temples & architecture
Wat San Pa Ko, the Shan Temple
Jan
Table of Contents
Introduction
Wat San Pa Ko (วัดสันป่าก่อ) aka Wat Thai Yai (วัดไทยใหญ่) is a beautiful temple, next to the old Chiang Rai airport. It is the only Shan-Burmese/Tai Yai temple in Chiang Rai. I have visited this temple several times and I always was the only visitor. This temple has an interesting history and beautiful Shan-Burmese temple architecture. It is a unique place with some pleasant surprises.
The history of Wat Sa Pa Ko
You can’t find much information about this temple online. There is now an information board at the temple that gives some information and there is a short Wikipedia article in Thai. The Shan people who founded Wat San Pa Ko came from one of the Federated Shan States in Burma under British colonial rule.
According to the information at the temple a group of 15 families numbering about 40 people migrated to Chiang Rai. Together with other Shan people who already lived in Chiang Rai they founded a small temple in 1916. Their names if the leaders were Phra Ka Kham Heuang, Pu Jong Di, Pu Jong Soi, Pu Loy, Pu Saen. Other people were Saen Kham Kon, Sai Saen and Kham Phithak.
It is not clear what the reason for this migration was. Probably this movement was in those days not perceived as migration from one country to the other. The Shan people were de facto British citizens although they probably didn’t have proof of that. Border crossing was seen as a day-to-day movement and not as an act of migration from one country to another. Their shared ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious background legitimized the movement from Burma to Siam.
Development of the temple
Apparently there were many banyan trees in the area so they decided to call the temple “Wat San Pa Ko” and the village “Ban San Pa Ko”. I will find out what the meaning of these words are. Initially the temple consisted of a temporary building with a thatch roof. After a monk took residence it became a permanent structure. In 1946 they constructed the wooden assembly hall with a roof of clay. They added an small ordination hall in 1965 and built a wall around the temple compound in the early 1970s. Shortly after that they renovated the assembly hall and added the current gable roof with rooftiles.
Abandonment and revival
At a certain moment, roughly between 1976 and 2013, the temple became abandoned. Apparently no monks were living there so the temple lost its function as a religious center for the community. That situation changed in 2013 when monks started to live in the temple again. In 2016 they performed the ceremony to connect the boundary markers of the ordination hall which concluded the rebirth of the temple. I visited the temple for the first time in 2021 and since then the temple has undergone quite a few improvements.
The main buildings of Wat Sa Pa Ko
Based on my observation there are four main structures in the temple compound: the main assemby hall, the hall of the day of birth that shows the Tai Yai traditions of the twelve months, the ordination hall and a building with the main chedi and four smaller stupas. The main assemby hall, constructed in 1946, contains the principal Buddha statue. It is always open.
The Hall of the day of birth is usually closed which is a pity. It contains Buddha images in different postures, a row of statues of monks and murals depicting the Tai Yai traditions. The ordination hall (ubosot) has been rebuilt recently and the building with the chedis was under construction.
What makes Wat San Pa Ko special?
Wat San Pa Ko is the only Tai Yai temple in Chiang Rai. Its architecture is very specific Burmese-Shan style with beautiful “piyathat’-style roofs, interesting murals and Buddha images in Burmese-Shan style. It is very nice to see that this community temple has flourished and again is a religious center for the Tai Yai population of Chiang Rai. The nearby Central Department Story has funded the toilets at the temple, which is very nice.
It has also become a learning center of Tai Yai culture, depicted in the charming murals of the big Buddha sala. In a small building you can enjoy a kind of merry-go-round of monks and a Shan person. The murals are very special such as the one regarding the Poy Sang Long ceremony.
Where is the temple?
Wat San Pa Ko is right next to the main building of the old Chiang Rai airport. On Google Maps you can find it under the name Wat San Pa Ko (Wat Thai Yai). There is no entrance fee.
