🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Roi Et is a temple-loving town that was laid out well. The main landmarks — the central park and the old temples — all sit next to each other around Bueng Phlan Chai. If you've come to make merit, you have it easy: park in one spot and walk to several temples without hunting for new parking every time. In this article we go temple by temple — what to pay respects to, what's worth seeing — and finish with a half-day walking route that worked out nicely when we tried it.
Wat Burapha Phiram — Luang Pho Yai, the tallest standing Buddha in Thailand
If you only have time for one temple, this is the answer. Wat Burapha Phiram is a royal monastery in the city center, in Nai Mueang subdistrict, Mueang Roi Et district. What people come for is Phra Phuttha Rattana Mongkhon Maha Muni, more commonly known as Luang Pho Yai, a standing Buddha in the blessing posture that is the tallest in Thailand. The image itself stands around 59 metres, and almost 68 metres including the base — you can see it towering over the town before you even reach the temple by car. The base beneath the image is built as a chamber you can walk up into to pay respects, and at certain times it opens for you to go up top and look out over the city.
The grounds are shady and calm, and locals stop by to make merit all day long. This is usually where visitors begin a temple trip in town, because it's very close to Bueng Phlan Chai — easy to walk on to the park or the other temples. Dress modestly as you would at any temple.
Tip
In the morning the sun isn't harsh yet, so it's a better time to photograph Luang Pho Yai and to pay respects comfortably. The plaza in front of the image is wide and open; come mid-morning and the sun gets hot, so bring a hat or umbrella.
Want more out of Roi Et? Book tours & activities
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
Wat Klang Ming Muang — an Ayutthaya-era sim with wall murals
Wat Klang Ming Muang is one of the oldest temples in the city. It was originally called Wat Klang because it sits right in the middle of town, and it's thought to predate the founding of Roi Et itself. The temple was established around 1541, and it houses Phra Phuttha Ming Muang Mongkhon, the city's principal Buddha image. What history lovers come to see is the sim (the Isan-style ordination hall) — an old vernacular building with a rectangular plan and a verandah running around it. On the outer walls, above the windows, are hup taem, the local mural paintings that tell stories from the life of the Buddha and the ten Jataka tales, painted in green, yellow and blue with black outlines. Many sections of the original work are still visible.
The temple sits in the old town, not far from Wat Burapha Phiram and Bueng Phlan Chai — a short walk or drive away. It's a good fit for anyone who'd rather see real Isan craftsmanship than a newly built temple. If you like photographing old architecture, you'll enjoy the angles around the sim.
How to enjoy the murals
Hup taem are folk paintings that tell stories through images. Try reading them panel by panel, working from one side of the wall to the other, and you'll see the scenes link up into a continuous story. Some parts have faded over time, and you shouldn't touch the walls with your hands — this is old work that has been preserved.
Wat Sa Thong — Luang Pho Phra Sangkajai, guardian of the city
Wat Sa Thong is in town on Hai Sok Road, Nai Mueang subdistrict, and is home to Luang Pho Phra Sangkajai, an old Buddha image that the people of Roi Et hold in great respect. As the story goes, around 1782 Phraya Khattiya Wongsa (Thao Thon), the first governor of Roi Et, came across the image by chance. Seeing how old and sacred it was, he had it enshrined here as the city's guardian Buddha. In the old days, Roi Et's officials had to swear an oath before it every year that they would stay loyal to the town.
Luang Pho Phra Sangkajai is a plump, round-bellied Buddha image that people like to ask for blessings of fortune and abundance. Locals come to pay respects steadily, and it's a fitting place to wrap up a temple trip in town since it's still in the same central district.
Bueng Phlan Chai — the city pillar shrine and a Buddha on the island
Bueng Phlan Chai isn't a temple, but a temple trip in town usually passes right through it, because it's the city's signature park sitting at the center of everything. On the island in the middle of the lake, reached by a bridge, are the city pillar shrine and a Buddha image to pay respects to. Locals stop to pray for blessings here as a matter of course. The lake is shaded by big trees, with spots to sit and rest by the water, and you can walk over to Wat Burapha Phiram in just a few minutes.
- City pillar shrine — on the island in the middle of the lake; cross the bridge to pay respects. People come to ask for blessings on work and good fortune.
- Buddha image on the island — set alongside the city pillar shrine for you to pay respects, in a shadier, quieter spot than the park side.
- Lakeside promenade — keep strolling here; in the evening plenty of locals come to walk and run, a good place to rest your legs after the temple walk.
It all connects on foot
Wat Burapha Phiram, Bueng Phlan Chai and the old-temple quarter are all within walking distance of each other. Park in one spot near Bueng Phlan Chai and you can loop around on foot, morning or evening. As for Wat Sa Thong and Wat Klang Ming Muang, if your legs start to tire you can drive a short way on.
A half-day temple walk through the city
The main temples in Roi Et are close enough together that you can finish a temple walk in half a day. We've ordered it to start early at Luang Pho Yai while the sun is still gentle, then work through the old temples and the city's guardian Buddha, and finish at Bueng Phlan Chai to rest your legs. If you have more time, walk it slowly and stop at a café in town.
Temple walk around Bueng Phlan Chai
What to bring for each temple
Carry coins and small bills for making merit at the various spots. Modest dress is fine for all the temples, and bring drinking water since you'll be walking in the sun a fair bit. If you've come as a group, parking together at Bueng Phlan Chai in one spot and walking is the smoothest way to do it.
Plan a full Roi Et trip — where to eat, what to see, where to stay
See the Roi Et travel guide →