Although it’s the ‘Whispering’ which attracts the attention of most tourists and photographers, all of the murals provide intriguing details of life in Nan in the 1800s. Some of the murals may have faded, but they still retain their sense of history and local identity. The paintings show the style of dress, the type of haircut and even the hand-rolled cheroots that were smoked during that era. If you have more time to study them, you’ll also notice that the murals provide a powerful social commentary with some subtle messages about how the inhabitants of Nan viewed the outside world including the arrival of the French to the region. The murals were painted at a time when the formerly independent kingdom of Nan was losing territory to the French as it became incorporated into Siam.
Outside the temple, you can watch local artists re-creating some of the scenes from the murals together with some clever contemporary twists on the classic ‘Whispering’ image. These paintings together with some smaller souvenir items like post-cards, t-shirts and key rings can be bought from the stalls dotted around the grounds of Wat Phumin. Unlike many other tourist locations in Thailand, Wat Phumin (and Nan in general) is mainly visited by Thai tourists which can make the appearance of a foreigner a bit of a novelty so don’t be surprised if you are invited by Thais to become part of their group photo.
Visitors are allowed to take photographs of the murals but not permitted to use flash. Wat Phumin is open daily from 07.00-19.00. Entry is free but you will notice that most Thais make a donation of at least 20 Baht to the temple to make merit. Even if you aren’t Buddhist you can still put some money in one of the donation boxes.
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About Roy Cavanagh
Roy Cavanagh is a former stand-up comedian who now works as a freelance writer. Passionate about Thailand and Thai culture, Roy also runs a network of travel websites. Follow him on Facebook, on Twitter and on Pinterest.
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