Wat Chettawong Abandoned Temple

With both beautiful and quirky temples everywhere you look in this amazing country, some are hidden in plain sight along quiet unlikely residential streets. One such rather sad place is the long abandoned Wat Chettawong, surrounded by private homes in a narrow street close to the Chao Phraya River.

 

We found this abandoned place while researching about Pathumthani province, and that also led us on to two more historical temples not far away – they will come in another post. The riverside at Pathumthani has dozens of temples lining both banks as boats were the main method transport for centuries.

What You’ll See

Wat Chettawong is in a rather sad state of repair, founded in the Ayutthaya period (or possibly earlier). The only surviving building {the Ubosot) is estimated to be about 200-300 years old and has badly damaged murals on the interior walls, with some fairly clear, some fading or chipped, and others gone forever.

Any other buildings that may have been part of the complex are long gone, with private homes clustered around the remaining Ubosot. There has been a suggestion from the layout, a large stupa next to the road, and the eight sema (temple boundary markers) that earlier buildings may have had Mon or older cultural influences.

 

There is a veranda with bird wing eaves above the entrance and around the sides, a single undecorated door and three windows on both sides. Inside the Ubosot, there were many beautiful ancient murals painted on the wall of brick and earthenware.

The principal Buddha image, and the ones on each side of it, were enshrined on a plaster base decorated with stucco and glass, partly degraded. Behind them is one clear mural of the Buddha in a scene known as “Maya’s Temptation” said to have been created by a master artist during the Ayuddhya period.

Why Was It Abandoned

We’ve not been able to find out when it was abandoned, but apparently the building became so dilapidated that the few remaining monks moved to the nearby Wat Chinwararam, which is yet another interesting temple, and Wat Chettawong legally became part of that temple, until the Fine Arts Department stepped in.

 

Due to the degradation of the murals and the Ubosot in general, in 1987 the Department of Fine Art registered the area as protected and offered to repair what they could. However, some locals told us that visits by government officials are not common.

 

Despite our sadness that such a historic site has been neglected for whatever reason, we must remember that the Fine Arts Department are responsible for many thousands of important cultural and historic sites across the country and resources are limited.

We could speculate that while the Ubosot needed care when the Fine Arts Department took over responsibility, that the building might have suffered more serious damage during the ‘Big Flood of 2011’ which affected roughly two thirds of the country. We emphasize that this is purely speculation, with no direct evidence.

Also the local community of working people don’t have the finances or skills to do much more than try to keep it tidy, and by law they can’t do much else.

Why You Should Go

However, we’d encourage you to go and see it, it’s a unique piece of Thai history well worth visiting, and might not last too long. The trip can be combined with other nearby temples that also have long histories and beautiful Ubosots, ancient and modern, as well as riverside views.

Facilities: If you come by car, parking is difficult as it’s a narrow road with many house driveways which you must keep clear of.

Come on a week day and it’s a bit easier. Parking a motorbike isn’t a problem. There are no toilets, or eateries here, but you can find both on the nearby main road.

For those with disabilities: Wheelchairs can’t cross the temple lintel, but if you’re able to walk short distances, you will be fine as long as you watch your footing around the outside of the temple. The nearest clean toilet is at a PTT fuel station on the nearby main road, there are also accessible local restaurants there.

Getting There:

Wat Chettawong (วัดเจตวงศ์) is at 307 Soi Watchinwararam, Bang Khayaeng sub-district, Mueang district, Pathumthani province – just north of Bangkok.

Google Maps location code is XG9H+FPQ

Another historic temple nearby is this one.

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