Travel journalist Julie Miller visits the famous White Temple near Chiang Rai, which was damaged in the 2014 earthquake.

When the earth shook and rumbled in Chiang Rai on May 5, 2014, during a magnitude 6.3 earthquake, there was one great casualty – Wat Rong Khun, better known as the White Temple.

Two of the spires of this popular tourist attraction collapsed, and a large crack tore a mural in the main building. The artist, Chalermchai Kositpipat, declared the temple, on whose construction he had worked for 20 years, beyond saving and refused any government assistance for repairs.

A year later, however, the temple is as popular as ever, and the traces of natural forces only add to the fascination of this breathtaking and elaborately designed temple in Thailand. It's crazy, kitschy, and a bit "baba bobo," as the Thais say... but wow, what a stunning sight!

The radiant beauty of the white temple is due to the thousands of tiny mirrors that cover its surface, which, according to Chalermchai, symbolize wisdom. After crossing a somewhat intimidating chasm formed by hands reaching out of "hell," a bridge leads to "heaven," symbolized by the main temple. Inside, Chalermchai (who works in his golden office above the restrooms and often loudly urges tourists to move along over the loudspeaker) has created a suspended image of the Buddha seated on a lotus, surrounded by a mural depicting the conflict between Buddha and Mara (the demon).

The back wall (which was damaged in the earthquake) is equally fascinating and shows bizarre images from pop culture such as Elvis, Hello Kitty, Superman and Angry Birds, as well as a depiction of the burning twin towers during the September 11 attacks.

“I want everyone to know that our world is being destroyed by those who crave weapons that kill,” said Chalermchai. “I painted Superman and Ultraman to make people realize that there are no true heroes in our world. Yet people need heroes because our morals are declining daily.”

Work on the facility is still ongoing, and Chalermchai said that it would take him his whole life and beyond to complete the project.

As crazy as it may sound, the White Temple is certainly a testament to a man's devotion to his religion and his king, and definitely worth a visit if you are in the Chiang Rai area.

*All texts and images are by Julie Miller.