Category: Thailand Temples

One of the most fascinating things you can do in Thailand is to visit temples off the beaten tourist track. If you take this path of the intrepid traveler, you’ll likely encounter Thai monks. It’s therefore important to know how to greet a Buddhist monk properly, so that they will feel at ease on seeing […]

If you have visited a Thai temple during any kind of ceremony or merit making, you likely have heard monks leading the “Namo Tassa” chant, which is a fundamental recitation in Theravada Buddhism (the religion of Thailand) — and a chant which always precedes any other Thai chanting. The Namo Tassa comes from the Pali […]

Depictions of Hell at Thai temples will often feature sinners in a boiling cauldron of blood or water, as seen here at Wat Khao Tham Phra in Sakon Nakhon (Northeast Thailand). Terrifying representations of hell have been used by most societies to encourage good behavior and tamp down on evil. Thailand is no different in […]

Seen above: Ancient bas-relief stone tiles at the Wat Non Sawan (วัดโนนสวรรค์), Phu Din Daeng, temple in Sakon Nakhon, Northeast Thailand. At Thai temples, you’ll often find murals made of tiles with raised images on them that fit together to form a scene from the life of the Buddha or a famous monk. This is […]

As we discussed in our article “How Many Temples Does Thailand Have?” there are over 43,000 temples the Kingdom. This might lead you to wonder how hard it is to get approval to build a Thai temple? Well, as the 43K+ number suggests, it is not too difficult actually. So, if you have a nice […]

In Thailand, “making merit” is an important activity for Buddhists. In the Thai language, it’s referred to as “tham boon” (ทำบุญ), which means “do good deeds”. The word “boon” is derived from Pali word “punya,” which means a tool to purify the mind. Buddhists thus view merit as a tool for purifying the heart of […]

In our last post, we answered the question, “How many temples does Thailand have?” Now, let’s move on to another commonly asked question, “Why does Thailand have so many temples?” To begin, it should be recognized that temples in Thailand are not simply places of worship. They also function as a unique kind of Thai […]

Everyone knows that Thailand has a lot of temples, but just how many exactly? The number of temples in Thailand is tracked by the Buddhist Monastery Department (กองพุทธศาสนสถาน). According to the department’s latest figures, there is currently 43,005 temples in Thailand (only five of which do not have Thai monks living on the premises). Of […]

Anyone who has visited Thailand has seen Naga serpent statues at temples. But did you know that novice monks are also called “naga” — or as it is spoken in Thai: “nak” (นาค). How did novice Thai monks come to be called Naga? One story says that a Naga King named Nandopananda wanted to become […]

Thai temple bell towers, known as Ho Rakang (หอระฆัง), traditionally have played a central role of village life in Thailand. Years ago, when most villagers didn’t own clocks (much less smartphones), the temple’s bell, drum, or gong would sound periodically throughout the day as the village timepiece. Today, one of the main functions of a […]

Arokhayasala at Kham Pramong Temple in Sakon Nakhon is one of Thailand’s most prominent alternative cancer treatment centers. Established in 2004 by the Buddhist monk Pra Ajarn Paponpat Jiradhammo (who once cured himself of cancer), Arokhayasala is the first traditional Thai medicine hospital dedicated to treating cancer patients. It’s traditional approach is integrated with modern […]

In Thai Buddhism, as with every religion, there are different levels of understanding, different schools of thought — and by this we don’t mean the difference between Theravada Buddhism (Thailand’s official religion) and Mahayana Buddhism, but rather the manner in which people approach sacred texts and iconography. The most profound interpretations of Buddhism in Thailand […]

While there are millions of citizens of Thailand who have Chinese ancestry, the depiction of Chinese mythological characters at Thai temples is rare, except at Chinese Buddhist temples that serve the Chinatown area of a particular province. It is even less common in the Northeast of Thailand (Isaan), where there are fewer Chinese communities, the […]

For hundreds of years, supernatural abilities have been attributed to the monks of Thailand and ancient Siam. Many of these miraculous monks have come from the Northeast of Thailand (Isan). One such famous Thai monk was the venerable Ajahn Waen Suchinno/Sujinno (พระอาจารย์ แหวน สุจิณโณ), who was born in Loei province in 1887 and ordained as […]

Wat Amalakaram (วัดอัมลการาม) in Sakon Nakhon now has built the largest statue of Thao Wessuwan in Thailand. Last month the Buddhist temple held a prayer ceremony to celebrate the completion of the statue, which goes by the name Thao Wessuwan Thanjai (ท้าวเวสสุวรรณทันใจ). The word “than-jai” in Thai means instantly. It was included in the name […]

Celebrating Christmas in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand does not only include taking a trip to the village of Ban Thai Rae to witness the famous Christmas Star Parade, with its gorgeous Christmas floats, there are Christmas church services (Mass) held at Catholic churches throughout Sakon Nakhon province, which has a greater population of Catholics than any […]

Dan Hin Kham Priest’s Camp Site (สำนักสงฆ์ด่านหินคำ) is located about 4 kilometers from Wat Tham Pha Daen, and is one of the most interesting “samnak song” (unofficial temple) in Sakon Nakhon. You’ll recognize this Buddhist monastery by the white Buddha and tall concrete spire/pillar on the  lava rock hilltop. Read our full profile at the […]

Recently we made a trip through the forested countryside to find the Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (อารามแม่พระแห่งสายประคำศักดิ์สิทธิ์) in Sakon Nakhon. Our route took us through a rather solitary, bit spooky, dirt road through the woods. We eventually arrive at where the lovely monastery is supposed to be (we saw photos on […]

Wat Tham Kham (วัดถ้ำขาม) is one of the most important temples in Northeastern Thailand. Located atop Phu Kham Mountain (about 40 minutes from Sakon Nakhon city), Wat Tham Kham provides gorgeous views of Sakon Nakhon province, and is a popular place for meditation and merit making The temple grounds feature a stunning pagoda that honors […]

Thailand has many spiritual retreats and temples where you can learn various methods of meditation, yoga, and healing practices. These temple retreats are great for those who are interested in learning such techniques. However, we consider Thailand spiritual retreats not as a places to learn a new skill (regardless of how beneficial it may be), […]

Wat Wong Sri Daram (วัดวงศ์ศรีดาราม) is the most impressive temple in Dong Mafai village — showcasing a beautiful variety of Buddhist and Hindu statues, religious murals, and lovely architecture. Ban Dong Mafai is located in the Mueang district of Sakon Nakhon Thailand. The Isaan village is well known for its large fresh food market, which […]

There is a saying among some old expats and tourists in Thailand: “If you’ve seen one temple, you’ve seen them all.” There couldn’t be anything further from the truth, especially in Sakon Nakhon. While it’s fair enough to say that visiting a wide array of Buddhist temples isn’t for everyone, it’s a wonderful experience for […]

When visiting temples in Sakon Nakhon, you will sometimes see the monk’s living quarters. These are small structures built on stilts called a Kuti. They can appear in various sizes and shapes, but they are intended to be small, so as to discourage the accumulation of material things. The most famous Kuti in Sakon Nakhon […]

One of the structures that you will see at many Sakon Nakhon temples (but not all) is a crematorium, which you can identify by the building with a tall chimney. The overwhelming majority of Thais are cremated, as that is the Buddhist practice, but some burials are undertaken among the Christians/Catholics and Muslim residents of […]