Rating: 2.7/5 (34 votes)

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 08:00 – 20:30

 

Wat Phra Non is a local Buddhist temple under the Maha Nikaya order, located in Village No. 3, Ban Khlong Bang Thong, Bang Mae Nang Subdistrict, Bang Yai District, Nonthaburi Province. It is an old community temple best known for its sacred reclining Buddha, which gave the temple its name. Although the temple is modest in scale, it carries strong local faith, an established place in the history of Bang Yai, and a continuing role as one of the temples included in Nonthaburi’s nine-temple merit-making route.

 

The most important point to know from the beginning is that Wat Phra Non was founded in 1845 and later received its royal boundary designation on May 8, 1897. The temple occupies about 4 rai, 2 ngan, and 18 square wah of land, and the current abbot is Phra Khru Rattanasutapirak, also known as Ratsilo Somchai Saengrat. Today, the temple remains an active religious center for the Bang Mae Nang community while also serving as a meaningful stop for visitors interested in temple travel in Nonthaburi.

 

The name “Wat Phra Non” comes directly from the sacred reclining Buddha image that has long been enshrined here. Local villagers have called the temple by this name for generations because the reclining Buddha is regarded as the temple’s most important sacred object. Many worshippers come specifically to pay respect, ask for blessings, and make merit, especially those who believe in the image’s protective and auspicious spiritual power.

 

The principal sacred image of the temple is Luang Pho Phra Non, the reclining Buddha enshrined inside the ordination hall. This image is the heart of the temple’s identity and the reason the temple became widely known. In addition to the reclining Buddha, the temple also houses a seated Buddha image and a chedi located on the left side of the ordination hall. These elements together give the temple a compact but complete sacred layout, with a distinctly local and traditional character.

 

One of the most memorable local stories associated with Wat Phra Non concerns flooding in Bang Yai. According to long-standing community belief, when the district faced major floods, the surrounding area of the temple suffered damage from floodwater, yet the ordination hall itself remained untouched by the flood. This is especially remembered in connection with the severe flood year of 1942. The story has strengthened the temple’s reputation for sacred protection and deepened the sense of attachment that local people feel toward it.

 

In terms of atmosphere, Wat Phra Non has the charm of a traditional Nonthaburi community temple. It is not a grand royal complex or a heavily commercialized destination. Instead, it offers quiet surroundings, a slower pace, and a feeling of authentic local religious life. Visitors who appreciate old neighborhood temples often find places like this especially meaningful, because they still preserve the original bond between temple and community.

 

Another reason Wat Phra Non is attractive to visitors is its inclusion in Nonthaburi’s well-known nine-temple merit-making route. This means the temple is not only important to the immediate local area, but also recognized as part of a wider spiritual travel circuit in the province. A visit here works well both for worshippers who specifically want to pay respect to Luang Pho Phra Non and for travelers planning a broader temple itinerary in the Bang Yai area.

 

From a cultural perspective, Wat Phra Non clearly reflects the relationship between temple and community in Thai local life. Even without monumental architecture, it carries sacred stories, a revered Buddha image, and a lasting place in local memory. That combination makes the temple valuable not only as a religious site, but also as a living part of the cultural landscape of Bang Yai.

 

For visitors who want to make merit, the temple is especially pleasant in the morning or late morning, when the atmosphere is calm and suitable for paying respect to the reclining Buddha and walking around the temple grounds. If you come on a Buddhist holy day or during local merit-making occasions, you will also see how actively the community still uses the temple as part of everyday spiritual life. That living connection is one of the strongest qualities of Wat Phra Non.

 

From a travel planning perspective, Wat Phra Non is easy to reach from Bangkok because Bang Yai is well connected by Kanchanaphisek Road and the MRT Purple Line. Travelers with a private car can drive directly into Bang Mae Nang, while public transport users can get off at Talad Bang Yai Station or Khlong Bang Phai Station and continue by local transport. This makes the temple well suited to a half-day visit or as part of a longer merit-making route across Nonthaburi.

 

Getting There is straightforward. Drivers can use Kanchanaphisek Road to enter Bang Yai and continue toward Bang Mae Nang to reach the temple at 9 Moo 3. MRT Purple Line users can get off at Talad Bang Yai or Khlong Bang Phai and then continue by taxi or local transport for the final stretch. This route is practical both for visitors coming only to worship at Wat Phra Non and for those planning to combine several temples in one day.

 

Visitors should dress respectfully and allow enough time to walk through the ordination hall area, the temple grounds, and the chedi beside the hall. Even though Wat Phra Non is not large, a slower visit makes it easier to appreciate both the sacred presence of Luang Pho Phra Non and the quiet appeal of an old community temple that has remained meaningful to local people for generations.

 

 

A: Wat Phra Non was founded in 1845 and remains an important old temple in the Bang Yai area.

 

A: The temple is named after the sacred reclining Buddha image that has long been enshrined here.

 

A: Its main highlight is Luang Pho Phra Non, the sacred reclining Buddha, along with the local flood legend connected to the ordination hall.

 

A: Yes. Public tourism information lists the temple as open daily, with visiting hours around 08:00 to 20:30.

 

A: The easiest route is by car via Kanchanaphisek Road, or by MRT Purple Line to Talad Bang Yai or Khlong Bang Phai followed by local transport.

 

A: It is well suited to worshippers, merit-makers, and travelers who want to experience a quiet old community temple in Nonthaburi.

 

A: Nearby stops include Wat Ratsad Prakhong Tham, Wat Amphawan, Central Westgate, IKEA Bang Yai, and Bang Yai Market.