The Sanctuary of Truth is in Naklua, a suburb of Pattaya. Its founder is Lek Viriyaphan, who is also responsible for Meuang Boran (Ancient City) and the Erawan Museum. Through hand-carved wooden sculptures it seeks to reveal the Seven Truths, such as ‘Who are we?’ and ‘What is the purpose of life?’ Although work began in 1981 it is still under construction, making it a hard-hat visit. The detail in the sculptures is simply staggering, such that in whichever direction you care to look, you are overwhelmed by the scale and complexity of the works. This applies to the exterior as well as the intricate work of the interior. Nowadays you get a guide who talks you through the meaning of each section. 

Many years ago you could swim with the dolphins in the lake, or more correctly, swim with the dolphin poo! 

 I first visited twenty years ago – suffice to say, ​things have moved on rather!