tourismthailand blog

The Chao Pho Lak Muang City Pillar Shrine in Suphan Buri Province (Thailand)

Many towns in Thailand have a city pillar shrine (Thai: หลักเมือง, romanized as Lak Mueang or Lak Muang), which marks the center of the town. According to an old Thai tradition, a city pillar had to be built upon the establishment of a new city. It is considered to be the home of the guardian spirit of the town and highly revered by the towns people.King Rama I had the Bangkok city pillar erected near the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

“Jiannian” @ The Chao Pho Lak Muang City Pillar Shrine (Suphan Buri,Thailand)

Dragon Pillars @ The Chao Pho Lak Mueang City Pillar Shrine ( Suphan Buri,Thailand)

The Chao Pho Lak Muang City Pillar shrine in Suphan Buri Province is located on the west bank of the Tha Chin River can be considered as one of the most beautiful and unique shrine in Thailand. The shrine is unique in terms of the landscape layout and roof ornamentation. The architectural characteristics of  the shrine closely resemble those found in Teochew architecture from Southern China. The roof decoration is distinctly Teochew in nature because of the ‘jiannian’, is a unique technique of cutting shards of porcelain bowls to create the ornamentation of the roof ridges in Teochew architecture. The protruding dragon head (longtongji) at the ends of beams is another unique feature.

Oranges are offered to the deities @ The Chao Pho Lak Muang City Pillar Shrine 

Originally the shrine was built in a typical wooden Thai style architecture but later altered to a Chinese pavilion design with hundreds of crafted dragons. The shrine houses statues of the god Vishnu carved out of green stone which is much worshiped by both Thais and Chinese. Only oranges are offered to the deities. There are different form of worship in different provinces. Some pray to the linga, an influence from the Khmer. The wall murals paintng behind the shrine is another great masterpiece depicting myths and legends from the Chinese classic. I noticed a massive bell is still under contruction. On the full moon day of the 7th Chinese lunar month, the shrine with the support from Chinese Association, always hosts a huge alms-offering ceremony for the poor.

Statues of the god Vishnu @ The Chao Pho Lak Muang  City Pillar Shrine (Suphan Buri,Thailand)

There is a story behind it. Khun Banharn Silpa-archa is a native of Suphanburi left the city for Bangkok at an early age with only 15 baht in his pocket. He stopped at the city pillar shrine to make a wish to be successful in life. His wish was fulfilled and  become a successful businessman and also the 21st prime minister of Thailand. He kept his promise and develop Suphanburi into a model city and beautify the shrine as years pass by. Back in 1996, he decided that he would build a unique museum “Dragon Descendants Museum” to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the People’s Republic of China and Thailand since 1995. The new attraction was opened on 24th Dec 2008 next to the shrine.

The wall mural @ The  Chao Pho Lak Mueang City Pillar Shrine (Suphan Buri,Thailand)

Suphan Buri is located some 169 kilometers from Bangkok (approximately 100 kilometers through the new Nonthaburi-Suphan Buri Highway, from the Khae Rai Intersection in Nonthaburi Province it is only 72 kilometers to Suphan Buri). Occupying an area of 5,358 square kilometers and is administratively divided into 10 Amphoes: Muang; Doemhang Nangbuat, Bang Pla Ma, Si Prachan, Song Phi Nong, Sam Chuk, U Thong, Don Chedi, Dan Chang and Nong Yasai.

The Chao Pho Lak Muang City Pillar Shrine in Suphan Buri,Thailand