Wat Chong Lap

Open Days: Open Daily

Opening Hours: 08:00 - 17:00

 

Wat Chong Lap, Ratchaburi is a royal monastery under the Maha Nikaya sect, located in Ban Chong Lap, Moo 3, Nong Phan Chan Subdistrict, Ban Kha District, Ratchaburi Province. Local villagers originally called this temple “Wat Chok Lap Phatthana” before it gradually developed into an important religious center for the community. The temple is significant not only as a place where local people perform religious ceremonies, but also as a center of faith, merit-making, meditation practice, and Buddhist studies that have continued for many decades.

 

The distinct charm of Wat Chong Lap lies in its true identity as a community temple. In other words, it was not created as a tourist destination, but rather emerged from the faith of monks and villagers who worked together step by step to build and develop it. Every part of the temple, whether the monks’ residences, sermon hall, ordination hall, or Thai-style pavilion, reflects a story of cooperation and shared devotion. Visitors to the temple therefore do not only see religious structures, but can also clearly feel the close bond between the temple and the surrounding community.

 

In terms of location, Wat Chong Lap is situated in Ban Kha District, another side of Ratchaburi Province that is simple and close to nature, quite different from the more familiar image of urban Ratchaburi or commercial tourist areas. Ban Kha is a place where people still rely heavily on community relationships. As a result, the temple continues to play an important role in daily life, serving as a spiritual center, a place for merit-making, and a venue for both religious and social activities.

 

The history of Wat Chong Lap has a clear starting point and reflects the development of a community temple very well. According to available records, local villagers originally called it “Wat Chok Lap Phatthana.” Phra Athikan Praphrut Suwichano came to reside in the area in 1975. After that, he encouraged villagers to help build monks’ quarters and a sermon hall to serve as places for merit-making and Buddhist activities. This was a crucial period that laid the foundation for the area to become a fully established community temple.

 

As the villagers’ cooperation and the initial religious buildings began to take shape, the process of officially establishing the site as a temple was carried out on 14 December 1978. This milestone was highly important because it transformed Wat Chong Lap from a community-based place for religious activities into a temple with formal monastic status, allowing it to continue Buddhist activities in a more stable and organized way.

 

The temple covers an area of 25 rai, 2 ngan, and 66 square wah, located at 91 Ban Chong Lap, Moo 3, Nong Phan Chan Subdistrict, Ban Kha District, Ratchaburi Province. Its boundaries are as follows: to the north, a public road; to the south, Wat Chong Lap School; to the east, the Pa Wai–Nong Chok road; and to the west, private land. These details reflect how the temple is not isolated from the community, but is instead located within the real social structure of the area, surrounded by roads, a school, and public spaces, allowing it to naturally remain a center for local people.

 

One of the interesting aspects of Wat Chong Lap is its temple architecture, which is simple yet rich in religious meaning and practical use. The ordination hall is 11 meters wide and 16 meters long. It is a half-concrete, half-wood structure built in a Thai hip-roof style. This gives a sense of blending local Thai identity with the durability of more modern construction. The simplicity of this type of building also reflects the character of a community temple that emphasizes practical use and suitability to the local environment rather than luxury or extravagance.

 

The principal sacred object in the ordination hall is Phra Borommathat Si Rattanachedi, one of the features that gives the temple a unique identity and makes it more interesting than many ordinary community temples. It symbolizes faith and sacredness that local villagers highly revere. In addition, the lower floor of the building is used as a library, showing the idea of developing the temple as a place of both devotion and knowledge at the same time.

 

Another important area within the temple is the Thai-style pavilion, where Luang Pho Chok Lap is enshrined. This Buddha image is highly respected by local people, who often come to pay homage and pray for blessings. Inside the pavilion, there are also a statue of Somdet Phra Phutthachan To Phrommarangsi, a stucco image of Luang Ta Kliang, a statue of King Rama V, a statue of Prince Chumphon Khet Udomsak, and various deity figures. These elements make the Thai pavilion a space that reflects a blend of Buddhist faith, reverence for respected teachers, and protective beliefs commonly found in Thai rural society.

 

The sermon hall is 15 meters wide and 25 meters long, built as a two-story reinforced concrete structure. It is an important building for collective temple activities, whether meetings, merit-making, sermons, chanting, or accommodating community events on different occasions. This kind of structure reflects the development of the temple from a basic religious space into a community center capable of supporting large numbers of people and diverse activities efficiently.

 

The role of Wat Chong Lap in the community is not limited only to religious ceremonies, but also extends clearly into the areas of education and personal development. At present, the abbot is Phra Samu Prasong Chotithammo, who continues the temple’s mission as both a place for meditation practice and a center for Buddhist learning. The temple hosts Vipassana meditation activities and also serves as a school for Buddhist doctrinal studies, which has been teaching since 1985. This gives Wat Chong Lap a notable role in both mental cultivation and the transmission of Buddhist knowledge at the local level.

 

The fact that the temple has continuously operated a Buddhist doctrinal school is important evidence that it does not function merely as a place where people come to make merit on special occasions. It is also a religious institution that nurtures education and understanding of Buddhist teachings among monks, novices, and interested people in the area. In the context of a rural community, a temple that can still preserve this educational role is highly valuable, because it allows the temple to remain a center of knowledge, not only a center of ritual practice.

 

For those interested in meditation practice, Wat Chong Lap is a temple with an atmosphere well suited for sitting meditation and practicing Vipassana at the community level. The calmness of the surrounding area, combined with the functional use of the temple buildings, allows the temple to support those who wish to spend time in quiet reflection. Although it is not a deep forest monastery or a large meditation center, its advantages lie in its accessibility, its unhurried atmosphere, and its simple community-temple character that supports mindfulness practice.

 

Another aspect that makes Wat Chong Lap interesting is the relationship between the temple and Wat Chong Lap School, which is located right beside it. The fact that one side of the temple borders the school reflects the temple’s role as a place that has long nurtured morality, education, and community life. Children in the area grow up with the temple as part of their everyday environment, while adults use it as a gathering place for merit-making and important family and social activities. This makes the temple not just a religious structure, but truly a part of the life framework of the local people.

 

Getting There Traveling to Wat Chong Lap is convenient for those with private vehicles. The temple is located along the Pa Wai–Nong Chok route in Ban Chong Lap, Nong Phan Chan Subdistrict, Ban Kha District. If traveling from Ratchaburi town, take the route toward Ban Kha District, then continue into the Ban Chong Lap area. The temple is easy to find near Wat Chong Lap School. Because the temple is situated in an actual community zone, visitors can conveniently plan a day trip and also connect their visit with other places in Ban Kha District.

 

The most suitable time to visit Wat Chong Lap is in the morning and from late morning to early afternoon, as this is the most convenient time to walk around the temple grounds, pay respects, and join religious activities. For those seeking extra peace and quiet, visiting on days without major temple events will allow them to experience the atmosphere of a true community temple more clearly. Those interested in joining meditation activities should contact the temple in advance to ask about the schedule, so they can participate appropriately without disturbing the monks’ routine.

 

Overall, Wat Chong Lap is a temple with several layers of value. It has historical value through its founding based on the faith of local villagers, architectural value through its expression of a community temple identity, spiritual value through its sacred objects and revered images, and educational value through its ongoing role in Buddhist studies and meditation practice. For those who want to understand Ratchaburi in a deeper dimension than ordinary tourism, this temple is one of the places that clearly demonstrates the importance of a religious site as the heart of a community.

 

 

A: Wat Chong Lap is located at 91 Ban Chong Lap, Moo 3, Nong Phan Chan Subdistrict, Ban Kha District, Ratchaburi Province.

 

A: Local villagers originally called this temple “Wat Chok Lap Phatthana” before it was later developed and officially established as a temple.

 

A: Its highlights include Luang Pho Chok Lap, Phra Borommathat Si Rattanachedi, the Thai-style pavilion, the statue of Somdet To, and its role as a temple for Vipassana practice and Buddhist studies.

 

A: Yes. The temple is suitable for meditation because it offers Vipassana practice activities and has the peaceful, simple atmosphere of a true community temple.

 

A: The latest available information identifies the abbot as Phra Samu Prasong Chotithammo.

 

A: The temple is generally open daily from 08:00 to 17:00. If you wish to join any special activities, it is best to contact the temple in advance.