Wat Klang Bang Kaeo

It is an old Temple located in Tambon Nakhon Chaisi. The temple houses a Chapel, a vihara, and a principal Buddha image, all of which are very old and assumed, archaeologically, to have been built in the Ayutthaya period.

Wat Klang Bang Kaeo is an ancient Temple situated on the Tha Chin riverside. It was formerly called Wat Khongkharam, located in Tambon Nakhon Chai Si. It houses an ordination hall, wihan and an old principal Buddha image which is believed by archaeologists to have been built during the Ayutthaya Period. There is also a Phra Phutthawithi Nayok Museum which was built by Phrakhru Sirichai Khanarak, the present Ecclesiastical District Officer of Nakhon Chaisri and Abbot of Wat Klang Bang Kaeo in order to keep antiques, valuable art objects, and appliances of two ex-abbots; Luangpu Bun or Thanchaokhun Phutthawithi Nayok (Bun Khanthachot) who supervised the temple from 1886-1935 and Luangpu Phoem or Phra Phutthawithi Nayok (Phoem Punyawasano) – a follower of Luangpu Bun. The temple has 3 floors. On the first floor, there is an exhibition regarding profiles and personal belongings of Luangpu Bun and Luangpu Phoem, talismans, sacred objects and their Buddha images. There is also a display of Thai medicine and herbs, astrological calendar wrote by Luangpu, their moulded statues and photos. Besides, there are palm-leaved scriptures, Samut Khoi (folded book made from pulp of tree), astrological textbooks, Thai medicine recipes, and Phra Malai illustrated book. On the second floor, it exhibits crockery, crystal ware, brassware and Luangpu Bun’s pulpit with mother-of-pearl decoration, which was given by Phraongchao Athit Thip-a-pa, the Viceroy of King Rama VIII. On the third floor, there are silver-coated and carved Buddha images, ancient carved and gilded wooden pulpit, and an old monk cell which was reconstructed to house a wax model of Luangpu, setting the environment like the time when he was alive. It is open on Thursday-Sundays and public holidays from 9.00 a.m.-4.00 p.m. It is closed on Mondays-Wednesdays. Admission for adults is Bt20 and students is Bt10. (To visit in groups, please submit a letter to ask for permission from the Abbot of Wat Klang Bang Kaeo in advance.) For more information, call: 0 3433 1462, 0 3433 2182 To get there: By car Route 1: Drive along Borommaratchachonnani Road or Pinklao-Nakhon Chai Si Road, crossing the bridge over the Tha Chin River. Turn into Phutthamonthon Sai 7 and keep on the route Nakhon Chai Si (inner lane) passing the front of the temple. Route 2: From Phetchakasem Road, turn into Nakhon Chai Si Market. Turn right and go on for 1 km. Route 3: From the Phutthamonthon Sai 4 Junction, pass Mahidol University (Salaya) and go along the new road. Cross the bridge to enter the Nakhon Chai Si Market and turn left to the temple. By train: Get off at Nakhon Chai Si Station and take a bus. By Boat: Take a boat along the Tha Chin River and get off at the pier in front of the temple.