Wat Huay Khen

Wat Huay Khen is a working village temple in Tambon Huai Khen, about 8 km from Bang Mun Nak district town in Phichit province. Its main draw is one most visitors never expect from a rural wat this size: an ordination hall built in 1917, under King Vajiravudh (Rama VI), with wall paintings that have never been repainted. The Fine Arts Department registered the building as an ancient monument in the Royal Gazette in September 1997.

Inside the ubosot, the original murals cover three subjects — the life of the Buddha, his Ten Previous Lives (the Jataka tales), and episodes from the Ramakien. The paint has faded in places and the colours have dulled with more than a century of humidity and temple smoke, but the compositions are intact and clearly readable, which is rare; most temple murals this old have been restored or painted over at least once. The temple is also tied locally to Luang Por Ngern, a monk still remembered and venerated in Bang Mun Nak district, whose image sits in one of the grounds’ smaller shrine halls.

Insider Tip: Ask a monk or temple caretaker to point out the Ramakien panels specifically — they are less commonly noted than the Jataka scenes but are among the best-preserved sections of the mural cycle.

Outside the ubosot, the compound is modest: a scattering of monks’ quarters, a few stupas, and shade trees where locals sit out the hottest part of the day. Morning is when the temple is most active, with monks doing their rounds and a handful of villagers dropping in to make merit before work. There’s no gift shop, no English signage to speak of, and no ticket booth — this is a community temple that happens to hold a piece of protected heritage, not a tourist site built around one.

Wat Huay Khen rewards a short detour if you’re already in Bang Mun Nak, less so as a standalone destination — it’s a genuine look at how a protected historic building functions as an ordinary neighbourhood temple, not a polished heritage attraction. Pair it with Wat Nakhon Chum or Wat Tha Luang in Mueang Phichit district if you want a fuller morning of temple-hopping around the province.