Thap Chang half-day route includes a historic temple and a plant market

For many people, Thap Chang is associated with Motorway M9, also known as Kanchanaphisek Road or Bangkok’s Outer Ring Road, a route they regularly use.

Yet only a few minutes after leaving M9, visitors can find small, charming places tucked away nearby, including an old temple rich in stories from the mid-Rattanakosin era and a plant market filled with lush greenery.

A half-day trip is enough to take a break from the city’s bustle and discover another side of Thap Chang, where peace, simplicity and nature offer a chance to enjoy a slower pace of life close to Bangkok.

First stop at Wat Lat Bua Khao (Ratchayotha)

More than 150 years old and the only temple in Saphan Sung district, Wat Lat Bua Khao (Ratchayotha) was built during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) by two brothers, Phraya Ratchayotha (Niam Singhaseni) and Phraya Suren Ratchasena (Phueng), who jointly founded the temple.

Local residents originally called it Wat Ratchayotha.

The King later bestowed the name Wat Lat Bua Khao, reflecting the area’s former landscape, when a large pond was filled with white lotuses.

Stepping through the temple gates, visitors enter a shady and peaceful setting where the urgency of the journey gradually fades.

People commonly visit to make merit, pay respects to Buddha images, present offerings to the monastic community and pay homage to Luang Pu Thong Ayana, the temple’s first abbot, for good fortune.

Another major highlight is the old ordination hall, built during the reign of King Rama V. It was originally constructed from local materials, with a timber structure, a roof thatched with nipa palm leaves and walls made from earth mixed with sawdust, rice, straw and sugarcane juice.

It was later restored as the present brick-and-mortar ordination hall, built in a hall style and divided into seven bays.

The building is relatively small and has no elaborate traditional roof ornaments.

Its simplicity gives it a distinctive charm and reflects surviving traces of earlier architecture amid the city’s transformation.

A Buddha image in the meditation posture is enshrined inside, where visitors can pay respects and experience the calm of a historic building conserved to the present day.

Before leaving the temple, visitors can stroll beside Khlong Thap Chang Lang, a small canal branching from Khlong Prawet Burirom.

Communities and nature still line both banks, creating a simple atmosphere that contrasts with the lively city nearby.

Feeding or releasing fish, or simply sitting beside the canal to enjoy the breeze, adds a fittingly unhurried moment to the trip.

Next stop, and closer than expected, is Suan Thap Chang Plant Market

Only a few minutes from the temple is Suan Thap Chang Plant Market, a destination for plant lovers with greenery lining the road.

The market brings together shops selling flowering plants, ornamental plants, air-purifying plants, large trees and wide, hard-to-find varieties, all displayed for visitors to browse at leisure.

Whether they want a small plant for a desk or hope to turn a space in their home into a garden corner, visitors can walk through the market and choose according to their preferences.

The market also has shops selling pots, soil, growing media and gardening equipment.

Visitors who are unsure which plants suit their space or how to care for them can ask the vendors for friendly advice.

This makes the market suitable for both beginners who have just started growing plants and garden enthusiasts seeking fresh inspiration.

Sometimes, simply walking slowly in search of a plant that appeals to you or taking a small one home can bring the uncomplicated pleasure that fits this relaxed trip.

The market is open every day, allowing visitors to stroll around and browse without having to rush.

A smooth and relaxed journey

After visiting both destinations, travellers can return conveniently via Motorway M9 on the Bang Pa-in–Bang Phli section, using the entry and exit points near the Thap Chang toll plaza.

The route helps make journeys convenient, quick and safe.

Along the way, visitors can stop at Thap Chang Rest Area, which offers parking, clean toilets, rest pavilions and space to pause and refresh before continuing their journey.

For those who regularly use the motorway, the Department of Highways recommends applying for M-Flow membership to make passing through toll gates more convenient and smoother.

At the Thap Chang M-Flow Service Point, staff can assist with membership registration, RFID Tag installation and enquiries about M-Flow, providing all these services in one place.

The pleasure of travelling does not always have to begin with a distant destination.

Sometimes it may come simply from discovering good places nearby that are easy to reach.

Set aside half a day, drive off Motorway M9 and allow the pace of life to slow among an old temple, a peaceful canal and a green plant market before returning home with a good feeling that may make you want to visit Thap Chang again.