Wat Phrao

Rating: 3.6/5 (8 votes)

Operating day: Daily

Operating time: 08.00 - 17.00

 

Wat Phrao Phra That, Chiang Klang, Nan. Wat Phrao is affiliated with the Maha Nikaya monastic sect under Ecclesiastical Region 6. The temple occupies 8 rai, 1 ngan, and 13 square wah of land under land title deed number 895. The boundaries are approximately 60 wah to the north adjoining private land, 60 wah to the south adjoining a public road, 40 wah to the east adjoining private land, and 30 wah to the west adjoining a public road. The temple also possesses a parcel of monastic land measuring 2 rai, 1 ngan, and 61 square wah, recorded under land title deed number 23248, volume 233, page 48, located in Chiang Klang District, Nan Province.

 

The temple grounds include a vihara, a multi-purpose pavilion, and monks’ residences. Sacred items consist of a principal plaster Buddha image, various other Buddha statues, and a single stupa. Wat Phrao was established in 1846 (B.E. 2389) and was officially granted Visungkhamsima, the right to perform ordinations, on June 9, 2011 (B.E. 2554). Past abbots include Phra Suphat Supatto and Phra Somphet Sajjavaro. The current abbot is Phra Baidika Sarichai Theepathammo.

 

The temple’s stupa was originally constructed around 1975 (B.E. 2518). At that time, the temple was located in a low-lying area that was prone to flooding during the rainy season. As a result, the local community decided to relocate both the village and the temple to higher ground where it now stands. The process of moving Buddha images in the past was difficult, and many statues sustained damage beyond repair. The remaining Buddha image was enshrined to the east of the vihara, and a stupa was built over it. Many valuable relics were also enshrined within the stupa. In 1992 (B.E. 2535), the structure was renovated, and a larger brick stupa was built to cover the original one.

 

In 2013 (B.E. 2556), cracks appeared in the stupa. The temple’s devotees consulted Phra Sophit Viriyalangka, Assistant Abbot of Wat Sangwet Witsayaram in Bangkok, and decided to relocate the stupa in March 2014 (B.E. 2557) from its original position east of the ordination hall to the north side, behind the vihara. The relocation was carried out without demolishing the original stupa. Instead, a new structure was constructed to encase it, modeled after the stupa in Luang Prabang.

 

On February 2, 2015 (B.E. 2558), a group led by Phra Sophit Viriyalangka traveled to Sri Lanka to successfully obtain and bring back sacred Buddha relics, which were then enshrined within the newly constructed stupa.