Wat Chiang Rai ‘Pay respect to the white Lord Buddha statue.’

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How can a temple with the name ‘Wat Chiang Rai’ be located in Lampang? What does the name have to do with the province? What became of this temple? Let’s see.

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The real reason for this is, the Chiang Rai temple was built by Chao Chompoo, son of Chao Phraya Cheng, who evacuated from Chiang Rai to Lampang. He first got himself settle in. Then he built this temple, in order that it will be a heart-gathering center of villagers. He named it with the word ‘Chiang Rai’ just to create a little memory of his hometown.

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Inside wat Chiang Rai temple, there are many architectures, mostly in white tone. You will want to see the pagoda, the vihara, and pay respect to the white Lord Buddha statue and the golden principle statue. Beside, don’t forget to admire all those carvings on walls, roofs, or handrails.

Wat Chiang Rai is good for sightseeing or simple merit making. Try to go there if you have a time.

How to get there

The Chiangrai temple is located Suan Dok District, Muang County.You will want to start from Clock Tower Intersection. Look for your destination, which is on Ban Chiang Rai Road. It’s located before Lampang Post Office.

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Kad Kong Ta

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Ban Sao Nak

Nearby Places 

If you want to enjoy night-time walk and shop for food, clothes, souvenirs, don’t miss this one. It’s an old market place and only about 1.05 kilometre away from the temple. It’s a walking street, so you can walk around freely without getting hit by a car. It’s available during Saturday and Sunday, from about 16:30-22:00.

Ban Sao Nak means “the house of many pillars.” “Ban” means “house”, “Sao” means “pillars – it has no less than 116, and  “Nak” means “many” in the local dialect. The architecture is a blend of Burmese and Lanna (Northern Thai) architecture. The verandah is Burmese style while the overall look, including the roof, is constructed in Lanna style.