South Thailand / Chaiya
CHAIYA
Chaiya is a small town in Surat Thani province, some 70 road kilometers north of Surat Thani city.
Places of Interest
Wat Suan Mohkha Phalaram
The Wat, on Highway 41 some 50km (31mi) north of the provincial capital and better known as Suan Mok, is an unusual 60-hectare (150-acre) forest temple. The monastic community follows the simple regimen of Buddha’s earliest disciples. Accordingly, Suan Mok is devoid of extravagant ceremonials and elaborate chapels with multi-tiered roofs. Sculpture workshops dot the forested enclave, and physical labor is an essential part of the community’s lifestyle.
Suan Mok’s founder, Bhikkhu Buddhadhasa (Bhikkhu is an originally Indian term for monk), is highly respected by Buddhists in Thailand and internationally, and his back-to-basics approach attracts Buddhist monks and lay meditators from Europe, North and South America, Australia and Japan.
The favorite attraction for casual visitors is the Spiritual Theater which Buddhadhasa describes as a pictorial interpretation of Dharma. The building features an eclectic mixture of Thai, Egyptian, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Tibetan and European-style murals and sculptures.
Buddhist meditation, both Vipassana (Insight) and Samatha (Tranquil), is taught in special courses by English-speaking instructors. Would-be meditators are advised to contact the temple directly, and preferably in person.
Phra Borom Thai Chaiya
This elaborately restored, more than 1200 years old pagoda, 54km (34mi) north of the provincial capital and 1km (0.6mi) from the Chaiya Railway Station, is a direct link with the Srivisaya empire (of Sumatra, 7th to 12th century AD). Surat Thani Province, to which Chaiya belongs today, once was part, and may have been a regional center, of the Mahayana Buddhist Srivisaya empire which, steeped in legend and mystery, dominated the Malay Peninsula and much of Java some 1,200 years ago. The pagoda is believed to contain Buddha relics. A small museum in the temple compound houses artifacts and archaeological finds from the vicinity.
Phumriang Village
The village, some 6km (4mi) east of Chaiya, is an arts and crafts center well known for its gold and silver brocade silk cloth and jute headgear. Silk cloth is produced largely in 5 original patterns; the jute headgear, for men and women, also uses palm and palmyra leafs.
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