A family prays in front of a statue of Buddha in the underground Wat Umong temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
Women walk across the back half of the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple on top of the Doi Suthep mountain on Sunday, May 18, 2025. The temple allowed for space to walk all around the top of the mountain, for people to meditate or quietly look out over the scenic views.
A man plays a thai instrument while part of a band at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple on top of the Doi Suthep mountain on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. Music often accompanied the temples, promoting a peaceful and quiet atmosphere.
A monk sweeps the stairs leading from the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple to the monk’s quarters on top of the Doi Suthep mountain on Sunday, May 18, 2025. Chores are a a common part of a monk’s quiet and simple life.
School-children parade down the 306-step descent from the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple on top of the Doi Suthep mountain after a field trip visiting the temple. Educational institutions in Thailand often imprint Buddhistic values upon the students from an early age.
A monk’s house sits peacefully behind the Wat Umong temple. Monks usually live in very simple quarters. They do not work to acquire their own necessities but rely on the donations from the laypeople in the city to survive. Monks go into the city every morning to collect donations to supply them for the day or week, depending on the donation.
A group of young monks relax together in front of the landscape view at the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple on top of the Doi Suthep mountain on Sunday, May 18, 2025.
An ancient monument, otherwise known as a chedi, still stands high above the Wat Chedi Luang temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Saturday, May 17, 2025. The chedi was constructed in the 15th century as the highest point in Chiang Mai at 82 meters tall. It sustained damage by a later earthquake, but still stands tall today.
Buddhist monks engage in chanting rituals and meditation practices at Wat Chiang Man, a buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
A motorcyclist drives in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Friday, May 16, 2025. Chiang Mai traffic is predominately made of motorbikes in some form, whether that be motorcycles or mopeds. It allows for quick transport in the already crowded roads. ‘Seize the gap’ is the term used to describe driving, meaning that if there is an opportunity, take it.
A tourist walks past a homeless man on the inside of the north wall of the Old City in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Sunday, May 18, 2025. Very few people in Thailand are homeless or unemployed. According to the Thailand Board of Investment, the unemployment rate in Thailand reached as low as 0.8% in 2024. Unemployment has steadily declined since the Covid-19 pandemic as the Thai government has created jobs and initiatives to bring more Thai into the workforce.
A street food vendor cooks food on the street during a night market held on the south wall of the Old City in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Saturday, May 17, 2025. The night markets are a staple of the city, as local ones are held on the weekends. Vendors, shops and locals come together to sell goods, bringing the community in to walk and shop.
Local community members and tourists alike come together to shop and enjoy street food as a local night market opens on a Sunday night in downtown Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
A local street artist draws at a night market in Chiang Mai on Sunday, May 18, 2025. Vendors sell a range of merchandise, usually consisting of handmade items.
Lights illuminate the sides of Changklan Road where the Night Bezaar night market operates every night in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Monday, May 19, 2025. Tents are also put up to protect vendors’ products and shoppers from being rained on.
Evening light is refracted at a local restaurant in downtown Chiang Mai on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Lanterns light up the town, giving Chiang Mai a cozy atmospheric feel.
Temple-goers sit underground in the tunnels of the Wat Umong temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Saturday, May 17, 2025. The temple in the jungle offered a unique underground space for temple-goers who wished to meditate or worship Buddha.
A prayer ritual is performed by monks and temple-goers alike at the Wat Chedi Luang temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
A man looks up from his work at a local shop in downtown Chiang Mai on Thursday, May 22, 2025.
Incense burns at the Wat Lok Moli temple on Thursday, May 22, 2025. Buddhists believe that the incense is a fragrant offering to Buddha, which pleases him.
A monk in white robes eats a meal before lunchtime at the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple on top of the Doi Suthep mountain on Sunday, May 18, 2025. White-robed monks are very common around buddhist temples. The white non-traditional garb of the monks depicts a layperson, novice, or a ‘Mae chi’, which is a non-traditional female monk who is not ordained but follows a minimum of 8 precepts.
An ornate statue of Buddha stands tall in front of the Wat Khuan Khama temple on Friday, May 16, 2025 in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Photos by Adin Parks, Caedmon Waldrop, Nick Dunham, Zach Walker, and Benja Matteson