Wat Hirunyaram

Wat Hirunyaram sits on the old bank of the Nan River in Bang Khlan subdistrict, Phichit province — better known locally as Wat Bang Khlan. It was founded in 1827 by Luang Por Ngern, a monk who chose the spot as a forested retreat suited to meditation despite the wildlife risks of the area at the time. He served as abbot from 1846 until 1907 and became renowned across the region both as a meditation teacher and for traditional herbal medicine, with recipes and manuscripts he compiled still kept at the temple. The temple received formal royal consecration in 1971. Entry is free, and it’s open daily 08:00-17:00.

Luang Por Ngern is the reason most visitors come. He’s one of the most widely collected amulet-monks in Thai Buddhist culture — his likeness and blessed amulets remain highly sought after among collectors nationwide, decades after his death. The temple’s Nakhon Chai Buri Museum, a two-story pagoda-shaped building on the grounds, houses a life-size bronze statue of him upstairs, with a lower floor given over to antiques and religious artifacts the temple has accumulated over nearly two centuries.

Beyond the museum, Wat Hirunyaram functions as an ordinary working temple: an ordination hall with Buddha images in several postures, smaller shrines scattered through the grounds, and a bell tower where visitors can make a small donation and ring the bells for merit. It draws a mix of local worshippers making regular visits and out-of-town pilgrims specifically seeking Luang Por Ngern’s blessing — busier on weekends and Buddhist holy days (wan phra) than on an average weekday morning.

Insider Tip: If Luang Por Ngern amulets interest you, ask at the temple office rather than any nearby vendor — genuine pieces tied to his lineage are valuable enough that counterfeits circulate widely outside the temple itself.

Getting there means a short drive along Tha Bua-Bang Khlan Road rather than public transport — Wat Hirunyaram sits well outside Phichit town in a rural stretch of Pho Thale district, so a rented car, motorbike, or taxi from town is the practical route. The riverside setting means there’s decent shade around the older buildings, though the open courtyard near the museum can get hot by midday. Pair the visit with nearby Wat Nakhon Chum or Bueng Si Fai in Phichit town if you’re building a fuller day around the province’s temple and lake sights.