Temples of Thailand: Wat Pan Tao, Chiang Mai

Wat Pan Tao is located next to the large royal temple, Wat Chedi Luang, in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The temple’s most interesting feature is its wooden chapel, one of very few left in Chiang Mai. Built in the late 14th century, the chapel was originally a royal palace but was moved to the royal grounds in the 19th century to commemorate the new King.

It was pouring with rain on the day that I visited, so my camera mostly remained under my jacket, and I have few photos of the outside of Wat Pan Tao. I found it extremely interesting from the moment I laid eyes on the wooden chapel. It is built in the typical Lanna style, but the wooden exterior and lack of the typical decoration made it look very different to the other temples I had seen.

Perhaps the most important feature on the chapel is the carving above the main entrance, which is of a peacock surrounded by other mythical creatures, the symbol of the Kings of Chiang Mai.

Entrance to the chapel

The interior is quite small, but the wooden beams and decorations are simple, yet interesting and quite beautiful. I found Wat Pan Tao to have a lot of character.

Inside the chapel

The main Buddha shrine

A Buddha statue and decorations in black and white

Buddhist alms bowls

A Buddha statue holding an alms bowl

Of all the temples in Chiang Mai, I found Wat Pan Tao to be the most unique, and definitely worth checking out if you’re heading to the amazing capital of Northern Thailand.