LOKAVIDU

Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan

วัดพระมหาธาตุวรมหาวิหาร

Nakhon Si Thammarat royal temple tradition · Nakhon Si Thammarat

A large white chedi against a blue sky, surrounded by lower temple buildings in warm afternoon light.

Why it matters

Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan is the most important temple in southern Thailand. Its great chedi (เจดีย์), a stupa or reliquary spire, is believed to contain a Buddha relic and is the defining landmark of Nakhon Si Thammarat. That belief is central to the temple's standing and is best understood as the devotional tradition the site carries.

The temple is also the origin point of the Jatukham Ramathep (จตุคามรามเทพ) phenomenon. The first Jatukham Ramathep was created in 2530 BE (1987), and the type later exploded into a nationwide frenzy in 2549 to 2550 BE (2006 to 2007). The temple received UNESCO World Heritage status, declared on July 25, 2026 in Busan, Korea.

Close-up of the white stucco surface of a chedi showing age and texture, no figures.

What to see

The great chedi is the centerpiece of any visit. The temple museum and the votive tablet gallery give context to the site's long history.

The temple counter carries commemorative coins and Hua Namo (หัวนะโม) beads, the small sacred beads associated with the region.

Access

Wat Phra Mahathat is in the city of Nakhon Si Thammarat, in southern Thailand.