Phichit Old Town

The town used to be on the banks of the Nan River, but the river changed its course in the late 19th century and the town was moved to its current location to be near the river.

These days the Old Town is a tranquil area that receives few visitors, and while it can’t compare with the ruins at places like Kamphaeng Phet and Sukhothai, it’s certainly worth a visit for anyone interested in Thailand’s rich history.

There’s only one temple, Wat Mahathat, that gives any idea of how the area used to be, with a large, bell-shaped chedi and the foundations of the viharn, though if you wander around the woodland, you’ll find other isolated chedi here and there.

Just outside the boundaries of this wooded area, Wat Nakhon Chum is a functioning temple with a beautiful bot (ordination hall) that has inward-leaning walls and slits in the wall to allow light and ventilation inside. It contains a highly revered Buddha image called Luang Pho Phan. In contrast to this ancient structure, the modern viharn is adorned with silver mosaics and looks more like a disco than a place of worship.

If you continue in an eastwards direction from the Old Town, the road takes you back into new Phichit via Bueng Si Fai lake, which is also worth a look.