A Lak Mueang or City Pillar Shrine (as it is known in English) is a Thai public shrine, which is or represents the tutelary diety of each province of the Kingdom of Thailand. Essentially, the shrine represents "good luck" and acts as a guardian for the good fortune of the region. The shrine consists of a central pillar, which is housed in a enclosing structure. This structure usually reflects the historical and cultural background of the province.
Khon Kaen, which is about 460 km from Bangkok, is a medium sized city with a population of about 376,915. It’s pleasant, relatively uncongested with all the modern facilities a visitor would require. Like Bangkok and the other provincial capitals, a city pillar is raised and blessed before the construction of the city. On completion of the city, a City Pillar Shrine is built.
The date, timing and location of these shrines are based on astrological calculations. The shrine is revered as a holy site where many residents go to pray.
A famous monk and former governor of Khon Kaen placed a stone inscription from an ancient site in Chum Phae here for a Buddhist rite and set up the city pillar shrine.