Jongkham Lake Mae Hong Son April 2015
Jongkham (Chong Kham) Lake marks the center of Mae Hong Son. On its shores are two famous, temples Wat Chong Kham and Wat Chong Klang. Their beautiful setting at the lake, especially when lit and in the twilight, are the signature sight of Mae Hong Son province. They are also some of the most beautiful and intersting temples in Thailand, that has still been largely untouched by tourist-friendly "upgrades".
Wat Chong Klang
This is the temple with the bright white and gold chedi. It was completed in 1871, built in the Burmese Shan style, dedicated to monks that had travelled from Burma for the funeral of the revered abbot of Wat Chong Mai.
Wat Chong Kham
This temple is somewhat older than Wat Chong Klang, completed in 1827, by Phraya Singhanat Racha, the ruler of Mae Hong Son, and his wife Chao Mae Nang Mia. It was promoted to a royal temple in 1984. The temple has its name from the gold leaft plating of its pillars. 'Kham' is short for Northern Thai 'Thongcome' which means gold.
The lake has a small park to the north with some fitness facilities. Overall the area around the lake needs a plan for sustainable development, as currently (2015) the shores appear to be encroached on by private interest in an unsightly manner.