List of Buddhist temples in Thailand

Wat Phra Kaew, or Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is Thailand's primary and most important temple.

There are 44,195 Buddhist temples in Thailand, as of 1 March 2025, according to the National Office of Buddhism. Of these, 311 are royal temples (Thai: พระอารามหลวง, RTGS: phra aram luang). The temples can also be categorized according to the school of Buddhism and the monastic order, as set out in the table below.[1]

StatusSchoolOrderNo. of temples
RoyalTheravādaDhammayuttika Nikāya63
Mahā Nikāya248
CommonDhammayuttika Nikāya4,720
Mahā Nikāya39,122
MahāyānaChinese Nikāya17
Annam Nikāya25
44,195

Official recognition of a temple's legitimacy (Thai: วิสุงคามสีมา, RTGS: wisungkhamasima; Pali: visuṃgāmasīmā) has been granted to 26,782 temples.[1] As of December 2022, there are an additional 5,388 temples that have been classified as abandoned.[2]

Royal temples

Royal temples are those formally associated with the monarchy, and hold special status, generally divided into three classes.[3] They are listed here comprehensively as follows.[4]

Special class

First class

There are 23 first-class royal temples. They are divided into three types: ratchaworamahawihan, ratchaworawihan, and woramahawihan.

Name Province Class Type Order
Wat Arun Bangkok First Ratchaworamahawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit Bangkok First Ratchaworamahawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Pho Bangkok First Ratchaworamahawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Suthat Bangkok First Ratchaworamahawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Phra Pathommachedi Nakhon Pathom First Ratchaworamahawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Phra Phutthabat Saraburi First Ratchaworamahawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Niwet Thammaprawat Ayutthaya First Ratchaworawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Senasanaram Ayutthaya First Ratchaworawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Suwan Dararam Ayutthaya First Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Benchamabophit Bangkok First Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Bowonniwet Bangkok First Ratchaworawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Ratchabophit Bangkok First Ratchaworawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Ratchaorasaram Bangkok First Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Ratchapradit Bangkok First Ratchaworawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat Sukhothai First Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Phra Borommathat Chaiya Surat Thani First Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Phra Si Mahathat Bangkok First Woramahawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Phra Singh Chiang Mai First Woramahawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Yansangwararam Chonburi First Woramahawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Phra That Hariphunchai Lamphun First Woramahawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Phra That Phanom Nakhon Phanom First Woramahawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Phra Mahathat Nakhon Si Thammarat First Woramahawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat Phitsanulok First Woramahawihan Mahā Nikāya

Second class

There are 42 second-class royal temples. They are divided into four types: ratchaworamahawihan, ratchaworawihan, woramahawihan, and worawihan.

Name Province Class Type Order
Wat Chana Songkhram Bangkok Second Ratchaworamahawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Saket Bangkok Second Ratchaworamahawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Chumphon Nikayaram Ayutthaya Second Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Borom Niwat Bangkok Second Ratchaworawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Chaiyaphrueksamala Bangkok Second Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Hong Rattanaram Bangkok Second Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Makut Kasattriyaram Bangkok Second Ratchaworawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Molilokkayaram Bangkok Second Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Pathum Khongkha Bangkok Second Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Rachathiwat Bangkok Second Ratchaworawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Ratchaburana Bangkok Second Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Ratchasittharam Bangkok Second Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Sommanat Bangkok Second Ratchaworawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Suwannaram Bangkok Second Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Thep Sirin Tharawat Bangkok Second Ratchaworawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Chiang Mai Second Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Khemaphirataram Nonthaburi Second Ratchaworawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Maha Samanaram Phetchaburi Second Ratchaworawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Phaichayon Phonlasep Samut Prakan Second Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Chakkrawat Bangkok Second Woramahawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Kanlayanamit Bangkok Second Woramahawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Rakhangkhositaram Bangkok Second Woramahawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Chaiyo Ang Thong Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Pa Mok Ang Thong Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Borommawong Itsarawararam Ayutthaya Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Phanan Choeng Ayutthaya Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Sala Pun Ayutthaya Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Anongkharam Bangkok Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Bophit Phimuk Bangkok Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Phichai Yat Bangkok Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Prayurawongsawat Bangkok Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Traimit Bangkok Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Phra Borommathat Chainat Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Nonthaburi Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Paramaiyikawat Nonthaburi Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Khongkharam Phetchaburi Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Thammikaram Prachuap Khiri Khan Second Worawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Sattanat Pariwat Ratchaburi Second Worawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Phra That Choeng Chum Sakon Nakhon Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Klang Samut Prakan Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Songtham Samut Prakan Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Amphawan Chetiyaram Samut Songkhram Second Worawihan Mahā Nikāya

Third class

The third-class royal temples are divided into three types: ratchaworawihan, worawihan, and saman.

Name Province Class Type Order
Wat Nang Bangkok Third Ratchaworawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Pathum Wanaram Bangkok Third Ratchaworawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Ratchanatdaram Bangkok Third Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Thepthidaram Bangkok Third Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Sothonwararam Chachoengsao Third Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Chedi Luang Chiang Mai Third Worawihan Dhammayuttika Nikāya
Wat Phra Prathon Chedi Nakhon Pathom Third Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Phet Samut Samut Songkhram Third Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Pa Lelai Suphan Buri Third Worawihan Mahā Nikāya
Wat Na Phra Men Ayutthaya Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Hua Lamphong Bangkok Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Intharawihan Bangkok Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Nang Chi Chotikaram Bangkok Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen Bangkok Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Sam Phraya Bangkok Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Yannawa Bangkok Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Chet Yot Chiang Mai Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Phra That Doi Saket Chiang Mai Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Suan Dok Chiang Mai Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Phra Sing, Chiang Rai Chiang Rai Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Phra Phutthabat Tak Pha Lamphun Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Rai Khing Nakhon Pathom Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Chonlaprathan Rangsarit Nonthaburi Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Si Khom Kham Phayao Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Tha Luang Phichit Third Saman Mahā Nikāya
Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai Samut Prakan Third Saman Mahā Nikāya

Common temples

The following is a list of non-royal Buddhist temples (Thai: วัดราษฏร์, RTGS: wat rat) in Thailand for which there are Wikipedia articles:

Northern Thailand

Chiang Mai

Chiang Rai

Lampang

Lamphun

Mae Hong Son

Nakhon Sawan

Nan

Nong Khai

Phayao

Phetchabun

Phichit

Uthai Thani

Uttaradit

Sukhothai

  • Wat Chao Chan

Northeastern Thailand

Khon Kaen

Maha Sarakham

Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Sisaket

Ubon Ratchathani

Udon Thani

Western Thailand

Kanchanaburi

Phetchaburi

Ratchaburi

  • Wat Luang Phor Sodh Dhammakayaram

Central Thailand

Ayutthaya

Bangkok

Chai Nat

  • Wat Sing Sathit

Lopburi

Nakhon Nayok

Nakhon Pathom

Nonthaburi

Pathum Thani

Phitsanulok

Samut Prakan

Samut Songkhram

Saraburi

Eastern Thailand

Chachoengsao

Chonburi

Trat

Southern Thailand

Ko Samui

Krabi

Nakhon Si Thammarat

Phuket

Surat Thani

References

  1. 1 2 "สำนักงานพระพุทธศาสนาแห่งชาติ ระบบทะเบียนวัด" [National Office of Buddhism: Temple Registration System] (in Thai). National Office of Buddhism. Archived from the original on 1 March 2025. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  2. ↑ "จำนวนวัดร้างในประเทศ ประจำปี พ.ศ. 2568 (แยกรายจังหวัด)" (pdf) (in Thai). National Office of Buddhism. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  3. ↑ พระอารามหลวง เล่ม 1 [Royal temples, Vol. 1] (PDF). Bangkok: Department of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Culture. 2021.
  4. ↑ "พระอารามหลวง". dhammathai.org. Theravada Buddhism Information Network. Archived from the original on 21 September 2004.
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