Wat Phrathat Chommon

Wat Phrathat Chommon sits on a hill in Ban Kat subdistrict, on the edge of Mae Sariang town in Mae Hong Son province. It’s one of four chedis — Chom Chaeng, Chom Thong, Chom Kitti, and Chom Mon — built on hills around the town’s four compass points, and locals treat the hilltop as one of Mae Sariang’s better sunset viewpoints rather than purely a pilgrimage stop.

Temple records place the original stupa’s construction at roughly 400 years old. It sat in ruins for long periods before villagers restored the structure in the early 20th century, and the larger chedi casing visitors see today dates from a 1997 rebuild over the older core. The claim that the temple is built in a distinctly Burmese architectural style isn’t backed by any source found for this page — it belongs to the same Lanna tradition as Mae Sariang’s other three Chom stupas, distinct from the more overtly Shan-influenced temples in Mae Hong Son town proper, such as Wat Chong Kham.

Insider Tip: Time your visit for late afternoon. The hilltop position gives an open view over the Mae Sariang valley, and it’s a far quieter sunset spot than the riverside restaurants in town.

The grounds are small and easy to cover in twenty to thirty minutes — a single chedi, a prayer hall, and the hillside view. It’s an active neighborhood temple with a July festival day each year, so expect a working religious site rather than a museum piece: incense in the air, offering tables near the chedi, and the occasional monk going about daily routines.

Bring a light jacket if you’re visiting in the cool season — the hilltop catches more breeze than the town below. Dress modestly, as at any working Thai temple. It pairs well with a visit to Phrathat Chomkitti or Wat Chom Chaeng, the other two of the four Chom stupas within easy reach of Mae Sariang town.