Wat Hat Khet Lang

Rating: 3.4/5 (8 votes)

Operating day: Daily

Operating time: 08.00 - 17.00

 

Wat Hat Khet Lang Mueang Chang, Phu Pieng, Nan. Before Wat Hat Khet Lang was relocated to its current location, it had originally been situated in the village of Hat Khet Lang from approximately 1776 (B.E. 2319) to 1961 (B.E. 2504), totaling 216 years.

 

However, that location was in a low-lying area, frequently affected by floods from the Nan River, which regularly overflowed and inundated both the village and the temple. Each year, the riverbank would erode closer to the temple grounds, leading to flooding. The villagers feared that continuing to live there would pose dangers to both people and livestock.

 

As a result, the villagers decided to relocate the village to higher ground, safe from flooding, and merged with the current community. The temple was left isolated for a period of five years, though monks and novices continued to reside there as usual. In years with severe flooding, the faithful would assist in moving temple belongings and help monks and novices evacuate temporarily. Once the waters receded, they would return the items and resume temple activities—this cycle repeated every year.

 

Eventually, the temple committee and the local faithful convened and agreed to relocate the temple to its current site, a process which took 13 years.

 

Wat Hat Khet Lang was granted royal boundary markers (wisungkhamsima) for the second time on July 16, 1975 (B.E. 2518). According to records from the first granting of the boundary, it is believed that Wat Hat Khet Tai originally separated from Wat Hat Khet Bon (North), as it had been established to the south of the Nan River. Hence, it was initially referred to as Wat Hat Khet Tai. However, because the temple was situated on lowland terrain, the villagers commonly referred to it as Wat Hat Khet Lang, and this name has been used ever since.