NAKHON PHANOM – The 123-year-old Buddhist stupa known as Phra Tat Non Tan collapsed on Sunday, resulting in the complete loss of the historic structure. The Fine Arts Department announced on Monday that reconstruction, estimated to cost at least 20 million baht, will be necessary to recreate the landmark in its original likeness.

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Located in Ban That, Tha Uthen district, the brick-and-mortar stupa was believed to have been constructed in 1902. It served as a significant historical landmark associated with the migration and settlement of the Tai Yor ethnic group in the area. The structure had undergone restoration in 1993 and was formally registered as a historical site in 2017.

NAKHON PHANOM – The 123-year-old Buddhist stupa known as Phra Tat Non Tan collapsed on Sunday.
The Fine Arts Department said on Monday it would cost at least 20 million baht to reconstruct, or build a new one, in the same likeness. The structure itself was beyond repair.

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According to a team led by Tha Uthen district chief Chinawat Thongpricha, waterlogged soil and a weakened foundation were identified as the primary causes of the collapse, which also caused damage to an adjacent ordination hall. Cracks had been detected in the stupa as early as 2019, and a budget of 2.6 million baht had been approved for repairs. However, the structure succumbed to deterioration before the work could be completed.

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Officials from Fine Arts Office Region 9 are now drafting plans for a new stupa that will replicate the original design. Several artifacts were successfully recovered from the rubble, including a two-meter-long brass finial, two gold necklaces believed donated during the 1993 restoration, and three antique bronze Buddha images in the Chiang Rung style. The recovery of these items provides crucial historical reference for the planned reconstruction.

-Thailand News (TN)