Wat Nong Kok

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 08:00–17:00

 

Wat Nong Kok is located at 1 Moo 5, Ban Nong Kok, Ban Puang Subdistrict, Thung Hua Chang District, Lamphun Province 51160. It is a local Buddhist temple under the Mahanikaya order and serves as an important religious center for Ban Nong Kok community. The temple was established in 1789 and received its royal boundary for ordination on September 2, 1954.

 

The name Nong Kok comes from the original landscape of the area. The temple was built near a pond, and there was a makok tree growing beside it. Local people therefore called the place Nong Kok, and the name later became associated with the village and temple. This origin story shows how nature, settlement, and Buddhist community life are closely connected in rural Lamphun.

 

According to local history, the site was once a buffalo resting area before a village was established. As the community grew, villagers built a temple as their local center of faith. Wat Nong Kok therefore reflects the development of Ban Nong Kok from a rural settlement into a Buddhist community with its own temple, rituals, and shared religious life.

 

Several monks helped guide and develop the temple over time, including Phra La Sing Ai and Kruba Sao Chanto. At one period, the temple became abandoned for many years. In 1984, Phra Khru Sumongkhon Tham Bunpoeng Sujitto came to reside at the temple and began a major restoration. He helped develop the viharn, monks’ residences, ubosot, hall, walls, and other temple structures.

 

The restoration period under Phra Khru Sumongkhon Tham Bunpoeng Sujitto was especially important because it brought the temple back to active religious life. He continued developing the temple until his passing in 2009. This history makes Wat Nong Kok meaningful not only as an old temple but also as a place that was revived through devotion and community support.

 

Today, Wat Nong Kok is led by Phra Anucha Abhiwanno, the abbot of the temple. The temple remains a place for merit-making, worship, Buddhist ceremonies, and community gatherings. Around 50 local households have continued to support the temple, showing the close relationship between Wat Nong Kok and the Ban Nong Kok community.

 

The temple compound includes an ubosot, viharn, merit-making hall, monks’ residences, a principal Buddha image, and other Buddha images. Its atmosphere is simple and peaceful, typical of a local village temple. Visitors can stop to pay respect, make merit, and learn about the community history of Thung Hua Chang District.

 

Getting There is most convenient by private car or local vehicle. From Thung Hua Chang town, travel toward Ban Puang Subdistrict and Ban Nong Kok. Visitors coming from central Lamphun should plan enough travel time. The temple can be combined with nearby sites such as Wat Thung Pet, Wat Nong Pa Tueng, Wat Phra That Doi Kwang Kham, Wat Phra That Hua Khua, and Wat Huai Hang.

 

Visitors should dress modestly, keep the temple peaceful, and respect monks and local worshippers. Wat Nong Kok is a community temple closely tied to local life, so visits should be made with a respectful attitude, especially during Buddhist holy days, merit-making events, or village ceremonies.

 

In summary, Wat Nong Kok is an old local temple in Ban Puang Subdistrict, Thung Hua Chang District, Lamphun Province. It was established in 1789, received its royal boundary in 1954, and was later restored after a period of abandonment. Its main value lies in its community history, the origin of its name from the pond and makok tree, and its continuing role as the spiritual center of Ban Nong Kok.

 

 

A: Wat Nong Kok is located at 1 Moo 5, Ban Nong Kok, Ban Puang Subdistrict, Thung Hua Chang District, Lamphun Province 51160.

 

A: Wat Nong Kok was established in 1789 and received its royal boundary for ordination on September 2, 1954.

 

A: The name comes from a pond with a makok tree growing beside it, which local people called Nong Kok.

 

A: The abbot of Wat Nong Kok is Phra Anucha Abhiwanno.

 

A: Yes. The temple was abandoned for a period before Phra Khru Sumongkhon Tham Bunpoeng Sujitto restored and developed it from 1984 onward.

 

A: No. Admission is free.

 

A: Nearby attractions include Wat Thung Pet, Wat Nong Pa Tueng, Wat Phra That Doi Kwang Kham, Wat Phra That Hua Khua, and Wat Huai Hang.