Thailand earthquake: Wat Rong Khun, the 'White Temple' is beyond repair

[happysanook]

This is the way I will alway remember it.

Looks the same as the OP. Comon, any better pictures than the OP. All I can see is a bent steeple

[flyingdoc]

What a tragic loss. I loved this temple, as a fine example of what dedication of one man can accomplish.

[khaowong1]

"Masterpiece"? "Past Glory"...........the place has only been completed these past ten years, Masterpiece, that depends on your opinion of art.....but "Past Glory".....sorry, the whole place is what in Europe would be called "A Folly"......something a bit odd put up by someone who wants to be remembered but doesnt necesssarily have real artistic temperament.

Van Gogh, Leonardo, Monet, etc etc, it sure isnt !

For me it has about the same value as that mini re creation of Angkor Wat at the hot spring on the way to Chiang Rai !

I was thinking the same thing... I've been there.. wasn't all that impressed.. me thinks artists live in their own little world. "Past Glory".. past glory is something that has been there for hundreds of years and is a monument to a long gone era. Masterpiece, not quite. Beautiful, yes..

[dansan]

No matter what one's beliefs may be, the fact that a remarkable, not to say unique building has been damaged is sad. In these days of ugliness, any work of beauty should be cherished by all.

Spot on man. Perfectly put, I was up there a month ago and it was one of the nicest places I have ever been to in the Kingdom (and it was FREE!).

Bloody shame its now gone into a pile of rubble...

[dansan]

With the plethora of same same temples in Thailand this unique one gets ruined by an act of god.

Is someone up there trying to tell us something?

Krama perhaps, for taking too much donation from poor Thai to build a white elephant.

Worst of all, it happen on such an auspicious day.

Double Krama.

What piffle.

[MESmith]

No matter what one's beliefs may be, the fact that a remarkable, not to say unique building has been damaged is sad. In these days of ugliness, any work of beauty should be cherished by all.

Spot on man. Perfectly put, I was up there a month ago and it was one of the nicest places I have ever been to in the Kingdom (and it was FREE!).

Bloody shame its now gone into a pile of rubble...

Pile of rubble? Have the dozers moved in already? There's some structural damage, but the main loss is the murals.

[MESmith]

[

Earthquakes are a natural act, or an act of nature. What has some superstitious hocus pocus got to do with it. You're not an insurance claims surveyor by any chance?

Now come on, Mr. Smith, let's not be pedantic. You're not the only one who believes man created god, well lots of them in fact, but an act of god IS an acceptable term for a natural disaster whether you choose to believe in one or not.

...that's how they call disasters in US,at least..."The Act of God"...and this has nothing to do with any religion...

Why are people talking in biblical language? I guess I don't come from a country where "in god we trust" is printed on the bank notes, and creation theory is taught in schools

[Nowisee]

With the plethora of same same temples in Thailand this unique one gets ruined by an act of god.

Is someone up there trying to tell us something?

An act of god? Were you snoozing during geology lessons?

I was going to say something more wise-arse-ish due to my atheistic leanings, but this sounds about right - and much more polite

Oh just come out with it... why should we have to keep quiet? They don't and are fast to ridicule those of us that have a mind and use it.

I'd rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.

Last time I replied to some god post "they" deleted it... so much for freedom of religion.

[Squeegee]

"An act of God," surely in this day and age is often used merely as a kind of figure of speech rather than being something that must be pounced on by fanatical atheists blindly assuming its every use must be an expression of religiosity. Just goes to show how atheists these days are the new Bible-bashers, bulldozing their way through life convinced they are justified.

As to Wat Rong Khun, unique for sure. Definitely made for a good stop on a tourist trip. It was rather tacky and naive though, but a lot of religious paraphernalia is. It's always a shame to lose something unique. Still, it will now live on in legend with countless pictures of how it used to be and the form it will take for the future. Life just goes on is all, 'til it really stops.

[bigbamboo]

[

Earthquakes are a natural act, or an act of nature. What has some superstitious hocus pocus got to do with it. You're not an insurance claims surveyor by any chance?

Now come on, Mr. Smith, let's not be pedantic. You're not the only one who believes man created god, well lots of them in fact, but an act of god IS an acceptable term for a natural disaster whether you choose to believe in one or not.

...that's how they call disasters in US,at least..."The Act of God"...and this has nothing to do with any religion...

Why are people talking in biblical language? I guess I don't come from a country where "in god we trust" is printed on the bank notes, and creation theory is taught in schools

Creation theory?

As 'Paxo' used to say in his heyday, I'll think we'll leave it there then.

[funcat]

[

Earthquakes are a natural act, or an act of nature. What has some superstitious hocus pocus got to do with it. You're not an insurance claims surveyor by any chance?

Now come on, Mr. Smith, let's not be pedantic. You're not the only one who believes man created god, well lots of them in fact, but an act of god IS an acceptable term for a natural disaster whether you choose to believe in one or not.

...that's how they call disasters in US,at least..."The Act of God"...and this has nothing to do with any religion...

Why are people talking in biblical language? I guess I don't come from a country where "in god we trust" is printed on the bank notes, and creation theory is taught in schools

...I guess NOT... ...but do you say sometimes....'God Save The Queen' ?!

[Choonpon]

What a pity really! I have not even visited that beautiful temple yet:(

[bob6130]

If he had used decent materials and SKILLED labour then maybe it would have stood up to a small earth quake.

Seen what he did and very nice.

[Tywais]

If he had used decent materials and SKILLED labour then maybe it would have stood up to a small earth quake.

Seen what he did and very nice.

He said it was designed and built with earthquake standards known at the time and if it wasn't it would have completely collapsed. This is an unprecedented event for the area in modern history. 6.1-6.3 is not a small earth quake for here. And the shallow depth compounded it plus being that close to the epicenter. It managed all the other earthquakes in the last 20 years including the massive one in Burma in 2011.

[maanoi]

Dam! The mrs is ganna give me crap for not going earlier this year when she suggested.

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[EASYDOGG]

Karma?

[brubakertx]

That's sad!

That was my favorite temple in Thailand!

[JohnThailandJohn]

Nobody lives in Chiang rai? Any better pictures of the damage than this?

Google: "White Temple devastated" and click on first story ... can't link directly to BP.

Just from the photos there it looks structurally fine and more cosmetic but these are only photos.

Edited May 6, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[JohnThailandJohn]

It was a beautiful expression of artistic genius. In a thousand years there have been no white temples that I am aware of. It was unique and inspiring and there is nothing like it anywhere in the world.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I've stated what I think about it. However, I would hate to be the child of some of the posters on ThaiVisa.

"Daddy, Daddy!!! I made a picture of our family! How does it look?" and daddy said' "It looks like crap. Don't show it to anyone else or they will laugh at you."

This is how some ThaiVisa members sound when they refer to this temple in this post. I imagine if they talk like this about the temple, this is probably how they talk to their family. Sad indeed.

People say all sorts of things when they feel insecure, inferior and jealous. Sheer idiotic and disrespectful some of the comments here. Doesn't make me ashamed at my fellow farangs but just a bit sad to know my fellow humans can be so petty. I doubt any of these petty doom and gloomer know-it-alls have even come 1/100th of a percent creating anything in their life close to what this man has accomplished.

I only hope his comments of being beyond repair are not really his or where spoken out of sadness/depression or even in hopes of getting people to donate when the time comes to repair. Would be very sad if we really lost this national treasure.

Edited May 6, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[millwall_fan]

I'm with the ranks of those who found the building to be frightful kitsch and an enormous act of self-indulgence by a hiso rich man who couldn't think of anything more useful to do with his life and money. As someone said earlier: van Gogh or Rodin it wasn't.

I do feel sorry for the ordinary Thais who made their meagre livings from the tourist arrivals, though.

[Baan Buakao]

Any reports on the golden crapper? This temple is unique but also boasts the world's most stunning dunny. :-)

[awayego]

Whilst I have every sympathy for the designer/builder in seeing his life's work partially destroyed, to me this was never a Buddhist 'temple' or place of worship and meditation. Rather than a monument to Buddha, it was a monument to the earthly creator, even to the extent that there were full-size cardboard photos of the 'artist'/creator so that tourists could have their pictures taken with 'him'. But as a tourist attraction and source of local employment it had its place I suppose.

One can argue about the artistic/architectural merits or demerits of the place, but a Buddhist temple?

The recently completed temple in our Chiang Rai village, to me, had far more beauty, artistic and spiritual value and significance as a true Buddhist village temple. It took many years of donations from, in the most part, predominately poor local people and they are rightly proud of the finished building.

One could also argue that the money that was donated so selflessly might have been put to better use in our village but that is just the nature and culture of Thailand.

[kuifje]

I'm with the ranks of those who found the building to be frightful kitsch and an enormous act of self-indulgence by a hiso rich man who couldn't think of anything more useful to do with his life and money. As someone said earlier: van Gogh or Rodin it wasn't.

I do feel sorry for the ordinary Thais who made their meagre livings from the tourist arrivals, though.

You are right. It was a kind of Disneyland created for the self-indulgence of himself.

It was only a tourist stop on the map.

[gangrel]

An amazing place, but having talked with Chalermchai on previous visits, his comments now are completely consistent with his personality.

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[gangrel]

I'm with the ranks of those who found the building to be frightful kitsch and an enormous act of self-indulgence by a hiso rich man who couldn't think of anything more useful to do with his life and money. As someone said earlier: van Gogh or Rodin it wasn't.

Strongly disagree, but as with all artistic masterpieces, everyone has their own opinion.

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[rijb]

I'm with the ranks of those who found the building to be frightful kitsch and an enormous act of self-indulgence by a hiso rich man who couldn't think of anything more useful to do with his life and money. As someone said earlier: van Gogh or Rodin it wasn't.

I do feel sorry for the ordinary Thais who made their meagre livings from the tourist arrivals, though.

You are right. It was a kind of Disneyland created for the self-indulgence of himself.

It was only a tourist stop on the map.

'self-indulgence'? How arrogant.

The guy has talent. What's yours?

Maybe you guys could get a job there as Goofy.

[webfact]

UPDATE:

National artist Chalermchai Kositpipat says today he will rebuild Wat Rong Khun back to its original beauty in two years after unexpected tremendous morale support pouring in from not only Thai people but also from people around the world.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/40023/

-- Thai PBS 2014-05-07

[webfact]

Chalermchai to rebuild Wat Rong Khun back to its original beauty in two years



BANGKOK: -- National artist and designer Chalermchai Kositpipat announced Wednesday morning that he will rebuild Wat Rong Khun or the White Temple back to its original beauty in two years after not only the Thais but the people from the whole world gave him tremendous morale support to rebuild what they said is the world's asset.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/724285-wat-rong-khun-the-white-temple-to-be-rebuilt-back-to-its-original-beauty-chalermchai/

[mogoso]

A photo of it has been my avatar for many years, since TV said Mr. Natural was copyrighted

[Genericnic]

With the plethora of same same temples in Thailand this unique one gets ruined by an act of god.

Is someone up there trying to tell us something?

An act of god? Were you snoozing during geology lessons?

Were you snoozing during Theology lessons?

I would have been snoozing but the prof wouldn't quit talking about some superstition he believed in. I kept waiting for him to sacrifice a lamb so we could have cabrito. Oh wait, you need a goat for that.

David

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