Wat Phrathat Suthon Mongkon Khiri in Phrae was founded in 1984 by Phra Athikaan Montri (Phra Kruba Montri Dhamma), who sculpted his first Buddha image when he was only 5 years old. Today this monk is the abbot and a top artist and scholar in Buddhist art. The temple-monastery was built on an 20 meter high hill covering an area of 25 rai and is associated with the nearby northern Third Army base.