Wat Thung Si Wilai

Wat Thung Si Wilai’s real draw isn’t its architecture — it’s three ancient Buddha images, the oldest of which predates the temple building around it by centuries. Luangpho Phutthawiset, a stone Buddha seated under a naga hood, dates to the Dvaravati period and is roughly 1,000 years old; it’s the image local villagers turn to first for blessings. Alongside it sit Luangpho Chaisiddhi, a Lan Chang-period sculpture more than 700 years old, and Luangpho Ruang Rojanaratthi, a wood-carved and gilded standing Buddha from the same era. The temple itself was founded later, in 1797, on land given by Nang Chiang Dai, daughter of the local ruler, and received formal religious consecration in 1887.

The grounds sit in Ban Chi Thuan, a village in Chi Thuan subdistrict roughly 40 km west of Ubon Ratchathani city — not a stop you’d stumble onto without meaning to visit. Entry is free, as at nearly every working temple in this part of Isan, and a small donation for upkeep is welcome rather than required. Beyond the three Buddha images, expect a modest, functioning monastery: an ordination hall, a scattering of smaller shrines, and grounds that feel lived-in rather than curated for visitors.

What sets Wat Thung Si Wilai apart from a typical village temple is its second role as a meditation training centre. It regularly hosts mindfulness and Dhamma-practice courses for civil servants, government offices, and schools from across the province — a function that keeps the grounds quietly busy on weekdays even without festival crowds. If you turn up on a training day, expect visiting groups in matching white shirts rather than tourists.

Insider Tip: Ask a resident monk or temple volunteer to point out all three Buddha images together — Luangpho Phutthawiset is the obvious centrepiece, but the two Lan Chang-era figures beside it are easy to miss if you don’t know to look for them.

Watch out: there’s little English signage, and the temple sees few foreign visitors, so bring cash for a donation rather than expecting a card reader or QR code at the entrance. Dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered — and remove your shoes before entering the ordination hall.

Pair the visit with the Ban Chi Thuan Rice Fields Walking Bridge (Khua Noi) in the same village, or head back into Ubon Ratchathani city to see Wat Maha Wanaram and Wat Supattanaram Worawihan, the province’s two best-known temples.