Wat Khao Sala Atun Thana Charo

The first Buddhist park of Thailand covers an area of 10,865 rai. The Royal Forestry Department has granted through the Religious Department for the temple to oversee the construction project of the Buddhist Park in honour of Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother according to her initiative when she paid a visit to the people in the local area on 27 December 1993. The Queen asked the locals to help preserve forest and wildlife to be the national treasure and for later generation. Later, it was found the large Buddha’s footprint on a stone measuring 4 meters long and 3 meters high in the deep forest, located 400 metres from the road, which is believed that it is 1,500 years old. This Buddha’s footprint is the right foot measuring 6.2 meters long with 0.7 meter wide for its heel and 1.5 meters wide for its tiptoe. The body of the footprint was carved 0.2 meter deep and the toes are almost in equal with spiral patterns on the end of the toes and joints. All patterns on the footprint within the rectangular curvy frame are the pictures of animals and plant species. Some of these patterns are in the same age as the Khmer pattern during the 12th – 14th centuries. In addition, the temple houses a stupa enshrining Buddha’s relics. The scenic point is Pha Nang Khoi. This area features many Buddha images and monk master statues; such as, Luangpu Man Phurithatto, and Phra Phutthabarami Siam Buri Phitak, a large bright golden seated Buddha image protected by seven-headed Naga measuring a 9- meter- wide lap span. From this viewpoint, visitors can see the Ban Charat Reservoir and Phanom Dongrak Range, which borders between Thailand and Cambodia. For people who are keen to have Dhamma practice, please contact PhraSuwit (Katasaro) at Tel. 08 9033 3164 for more details.