Wat Phumin is Nan's four-sided Lanna temple: one building serves as both vihara and ordination hall, with entrances on all four sides and four Buddha images facing outwards.
Nan records say the temple began around 1596 as Wat Phrommin, named for its builder Chao Jetabut Phrommin. The Fine Arts Department identifies the four-faced structure as a distinctive historic monument and records its registration as a national ancient monument.
The murals were painted during the major nineteenth-century restoration. Alongside Buddhist stories, they show Tai Lue customs, clothing, trade and courtship. The famous Whispering Lovers scene matters because it sits within this larger record of everyday life.