The Interpretation of Miang Tea to the International Level for Mapping Agro-Tourism Routes

Sri Napan Temple

                   

Sri Napan Temple is located on house number 71, Sri Napan Village, Village number 1, Bo Suak Subdistrict, Mueang Nan District, Nan Province. This Maha Nikaya sect temple is established on a 6.5 sq.km. of land. The north, 628 meters long, is adjacent to a public road. The south, also 628 meters long, is adjacent to a public trench. Its east and west is 78 meters wide each, adjacent to Huai Luang Creek and a public road respectively. The ground of Sri Napan Temple includes a church, monks' parsonages, and sacred objects such as Buddha images.

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                   Around 1469 (Buddhist era 2012), a group of villagers led by monks had built a temporary ordination hall named Nongyajapan for Buddhist monks to perform their deeds in a lagoon. This area is called an Udokakepasima - a religious precinct in the middle of water. A sacred po tree was planted on the south of the hall. The temple precinct was named Saleejapan temple aka Srijapan which has its present name as Sri Napan Temple. 

 

                   This temple was built in 1492 (Buddhist era 2035). In 1532 (Buddhist era 2075), the lagoon was filled with soil in order to build a new ordination hall, led by Thao-In family. Sri Napan Temple had received its Wisungkhamasima - the license to build a Buddhist church, granted by the king - on March 2, 1570 (Buddhist era 2113). The only known previous administrator of the temple was abbot Chamnong Ithawaro. The current is abbot Pisan Nanthakit.

 

                   After that, more people moved in and developed the area as an agricultural community. The watershed forest was therefore preserved by the villagers in the Miang tea plantation area. Such strong attempt was followed by a lush rainforest with varied species of flora and clean source of fresh water. At the present, tea plantation in this community applies no chemical which generates the idea of ecotourism.