Meditation in Southeast Asia - Insight Meditation Center

1.9 Wat Pah Baan Taad
information by Dieter Baltruschat using Bill Weir’s retreat guide; updated March 2004
by Gerd Neller
Address: Wat Pa Baan Taad, Baan Taad, Ampher Meuang, Udon Thani 41000
no pre-registration necessary, but recommended
Internet: www.luangta.com
Location: Wat Pah Baan Taad is a quiet forest monastery 16 km southeast of the
city of Udon Thani in Northeastern Thailand, approximately 564 km from Bangkok.
There are a large Dhamma hall and several kutis (bungalows) in the forest. About 50
monks and 100 women live here.
How to get there from Bangkok: From Bangkok to Udon Thani there are several
morning trains (e.g. sprinter, departure 8:20 a.m., arrival 5:20 p.m.) and several night
trains, (e.g. sleeper, departure 8:45 p.m., arrival 7:12), and a sprinter without sleeper
(departure 8:00 p.m., arrival 4:46 a.m.).
From the northern bus terminal there are daily busses to Udon Thani, departing from
9 a.m. to 11 p.m. The trip is about 12 hours.
Thai Air has three daily flights from Bangkok to Udon Thani (6:50 a.m., 12:35 p.m.,
6:15 p.m). The trip is about one hour.
From Udon Thani take a songtaew (e.g. No 44), local bus or taxi to the town of Ban
Gum Kling 8 km south, then 7 km head southwest via the village Ban That, from
there it is another 1 km to the Wat. Some songtaew go from Udon Thani directly to
the Wat or to Ban Thad.
Tradition and teacher: Phra Ajahn Maha Boowa, the abbot of the monastery, is one
of the most famous meditation teachers in Thailand and one of the last disciples of
the almost legendary Ajahn Mun still alive. (There is a small Ajahn Mun museum in
Wat Pa Sutthawat at Sakon Nakhon, approx. 100 kilometres east of Udon Thani.)
Unfortunately Ajahn Pannavaddho, who was held in great esteem because of his
profound knowledge and his friendly nature died on August 18, 2004. The German
monk Than Martin has been living in Wat Pa Baan Taad for nine years now. Apart
from extensive translation activities he is in charge of the monastery’s homepage and
gives dhamma talks and (group) interviews – mainly in German language. Due to his
deep experience, his engagement and his empathy he has already been able to help
a lot of practitioners.
Language(s): Thai, English, and sometimes German.
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