Wat Phra Kaew

Northern Thailand


This former temple dominates Kamphaeng Phet's walled city and is adjacent to what is believed to have been the royal palace (now in ruins). There’s an immense reclining Buddha and several smaller, weather-corroded Buddha statues that have assumed slender, porous forms, reminding some visitors of the sculptures of Alberto Giacometti.


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Nearby Northern Thailand attractions

1. Walled City

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Just north of modern Kamphaeng Phet, this walled zone is the origin of the city’s name, and was formerly inhabited by gamavasi (living in the community)…

2. Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park

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A Unesco World Heritage Site, the Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park features the ruins of structures dating back to the 14th century, roughly the same time…

3. Wat Phra That

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The ruins of this temple are distinguished by a large round-based brick and laterite Kamphaeng Phet–style chedi surrounded by columns.

4. Kamphaeng Phet National Museum

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Kamphaeng Phet’s visit-worthy museum is home to an impressive collection of artefacts from the Kamphaeng Phet area, including an immense Shiva statue that…

5. Thai House Museum

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This regional museum is set in a series of Thai-style wooden structures on stilts set among nicely landscaped grounds. There are three main buildings…

6. Shiva Shrine

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7. Wat Phra Borommathat

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Across the Mae Nam Ping are the ruins of Wat Phra Borommathat, located in an area that was settled long before Kamphaeng Phet’s heyday, although visible…

8. Wat Phra Si Iriyabot

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The highlight here is a towering mon·dòp (the small square building with a spire in a wát) that contains the shattered remains of standing, sitting,…