Ancient Temple Structure Safe After Floods, Officials Confirm
Wat Phumin's ordination hall in Nan province sustained no new structural damage from recent flooding, officials confirmed after inspectors assessed the 19th-century temple following August floods.
The Fine Arts Department has clarified that Wat Phumin's ordination hall remains structurally sound following recent flooding in Nan province on August 19-21. Panombutr Chanthrachot, director-general of the Fine Arts Department, reported on August 23 that after initial concerns about cracks and subsidence on the eastern side of the ordination hall in Mueang District, his office dispatched inspectors from the Fine Arts Office 7 in Chiang Mai on August 21 to assess damage to heritage sites, including Wat Phumin. The inspection found that the current flood waters caused no new damage to the temple or its murals. Visible cracks are pre-existing ones discovered after the 2024 floods—surface-level damage that does not affect the building's internal structure.
Engineers and conservation experts conducted a detailed structural survey after the previous flood, including archaeological excavations in late 2024 to examine the foundation and building framework. The investigation determined that cracks around the ordination hall at the lotus base, doorways, and entrance stairs resulted from uneven subsidence between the heavy ordination hall and the surrounding courtyard. However, because the hall subsided evenly on all sides, internal cracking remained minimal and localized to the peripheral lotus base.
The department is preparing restoration designs with emergency conservation measures including reinforcing the foundation walls of the ordination hall and potentially separating the structure from the surrounding courtyard to address uneven subsidence. Future work may include adjusting and lifting the foundation using pile systems for the ordination hall walls, roof supports, and the central Buddha image. Director-general Chanthrachot confirmed that the ordination hall's structure remains sound and that the Fine Arts Department continues ongoing conservation work at Wat Phumin, including prior restoration and gilding of Buddha images. The department also prioritizes conservation of other monuments in Nan Province, such as Wat Chang Kham nearby.
