White Temple in Thailand

White Temple in Thailand – one of the most interesting sights of this country. Wat Rong Thun, as the Thais call it, is a true work of art, making an extraordinary impression on the viewer.

Looking at the White Temple, it is as if you get into the realm of the Snow Queen, her Ice Palace, which reeks of the Arctic cold. When traveling to tropical Thailand, be sure to plan a visit to this attraction.

The temple is located in northern Thailand, about 12 km from the city of Chiang Rai. There are still extremely many religious and cultural monuments, popular among tourists vacationing in the country.

History of the White Temple

In Thailand, many Buddhist temples are more than a hundred years old, but Wat Rong Khun was built relatively recently: at the end of the last century, its construction is continuing today.

The idea for the White Temple came from a local artist and architect named Kositpipat, and he spent a long time collecting money from the sale of his paintings in Thailand to make his dream a reality.

As a true creator, he is against anyone dictating to him what modern temple architecture is and what a Buddhist wat should look like, so he never uses sponsorship.

Kositpipat is helped by his brother, who has an engineering degree, as well as by some of his relatives and neighbors. The artist is convinced that Wat Rong Khun is the main work of his life, thanks to the temple, Thais will remember its creator for a long time.

The Legend of the White Temple

The main temple of this complex is called Paradise. To get into it, you have to live your life, experience suffering, joy and temptation, commit sins and end up in Hell, where the mythical toothy demon Rahu lives.

And only through Hell do we get to the Bridge that leads to the road to Enlightenment. This is the road that leads to the temple. As you can see, the author combined the ideas of Buddhism, Christianity and other world faiths in the White Temple.

Architecture and layout of the White Temple

The white temple consists of three structures:

• directly to the temple, where you can pray and make requests to the Buddha;
• art gallery;
• of a small palace that is a public restroom.

According to the author’s idea the White Temple in Thailand in the future will be expanded, it is planned to build several more structures in the overall composition, and for some of them have already laid the foundation.

It is not quite clear to the layman what material the temple is made of, but it has long been known that the best time to visit is in the morning or evening, when the white walls take on a special, beautiful hue.

The white color of the building material is a symbol of the heavenly purity of the Buddha. There are many mirror inserts in the temple walls, the mirror in the East being a symbol of Buddha’s wisdom. And the whole temple symbolizes the attainment of nirvana.

Next to Wat Rong Thun is a souvenir shop where tourists buy souvenirs to remember. There are also Kositpipat paintings for sale here. The shop has a cafe where you can drink tea, taste Thai cuisine and just relax.

In the courtyard is a well, in which tourists throw coins. It is believed that if a coin falls into the very center of the well, the wish will certainly come true. You can write your wish on a piece of paper and hang it on a tree.

There are many sculptures throughout the area around the temple, including. are Buddha, dragons, snakes, unknown monsters, on the trees hang sad, funny, good or evil masks.

What’s inside?

Inside the main structure of Wat Rong Thun is a statue of a monk, and around him the walls are painted in a modern style, all drawings lovingly made by the author and master of the temple Kositpipat himself.

They symbolize the eternal, never ending struggle between Good and Evil in the world and within man. If you look closely, you can see Superman, Batman, heroes of the famous philosophical film “The Matrix” These are the light forces.

On the walls are also paintings of the burning twin towers, flying missiles, modern weapons, spaceships, etc. From time to time the pictures change. Kositpipat comes up with new plots about Good and Evil and applies them on top of the old ones.

It is forbidden to take photos or videos inside this temple. Nevertheless, you can easily find many amazing photos taken here on the expanses of the Internet.

A pond near the temple

As is customary in the Far East, a pond must be arranged near Buddhist structures. It has swimming fish, functioning fountains and several statues depicting creatures from Buddhist mythology.

Tourists love not only to explore the White Temple, but also to sit for hours on a bench near the pond, watching the movement of water and fish life, taking photos and video.

Fish in the pond can be fed, food is sold nearby. There is a bridge across the pond that you have to walk across to get to Wat Rong Khun. This ritual is mandatory for every guest.

How do I get to the White Temple?

To get to Wat Rong Khun, head southwest from Chiang Mai toward Chiang Rai. After 12 km on the road you will see a sign and a big stop with tourist buses, autos, cabs, sunteos, etc. It will be difficult to park.

Location on the map

The schedule of the White Temple

The temple is open daily, without holidays and weekends. It is available for tourists during daylight hours. Admission is completely free.

Rules for visiting the White Temple

When you enter a Buddhist temple, you should wear modest, non provocative clothing: arms, legs, shoulders, chest covered with a dress and a headscarf tied around your head. That way you show respect for the traditions and local ministers. Clothes can be rented at the temple.

In most Buddhist wats it is not customary to charge for admission, i.e. The attendants are not even allowed to touch the money. But donations are welcome. Tourists can put them in special boxes at the entrance.

When entering a Buddhist temple, it is imperative that you remove your street shoes and enter barefoot or wear new slippers, so as not to defile the earthly dirt of communion with the divine Heaven.

White Temple in Thailand leads tourists from all over the world in complete delight with its amazing beauty and strict adherence to Buddhist traditions in the modern world. That is why it is one of the ten most visited attractions in this country.