Wider World by CS

Mount meditation

Phu Thok is an attraction for those seeking a quieter journey

At the entrance gate, there are warning signs that read: "This is not a tourism place" and "Keep quiet." However, Phu Thok is a hard-to-miss attraction when you visit Bung Kan, the Kingdom's 77th province, in the Northeast.

Buddha images and Tham Phra.

Phu Thok is in fact a place of meditation located on a hill. It is part of the 78-rai Jetiya Khiri Viharn temple, which is also known as Wat Phu Thok. Thousands of visitors travel to the hill yearly. Some of them come to pay respect to the revered late abbot, Phra Ajarn Juan Kullachettho who established the temple. Others might want to test their endurance by climbing the stairs to the hilltop, 460m above the ground.
It was said that the late abbot first came to the hill in 1940 and immediately liked its quiet atmosphere. He decided to stay in a cave and meditate. When people knew there was a monk on the hill, they went to see him and offer alms. Later they also asked him to build the temple which was constructed among the foothills.
In 1969, locals joined forces to build wooden staircases to the cave where the monk meditated. They also built living quarters and a prayer hall called Tham Phra (Buddha cave) to house several Buddha icons there.
It took the people about five years to finish building the seven levels of wooden steps from the ground all the way up to the top. There are also wooden walkways encircling the hill from the fourth tier to the fifth.
The fifth level is where the praying hall is located. If you walk along the 400m wooden path, you may find several spots along the cliff built for monks to practise meditation. The path also gives you a panoramic view of the forest monastery below, including a pagoda that contains the remains of the late abbot as well as a view of Kham Khaen village.
The sixth level is an unfinished concrete path. On arrival at this level, you will see a newly opened pavilion housing seated Buddha images.
You can also walk along the path, but some parts are muddy so it might be slippery, especially now during the rainy season.
At the seventh level is the wooded hilltop. There is no construction at this level, only a natural trail which requires you to climb up steep slopes and over big rocks. Along the trail, there are many types of mushroom and wild flowers.
The area is still green and it has a water source for use in the temple. The 5 rai wooded zone is home to several small animals including birds and snakes. The trail has two ends: one at a scenic lookout point of a nearby hill, while the other leads you to a panoramic view of the village below. Climbing Phu Thok is a gruelling adventure but once you're up there and see the peaceful scenery below, you will forget about the tiredness and delight in solitude.

A pagoda of the highly respected Phra Ajarn Juan Kullachettho.

TRAVEL INFO
Phu Thok is a northeastern phrase meaning lone mountain. The hill and the temple are located in Ban Kham Khaen of Si Wilai district, Bung Kan province.
To go there, from the town of Bung Kan, use Highway 222 and drive until you reach Si Wilai district, then turn left and drive for another 30km to Phu Thok.
For more information, call the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Udon Thani office at 042-325-406-7 or call the TAT Call Centre at 1672.