🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Wat Phra That Choeng Chum is a second-class royal temple of the worawihan rank, set beside Nong Han lake on Charoen Mueang Road in central Sakon Nakhon. What everyone comes to pay respects to is the white square stupa standing proud at the centre of the grounds, plus the Luang Pho Ong Saen viharn right next to it. These two are the heart of the temple, and you can pay your respects to both in one spot without much walking. Around them are cloisters, pavilions, and big shade trees to sit under in the cool of the day. It has the feel of a working city temple where people drop in to make merit all day long, not just a photo stop.
The history of Phra That Choeng Chum
The name "Choeng Chum" comes from a legend that this is the gathering place of the footprints of four Buddhas of the present age, so the stupa was built to enshrine those footprints. Beneath the original base of the stupa is a sandstone prang from the Khmer period, with ancient Khmer inscriptions still surviving as evidence. Later, during the Lan Xang kingdom, a square chedi was built over the original structure as another layer. The stupa you see today is therefore Lan Xang art built on a Khmer prang base, with several ancient eras layered together in one place.
The chedi is brick-and-stucco, around 24 metres tall, with a square base rising to a plain square lotus form near the top, without much decorative detail, and painted white all over. The umbrella finial above the stupa is made of pure gold, weighing roughly 247 baht-weight. It's this white-and-gold contrast that makes Phra That Choeng Chum look clean and easy to recognise, and it has become the visual shorthand for Sakon Nakhon that locals spot instantly.
Good to know
At the base of the stupa inside the viharn there's a small door said to lead to a tunnel under the stupa that was part of the original Khmer prang. It's usually closed off, but it's a clue that there really is something old hidden beneath this Lan Xang stupa.
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The white square stupa: what to look for
What sets Phra That Choeng Chum apart from the bell-shaped stupas you usually see is its square form: a square base, a square body, then tapering up to a square lotus before reaching the gold umbrella finial. It's a shape specific to Lan Xang art that you can only see in a handful of places in Thailand. Walk a full loop around the stupa and you'll notice each side is identical. The beauty is in the proportions and the clean white, not in heavy ornamentation.
- The white stupa — a square Lan Xang chedi about 24 metres tall, the main photo spot of the temple; morning and evening light is the softest and prettiest
- The gold umbrella finial — above the stupa, made of pure gold weighing roughly 247 baht-weight, a clear contrast against the white body
- Luang Pho Ong Saen viharn — right next to the stupa, home to the city's revered Buddha image; go inside here to pay your respects
- Cloisters around the courtyard — you can walk a loop around the stupa, shady and cool, good for exploring before or after paying respects
Luang Pho Ong Saen, the city's revered Buddha
In the viharn next to the stupa sits Luang Pho Ong Saen, a Buddha image in the subduing-Mara posture in the Chiang Saen style, deeply revered as the guardian Buddha of Sakon Nakhon. Many people come specifically to pay respects to Luang Pho Ong Saen for blessings of good fortune and auspiciousness. There's a story that during restoration they tried to move the original image out to install a new one but couldn't shift it, so in the end both images were enshrined together. Anyone visiting Phra That Choeng Chum usually pays respects to the stupa first, then steps into the viharn to pay respects to Luang Pho Ong Saen in the same visit.
How to pay your respects
Most locals start by buying a set of flowers, incense, and candles from the stalls in front of the temple, then go in to pay respects at the stupa first, before entering the viharn to pay respects to Luang Pho Ong Saen. Paying respects at Phra That Choeng Chum is believed to bring blessings to yourself and your family, while Luang Pho Ong Saen is especially known for granting good fortune. There's no fixed ritual; doing it with a calm, composed mind is enough.
- Prepare your offerings — flowers, incense, and candles are sold at the stalls in front of the temple, around 20–50 THB per set
- Pay respects to the stupa first — make your wish around the white stupa, the main spot where people come to pay respects
- Enter the viharn to pay respects to Luang Pho Ong Saen — pay respects to the city's Buddha image; many ask for blessings of good fortune and work
- Make merit as you wish — there are donation boxes and sangha-offering points in the temple; give according to your faith, no set amount
On dress code
This is an important temple with people making merit all day, so dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered, take off your shoes before entering the viharn, and keep your voice down inside where people are praying. During merit festivals it gets especially crowded, so leave a little extra time.
Opening hours, location, and getting there
The temple is on Charoen Mueang Road in central Sakon Nakhon, right beside Nong Han lake, and it's the easiest of the province's attractions to reach. There's a car park in front, and it's just a few minutes' walk from the municipal morning market or the walking street area. If you're staying at a hotel in town, you're likely close by, just a short drive or motorbike-taxi ride away.
- Opening hours — open for visitors around 6:00 AM–6:00 PM daily; early morning is quieter and the air is cool
- Entry fee — free, no admission charge; only the cost of offerings and donation boxes as you wish
- Location — Charoen Mueang Road, That Choeng Chum subdistrict, Mueang Sakon Nakhon district, beside Nong Han lake in the city centre
- Getting there — central location, walkable from the morning market or walking street; car park in front of the temple
The annual festival and the best time to come
The temple holds its annual Phra That Choeng Chum homage festival around the second lunar month, roughly January, when people from across the province and beyond come to make merit and pack the temple. It's the liveliest time of year, with a market, performances, and merit-making ceremonies. If you want to see the temple in a real festival atmosphere, come during this time; but if you'd rather pay your respects in peace without the crowds, a weekday morning is better.
Straight talk
Phra That Choeng Chum isn't a huge temple with wide, multi-zone grounds like the famous temples in big cities. The main points are the stupa and the adjoining Luang Pho Ong Saen viharn, and you can pay respects to both in a short time. Its charm is in being the city's guardian temple that Sakon people feel deeply attached to, not in its size. If you pair it with a walk along Nong Han lake or the morning market afterwards, it's better value than coming here on its own.
What else to do near Phra That Choeng Chum
Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Park (Sa Phang Thong)
A public park beside Nong Han lake in the centre of town, with a red lotus pond that blooms beautifully in the morning. It's close to Phra That Choeng Chum, just a short walk or drive away, and entry is free, perfect for catching a lakeside breeze after paying your respects.
Sakon Nakhon Municipal Morning Market
A morning market in the centre of town with plenty of Isan dishes and Vietnamese food to choose from. It's not far from the temple, so you can pay respects early and then go find khao piak sen or naem nueang to eat afterwards.
See the full guide to Sakon Nakhon's attractions and hotels before you plan your trip
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