//
Humongous hypermodern temple home to the controversial Dhammakaya (Thammakai) cult/sect, dubbed the Thai version of the Church of Scientology. The size of the complex can hardly be overstated: crowds on special events can number in the hundreds of thousands, and the unreal scale of everything makes it appear like a science fiction movie set built by Albert Speer. As you enter, you'll first see the golden dome of the Memorial Hall of the sect's founder, Phramonkolthepmuni. Behind it lies the aircraft-hangar-sized Meditation Hall, and once you've walked through it (which takes a solid 15 minutes of hiking!) you'll spot the main event, the stupendous Maha Dhammakaya Cetiya. This is a golden UFO-shaped chedi covered with "one million" (in 300,000 outside and 700,000 inside) golden Buddhas, in the centre of a massive square and surrounded by the concrete platform of the Meditation Amphitheatre. There are free shuttle services from Victory Monument and Sanam Luang in Bangkok starting at 07:00 on Sundays only; otherwise, find the elusive shuttle bus 1008 from Rangsit market, or just take a taxi from Future Park (80-100 baht one way). The temple is free to all and open daily, but devotees gather the first Sunday of each month and there are English-language meditation retreats several times a year. Dress decently (women must cover shoulders and legs) and try to pick a cloudy or cool day because there's a lot of walking to be done.