Prang Khaek

Prang Khaek is an ancient Khmer Hindu shrine located on Wichayen Road in Tha Hin, Mueang Lopburi, in central Lopburi town. Comprising three brick prangs aligned north-south and facing east, it is regarded as the oldest Khmer monument in Lopburi, dating to the 10th century. Built in Lopburi style without mortar and later used as a Buddhist shrine, it stands on a traffic island near the old town and remains an important archaeological landmark.

Visitors can expect to see three compact, unrestored brick prangs standing in a row on a small raised island in the middle of Wichayen Road. The prangs are plain, without elaborate stucco, with false doors and east-facing entrances. The site is open-air and compact, surrounded by roads and town buildings, with interpretive signage. Visitors can walk around the exterior, view the brickwork and laterite bases, and take photographs from the perimeter.

Prang Khaek is considered the oldest Khmer remains in Lopburi, constructed in the 10th century during the Khmer Empire's influence over the region. The three brick prangs were built as a Hindu shrine, believed dedicated to Shiva, in early Lopburi (Khmer) style using bricks laid without mortar. It predates other Lopburi monuments and was later converted for Buddhist use, reflecting the transition from Hindu to Buddhist practices in the area.

The shrine represents the early Khmer cultural and architectural influence in central Thailand and the Lopburi art style. As a former Hindu sanctuary later used by Buddhists, it illustrates religious continuity and adaptation. It is a protected ancient monument by the Fine Arts Department and a key heritage landmark of Lopburi Old Town.