The White Temple

Wat Rong also known as the White Temple, privately-owned art exhibit in the style of a Buddhist temple. It is owned by Chalermchai Kositpipat, who designed, constructed, and opened it to visitors in 1997. The White Temple complex consists of several buildings; The main building or Ubosot, is reached by crossing a bridge over a small lake. The bridge is known as “The bridge of the cycle of rebirth” In front of the bridge are hundreds of outreaching hands that symbolize unrestrained desire.

The bridge proclaims that the way to happiness is by foregoing temptation, greed, and desires. Ubosot: The principal building, the Ubosot is an all-white building with fragments of mirrored glass embedded in the building’s exterior. The ubosot embodies design elements from classic Thai architecture such as the three-tiered roof and abundant use of Naga serpents.Inside the temple, the decor swiftly moves from pristine white to fiery and bewildering. Murals depict swirling 800 series Terminator.Images of nuclear warfare, terrorist attacks, and oil pumps hammer home the destructive impact that humans have had on earth. s the message somewhat, but the overall moral is clear: people are wicked.

The Golden Building : “A structure that stands out because of its color is the toilet building. Another very ornately decorated structure, this golden building represents the body, whereas the white ubosot represents the mind. The gold symbolizes how people focus on worldly desires and money. The white building represents the idea to make merit and to focus on the mind, instead of material things and possession. The structure is open year-round. Admission for Thai nationals is free, foreigners are required to pay 50 baht.

The White temple is 13 km south of Chiang Rai. Lahaul-Spiti | Pa O Don Chai Subdistrict, Chiang Rai 57000