Wat Pong’s full name is Wat Nopthongdee Sripruetharam, and I guess it is my nearest local wat. Looking online there isn’t much to be found out about it beyond the website of the attached high school. The reviews on Google all seem to say the same thing, in that it is peaceful, friendly and the monks are helpful. This pretty much concurs with what I picked up on my visit when I was encouraged to roam freely, although the ubosot was closed off. Living in Pong (pronounced Porng) you will pass the wat several times per week as it is right opposite the main market, causing cars to park by its walls rather than drive round the back of the stalls, thus needing to reverse into the traffic as they leave and mucking up the flow. I’ll see how long I can avoid taking part in one of the wat’s main services though – funerals!