Wat Phasorn Kaew, Petchabun

 A jewel in the mountains

It can be seen from a distance when you take Route 12 from Phetchabun to Phitsanulok.

Intriguing at first, then surprising, this brand new temple is absolutely splendid and well worth a visit.

The work accomplished is remarkable. Its location in the middle of the Khao Kho mountains is an invitation to meditation.

Wat Phasorn Kaew dominates the entire region from its 850m altitude.

Its location offers the visitor a pleasant feeling of well-being and tranquility, with superb views of the surrounding mountains.

This newest temple is located in "Khao Kho", not far from "Kaem Son" on Route 12. This region is also known as the Switzerland of Thailand because of the beauty of the surrounding landscapes, the mountains and the fresh air. 

The temple is still unknown even by the Thai people.
The main pagoda and surrounding buildings are decorated with several million tiles of coloured mosaic and other superb pottery.

  Discover this exceptional gem

Wat Pha Sorn Kaew (Thai: วัดพระธาตุผาแก้ว; meaning: Temple on a Glass Cliff), also known as Wat Phra Thart Pha Kaew, is a Buddhist monastery and temple (Wat วัด in Thai) in Khao Kor, Phetchabun, in north-central Thailand, about a 5-hour drive north of Bangkok. The Wat is located on an 830m peak, a few hundred metres from the town of Kheam Son on the main road 12, between Phitsanulok and Lom Sak.

The main pagoda and surrounding buildings are decorated with more than 5 million mosaic tiles and colourful pottery and are located in a mountainous area. 5 statues of seated Buddha have already been completed. There is a stained glass gazebo and a smaller pagoda in the gardens.

A lost temple in the middle of the mountains of central Thailand

When we first visited this dream place, we were in the middle of the slash and burn period (March). To arrive in such a place with so many beautiful things to see and to feel completely invaded by the fumes, it's really hard to accept especially when you like to bring back pictures...

So, just to show the extent of the situation, the first 3 pictures were taken during this first visit... I will then move on to pictures taken during a second visit, much more recent and fortunately without these horrible fumes.
This is a blatant example of land burning... a veritable scourge that pollutes the entire north of the country as far as Chiang-Rai or Chiang-Mai... ...during the first months of the year until the rains come... 
This view completely polluted by smoke gives an idea of the location... unfortunately... I could not improve the quality of the photo.
When there is no smoke and the sky is beautifully blue... the photos look completely different!
This temple is a true jewel, a grandiose work. There isn't an inch of it that hasn't been treated.   

Without wanting to overdo it, I dare to think that this temple is probably the one that surprised me the most, the most seduced me... in Thailand. This invitation to meditation in this incredible landscape is absolutely grandiose.

A temple to visit and enjoy without moderation if you are in central Thailand.

When I came back from my first visit, I promised myself to come back here one day and sit on this terrace alone for long minutes, contemplating the mountainous landscapes, the temple and its architectural beauties while listening to a good soaring music in my headphones. As this temple is also named temple of meditation, I felt really motivated and when I arrived there this year, I really had this project in mind...

I was disappointed when I arrived here this time... 

There were several important details that I had forgotten to take into consideration... it was Sunday, in the middle of the Chinese New Year, and the temple, since my first visit, had become known by the locals... 
The result: hundreds of visitors, Thai tourists of course, but the place you see above, as well as others equally isolated, was closed and forbidden to the public...

Wat Pha Sorn Kaew