Description
Arun Lat Priest's Camp Site or Samnak Song Arun Lat (สำนักสงฆ์อรุณลาด) is the kind of place that reminds us that after visiting more than 160 Thai temples in Sakon Nakhon, the unofficial temples known as "samnak song" are our favorite sacred places to go in Thailand.
Whether you are traveling in Sakon Nakhon or another province, we highly recommend seeking out the samnak song (สำนักสง) in your area — that is, if you are interested in making discoveries and traveling off the beaten track in Thailand. Many of these sacred places have never been visited by foreign tourists, and won't be translated into English on Google Maps or anywhere else online. So, it is always best to first try searching Google maps with the Thai phrase "สำนักสง" first, which Thai people often translate into "Priest's Camp" (meaning a place where Buddhist monks reside).
A "samnak song" can be a very developed sacred place in Thailand, such as Luang Pu Phu Phan Priest's Campsite or Ham Bing Pracha Suk San Priest's Camp Site in Sakon Nakhon. Or it can be noted for being home to something unique, like Samnak Song Pu Ruesi Don Pu Ta's large collection of hermit monk statues.
However, samnak songs are sometimes rather deserted, ramshackle forest places, with things in various states of disrepair, new construction abandoned due to lack of funds, and yet filled with unexpected beauty and treasures. Visiting one is almost like going on a sacred treasure hunt.
Arun Lat Priest's Camp Site is just such a "samnak song," and its among our favorite sacred places in Thailand. It has a lovely wooden entrance gate flanked by Naga serpents. And as you walk into the grounds, it's easy to miss on your left a small pond with a pavilion whose main figure is a hermit monk being protected by 5 headed Naga serpent.
One ordinarily would see the Buddha in this sitting position with the multi-headed Naga above him, as is the case in another small pavilion being constructed on the grounds, but (as we said) one can always expect a few unusual finds when visiting a samnak song. Also take note that the Naga above the hermit monk only has five heads (and is named Anontak or Sesak), while the one above the Buddha has seven heads (and is named Mucalinda).
Arun Lat Priest's Camp Site has a large amount of grounds to walk around, where you will find additional Buddhist statues and sculptures, including one area which is scattered with 10 white cement Buddhas. If you walk out the backside of the temple for a couple hundred meters you'll arrive at a nice reservoir to further meditate on life's spiritual lessons.
Arun Lat Priest's Camp Site is located in the Nong Lat sub-district of Amphur Meuang, Sakon Nakhon, only a few kilometers away from another one our favorite sacred places in Thailand: Wat Tha Wang Hin.
