The temple underwent a major revival and became widely known under the leadership of the meditation master Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro, who was abbot there in the first half of the twentieth century.

Somdet Chuang made international headlines from 2015 onward, when his appointment as Supreme Patriarch (acting head of the Thai monastic community) was stalled and finally withdrawn, due to reasons generally interpreted as political.

In the time of Luang Pu Sodh, the temple became popular with and well-supported by a prosperous community of high social class, mostly from the Bangkok area.

[20][21] For seven years, Somdet Pun Punnasiri, who was a nephew and former attendant of Luang Pu Sodh, was caretaker abbot, waiting for a permanent candidate.

Two years later, his teacher allowed him to do so, and he lived as a novice at Wat Paknam until he was fully ordained there in 1945, as a monk under Luang Pu Sodh.

Backed by the bureaucracy, military and Royal Palace, Paiboon sought to deal with any shortcomings in the leading Thai Sangha through legislative means.

Several Thai intellectuals and news analysts asserted that Paiboon and Phra Suwit were abusing the Vinaya (monastic discipline) for political ends, and did not really aim to reform Buddhism.

[60] In response to the rising tensions, eventually junta Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha intervened and brought an end to the attempt to revive the embezzlement case: it had already been closed in 2006 by the then Attorney-General.

In the same year, in an interview with news outlet Thai Rath, Somdet Chuang said he was not favoring Luang Por Dhammajayo, and considered all the accusations in the light of the Vinaya, as a parent would be just to his children.

[71] In 2015, nine years after the 1999 charges against Luang Por Dhammajayo had been withdrawn, Paiboon addressed Somdet Chuang's relation with Wat Phra Dhammakaya again.

Although Sangha Council spokesperson Phra Suchat did understand the need for more financial control, better accounting required nationwide training of abbots, which the National Office of Buddhism had already planned to organize.

[74] Phra Suchat further criticized the junta: "Previously, when politicians issued new laws or regulations, they did so to facilitate and honor the Sangha to make Buddhism stable in this country.

[42][85] On 12 January 2017, however, the prosecutor issued a non-prosecution order against Luang Phi Pae, since the DSI had found no evidence of conspiring to evade taxes.

Wat Paknam asked the DSI to publicly admit their wrongdoing in accusing Somdet Chuang and charging Luang Pi Pae, now that two courts had not found any evidence of their guilt.

[89] On 29 December 2016, the National Legislative Assembly amended the 2005 Monastic Act to allow other monks than Somdet Chuang to be appointed Supreme Patriarch.

He argued that the Monastic Act had always given the final authority to the King anyway, and pointed out that all conflicts about the appointment were caused by the National Reform Council (the junta), not by the Sangha.

[96] Before the withdrawal of the nomination, in 2015, Somdet Chuang retired from his supervision of missionary work abroad (พระธรรมทูต) and within Thailand (พระธรรมจาริก, phra thammacharik), as well as his position as Chief of the Northern Region.

[97][98] In 2019, the Royal Thai Government Gazette announced that Somdet Chuang had retired from his position in the Sangha Council, leaving Luang Por Wichian and Phra Suchat as representatives of Wat Paknam on the assembly.

[99] On 5 July 2017, as part of the ongoing 2017–2020 Thai temple fraud investigations, Somdet Chuang, assistant abbot Phra Prommolee and Wat Paknam's accountant were questioned by the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO).

Wat Paknam's lawyer Somsak Toraksa did confirm that the temple had received five million baht government funding for renovation of buildings, and another sum of money for other activities.

[107] This Pali Institute was already built by Luang Pu Sodh in 1939, and in his time was already a learning center with a thousand monks and samaneras studying there.

There is also still meditation in shifts, as in the time when Luang Pu Sodh ran a 'meditative knowledge factory' (โรงงานทำวิชชา, rong ngan tham witcha).

[144][145] He has also spoken out and acted against monks using motor bikes, smoking and other disciplinary matters,[146][147] and has attempted to fix problems in the monastic community, such as incorrect teachings, lack of thoroughness in ordination procedures.

[150] In 2014, after the coup d'état, junta leader Prayut consulted Somdet Chuang as acting Supreme Patriarch, which is a custom for new prime ministers.

[176][177] With regard to international activities, in Somdet Chuang's words, he "continued upon the work of the previous abbot, (...) Luang Pu Sodh Wat Paknam".

[178] In the time of Luang Pu Sodh, the temple ordained several monks coming from the United Kingdom,[179] and maintained relations with Japanese Buddhists, especially from the Shingon tradition.

[178][194] Wat Paknam has donated considerably to some Thai temples abroad, and has from 2015 onward set up Pali study exams in the United States.

Considering the large number of temples in the area, and the dispersed, urban community that supports Wat Paknam, a kitchen has been more convenient than the traditional alms round.

[203][204] The halls within the stupa have been decorated with paintings depicting Buddhist cosmology, based on the legend of Phra Malai and the ancient text Traibhumikatha.

[209] On March 4, 2017, Wat Paknam began building a Buddha image in honor of Luang Pu Sodh and the Thai Royal Family.