Art for the Nation by the National Artist

🏘 Wat Rong Khun, internationally renowned for its architecture and art, is famously known as The White Temple.
🏕 The origins of the temple date back to around 1887 (B.E. 2430), when villagers settled in the Rong Khun area, cultivating the land near a small stream that flowed into the Mae Lao River. The stream's murky appearance led to the area being colloquially called Ban Hong Khun (Rong Khun).
⛺ Later, the villagers established a monastery to serve as a spiritual center for the community. Due to riverbank erosion, the monastery was relocated twice before settling at its current location.
🏡 Wat Rong Khun experienced both prosperity and decline over the years. In 1996 (B.E. 2539), the current ordination hall was constructed. However, the temple faced financial difficulties due to economic conditions.
🌄 Chalermchai Kositpipat, a native of Rong Khun, took the initiative to continue the construction of the ordination hall as an offering to Buddhism, funding the project himself.
🏘 The temple complex includes various architectural structures such as the ordination hall, a relic-containing pagoda, a museum pavilion, a crematorium, monks' quarters, a sermon hall, and a reception hall for visitors.
🏡 Wat Rong Khun: No. 60, Moo 1, Ban Rong Khun, Pa O Don Chai Subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai Province.
⛳ Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BVGjjxhWRvLnL4r87
🕡 Opening Hours: 6:30 AM – 5:00 PM.

Post by the old traveler | Oct 25, 2025