Dream monastery? Wat the?!

Posted Wednesday, May 30, 2007, 4:16 PM by Lonely Planet

Unlike the tourism scene in, say, Turkey or Greece, it's probably safe to assume the majority of Thailand's visitors do not arrive with any intention of inspecting ancient ruins. But for those travellers who chose to eschew the southern islands and instead explore the massive swath of country north of Bangkok, the ancient city of Sukhothai (pronounced SOOK-oh-tie) is an absolute must-see site. Even UNESCO agrees; the cultural organization gave the collection of ruined monuments its highest honour in 1991 by naming it a World Heritage site.

But let's be honest. Even the keenest of history buffs can find themselves suffering from a serious case of ruin burnout. The key is to switch up the cultural sightseeing with something a little less serious. And in Sukhothai, that something is a bizarre little temple known as Wat Thewet.



Known locally as 'the dream monastery', Wat Thewet was once a temple just like any other in central Thailand. And then one night, the temple's abbot had a dream - some call it a vision - about the life of Buddha, and a strange depiction of hell. No one quite knows why, but the abbot became convinced his vision should be brought to life on the grounds of Wat Thewet. The idea was to create a Buddhist learning garden, and today, the area surrounding the temple is packed with dozens of some of the strangest statues you're likely to see anywhere in Thailand.



The scenes representing hell are without a doubt the most disturbing, especially the plaster models of humans who have unfortunately sprouted animal heads. According to the abbot's dream, anyone who abused an animal in life would find himself (or herself) sporting that same animal's head in death. You'll also see men and women covering their genitals with huge, oversized hands; these models are meant to represent the eternal fate of anyone who steals in life.



Unfortunately, most Sukhothai-area locals aren't as amused by the temple's art brut as are the tourists who come here. It's said the abbot financed his dream with money earned during his daily alms - in other words, with money specifically donated to the upkeep of the temple and its monks. The abbot died some time ago; his son currently lives at the monastery, where he maintains his father's dream.

Dan Eldridge is in Thailand researching the Thailand chapter of Southeast Asia on a shoestring. Anyone been to Wat Thewet? Is there anything else like it in Thailand?

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