Chaing Rai's White, Black, and Blue Temples in Thailand Look Like Art Museums

FODORS
By Amanda Silberling

Chiang Rai, Northern Thailand

You might think that once you’ve seen a handful of Thailand’s 40,000 Buddhist temples, you’ve seen them all. But three of Thailand’s most memorable, awe-inspiring sites are far different than the traditional monastic centers that characterize Thailand’s peaceful landscape. Unlike most temples in Southeast Asia, monks don’t live and practice in the colored temples (the White Temple, Blue Temple, and Black House) because they aren’t actually religious structures–at least in a conventional sense. Rather, these temples more closely resemble art museums, as they represent decades of work from three artists native to Chiang Rai Province in Northern Thailand. [More]