Chao Pho Chui Shrine

Chao Pho Chui Shrine is a small Chinese shrine in Sai Noi district, Nonthaburi — not a Buddhist wat, despite older listings that label it a temple. The shrine honours Chao Pho Chui, a guardian deity associated with protecting people who live and work along the local waterways. Entry is free, and it’s open daily, 08:00-17:00.

The current shrine building dates to 2007, replacing an earlier wooden structure that stood on the same plot in Tambon Khlong Khwang for more than a century. Red pillars, a tiled roof and Chinese-style carving set it apart from the Buddhist wats that dominate the rest of Nonthaburi — inside, the central image of Chao Pho Chui sits on an altar surrounded by incense and offerings, in the style of Chinese folk religion rather than Theravada Buddhist iconography.

It’s a short walk from Sai Noi Floating Market — cross the footbridge behind the market stalls and the shrine sits on the far bank, so most visitors combine the two on a weekend morning. Outside the market’s Saturday-Sunday hours the area around the shrine is quiet, with just the occasional local coming to pray or light incense.

Watch out: Nonthaburi has more than one Chao Pho Chui shrine. A larger, better-known shrine — Chao Pho Chui Sai Yai — sits in Sai Noi’s town centre on a different canal and holds a much bigger annual procession after Chinese New Year. If a map or driver takes you there instead, you’re at a different shrine to the one on this page.

The shrine sits in a rural stretch of Sai Noi district reachable by car or taxi; the MRT Purple Line gets you as far as Bang Yai or Sai Ma, after which a taxi covers the remaining distance along Highway 3215. Dress modestly, and remove your shoes before stepping onto the altar platform. Photography is generally fine, but skip the flash near the altar and ask before photographing anyone at prayer.

Insider Tip: Time your visit for a Saturday or Sunday morning so you can pair it with Sai Noi Floating Market across the footbridge — on weekdays, both the market and the shrine’s surroundings are near-empty.