Chao Pho Phraya Lae Shrine

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 06.00 – 18.00

 

Chao Pho Phraya Lae Shrine, also widely known as Chao Pho Phaya Lae Shrine, is located beside Nong Pla Thao in Nai Mueang Subdistrict, Mueang Chaiyaphum District, Chaiyaphum Province. It is about 3-4 kilometers from the city center, along the Chaiyaphum-Ban Khwao route on Highway 225, before turning toward Nong Pla Thao. The shrine is dedicated to the spirit of Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae), also known as Chao Pho Phaya Lae, the first governor and founder of Chaiyaphum. For the people of Chaiyaphum, this shrine is one of the most important spiritual centers in the province.

 

For international travelers, Chao Pho Phraya Lae Shrine is one of the best places to understand the cultural heart of Chaiyaphum. This is not only a place for worship, but also a site where local history, ancestral respect, civic identity, and community faith come together. Many visitors come here to pay respect before traveling elsewhere in the province, asking for protection, good fortune, and safe journeys. The shrine is deeply connected with the memory of the city’s founder and remains meaningful to Chaiyaphum people across generations.

 

The shrine stands beside Nong Pla Thao, a lakeside public area that adds a calm and open atmosphere to the site. Visitors can worship at the shrine, walk along the lakeside, rest in the public park, and observe everyday local life. The location makes the shrine more than a sacred building. It is part of a living urban landscape where faith, recreation, community memory, and public space exist side by side.

 

Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae) is one of the most important figures in Chaiyaphum history. He is respected as the first governor and founder of the city. Local people refer to him with deep respect as Chao Pho Phaya Lae. Over time, his historical role became closely connected with spiritual belief. He is honored not only as a historical leader, but also as a protective spirit of Chaiyaphum who watches over the city and its people.

 

Nong Pla Thao is strongly associated with the final moments of Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae). Local historical memory records that he was killed by soldiers from Vientiane in this area in 1826. In the past, villagers built a small wooden shrine under a large tamarind tree to honor him. Later, in 1968, the people of Chaiyaphum jointly built the present shrine and placed his statue inside so that residents and visitors could pay respect in a more formal and dignified setting.

 

The importance of Chao Pho Phraya Lae Shrine lies in its ability to connect history with living faith. The story of Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae) is not preserved only in books or oral tradition. It is present in a real place where people continue to worship, offer gratitude, join ceremonies, and teach younger generations about the origin of Chaiyaphum. A visit to the shrine therefore gives travelers direct contact with the memory and identity of the province.

 

For the people of Chaiyaphum, the shrine is a symbol of gratitude. It reminds local residents of the person who helped establish the city and became a moral center of local identity. Every year, during the Bun Duean Hok festival, communities gather to honor Chao Pho Phaya Lae with offerings, Bai Si processions, ritual dances, and cultural performances. The festival shows how deeply the shrine remains connected with the people of the province.

 

The annual worship festival of Chao Pho Phraya Lae is held during the sixth lunar month, before Visakha Bucha Day. It includes spirit-honoring rituals, ceremonial offerings, Bai Si processions, dances dedicated to Chao Pho Phaya Lae, and other cultural activities. This is not merely a local celebration. It is a major expression of Chaiyaphum identity, combining belief, gratitude, civic pride, and community participation.

 

One of the distinctive traditions connected with the shrine is the ritual dance known locally as Ram Phi Fa, performed as an offering to Chao Pho Phaya Lae. This ritual belongs to the living folk belief of the region and is associated with worship, fulfillment of vows, healing belief, and communication with sacred power. For visitors, the dance offers a rare chance to observe how local spirituality, performance, and community devotion remain active in northeastern Thailand.

 

The offering dance is meaningful not only because of its visual beauty, but because it is performed as an act of respect. Participants often dress respectfully or in local attire, move in unison, and offer the performance with sincere intention. The sight of many people dancing together in honor of Chao Pho Phaya Lae is one of the most memorable scenes of Chaiyaphum’s Bun Duean Hok festival.

 

Outside the annual festival period, the shrine remains active throughout the year. People come to pray for safety, work success, business, health, family well-being, and safe travel. When wishes are fulfilled, many return to make votive offerings. These may include flowers, incense, candles, food offerings, a pig’s head, sticky rice, or ritual dance offerings. This constant flow of worshippers keeps the shrine spiritually alive in everyday life.

 

Inside the shrine, the statue of Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae) is the main focus of worship. Visitors should enter respectfully, make offerings in the designated area, and pray quietly. Worship here should not be seen only as personal wish-making. It is also an act of respect toward the founder of Chaiyaphum and the historical memory that local people continue to preserve.

 

The surrounding area makes the visit more complete. Around the shrine, visitors will find Nong Pla Thao, lakeside public space, offering areas, ceremonial space, a park atmosphere, and nearby local food spots. A giant turtle sculpture and a turtle pond are also associated with the area. Some visitors make merit by contributing to turtle food, which is popularly linked with long life, calmness, and auspiciousness.

 

Nong Pla Thao gives the shrine a peaceful lakeside character. After worshipping, visitors can walk around the lake, rest, take photos respectfully, and observe local life. This lakeside setting makes the shrine different from many urban shrines. It is both a sacred place and a public cultural landscape where history, belief, relaxation, and community life meet naturally.

 

To understand Chao Pho Phaya Lae more fully, visitors may also continue to the Phraya Phakdi Chumphon Monument in the city center. The Nong Pla Thao shrine represents spiritual devotion and local belief connected with the place where his spirit is honored. The monument in the city center represents public commemoration of him as the city founder. Visiting both places gives travelers a more complete understanding of his role in Chaiyaphum.

 

The shrine is also a good starting point for a cultural route in Chaiyaphum city. After worshipping at the shrine, visitors can continue to the Phraya Phakdi Chumphon Monument, Chaiyaphum Ancient Textile Museum or Huen Kham Mu, Night Bazaar Walking Street, Nong Pla Thao Park, or other urban cultural spots. This route helps travelers understand Chaiyaphum through history, faith, textiles, food, and local community life.

 

Chaiyaphum Ancient Textile Museum, also known as Huen Kham Mu, is especially suitable for travelers interested in local culture. It presents ancient textiles and cultural heritage connected with Chaiyaphum and the wider Isan region. Combining the shrine with the textile museum creates a meaningful route that includes both spiritual history and local craftsmanship.

 

Night Bazaar Walking Street is another nearby place for travelers who want to experience the city after visiting the shrine. Visitors can enjoy local food, snacks, small goods, and the evening atmosphere of Chaiyaphum. A good half-day route may include worship at the shrine in the afternoon, a lakeside walk at Nong Pla Thao, dinner at a nearby restaurant, and an evening walk in the city.

 

Photography at the shrine should be done respectfully. Visitors should avoid blocking worshippers, standing too close to offerings, photographing rituals without permission, or posing inappropriately near sacred areas. This is a highly respected place for Chaiyaphum people, so proper behavior is an important part of a meaningful visit.

 

Visitors should dress modestly when visiting the shrine. Although it is not a Buddhist temple, it is a sacred place. Clothing should be neat, voices should be kept low, and visitors should follow the instructions of shrine caretakers. During the Bun Duean Hok festival, visitors should allow extra time because crowds, processions, ritual dances, and ceremonial activities take place around the shrine and nearby areas.

 

Getting There is easiest by private car or local transport from Chaiyaphum city. From the city center, take Highway 225 toward Ban Khwao and turn toward Nong Pla Thao. The shrine is about 3 kilometers from the provincial hall area and around 3-4 kilometers from the city center. Travelers can search for “Chao Pho Phaya Lae Shrine” or use the coordinates 15.7973712, 102.0114024.

 

The recommended visiting time is from morning to evening, especially between 06.00 and 18.00. Morning and late afternoon are pleasant for worship and walking around Nong Pla Thao. Travelers who want to experience the annual festival should plan for the sixth lunar month before Visakha Bucha Day, when Chaiyaphum people gather for major ceremonies, offerings, Bai Si processions, and ritual dances.

 

Restaurants near the shrine are easy to find. The area around Nong Pla Thao has Thai restaurants, Isan food, som tam shops, cafés, and lakeside dining options. Nearby choices include Ban Bai Toei Restaurant, Song Lok Suai Cafe & Lunch, Coffee Tree and Bar, Somtum Zab 125, and other small local restaurants. This makes the shrine convenient for a half-day cultural and food route in Chaiyaphum city.

 

Accommodation near the shrine includes hotels and small lodgings in Mueang Chaiyaphum. Travelers who want to stay near the shrine and Nong Pla Thao can choose hotels in the city area, such as Pocket Park Chaiyaphum, Tonkhoon Hotel, Deeprom Hotel, Siam River Resort, Sirichai Hotel, or Napa Ville Residence. Staying in the city makes it easy to visit the shrine, restaurants, the night market, the city monument, and other nearby cultural attractions.

 

Chao Pho Phraya Lae Shrine is suitable for many types of travelers: those interested in local history, those who wish to worship a sacred figure, those who want to see Bun Duean Hok traditions, those interested in ritual dance, and those planning a cultural route in Chaiyaphum city. The visit may take less than an hour, but the site gives deep insight into the province’s identity.

 

Overall, Chao Pho Phraya Lae Shrine is an essential stop for anyone visiting Chaiyaphum. It connects the story of Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae), the founding of the city, Nong Pla Thao, Bun Duean Hok, Ram Phi Fa, spirit-honoring ceremonies, and the continuing faith of local people. A visit here is not only an act of worship, but also a direct encounter with the living memory of Chaiyaphum.

 

For travelers seeking a deeper side of Chaiyaphum, the shrine offers one of the clearest answers. It shows how local history can become shared faith, and how that faith can preserve tradition, culture, and community unity. Visiting Chao Pho Phraya Lae Shrine means paying respect to a sacred figure, learning local history, observing Chaiyaphum’s cultural identity, and understanding why this lakeside shrine remains one of the most respected places in the province.

 

 

A: Chao Pho Phraya Lae Shrine is located beside Nong Pla Thao in Nai Mueang Subdistrict, Mueang Chaiyaphum District, Chaiyaphum Province, about 3-4 km from the city center along Highway 225.

 

A: The shrine is dedicated to Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae), the first governor and founder of Chaiyaphum, and is one of the most important spiritual centers for local people.

 

A: The shrine is open daily from 06.00 to 18.00, suitable for worship, making offerings, and walking around Nong Pla Thao.

 

A: The annual worship festival is held during the sixth lunar month before Visakha Bucha Day, with spirit-honoring rituals, Bai Si processions, dance offerings, and local cultural activities.

 

A: Ram Phi Fa is a local ritual dance connected with folk belief and sacred worship. It is performed as an offering to Chao Pho Phaya Lae and remains an important cultural tradition of Chaiyaphum.

 

A: There is no entrance fee. Visitors may worship freely and make donations or offerings according to their faith.

 

A: From Chaiyaphum city, take Highway 225 toward Ban Khwao and turn toward Nong Pla Thao. Travelers may also use coordinates 15.7973712, 102.0114024 for navigation.

 

A: Nearby places include Nong Pla Thao Public Park, the giant turtle sculpture, Chaiyaphum Ancient Textile Museum, Huen Kham Mu, Night Bazaar Walking Street, Phraya Phakdi Chumphon Monument, and Chaiyaphum Street Art.