Sala Keoku or Wat Khaek in Nong Khai

Today we went to Nong Khai and visited Sala Keoku (Thai: ศาลาแก้วกู่), also spelled as Sala Gaew Goo, Sala Keo Ku, Sala Keo Koo, Sala Kaew Ku, Sala Kaew Koo, Salakaewkoo, Sala Kaeoku, and a few more! The only name that is somewhat consistent is Wat Khaek. Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat started in 1958 to build Wat Xieng Khuan – a similar park in Laos, just over the Mekong, not too far away from this one. When the Communists became stronger, he feared they would kill his park, so he fled to Thailand in 1975 and started this park in 1978.

The first statue after the entrance

Buddha seated on a coiled nāga

4 of the hundreds of statues

Hmmm what is going on? Jump, or I shall kill you! Not sure what he wants from a happy turtle

The woman gives you some idea of the size of the sculptures. The tallest one is 25 meters high.

Ganesh

Not sure what is going on – does the Dog protect the Snake?

They look happy

Sure enough – true 360 vision

Small one in front of the 4-faced Buddha

Serpent goddess

Another Buddha

Kali is the Hindu goddess (or Devi) of death, time, and doomsday

An Elephant wading through a pack of anthropomorphic Dogs. This should teach people not to be bothered by gossip

Looks like this one drives a car

A lot of talk

Gram and Nong, my tour guides for the day

Gram and Nongs’ offspring at the Vietnamese place. All that looking at statues makes one hungry. Too bad there was no food for me. I had some of that green stuff next to the beer – well, what to do ;-)

Laos is on the other side of the Mekong. Thank you, Nong, for driving us and showing us this nice sculpture park!!