Blue Temple hosts royal kathin rites on 24 November
Published on 11/14/2026 at 14:55 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSRoyal rites and temple setting
- Mae Fah Luang University will hold the Royal Kathin ceremony at the temple on 24 November 2026.
- The programme includes a robe procession on 23 November 2026 and Buddhist rites on 24 November 2026.
- The vihara was completed in 2016 after construction began in 2005.
- Rim Kok sub-district and the Kok River identify the temple site in Chiang Rai.
Blue Temple (Rong Suea Ten Temple) in Chiang Rai will host a Royal Kathin ceremony on 24 November 2026, giving travellers a specific religious event at one of northern Thailand's contemporary Buddhist landmarks. Mae Fah Luang University is organising the ceremony, which follows a robe celebration at the same temple on 23 November 2026.
Royal Kathin ceremony comes to Blue Temple on 24 November
The university's programme places the main ceremony at the temple in Rim Kok sub-district, Mueang Chiang Rai district, on 24 November 2026. The university says the royal robe will be presented to the monastic community there, with the formal rites listed for 10.30am. The announcement identifies Mae Fah Luang University as the institution taking the robe to the temple and sets out the ceremony's religious sequence.
The programme also lists a robe celebration at the temple on 23 November 2026. Its schedule includes the celebration and then, on the following day, the presentation of the robe, Buddhist ritual proceedings, offerings to monks and a concluding blessing. The university's Royal Kathin programme names the venue and both November dates on the same notice.
Blue Temple links modern art with a working temple
The ceremony's setting is the main vihara, the blue-and-gold hall that gives the site its English name. The building is 13 metres wide and 48 metres long, according to a detailed guide to Chiang Rai temples. Construction began on 27 October 2005 and finished on 22 January 2016.
Local artist Phuttha Kabkaew, also known as Salanok, designed the vihara. Inside stands a white principal Buddha image with a lap width of 5 metres, while a 20-metre chedi is another named feature of the temple. The November programme therefore places a current Buddhist ceremony inside a building whose construction belongs to Chiang Rai's recent art history.
The November programme adds a religious layer to the visit
Royal Kathin ceremonies mark the presentation of new robes to monks after the Buddhist Lent period. At this site, the two-day schedule connects the formal robe presentation with a preparatory celebration in the same building. It is a different kind of visitor context from the temple's usual role as a landmark on Chiang Rai itineraries.
The setting also helps distinguish this temple from other sites with similar names. The building stands beside the Kok River in Rim Kok sub-district, east of the Chiang Rai municipal area. The location, the named university organiser and the two dated rites together identify the event as a programme at this temple rather than a general Chiang Rai festival.
Visiting Blue Temple: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The announced programme is a robe celebration at the temple on 23 November 2026, followed by the Royal Kathin ceremony on 24 November 2026.
- The university notice specifies the temple as the venue and records a 10.30am ceremony on 24 November 2026; it announces no closure or changed entrance.
- The temple is in Rim Kok sub-district beside the Kok River in Mueang Chiang Rai district, making those place names useful for checking the route.
- The main vihara measures 13 metres by 48 metres and contains the white principal Buddha image and blue-and-gold decoration.
- Thailand's official language is Thai and its national currency is the baht.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Blue Temple
When does the Royal Kathin ceremony take place at Blue Temple?
The main ceremony is scheduled for 24 November 2026, after a robe celebration at the temple on 23 November 2026.
What is Blue Temple in Chiang Rai?
It is a contemporary Buddhist temple whose main vihara was completed in 2016 after construction began in 2005.
Where is Blue Temple and how do you get there?
The temple is in Rim Kok sub-district beside the Kok River in Mueang Chiang Rai district, Thailand.
