Sri Mariamman Temple

Lonely Planet review

Thai Buddhism still honours its mother religion of Hinduism. Built by Tamil immigrants in the 1860s, this Hindu temple is a colourful place of worship in every sense of the word, from the multi-hued main temple to the eclectic range of people of many faiths and ethnicities who come to make offerings. Thais call it Wat Phra Si Maha Umathewi.

The official Thai name of the temple is Wat Phra Si Maha Umathewi, but sometimes it is shortened to its colloquial name Wat Khaek - khàek is a common expression for people of Indian descent. The literal translation is 'guest', an obvious euphemism for any group of people not particularly wanted as permanent residents; hence most Indian Thais don't appreciate the term.