Wat Phichainawat

Wat Phichainawat, known locally as Wat Ban Chian, sits on the west bank of the Tha Chin River in Hankha district, Chainat — a working temple believed to date from the mid-Ayutthaya period, making it more than three centuries old. Entry is free, and the grounds are open daily from roughly 06:00 to 18:00.

The temple’s defining feature is its ordination hall, built in the middle of a pond rather than on solid ground — visitors cross a raised walkway to reach it. Inside sits a Buddha image roughly 4.5 metres tall in the Pang Pa Lelai posture: seated, hands resting on the knees, a pose that depicts the period the Buddha spent in retreat in the Parileyyaka forest, attended only by an elephant and a monkey. The scale of the statue inside a comparatively modest hall gives the interior a compressed, almost cave-like feel rare among central Thai ordination halls.

Chainat sits well south of the Lanna cultural sphere, and Wat Phichainawat’s architecture reflects that — it belongs to the central Thai temple tradition rather than the tiered, carved-wood style associated with Chiang Mai and the north. The compound is modest by design: a scattering of monks’ quarters, a bell tower and shade trees around the pond, without the elaborate murals or gilded chedis found at some of Chainat’s larger provincial temples.

Insider Tip: Photographs of the ordination hall work best from the walkway approach, where the pond’s reflection frames the building — arrive before midday, when the water is stillest and the light hasn’t flattened out yet.

Watch out: The walkway to the ordination hall can be narrow and uneven; take extra care during the rainy season, when the pond level rises close to the boards.

Dress modestly, with covered shoulders and knees, and remove shoes before stepping onto the ordination hall’s platform. As a working monastery rather than a tourist site, there are no facilities beyond the temple grounds — bring water if visiting in the hot season. Nearby Amphoe Hankha Old Market and Wat Klai Kangwon (Khao Saraphatdi Si Charoen Tham) are both within the same district and make reasonable stops on the same trip.