The embalmed body of the "Venerable Grandfather" otherwise known as “Luang Pu” lies at the far end of a dark hall lined with Hindu -Buddhist statuettes depicting the various stages in the cycle of life, death and rebirth. The building housing the sarcophagus is surrounded by a garden filled with huge concrete statues, and the place as a whole is called Wat Kaek.

The creator and founder of Wat Kaek, Luang Pu, was a Laotian who, had he not become a spiritual leader, may have been successful directing Friday the Thirteenth movies and other low budget horror films. This place gives you the creeps.

Wat Kaek, Luang Pu's magnum opus, is, on the most superficial level, a park located in Nong Khai, and filled with bizarre concrete statues depicting Hindu - Buddhist characters re-enacting scenes from spiritual texts. Surrounding by hawkers selling trinkets, the casual visitor may not realize that Wat Kaek is more than just a statue park. Some consider it a portal between mundane waking reality and the timeless spiritual universe existing in humanity's collective unconsciousness.

To get to Wat Kaek, you must first arrive in Nong Khai, an atmospheric Northeast Thailand city on the banks of the mighty Mekong River. Situated across from Laos, Nong Khai is known for its relaxed pace of life, its oily river fish and as a border crossing to hordes of adventurers, smugglers and wandering souls.

Our travel began with the second class air-con sleeper car out of Bangkok, a twelve-hour trip to Nong Khai. After a fitful sleep, we arrived early in the morning at Nong Khai. Wat Kaek's full and proper name is Sala Keaw Ku and is located a short distance from Nong Khai's center.

Luang Pu Bunleua Sirarat, ("Luang Pu") was never officially ordained as a monk. He was more of a charismatic leader of his own sect. His teachings were based on traditional Hindu and Buddhist scriptures, but some considered him a heretic. Luang Pu trained his disciples to craft these huge statues depicting Buddhist and Hindu tales and characters and they are rendered in graphic and eerie fashion.

Luang Pu, who always wore matching white trousers and shirt, his health failing in later life, was carried in a wheelbarrow by his followers in the later years of his life so he could personally supervise the statue castings and sculpture.

According to legend, Luang Pu met his teacher while strolling in the forest one day. Luang Pu accidentally fell into a sinkhole and fell into his teacher's lap. Luang Pu stayed in the case for ten years absorbing the teaching and wisdom of his teaching. Luang Pu's first sculpture park was located in Laos, but it was dismantled under orders of the communist regime