Chiang Mai Panorama

Above the southern part of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, the mountain terrace opens out toward the Chiang Mai plain. People come here for the long view; binoculars once stood here, but rain and mist quickly damaged them. A light transparent roof now stands over the terrace, and the lower rooms were designed to contain a museum about the monastery and rooms for important guests.

In two thousand fourteen, Chiang Mai residents were discussing the view in the opposite direction. Visitors to this terrace looked out over the city below, while people on the plain saw another summit under construction beside the golden chedi—the dome of a new observation tower.

The reason for construction was practical. Binoculars stood on the open terrace, and rain and mountain mist damaged them. The temple committee decided to replace an abandoned library with a building containing a sheltered viewing terrace, a museum of Doi Suthep’s history, and rooms for important guests. The dome was designed in the shape of Kue Na’s crown. The estimate reached twenty million baht, and the work continued for two years.

When the framework rose above the southern side of the monastery, from some streets in Chiang Mai it began to seem taller than the chedi and partly obscured it. This held special meaning for residents: the golden stupa had been built so that the sacred site could be seen from the city at the foot of the mountain. Lanna heritage defenders published photographs and demanded that the tower be redesigned.

Wanlop Namwongprom, who was responsible for public relations on the temple committee, invited journalists and showed them the plans. He explained that the tower stood lower down the slope than the chedi and therefore only appeared taller from certain points. By then, the building was more than seventy percent complete. The committee had already reduced its height by eight meters and at first refused to cancel the project: too much donated money and labor had been invested.

The discussion continued with the abbot and specialists from the Fine Arts Department, which protected the historic complex. In early June, the temple committee gave in: the builders dismantled the golden top, abandoned the upper floor and the ancient pulpit that was to have been displayed there. The lower rooms were retained, and the roof was turned into an open terrace with a transparent rain canopy.

A second golden summit never appeared above the panoramic terrace. What remained of the dispute was its absence: the city is still visible from here from the open terrace, and residents below have retained their view of a single golden chedi.