Five White Buddha Statues: Modern Art or Power Spot? Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew [Thailand]

I saw a striking Buddha statue on the cover of TRANSIT, a Japanese travel magazine, in their Thailand issue.

I wanted to visit, but access was difficult. It’s a temple in Khao Kho, Phetchabun Province—one hour by domestic flight from Bangkok, then another two hours by rental car. I figured I should go while I was living in Thailand, so I booked a ticket.

This area is a mountain resort surrounded by nature, known as “the Switzerland of Thailand.” I wasn’t in the mood to relax in the mountains, though, so I decided to make it a day trip.

I drove a rental car from Phitsanulok Airport to the temple. Mountains gradually appeared along the way. Thailand (around Bangkok) is mostly flat, so seeing actual mountains is surprisingly rare. I’ve never been to Switzerland, but I suppose it does feel somewhat Swiss.

From a distance, I could already see the white Buddha statues. The weather was cloudy, but that actually made them appear to float in the mist.

Temple bells and metal chimes ring out, the kind of sound you’d hear at traditional Buddhist ceremonies.

Up close, I saw white structures in the middle of green mountains. The sense of foreignness and presence was overwhelming.

Thailand has many Buddha statues, but I’ve never seen this arrangement before.

These five statues symbolize the five Buddhas who appear in the current world. They represent the continuity of Buddhist teachings from the past, through the present, and into the future.

The temple’s name, Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew, means “temple on the cliff where jewels are hidden.”

Long ago, villagers repeatedly witnessed a glowing green sphere flying into a cave on the cliff. Believing this place to be sacred, they built a stupa there.

The meditation center began in 2004, and the five white Buddha statues were completed in 2014—quite recent. The founder, a monk and former artist, held the belief that “art is a means to convey religion.”

Most visitors are Thai locals; foreign tourists are few. The temple has become a main attraction, paired with the natural beauty of the mountain resort.

Everyone was taking photos. Posing in front of the statues, changing angles, taking shot after shot.

You can enter inside the Buddha statues. There are glittering Buddha figures and a pink reclining Buddha. It feels more like contemporary art than an object of worship.

People who take countless photos outside still pray earnestly inside. Here, enjoying and viewing may also be part of prayer.

A short walk from the five Buddhas, there’s a stupa. Its exterior is covered in mosaic decoration made from countless ceramic shards. This represents the philosophy that diverse people building merit together creates peace. Inside, planetary-like objects are arranged in a very cosmic space.

Most people just glance at this one, though. The stupa is completely overshadowed.

Still, looking at the temple as a whole, it functions both as art to be consumed and as a place of worship. The two coexist naturally here.

On the way back, I stopped at a nearby cafe. It’s popular with tourists who come to enjoy coffee while looking at mountain views. The clouds were too thick to see much scenery. Still, everyone was taking photos.

They call it “the Switzerland of Thailand,” but what I saw was a very Thai place. Even within the artistic presentation, there was an unchanging form of Thai faith.

A day trip feels a bit rushed. Still, I’m glad I came. The cloudy weather had its own atmosphere, but next time I’d like to visit on a clear day. I wonder what expression those white Buddha statues would show then.

【Sample Day Trip Schedule】
07:00 Depart Bangkok (Don Mueang Airport)
08:00 Arrive Phitsanulok Airport, pick up rental car
10:00 Arrive at temple, visit (about 2 hours)
12:30 Lunch at nearby cafe
15:30 Depart for Phitsanulok
17:15 Arrive at airport, return rental car
18:40 Depart Phitsanulok
19:35 Arrive Bangkok