Impossible to find when this temple was built but some said that it has some renovation around 1789. This is also a date when the city of Khon kaen was founded but historically, Khon Kaen is quite a new town, established a little over two centuries ago during the reign of King Rama I.
Wat Pho Ban Nontan is well known for meditation and its massages. In 1994, They started to build a new temple because the old pavilion was a wooden pavilion and it hasn’t enough room enough for people to make merit at the temple.
The 1st floor is used as a place for monastic activities: prayer, moral training and Dharma practice. The room inside contains the principal Buddha image in large stucco, lacquered and covered with gold leaf.
The 2nd floor is where Dharma is practised. The main Buddha image has a mass consisting of brick fragments from Phra That Kham Kaen and Phra That Phanom, before being restored.
There are relics brought from 4 countries displayed in a glass cabinet. From India, Burma, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
In addition to the cabinet containing the Buddha’s relics, the new area on the 2nd floor also contains dinosaur bones and antique utensils.
these are ancient objects found at Wat Pho Non when excavating the ground to build this temple. They have excavated ancient artefacts including bowls, jars, and bones. The fine arts department has presumed that these artefacts have the same age as those found in Ban Chian.
in addition, it’s a nice place to go and have a look. The temple has very nice trees and statues around its garden. It’s very cooler there, especially during the months of March and April.
There is also a new pavilion that was designed to be a cave hidden inside the forest. there you will see a lot of paintings and relief sculptures imparting lessons from the older generations to remind the new generation about the past.
After visiting the Phra Mahathat Kaen Nakhon (Wat Nong Wang), you can come to visit this temple. It will be quieter and cooler here.
The temple has no website but you will find more info on this Facebook page: Wat pho