The Temple of a Million Bottles, literally translated as "Temple of a Million Bottles," is one of the landmarks of Si Saket province. It is also known by its official name, Wat Phra Maha Chedi Kaew, though it is more commonly referred to by its nickname. Construction was initiated in 1984 by a monk who had the idea of ​​collecting empty bottles and using them to cover the facades of all the temple buildings—an environmentally friendly and cost-effective initiative. Some murals are made from bottle caps. This decorative method can be found everywhere from the main building, the Sala Thansmoson Maha Chedi Kaew, built in the middle of a small pond, to the monks' quarters, the toilets (which are now made of cement and bottles; however, there are also modern toilets without bottles), and a reclining Buddha. Contrary to what one might assume or sometimes read, not only Heineken bottles were used, but bottles of all kinds. Brands such as Pepsi, Singha, Chang, M-100, and many more can be seen. To date, over 1.5 million bottles have been used in the construction of the entire temple. The Temple of a Million Bottles is located in Khun Han, about 50 kilometers from Si Saket and 25 kilometers from Kantharalak.

From Si Saket bus station, bus number 4189 departs at least hourly for Khun Han (40 baht – 1.5 hours). From Kantharalak, it's more difficult; if songthaew number 4301 (20 baht) does run to Khun Han, it's quite infrequent. I waited at the bus station for over an hour and a half without seeing a single one. It's advisable to arrive by car or take a taxi or motorbike taxi. A motorbike taxi ride from Kantharalak, where the driver waits for you at the temple, costs approximately 450 baht.

Wat Lan Khuat is a temple, and when visiting a temple in Thailand there are some rules to follow: appropriate clothing (knees and shoulders should be covered), take off your shoes when entering the building, be quiet, do not hug or kiss, do not point your feet at the Buddha statue, do not smoke.

How to get there

How do you get to Wat Lan Khuat? From Si Saket bus station, bus number 4189 runs at least hourly to Khun Han (40 baht – 1.5 hours). From Kantharalak, it's a bit more complicated, as the songthaew 4301 (20 baht) to Khun Han runs infrequently. I waited at the bus station for over an hour and a half without seeing a single one. The best option is to travel by car or take a taxi or motorbike taxi. A motorbike taxi ride from Kantharalak, where the driver waits for you at the temple, costs about 450 baht.