Wat Bor Rae

Wat Bor Rae is a Mahanikai-sect village temple in Bo Rae subdistrict, Wat Sing district, founded on 4 March 1896 (B.E. 2439) by Phra Achan Niam, then abbot of nearby Wat Singh Satit, together with local villagers. Its original name, Wat Bor Rae Tham Charoen Sri, is still recorded in local temple registers. Entry is free, and it’s a working monastery rather than a ticketed sight — the reason to come is the temple’s own story, not a landmark chedi.

The ubosot (ordination hall) is a reinforced-concrete building 8 metres wide and 23 metres long, granted wisungkhamsima — royal land consecration allowing ordination ceremonies — on 28 April 1926. Alongside it stands a wooden sala kanparian (sermon hall) measuring 16 by 34.5 metres, still used for community merit-making events. A large gate arch marks the temple’s front entrance, and the adjoining bell pavilion carries a sculpted ox, the birth-year symbol of the temple’s founder. At the centre of the grounds, a mondop shrine enshrines a statue of Luang Pu Khleuap (Phra Khru Wichit Chaikan), a former abbot whose reputation for spiritual power still draws local devotees.

Insider Tip: Time a visit around the Wai Phra Pit Thong Luang Pu Khleuap festival in February if you want to see the temple busiest and most alive — villagers travel in from across Wat Sing district to apply gold leaf to the Luang Pu Khleuap statue and make merit. Outside festival dates, expect a quiet, mostly empty temple with just resident monks going about their routine.

No fixed visiting hours are posted, since this is a functioning village monastery rather than a managed attraction — arriving in daylight hours is the safe bet, and mornings bring the best chance of seeing monks collecting alms. Dress modestly with covered shoulders and knees, and remove your shoes before stepping into the ubosot or sala. There’s no direct public transport link; a car or motorbike from Chainat town is the practical way in, and the temple works well as a stop on a wider loop through Wat Sing district’s smaller temples rather than a standalone destination.