A monk discovered Wat Pranon’s history from Nhan Kat who was from Chiang Mai and used to stay at Wat Pra Sigha. The legend was found in a palm leaf manuscript saying Wat Pranon was founded by Chao Phraya Chaichana Songkram and Phra Nang Chao U-Tong Sri Pimpa in 236 Chula Sakarat, a lunisolar calendar launched in 638 CE with the epochal year 0 date of 22 March 638 by Phraya Kanwandit in a meeting of Lanna Kings where the kings agreed to adopt Chula Sakarat instead of Mahasakaraj, the standard calendar of Khmer Empire. When Ayutthaya officially adopted Chula Sakarat, it is believed that the era is derived from the Burmese calendar. Chula Sakarat was widely used in many kingdoms including Lanna, late Sukhothai, and Ayutthaya. King Prasattong stopped using Chula Sakarat and adopted Chula Manee Era instead causing the the zodiac to delay by 3 years. Chula Sakarat was adopted again later and has been carried on to the present. To calculate from Chula Sakarat to Buddhist era in Thai calendar, add 1181 to the Chula Sakarat year. Wat Pranon originally had the real 3-metre long reclining Buddha image made of rock but Chao Pu Tao Ka who was the prosecutor of Phraya Chai Chana Songkram saw that it was not safe. He ordered to cover the image with a bigger reclining Buddha image and decorate beautifully. It was the same time when Burmese army invaded Koh Sai town causing the town people to fled into forests for fear before getting to celebrate the new Buddha image. Chao Phraya Chana Songkram then said to his wife, Pimpa, that the invasion cause the chaos in the town and he would like to finish building the image and celebrate in the following day. Chao Phraya Chana Songkram went out to war and died in the field. His brother, Tao Ya Sid Saanharn also went missing. Therefore, Pimpa built Wat Pranon’s pagoda and inscribed in a golden stone in local characters saying that Wat Pranon must be worshipped annually on the full moon day of June. When the town had no governor, the temple wa
