Wat Uttaram

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 08.00 – 17.00

 

Wat Uttaram, also known as Wat Uttaram Wang Chom, is a local Mahā Nikāya Buddhist temple in Moo 4, Ban Wang Chom, Chiang Dao Subdistrict, Chiang Dao District, Chiang Mai Province. The temple was established in 1917 and later received its Wisungkham Sima in 2003. Its current abbot is Phra Khru Boonyaphiwat Katapunyo. Wat Uttaram is a quiet community temple suitable for travelers who want to make merit, pay respect, and understand the local Buddhist culture of Chiang Dao beyond the district’s better-known caves, mountains, and hot springs.

 

Chiang Dao is widely known for Doi Luang Chiang Dao, Chiang Dao Cave, hot springs, and scenic mountain routes. Yet the district also has an important cultural side formed by village temples, local markets, schools, and Buddhist community spaces. Wat Uttaram is one of these temples. Located in Ban Wang Chom near the main Chiang Mai–Fang road, it reflects the close relationship between Buddhism, village life, and public community activities in Chiang Dao.

 

The history of Wat Uttaram began in 1917, when Nai Ai No Kham initiated the idea of building a temple and encouraged local residents to join the effort. The temple was originally known by the village name as Wat Ban Wang Chom before it became known as Wat Uttaram. This background shows that the temple grew from local faith and community cooperation rather than from a top-down institution. It was built because the people of Ban Wang Chom needed a Buddhist center for merit-making, rituals, learning, and communal life.

 

Older temple records locate Wat Uttaram at No. 32, Ban Wang Chom, Chotana Road, Moo 4, Chiang Dao Subdistrict, Chiang Dao District, Chiang Mai Province. The temple grounds cover about 6 rai and 74 square wah. Its surroundings include rice fields, local homes, the Chiang Mai–Fang road, and a canal. This setting reflects a typical northern Thai temple landscape where a temple stands alongside farmland, homes, roads, and water sources.

 

One of the most notable features of Wat Uttaram is its viharn, or assembly hall, which contains mural paintings. These murals include scenes from the life of the Buddha, depictions of heaven and hell, and the Ten Great Birth Stories of the Buddha. Such murals are not only decorative art. In Thai Buddhist temples, they also function as visual teachings, helping local people understand Buddhist values, karma, morality, and the path of spiritual cultivation.

 

The temple also has a Thai-style sermon hall. In a community temple, this hall is an essential shared space used for listening to sermons, merit-making, ceremonies, meetings, and local activities. For this reason, Wat Uttaram is not merely a sightseeing point. It remains a functional Buddhist and community space for Ban Wang Chom and nearby areas.

 

The administration of Wat Uttaram has passed through several abbots. Older records mention Phra Panyo, Phra Banya, Phra In Som, and Phra Khru Punyaphiwat. Current information used for this article identifies Phra Khru Boonyaphiwat Katapunyo as the abbot of Wat Uttaram. In a local temple, the abbot is important not only for monastic leadership but also for maintaining the temple, leading ceremonies, and connecting the temple with local residents and public organizations.

 

Wat Uttaram has also served as a place of learning. Older temple records mention a Dhamma section of Buddhist education, opened in 1972, as well as a library and village newspaper reading area. These details show that the temple has played a social role in addition to its religious role. In Thai communities, temples often support education, moral training, reading, and local knowledge-sharing.

 

The temple continues to function as a public community space. In 2026, the Chiang Mai Provincial Probation Office, Area 2, organized off-site public service activities at Wat Uttaram, also referred to as Wat Wang Chom. The activity included landscape improvement and public education. This modern use confirms that the temple remains active in the local community and is not simply a historical site.

 

Wat Uttaram is part of the Buddhist temple network in Chiang Dao Municipality. Local municipal information lists four Buddhist temples in the area: Wat Uttaram, Wat Mae Ead, Wat Intharam, and Wat Si Sai Mun. Together, these temples support religious life across local communities in Chiang Dao and add a cultural dimension to a district better known for its natural scenery.

 

The atmosphere of Wat Uttaram is calm, modest, and local. It does not feel like a highly commercial tourist attraction. Instead, it offers the character of a working community temple where local people continue to make merit and use the temple grounds for religious and community purposes. Travelers can visit the temple as a short cultural stop before continuing to Chiang Dao Cave, Wat Tham Pha Plong, Doi Luang Chiang Dao, or nearby accommodation.

 

The murals inside the viharn are especially meaningful for visitors interested in Buddhist art. The life of the Buddha scenes introduce key moments in Buddhist history. The heaven and hell images teach moral consequences and the law of karma. The Ten Great Birth Stories present the previous lives of the Bodhisattva and the cultivation of virtues before Buddhahood. These mural themes make Wat Uttaram a valuable cultural stop for travelers who want to understand how Buddhist teachings are communicated visually in local temples.

 

Getting There is easiest by private car or rental car. From Chiang Mai city, take Highway 107, the Chiang Mai–Fang road, toward Chiang Dao District. Once you reach Chiang Dao Subdistrict, search for Wat Uttaram Wang Chom or Ban Wang Chom, Moo 4. The temple is located near Road 107, making it convenient for travelers heading to Chiang Dao, Fang, or Tha Ton.

 

Travelers using public transport can start from Chang Phueak Bus Station in Chiang Mai and take a bus or local transport that follows the Chiang Mai–Fang route. Get off in Chiang Dao town or near Ban Wang Chom, then continue by local vehicle or hired transport to the temple. Visitors planning a full-day route can combine Wat Uttaram with Chiang Dao Market, Wat Mae Ead, Chiang Dao Cave, and Wat Tham Pha Plong.

 

Wat Uttaram is also convenient because it is close to restaurants, cafés, and accommodation in Chiang Dao. Nearby places range from local food shops and coffee stops to small hotels, hostels, and nature-oriented stays. This makes the temple easy to include in a cultural and practical travel route, especially for visitors spending one night in Chiang Dao before continuing to the cave or mountain areas.

 

The best time to visit Wat Uttaram is in the morning or late afternoon. Morning visits are suitable for making merit before continuing to Chiang Dao Cave or Wat Tham Pha Plong. Late afternoon visits work well before checking into nearby accommodation or visiting Chiang Dao Walking Street when it is open. During the cool season, the weather is especially pleasant. During the rainy season, the surrounding fields and village landscape become greener, though travelers should allow more time for road conditions.

 

Visitors should follow standard Thai temple etiquette. Dress modestly, speak quietly, avoid entering monk-only areas without permission, and do not disturb people who are praying or taking part in religious activities. When viewing murals inside the viharn, avoid flash photography and behave respectfully. Wat Uttaram is an active community temple, so respectful conduct is part of the visit.

 

Wat Uttaram is best for travelers interested in local Buddhist culture, village temples, mural paintings, and slow travel in Chiang Dao. It is not a dramatic attraction like a cave or a mountain viewpoint, but it offers something equally important: a view of how Buddhism remains part of everyday community life. For anyone who wants to understand Chiang Dao beyond nature tourism, Wat Uttaram is a meaningful stop.

 

In summary, Wat Uttaram or Wat Uttaram Wang Chom is an old community temple in Chiang Dao Subdistrict. It was established in 1917 through the initiative of Nai Ai No Kham and the people of Ban Wang Chom, received Wisungkham Sima in 2003, and is currently associated with Phra Khru Boonyaphiwat Katapunyo as abbot. With its mural-filled viharn, Thai-style sermon hall, educational role, and continuing community use, the temple deserves attention as a cultural and spiritual landmark of Chiang Dao.

 

 

A: Wat Uttaram is located in Moo 4, Ban Wang Chom, Chiang Dao Subdistrict, Chiang Dao District, Chiang Mai Province, near Highway 107.

 

A: Wat Uttaram was established in 1917 by Nai Ai No Kham and local residents. It was originally called Wat Ban Wang Chom and received Wisungkham Sima in 2003.

 

A: Wat Uttaram is a local Buddhist temple under the Mahā Nikāya order.

 

A: The abbot of Wat Uttaram is Phra Khru Boonyaphiwat Katapunyo.

 

A: The temple has a viharn with murals depicting the life of the Buddha, heaven and hell, and the Ten Great Birth Stories, along with a Thai-style sermon hall and community learning spaces.

 

A: From Chiang Mai city, take Highway 107 toward Chiang Dao and search for Wat Uttaram Wang Chom. Public transport travelers can get off in Chiang Dao town and continue by local vehicle.

 

A: Travelers can combine the visit with Wat Mae Ead, Chiang Dao Market, Chiang Dao Walking Street, Chiang Dao Cave, and Wat Tham Pha Plong.

 

A: Wat Uttaram is best for travelers interested in local Buddhist culture, Lanna community temples, mural paintings, and quiet cultural travel in Chiang Dao.