What's a wat?
A wat is a Buddhist compound where men or women can be ordained as monks or nuns. Virtually every village in Thailand has at least one wat, and towns and cities have several.The typical wat compound contains a consecrated chapel where the ordinations are held, a place where important images of Buddha are housed, an open-sided shelter for community meetings and religious talks, a library, a drum tower, places where the ashes of worshippers are interred, monastic quarters, ancillary buildings and a house for the temple's reigning earth spirit.
In rural areas, the wat often serves as a combined religious centre, grammar school, health clinic, herbal sauna house, community centre, astrology house, guesthouse, funeral home and geriatric ward. The wat is also a social centre, and a focus for festival activities. Temple fairs are especially lively, taking place on auspicious dates and featuring music, feasting, outdoor cinema and fireworks. Funeral ceremonies feature an animated musical procession from the deceased's home to the wat.