Wat Pa Chathu Ratcham, Manchakiri district, Khon Kaen.

Under construction.

Some of the statues inside.

A dangerous place to be near these days, as you are getting too close to Yala Province trouble area.

But, inside the caves of a hillside, right on the Border, 10 km West of Padang Besar, at Kaouloobchang, is: Wat Tham Khao Rup Chang.

Developed over the last 36 years by the current monk, who inherited the massive task from his predecessor, who brought the style back to imitate the temple of same discipline in China.

Pre-danger times, I went here between 1981 and 1995, and haven't been back since. This temple had always remained off the list tourist destinations, until more recently attracting mainland PRC Chinese Visitor Tours

there's a map to it here:

http://hatyaiairportthai.com/en/popular-destinations/79/wat-tham-khao-rup-chang

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/79117520

always kept this photo, handed to me by the Monk of that time (1981)

if you haven't been attacked by now, then this is the turn off to the temple:

I retained any Postacards and/all Brochures that the Monk had at the time. A Sample:

I hope to return - but it may be in another lifetime

apart from the Big Buddha Cave, there are others in this hillside complex, some by sidestep crawling through passageways, to other caves.

The Big Buddha is about 65 ft high, and in another cave is a reclining Buddha, just as majestic in size.

Wat Neramit Vipatsana ,Dansai.

What do you do when the tourists are crawling all over every square cm of one of the famous wats? You focus on the not-so-popular buildings.

Here is one of the pavilions on the grounds of Wat Benchamabophit (the Marble Temple) here in Bangkok.

Phra Pathom Chedi, Nakorn Pathom

Wat a difference.

Yesterday I visited, wat phra bat phu pan kham.

Next to the Ubanrat dam, Khon Kaen.

I climbed all these stairs and when I reached the top, I realised that I could have gone there by car.

It was too late by then and I suffer today with pains on my legs.

I do blame my g/f for not noticing the road going up, as I will never accept responsibility of my wrongdoings.

The stairs up.

The wat on top.

The huge white Buddha statue at the top of the wat.

The stairs down

A truly swingin wat!

Wat Suthat, Bangkok

Yesterday I visited, wat phra bat phu pan kham.

Next to the Ubanrat dam, Khon Kaen.

I climbed all these stairs and when I reached the top, I realised that I could have gone there by car.

It was too late by then and I suffer today with pains on my legs.

Done exactly the same thing at one of the Wat's in Kalasin TP,I believe that there were over 800 steps to the top.

Exhausted and sweating we finally reach the top (after stopping many times to catch a breath) only to be greeted

by my BIL,who was sat there in his pickup,grinning like a Cheshire cat and enjoying an nice cold Ice tea.

Fiddlesticks,

Your colours look a bit off. Is it a recent pic?

This was taken before the swing was dismantled for restoration. Would like to know, if it's back on it's old place.

Fiddlesticks,

Your colours look a bit off. Is it a recent pic?

This was taken before the swing was dismantled for restoration. Would like to know, if it's back on it's old place.

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1434888111.828137.jpg

Yup, took it this morning in the bright sunlight. Still in the same place, right out front of Wat Suthat. Can't help the colors since I wasn't involved in the painting.

Three Monks by David Hitchens, on Flickr

Wat Ban Nong Waeng (Kalasin)

Wat Ban Nong Waeng (Kalasin)

Great sun star!

Great sun star!

You must feel liberated and blessed with blue skies, clouds and the sun. Nice!

At night at the back of a temple:

Hey DAL, I like the Goth temple look also

But back to blue skies . . .

Half way up the stairs to Wat phra bat phu pan kham, post #608, there is a small shrine that houses the footprint of Buddha.

Judjing from the size of the footprint, approx. 1.5 meter length by 70cm wide, Buddha must have have been a giant?

A small supplicant in an unfinished temple

P6210546-Edit by Spike Tennyson, on Flickr

A small supplicant in an unfinished temple

Wow ! That image speaks loud !

Wat Pho, Bangkok

Wat Tung Sad Tee (Khon Kaen province)

Wat Pa Huay Lad (Phurua,Loei province)

Wat Phra That Doi Kham

Koh Samui Aerial Photos

Doy Suthep, Chiang Mai; The crouching angle need to get the whole temple.

A couple of iPhone shot at a new temple near Mae Suai on the drive from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai on the 118.

Today is the beginning of the Buddhist Lent, so, quite a few people in the Temples