Ask a Thai person about places worth visiting in their area and you will usually be given a list of temples. Along with markets and malls for shopping, temples are the go-to sites. Thai life, particularly outside the big cities has always revolved around the temple and the market, with the possible addition of the local authority's bureaucratic office but hopefully nobody will suggest that as a good place to visit.
On my way into our local town of Petchaburi the first temple I pass is Wat Yai Suwannaram. If traveling into town on this road it's hard to miss. Infact, one careless (or drunken) driver didn't miss it recently and smashed into the brickwork of one of the entrance arches. It was quickly repaired but these concealed entrances are a bit of a hazard and I never enjoy driving or cycling passed them, always anticipating a distracted pedestrian or dog might step out.
However, once inside the temple's grounds the atmosphere is calm and shady. It is well within the town but as with most temples it has more trees and open space than all the surrounding gardenless buildings.
This temple is famous for two things. The interior walls of the ordination hall have some wonderful old murals, which unfortunately have badly faded over the 300 years of their existence and restoration attempts have had mixed results. They are some of the oldest temple murals still existing in Thailand.
Wat Yai, as the temple is locally known, is also famous for its 300-year-old teak prayer hall which has an ornately carved wooden door, which is slightly hidden out of view if you don't know where to look. Unfortunately, the weight of over 300-years' existence also hangs heavy on this superb wooden building standing on its teak stilts, which now require help from some metal scaffold props. I thought it would be a nice touch if they grew some teak trees in the grounds but I couldn't see any.
Beyond these two highlights are all the fantastic little details that can be found in just about every temple countrywide. From the elaborate roofs and golden Buddhas to the characterful minor statuary to the lives of the human and animal residents. For an outsider with the time and will to explore it is endlessly fascinating. A slow walk with eyes in all directions.
A lot of effort has gone into the decoration of the various roofs, which can be quite dazzling and include some very old wooden carvings.
Although wood is no longer the main building material used it is still very prominent here, particularly around the monks' quarters.
Some more modern paintings of mythical (and some real) beasts adorned a small stage, but a stage for what I couldn't tell.
As at most temples, here live a motley assortment of discarded dogs that to my eye help to give the place even more life and character. They can be wary and a bit barky with anyone who looks or behaves differently but then they settle down quickly if they are ignored. They have a relaxed life with basic food provided and the company of other dogs to enjoy.
A pair of snake-like branches have been simply fashioned and arranged leaning out over the fishpond. They are not obvious and easy to miss. An imaginative little feature that I think would give a lot of people a fright if they were coming the other way from pond to path.
Some contemporary details that are of particular attraction to me come in the form of worn surfaces like the side of this painted metal bell that has been weathered by daily use.
Temples like this offer a blend of tradition and nature, often in the form of large trees, but other decorative plants are sometimes combined with a religious theme and a light-hearted touch to make attractive little corners that invite you to linger for a while.
Locally, Wat Yai Suwannaram is valued as one of the lower rank of Royal monasteries but is perhaps most popular as an overspill carpark for the famous little noodle shop just opposite!
