This epic dragon temple on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand is an incredible sight but the lack of tourists and locals is down to the shameful and dark past.

Drone footage from January 15 shows the mighty Wat Samphran temple with an intricate model of a dragon spiralling around the tower.

According to the filmer, a code of silence has been brought upon locals and tourist vendors who shun the idea of promoting the destination because of sexual misconduct from clergy members.

A disgraced former abbot was sentenced to 150 years in prison after being found guilty on nine counts of rape in 2004 after a nine-year trial.

The victims were underage girls of local hill tribes that were part of a project to adopt hill tribe children from Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces.