Chao Khun Pho (Luang Pu Pho)
Full title: Phra Khru Nantanaprichā (Dissatasso) • Thai: พระครูนันทนาปริชา (ทิสสสฺสโร)
Born BE 2394 (5 Mar 1851) — Passed BE 2469 (31 Jan 1926) • Age 75 • Years in robe 54
At-a-Glance
- Birthplace: Ban Bang Oichang, Bang Si Thong, Bang Kruai, Nonthaburi
- Birth name: Unknown (monastic name: Dissatasso)
- Ordained: BE 2415 (1872) at Wat Bang Oichang
- Royal/Ecclesiastical Ranks: Phra Khru Nantanaprichā (BE 2443); Upachaya/Preceptor (BE 2444); Phra Ratchakhana (title: Nantanaviriyā, BE 2455); Chief Monk of Nonthaburi (BE 2459)
- Abbot: Wat Chaiyaphruekmalā (appointed BE 2448 / 1905)
Remembered across Nonthaburi as Chao Khun Pho, Phra Khru Nantanaprichā combined the quiet rigor of a scholar-monk with the hands-on resolve of a builder. Born in 1851 at Bang Oichang, he entered the Sangha at Wat Bang Oichang in 1872. Within decades he would be a preceptor, a royal ecclesiastical dignitary, and—most visibly—the abbot who gave Wat Chaiyaphruekmalā its modern shape.
Stewardship & Teaching
As abbot (from 1905) he emphasized discipline, education, and public good. He organized study for monks and novices, modelled careful observance of the Vinaya, and maintained a reputation for accessible, even-tempered counsel to lay devotees. His promotion to Phra Ratchakhana (Nantanaviriyā) recognized both his learning and his administrative steadiness; his subsequent role as Chief Monk of Nonthaburi (1916) affirmed provincial trust in his judgment.
Wat Chaiyaphruekmalā — A Brief History
Founded around the late Ayutthaya era (≈BE 2300 / 1757), the monastery suffered abandonment during wartime, with bricks repurposed for city works under Rama I. Through Rama II–III, restoration advanced and the temple gained royal status. Under Rama IV, significant development—ubosot, vihāra, sermon hall, bell tower, canals—accompanied the conferment of its current name, Wat Chaiyaphruekmalā. In the modern era a formal wisung-kām (boundary charter) in BE 2514 (1971) reaffirmed its standing as a royal monastery.
Works & Improvements Under His Abbotship
- Construction of a large sermon pavilion supporting public Dhamma events.
- Commissioning of the principal Buddha image “Phra Phutthamarchin” (BE 2454 / 1911).
- Renovation of the ubosot, vihāra, monk quarters, and the bell & drum towers.
- Institutional support for religious education and moral formation for youth and laity.
Amulets & Sacred Craft
Chao Khun Pho consecrated sacred objects with clear purpose: to fund works, to anchor communal faith, and to commemorate milestones. Records note:
- BE 2454 (1911) — Distribution of bronze Buddha statues and metal amulets in gratitude for construction donations.
- BE 2441 (1898) — Earlier clay/powder issues while resident at Wat Bang Oichang.
- Known types: bronze Sum-go and Chinarat styles; Jao Suway Noi in metal and powder forms.
Collectors esteem these pieces for their protective efficacy and refined iconography, echoing earlier canonical styles yet marked by the abbot’s period character.
Passing & Legacy
He passed away on 31 January 1926 (BE 2469), aged 75. His reputation rests alongside revered contemporaries such as Luang Pu Eiam of Wat Nang and Luang Pu Suk of Wat Pak Khlong Makham Thao. In Taling Chan and across Nonthaburi his name remains attached to ethical leadership, steady governance, and enduring sacred works.