WAT RONG KHUN WHITE TEMPLE

Unlike many of Thailand’s older temples, Wat Rong Khun has a very modern artistic style.

This temple was designed by Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. The wider temple complex includes several buildings such as the ubosot, relic hall, meditation hall, art gallery and monks’ living quarters.

Although Wat Rong Khun is often called the White Temple, the complex includes much more than just the main white building. Around the grounds, you will find bridges, ponds, statues, shrines, wishing displays, golden structures and many unusual and original details.

The white colour at Wat Rong Khun is linked with purity and the mind, while the reflective glass and mirror details are used to suggest wisdom and enlightenment.

At the front of the White Temple, you cross a bridge over a dramatic sea of reaching hands, symbolising desire, suffering and the torments of hell. The bridge itself is usually understood as part of the journey from the cycle of rebirth toward enlightenment.

Inside, the artwork takes a very different direction. Instead of only traditional temple murals, the paintings include modern references and symbolic images connected with good, evil, temptation and the problems of the modern world. Unfortunately photography is not permitted inside the temple.

On the edge of the pond in front there is an elegant white statue representing Kinnari, a mythical half-woman, half-bird figure from Buddhist mythology, often symbolising beauty, grace and the celestial world.

Walking around the expansive temple grounds you will come accross an ornate golden shrine decorated with swirling Thai flame motifs and a small Buddha image which adds a striking contrast to the temple’s famous white architecture.

Among the more unusual features at Wat Rong Khun are ghostly heads hanging from the trees, a striking modern artwork that reflects the temple’s darker themes of suffering, attachment and the consequences of worldly desire.

Wat Rong Khun uses bridges, water, white architecture and dramatic sculpture to create a symbolic journey from worldly desire toward spiritual purity. The ornamental white bridge and gateway over the temple pond represents passing beyond temptation, greed and suffering before reaching the sacred temple area. In Thai Buddhist temple art, stylised lotus-and-flame ornament forms are often used to suggest purity, spiritual energy, wisdom and the journey toward enlightenment.

The temple grounds also feature a striking wishing tree, covered with hundreds of small metal leaves where visitors write their names, prayers, hopes and personal wishes before hanging them on the tree or onto the long display pergola walkway in the temple grounds.

It's best if you visit on a quieter day during the week early in the morning because this very popular temple can be overwhelmed with large buses full of tourists.

Visit on a day with a clear blue sky so your photos will capture amazing color contrast between the white temple, silver highlights, and the other surrounding ornamental gold buildings and shrines. Bracket exposure with each shot to compensate for harsh lighting so you will end up with some good images, and then later delete any that are over or under exposed.

Because this is a Buddhist temple and not just a tourist attraction, appropriate dress standard and behaviour is required. Trousers or dress to the ankles, no sleeveless tops and no revealing back or front. Remove shoes prior to entering the temple or other sacred building.

See below for a map and directions to Wat Rong Khun White Temple.

Wat Ron Khun is best reached by taxi.

If you are driving yourself from Chiang Rai then you will find the White Temple 13 kilometers south down Phahonyothin Road which is main highway number 1. Turn right off highway 1 onto highway 1208 at the large intersection. The White Temple is just on the left. Parking is at a premium on busy days, so it is best to go early in the morning during week days and not weekends. Hours are 6:30am until 6:00pm daily.