Wat Chantharawat

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 08.00 – 17.00

 

Wat Chantharawat, also known as Wat Nong Kham, is located at 105 Moo 5, Ban Nong Kham, Sob Mae Kha Subdistrict, Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai Province. It is a private Buddhist temple under the Mahanikaya order and an important spiritual center for the local community. The temple serves as a place for merit-making, sermons, Buddhist ceremonies, and village activities. For travelers exploring Hang Dong and the southern side of Chiang Mai, Wat Chantharawat offers a calm community-temple experience close to Ban Waen, Baan Tawai, Kad Farang Village, Royal Park Rajapruek, and other cultural attractions.

 

Sob Mae Kha Subdistrict lies on the eastern side of Hang Dong District. The area is shaped by lowland geography connected with the Mae Kha River and the Ping River, and it includes residential communities, agricultural areas, and local routes linking Chiang Mai city, Hang Dong, Saraphi, and nearby districts. Ban Nong Kham is one of the villages in this subdistrict, and Wat Chantharawat functions as the village temple where people gather for religious practice and community events.

 

The temple history identifies Wat Chantharawat as an old community temple of Ban Nong Kham. It was officially permitted to be established as a temple in 1897. The name Chantharawat has an auspicious meaning. “Chanthara” refers to the moon, suggesting cool light, calmness, and serenity, while “wat” refers to a monastery or temple. Together, the name gives the image of a peaceful sacred place and fits the temple’s role as a spiritual refuge for the local community.

 

The temple land covers 2 rai, 2 ngan, and 74 square wah. Its compound is appropriately sized for a village temple and is used for monastic and community religious activities. The temple supports merit-making, sermons, community ceremonies, memorial rites, and Buddhist events throughout the year. Its importance lies not in large-scale tourism, but in its continuing role as a living temple for local people.

 

From a local-history perspective, Wat Chantharawat reflects the settlement and development of Ban Nong Kham. As the village community grew and became more established, the temple became an important institution for organizing religious life and maintaining social ties. Local residents use the temple for Buddhist holy day activities, major ceremonies, sermons, and the transmission of values such as merit, gratitude, cooperation, and respect across generations.

 

The contemporary abbot associated with Wat Chantharawat is Phra Khru Thaworn Panyaphinan Techapanyo. His name appears in the 2024 list of operational Buddhist missionaries for Chiang Mai Province, Region 7, with Wat Chantharawat, Sob Mae Kha Subdistrict, Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai Province listed as his temple. In a community temple, the abbot plays an important role as a religious leader, caretaker of temple activities, and point of connection between monks and local residents.

 

Wat Chantharawat is one of the important temples in Sob Mae Kha Subdistrict. Other temples in the subdistrict include Wat Chai Sathan, Wat Sri Wari Sathan, and Wat Sa Kaeo. Each temple serves its own village while also forming part of the wider Buddhist network of the subdistrict. Visiting Wat Chantharawat helps travelers understand how temples function as local religious and social centers in rural Chiang Mai.

 

The main appeal of Wat Chantharawat is its quiet community character. It is not a large commercial tourist temple, and that is part of its value. Visitors can come for worship, merit-making, and a calm look at village religious life in Hang Dong. The temple is suitable for elderly visitors, families, cultural travelers, and anyone who wants to experience Chiang Mai beyond the old city and major landmark temples.

 

Visitors should focus on worship, the temple courtyard, and the community-use areas of the compound. The value of a local temple often appears in small details: villagers arriving to make merit, preparations for ceremonies, quiet daily worship, and the shared maintenance of temple space. These details show how the temple continues to support the spiritual and social life of Ban Nong Kham.

 

Annual and regular Buddhist activities at Wat Chantharawat follow the rhythm of Lanna community life. These include Buddhist holy day merit-making, kathin, pha pa, Visakha Bucha, Asalha Bucha, Buddhist Lent, the end of Buddhist Lent, memorial merit-making, and sermons on important occasions. Such activities bring families, relatives, neighbors, monks, elders, and younger generations together at the temple.

 

The role of Wat Chantharawat as a spiritual center is especially clear during community ceremonies. When local people hold merit-making events, funerary rites, dedication ceremonies, or Buddhist festivals, the temple provides both the sacred space and the social setting. Monks lead religious practice, while villagers support, maintain, and participate in temple life. This relationship is central to Lanna village Buddhism.

 

The location of Sob Mae Kha makes Wat Chantharawat easy to connect with nearby cultural routes. Travelers can combine the temple with other temples in Sob Mae Kha such as Wat Chai Sathan, Wat Sri Wari Sathan, and Wat Sa Kaeo, or continue toward Ban Waen and Nong Khwai to visit Wat Ton Kwen, Wat Thao Bun Rueang, Wat Thep Prasit, and Wat Worawet Wisit. This makes the temple a useful stop for understanding the wider temple network of Hang Dong.

 

A practical route can begin with worship at Wat Chantharawat in the morning or late afternoon. Visitors can then continue to Kad Farang Village for food or coffee, Baan Tawai Handicraft Village for woodwork and local crafts, Wat Ton Kwen for traditional Lanna architecture, and Royal Park Rajapruek or Grand Canyon Water Park Chiang Mai for leisure and family activities. This route combines temples, village culture, crafts, restaurants, and accommodation options within the Hang Dong area.

 

Hang Dong is one of Chiang Mai’s most diverse travel zones. It includes historic temples, community temples, handicraft villages, restaurants, cafés, resorts, golf courses, and family attractions. Wat Chantharawat can serve as a peaceful cultural starting point before continuing to busier attractions nearby. This makes it suitable for travelers who want a slower, more meaningful route around southern Chiang Mai.

 

Getting There is convenient by private car, rental car, or hired transport from Chiang Mai city. Take Chiang Mai–Hang Dong Road or Route 108 toward Hang Dong District, then continue into Sob Mae Kha Subdistrict and Ban Nong Kham, Moo 5. The drive from central Chiang Mai generally takes around 25 to 40 minutes depending on traffic. Travelers using local transport can take a Chiang Mai–Hang Dong route vehicle and continue by hired transport or ride-hailing service.

 

The best time to visit is in the morning or late afternoon when the weather is more comfortable. Visitors should dress modestly, keep noise low, respect monks’ areas, avoid disturbing worshippers, and take photos with discretion. If a temple ceremony is taking place, local participants should be given priority. Wat Chantharawat is still a living community temple, so a respectful and quiet visit is the most appropriate way to experience it.

 

Wat Chantharawat is recommended for travelers who want to see Chiang Mai beyond major tourist routes. It offers a direct view of Ban Nong Kham, Sob Mae Kha, and the role of a Buddhist temple as a village spiritual center. Although it is not a large tourist attraction, it is meaningful as an old community temple, a peaceful place for worship, and a useful connection point for cultural, craft, food, and accommodation routes around Hang Dong.

 

 

A: Wat Chantharawat is located at 105 Moo 5, Ban Nong Kham, Sob Mae Kha Subdistrict, Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai 50230, Thailand.

 

A: Wat Chantharawat is also known as Wat Nong Kham because it is located in Ban Nong Kham, Moo 5, Sob Mae Kha Subdistrict.

 

A: Wat Chantharawat was officially permitted to be established as a temple in 1897 and is an old community temple of Ban Nong Kham.

 

A: The temple is a spiritual center for Ban Nong Kham and Sob Mae Kha, supporting merit-making, sermons, Buddhist ceremonies, and community activities.

 

A: The contemporary abbot associated with Wat Chantharawat is Phra Khru Thaworn Panyaphinan Techapanyo.

 

A: Wat Chantharawat is open daily from 08.00 to 17.00.

 

A: Take Chiang Mai–Hang Dong Road or Route 108 toward Hang Dong District, then continue into Sob Mae Kha Subdistrict and Ban Nong Kham, Moo 5. Private car, rental car, or hired transport is the most convenient option.

 

A: Nearby places include Wat Chai Sathan, Wat Sri Wari Sathan, Wat Sa Kaeo, Kad Farang Village, Baan Tawai Handicraft Village, Wat Ton Kwen, and Royal Park Rajapruek.