The Sanctuary of Truth

[Surfcrest]

Earlier this week I took some Thai friends to the Sanctuary of Truth in Naklua, just north of Pattaya.

This is one tourist attraction here that probably gets more press outside the Kingdom than in.

It is a hand carved temple built of wood in a beautiful setting on the seaside.
Yes, it is just a tourist attraction and a little out of the way if you don't have a car and a driver at your disposal....but a very worth while trip, especially if you are a photographer. This year I brought my photography equipment to re-photograph the temples in Bangkok that I did several years ago with my earlier SLR equipment. I hadn't expected to bring the big beast out for anything here in Pattaya other than the Sirachi Tiger Zoo and so was pleasantly unexpected by the stunning work they have done....and continue to do on The Sanctuary of Truth. The temple is stunning from the outside on a bright sunny day with the ocean in the background. This temple is all wood, elaborately carved and fit together like a jig saw puzzle, without any nails (Or so the say). Remember, they are still working on the structure and so expect to wear a hard had to go inside to see the carvers continuing their work.

The admission is 500 baht with options to do other touristy stuff like taking a boat ride or riding en elephant. I skipped all of that, opting to only marvel at the Temple.

Check out their website or google Sanctuary of Truth Images to see the place first, to reassure yourself that it's not just another temple.

http://www.sanctuaryoftruth.com

Surfcrest

[Surfcrest]

Some photos from early March at the Sanctuary of Truth.

Everything about this tourist site is tacky in the Nong Nooch sort of way but the building on it's own merit is indeed beautiful, inside and out.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y69/Surfcrest/IMG_0045b.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y69/Surfcrest/IMG_0131.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y69/Surfcrest/IMG_0149.jpg

Surfcrest

[newalaan2]

Earlier this week I took some Thai friends to the Sanctuary of Truth in Naklua, just north of Pattaya.
Just as a matter of interest, what did your Thai friends make of it? Did they genuinely enjoy the visit?

When in Pattaya I do have a vehicle which we tend to use to go to Sattahip, Rayong, Chantaburi etc... I've yet to visit anything actually closer to Pattaya. On a previous visit bf was learning to drive so we did drive around the outer Jomtien and Pattaya areas but not to any 'attractions' just to find quiet places where he could practise a few of the things he was getting taught from the Pattaya Driving school. Maybe next month when I visit we might try going to specific attractions like the Sanctuary Of Truth.

Bt500 for both westerners and Thais? Good pics and info Surfcrest......anyone have info on other places of interest with actual experiences of visiting them, close to Pattaya apart from Crocodile Farm, Zoo, and Nong Nooch?

[Surfcrest]

Just as a matter of interest, what did your Thai friends make of it? Did they genuinely enjoy the visit?
My partner and I both enjoyed it, we were able to surf by the tacky sword fight they try to make you watch before you enter.
Of the other two, one was Thai the other Burmese.....the Thai very proud....beacuse it's made in Thailand, of course.

The sheer size and beauty of the building and the carvings are enough to awe anyone, even from the top of the hill when you arrive.
Even those boys that are easily bored, or constantly glued to their mobile phones will look up.....if even for a minute.

Surfcrest

[stevehadders]

Of course using high quality timber, from mature forest, which, in my opinion, would look far grander remaining in the area's dwindling forests. When I visited several years ago they told us, when I asked, that the timber was imported from Myanmar.......impressive yes but saddens me at same time. They were also doing swimming with dolphins, don't knw whether they still do

[newalaan2]

The sheer size and beauty of the building and the carvings are enough to awe anyone, even from the top of the hill when you arrive.Even those boys that are easily bored, or constantly glued to their mobile phones will look up.....if even for a minute.

Sounds like it will be definitely worth a visit, bf's not a Pattaya guy so it'll be new for him too. Any other suggestions of places members have actually experienced would be appreciated.

[christianpfc]

Can recommend the Sanctuary of Truth, went there about 2 years (trip report somewhere).

One thing that still amazes me is that they advertise it as a place of peace and silence, and then they a motocross racing track and a shooting range on the premises!

[Sooty]

To counterbalance this paean of praise, here's another point of view from a gay Thailand blog - http://bangkokbois.wordpress.com

There are a few thousand Thai temples in the country, many of them quite magnificent, many of them authentically historical. Few if any charge an admission. If and when they do itтАЩs usually a matter of 10 to 20 baht. Or you can visit the Sanctuary of Truth just outside of Pattaya where the admission is $15 and the temple is not one any self respecting Thai has ever prayed at. And Thais will pray at a shrine devoted to a two-headed lizard born in the village next to theirs.

The truth about the Sanctuary of Truth is that it is a tourist trap built solely for the purpose of attracting touri and their money. Which explains its mock sword battles, motocross track and shooting range. IтАЩm surprised they havenтАЩt brought in gogo boys for entertainment yet. Though I do have to admit there is an allure to the cheap bastards who flock to Pattaya and become incensed if charged more than 100 baht for a drink shelling out $15 to look at a fake wat. But then maybe they are just used to that from looking at all the fake erections on display at Sunee Plaza. Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai does it better, and there the ticket cost is nada.

[Geezer]

"...the temple is not one any self respecting Thai has ever prayed at. And Thais will pray at a shrine devoted to a two-headed lizard..."

"...shelling out $15 to look at a fake wat..."

What an idiot. Thais don't pray at a 7 eleven either.

The Sanctuary of Truth claims to be neither a temple, a shrine nor a wat.

[Rush, Yet Again]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary_of_Truth:

"Sanctuary of Truth also called Wang Boran and Prasat Mai is a temple . . ."

Nor does it claim to be a tourist trap which is the subject of the article Sooty quoted from.
But that doesnтАЩt mean itтАЩs not.

And since you brought it up:

http://bangkokbois.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/711-shrine.jpg

[Sooty]

Nor does it claim to be a tourist trap which is the subject of the article Sooty quoted from. But that doesnтАЩt mean itтАЩs not.Don't recall ever seeing anything in Thailand describing itself as a tourist trap but it certainly adds a new marketing dimension ...

[christianpfc]

To quote again from wikipedia: "Sanctuary of Truth (Thai: р╕Ыр╕гр╕▓р╕кр╕▓р╕Чр╕� �р╕▒р╕Ир╕Шр╕гр╕гр╕б, also called Wang Boran and Prasat Mai)".

In all Thai travel literature I use is listed as р╕Ыр╕гр╕▓р╕кр╕▓р╕Чр╕� �р╕▒р╕Ир╕Шр╕гр╕гр╕б (Prasat Satchatham), so it's not a wat (and I haven't seen any monks there) and calling it temple would be far-fetched.

I think it's unique and worth the 500 Baht entry.