Viharn Sien (Anek Kusala Sala)

The ground floor is the showpiece: a hall of life-size bronze figures of Shaolin monks frozen in martial-arts forms, a set of terracotta warriors cast from the Xi’an originals, and shrines to Guan Yin and other deities where Thai-Chinese families still make offerings. Upstairs the collections turn to porcelain, jade, lacquer, furniture, calligraphy and paintings, plus portraits of the Thai royal family that explain the building’s status as a royal gift. The top terrace looks across the lake to Wat Yan and south to Khao Chi Chan. Labels are in Thai, Chinese and English, brief but enough.

Pay 50 THB at the booth across the road, leave your shoes at the entrance and allow about an hour. Mornings are coolest and emptiest; the building is only partly air-conditioned. There are no toilets inside, so use the ones by the car park first. Photography without flash is generally allowed in the halls. Dress as you would for a temple, since you are inside a religious compound.

Viharn Sien is inside the grounds of Wat Yansangwararam, the royal temple south-east of Pattaya; there is no public transport, so come by car. A Bolt or Grab costs roughly 350–450 THB each way from central Pattaya. The sensible plan is a half-day driver covering Wat Yan and the museum, Khao Chi Chan Buddha Mountain, Silverlake Vineyard and, if you have the time, Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, all within fifteen minutes of each other.