Chao Mae Thap Thim Shrine

Chao Mae Thap Thim Shrine sits on the Nan River’s east bank in Tha Lo, Mueang Phichit district, backing onto the Bangkok-Chiang Mai railway line. Founded in 1867, it’s said to be the first shrine dedicated to the Chinese sea goddess Chao Mae Thap Thim built in Thailand — a distinction that separates it from the several other Chao Mae Thap Thim shrines found in Bangkok, Chonburi, and elsewhere. Entry is free, daily roughly 08:00-17:00.

History

A Chinese dockyard owner trading out of Tha Lo village brought the goddess statue from Hai Lam Island in Guangdong province in 1867, then funded the shrine’s construction with two raft-loads of teak logs so the growing riverside trading community could worship there. The shrine also once taught both Thai and Chinese language classes to village children, tying it to the settlement’s early Chinese-Thai trading families as much as to religious practice.

What’s Inside

Chao Mae Thap Thim (also known locally as Tui-Buay-Teng-Neng) is enshrined as the principal image, with Chao Pho Kuan-U — the Chinese god of loyalty — on the right, and Chao Pho Poon-Thao-Kong and Chao Pho Poon-Thao-Ma on the left. The shrine’s standout artifact is a hand-carved wooden palanquin from China, decorated with floral and animal motifs in Chinese style, along with two sets of eight ceremonial symbols associated with the Eight Immortals of Chinese belief.

Atmosphere and Timing

This is a working riverside shrine rather than a museum piece — expect local devotees making offerings rather than a tour circuit. The annual worship ceremony each December is the busiest time to visit, when devotees travel in from across the region.

Insider Tip: Combine the visit with a walk along the Nan River embankment nearby — the shrine’s riverside setting and railway backdrop are part of what makes it worth the stop over a generic town temple.

Watch out: Multiple shrines across Thailand share the Chao Mae Thap Thim name — if you’re navigating by name alone, confirm you have Tha Lo, Mueang Phichit, and not a same-named shrine in another province.

Practical

The shrine sits close to other Mueang Phichit sights, including Bueng Si Fai, Wat Tha Luang Phra Aram Luang, and Wat Nakhon Chum. See the Phichit guide for the rest of the province.