Wat on earth is that?

On its flights between Bangkok & Chiangrai, the cat will notice this big fat flat expanse of concrete standing out from the surrounding narrow rectangular strips of rice fields in Pathum Thani province, not very far north of Bangkok. In fact, the cat treats it as a landmark that indicates that the plane is nearing Don Muang Airport, & associates it with the 'popping out' of the aircraft wheels in preparation for landing.

How it looks like on Wikimapia

Cat's photo of the middle section from its December 2004 CEI-BKK flight:


click here for larger version

At first sight, the above section somehow reminded the cat of the 'kaba' in Mecca, where hundreds of thousands of devout Muslims circle a cube-like building during the annual Haj pilgrimage...because of the similar 'layout' - a central focal point, & a huge surrounding space that can fit many many worshippers.

But the cat thought it might be yet another of those huge parks built to commemorate some birthday of either HM the King or HM the Queen of Thailand, because the central structure kinda resembled a fountain from the plane window. & then it saw the big fat grey shelter-like structure immediately south of the 'fountain' section, & thought it was some aircraft hangar type of facility, since the plane was so close to Don Muang.

YK's photo of the entire complex from our December 2005 BKK-CEI flight:


click here for larger version

More than 2 years later the cat has discovered that it is the controversial Wat Phra Dhammakaya that it has read about quite a number of times in the Thai news, most recently making the headlines for coming out in support of Thaksin just before the 2006 coup...

What the cat thought was a 'fountain' turned out to be this, the huge space the meditation amphitheatre with 'more than 10,000 toilets' & space for a million devotees, & the 'aircraft hangar' turned out to be a double-storey assembly hall with capacity for up to 300,000 (humans, not planes)...mind boggling in a way that somehow unnerves the cat, & sounding somewhat like an antithesis of Wat Suan Mokkh in the past & the Santi Asoke movement?

The cat wonders where on earth is Buddhism in Thailand heading towards, if anywhere...?

chiangrai 2005 - 31 CEI-BKK-SIN

[211205] early morning emptiness in Chiangrai international airport:



do you know how to 'deptesshnob' fully?



beautiful weavings in the transit area:







the last example features a double naga motif.

circular rainbow effect:



parted ways at Don Muang, as YK headed into Bangkok while the cat continued back to reality. the kinda serviette you get when you travel alone:



too bad Mr Thai man is far from a decent example of why Thailand is the land of lor3 guys.

chiangrai 2005 - 30 chiangrai night bazaar

[201205] while at MAG we'd met Susan, a volunteer from the UK who lives in Thailand...& Phayao has a road named for her =P



back to Chiangrai again to catch the next morning's flight to Bangkok...

Phayao-Chiangrai bus - how to stop the door from flying shut:



on the Chiang Kham-Phayao bus, the door was held closed by inserting the biggest fattest nail we'd ever seen into a gap at the top once occupied by a lock mechanism.

Chiangrai night bazaar again:




there's at least one stallholder who dresses (partially) as an Akha, but from the way she wears her headdress...hmmmmm ;) & some nights she is a Lomi Akha & other nights she is a Phamee Akha...identity crisis!

one of the cat's favourite stallholders, an Akha lady from Ban Ruammitr:



the Akha shoulder bags that a few of you got on the last day of 2005 were from this stall. ideally we prefer to buy handicrafts within villages, but time & circumstance on this trip did not permit this.

owner of a shop that specialises in textiles & basketry:



YK was interested in some unique little finely woven baskets from Nagaland, & we ended up chatting quite a bit. textiles are from her factory in Wiang Pa Pao district, where her home is, & some of her basketware is produced in a village near Mae Jaedi/Mae Kajan (where Chiangmai-Chiangrai buses break their journey). Homespun in Singapore (located in the Arts House at Old Parliament) carries some of her products.

met her in Jan 2007 to pass her this photo, & she still remembered us because of YK's interest in the Nagaland baskets =)

chiangrai 2005 - 29 Wat Sri Khom Kham

[201205] Wat Sri Khom Kham, right next door to the Phayao Cultural Exhibition Hall:



main sim which houses a giant Buddha image was undergoing restoration work:



hence the temporary roof over the entire structure...naga form the edgings of the 3-tiered roof. the green sign is the typical Thai public works/construction project signboard with details such as project name, contractor company & expected date of completion.

close-up of gable, with a little red heart shape & monkeys helping themselves to fruit:




craftsman in action:




red coloured naga...? mystery solved - the red paint is just an undercoat, to be painted over:



spine by spine, the naga roof edging of this chapel turns to gold...

modern-looking chapel with most a understated exterior & a roof without ช่อฟ้า chor4 faa2 (lit. cluster sky):




what appears to be a simple interior with a plain undecorated wooden ceiling & white pillars:



has walls covered with bright red murals that knock you over:







interlacing naga on a platform supported by elephants:

chiangrai 2005 - 28 Phayao cultural exhibition hall

[201205] walking north along the highway to the Phayao Cultural Exhibition Hall:



the novice monk selling admission tickets charged the cat the local price & YK the foreigner price...! a total of 60 baht got us pamphlets with Thai & English wording:

Elephants have been relation to Buddhism and the royal institute.At present, whom is Elephant related to ?

& 4 bookmarks featuring a photo of a senior monk, lines of what looks like beautiful Lanna Thai script, & the following English text:

Work to be fit for seasons and to reach usefulness for all depends on far-sightedness. Good eyesight leads to far-sightedness.

2 floors of rooms house comprehensive exhibits on the history, geology, & ecology of the lake, the different periods of Phayao's rich history & the Phukamyao kingdom, & the role of elephants in Thai religion, monarchy & society. the area around the staircase landing where photography is permitted:




a well-maintained & curated place, drastically different from the neglected Thai Lue culture centre in Chiang Kham =P

due to some sort of gall?



[L] normal flower [R] abnormal 'multiple inflorescence'?

chiangrai 2005 - 27 Kwan Phayao

[201205] Phayao Northern Lake hotel:



took a morning walk through the municipal market where stallholders sitting on the road sell vegetables, meat & fish right smack in the city center (if one considers this province capital a city), & wandered through a quiet lakefront neighbourhood known for grand old teak houses:



looks strangely familiar:



where we had dinner the previous night - Ann restaurant:



teak house beside Ann restaurant:



retracing yesterday's evening walk along the eastern shore of Kwan Phayao:






ex-tortoise:




Phayao meow: