Wat Phra That Pu Chae

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 08.00 – 17.00

 

Wat Phra That Pu Chae is a Maha Nikaya Buddhist temple located at 97 Ban Mai Pu Chae, Moo 4, Mae Ai Subdistrict, Mae Ai District, Chiang Mai Province. Established in 1937, the temple is one of the important community temples of Ban Mai Pu Chae and is centered on the revered Phra That Pu Chae, also known locally as Phra That Pu Jae. The temple is closely connected with local faith, Lanna traditions, and the spiritual identity of Mae Ai District.

 

Wat Phra That Pu Chae is a meaningful destination for travelers who want to experience the religious and cultural depth of northern Chiang Mai. Its main appeal is not only the old stupa but also the temple’s elevated setting, shaded grounds, meditation-friendly atmosphere, and continuing role as a spiritual center for the local community. Travelers following the Fang–Mae Ai–Tha Ton route can stop here for worship, merit-making, and a deeper understanding of Mae Ai’s local Buddhist heritage.

 

The temple is located in Ban Mai Pu Chae, Moo 4, Mae Ai Subdistrict. This area is part of the northern Chiang Mai travel corridor linking Fang, Mae Ai, Tha Ton, and Chiang Rai. The surrounding district includes old communities, local temples, natural attractions, and stories connected with Wiang Malika. Wat Phra That Pu Chae therefore adds historical, spiritual, and community-based value to a trip through Mae Ai.

 

The history of Wat Phra That Pu Chae is rooted in local devotion to the stupa. Local tradition connects the temple with the time of Queen Malika and the old city of Malika more than 400 years ago. This story gives the temple a deeper local identity. It is not simply a village temple but a sacred site that links community memory, local legend, and Buddhist faith in northern Chiang Mai.

 

Phra That Pu Chae is the principal sacred monument of the temple and the most important point of worship for visitors. Local people in Mae Ai come to pay respect to the stupa for auspiciousness, peace, and well-being. The importance of the stupa is also expressed through annual religious ceremonies that bring the community together around the temple.

 

The temple’s most important annual tradition is the bathing ceremony of Phra That Pu Chae on Visakha Bucha Day. Devotees join a procession up to the stupa, bring turmeric and som poi water for the ritual bathing, pay respect to the stupa, and perform candlelight circumambulation around it. This tradition reflects living community faith and preserves a distinctive Lanna Buddhist practice in Mae Ai.

 

The turmeric and som poi water used in the ceremony carries strong cultural meaning in northern Thailand. Turmeric is associated with purity, brightness, and auspiciousness, while som poi is traditionally used in cleansing and blessing rituals. Bathing the stupa with this water is an act of devotion and a prayer for prosperity, progress, and happiness for oneself and one’s family.

 

The temple grounds cover 35 rai and 25 square wah. The monastic buildings include a sermon hall and monks’ residences. Important sacred objects associated with the temple include Phra Sitthi Sam, an Emerald Buddha image, Buddha images, Phra Pho Khun Mengrai, Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, the stupa, and a brass bell. These elements make Wat Phra That Pu Chae both a functioning community temple and a site with several objects of religious devotion.

 

The ordination hall is another important religious space within the temple. It reflects the continued development of the temple through the faith and support of monks and the local community. The hall strengthens the temple’s role as a place for Buddhist ceremonies, merit-making, meditation, and religious activities.

 

Phra Khru Palat Preecha Supanyo serves as the abbot of Wat Phra That Pu Chae. He has played an important role in developing the temple grounds, planting trees, improving the meditation environment, and supporting Buddhist education. He also serves as the director of the Sunday Buddhist Studies Center at Wat Phra That Pu Chae and teaches moral education at Mae Ai Witthayakhom School. These roles show that the temple is not only a place of worship but also a learning space for Buddhist values and community ethics.

 

The atmosphere of Wat Phra That Pu Chae is peaceful and suitable for meditation. The temple stands on elevated ground, surrounded by trees and quiet spaces. Visitors can worship at the stupa, walk respectfully around the temple grounds, and experience the calm atmosphere of a Lanna community temple. It is especially suitable for cultural travelers, Buddhist devotees, and visitors looking for a quieter stop in northern Chiang Mai.

 

Key points to see at Wat Phra That Pu Chae include the main stupa, the chedi, Buddha images, the sermon hall, the meditation area, and the shaded temple courtyard. Visitors who come during Visakha Bucha Day can experience the annual bathing ceremony of the stupa, while those visiting on ordinary days can appreciate the quiet religious atmosphere of the temple and its role in local village life.

 

The temple plays an important role in Ban Mai Pu Chae community life. It functions as a spiritual center, a place for merit-making, a Buddhist learning space, and a point of connection between the temple, local school, and villagers. Because the abbot is involved in Sunday Buddhist education and moral teaching, the temple also contributes to the ethical development of young people in the area.

 

In Lanna culture, temples are closely connected with community identity. At Wat Phra That Pu Chae, the stupa bathing ceremony, candlelight circumambulation, merit-making, and meditation activities show how Buddhist practice remains woven into local life. The temple therefore offers visitors a chance to see living faith rather than a purely historical site.

 

Wat Phra That Pu Chae is suitable for travelers interested in old stupas, local Buddhist temples, Mae Ai cultural routes, and quiet places for merit-making. It can be combined with nearby temples such as Wat Ban Mai Pu Chae, Wat Mae Ai Luang, Wat Niwas Sathan, and Wat Tha Ton Royal Temple, as well as attractions around Tha Ton and Fang.

 

Getting There is easiest by private car. From Chiang Mai city, travel north via Mae Rim, Chiang Dao, Fang, and Mae Ai, then continue to Ban Mai Pu Chae in Moo 4, Mae Ai Subdistrict. From Chiang Rai, travelers can approach Mae Ai through Mae Chan and Tha Ton. Public transport users can take a bus or van toward Fang or Tha Ton and then use local transport for the final section to Ban Mai Pu Chae.

 

A practical itinerary can begin with Wat Phra That Pu Chae, continue to Wat Ban Mai Pu Chae, Wat Mae Ai Luang, or Wat Niwas Sathan, and then head toward Wat Tha Ton Royal Temple, Tha Ton Boat Pier, Thanathon Orchard, or Roi Jai Rak Project. This route combines old temples, sacred stupas, village communities, natural scenery, and local food in one northern Chiang Mai journey.

 

Visitors should dress modestly, speak quietly, and respect sacred areas, especially around the stupa and meditation spaces. During the Visakha Bucha ceremony, visitors should prepare for the walk up to the stupa and join the ritual with proper respect. Photography should be done carefully and should not disturb monks, meditators, or local worshippers.

 

Overall, Wat Phra That Pu Chae is one of the important temples of Mae Ai District. Its old stupa, annual Visakha Bucha bathing ceremony, shaded elevated setting, meditation atmosphere, and educational role in the community make it a meaningful stop for travelers exploring the cultural and spiritual side of northern Chiang Mai.

 

 

A: Wat Phra That Pu Chae is located at 97 Ban Mai Pu Chae, Moo 4, Mae Ai Subdistrict, Mae Ai District, Chiang Mai Province 50280.

 

A: It is a Maha Nikaya community temple centered on an old stupa revered by the people of Mae Ai and known for its annual stupa bathing ceremony on Visakha Bucha Day.

 

A: Yes. The temple is open daily from 08.00 to 17.00.

 

A: The main highlights are Phra That Pu Chae, the chedi, sacred Buddha images, the sermon hall, the meditation area, and the peaceful elevated temple grounds.

 

A: The bathing ceremony of Phra That Pu Chae is held on Visakha Bucha Day, with a procession, turmeric and som poi water, worship, and candlelight circumambulation around the stupa.

 

A: Phra Khru Palat Preecha Supanyo is the abbot of Wat Phra That Pu Chae.

 

A: It is suitable for travelers interested in old stupas, local Lanna temples, merit-making, meditation, and cultural routes in Mae Ai District.

 

A: Nearby attractions include Wat Ban Mai Pu Chae, Wat Mae Ai Luang, Wat Niwas Sathan, Wat Tha Ton Royal Temple, Tha Ton Boat Pier, Thanathon Orchard, and Roi Jai Rak Project.