Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tâht
all over Isan. The current design went up in 1941, but it toppled during heavy rains in
1975 and was rebuilt in 1978.
and also displays a collection of pottery, gongs and some rare Buddha images.
Kong Gate
Standing tall on the road in front of Phra That Phanom is an arch that symbolically con-
nects the
tâht
to the Mekong. The block of French Indochinese architecture between the
arch and the river is reminiscent of old Saigon, and a few shops sell Vietnamese food.
MONUMENT
Wat Hua Wiang Rangsi
( dawn-dusk)
This riverside temple has a
bòht
built in 1921, and the paintings inside are in
excellent condition for their age, though they're central Thai rather than Isan style.
A
Tai-Lao Open-Border Market
takes place in front of the temple every Monday and
Thursday (7am to 2pm). It's mostly the same tat found in other Thai markets, but some of
the Lao traders sell roots, honey, bats and other forest products.
BUDDHIST TEMPLE
Wat Phra That Renu
BUDDHIST TEMPLE
Nakhon
( dawn-dusk)
The Phu Thai town of Renu Nakhon, 15km northwest of That Phanom,
hosts a 35m-tall
tâht
that closely resembles the previous
chedi
built in That Phanom and is
considered very holy. The temple also hosts a good
textiles market
with locally made fabrics
and clothes as well as silk and cotton from Laos and elsewhere in Thailand. There's no
public transport. Túk-túk drivers in That Phanom ask 300B round trip.
Festivals
During the
That Phanom Festival
in late January or early February, visitors descend from all
over Thailand and Laos to make merit and pay respect to the
tâht
. The streets fill with
market stalls, many top
mŏr lam
troupes perform and the town hardly sleeps for nine days.
On the morning of
Ork Phansaa
, the Phu Tai perform their 'peacock dance' in front of
That Phanom.
