Officially known as Phra Mahathat Kaen Nakhon, Wat Nong Wang in Khon Kaen province is known by local Thais as “The Great Buddha’s Relics” or “The Nine Story Stupa Located in Wat Nong Waeng.” Wat Nong Wang was built to celebrate the king’s 50th anniversary of being crowned king of Thailand (known as a Golden Jubilee in monarchical speak) and to celebrate Khon Kaen’s 200th anniversary of being established as a province.
The wat (temple) has nine stories that you can climb up through to get a great view of the surrounding city. It is worth spending a little time on each floor to explore the relics, murals, carvings, and some of the collected items on display. Of course, there is a large Buddha statue and several smaller Buddhist statues on the main floor.
While the interior of Wat Nong Wang is spacious and beautiful, the exterior was the most interesting to me with its distinctive style. The main photo on this page was actually taken from the middle of road that enters the grounds of the wat. Perhaps not the smartest thing to do, especially considering how Thai people drive, but I think it was the best photo.
