Wat Charoen Sri Suk

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 08.00 – 17.00

 

Wat Charoen Sri Suk is a historic local Buddhist temple in Ban Non Thong, Moo 3, Ban Kok Subdistrict, Chatturat District, Chaiyaphum Province. Established in 1887 and granted its royal consecrated boundary in 1892, the temple belongs to the Mahanikaya monastic order and has long served as a spiritual center for the people of Ban Non Thong. It is a place for merit-making, Buddhist ceremonies, Dhamma listening, meditation, local traditions, cultural activities, and community gatherings.

 

Wat Charoen Sri Suk is meaningful because it is closely connected with the history of Ban Non Thong. The temple was created through the faith of local villagers who wanted a sacred place for monks and laypeople to practice Buddhism together. In rural Thailand, a village temple is rarely separate from community life. It is a place where people make merit, ordain, hold funerals, celebrate annual festivals, listen to sermons, and preserve local memory across generations.

 

The temple is located at 222 Ban Non Thong, Moo 3, Ban Kok Subdistrict, Chatturat District, Chaiyaphum Province. The temple land covers 5 rai, 1 ngan, and 14 square wah. Its boundaries adjoin public roads on all four sides, showing how closely the temple is connected with the village road network and everyday movement of local people. This setting gives Wat Charoen Sri Suk the atmosphere of a true community temple, accessible and familiar to residents.

 

The history of Wat Charoen Sri Suk also includes the memory of an old sim, or ordination structure, built in water. Local villagers remember the area as Nong Sim, even though the original structure is no longer present. This memory is important because it shows that Buddhist ordination and monastic practice have been part of the community’s religious life for a long time. The temple is therefore not only a religious compound, but also a place of local historical memory.

 

The temple received its royal consecrated boundary in 1892. In Thai Buddhism, a Wisungkhamasima is essential for important Sangha ceremonies, especially ordination-related rituals and other formal monastic acts. The original consecrated boundary measured 6.20 meters wide and 13 meters long. This confirms the temple’s formal religious status and its long-standing role as a complete Buddhist institution in Ban Kok Subdistrict.

 

The original ordination hall measured 16.20 meters wide and 13 meters long and was built in 1892 as a concrete structure. Later, because the old hall had become small and deteriorated, the temple and community built a new ordination hall. The foundation stone was laid in 2000, construction was completed in 2017, and the new hall received its consecrated boundary on 1 September 2017. A celebration for the new ordination hall was held from 27 December 2017 to 2 January 2018.

 

Important monastic buildings include the ordination hall, sermon hall, and monks’ residence. The sermon hall measures 13 meters wide and 25 meters long and was built in 1982 as a two-storey concrete building. It serves as a shared space for merit-making, Dhamma listening, Buddhist holy day activities, community meetings, and annual temple events. The monks’ residence is a wooden building that supports monastic life within the temple.

 

The name “Charoen Sri Suk” carries an auspicious meaning. “Charoen” suggests growth and prosperity, “Sri” suggests auspicious grace, and “Suk” means happiness or peace. Together, the name reflects the community’s hope that the temple will be a place of spiritual growth, moral goodness, and peaceful well-being. This meaning fits the temple’s role as a place where villagers return for merit, guidance, and inner calm.

 

The abbot of Wat Charoen Sri Suk is Phra Palat Kangwan Kantadhammo, according to the recent Kathin activity information. The temple also has monks in residence, which keeps it active as a living Buddhist institution. The presence of monastic leadership allows the temple to continue religious ceremonies, Dhamma teaching, merit-making events, meditation activities, and community support.

 

The recorded line of former abbots includes Luang Pu Khom, Luang Pu Ham, Luang Pu Kham, Phra Sing Ma Phakdi, Phra Thin Opaso, Phra Priang Panyapasuthito, Phra Rang Thitinyano, Phra Surasak Phutthathammo, Phra Athikan Ruen Munijaro, and Phra Maha Bunthan Thirangkuro. This continuity of monastic leadership reflects the long care and development of the temple across many generations.

 

Wat Charoen Sri Suk serves as a venue for religious activities of monks, local Buddhists, and the wider public. These activities include Buddhist holy day observances, merit-making, alms-giving, Dhamma listening, chanting, meditation, ordination-related ceremonies, funerals, Kathin robe offering, forest robe offering, and merit-making for ancestors. The temple is therefore connected with many stages of community life, from family ceremonies to annual religious festivals.

 

On Buddhist holy days, villagers come to the temple to make merit, listen to sermons, receive precepts, and cultivate mindfulness. The morning atmosphere is suitable for worship and quiet reflection. Elderly residents often maintain a close relationship with the temple through regular merit-making, while younger family members who return home during festivals may join temple activities as a way of reconnecting with family and community.

 

During Buddhist Lent, Wat Charoen Sri Suk becomes especially meaningful. Villagers may offer candles, robes, food, daily necessities, and donations to monks who remain at the temple during the rains retreat. This period encourages Buddhists to observe precepts, listen to Dhamma, and practice generosity. At the end of Lent and during the Kathin season, the community comes together again to support the temple through collective offerings and shared merit.

 

Kathin and forest robe-offering ceremonies at Wat Charoen Sri Suk reflect the cooperation of Ban Non Thong and nearby communities. These events require villagers, monks, donors, and supporters to work together through venue preparation, food preparation, guest reception, offerings, and shared acts of merit. Such ceremonies make the temple a living center of social unity rather than only a place for formal worship.

 

The temple is also closely connected with local traditions of Ban Non Thong and Ban Kok Subdistrict. Annual activities include New Year merit-making, Songkran merit-making, Bun Bang Fai, community merit-making, the end of Buddhist Lent, Kathin, and Loy Krathong. These activities show that Wat Charoen Sri Suk is not only a place for religious ceremonies, but also a cultural space where villagers preserve traditions and maintain community identity.

 

Bun Bang Fai, or the Rocket Festival, is especially meaningful in Isan culture because it is connected with agricultural life, rain, seasonal cycles, and community celebration. Holding this tradition at Wat Charoen Sri Suk shows the temple’s broader cultural role. It provides a sacred and communal setting where religious faith, local belief, agricultural hope, and festive identity come together.

 

During Songkran, the temple becomes a place of gratitude and renewal. Villagers may make merit, bathe Buddha images, pay respect to elders, and take part in activities that bring blessings for the Thai New Year. For foreign travelers, visiting a local temple during this season can reveal the deeper cultural meaning of Songkran beyond water festivities.

 

Local Isan traditions are closely connected with Buddhist temples. Annual customs such as Bun Khao Chi, Bun Phawet, Songkran merit-making, Bun Bang Fai, Buddhist Lent, the end of Lent, Kathin, and forest robe offerings often use temples as the center of gathering. Wat Charoen Sri Suk therefore helps preserve more than religious practice. It also supports family relationships, local culture, and the continuity of community identity.

 

Bun Khao Chi is one example of how Isan culture connects food, faith, and merit-making. Sticky rice, the staple food of northeastern Thailand, is shaped, grilled, and offered to monks as an act of merit. Such traditions show why village temples remain important. They are places where everyday life, food, devotion, and community cooperation come together.

 

Bun Phawet, or the Mahachat sermon tradition, also shows the role of temples in transmitting Buddhist teachings. Through the story of Vessantara, villagers learn about generosity, sacrifice, and moral conduct. In a local temple, Dhamma is not only studied from books. It is heard through sermons, practiced through giving, and experienced through community participation.

 

Wat Charoen Sri Suk is also suitable for visitors interested in meditation and quiet reflection. A village temple like this is usually less crowded than famous sightseeing temples, making it suitable for mindful walking, chanting, or simply sitting quietly. A visit does not need to be long to be meaningful. Paying respect, walking slowly, and spending a few quiet minutes in the temple can help visitors understand the calm rhythm of rural Buddhist life.

 

The temple also functions as a cultural classroom for Ban Non Thong. Elderly villagers come to preserve traditions and make merit. Working adults return during festivals and family ceremonies. Children and young people learn temple manners, respect for monks and elders, and participation in community life. This makes the temple an important place for passing local values from one generation to the next.

 

For visitors from outside the area, Wat Charoen Sri Suk offers a different experience from major tourist temples. Its interest does not come from grandeur or spectacle, but from age, continuity, simplicity, and authenticity. Travelers can see how a local temple continues to support faith, family ceremonies, cultural practice, and social connection in a rural Thai community.

 

A visit to Wat Charoen Sri Suk should be approached respectfully. Visitors may pay respect in appropriate areas, make merit, observe the ordination hall, sermon hall, and village temple atmosphere. If monks or villagers are performing religious activities, visitors should speak softly, move carefully, and avoid interrupting ceremonies. Responsible behavior helps preserve the temple’s sacred atmosphere.

 

Modest dress is recommended. Visitors should avoid revealing clothing, keep shoulders covered, and wear appropriate trousers or skirts. Photography is generally suitable in public areas, but visitors should avoid taking close photographs of monks, elderly villagers, or people performing religious acts without permission. In a community temple, rituals are sincere expressions of faith rather than performances for tourism.

 

Wat Charoen Sri Suk can be included in a local faith-based and community travel route around Ban Kok Subdistrict. Travelers may begin with merit-making at the temple, then continue to nearby temples such as Wat Siriphong Sawat, Wat Maklua, and Wat Song Tham. This type of route helps visitors understand the network of Buddhist faith across rural villages, where each temple serves its own community while remaining part of a larger cultural landscape.

 

For a broader Chatturat route, visitors can continue from Wat Charoen Sri Suk to the Red Lotus Field wooden bridge at Bueng Lahan and the wider Bueng Lahan wetland area. This combination offers both Buddhist culture and natural scenery. Travelers can begin with a quiet temple visit in the morning, then continue to wetland scenery, local food, and community-based travel in the afternoon.

 

Bueng Lahan is an important wetland of Chatturat District. It is connected with local water resources, fishing, bird life, agriculture, and rural community identity. Visiting both the temple and Bueng Lahan allows travelers to experience two connected aspects of Ban Kok Subdistrict: Buddhist faith and the natural landscape that supports local life.

 

Getting There is easiest by private car. From Chaiyaphum city, travel toward Chatturat District, then continue into Ban Kok Subdistrict and Ban Non Thong, Moo 3. Because the temple is located in a village area, checking a digital map before departure is recommended. Travelers coming from central Chatturat can also reach the temple by local roads.

 

Public transport may bring visitors to Chatturat District first, but onward travel to Ban Non Thong may require a local vehicle, hired transport, or assistance from residents familiar with the route. Travelers planning to visit several temples, restaurants, cafes, accommodations, and wetland attractions in one day should use a private car or rental car for better control of time and route.

 

The best time to visit Wat Charoen Sri Suk is in the morning or late afternoon, especially within the usual visiting period of 08.00 to 17.00. On Buddhist holy days and major festivals, the temple may be livelier with merit-making, sermons, and community participation. Visitors who prefer a quiet experience may choose an ordinary weekday, while those who want to observe local religious life may visit during temple festivals.

 

In the wider context of Chaiyaphum Province, Wat Charoen Sri Suk adds cultural depth to a destination often known for mountains, national parks, flower fields, and natural scenery. Visiting a historic community temple like this helps travelers understand the province through its people, beliefs, village institutions, and local memory. It is especially suitable for those who prefer meaningful cultural travel rather than mainstream sightseeing alone.

 

Wat Charoen Sri Suk is suitable for local residents, merit-makers, cultural travelers, and visitors who want to experience the quieter side of Chaiyaphum. Its importance does not come from size or fame, but from continuity, age, simplicity, and its real role in the life of Ban Non Thong. It is a temple where faith, community, and everyday rural culture remain closely connected.

 

In summary, Wat Charoen Sri Suk is a historic public Buddhist temple under the Mahanikaya order in Ban Non Thong, Ban Kok Subdistrict, Chatturat District, Chaiyaphum Province. Established in 1887 and granted its royal consecrated boundary in 1892, the temple continues to serve as a place for religious activities, meditation, traditions, cultural events, and community gatherings. For foreign travelers, it offers a quiet and authentic opportunity to experience local Buddhist life and the deep-rooted faith of rural northeastern Thailand.

 

 

A: Wat Charoen Sri Suk is located at 222 Ban Non Thong, Moo 3, Ban Kok Subdistrict, Chatturat District, Chaiyaphum Province, Thailand.

 

A: Wat Charoen Sri Suk was established in 1887 and is a historic public Buddhist temple under the Mahanikaya monastic order.

 

A: The temple received its royal consecrated boundary in 1892, and the new ordination hall received its boundary on 1 September 2017.

 

A: The abbot of Wat Charoen Sri Suk is Phra Palat Kangwan Kantadhammo.

 

A: Highlights include its long history since 1887, the local memory of Nong Sim, the new ordination hall, and its role as a center of Buddhist and community traditions in Ban Non Thong.

 

A: It is suitable for merit-making, temple visits, Dhamma listening, meditation, local history, and cultural travel in Ban Non Thong and Chatturat District.

 

A: Nearby attractions include Wat Siriphong Sawat, Wat Maklua, Wat Song Tham, the Red Lotus Field wooden bridge at Bueng Lahan, and Bueng Lahan.

 

A: Visitors should dress respectfully, speak quietly, respect sacred areas, avoid disturbing monks or practitioners, and follow local guidance during temple ceremonies or community merit-making events.