Northern Thailand - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 931

( www.pdacr.org ; 3rd fl, 620/25 Th Thanalai; admission 50B; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun)
This museum and cultural centre is a good place to visit before undertaking any hill-tribe
trek. Run by the nonprofit Population & Community Development Association (PDA),
the displays are underwhelming in their visual presentation, but contain a wealth of in-
formation on Thailand's various tribes and the issues that face them.

Wat Phra Kaew
(Th Trairat; temple 7am-7pm, museum 9am-5pm) Originally called Wat Pa Yia (Bam-
boo Forest Monastery) in the local dialect, this is the city's most revered Buddhist temple.
The main prayer hall is a medium-sized, well-preserved wooden structure. The octagonal
chedi behind it dates from the late 14th century and is in typical Lanna style. The adjacent
two-storey wooden building is a museum housing various Lanna artefacts.

BUDDHIST TEMPLE

WORTH A TRIP
WAT RONG KHUN & BAAN DUM

Seen from a distance, Wat Rong Khun (White Temple, off Asia 1 Hwy; 8am-5pm Mon-Fri,
8am-5.30pm Sat & Sun) appears to be made of glittering porcelain; a closer look reveals that
the appearance is due to a combination of whitewash and clear-mirrored chips. Inside, instead of the
traditional Buddha life scenarios, the artist has painted contemporary scenes representing samsara (the
realm of rebirth and delusion) via images such as a plane smashing into the Twin Towers and, oddly
enough, Keanu Reeves as Neo from The Matrix .
Wat Rong Khun is about 13km south of Chiang Rai. To get to the temple, hop on one of the regular
buses that run from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai or Phayao (20B).
A rather sinister counterpoint to Wat Rong Khun, Baan Dum (Black House; off Asia 1 Hwy;
9am-noon & 1-5pm) unites several quasi-traditional structures, most of which are stained
black and ominously decked out with animal pelts and bones. Other buildings include white, breast-
shaped bedrooms, dark phallus-decked bathrooms, and a bone- and fur-lined 'chapel'.
Baan Dum is 13km north of Chiang Rai in Nang Lae; any Mae Sai-bound bus will drop you off
there for around 20B.

Activities
Nearly all travel agencies, guesthouses and hotels in Chiang Rai offer trekking trips. Rates
range from 2500B to 6500B per person for two people for a two-night trek. Generally
everything from accommodation to transport and food is included.