Thatdam or black stupa in Vientiane turns to gold stupa at night !

samakomlao · Guru

Thatdam or black stupa in Vientiane turns to gold stupa at night !

Date: Aug 31, 2007

it's sad that this black stupa -Thaat Dum - has been neglected for so long. It could have been kept and maintained better than this. It looks really horrible.

Date: Aug 31, 2007

It is a very embarrassing thing to show this stupa to all people year after year.

Date: Aug 31, 2007

I like it the way it is. This stupa make Vientiane looks old and classic.
I don't want anyone to paint it like Thatluang stupa, cause it will lose its value.

Date: Aug 31, 2007

Yes, at night we may call "Thad Thong" instead of Thad Dum. But unfortunately, "Thad Thong" can be seen only in photo taken by good camera.
The fact that Lao people do not decorate the Thad Dum has some reasons. on the one hand, nobody in Laos respect this stupa as it was built for honoring the Burmese occupant and did not attach to any temples. On other hand, if decorated if it would be called Thad Dum anymore. And I really agree with someone who said it would have lost its originality and value.

Date: Aug 31, 2007

Sorry mistake, I wanted to write "On the other hand, if decorated it would not be called Thad Dum anymore...."

Date: Aug 31, 2007

Even after renovation, it still can be called That Dum if it is painted in black color. The problem is that this stupa has been sadly neglected for so long.

Date: Aug 31, 2007

I think it should not be painted, the reason the ' Thad Dum' left untouched because a reason like someone had comment. If we look at some other monuments like Wat Phu or Angkor Wat in Siem Rep Cambodia we don't see they paint them. Thousand year Icons should left as it is. It has a historic sense. wink wink wink

Date: Sep 1, 2007

That, or Stupa, are built for the remains of the Buddha, not for anyone else. I don't want to say its not true about the Burmese, but that is the original and true purpose of a Stupa or Pagoda.