The White Temple: A Descent Into Tourist Hell

The White Temple of Chiang Rai.  It's not a real temple, you know.

All of the iconic tourist attractions in Chiang Rai are outside the city proper.  In other words:  too far to walk.  Since for these two days in Chiang Rai, I am playing wealthy American tourist,  I am staying in a luxury resort hotel -- for only a little more than $100 U.S. a night -- during high season! -- anybody can afford to live like the King of Siam at those prices.  So I decided to do what any wealthy American tourist with cash to burn would do:  I hired a driver to drive me to all those sights to see outside the city proper.

The Guan Yin statue could be clearly seen this morning from my hotel hallway.  (Foreshadow:  we will see her even more up close in the next blog post.)

Then it was off to the day's first destination:  Wat Rong Khun:  the White Temple:  a.k.a., only the most photographed place in the Chiang Rai stop on the Thai tourist trail.

And that's your proof, right there.

Now the White Temple -- it's not a real temple but a public art installation (as we call these things stateside) -- is definitely worth seeing.

Wait a minute.  That's not white.  That's gold.

But here's why this is a descent into tourist hell.

You just line up and walk slowly in the line through all the sights you're supposed to see,

Like hands and skulls!  In white!  Very Catholic, if I do say.

But this marching in lockstep.

And there's a whole lot of upselling going on.  At the end of every stop in the complex, it seems, is a gift shop.

It is the White Temple.  And it's nice when tourists show respect for theme.

Looking good there dressed in white.

In case you can't get enough of this white-themed tourist at this white-themed temple:

It is, as I said, very photogenic.

Don't let my kvetching interfere with that.

Wait a minute, again, disturbance in the force.  Disturbance in the white force:

Gold.  Not white.  What's up with that.

One last picture of me.

 

When I'm on vacation, I'm an absolute sucker for those "stick your head in the hole and get a picture of you looking like someone/something else."  One of the great things about being trapped in a tourist trap is that there a fellow trapped tourists available for the shutterbugging.

Here's a perfect example of something ending up in a gift shop:  the Cave of Art:

It's a pseudo-cave.

It's cool.  In both senses.

It's hip.  And the hot tropical sun of 20 degrees north latitude is not bearing down on you.

And it ends in a gift shop.  Where you can art from the Cave of Art.

I spy something golden over there.

Let's check out the non-white:

This looks like a cool sculpture.

It's not.  It's a station to buy food to feed the koi in the water.  Again:  it's all about the upselling.

Elephants embedded in the artwork, of course.

This sign concerned me.  I am not bringing a dog with me.  And I don't plan on talking on my cellphone.  But I will be bringing my hands with me.  Will that be a problem?

It took me a few seconds.  Then I understood:  no touching.

Understood.  Even though there are elephants, this is not a petting zoo.

Again, it ended up in a gift shop.  This time:  an expensive gift shop.  Selling art.

By the way, if I didn't mention before, this White Temple complex was created by a reknowned (in Thailand) artist:  Chalermchai Kositpipat.  Opened in 1997.

I give in and go back to the koi food buying station.

It's only 10 baht for a bucket of koi food.  That's only about 30 cents for a full bucket.  I'm play-acting at being a wealthy tourist today.  I can afford 30 cents worth of koi food.

Especially when I decide to feed it to koi "Trump style":

I juts dumped in the whole bucket at once.  Man, did I make a couple of the koi EXTREMELY happy.

So, yes.  The huge crowds.  The endless walking in line to go through each sight you're supposed to see.  The upselling.  A gift shop at the end of every walk-through.  This is my idea of tourist hell.

But, still, it is beautiful.

Can't you see I'm glad I came.

I like how the white of the building behind me makes me look like I'm radiating something.

February 6, 2025.  Merry Christmas from the White Temple of Chiang Rai.  Well worth the stop even if it was tourist hell.