Phutthasathan Che Tek Lim

Chai Sing Eiya, the Chinese god of prosperity, dominates this Thai-Chinese Buddhist complex on the edge of Nakhon Nayok — a statue local devotees describe as one of the largest depictions of the deity in the country, cast in the “wealthy merchant” pose and enshrined inside a dedicated vihara built specifically to hold it. The wider site, established in 1994 on 255 rai (about 408,000 square metres) of land, functions as both an active place of worship and a cultural centre promoting Chinese Buddhist and Mahayana practice among Thailand’s Teochew community.

The name itself carries the site’s purpose: “Che Tek Lim” is Teochew for “purple bamboo grove,” a nod to Putuo Mountain, the mythical island home of Guan Yin, goddess of mercy, in Chinese Buddhist tradition. That theme runs through the grounds — a Guan Yin vihara sits alongside the Tii Kong (Sky and Land) shrine, built on the old Chinese belief that the sky and earth deserve worship as expressions of nature itself, and a hall dedicated to Phra Si Ariya Mettrai, the future Buddha. Statues of Guan Yu, the red-faced god of loyalty revered by Chinese traders and businesspeople, stand nearby. Incense smoke and the low murmur of chanting drift between the buildings, which mix Chinese temple roofs and dragon motifs with the surrounding Nakhon Nayok countryside — flat rice country a world away from the hill temples further north.

Insider Tip: The free vegetarian kitchen operates as an ongoing act of merit-making — it’s open to any visitor, not just worshippers, and is one of the few places in the province to try Thai-Chinese vegetarian dishes cooked by temple volunteers.

Come around Chinese New Year and the atmosphere changes completely: Thai-Chinese families from across the region turn up to pray to Chai Sing Eiya for a prosperous year, incense smoke thickens across the courtyards, and the free kitchen runs at full capacity. Outside that window it’s a quiet, contemplative stop — worth combining with Nakhon Nayok’s waterfalls and Khao Yai’s western approach if you’re passing through rather than making it the sole reason for the trip. Watch out: the site is spread across a large, mostly open-air compound with limited shade — bring water and a hat if visiting midday.