny weather This mosaic reflects so much light that you want to close your eyes. This is how an artist shows superiority spiritual world, the purity of the Buddha and the goodness that we are all capable of reflecting and bringing into the world.
When decorating the territory, many other colors are used: red, green, gold.
They are a symbol of everything worldly and vicious. This is also evidenced by sculptures of terrible demons, skeletons, hanging heads and other attributes of the mortal world. All this is not to intimidate, but for edification and reminder - this is how the author makes it clear the difference between the consciousness of an enlightened and unenlightened person.
The temple is surrounded by a fish pond. You can feed them.
In addition, on the way to the building you will come across interesting installation objects:
Hell here is symbolized by thousands of hands reaching out from the pit. These are our passions.
By giving up all these desires, you may find yourself at the gates of heaven. They are guarded by two sculptures: Death and Rahu, who controls the destiny of man.
Behind the bridge is a statue of Buddha and the temple itself.
This is where a surprise awaits you. The images that decorate it are, oh, how far from religious paintings and attributes typical of Buddhism. But they fit perfectly into the concept of a diverse and limitless reality.
Inside the building you will see two statues of Buddha calmly contemplating merciless fight good and evil depicted on the opposite wall.
Modern heroes appear here in the image of good - Superman, Batman, Terminator, Avatar, Keanu Reeves' hero from The Matrix.
Some of the walls have not yet been decorated, but there you can see sketches of planes crashing into the twin towers.
And in the middle of the temple there is a sculpture of a monk. She is so realistically made that she can easily be confused with a living person.
Next to the White House is the Golden House. All worldly life is concentrated here. Namely: an art gallery, a hall for prayers and sermons and... a golden toilet.
After you have visited both buildings, you can stroll through the park, relax on benches, admire the fancy fountains and comprehend what you have seen. Or buy souvenirs at the souvenir shop.
The complex is open from 8:00 to 18:00.
Free admission
The temple is located 15 kilometers southwest of Chiang Rai.
You can get from Chiang Rai to the place where the temple is located by bus from the bus station near the night market in the center of Chiang Rai.
Such a trip will cost 20 baht.
Address: San Sai, Mueang Chiang Rai District
To take your time, you can stay for a day or two in the city.
Now many housing options in Chiang Rai have appeared on the service AirBnb. We have written how to use this service. If you do not find a free hotel room, then look for accommodation through this booking site.
Thank you for your attention. Thank you for subscribing to our blog. Goodbye!
The Buddhist temple (Wat Rong Khun), located near the city of Chiang Rai in the province of the same name, has become a symbol of modern art in Northern Thailand and one of the most famous. Thousands of people come here to see its unusual appearance and talented painting, similar to the ancient frescoes at Wat Pumin in the city. I visited the White Temple of Wat Rong Khun twice in spring and winter and even saw a sculpture that he personally painted interior walls ugliness.
In this article, I will tell you all the information about the Wat Rong Khun temple in Thailand and how best to visit it, where it is located and how to get to Wat Rong Khun, as well as how it is unique among other Thai temples.
(Wat Rong Khun) is a modern private Buddhist temple and art gallery, the brainchild of Thai sculptor and artist Chalemchai Kositpipat. Chalemchai designed and built Wat Rong Khun and opened it to visitors in 1997. The temple is located 13 km from the city center of Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand.
The name Wat Rong Khun is better known to Thais; foreigners call it the White Temple of Chiang Rai due to the color of its buildings.
Wat Rong Khun was built on the site of an old temple with the same name. It turned out that the restoration of the temple became impossible, and then the artist Chalemchai decided to lay down his life to build a new temple at his own expense (he had already spent 40 million baht). According to the sculptor, his task is to return Thais to the Buddhist temple in every sense. He wants to make a place for meditation and to study the words of the Buddha. Chalemchai suggests that for his contribution to spreading the Buddha's words, he will gain eternal life.
It is estimated that the work will be completed by 2070, and then there will be 9 buildings on the temple grounds. It is clear that the artist’s successors will complete the construction. In the meantime, he's doing everything he can. Including with my own hands. When I first visited Wat Rong Khun, I saw him working enthusiastically, painting the walls of the ubosot, while the neighboring viharn was just being built. And on my second visit, I already saw the results of Chalemchai’s work and creativity.
Wat Rong Khun is definitely a unique temple! There is nothing like it in all of Thailand! If we compare it with the one in the city of Nan, then we can call the White Temple its spiritual successor. Like Chalemchai Kositpipat, the artists of the Tai Liu people who painted it were also concerned about the sinfulness of people and called for fulfilling the commandments of the Buddha.
Read also:
Well, visitors to the White Temple of Chiang Rai are greeted with a reflection of their own sinfulness right at the entrance. Unpleasant monsters stick out of the ground, and dead heads hang from the trees. It's getting creepy. And next to it are written the artist’s behests to modern people - do not drink, do not smoke. Obviously the monsters are victims of the abuse of this vice.
In the first building on the left you need to buy a ticket. For foreigners, visiting the White Temple costs 50 baht. Thais can enter for free. By the way, it is better to visit it in the morning, when the sun is not so hot and there are fewer visitors.
There is also a small shop nearby where you can buy postcards or replicas of Chalemchai's paintings, thus supporting his cause. I happily bought several postcards because I like the work of this artist. You can also leave a donation - any amount up to 10,000 baht.
Monks at the golden toilet taking pictures of something
The temple area is very landscaped. There are coolers with cool water everywhere, which is very important when traveling around Thailand. And even the toilets at the temple are made in a modern way and their cleanliness is constantly monitored! The building itself is made of gold color! The artist did not skimp and thought about tourists.
By the way, next to the temple, but not on its territory, of course, there are many restaurants and cafes. Prices are a little more expensive than usual. However, you can eat well there: both Thai food and pizza. There's also delicious ice cream.
There is one drawback - you cannot take photographs inside the temple. But this is the artist's desire. And his works (reproductions) can be bought in the store if desired.
But let's finally go to Wat Rong Khun temple!
To say that he is popular is to say nothing! There are always a lot of people here. Therefore, you need to choose the time to take a photo. But if it succeeds, then joy overwhelms. After all, the temple looks so airy! Standing over a transparent pond, the White Temple is reflected in the water and reminds us of fragility human soul- as bright as the temple itself.
Some Chinese tourist asked me to take a photo of him in front of the White Temple. Then he caught up with us and said that he was learning Russian, and said a few words, wildly embarrassed 
Monks also like to come to different temples as tourists.
But as soon as we approach the entrance to the bridge, we see how unhappy and twisted hands are reaching out to us in silent prayer, tormented by their desires. They have become slaves to desires. This is the suffering of those who could not resist vice. Having ascended the bridge, we immediately meet two formidable warriors who are ready to kill the one who has not overcome his sins. They are harsh. But to get through, you have to defeat the ego and desires. Doesn’t it really resemble an angel with a flaming sword who stands at the entrance to the Garden of Eden?
Entrance to the temple through the sea of desires
The passion of unceasing desires
Bridge of the cycle of rebirth
If a person manages to overcome his egoistic desires, he is able to cross the bridge. This transition symbolizes death. Now it is not the body, but the soul. He is met by the spirits of death - they decide what the fate of the soul is and whether to let it into the gates of heaven. Again we draw analogies with St. Peter or Osiris, who judges the dead by weighing their hearts.
And if the soul is allowed, it enters heaven. In our case, this is the ubosot of the White Temple. Inside, the walls of the ubosot are painted: classical Buddhist themes are skillfully combined with modern symbols - from nuclear war to movie heroes. And most importantly, the red color of fire predominates inside. It is a symbol of life and a symbol of desires. Here the question should be asked: does the artist believe that a person is capable of becoming cleaner? Or does he see the purification of the soul as an eternal process?
Entrance to heaven
The temple has always been an image and a copy human body- as above, so below.. The White Temple shows us the hell of the human soul, the suffering that it has to go through in order to survive in modern world. Fear, despair and temptations surround us throughout life, and the inner fire burns away all the dirt that the stupas pick up along the way. Only transformation will lead the soul to a white and pure temple. Only darkness can lead to light.
And the artist shows us this path in the scenery of Wat Rong Kun.
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 occurred in northern Thailand. Its epicenter was located just near Chiang Rai, and, unfortunately, the White Temple also suffered losses. The sculptor stated that he would not restore his brainchild, since he devoted most of his life to it and he did not want to go through the same circles of hell again.
However, a few days later, an investigation stated that the main structures of the temple were not damaged. And Chalemchai promised to restore what was destroyed in two years, and then put his life on further work.
19.8244057 99.7630463
Wat Rong Khun is a Buddhist temple 13 kilometers from the city of Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. Because of its unusual appearance, Wat Rong Khun is often called the "White Temple". The construction of the temple in 1997 was started at his own expense by the famous Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat (b. 1955), who decided to refuse the help of the state and sponsors so that no one could infringe on the freedom of his creativity. A total of nine buildings are planned to be built in the temple complex. Construction is still ongoing, but Wat Rong Khun is already attracting a large number of tourists.
According to the artist's plan, White color The temple symbolizes the purity of Buddha. The windows through which light enters the temple symbolize the light of Buddha's wisdom illuminating the world.
The temple itself is a symbol of nirvana, which can only be achieved through suffering. Therefore, under the bridge leading to the temple, there are sculptures of unfortunate sufferers - Narakas, who are punished for their sins in the Buddhist purgatory - Narakas. Narakas raise their hands, sometimes with begging bowls, in the hope of help and salvation. The circle with fangs is the mouth of the demon Rahu, who, according to myths, swallowed the Sun and the Moon.
On the territory of the temple complex there are other sculptures of other mythological characters of Buddhism and, of course, images of Buddha.
On the roof of the temple you can see four animals, symbolizing the four elements: The elephant is a symbol of earth, the swan is wind, the mythological naga snakes are water and the lion is fire.
Inside the temple there are paintings on the theme of the struggle between good and evil, which in Buddhism is personified by the demon Mara, who at one time tried to lead the Buddha himself astray from the path of enlightenment. The painting depicts the tragedy of September 11 in a unique way; you can also see such modern heroes, like Neo from The Matrix or Spider-Man.
There are quite a lot of interesting sights in Thailand and one of such places is the White Temple or Wat Rong Khun. This temple can hardly even be called a temple; rather, it is a work of art that enchants with its beauty. It seems that you are in a fairy tale and there is a snowy castle in front of you. The temple is located a few kilometers from Chiang Rai, so if you are in these places, be sure to visit the White Temple in Thailand.
Construction of the temple began relatively recently in 1997 and continues until today. The idea of the White Temple, as well as the temple itself, belongs to the talented artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. The magical structure is his dream come true. Funds used for construction temple complex, the artist collected for 20 years. He doesn’t want anyone to dictate their own rules for the construction of the temple, so he doesn’t take money from sponsors. Even the chief engineer is his brother. Chalermchayu Kositpipat is confident that thanks to the White Temple, his memory will live on for many years.
The temple grounds are well-groomed and well-equipped. There is beautiful pond, in which fish swim, as well as many fountains and sculptures of mythological creatures. Among all this beauty, it’s nice to sit on a bench and take great photos.
There are currently three buildings on the temple grounds: the White Temple, an art gallery and a golden structure that looks like a small palace, which is actually public toilet. I would never have thought that an ordinary toilet could be so beautiful.
The owner plans to build 6 more buildings. Construction of some of them has already begun.
Next to the temple complex there is a souvenir shop where you can buy magnets, postcards, etc. There is also a cafe where you can have a snack.
The main building is the White Temple, which symbolizes Heaven, and to get to it you need to go through the mundane world, full of temptations, and then through Hell with the reaching hands of sinners and the fangs of Rahu (the mythical snake demon). And only then do you get to the bridge, which symbolizes the road to enlightenment and leads to the temple.
Hands of sinners 
Bridge of Enlightenment At the entrance to the White Temple there are signs that inform you that filming inside the building is prohibited. But despite this, there are quite a lot of photographs on the Internet.
When you enter the temple, you realize that it is half empty: only a lonely statue of a monk sitting and painted walls around. All drawings were created by the owner of the temple and symbolize the constant war between good and evil. Here you can see various characters fighting for good: Superman, Batman, Avatar, Terminator, heroes from the Matrix and many others. Also on the walls are depictions of the Twin Towers, rockets, weapons, spaceships. Over time, new paintings appear and many of them reflect our modern life.
The easiest way to get to the White Temple is from Chiang Rai; to do this you need to drive in the direction of Chiang Mai for about 12 km. There will be a sign on the road next to the White Temple, as well as many buses and cars, so it is difficult to miss this place. You can also get from Chiang Rai to the White Temple by minibus from the old bus station.
See the exact location of the White Temple on the map.
The temple is open during daylight hours, seven days a week, and admission is free.
As with any other Buddhist temple, you must dress appropriately: knees and shoulders must be covered. If necessary, you will be given pants, a skirt or a scarf at the entrance.
The White Temple in Thailand amazes with its unusual beauty and many tourists come here from different countries. This place is definitely included in.
