Wat Chedi Thong

Rating: 3.8/5 (6 votes)

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 08.00 – 16.30

 

Wat Chedi Thong is a historic temple on the western bank of the Chao Phraya River in Khlong Khwai Subdistrict, Sam Khok District, Pathum Thani Province. It is one of the most distinctive Mon temples in the Sam Khok area, known for its striking Mon-style golden chedi, old sacred objects, and architectural details that reflect the heritage of the Mon community along the river.

 

The temple stands in Ban Chedi Thong, a community whose historical identity is closely tied to Mon settlement in central Thailand. Because of this, Wat Chedi Thong is more than a place of worship. It is also an important cultural site where visitors can see how religion, migration, and riverside life came together in the Chao Phraya basin.

 

Its foundation is believed to date back to the early Rattanakosin period. According to local historical understanding, Mon migrants from Martaban settled in the area after moving from Burma during the Thonburi period. They established this temple as part of their new community and brought with them both religious traditions and architectural influences from their homeland. That history still shapes the identity of the temple today.

 

An important figure associated with the temple’s restoration and development was Phraya Ram Rajabut, the son-in-law of Phraya Cheng, also known as Phra Chao Maha Yotha. He played a leading role in restoring the temple and creating permanent structures such as monastic buildings and halls. The temple later received royal consecration boundaries in 1965, confirming its continuing role as an established Buddhist temple in the community.

 

The name “Wat Chedi Thong” is understood to have been brought from the Mon homeland, reflecting the memory of the old place from which the community once came. In this sense, the temple’s name is not only a label but also a cultural link between the present riverside settlement and the earlier Mon world remembered by its founders.

 

The temple’s most iconic feature is the Mon-style golden chedi standing at the front of the compound. Its bell-shaped form is said to resemble Ananda Paya in Burma. Built on a square brick base, the chedi has a tiered finial, 4 Buddha images inside, lacquered and gilded decoration, colored glass ornamentation, and a 9-tiered umbrella crowning the summit. It is the clearest visual symbol of Wat Chedi Thong and one of the strongest examples of Mon artistic influence in Pathum Thani.

 

Another important sacred object is Luang Pho Khao, a white jade Buddha image in the Mara-Vijaya posture, with a lap width of 1 sok and a height of 2 sok. It is enshrined in the chanting hall and remains one of the temple’s key devotional images. This gives the temple a spiritual dimension that goes beyond its historic architecture, making it appealing both to worshippers and to travelers interested in sacred art.

 

The temple compound also includes traditional Thai wooden monk residences with a hip roof, a prayer hall decorated with carved patterns and pierced ornamental panels, large red sandstone boundary stones, and a prang-style chedi decorated with Chinese ceramic tiles. These architectural details create a layered environment where Mon, Thai, and Chinese influences exist together in a single sacred setting, which is one of the reasons the temple feels especially rich in character.

 

For visitors, Wat Chedi Thong is rewarding because it combines visual beauty with historical depth. It is a temple where one can pay respect, admire craftsmanship, and also understand how the Sam Khok area developed as a riverside settlement shaped by Mon migration. The quiet atmosphere makes it suitable for slow cultural travel rather than a rushed stop, especially for those interested in heritage temples near Bangkok.

 

Today the temple continues to serve its local community as an active religious center. Public contact information associated with the temple also names Phra Khru Kowitwarakhun, reflecting the temple’s continuing organizational presence in the area. Wat Chedi Thong therefore remains a living temple, not only a historical landmark.

 

Getting There From Bangkok, visitors can drive toward Sam Khok District in Pathum Thani and continue along the Pathum Thani–Sam Khok route into Khlong Khwai Subdistrict. The temple is listed at 55 Moo 1 on the western side of the Chao Phraya River and can be found directly through map applications using the name “Wat Chedi Thong Sam Khok.” It can be easily combined with other temple visits and riverside dining stops in the same district.

 

 

A: It is located in Moo 1, Ban Chedi Thong, Khlong Khwai Subdistrict, Sam Khok District, Pathum Thani Province on the western side of the Chao Phraya River.

 

A: Yes, the temple is open daily.

 

A: The opening hours are 08.00 – 16.30.

 

A: It is best known for its Mon-style golden chedi, Luang Pho Khao, traditional Mon-related temple architecture, and historic sacred objects.

 

A: It reflects the settlement history of Mon communities in the Sam Khok area and preserves architectural forms connected to that heritage.

 

A: Yes, it can be easily combined with nearby historic temples and riverside restaurants in Sam Khok.