A temple, a school, a kitchen — a home.
Wat Thai of Los Angeles has been the heart of Thai Buddhist life in America since 1971 — open every day to all who come seeking stillness, blessing, or community.
It began with three monks and a house on Sepulveda.
In 1971 a suburban house was converted into a residence for monks — the seed of what would grow into the largest Thai Buddhist temple in the United States. Its official name remains Theravada Buddhist Center, Inc.; to everyone else, it is simply Wat Thai.
Today resident monks keep the daily rhythm of chanting and meditation, and a community gathers here to study, celebrate, mourn, and eat together — as it has for more than fifty years.
Read the full history
Days at the temple
Every service is open to the public — Thai and non-Thai, Buddhist and simply curious. Come for a single sitting or stay the whole day.
Every day
Mon – Friสังฆทาน Sangkathan offerings — including offerings for the departed — are received daily, 8 AM – 5 PM.
Weekends
Sat & Sun
Come hungry.
Every weekend the temple courtyard becomes one of Los Angeles’ best-loved food markets. Grilled chicken and papaya salad, boat noodles, kanom krok, mango sticky rice — cooked by community vendors whose stalls have fed generations of Angelenos.
Eat under the trees, browse the market, and stay for afternoon chanting. Every plate helps sustain the temple.
The temple is with you at every turning.
To arrange a ceremony, call the temple office — open daily 8 AM – 7 PM · (818) 780-4200
Where the language, music, and dance of Thailand live on.
Thai language for adults
Sat & Sun · 9 – 11 AMBeginner and intermediate classes, year-round in the red building. Learn to speak, read, and write Thai — no background needed.
Sunday school for children
WeekendsAmerican-born Thai children learn the Thai language, culture, and Buddhist values through Sunday and summer school.
Classical music & dance
WeekendsClasses in traditional Thai instruments and classical dance keep the performing arts alive on temple grounds.
A calendar kept for two and a half millennia.
Songkran on Coldwater Canyon — and the temple at dusk.
This temple is made by the people in it.
Merit-making — ทำบุญ — is woven into every day here: morning alms, shared meals, festivals, and quiet acts of care for the grounds. Join a chanting service, offer alms on the first Sunday, lend a hand at a festival, or simply spend an afternoon with us.
The office can help you take part in a ceremony, class, or festival — open daily 8 AM – 7 PM.