Day 50: 1/10/24 - Chiang Rai and the hubris of Chalermchai Kositpipat 

The second of our two day trips from Chaing Mai was up to the town of Chiang Rai (literally the city of Rai, named after the founder, King Mangrai, in 1262). What drew our attention was a pair of very contemporary temples that have garnered much tourist attention in the last several decades. 

The tour broke up the 3 hour drive north with a stop at some hot springs that had a market spring (hah) up around it. You could boil an egg in the springs or purchase some local jewelry, but it was clear that a major money maker was the pay-to-enter bathroom on this heavily traveled (especially by tourists!) highway. Two hours after the springs, we arrived at Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple. 

The white temple is quite a sight to behold. Twenty-five years and 30 million dollars into the expected 70(ish) year construction plan, Wat Rong Khun is the first of an eventual 9 buildings that will make up this garish complex. Intricate detailing and myriad glass mirrors adorn the exterior of this vanity project its designer, artist Charlermchai Kositpipat, believes will grant him immortal life. The dearth of any of Thailand’s multitude of saffron-robed monks, coupled with the bizarre imagery on the interior of the main chamber (photographs not allowed, those shown here found on google images), added a bitter taste to the common request to remove one’s shoes before entering most Buddhist temples. It sure is pretty though. 

A cafeteria style lunch spot, clearly created to handle the influx of tours to visit the white temple, provided a good enough meal before we headed on to Wat Rong Suea Ten, the Blue Temple. 

After community-led efforts to replace an old temple on this ground were abandoned, one of Chalermchai’s pupils who had worked on the White Temple helped finalize the temple’s redesign. While the fingerprints of Chalermchai’s wild imagery are present, the Blue Temple, at least, appears to be a functioning temple: with monks and offerings and people attending to pray, and not just to take instagram photos and tell you “you’re ruining my shot” (I’m not bitter). 

A quick ride brought us to our final stop, the Black Museum: one-time residence of artist Thawan Duchanee turned museum. 

The 40-plus buildings on the ground housed what can only be described as an eclectic and macabre combination of sculpture, architecture, wood-carving, and animal remains. What little context was provided suggested that Thawan used his art to explore death and the darker side of humanity. Funnily enough, he also received a degree from the same art program as Chalermchai, so I can only imagine what the faculty was like. 

After our return, we packed for our final night in Chiang Mai and wandered north towards the center of the old town, stopping at one of the many vegan restaurants we hadn't yet had the chance to try.