Wat Chana Songkhram Ratchaworamahawihan

Wat Chana Songkhram is an ancient temple dating back to the Ayutthaya period. It is one of the most beautifully exquisite temples remaining.

The main building of Wat Chana Songkhram is the ubosot (ordination hall), a traditional Thai-style structure that seems common, but take a look at the pediment. You will find two interesting things. First, although the pediment is decorated with the image of Vishnu riding Garuda, as seen in many temples, Wat Chana Songkhram has added a window beneath the image of Vishnu on Garuda. It is unclear why this was done.

Another thing to notice is the pediment frame. In most temples, the frame has a "naga sudung" (serpent motif) that makes the frame curved. But here, it only has a "ruay raka" (decorative pattern) and omits the naga sudung, resulting in a straight frame similar to a typical house gable. This is a distinctive feature of the architectural style of the Front Palace craftsmen, found in temples or palaces built by the nobility of the Front Palace faction. This contrasts with the Royal Palace craftsmen’s architecture, which always includes the naga sudung.

Inside, you will find a large principal Buddha image in the Mara Vichai posture, standing prominently as the main figure of the building, surrounded by 15 smaller Buddha statues, making a total of 16 statues. This principal Buddha is named Phra Phuttha Norasi Trilok Chet Mahathisak Puchaniyachayanta Kodom Borom Sasda Anawarayana, or popularly called "Luang Pho Pu" by locals.

This Buddha image has been the principal statue since the temple was still a rural temple. Therefore, it retains the Ayutthaya-style Buddhist art and is considered a sacred and highly important statue. Legend says that before Somdet Phra Boworn Ratcha Chao Maha Surasinghanat went to battle, he would come to pay respects to this Buddha image and always achieved victory. There is also a story that after the Nine Armies War, he changed his royal attire and dedicated it by inscribing yantras (sacred symbols) on the principal Buddha image and ordered his generals to do the same as a Buddhist offering before commanding that the image be covered with a layer of plaster.

Besides the Buddha statues, the ubosot also contains other interesting features, such as mural paintings depicting the life of the Buddha on the surrounding walls. Although these murals are newly painted and not ancient works hundreds of years old, they have a unique charm. Especially notable is the depiction of angels displaying their powers using only line drawings. At first glance, one might think the artist didn’t finish the work, but it was intentional to show that these angels are manifesting their powers without revealing their forms, so ordinary people cannot see them.

I encourage you to come and admire the beauty of this temple and pay your respects peacefully. For parking, I recommend using the police station’s parking lot nearby, which has plenty of space, and then walking to the temple as it’s not far. If you have the chance, please stop by to pay your respects. It is peaceful, serene, and truly beautiful.

Post by MarkTid | Aug 2, 2025