Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao Suchadaram ‘Don’t leave Lampang before you visit this.’
Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao Suchadaram is a respectable temple of Lampang. Villagers really pay respect to it. If you’re a tourist who visit Lampang, don’t leave this place until you visit it.
This over-1000-year-old wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao Suchadaram is medium-large, about 81,600 square metres. The atmosphere is quite peaceful. There aren’t colorful architectures, but what inside the temple aren’t going to disappoint you.
Starting with its own story, according to a legend, Lady Suchada found a piece of emerald inside a watermelon. Later, the emerald was transformed into a glorious Lord Buddha statue, which here means Phra Kaeo Don Tao. The statue was once taken to Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, as the Lampang ruler was told that Lady Suchada had a love affair with a senior monk. The lady was executed. So, the monk took the statue to the previously-mentioned temple.
Later, some kind people donated their money to build a temple on the location of Lady Suchada’s house, naming it Suchadaram Temple. Anyway, it was changed into ‘Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao’ later.
You visit the temple, first, you will see that there is a large pagoda, the Phra Baromthat Don Tao, storing Lord Buddha’s hair relics. You may want to pay respect to that. There is a sign telling praying words for you. Just read it.
Second, walk to the shrine of Lady Suchada to make a memory of her.
There is also a vihara with many Lord Buddha statues and senior monk statues inside. You should admire how beautiful they are.
Beside of these, you will want to walk around, have a sightseeing, take photos, hit the Chaimonkol Gong, hit the bells, donate your money as merit making, feed the fishes in the pond.
How to get there
Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao Suchadaram is located at Wiang Nua District, Muang County. To get there, you just have to cross Rassadapisek Bridge. Then turn right into Phra Kaeo Road. Continue straight for about 1 kilometre. Finally, you will find the temple.
Nearby Places
Wat Pongsanuk, which literally means ‘community of fun’ is actually derived from a place of the same name in Chiang Saen District of Chiang Rai Province. The temple has been a very important temple of Lampang and is Thailand’s only monastery with the “Award of Merit” from UNESCO in 2008.
The starting point for this walking tour of Lampang’s old town is Ratsadapisek bridge, which takes you across the Wang from the eastern end of Talaad Kao Road. It’s hard to believe now but when it was originally constructed in 1894, this bridge was supposedly the longest in Thailand.
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