Sala Kaew Ku
ศาลาแก้วกู่
A giant religious sculpture park east of Nong Khai city, with over a hundred concrete statues of Buddhas, deities and nagas in fantastical designs. The tallest, a seven-headed naga protecting a Buddha, stands about 25 metres high.
The sculpture park was built from 1978 by the monk Bunleua Sulilat, who blended Buddhist and Hindu ideas. Earlier, he had built the Xieng Khuan Buddha Park across the river in Vientiane. The park contains more than a hundred giant concrete statues, including a seven-headed naga protecting a Buddha, Shiva and Vishnu, the elephant god, the monkey god, and the 'Wheel of Life', a ring of statues depicting birth, aging, sickness and death. The three-storey main building displays his collection, and his body is enshrined on the top floor. The park is open roughly 08:00 to 18:00, and admission costs a few dozen baht. It is about 55 km from Udon Thani city. You can hire a car, or take a bus to Nong Khai and then a tuk-tuk. A day trip can also include the Mekong riverside.
Opening hours
08:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Ban Na Kha Weaving Village
- Phu Phrabat Historical Park
- Nong Prachak Park
- Wat Phothisomphon
- Thung Si Mueang & City Pillar Shrine
- Udon Thani City Museum
- UD Town & Night Market
- Thai-Chinese Cultural Centre & Pu Ya Shrine