Chedi Yak

Chedi Yak sits in the old town of Nakhon Si Thammarat, near the Municipality Office, and is free to enter daily from 06:00 to 18:00. Two yaksha — demon guardian statues — flank the staircase at its base, which is where the name comes from: yak means giant or demon, so Chedi Yak translates to “Giant’s Chedi.”

The chedi is built in Lankan-influenced style and stands as the second-tallest in the province after the Phra Borommathat chedi at Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan a short distance away — the two are often mentioned together as a pair. Local legend explains the yaksha guardians: a demon threatened to eat the townspeople unless he was allowed to finish building his own chedi first. While he raced to build it, the townspeople covered their unfinished Phra Borommathat with yellow cloth to make it look complete. Believing he’d lost the contest, the demon struck the top of his own chedi in fury — which is the story locals give for why the chedi’s upper section shows damage today. The Fine Arts Department restored the structure in the early 1920s after the top had earlier collapsed.

In front of the chedi, a small chapel houses a large seated Buddha image from the Ayutthaya period, known locally as Phra Ngin or Luang Pho Ngin — this is where visitors actually make offerings, rather than at the chedi itself. The site is sometimes referred to locally as Wat Phra Ngin. It’s a quick, self-contained stop rather than a half-day temple visit: most people spend 15–20 minutes here before moving on to the larger Phra Mahathat complex nearby.

Insider Tip: Visit Chedi Yak on the way to or from Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan — they’re close enough to combine into one old-town temple stop, and the legend behind the yaksha statues makes more sense once you’ve seen both chedis side by side.

Combine with Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, the province’s most important temple, and Phra Phutthasihing Hall, both within easy reach in the old town.