Rating: 3.6/5 (7 votes)

Open Days: Open daily

Opening Hours: 08:00 – 17:00

 

Wat Lam Bua is a community temple in Wang Noi District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, clearly reflecting the evolution of a local temple in modern Thai society. Unlike many ancient temples on Ayutthaya Island with histories spanning centuries, this temple was born from the collective faith of a contemporary community and grew in step with the expansion of rural settlements on the outskirts of the metropolitan area. Wat Lam Bua therefore stands as a vivid example of a religious space that still functions as a living spiritual center, rather than merely a symbolic site or a historical-tourism landmark.

 

Wat Lam Bua is located at 57/9 Ban Lam Bua, Moo 3, Han Taphao Subdistrict, Wang Noi District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. The temple grounds cover approximately 11 rai 2 ngan. The surrounding environment is primarily a local community and agricultural land, giving the temple a calm, simple atmosphere aligned with the everyday rhythms of residents in the area. Although it is not situated along a main tourist route, it remains a sacred place where local people continue to engage in religious life—making merit, listening to sermons, participating in rites, and joining community activities on important occasions.

 

The founding history of Wat Lam Bua began on April 22, 1983, when Ms. Nom Tamsakun donated land for the establishment of the temple. At that time, Mr. Samruai Wingcharoen, the subdistrict headman of Han Taphao, coordinated the process of requesting official permission to establish the temple. This process reflects the role of community leaders and devoted supporters who worked together to create an official religious space that could support the spiritual and communal needs of local residents.

 

Subsequently, the Ministry of Education officially announced the establishment of Wat Lam Bua on June 7, 1993. The temple is affiliated with the Mahanikaya order and holds the status of a local (people’s) temple in Thai Buddhism. This recognition marked a significant milestone, enabling Wat Lam Bua to conduct Buddhist affairs in full accordance with monastic discipline and to be formally integrated into Thailand’s Sangha administrative structure.

 

In the same year, Wat Lam Bua received a royal grant of wisungkhamsima on July 13, 1993, with the consecrated boundary measuring 20 meters wide and 40 meters long. This grant is fundamental in terms of monastic rites because it establishes the sacred boundary required for ordinations and other key Sangha ceremonies. It confirms that Wat Lam Bua has attained full readiness in both physical facilities and official religious status.

 

Among the temple’s most important sacred objects is the principal Buddha image enshrined in the ordination hall (ubosot). The image is in the Phra Phuttha Chinnarat style and was created in 1987. The Phra Phuttha Chinnarat posture is highly revered in Thai society, widely associated with completeness of spiritual victory and profound merit. As a result, this principal image serves as the primary center of faith for both visitors and the local community, who commonly come to pay respects and seek blessings for stability in life, well-being, and inner strength.

 

In addition to the principal Buddha image, the temple houses images of the Chief Disciples (Phra Akkhasavok) positioned alongside the main Buddha image, reflecting the completeness of the Buddhist tradition through the presence of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. The sermon hall (sala kan parian) also has a principal Buddha image used as a focal point for ceremonies and communal religious activities. At the front courtyard, a standing image of Phra Sivali is enshrined. In Thai Buddhist belief, Phra Sivali is closely associated with good fortune and abundance, so many worshippers also pay respects here to seek auspiciousness.

 

In terms of structures, Wat Lam Bua has an ordination hall measuring approximately 7.5 meters wide and 22 meters long, constructed in 1992. It is a reinforced-concrete building with a simple design consistent with a community temple context. The ordination hall stands within the officially granted wisungkhamsima boundary, allowing ordinations to be conducted properly in accordance with monastic discipline.

 

The temple’s sermon hall measures approximately 20 meters wide and 32 meters long, built in 1990 as a reinforced-concrete structure. It functions as the main space for merit-making, sermons, chanting, and community gatherings. The temple also has around 10 wooden monks’ quarters, one funeral merit-making pavilion, and one prayer hall, in addition to a crematorium and a bell tower. Collectively, these facilities enable Wat Lam Bua to support religious activities across the full spectrum of community life—from birth and ordination to merit-making and funeral rites.

 

In its social role, Wat Lam Bua continues to serve as a spiritual anchor for the Han Taphao community. Merit-making on major Buddhist holy days—such as Makha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, Asalha Bucha, the start of Buddhist Lent, and the end of Buddhist Lent—remains a regular practice, with local residents joining to make merit, participate in candlelight processions, and listen to sermons together. The temple also hosts pha pa and kathina offerings, which often become occasions for strong community collaboration and renewed social bonds.

 

The atmosphere of Wat Lam Bua suits visitors who prefer a quiet, simple temple visit without crowds. Visitors can spend time walking through the grounds respectfully and observing the relationship between monastic life and the surrounding community—an everyday expression of Buddhism embedded in real life. Wat Lam Bua is therefore suitable both for personal merit-making and for those who wish to understand how a community temple continues to shape Thai society in the present day.

 

Getting There Wat Lam Bua is located in Wang Noi District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province. The most convenient way to reach the temple is by private car, using a navigation system to search for “Wat Lam Bua, Han Taphao, Wang Noi” to arrive accurately. The final stretch consists of local roads, so careful driving is recommended. For public transport travelers, it is best to first reach a main transport hub in Wang Noi District and then continue to the temple by local taxi or local transport as convenient.

 

 

A: Wat Lam Bua is located at 57/9 Ban Lam Bua, Moo 3, Han Taphao Subdistrict, Wang Noi District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya.

 

A: Wat Lam Bua was founded on April 22, 1983.

 

A: The principal Buddha image is in the Phra Phuttha Chinnarat style and was created in 1987.

 

A: The temple received its royal grant of wisungkhamsima on July 13, 1993, with a boundary measuring 20 meters by 40 meters.

 

A: Visitors should dress modestly—tops with sleeves and long trousers or a long skirt—and maintain quiet, respectful behavior within the temple grounds.