Wat Sam Ruean is located along the Wang Thong River on Rural Highway No. 4029, Ban Sam Ruean, Nakhon Pa Mak Subdistrict, Bang Krathum District, Phitsanulok Province. It is an old temple founded around 1907 (B.E. 2450) when Mr. Bun Bunthueng donated over six rai of land. Two local merchants, Mrs. Jin Siao and Mrs. Mao, led the initiative to establish the temple. Originally called Wat Photharam, the temple later changed its name to Wat Sam Ruean after the village. It received the royal grant of wisungkhamsima around 1910 (B.E. 2453), reflecting the collective effort of the community to build a sacred place as the spiritual center of local life.

 

In 1927 (B.E. 2470), Abbot Phra Upachaya Bang Kesari oversaw the restoration of the old ordination hall, assisted by Phra In Tisuwaro. After Phra Upachaya Bang passed away in 1934 (B.E. 2477), Luangpho Rang Yasuwanto was appointed as the new abbot. He played a significant role in developing Wat Sam Ruean, most notably by commissioning the restoration of mural paintings depicting the Buddha’s life and the way of life of the people of Nakhon Pa Mak. These murals adorned both the interior and exterior walls of the ordination hall, created in 1947 (B.E. 2490) as an offering to the Buddha and to honor Phra Upachaya Bang. The paintings became one of Phitsanulok’s most distinctive examples of local folk art. In addition, a new ordination hall was later constructed to serve the growing needs of the temple community.

 

The temple murals are particularly remarkable, found in both the old and the new ordination halls. On the exterior of the old ordination hall, the front wall features Buddha’s life stories on both sides of the entrance. The central panel shows the Buddha in the "Contemplative Posture", while above is a scene of Phra Malai visiting Chulamani Chedi in heaven. At the back of the hall, only three murals remain: the large upper painting shows the Enlightenment, while the smaller lower painting depicts a boxing ring. A tiny portrait believed to be the artist’s self-image is also present. Inside the old hall, murals of the Buddha’s life were once painted around all four walls above the doors and windows. Today, only the right side of the Buddha image and the wall behind the principal Buddha image remain mostly intact. The left wall is incomplete, with the narrative breaking off at the episode of King Bimbisara’s offering of Veluvana Monastery, resuming only once at the entrance wall, showing the Parinirvana scene.

 

In the new ordination hall, the murals take a different form. Above the doors and windows are depictions of the Ten Jatakas, especially the Vessantara Jataka across all 13 chapters, as well as scenes from the Buddha’s life based on the Buddhajayamangala Gatha (Phahung Mantra), which recounts the Buddha’s victories over various obstacles and adversaries. Between the doors and windows are beautiful guardian figures (Thawaraban), painted with intricate detail, symbolizing protection and sacred guardianship of the temple.

 

Wat Sam Ruean serves not only as a center of faith for the local community but also as a cultural and historical landmark. The murals, both old and new, reflect the Buddhist beliefs, folk artistry, and everyday life of the people of the region. They provide invaluable insights into local wisdom, religious devotion, and artistic heritage. Today, the temple stands as both a religious sanctuary and a cultural tourism destination, offering visitors a chance to experience the spiritual and artistic richness of Phitsanulok.