Wat Tha Chang

Wat Tha Chang sits on the east bank of the Nan River in Bang Mun Nak district, Phichit — a working monastery whose name, “elephant landing,” comes from a local legend about a scented elephant floated downriver on a raft to be presented to the King of Ayutthaya. Entry is free, daily 08:00-18:00.

The temple was established in 1899 and granted royal sanctuary status (wisungkhamsima) in 1939. Two large elephant statues stand at the entrance, a nod to the Phlai Nimit legend that gave the site its name. Inside the main hall is Luang Pho Hin, a stone Buddha image dating to the Dvaravati period — one of the older Buddha images still actively worshipped in Phichit province, and the reason many local devotees make the trip here rather than to a newer temple closer to town. A restored mondop (spired pavilion) near the grounds, roughly a century old, adds to the sense of an established, lived-in religious site rather than a recent build.

The riverside setting shapes daily life at the temple: monks’ quarters back onto the Nan River, and the water adds a constant low murmur beneath the morning and evening chanting. Wooden structures with red-tiled roofs make up most of the complex, scattered with smaller shrines where locals stop to make merit on their way past.

Insider Tip: Ask to see Luang Pho Hin up close if the main hall is open — it’s easy to walk past the ancient stone image amid the temple’s newer Buddha statues, but it’s the one locals specifically travel here to pray to.

Watch out: There’s no formal parking area and no public transport running directly to the temple gate — arrive by car or motorbike from Bang Mun Nak town, about 2 km away.

Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees, and remove your shoes before entering any building housing a Buddha image. Bring a small donation for the temple’s upkeep; this is a genuine neighbourhood monastery rather than a tourist site, so keep noise down if a chanting session is underway.