Sorn-Thawee Meditation Retreat Center

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Sorn-Thawee Meditation Center, Chachoengsao, Thailand

The Sorn-Thawee Meditation Center in Chachoengsao, Thailand, is a well-known retreat center focused on the practice of Vipassana (insight) meditation. Located in the peaceful countryside of Chachoengsao, about an hour east of Bangkok, this center offers a more secluded and quiet environment compared to urban temples, making it a great place for deep meditation practice.

Vipassana Meditation Focus

Like many Thai meditation centers, Sorn-Thawee emphasizes Vipassana, which involves mindfulness of breathing, sensations, thoughts, and feelings during different meditation sessions. The goal is to cultivate awareness and insight into the nature of reality, leading to mental clarity, calm, and wisdom. The practice is rooted in traditional Theravada Buddhist teachings, and meditators are guided through techniques that help increase mindfulness of body and mind.

Meditation Retreats

The retreats offered at Sorn-Thawee are quite flexible, allowing meditators to stay for short periods or longer, depending on their schedules and needs. While the primary instruction is in Thai, the center does accommodate international practitioners, especially if they have some prior experience with Vipassana meditation. The retreats are typically silent, with daily routines including seated meditation, walking meditation, and sometimes dhamma talks (teachings on Buddhist philosophy and meditation practice).

Suitability for International English Speaking Meditators

Although the primary language of instruction is Thai, Sorn-Thawee is welcoming to international practitioners who have some prior experience with meditation. It may be more suitable for meditators who are comfortable with some level of independence or who already have a basic understanding of Vipassana meditation techniques.

For English-speaking meditators, it’s worth checking ahead to see if there will be translation services or English-speaking instructors available during your stay. To be honest, if you don’t speak Thai language you are probably going to have a better experience at one of the English speaking retreats.

Peaceful and Secluded Location

Chachoengsao is a peaceful province known for its natural beauty, rivers, and agriculture. The center’s rural location allows you to meditate in a serene environment, away from the noise and distractions of city life. This setting can make a real difference in your meditation experience, especially if you’re looking for a retreat that offers deeper, quieter introspection.

Sorn-Thawee Meditation Center is a great option if you’re looking for an authentic Vipassana retreat experience in Thailand. The combination of peaceful surroundings and a focus on mindfulness and insight meditation creates an ideal environment for both beginners and more experienced meditators who want to deepen their practice.

The center is designed to be a peaceful and supportive space for intensive meditation. Unlike some temples in urban areas, Sorn-Thawee is surrounded by nature, which helps in maintaining a quiet, distraction-free atmosphere conducive to mindfulness and contemplation. Meditators often report that the setting of the center allows for a deeper, more immersive experience, especially since it’s away from city life.

Meaning of Name

“Sorn” is the person who donated the land. “Thawee” is the founder and head teacher at the center. Also known as, Samnak Vipassana Sorn-Thawee.

Address

Bangkla, Chachoengsao 24110.

Directions

From Bangkok, take a bus to Chachoengsao from either the Northern (Moh Chit) or Eastern (Ekamai) bus terminals.  Then take a bus toward Bangkla; get off after about 25 min. (just past KM post 17) where the bus turns left at Bangkla Crossing; walk across the highway and follow the intersecting road south 300 meters, then turn right another 300 meters at the sign.

Meditation System

Vipassana, the practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.  Techniques using the tool of mental noting are similar to those taught by Mahasi Sayadaw. Formal sitting and walking meditation is done 8-12 hours a day.  Mindfulness is applied to all of one’s daily activities.

One must practice systematically through waking hours in order to develop the concentration needed for effective insight meditation.

Teaching Method

Daily individual interviews are considered essential. Meditators report the previous day’s experiences, then receive instruction and guidance.

Meditation Teachers

• Phra Ajahn Thawee, abbot (Thai) – He passed away in 1996.
• Majee Brigitte, a Western nun (Austrian) teaches foreigners in English and German.
• “Mr. Manfred”

Language

English and German are always available.

Description

Attractively landscaped grounds of 24 rai (10 acres) with ponds, trees, and colorful shrubs. Rice fields surround the center.

Size

• monks: 15-22 
• novices: usually 0 
• nuns: 20-30 
• laypeople: 40-50 A new Dhamma Hall has 70 rooms for meditators.

Daily Routine

4 am. wakeup; 6:30 am. breakfast; 7:30 am. Individual interviews begin; 11 am. lunch. Day is spent in or near one’s kuti doing intensive individual practice. Meditators should not sleep more than 6 hours. No group practice is offered.

Like many Vipassana retreats, the daily routine at Sorn-Thawee is structured and disciplined, helping meditators stay focused and committed. Days begin early with morning chanting or meditation, followed by alternating sessions of walking and sitting meditation throughout the day. There are usually periods of instruction and guidance from the monks or teachers at the center. Meals are simple and taken mindfully as part of the overall practice of mindfulness.

Food

Good quality and variety. Two meals are served in the morning. Meditators eat mindfully in their kutis. The community eats as a group on special occasions. The center provides vegetarian meals, and like most Buddhist centers, meals are taken before noon in line with monastic traditions.

Accommodations

Individual kutis with screens, fans, electricity, and attached bathrooms with running water. Older kutis have Thai-style bathrooms; newer kutis have Western-style facilities. Accommodations at Sorn-Thawee are typically simple, as with most traditional Thai meditation centers. The basic lifestyle is meant to foster mindfulness and reduce distractions.

Write in Advance?

Yes, necessary to arrange accommodations.

Ordination

Not available.

Other Information

Only individual (solitary) practice is offered at present; this isn’t for everyone as some people feel the need for the support of group practice. A Dhamma hall under construction is expected to open in 1993; check with the center then to find out if group practice will be offered. 

The usual retreat duration is 7 days. You can stay after as well.

Retreats run November through February from the 1st to the 7th of the month.

Meditators observe 8 precepts, keep noble silence (especially not to talk about one’s meditation experiences with others), wear loose-fitting, modest clothing, and abstain from reading, writing, or listening to radios. A blanket or light sleeping bag is needed in the cool season. A 500 Thai baht (US $14) daily fee covers running expenses from the 1-7th of each month. After that, you can stay for just 300 THB per day. Note – this may have increased this year. It may be double these figures.

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