Wat Khun Se

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 08.00 – 17.00

 

Wat Khun Se is located at 110 Moo 8, Ban Khun Se, Nong Khwai Subdistrict, Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai Province. It is a private Buddhist temple under the Mahanikaya order and an important community temple for Ban Khun Se. The temple has a long history linked with local Lanna memory, the legend of Queen Chama Thewi, Phra Setangkamani, and the later religious patronage of Princess Dara Rasmi. For travelers exploring Hang Dong and the southern side of Chiang Mai, Wat Khun Se offers a quiet, meaningful stop where local faith, village history, and Lanna cultural memory come together.

 

Nong Khwai Subdistrict lies southwest of Chiang Mai city in Hang Dong District. The area includes old villages, agricultural land, residential communities, and important travel routes such as Chiang Mai–Hot Road, Route 108, and Hang Dong–Samoeng Road, Route 1269. Although Nong Khwai has developed into a more urbanized community over time, many village temples still preserve the religious and cultural roots of the area. Wat Khun Se is one of those temples, serving both as a Buddhist place of worship and as a cultural anchor for Ban Khun Se.

 

Wat Khun Se was officially established as a temple in 1857 and received royal granting of wisungkhamsima in 1993. Older temple history records that the temple may have originated around 1728. This layered chronology gives the temple both administrative history and local historical depth. It shows that Wat Khun Se has long been part of the Buddhist and village landscape of Hang Dong.

 

The name Wat Khun Se is connected with a local legend about Khun Sutham Sangkar, who is described as a guard of Phra Setangkamani, an important Buddha image associated with Queen Chama Thewi of Lamphun. The legend says that Queen Chama Thewi passed through this area on the way to visit Doi Suthep and stopped at Ban Khun Se. The name Khun Se is therefore tied to local memory, sacred travel routes, and the cultural world of early Lanna and Hariphunchai traditions.

 

The temple land recorded in the historical temple register covers 2 rai, 3 ngan, and 80 square wah, with Sor Kor 1 document number 146. Its boundaries are private land to the north, east, and west, and a public road to the south. Some contemporary travel information summarizes the temple area as 4 rai, 3 ngan, and 80 square wah. In practical terms, Wat Khun Se remains a village temple located within the Ban Khun Se community and is accessible for merit-making, ceremonies, and local religious life.

 

The important monastic structures of Wat Khun Se include a viharn, sermon hall, and monks’ residences. The viharn is the spiritual heart of the temple and is used for worship, sermons, merit-making, and Buddhist ceremonies. The sermon hall supports communal religious activities and village gatherings, while the monks’ residences allow monastic life to continue within the temple compound. These structures show that Wat Khun Se remains an active community temple rather than only a historic site.

 

The important sacred object of the temple is the principal Buddha image, cast in brass. This Buddha image is the main focus of worship for local residents and visitors. Those who visit should begin by paying respect inside the viharn, then walk around the temple quietly. The principal Buddha image is not only a religious object but also a spiritual anchor for Ban Khun Se, especially during merit-making events and Buddhist holy days.

 

Wat Khun Se is also historically connected with Princess Dara Rasmi. Around 1923, she sponsored the construction of a viharn and monks’ residences for the temple. Cultural records about her Buddhist patronage also mention that she built and celebrated the viharn of Wat Khun Se in Hang Dong District. This connection adds historical value to the temple because Princess Dara Rasmi played a significant role in supporting Buddhism, temples, and Lanna cultural life in Chiang Mai.

 

Although the viharn and monks’ residences associated with Princess Dara Rasmi have been removed or changed over time, some parts have been preserved, especially elements connected with the old ceiling and other architectural remains. Visitors can therefore appreciate both the newer temple structures and the surviving traces of the older buildings. This makes Wat Khun Se a place where local memory, architectural change, and community continuity can be seen together.

 

The contemporary abbot recorded in travel information is Phra Khru Wisit Thamachari Thammacharo. Older monk lists also mention Phra Khru Wisit Thamachari Chamnian of Wat Khun Se with temple contact numbers. Historical temple records include earlier abbots such as Phra Athikan Inta Inthananto, Phra Athikan Bunma Ariyawongso, and Phra Athikan Arun Inthapanyo. These names show the continuity of religious leadership at the temple across generations.

 

The main appeal of Wat Khun Se lies in its layered history. It is a community temple, but it also carries local legends involving Queen Chama Thewi and Phra Setangkamani, the memory of Princess Dara Rasmi’s patronage, and the everyday role of a Lanna village temple. Key points to see include the viharn, principal brass Buddha image, sermon hall, monks’ residences, temple courtyard, and preserved traces of older structures.

 

Wat Khun Se plays an important role as the spiritual center of Ban Khun Se. When villagers hold merit-making events, kathin, pha pa, memorial ceremonies, or Buddhist festivals, the temple provides both the sacred space and the social setting. Monks lead religious practice, while villagers support and maintain the temple. This relationship between monks, laypeople, and the village is central to Lanna community Buddhism.

 

Regular Buddhist activities at Wat Khun Se follow the annual rhythm of village temple life. These include Buddhist holy day merit-making, kathin, pha pa, sermons, Visakha Bucha, Asalha Bucha, Buddhist Lent, the end of Buddhist Lent, and memorial merit-making. These events bring families, relatives, neighbors, elders, and younger generations back to the temple throughout the year.

 

Nong Khwai Subdistrict has several temples that can be combined into a local temple route, including Wat Khun Se, Wat Doi Pao, Wat Tong Kai, Wat Na Buk, Wat Pho Phichit, Wat Roi Chan, Wat Wutthiraj, Wat Sahatsakhun, and Wat Intharawat or Wat Ton Kwen. Visiting these temples together helps travelers understand how Buddhism shapes village identity in Hang Dong and how each temple serves its own community.

 

For travelers, Wat Khun Se is suitable for a quiet cultural visit. It can be combined with Chiang Mai Night Safari, Royal Park Rajapruek, Wat Ton Kwen, Baan Tawai Handicraft Village, Kad Farang Village, Grand Canyon Water Park Chiang Mai, and Wat Doi Kham. This makes it a useful stop in a half-day or full-day route that includes temples, local villages, handicrafts, restaurants, accommodations, and family-friendly attractions.

 

The location of Ban Khun Se is convenient for travelers moving between Chiang Mai city, Hang Dong, and the Samoeng route. Visitors can begin with worship at Wat Khun Se, continue to Wat Ton Kwen for Lanna architecture, then visit Royal Park Rajapruek or Chiang Mai Night Safari. Those interested in crafts can continue to Baan Tawai, while travelers looking for food can stop at restaurants in Nong Khwai, Ban Waen, and Hang Dong.

 

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, then continue into Nong Khwai Subdistrict and Ban Khun Se, Moo 8. Another option is to use Hang Dong–Samoeng Road, Route 1269, which passes through communities in Nong Khwai. The drive from central Chiang Mai generally takes around 25 to 45 minutes depending on traffic.

 

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 ceremony is taking place, local participants should be given priority. Wat Khun Se is still an active community temple, so a quiet and respectful visit is the best way to experience it.

 

In summary, Wat Khun Se is a historic community temple in Ban Khun Se, Nong Khwai Subdistrict, Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai Province. Its value lies in its long religious history, the legend of Khun Sutham Sangkar and Queen Chama Thewi, the connection with Phra Setangkamani, the patronage of Princess Dara Rasmi, the brass principal Buddha image, and its ongoing role as a spiritual center for the local community. It is a meaningful stop for travelers who want to understand Chiang Mai through village temples and Lanna cultural memory.

 

 

A: Wat Khun Se is located at 110 Moo 8, Ban Khun Se, Nong Khwai Subdistrict, Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai 50230, Thailand.

 

A: Temple history records an origin around 1728. Wat Khun Se was officially established as a temple in 1857 and received royal granting of wisungkhamsima in 1993.

 

A: The name is connected with the local legend of Khun Sutham Sangkar, guardian of Phra Setangkamani, and Queen Chama Thewi’s journey through Ban Khun Se.

 

A: Around 1923, Princess Dara Rasmi sponsored the construction of a viharn and monks’ residences for Wat Khun Se, and cultural records mention that she built and celebrated the viharn of Wat Khun Se in Hang Dong.

 

A: Visitors can see the viharn, brass principal Buddha image, sermon hall, monks’ residences, temple courtyard, and preserved traces of older structures connected with the temple history.

 

A: Wat Khun Se is open daily from 08.00 to 17.00.

 

A: Take Chiang Mai–Hang Dong Road or Route 108, then continue into Nong Khwai Subdistrict and Ban Khun Se, Moo 8. Another option is Hang Dong–Samoeng Road, Route 1269.

 

A: Nearby places include Wat Ton Kwen, Chiang Mai Night Safari, Royal Park Rajapruek, Kad Farang Village, Baan Tawai Handicraft Village, Grand Canyon Water Park Chiang Mai, and Wat Doi Kham.