Unlike Wat Rong Khun, most Thai temples don a "summer outfit". They act like magnets. Once inside, one can feel serenity, gentle silence, and mute wisdom.
Over centuries, art, including architecture, was influenced by historical events occurring in the country. Therefore, Thai architecture is a result of influences from Indian, Mon, Khmer, and Chinese cultures. Despite such diversity, it is characterized by originality and uniqueness rather than blind imitation.
Thai religious structures are divided into stupas and temples, constructed from stone, brick, and wood. Temples are further categorized into two types: basilical (most common) and centric. Another classification differentiates between the southern type (with high walls) and the northern type, where roofs nearly reach human height.
Thai temples stand out in all of Buddhist architecture with their slender, skyward roof edges, firmly set on a high base with a complex profile. They feature a contrast of white and color. Window and door frames, as well as pediments, are richly decorated, often adorned with mosaic and gold leaf. A distinctive feature is the multi-tiered roof structure with decor adjacent to the lamiong (a serpentine-shaped panel at the edge of the gable roof). The roofing is covered in bright, glazed tiles in red and green shades, topped with a unique element (Chofah), resembling a bird.
The temple’s interior is filled with air, enveloping the open roof structures, adorned with carvings and ornamental paintings. The walls are painted with Buddhist themes: the Ramayana (an ancient Indian epic) and Jataka (ancient Indian parables about the earthly reincarnations of Buddha).
Religious buildings were rarely constructed in isolation. They were often part of temple complexes, which serve as the center of social life for the local community.