The monks of Wat Khok Ku have transformed what little remains of the original Ku Sampan Ka (กู่สัมพันธ์ค่า) Khmer temple into a small sacred area. They dug a square-shaped pit into the ground, lined it with the few dozen remaining laterite blocks that […]
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Ku Ban Daeng (กู่บ้านแดง) is a small Mahayana Buddhist temple that appears to be from the reign of Jayavarman VII (r. 1182-1219) in the early 13th century. The only structure remaining is the central sanctuary, which has three laterite towers on a single […]
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The laterite enclosure around Ku Sunthararam (กู่สุนทราราม) is nearly complete, which isn’t often the case in Thailand, but that’s the only Khmer era structure visible here. Concrete fills in some gaps in the wall, but it has aged so much that it’s not […]
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Ku Phanna (กู่พันนา), about an hour northwest of Sakon Nakhon city, is the northernmost Khmer ruin; beating Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat by about 1/100th of a degree latitude . It’s one of the many arogayasala (hospital) temples built across the empire by […]
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All that remains visible of Ku Bueng Jiew (กู่บึงจิว) is a single carved sandstone pedestal with two holes in it. Locals believe this stone now covers a naga hole. The large Buddha that’s inside the sala in front of the naga hole was built […]
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The Buddha died of dysentery after eating his final meal. Specifically what that meal was is unknown, but the traditional account says it was spoiled pork. Some people (including many Westerners who are uncomfortable with the idea of the Buddha eating meat, even […]
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This page has links to all my posts about Khmer-era historical sites in Thailand, from the grand, inspiring monuments of Phimai and Phnom Rung to various small piles of rubble. Besides temple ruins, there are also some sandstone quarries, piers, and rock carvings. […]
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Central Thailand Ang Thong | Ayutthaya | Bangkok | Chainat | Kanchanaburi | Lopburi | Nakhon Pathom | Nonthaburi | Pathum Thani | Phetchaburi | Ratchaburi | Samut Prakan | Samut Sakhon | Samut Songkhram | Saraburi | Singburi | Suphanburi Eastern Thailand […]
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Khon Kaen city moved location several times during its first century of existence, and whenever there was a move, the leader built a new city pillar shrine. So, besides the large, modern main city pillar shrine in the city center, there are six […]
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This is a continually updated photo gallery of street signs from around Thailand. Not only are street signs in many Thai towns beautiful, their creative designs are based on local landmarks, history, culture, legends, industries, etc. Click on each photo to see it […]
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Prasat Ban Phluang (ปราสาทบ้านพลวง) is not one of Thailand’s well-known Khmer ruins, but it’s a great place to visit for people interested in ancient art. It was built in the second half of the 11th century in Baphuon-style during the reign of Udayadityavarman […]
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อ่านภาษาไทยที่นี่ (Click here to read a Thai version.) The second-floor murals inside Phra Mahathat Kaen Nakhon stupa at Wat Nong Wang temple show kalam (คะลำ), an Isan word meaning “things people should not do.” Many of these social rules are about showing proper respect to those with […]
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Phu Phrabat Historical Park, spread out around the top of a small mountain range, was an important Dvaravati religious site from around 1000-1200 CE. It was deep wilderness, but as many as 100 monks resided here and they adapted the rocky landscape into […]
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