iSee Wat Pongsanuk

Most sacred place in Lampang is no doubt Wat Pongsanuk, where the city first sacred pillar was laid. Wat Pongsanuk was built during the reign of King Anantayot in 680 CE, the same period that Lampang was established. The name comes from the Pong Sanuk community that migrated to this area. Pong Sanuk in Thai means “the clan of fun”.

The temple is an unusual combination of Lanna, Burmese and Chinese styles. One of the most prominent features of the temple is the multi-layered roof and cruciform-shaped pavilion of Viharn Phra Chao Phan Ong. It is decorated with 1,080 Buddhist Tablets. You will also see plenty of Buddhist art and fine designs throughout the entire compound. This viharn is also the only teak wood temple left in Thailand and UNESCO ‘Award of Merit’ was awarded in 2008 community collective for renovation project using traditional styles of decoration. Here you will find the first city pillar of Lampang.

You may have noticed the Burmese traces in many temples in Lampang. This is because a lot of Burmese teak businessmen built. A local saying is, if you’d like to see Burmese architecture, just go to Lampang! Other Burmese style temples include Wat Sri Chum, Wat Sri Rong Mueang, Wat Chedi Soundlang and Wat Phrakaew Don Tao.

Do you know how local people treat their tooth pain? By burning a special herb and inhale it with a special tool. Ask any of the monks in the temple, they all hold this ancient wisdom.