Khru Ba Siwichai Monument

At the foot of the road that climbs to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, above Chiang Mai, a large bronze statue of a seated monk draws a steady stream of visitors. This is the monument to Khruba Siwichai (ครูบาศรีวิชัย), the revered Lanna monk whose volunteers built the mountain road that made the temple reachable by vehicle.

Khruba Siwichai was born on 11 June 1878 in Ban Pang, Li district, Lamphun province, and went on to restore or build more than 100 temples, roads and bridges across Northern Thailand. His best-known achievement is the 11.5 km road up Doi Suthep, built between 9 November 1934 and April 1935 by thousands of volunteers working without machinery — a project finished in under six months. Before it existed, reaching the summit temple meant a climb of several hours on foot through forest. He died in February 1939, aged about 61.

Today the monument stands near the entrance to Huay Kaew Waterfall and Chiang Mai Zoo. Thai visitors stop here before driving up the mountain to light incense, present flowers and ask for safe passage — a merit-making custom as much as a historical stop. Vendors sell offering sets of flowers, incense and candles for around 20 baht, and monks accept alms here in the morning.

Insider Tip: Stop on the way down from Doi Suthep rather than on the way up — the morning alms round is over by mid-morning, but the statue and gardens are quieter for photos once the tour buses have moved on to the temple.

Watch out: There’s no shade over the car park and little at the statue itself — the bronze gets hot to the touch by midday. Visit early if you’re combining it with a walk up the naga staircase at Doi Suthep.

Getting there

There is a car park directly in front of the statue, and the site is free to visit with no fixed opening hours. It pairs naturally with Huay Kaew Waterfall opposite and a drive up the mountain road. View on Google Maps.