Wat Intharam

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 08.00 – 17.00

 

Wat Intharam, locally known as Wat Mae Khi Nok, is a community Buddhist temple located at No. 53, Ban Mae Khi Lai Fang, Moo 4, Si Dong Yen Subdistrict, Chai Prakan District, Chiang Mai Province. It is a local temple under the Mahanikaya order. The temple land covers 2 rai, 1 ngan, and 14 square wa under title deed No. 791. Wat Intharam is one of the long-established temples of the Mae Khi community and Si Dong Yen Subdistrict, with a founding history that reaches back to 1871 and an establishment year of 1880.

 

The temple is especially meaningful because of its long continuity. By 2026, more than 140 years had passed since its establishment in 1880. If counted from the historical founding date of 1871, the story extends even further. Over this long period, Wat Intharam became part of the shared memory of Ban Mae Khi Lai Fang through Buddhist holy days, merit-making, local ceremonies, Lanna traditions, and community activities across generations.

 

The older local name, Wat Mae Khi Nok, clearly reflects the temple’s relationship with the Mae Khi community. Nearby, Wat Sukawat is known as Wat Mae Khi Nai. The names Mae Khi Nai and Mae Khi Nok show how temples help define local space and community identity. Wat Intharam is therefore not just a religious site, but a marker of place, memory, and village belonging.

 

The temple’s early history begins with local devotees who joined together to build a temple called Wat Mae Khi Nok. They then invited Phra Inta to become the abbot. Later, the Sangha changed the temple name to Wat Intharam. The name therefore preserves a connection with the early religious leadership of the temple and the faith of the villagers who founded it.

 

Records indicate that 12 abbots are known in the temple’s administrative history. This long line of leadership reflects the continuity of Buddhist life in the village. A community temple depends on successive abbots to care for monastic life, maintain temple property, organize ceremonies, coordinate with lay supporters, and keep the temple active as a spiritual center.

 

The current abbot is Phra Thawatchai Thirawaso. In a village temple, the abbot’s role extends beyond formal religious ceremonies. He helps guide the monastic community, maintain the temple grounds, receive invitations for merit-making events, support Buddhist activities, and preserve the temple’s relationship with villagers.

 

The temple boundaries are closely connected with public roads and the Fang River. To the north, south, and east, the temple borders public roads, while the western side borders the Fang River. This setting places Wat Intharam within the everyday landscape of the village, linking it with local travel routes, homes, and a major waterway of the area.

 

The western boundary along the Fang River gives the temple a strong local landscape identity. The Fang River has long supported settlement, agriculture, and community life in northern Chiang Mai. Wat Intharam therefore stands at a point where Buddhism, village life, public roads, and water geography meet.

 

The temple also has one plot of monastic land measuring 3 ngan and 33 square wa under title deed No. 4290. In a community temple, such land is part of the religious foundation that helps support the temple’s long-term role. It is not merely a land record, but part of the temple’s capacity to continue serving the Buddhist community.

 

The main structures of Wat Intharam include an ubosot, viharn, sermon hall, monks’ residences, and multi-purpose hall. These structures allow the temple to support several kinds of religious and community activity. The ubosot is used for formal monastic acts, the viharn is used for worship, the sermon hall supports dhamma listening and gatherings, the monks’ residences support monastic life, and the multi-purpose hall accommodates broader community activities.

 

The ubosot is a sacred area connected with formal Sangha functions. Visitors should dress modestly, behave quietly, and avoid disturbing monks or villagers during ceremonies. At a living community temple, respectful conduct is more important than treating the site as a casual photo stop.

 

The viharn is where local people pay respect to Buddha images, receive precepts, listen to dhamma, and join religious activities. In a Lanna community temple, the viharn is more than a building. It is one of the central spaces where villagers connect daily life with Buddhist faith.

 

The sermon hall is also important because it supports dhamma listening, merit-making, village gatherings, and preparation for temple ceremonies. In rural northern Thailand, sermon halls often serve as familiar community spaces where villagers come together to prepare offerings, food, and ceremony arrangements.

 

The monks’ residences show that the temple supports continuing monastic life. A temple with resident monks can maintain daily chanting, receive offerings, accept invitations for ceremonies, and guide the religious life of the community. This makes Wat Intharam a functioning village temple rather than a purely historical site.

 

The multi-purpose hall gives the temple flexibility. It can be used for merit-making, meetings, preparation for ceremonies, and other community activities. This allows Wat Intharam to serve as a public space for Ban Mae Khi Lai Fang as well as a religious site.

 

Important sacred and cultural objects at the temple include Buddha images and Lanna palm-leaf manuscripts. The Buddha images are the main focus of devotion, while the palm-leaf manuscripts are valuable cultural heritage. In Lanna culture, palm-leaf manuscripts preserve Buddhist teachings, local script, traditional writing practices, moral stories, and community knowledge.

 

Lanna palm-leaf manuscripts are not merely old objects. They are media through which dhamma and local knowledge were transmitted. Monks, novices, and learned community members used such manuscripts to preserve teachings, Jataka stories, local chronicles, legends, and moral instruction. Their presence at Wat Intharam gives the temple an important cultural dimension.

 

Si Dong Yen is an important agricultural subdistrict of Chai Prakan. Its landscape includes farmland, mountains, water sources, and several villages. Wat Intharam stands in a setting where Buddhism, agriculture, and Lanna culture are closely connected. Villagers use temples not only on Buddhist holy days, but also during annual traditions, family ceremonies, and community activities.

 

Important local traditions in Si Dong Yen include Buddhist Lent, the end of Buddhist Lent, Salak Phat, Northern Thai New Year, Yi Peng, new rice offerings, and the wooden support ceremony. These traditions keep local temples active throughout the year. Buddhist Lent brings offerings, candle presentation, precept observance, and support for resident monks. After the end of Buddhist Lent, communities prepare for Kathin, robe offerings, and temple maintenance activities.

 

Salak Phat is a distinctive Lanna merit-making tradition. Families prepare offerings, decorated merit gifts, and ritual items according to their means, then bring them to the temple. This tradition reflects generosity, refinement, and cooperation within the village. At a long-established temple such as Wat Intharam, it fits naturally within the rhythm of local religious life.

 

Northern Thai New Year, or Pi Mai Mueang, is a lively temple season. Villagers visit temples to make merit, bathe Buddha images, ask blessings from elders, and reconnect with family and community. Yi Peng brings candlelight, prayer, and full-moon merit-making. These traditions keep Lanna identity alive through temple life.

 

The new rice offering tradition reflects the agricultural character of Si Dong Yen. When villagers bring newly harvested rice or farm produce to the temple, they express gratitude for land, harvest, family labor, and the Triple Gem. The wooden support ceremony symbolizes the wish to uphold Buddhism and sustain life. These practices show how faith, farming, and local culture meet at the temple.

 

Wat Intharam also serves as a contemporary community service space. Local government teams have used the temple as a site for outreach activities and public services. This shows that the temple remains a central and accessible place for villagers, public officials, and community leaders to meet and coordinate.

 

Wat Intharam is suitable for travelers interested in Lanna village temples, the history of Ban Mae Khi Lai Fang, Lanna palm-leaf manuscripts, and community-based cultural routes. Its main value lies in its age, its relationship with the Fang River, its old name Wat Mae Khi Nok, and its origin in the faith of local villagers.

 

Visitors should begin by paying respect in the worship area and then walk quietly around the main structures, including the ubosot, viharn, sermon hall, monks’ residences, and multi-purpose hall. The temple should be experienced as a living religious space used by local people, not merely as a stop for photographs.

 

Wat Intharam can be connected with several nearby places in a cultural route, including Wat Sukawat or Wat Mae Khi Nai, Wat Si Dong Yen, Wat San Sai, Wat San Ton Pao, Wat Tham Tab Tao, Hinoki Land, and Doi Wiang Pha National Park. This route combines old community temples, village identity, cave religious sites, contemporary attractions, and mountain nature.

 

Wat Sukawat, or Wat Mae Khi Nai, is a particularly meaningful nearby temple because it completes the local Mae Khi identity. Visiting Wat Intharam and Wat Sukawat together helps travelers understand the relationship between Mae Khi Nok and Mae Khi Nai and how temples help define local space and memory.

 

Wat Tham Tab Tao is an important religious site in Si Dong Yen, known for its cave setting and local history. Hinoki Land is a popular modern attraction in Chai Prakan, while Doi Wiang Pha National Park offers mountain scenery, forest, and cooler northern air. Combining these places with Wat Intharam creates a balanced route of religion, culture, community, and nature.

 

The best time to visit is in the morning or late afternoon, when the weather is more comfortable and there is enough time to continue to nearby temples. The cool season is especially pleasant for travel in Chai Prakan, while the rainy season brings greener fields and mountain scenery. During the rainy season, visitors should drive carefully on local roads and routes near waterways.

 

Getting There from Chiang Mai city is easiest by private car or rental car. Follow Highway 107 north through Mae Rim, Mae Taeng, Chiang Dao, and Chai Prakan, then continue into Si Dong Yen Subdistrict and Ban Mae Khi Lai Fang, Moo 4. A private vehicle is the most convenient option for combining Wat Intharam with Wat Sukawat, Wat Si Dong Yen, Wat Tham Tab Tao, Hinoki Land, and Doi Wiang Pha National Park.

 

Travelers without a private vehicle can use public transport on the Chiang Mai–Fang or Chiang Mai–Mae Ai route and continue locally from Chai Prakan to Si Dong Yen and Ban Mae Khi Lai Fang. This requires more planning because many community temples are not located directly at main public transport stops. A private vehicle is recommended for a complete cultural route.

 

Visitors should dress modestly, keep quiet in the ubosot, viharn, sermon hall, and monk-use areas, and avoid disturbing ceremonies or local activities. If taking photos of people, ask permission first. Wat Intharam is an active community temple, so respectful behavior is essential.

 

For food and accommodation, travelers can use restaurants, cafés, guest rooms, small resorts, and homestays in Si Dong Yen and Chai Prakan. The area is suitable as a stopover between Chiang Mai, Fang, Mae Ai, Doi Ang Khang, and Tha Ton. Staying overnight in Chai Prakan allows more time to explore temples, communities, and nearby natural attractions without rushing.

 

In summary, Wat Intharam, also known as Wat Mae Khi Nok, is a long-established community temple in Ban Mae Khi Lai Fang, Moo 4, Si Dong Yen Subdistrict, Chai Prakan District, Chiang Mai Province. Founded in 1871 and established in 1880, it continues to serve as a Mahanikaya temple with an ubosot, viharn, sermon hall, monks’ residences, multi-purpose hall, Buddha images, and Lanna palm-leaf manuscripts. It is suitable for travelers who want to make merit, learn about Mae Khi community history, and connect a Si Dong Yen cultural route with nearby temples, waterways, restaurants, accommodation, and key attractions in Chai Prakan.

 

 

A: Wat Intharam is located at No. 53, Ban Mae Khi Lai Fang, Moo 4, Si Dong Yen Subdistrict, Chai Prakan District, Chiang Mai Province 50320.

 

A: Wat Intharam was formerly known locally as Wat Mae Khi Nok.

 

A: Its history records the founding in 1871 and establishment in 1880 by local devotees.

 

A: The abbot is Phra Thawatchai Thirawaso.

 

A: Yes. Wat Intharam is open daily from 08.00 to 17.00 for worship, merit-making, and temple visits.

 

A: Important features include the ubosot, viharn, sermon hall, monks’ residences, multi-purpose hall, Buddha images, and Lanna palm-leaf manuscripts.

 

A: It is the spiritual center of Ban Mae Khi Lai Fang, supporting merit-making, dhamma listening, Buddhist ceremonies, and community religious activities.

 

A: Nearby places include Wat Sukawat, Wat Si Dong Yen, Wat San Sai, Wat Tham Tab Tao, Hinoki Land, Wat San Ton Pao, and Doi Wiang Pha National Park.