Year of Pig: Phra That Doi Tung Stupa, Chiang Rai

Phra That Doi Tung stupa is situated on top of a high hill, where some hill tribes live.

It is believed that the stupa was built in the reign of King Achuttarat of Yonok Nakphan to house the Buddha’s relics (left collarbones), as previously predicted by the Buddha himself. Before the building of the stupa, the King ordered a Tung (Lanna- styled flag) with the length of 2,000 meters to be made.
The Tung was placed on top of the hill and the King would build the stupa where the Tung was blown to. He bought lands from the people there with gold, and ordered 500 families to take care of the Buddha’s relics. Later on in the reign of King Mangrai, a monk, Phra Maha Wachira Phothithera, offered 50 pieces of the Buddha’s relics to the King. As a result, King Mangrai built another stupa near the old stupa to house these relics.
Some legends relate that the name Doi Tung derived from when Phra Maha Kassapa (a disciple of the Buddha) placed a Tung with the length of 14,000 meters on top of the hill. The Phra That Doi Tung stupa has been restored many times. The last time was in 1970 by which the original shape of the stupa was changed. The stupa is a place of worship for the Lanna people, Tai Yai people, as well as people from Luang Prabang and Vientiane. Every full moon night of the third lunar month there’s a ceremony to worship the stupa.
Location -Tambon Huai Krai, Mae Fa Luang district, Chiang Rai
Getting there
By Car -From Bangkok use highway no. 1 to Wang Noi district, Ayutthaya and then no.32 to Nakhon Sawan. After that, turn right to highway no. 117 to Phitsanulok and then take highway no. 11 to Phrae. Use highway no. 101 to Rong Kwang district and turn left to highway no. 103, which will meet highway no. 1 at Ngao district, Phayao, and go straight to Chiang Rai. The distance from Bangkok is 804 km. Once in Chiang Rai, use highway no. 1 to Mae Sai district through Mae Chan district. Once you reach the 870th km. turn left to highway no. 1149 which goes up to Doi Tung (17 km.).