Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol

Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol is located in Nong Phok district. You can go there by car via the 2nd highway from Bangkok to Nong Phok. The distance from Nong Phok to Ban Thasaard is 9 kilometres. When you are in Ban Thasaard turn left. Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol is 5 kilometres from here. Most tourists come here on weekends and holidays. In the Chedi you must take off your hat and shoes. You must be quiet and discard garbage in the bins. You cannot bring pets, snacks and beverages. You cannot use candles or joss sticks, smoke and drink. You cannot touch the walls or the statues. The highlights of this place are Buddha relics brought from Sri Lanka on May 3rd 1997. The top of Chedi is 60 kilograms of gold Sa Vhet Tha Chut(white tiered umbrella of kingship). It is the one of the largest Chedis (pagodas) in the country. The Chedi is 101metres wide, 101 metres long and 101 metres high. The Chedi was built on 101 rai(about 40 acres) piece of land. The number 101 symbolizes the name of Roi-Et province, pronounced “Roi-Et” in Thai. The five-tiered Chedi containing Buddha’s relics is decorated with elaborate designs in a contemporary style, which is quite rare. The Chedi is located on the premises of Pha Nam Thip Thep Pra Sit Wan a Ram temple. This quiet and peaceful temple is ideal for relaxation and dharma practices. If you come here, you can go to Pha nam Thip Thap Pra Sit Wa Na Ram temple and climb up to Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol. You will feel challenged. If you come here by car, it will be more convenient.

History

Auspicious time of Phra Thep Wi Sut Thi Mong kol (Loung Phu Sri Maha Vi Ro), he talked to his students on November 25^th 1985 at a clergy meeting. It was the Kathin festival (presenting robes to monks at the end of Buddhist Lent) at Pa Kung temple, Sri Som Det district, Roi-Et province. He received Buddha relics from Sri Lanka. They needed a place to keep the Buddha relics and bronze statues. At the same time, this place would describe the history of Buddha in ten incarnations. The resolution of meeting was building a sacred place and this place is Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol at Thum Pha Nam Thip Thep Pra Sit Wa Na Ram temple. Their purpose was to have a place for relaxation, dharma practices, education, concentration, religious activities and will be the centre place of religion follower.

At the 8^th, 9^th, 10^th and 11^th E-san Dhammyuttika meetings at Thum Pha Nam Thip Thep Pra Sit Wa Na Ram temple, the resolution of meeting was building Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol by organizing PhaPa festival (make off-season offering of robes and other needs to monks) and taking donations. The capital for building is 840,000 baht. The structure of architecture and design look like Pra Pha Thom Chadi and Pra That Pra Nom and emphasize E-san fine art.

Location

Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol is located in Phu Khao Kiew, Ban Tha
Sa-Ard, Moo6, Pha Nam Yoi sub district, Nong Phok district, Roi-Et province. The distance from Roi-Et is 85 kilometres.

Other Information
Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol is in 9 rai (about 40 acres) area. Around the Chedi is octagon Vihankod. There are 500 bronze statues in Vihankod and 8 small Chedis around the Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol. The heights of small Chedis are 29 metres. There are images of Buddha in the 1^st-7^th small Chedis. In the 8^th small Chedi is Pra kaew Mor Ra Kod. Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol has 6 floors.

The 1^st floor

This is a multi-purpose place. The colors of this floor are pink and gold. There is a bronze statue of Loung Phu Sri Maha Vi Ro. The height of this bronze statue is 310 centimetres.

The 2^nd floor

This is the place for clergy meetings. The colors of this floor are blue and gold. An image of Buddha is at the centre of this floor.

The 3^rd floor

This is the place for ubosot. The colors of this floor are red and gold. There are Pra Put Tha Chin Na Ratch, 8 bronze statues of counselor and 93 E-san philosophers. There are 101 bronze statues on this floor.

The 4^th floor

Outside this floor is a view point. You can see Phu Khao Kiew on Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol.

The 5^th floor

It is a museum of Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol. There are images of Buddha on the big windows.

The 6^th floor

The top of Chedi is 60 kilograms of gold Sa Vhet Tha Chut(white tiered umbrella of kingship). In order to get there, you need to climb 119 stairs. Buddha relics from Sri Lanka, which were brought on May 3^rd 1997, and E-san mantor relics are on this floor.

Outside the VihanKod

There are gardens around the east of Chedi. About 100 metres from Chedi are Loung Phu Sri's house and Vihan Sri Mongkol. In front of the Vihan Sri Mongkol is Chedi BoRoBooDo. It is a model of Chedi BoRoBooDo in Indonesia. At the west of Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mong Kol are 3 almshouses.

The brick wall

There is a brick wall around Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mong Kol. The brick wall is 4 metres wide, 5 metres high and 3.5 kilometres long. It is similar to the Great Wall of China.

The Construction

The capital collected from PhaPa festival and donations from philanthropists come to 840,000 baht. However, the construction is not continuing. Mrs.Jintana Chaiyakul, Mr.Chut-Mrs.Wassana TharaWanit have been supporting the construction of Pra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol since 1994.

The money from philanthropists is kept in Chedi Chai Mongkol foundation. It is not used for other activities.


Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol in numbers:

Area 101 rai(about 40 acres)

Width 101 metres

Length 101 metres

Height 101 metres (include 60 kilograms of gold are 109 metres)

The bronze statues 101 statue

Distance from Bangkok to Roi-Et 508 kilometres

Distance from Pha Kung temple to Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol 101 kilometres

Altitude 500 metres

References
- Pha Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol pamphlet. (Written by Mr.PreeCha Srihanu)
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/enso-on/sets
-http://www.roiet.go.th/newch_15.htm

Group Information
Natthawut Singhchai: He is 17. You can call him Wut. He lives in Selaphum. He thinks Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol is a beautiful place in Roi-et. He likes traveling and playing computer games.
Wasaphon Wannasut: He is 17. His nickname is Boat. He lives in Selaphum. He likes to play football. About this project—he hopes you have a new tourist attraction and culture. He feels good to do this project because it is very hard but he intends to do it.
Kittiya Chantapidta: She is17. Her nickname is Mameaw. She lives in Thungkhaolong. She is friendly and talkative. She loves Thailand. She hopes Thailand is your first attraction.
Orapin Sansamuk: She is 18. She is Kik. She lives in Selaphum. She is a pretty girl. “I hope you like our project. I love Thailand. I hope you love Thailand, too. Welcome to Thailand” she says.
Areerat Raepetch: She is 17. You can call her Or-Ae. She lives in Selaphum. “I am very proud of our work because we did it by ourselves in limited time and budget but we could do it.” she says.
Most of members are 17 years old and live in Selaphum. Everyone hopes you love Thailand and hope you come to Roi-et. Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol will be the first choice of attraction for you. Welcome to Thailand.