Wat Krajom Thong

Wat Krajom Thong, in Bang Kruai district of Nonthaburi, traces its origins to around 1367 CE, during the reign of King Ramathibodi I — the founder of Ayutthaya, better known by his personal name, King U Thong. Local tradition holds that the site once held a royal krajom, a ceremonial tent or pavilion, where the king stayed, which is where the temple’s name comes from.

Little survives from that era beyond a badly deteriorated vihara, its walls roughly 80 cm thick, holding three Buddha images from the early U Thong artistic period. The largest and most revered is known locally as Luang Pho U Thong. All three images have had their heads stolen at some point in the temple’s long history — a blunt reminder of how much of Thailand’s older religious art has been lost to theft rather than time. Key Facts:

• Entry: Free (no published fixed hours)
• Founded: Circa 1367 CE, reign of King Ramathibodi I (King U Thong)
• Notable relic: Deteriorated vihara with three early U Thong-period Buddha images
• Location: Bang Kruai district, Nonthaburi, on Soi Bang Kruai-Sai Noi 17
• Active use: Ordinations, meditation retreats, dharma seminars

Restoration began in 1969 under the temple’s long-time abbot, and the compound now functions as a working monastery rather than a preserved ruin — it regularly hosts ordination ceremonies for both novice monks and nuns, plus meditation retreats that draw practitioners from beyond Nonthaburi. Insider Tip: The old vihara is the reason to come; ask at the temple office if you’d like someone to point out the surviving early U Thong-period Buddha images, since there’s little signage explaining their age or significance.

Watch out: don’t expect a polished restoration project — the historic vihara is genuinely in poor condition, propped up rather than rebuilt, which is part of what makes it a real historical site rather than a recreation. Dress modestly and remove shoes before entering any building housing a Buddha image.

Wat Krajom Thong pairs naturally with Wat Khong Kha, another quiet working temple a short drive away in Bang Yai, or with the grander Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Worawihan if you want to see how a modern royal temple compares with one of Nonthaburi’s oldest surviving religious sites.