Located on Pho Chai Road and originally named Wat Phi Piao as it was used as a cremation site, the temple settled on its current name during the Rattanakosin period, where it was established as a royal temple and home of Phra Sai, the golden Buddha image, which has been adopted as Nong Khai’s provincial symbol. Legend has it that three daughters of the King of Lan Xang created three Buddha images and named them after themselves, ‘Phra Soem’ for the eldest daughter, ‘Phra Suk’ for the middle daughter, and ‘Phra Sai’ for the youngest. All three images were housed in Vientiane until the reign of King Rama III, when they were transported across the Mekong to their new home in Nong Khai. The Phra Suk image was unfortunately lost when it fell into the water during the journey and the Phra Soem image was later rehoused in Bangkok during the reign of King Rama IV the Great. There is an annual festival during the full moon of the 7th lunar month (June), when citizens of Nong Khai converge on the temple to make merit and set off fireworks in celebration.
