Phra That Renu

Phra That Renu is a revered Buddhist chedi located within Wat Phra That Renu in Renu Nakhon District, Nakhon Phanom Province, northeastern Thailand. Built in 1918 as a smaller replica of Phra That Phanom, the 35-meter-high Lao-style stupa enshrines Buddhist scriptures and relics. It is particularly sacred for people born on Monday and serves as a center of Phu Thai culture and annual religious festivals.

Visitors can expect a spacious temple compound centered on a tall, white and pink Lao-style chedi with a square base and ornate spire, modeled after Phra That Phanom. The grounds include the main viharn, Buddha images, naga sculptures, and shaded courtyards used for prayer and merit-making. The setting is a small town environment in Renu Nakhon, with local shops and food stalls nearby. Visitors can walk around the chedi, observe religious practices, and explore the temple buildings.

Phra That Renu was first built in 1918 by the people of Renu Nakhon with support from local leaders, designed as a replica of Phra That Phanom but on a smaller scale. The chedi is 35 meters high, 8.37 meters wide on each side, built in Lao style. It was renovated and enlarged in later decades and enshrines the Tripitaka, Buddha relics and sacred objects. It reflects the migration and settlement of Phu Thai people in the area.

The chedi is a highly revered Buddhist pilgrimage site in northeastern Thailand, believed to bring good fortune and protection to those born on Monday. It is an important symbol of Phu Thai identity and local Buddhist faith. The annual worship festival held on the full moon of the third lunar month (February) draws devotees for merit-making, processions and cultural performances.