Wat Kham Chanot - abode of naga lord Sisotho

Wat Kham Chanot (Thai: วัดคำชะโนด) is a Buddhist forest temple near Kham Chanot village in Udon Thani province, Northeastern Thailand (Isaan).

The temple is located in the Wang Nakhin area at a lake where the naga lord Sisotho, a mythical large snake, is supposed to be living.

The worship of this naga lord is one of the main issue in this small forest monastery.

Around eight to ten monks live here on a permanent base.

Locals (Isaan and Lao people) believe that the naga lord has a hideaway on the island.
It is connected to the other Wat premises by a bridge.

The entrance of the bridge is guarded by two large nagas. The shrine of the Wat is located on the island.

A small zoo as well as a rural market for visitors has been added to the temple.

Phra That Nong Khai - the sunken pagoda

Phra That Nong Khai (aka Phra That Klang Nam) is the remains of a 400 to 600 year old temple that collapsed into the Mekong River in 1847.

Subsequent erosion left the stupa now in the center of the river. It is only visible during the dry season and low water levels of the Mekong River.

Nong Khai people decorate the small part above the surface with flags.

A newly constructed replica of the original temple was built in 2006 on the riverbank close to its original location.

Just follow the promanade along the Mekong River towards the Thai-Lao Friendship bridge.

Mekong Sunset... Luang Prabang

Interesting places in Vientiane: Ho Kang

Ho Kang - the tiny spirit house of the Chao Ho Kang is located on the Mekong Riverside at Fa Ngum boulevard. This small shrine is a place of ancestor worship of the old Chinese community in Vientiane.

The main room is dedicated to Chinese gods and deities, while the less well known shrine of the Lao spirit Chao Ho Kang is in the smaller room to the right.

Before 1975 yearly purification rites for the muang (town) Vientiane were held here.