Thai-Chinese Cultural Centre and Pu-Ya Foundation

Thai-Chinese Cultural Centre and Pu-Ya Foundation Udon Thani is located on 39 San Chao Neramit Road behind the Udon Thani Railway Station, Tambon Mak Khaeng. It was established to serve as a centre for the conservation of traditional arts, culture, way of life, and philosophy of the Thai-Chinese people in Udon Thani. The official opening ceremony of the Centre was held on 6 January, 2013. The Centre houses a complex of buildings accommodating an exhibition in honour of HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the Moral Museum, Learning Centre, Preecha Chairatna Hall, and office and shop building. The upper floor of the Moral Museum building exhibits stories of the Thai-Chinese people in Udon Thani over the past 120 years, trade, education, the gathering of the 9 organisations, 11 clans, and the Pu-Ya Foundation telling the tale of the much respected Pu and Ya or Grandpa and Grandma deities, Hall of Fame for people who devoted themselves to the Chinese community, information about the 8 traditional Chinese deity worshipping festivals, as well as a state-of-the-art 3D theatre. The Pu-Ya Shrine also houses the 99-metre-long golden dragon used in the dragon dance show at the Thung Si Mueang Fair in December of every year. Around the Centre, there are 2 pavilions in the pond amidst the shady atmosphere of the Chinese garden named “Garden of Thousand-year-old Morality” with Chinese auspicious plants including Khrao Mangkon or Moringa hildebrandtii, Weeping Willow, Black Bamboo, Firecracker Plant, Chinese Fringe Flower, Begonia, Crown of Thorns, Gardenia Crape Jasmine, and Henna surrounding the lotus pond and dragon carp pond. The Centre is open daily during 9.00 a.m.-7.00 p.m. Admission is free. Visitors arriving in a group should contact the Centre in writing in advance, so that a guided tour can be arranged. For more details, please call Tel. 0 4224 2444, 08 2707 0666.