Wat Nong Phluang

Wat Nong Phluang Wat Nong Phluang is located in Nong Khayang Sub-district, Nong Khayang District of Uthai Thani Province. There is no evidence of who built the temple, but a record was found telling that the temple was built in 1689 and received a royal granting of the land in 1719. Covering the area of approximately 28 Rai, Wat Nong Phluang has an important attraction which is Phra Ubosot or the ordination hall. According to the evidence, the hall is the work of Ayutthaya Era’s fine arts. The building is made of bricks and cement and has wide and high base, narrow body and column-less roof. There is no window. The front gable is decorated with a stucco relief pattern and crockery. However, the rear gable does not have any pattern or a Cho Fa (gable apex). It is made of white cement, which looks simple and clean. Sema boundary markers made of a sculpted stone are put on a lotus-shaped base. They are simplistic and beautiful art style. Moreover, it is assumed that the temple was renovated in the early period of Rattanakosin Era because there is Benjarong wares decorated at the front gable of Phra Ubosot. The renovation was done by craftsmen from the Fine Arts Department who maintained the same art style of the hall. Phra Ubosot was built in the shape of a ship. Looking from the outside, the hall resembles the ancient Chinese junk. Inside, the hall houses an old Buddha image called by local people as “Laung Pho Wang Bang.” The name was mispronounced and later altered to “Luang Pho Bang Bangh.” This image is highly worshipped by people of Nong Khayang District. There is only one entrance to the temple. Tourists can visit the temple to pay respect and make merit daily, from 8.00 a.m. to 16.30 p.m. To get there, from Bangkok, take Highway No. 333 out of the city. Between 9th and 10th kilometer, the temple is located on your right, next to Nong Khayang Witthayakhom School. The journey takes only about 2 hours 44 minutes.