Wat Phlapphla Chai

Wat Phlapphla Chai is one of Phetchaburi’s oldest temples, founded around 1747 in the late Ayutthaya period, when this stretch of the Phetchaburi River served as a staging ground for troops marching to fight the Burmese. The name refers to the royal pavilion — phlapphla — erected here for the king to review his forces; when the temple was built on the site, it kept the name. The poet Sunthorn Phu recorded the temple in his travelogue Nirat Mueang Phet during the early Rattanakosin period. Entry is free, open daily 06:00-18:00.

The temple is known for two things above all. The first is its Phetchaburi-school stucco work: the ordination hall and prayer hall windows and door frames carry intricate relief carving considered among the finest surviving examples of traditional Phetchaburi craftsmanship, and the Phra Viharn Luang contains murals depicting heavenly assemblies. The second is its collection of nang yai — large shadow puppets cut from painted buffalo hide — made under the temple’s celebrated abbot Luang Pho Ritt (abbot 1869-1919), a childhood disciple of the master artist Khrua In Khong. Luang Pho Ritt’s parents sent him to study under Khrua In Khong in Bangkok as a boy, and he brought that training in painting, sculpture, and performance back to Phetchaburi. More than 200 puppets based on Ramakien characters were produced, and the troupe performed for King Rama V on his royal visit to Phetchaburi on 8 October 1910 — the high point of the temple’s reputation before a major fire later gutted much of the complex.

The puppets are displayed in the old ordination hall, though access may require finding a monk to unlock the hall — confirm on arrival rather than assuming it’s open. Insider Tip: ask about the paper-cutting demonstration some visits offer, where you punch out a miniature nang yai pattern yourself — a hands-on way to understand how intricate the real hide-carving is before you see the originals.

Watch out: the puppet display keeps informal hours tied to whichever monk is available, so a visit built entirely around seeing the nang yai can fall through — build in flexibility, or call ahead.

The temple sits in central Phetchaburi on Thanon Damnoenkasem, a short walk or tuk-tuk ride from the town centre, and pairs easily with Wat Kamphaeng Laeng, the town’s Khmer-era sanctuary, or Wat Ko Phetchaburi nearby. Dress modestly and remove shoes before entering any building.