Nonthaburi is a Buddhist-majority province anchored by the royal riverside Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat and the Mon Buddhist leaning chedi of Wat Poramaiyikawat on Koh Kret, with an established Muslim community around Pak Kret and Protestant and Catholic congregations serving the local area — plus easy access to Bangkok's much larger network of faith communities just 30–45 minutes away. This guide maps where to find each community, by area.
Nonthaburi's religious life mirrors the wider province's character: a Buddhist-majority commuter belt of Greater Bangkok with deep historical roots along the Chao Phraya River. The great majority of residents are Buddhist, worshipping at landmark sites such as Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Worawihan — a royal monastery built by King Rama III opposite Nonthaburi Pier — and at Wat Poramaiyikawat on Koh Kret, spiritual home to the island's Mon community and famous for its leaning chedi. An established Muslim community, concentrated around Pak Kret and served by mosques including Masjid Al-Madani and the historic Pakkred Mosque, has been part of the province for generations. Nonthaburi's Protestant and Catholic congregations serve local residents directly, while many expats — particularly those wanting an English-language service — take advantage of the province's short 30–45 minute commute into Bangkok's much larger and more established international faith communities. Whether you're looking for a temple to visit respectfully, a mosque near your area, a local congregation, or simply want to understand the Buddhist customs shaping daily life here, this guide points you to the right community and area.
A royal monastery built in 1849 by King Nangklao (Rama III) in dedication to his mother and grandparents, who lived in this riverside area. Its ordination hall and pavilions carry a distinctive European architectural influence unusual among Thai royal temples of the period, and the temple sits on an island reached most naturally by boat from Nonthaburi Pier — a scenic, low-key alternative to Bangkok's more crowded royal temples for residents who want a genuine riverside site of worship.
The spiritual centre of Koh Kret's Mon community and one of the last temples in Thailand where Buddhist prayers are still recited in the Mon language. Its landmark leaning chedi — a replica of the Shwemawdaw Pagoda in Bago, Myanmar, revered by Mon Buddhists — has tilted since around 1891 due to erosion of the soft riverbank soil, and a 1992 restoration attempt did not correct the lean. The temple dates to the late Ayutthaya period and holds second-rank royal (Worawihan) status; Mon families resettled the island in 1774 under King Taksin after Ayutthaya's fall, and their Buddhist traditions still shape the island alongside its famous pottery.
Nonthaburi records roughly 198 Buddhist temples (about 189 Maha Nikai and 9 Dhammayut), reflecting a Buddhist majority of just over 96% of the province's population. Outside the two landmark sites above, most neighbourhoods along the Purple and Pink Lines — Bang Yai, Ngamwongwan, Chaengwattana and riverside Bang Kruai — have their own local wat serving day-to-day merit-making, ordinations and seasonal festivals for residents who don't need to travel far to find one.
A large mosque complex in Pak Kret with a prayer hall, library and attached school, serving as one of the central gathering points for the Muslim community in that part of Nonthaburi.
One of the oldest and most established mosques in the province, dating to the 19th century, with architecture reflecting the long-settled Muslim community around Pak Kret's riverside town.
A Sunni mosque serving the Bang Bua Thong district in western Nonthaburi, useful for residents settling in that part of the province rather than travelling to Pak Kret.
Nonthaburi counts around 19 mosques province-wide, with Muslim communities concentrated along the river and around Pak Kret going back generations — a smaller but well-established presence compared with the province's Buddhist majority. Halal food options cluster near these mosques, particularly around Pak Kret.
A Protestant congregation belonging to Every Nation, an international church-planting network active in many countries including Thailand. It gives Protestant residents a gathering point inside Nonthaburi itself rather than a trip into central Bangkok; confirm current service language and times directly, as these can change.
A congregation affiliated with the Christian & Missionary Alliance tradition, listed in Thailand's church directory as serving the local Nonthaburi area — another option for Protestant residents looking to connect close to home.
Nonthaburi has its own Catholic parish life as part of the roughly 38 churches recorded across the province, but for a full English-language Mass, choir programme or larger international congregation, most Catholic expats make the short 30–45 minute trip into one of Bangkok's established parishes, such as Holy Redeemer or Assumption Cathedral — an easy option given Nonthaburi's proximity to the capital.
There is no synagogue or Chabad House in Nonthaburi itself. Jewish residents typically connect with Bangkok's established community, centred on Chabad House and Beth Elisheva Synagogue near Sukhumvit Soi 22 — a straightforward MRT or taxi trip from anywhere in Nonthaburi.
Because Nonthaburi sits inside Greater Bangkok, residents aren't limited to what's locally available — a 30–45 minute MRT ride or taxi opens up the capital's much larger network of English-language churches, mosques and faith-based expat groups. Search Facebook for your denomination, faith or nationality plus 'Bangkok' as well as 'Nonthaburi' to find the widest range of options.
Cover shoulders and knees and remove shoes before entering the main hall at temples such as Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat or Wat Poramaiyikawat; Koh Kret in particular expects a respectful, unhurried visit given its living Mon Buddhist community, not just its pottery shops. Women should carry a headscarf when visiting a mosque such as Masjid Al-Madani or Pakkred Mosque. Always ask before photographing worshippers or private ceremonies.
Thailand's national Buddhist holy days (Makha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, Asalha Bucha and the start of Buddhist Lent) restrict alcohol sales nationwide, including in Nonthaburi — worth factoring in when hosting guests. Songkran and Loy Krathong both draw crowds to the riverside temples and to Koh Kret, so allow extra travel time around those dates.
Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Worawihan, a royal monastery built in 1849 by King Rama III opposite Nonthaburi Pier, and Wat Poramaiyikawat on Koh Kret, famous for its leaning chedi and its role as the spiritual centre of the island's Mon Buddhist community, are the province's two most historically significant temples.
The chedi at Wat Poramaiyikawat has tilted since around 1891 due to erosion of the soft riverbank soil beneath it. A restoration attempt in 1992 did not correct the lean, and it remains one of Thailand's best-known leaning religious monuments — modelled on the Shwemawdaw Pagoda in Bago, Myanmar.
Yes. Nonthaburi has around 19 mosques province-wide, concentrated mainly around Pak Kret, including Masjid Al-Madani and the 19th-century Pakkred Mosque, plus Masjid Nurul Islam serving Bang Bua Thong in the west of the province.
Nonthaburi has its own Protestant and Catholic congregations, including Every Nation Church Nonthaburi and Christ International Nonthaburi Alliance Church, but confirmed English-language services are more concentrated in central Bangkok. Most Catholic and Protestant expats make the short 30–45 minute trip into Bangkok's larger international congregations for a full English-language service.
No — there is no synagogue or Chabad House in Nonthaburi. Jewish residents generally connect with Bangkok's established Jewish community, centred on Chabad House and Beth Elisheva Synagogue near Sukhumvit Soi 22.
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Hero photo by NSU MON on Pexels. General information only, not religious or legal advice. Congregation details, service times and locations change — confirm current information directly with each community before visiting.