Wat Nak Nimit

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 08:00 – 17:00

 

Wat Nak Nimit is located at 109 Moo 6, Ban Tha Nak, Nong Tong Subdistrict, Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai 50340. It is a local Buddhist temple under the Maha Nikaya order and is an important community temple for Ban Tha Nak. The temple covers 6 rai of land, was officially established in 1917, and received its consecrated boundary for monastic ceremonies in 1956. The current abbot is Phra Khru Worakhun Sathit Khunwaro. Wat Nak Nimit serves as a place of worship, merit-making, Buddhist ceremonies, and community faith in Nong Tong Subdistrict.

 

The temple’s history is closely connected with local devotion. Wat Nak Nimit was recorded as being built in 1917, while another historical account places its construction around 1908. Local devotees pooled their resources to purchase land for the temple and invited monks from Wat Wang Mui to lead the establishment of the temple. The temple was originally known as Wat Tha Khi Nak and was later renamed Wat Nak Nimit in 1941. This history shows how the temple grew from the faith and cooperation of local villagers.

 

The story of villagers purchasing land together is central to understanding Wat Nak Nimit. This was not a temple created separately from the community; it was established because local people wanted a sacred place for merit-making, sermons, ceremonies, and spiritual support. Such a beginning is typical of many Lanna community temples, where the relationship between village and temple is intimate and long-lasting.

 

The consecrated boundary granted in 1956 is an important milestone in the temple’s development. Historical records describe the boundary as 40 meters wide and 80 meters long. A consecrated boundary allows formal Sangha ceremonies to be performed properly according to Buddhist monastic discipline. This confirms Wat Nak Nimit’s role as a complete Buddhist temple serving both monks and laypeople.

 

Wat Nak Nimit is located in Nong Tong Subdistrict, south of Hang Dong District and Chiang Mai city. Highway 1015, the San Pa Tong–Lamphun route, is a major road connecting Chiang Mai, Lamphun, and nearby communities. The surrounding area is strongly agricultural, with local livelihoods connected to fresh and processed longan, rice farming, orchards, chili, soybean, and garlic. Wat Nak Nimit therefore stands within a cultural landscape where farming, village life, and Buddhist faith remain closely connected.

 

Nong Tong is also a historically significant area. Wiang Mano Ancient Settlement is located in the same subdistrict and is associated with the Hariphunchai period. The ancient settlement has traces of moats, earthen walls, and archaeological objects such as Buddha image fragments, miniature stupas, and pottery. Although Wat Nak Nimit is a more recent community temple, it stands within a broader historical landscape shaped by older settlements, Lanna Buddhism, and rural life.

 

The main temple structures at Wat Nak Nimit include an ordination hall, sermon hall, and monks’ residences. Important sacred objects include Buddha images and a chedi. The ordination hall supports formal monastic ceremonies. The sermon hall serves Dhamma teaching, community gatherings, and merit-making activities. The monks’ residences support monastic life, while the Buddha images and chedi form the spiritual heart of the temple.

 

Visitors should begin by paying respect to the Buddha images inside the temple. The chedi is another meaningful feature because it represents faith, continuity, and Buddhist presence within the community. In a Lanna village temple, the chedi and Buddha images are not merely architectural or artistic elements. They are focal points of worship and memory for local devotees.

 

The temple’s abbots reflect its continuity over time. Historical records mention Phra Kong as an early abbot from 1908 to 1917, followed by Phra Chan Di, Phra Kong Kawichai, Phra Banya Manavaro, Phra Chum Ariyo, and Phra Saeng Suwannapho. The current abbot is Phra Khru Worakhun Sathit Khunwaro. This succession shows that Wat Nak Nimit has been cared for through generations and remains a living religious institution.

 

Wat Nak Nimit plays an important role in Ban Tha Nak. Local residents come to the temple for Buddhist holy days, sermons, ordinations, funerals, Kathin, forest robe offerings, and temple activities throughout the year. The temple brings together elders, families, youth, and villagers during merit-making events. In this way, the temple serves both religious and social purposes.

 

The former name Wat Tha Khi Nak adds cultural meaning to the temple. The word nak, or naga, carries strong associations in Thai and Lanna belief as a sacred serpent connected with protection, water, fertility, and Buddhism. While the temple’s documented history should remain the main basis for understanding the site, the name Wat Tha Khi Nak and the village name Ban Tha Nak give the temple a distinctive local identity.

 

The atmosphere at Wat Nak Nimit is quiet and local. It is not a large commercial tourist attraction. Its value lies in its community history, its foundation through local faith, its former name, its consecrated boundary, and its role as the temple of Ban Tha Nak. Visitors should allow at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to pay respect, walk around the temple grounds, and understand its place in the local community.

 

Important things to see at Wat Nak Nimit include the ordination hall, sermon hall, monks’ residences, chedi, Buddha images, and temple grounds. The ordination hall represents the temple’s formal monastic role. The sermon hall reflects its community function. The temple grounds show how the site continues to serve villagers in daily and seasonal religious life.

 

Visitors should pay respect to the Buddha images and chedi. Modest clothing, quiet speech, respect for monks and local devotees, and asking permission before photographing sensitive spaces are appropriate. Since Wat Nak Nimit is an active community temple, it should be visited as a living sacred place rather than simply as a sightseeing stop.

 

Temple activities follow the Buddhist calendar and Lanna village traditions. These include Buddhist holy days, Buddhist Lent, the end of Buddhist Lent, Kathin, forest robe offerings, Salak Phat, and Poi Luang when temple structures are celebrated. These events bring the community together and help sustain the temple as a shared space of faith and cultural continuity.

 

Wat Nak Nimit also has a role beyond formal religious ceremonies. Community temples often function as public gathering places, social support spaces, and locations for activities related to local well-being. Wat Nak Nimit continues to serve this broader community role in Ban Tha Nak and Nong Tong Subdistrict.

 

A cultural route around Wat Nak Nimit can include Wat Tha Nak, Wat Nong Tong, Wiang Mano Ancient Settlement, Wat Phra Chao Lueam, and Wat Sa Trai Nurak or Wat Na Wiang. A half-day route may begin at Wat Nak Nimit to learn about the former Wat Tha Khi Nak, continue to Wat Tha Nak to see a revived abandoned temple, and then visit Wiang Mano and nearby old temples to understand the deeper history of Nong Tong.

 

Visitors with more time can extend the route to Wat Sa Trai Nurak, known for its historic scripture hall in the middle of a pond, or continue toward Wiang Tha Kan in San Pa Tong District. This route is suitable for travelers interested in local temples, Lanna art, ancient settlements, Hariphunchai-period history, and agricultural communities in southern Chiang Mai.

 

Getting There is easiest by private car, rental car, or ride-hailing service. From Chiang Mai city, travel toward Hang Dong District, then continue to Nong Tong Subdistrict via the San Pa Tong–Lamphun route or Highway 1015. The temple is located in Ban Tha Nak, Moo 6. Visitors can set the destination as Wat Nak Nimit, Ban Tha Nak, Nong Tong Subdistrict, Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai.

 

The distance from Chiang Mai city to Nong Tong Phatthana Municipality is about 28 kilometers and usually takes around 35 minutes in normal traffic. The route can be combined with local restaurants, cafés, nearby temples, and accommodations in Hang Dong or Baan Tawai. Morning or early afternoon is a suitable time for a calm temple visit.

 

Overall, Wat Nak Nimit is an old community temple of Ban Tha Nak with historical, religious, and social value. It began through the faith of villagers who purchased land together, was formerly known as Wat Tha Khi Nak, was renamed Wat Nak Nimit in 1941, received its consecrated boundary in 1956, and continues to serve as a living Buddhist center in Nong Tong Subdistrict. For travelers seeking a deeper local side of Chiang Mai, Wat Nak Nimit is a meaningful stop on the Nong Tong cultural route.

 

 

A: Wat Nak Nimit is located at 109 Moo 6, Ban Tha Nak, Nong Tong Subdistrict, Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai 50340, Thailand.

 

A: Wat Nak Nimit was formerly known as Wat Tha Khi Nak before being renamed Wat Nak Nimit in 1941.

 

A: Wat Nak Nimit was built in 1917, with another historical account placing its construction around 1908 by local devotees who purchased land for the temple.

 

A: It is an old community temple of Ban Tha Nak and serves as a place for worship, merit-making, sermons, Buddhist ceremonies, and local community faith in Nong Tong Subdistrict.

 

A: Important structures include the ordination hall, sermon hall, monks’ residences, chedi, and temple grounds. Sacred objects include Buddha images and the chedi.

 

A: It is suitable for travelers interested in Lanna community temples, local Buddhist history, Nong Tong cultural routes, and the quieter village side of Chiang Mai.

 

A: Nearby places include Wat Tha Nak, Wat Nong Tong, Wiang Mano Ancient Settlement, Wat Phra Chao Lueam, and Wat Sa Trai Nurak.