Phra That Choe Hae, Phrae

Year of the Tiger: If you are exploring Northern Thailand then the city of Phrae is worth a visit. The old city, surrounded by a wall and moat, still retains many of its original buildings and temples. However, the highlight of any trip to Phrae is Phra That Choe Hae. This temple is about 9 kms southeast of the town. This Lanna style temple was built during the Sukhothai period. The relics in this chedi are believed to be the left elbow and strands of hair of the Lord Buddha. The octagonal shaped chedi is 33 metres high with 12 indented corners. It is made of brick and stucco and glazed with gilded gold. The name “choe hae” comes from the fine cloth which is wrapped around the chedi. In a nearby building is a beautiful Buddha image similar in style to the one I photographed in Phitsanulok. Phra That Choe Hae is an important pilgrimage site for all Thai people and in particular for people born in the Year of the Tiger.

If you have ever visited a Thai temple, you would have notice that there is always a fine blend between Buddhism and supersition. At many popular temples you will often find fortune tellers or people rubbing trees in order to find clues about the winning numbers for the next lottery. (BTW, please stop sending us so many letters each week for the Thailand Lottery. We no longer tell people our prediciton for the last three numbers. Unless of course you promise to share with us the prize!)  There are also a couple of games you can play in order to predict your future. The most common one I have seen are the sticks in a bamboo container that you shake until one falls out. This has a number which you use to discover your  future. Other games involve blocks of wood. Once, I even saw a roulette wheel in a temple that gave you a lucky number!