Wat Po Chai

Great murals

What we say:

Wat Po Chai is home to a highly revered, partly-solid gold Buddha image which dates back to Laos' Lan Xang empire.

The temple is the most important one in town, and even the casual wat admirer will appreciate its beauty and significance.

The image is believed to be one of three statues made at the request of the daughters of the king of Lan Xiang. In 1778 the images were taken to Vientiane in Laos and were subsequently carried to Nong Khai during the reign of King Rama III. During the move, one of the Buddha images was lost to the Mekong during a violent storm but it was later recovered. The remaining two were interred as planned in Thai wats.

The beautiful murals that cover the walls of the temple tell the tale visually, so glean from them what you will. The murals, which also depict many traditional Buddhist stories and beliefs, are expertly done and worth the trip alone.

More details

How to get there: Wat Po Chai is located between Highway 212 and Prajak Road, about a block east of the main bus terminal on a lane named after the temple. The location is well labelled with signs on both roads, and will be easy to find on any map of Nong Khai.

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