Wat Pak Nam Fang Nuea Explained

Wat Pak Nam Fang Nuea
Native Name:วัดปากน้ำฝั่งเหนือ
Sect:Theravāda Mahā Nikāya
Map Type:Thailand Bangkok
Location:183 Soi Pak Nam Fang Nuea 19, Pak Nam Fang Nuea Road, Khlong Chak Phra, Taling Chan, Bangkok 10170
Religious Affiliation:Buddhism
Country:Thailand
Functional Status:Civilian temple
Founded By:Unknown

Wat Pak Nam Fang Nuea (Thai: วัดปากน้ำฝั่งเหนือ) is an old Thai Buddhist temple in Bangkok. It is a monastery paired with Wat Pak Nam Fang Tai, which is located on the opposite side with only the Khlong Bang Chueak Nang in the middle.

The temple history is unclear, assumed to be built around 1827 and received wis̄ungkhāms̄īmā (วิสุงคามสีมา, "the boundary of the temple was bestowed by the king") in 1835.

Legendarily both temple builders are brothers. Later, they had a disagreement, so they split up to build different temples, which is opposite the bank of the canal namely Wat Pak Nam Fang Nuea ("the temple on the northern side of the confluence") and Wat Pak Nam Fang Tai ("the temple on the southern side of the confluence").

Wat Pak Nam Fang Nuea is smaller than Wat Pak Nam Fang Tai. The ordination hall is small in Mon style, facing east, with a single door without windows, known locally as mhaaud (มหาอุด). The principal Buddha image in the posture of meditation is called Luang Phor Petch (หลวงพ่อเพชร).

Originally, it was inaccessible by car. In 2004, Wat Pak Nam Wittayakom School (present-day Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya's College), located on the temple grounds, opened up a space in the back of the school, thus allowing cars to access the temple.[1]

The temple is listed by the Fine Arts Department as a registered ancient monument in 2023.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Thongdaeng. Wityada. ชุมทางตลิ่งชัน ย่านเก่า [ก่อน] กรุงเทพฯ. Saran. Thongpan. Taling Chan Junction old neighbourhood [before] Bangkok. September 2012. Muang Boran Journal. Bangkok. 978-974-7727-93-7. 97–100. Thai.
  2. Web site: วัดปากน้ำฝั่งเหนือ. ฐานข้อมูลแหล่งโบราณคดีที่สำคัญในประเทศไทย. thai.