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Opening Hours: 06:00 – 18:00

 

Wat Nong Bua (Wat Pathum Tharam), Chainat is one of the important temples in Nong Bua Subdistrict, Wat Sing District, Chainat Province. It plays a significant role in the community in terms of religion, education, and social development. The temple has long served as the spiritual center of local residents and is also an important venue for religious ceremonies in the area. Within the temple grounds are several important religious structures, including the ordination hall, sermon halls, vihara, bell tower, and funeral pavilion, as well as various facilities connected to community development and education. These reflect the temple’s role as a genuine center of life in a traditional Thai rural community.

 

The temple’s official name is “Wat Pathum Tharam.” The word “Pathum” means lotus, while “Tharam” refers to a temple or religious place. Therefore, the name Wat Pathum Tharam can be understood as “the temple of the lotus,” a symbol of purity, prosperity, and spiritual growth in Buddhism. The temple’s name reflects religious belief and the deep faith that local people have in Buddhism.

 

This temple is located in a peaceful area surrounded by the natural landscape of rural Chainat. The atmosphere inside the temple is shaded by large trees and green spaces, giving visitors who come to worship or make merit a sense of calm and relaxation. The temple is also a place where villagers often gather for religious events such as annual merit-making ceremonies, kathin offerings, robe-offering ceremonies, and other community activities.

 

Within the temple is an ordination hall that has officially received royal consecrated boundary status. The ordination hall is considered the most important religious structure of the temple because it is used for major Buddhist rituals such as ordinations, monastic acts, and other significant ceremonies. Inside the ordination hall, there is usually a principal Buddha image that serves as the focus of devotion for worshippers who come to pay their respects.

 

In addition to the ordination hall, the temple has 2 sermon halls, which are used for religious activities and community functions, such as village meetings, merit-making events, Thet Mahachat sermons, and Dhamma training activities for the public. These sermon halls therefore serve as important spaces connecting the temple and the community.

 

Wat Nong Bua also has a prayer hall where monks and lay Buddhists gather for chanting, morning and evening prayers, and other religious activities. The prayer hall helps promote meditation practice and spiritual development.

 

Another important religious structure within the temple is the “Vihara of Former Teachers,” which was built in memory of respected monks or teachers who made valuable contributions to the temple and the community. This vihara is a place where local people come to pay respect to the former spiritual leaders who once cared for and developed the temple.

 

The temple also has a bell tower, an important symbol of Thai temples. The bell tower is used to ring the bell to announce times for religious activities such as morning prayers, evening prayers, or major temple events. The sound of the bell has therefore become a familiar sound for people in the community.

 

In addition, the temple has a funeral pavilion used for religious rites related to funerals, as well as a cremation pavilion for the cremation of deceased members of the community. These structures show that the temple serves as the center of community life from birth to the final stage of life.

 

One of the most striking features within the temple is the large outdoor stucco Buddha image in the gesture of blessing. This Buddha image symbolizes compassion and blessings for those who come to pay respect. Local people believe that worshipping this image brings auspiciousness and prosperity into life.

 

Beyond its religious role, Wat Nong Bua also plays an important part in community development. Within the temple grounds is a primary school established to provide local children with access to education. There is also a Buddhist scripture school used for the education of monks and novices.

 

The temple also contains an herbal garden and medicinal forest area, established to preserve and share knowledge of local medicinal plants. These herbs are valuable in traditional Thai medicine and represent local wisdom passed down through generations.

 

Another important project of the temple is the construction of a rice drying yard within the temple grounds, allowing villagers who work as farmers to dry their rice after harvest. This reflects the temple’s role in helping the local community and supporting the agricultural way of life.

 

Wat Nong Bua has also arranged for the construction of a village water tank and donated land for the construction of the Subdistrict Administrative Organization (SAO), an important local government body. These contributions reflect the close relationship between the temple and the community.

 

Within the temple is also a waterside pavilion located by the temple pond, serving as a place for relaxation and as a spot where villagers often sit, rest, or feed the fish. The atmosphere around the pond is peaceful and shady, making it suitable for quiet reflection and meditation.

 

At present, Wat Nong Bua is constructing the Phra Mahathat Chedi Si Chainat, an important project aimed at creating a grand religious monument and a new center of faith for Buddhists in Chainat Province. This great chedi is expected to become one of the province’s important religious landmarks in the future.

 

Getting There If traveling from Chainat town, you can take the Chainat – Wat Sing road toward Nong Bua Subdistrict, then continue into the temple area, which is located not far from the main village center of the subdistrict. Traveling by private car is the most convenient option, as the temple is easy to reach and has parking space within the grounds.

 

 

A: Wat Nong Bua is located in Nong Bua Subdistrict, Wat Sing District, Chainat Province. It is an important temple for the local community.

 

A: The temple contains an ordination hall with royal consecrated boundary status, sermon halls, the Vihara of Former Teachers, a bell tower, and a large Buddha image in the gesture of blessing.

 

A: It is a great chedi currently under construction within Wat Nong Bua, intended to serve as a center of faith for Buddhists in Chainat Province.

 

A: The temple supports education, helps local farmers, provides a rice drying yard, and serves as a center for community activities.

 

A: You can travel from Chainat town via the Chainat – Wat Sing road, then continue toward Nong Bua Subdistrict. The temple is located not far from the main community area of the subdistrict.