Wat Ton Ngio

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 08.00 – 17.00

 

Wat Ton Ngio, also known as Wat Ton Ngio (Chimphli Mongkhon), is a local Buddhist temple under the Mahanikaya order. It is located at No. 82, Mu 4, Ban Chimphli, Ban Mae Subdistrict, San Pa Tong District, Chiang Mai Province 50120. The temple is an important religious center of Ban Chimphli, with a history connected to the revival of an abandoned temple, the relocation of the former Ban Ton Ngio community, and the establishment of Ban Chimphli as a village with its own Buddhist center. Wat Ton Ngio was officially recognized as a temple in 1974 and continues to serve as a place of merit-making, moral learning, and community faith.

 

The temple’s history begins with an older abandoned temple site. The original year of its first construction is not clearly recorded. Later, villagers from Ban Ton Ngio moved northward and settled on the western side of Lam Mueang Luang, also known locally as Chao Si Muen Canal. The new settlement came to be known as Ban Chimphli. At first, the villagers lacked a temple as the center for merit-making and spiritual life, so they returned to clear and restore the abandoned temple known as Wat Ton Ngio.

 

Lam Mueang Luang, or Chao Si Muen Canal, is important for understanding the landscape of Ban Chimphli. In Lanna communities, irrigation canals are closely connected with agriculture, settlement, and daily life. The relocation of the village to the western side of the canal shows the relationship between community formation, water systems, and Buddhist faith. Wat Ton Ngio is therefore part of a living village landscape shaped by water, farming, and religion.

 

The name Ton Ngio is linked with the former village identity, while Chimphli also carries a meaning associated with the silk-cotton tree. The temple name preserves the memory of the older Ban Ton Ngio community and connects it with the present Ban Chimphli settlement. Even after the village relocated, the community restored the old temple and preserved its name, making Wat Ton Ngio a symbol of continuity between past and present.

 

The original temple area covered a little over 4 rai. Later, Nai Pan Thirat donated additional land measuring about 1 rai and 23 square wah in June 1960, with donation documents still preserved. This land donation was an important step in the restoration of the temple because it provided additional space for monastic buildings, ceremonies, and community use. The donation reflects the strong faith of local residents in reviving the abandoned sacred site.

 

The restoration of Wat Ton Ngio was led by several respected villagers and community leaders, including Pho Nan Duang Kaew Khumkham, Pho Noi Pan Thirat, Pho Ta Khamchina, and the village headman Nai Ai Unkhum. Together with local residents, they cleared the area and began rebuilding the temple. This reflects a typical Lanna community pattern, where a temple is sustained not by one person alone but by shared labor, faith, and responsibility.

 

In 1959, the villagers began clearing the site and practicing religious observance there. They invited novice Bunsom Sopha, also known as Chaichana Mongkhon, from Wat Rangsi Suttharam to reside at the temple during the Buddhist Lent season. The presence of a monk or novice was a key step in bringing the abandoned temple back to life. The temple became a place of chanting, merit-making, spiritual practice, and community support once again.

 

The villagers later invited Khru Ba Bunma Metho, also known as Metha of Wat Nam Bo Luang, to serve as the presiding monk for the construction and restoration of temple structures. These included monks’ residences, a merit-making pavilion, sermon hall, ubosot, and viharn. His role gave the restoration a clear religious direction and helped the community rebuild the temple in a stable and orderly manner.

 

One of the most important parts of the restoration was the repair of the original chedi. The chedi had formerly been in Mon style and was later restored into an applied Thai style. This reflects both preservation and adaptation. The chedi remained the temple’s sacred focus while its form was adjusted to suit the period and the community’s capacity. It remains a major sacred object and a center of devotion in the temple’s annual relic-stupa bathing tradition.

 

After the restoration progressed and the temple structures became stable, the Ministry of Education elevated the abandoned temple as a temple with resident monks in 1974. This was not merely an administrative change. It marked the success of community faith in reviving an abandoned sacred site and returning it to an active role in the religious life of Ban Chimphli.

 

Important temple structures include monks’ residences, a merit-making pavilion, sermon hall, ubosot, viharn, and chedi. These structures allow Wat Ton Ngio to support a full range of Buddhist and community activities, including monastic residence, Dharma listening, family ceremonies, funeral merit-making, Kathin, pha pa, Buddhist Lent, and the annual relic-stupa bathing ceremony.

 

The viharn is the main devotional space of Wat Ton Ngio. Visitors should begin by paying respect in this area because it is where villagers worship, listen to Dharma, and participate in Buddhist ceremonies. In a Lanna community temple, the viharn is more than a building. It is the heart of temple life, where monks and laypeople meet through faith, chanting, offerings, and annual religious events.

 

The ubosot is an important space for formal monastic acts. Visitors should approach it with particular respect because it is connected with Buddhist discipline and sacred ceremonies. In a community temple, the ubosot represents the religious completeness of the temple and the community’s commitment to sustaining Buddhism over the long term.

 

The sermon hall and merit-making pavilion support the temple’s role as a community center. The sermon hall is used for Dharma listening, temple meetings, and ceremony preparation, while the merit-making pavilion supports family merit-making and community rites. These spaces show that the temple serves both religious and social functions in village life.

 

The monks’ residences allow the temple to remain active throughout the year. Resident monks use these spaces for living, chanting, study, temple care, and preparation for religious duties. A temple with resident monks supports the community not only during annual festivals but also through Buddhist holy days, family ceremonies, and spiritual guidance.

 

The chedi is one of the temple’s most important sacred structures. Its former Mon-style form and later applied Thai-style restoration connect the present temple with an older sacred past. Today, the chedi remains a central focus of devotion, especially during the annual relic-stupa bathing ceremony.

 

Phra Athikan Bunsom Suthiro, formerly novice Bunsom Sopha during the early restoration period, played an important role in the modern history of Wat Ton Ngio. On December 5, 1990, he received the ecclesiastical title Phra Khru Udom Sitthi Mongkhon and served as Ecclesiastical Subdistrict Chief of Ban Mae Area 2. He passed away in 1993 at the age of 54, with 34 rains-retreats as a monk. His name remains an important part of the temple’s memory.

 

After Phra Khru Udom Sitthi Mongkhon passed away, Wat Ton Ngio continued to be cared for by later abbots and acting abbots. Today, Phra Athikan Yanawit Chayaphirato is the abbot of Wat Ton Ngio (Chimphli Mongkhon). His role includes maintaining the temple, guiding Buddhist activities, coordinating with local supporters, and keeping the relationship between the temple and Ban Chimphli active and stable.

 

The most important annual tradition of Wat Ton Ngio is the relic-stupa bathing ceremony. It is held every year and serves as a major community merit-making event. The temple’s chedi is respected by local villagers, and the ceremony allows people to make merit, honor the sacred stupa, dedicate merit, and preserve Lanna Buddhist culture.

 

Wat Ton Ngio also supports other village Buddhist activities such as Kathin robe-offering ceremonies, pha pa merit-making, Buddhist Lent, the end of Buddhist Lent, Songkran, and family merit-making ceremonies. Kathin in particular reflects the temple’s continuing role because it requires cooperation among monks, community leaders, villagers, and lay supporters after the Buddhist Lent season.

 

Wat Ton Ngio serves Ban Chimphli in many ways. It is a place where elders make merit, where young people learn Buddhist manners, where families conduct ceremonies, and where villagers gather throughout the year. Because the temple was restored through community effort, villagers remain closely connected with it as a sacred place they helped revive and continue to maintain.

 

Ban Mae Subdistrict contains several village temples, including Wat Hang Dong, Wat Tha Pong, Wat Chimphli or Wat Ton Ngio, Wat Ban San, Wat Rong Khum, Wat Thammachai, Wat Kio Lae Noi, Wat Ban Dong, Wat Tha Duea, Som Suk Monastery, and Wat Ban Piang. This network reflects a Lanna pattern in which each village maintains a temple as a center of faith, tradition, education, and community life. Wat Ton Ngio is an important part of this religious landscape.

 

The main appeal of Wat Ton Ngio lies in its history as a revived abandoned temple, its connection with the former Ban Ton Ngio community and present Ban Chimphli, its chedi restored from Mon style to applied Thai style, and its annual relic-stupa bathing ceremony. The temple is suitable for visitors who want to understand a quiet Lanna village temple created and sustained by community faith.

 

The main things to appreciate at Wat Ton Ngio are the viharn, ubosot, chedi, sermon hall, merit-making pavilion, monks’ residences, and the calm atmosphere of Ban Chimphli. Visitors should begin by paying respect in the main worship area, then observe the chedi and temple grounds respectfully. During the annual relic-stupa bathing ceremony, visitors can see the strong bond between the temple and the community.

 

Visitors should pay respect in the main worship area and around the chedi. They may make merit, offer alms, or participate in temple activities when appropriate. Modest dress, quiet behavior, and respectful photography are important, especially around the chedi, ubosot, and ceremonial spaces.

 

Wat Ton Ngio is suitable for travelers interested in Lanna community temples, revived abandoned temple sites, annual relic-stupa bathing traditions, Ban Mae village culture, and cultural routes in San Pa Tong. It is best visited at a slow pace, allowing time to understand the relationship between the temple, the village, the canal, and local Buddhist traditions.

 

Wat Ton Ngio can be included in a connected cultural route through Ban Mae and San Pa Tong. Nearby places include Wat Rong Khum, Wat Ban San, Wat Tha Pong, Wat Kio Lae Noi, Ban Kio Lae Noi Wood-Carving Village, and the Ban Mae–Hang Dong cultural route. This route works well for a half-day or full-day trip combining temple visits, local food, village culture, and local craft learning.

 

Getting There is easiest by private car or rental car. From Chiang Mai city, take Chiang Mai–Hot Road, Highway 108, through Hang Dong toward San Pa Tong, then continue into Ban Mae Subdistrict and Ban Chimphli, Mu 4. Another option is to take the canal road through the Hang Dong area toward Ban Mae. Local village roads should be used carefully, especially on Buddhist holy days, school traffic hours, weekends, and temple-event days.

 

The best time to visit is in the morning or afternoon before evening. These periods are suitable for worship, walking around the viharn and chedi, and continuing to nearby temples or craft villages. Visitors who want to experience local temple culture should plan around the annual relic-stupa bathing ceremony. Those who prefer a quieter visit can come on ordinary weekdays for peaceful worship and observation.

 

In summary, Wat Ton Ngio, or Wat Ton Ngio (Chimphli Mongkhon), is an important community temple in Ban Chimphli, Mu 4, Ban Mae Subdistrict, San Pa Tong District, Chiang Mai. Originally an abandoned temple, it was revived by villagers after the relocation of the community to Ban Chimphli. Additional land was donated in 1960, and temple structures such as monks’ residences, merit-making pavilion, sermon hall, ubosot, viharn, and chedi were restored. The abandoned temple was officially elevated as a temple with resident monks in 1974. Today, with Phra Athikan Yanawit Chayaphirato as abbot, Wat Ton Ngio remains a meaningful destination for worship, local history, annual relic-stupa bathing, and quiet Lanna cultural travel.

 

 

A: Wat Ton Ngio is located at No. 82, Mu 4, Ban Chimphli, Ban Mae Subdistrict, San Pa Tong District, Chiang Mai 50120.

 

A: Yes. It is also known as Wat Ton Ngio (Chimphli Mongkhon) and is listed locally as Wat Chimphli (Wat Ton Ngio).

 

A: Wat Ton Ngio was officially recognized as a temple in 1974 after villagers restored the abandoned temple as a temple with resident monks.

 

A: The main historical highlight is its revival from an abandoned temple, additional land donation in 1960, and the restoration of the original chedi from Mon style into applied Thai style.

 

A: Important structures include monks’ residences, a merit-making pavilion, sermon hall, ubosot, viharn, and chedi.

 

A: The main annual tradition is the relic-stupa bathing ceremony, while the temple also holds Kathin and other community Buddhist events.

 

A: Phra Athikan Yanawit Chayaphirato is the abbot of Wat Ton Ngio (Chimphli Mongkhon).

 

A: It is suitable for travelers interested in Lanna community temples, revived abandoned temple sites, relic-stupa bathing traditions, Ban Mae village culture, and quiet cultural routes in San Pa Tong.