Wat Sothon Wararam Worawihan

According to legend, Luang Pho Sothon floated down the Bang Pakong River to the site of the temple. Efforts to retrieve it were unsuccessful until a villager had a small shrine erected on the site and performed a ceremony welcoming the image to the community

This temple is situated on the west bank of the Bang Pakong River, 2 Kms. south of the city hall. Enshrined in a new gigantic hall is Phra Phutthasothon, or "Luang Pho Sothon" regarded as one of the most revered Buddha images in Thailand. The image, in the attitude of meditation, measuring 1.65 metres wide at the lap and 1.98 metres high, is always seen entirely pasted with gold leaves by worshipers. Two annual fairs celebrating the image fall in the 5th and the 12th lunar months (around April and November).

Location: Chachoengsao, Chachoengsao Province

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Wat Khun Inthra Pramun

The temple was left abandoned for more than 100 years until King Borrommakot of Ayutthaya ordered the reconstruction. Records show that King Rama IV visited this temple twice. Wat Khun Inthra Pramun is regarded as the most important temple in Ang Thong Province.

This ancient temple is located 9 kms. along the Ang Thong-Pho Thong route and 2 kms. along an access road. There is a large reclining Buddha image 50 metres long, lying in the open area. The wihara housing the image was destroyed during the first fall of Ayutthaya. The statue of Khun Inthapramun was in front of the Buddha image. According to a legend, Khun Inthapramun is a revenue officer who secretly took away official money to enlarge the original 40 metre construction of the image and was subsequently whipped to death.

Location:Ang Thong, Ang Thong Province

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Wat Phra Buddhabat

Wat Phra Buddhabat is a royal temple of the first class rank, the same as Wat Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom province.

The Footprint was first discovered in the reign of King Song Tham (1610 - 1628). A group of monks went on a pilgrimage to Ceylon to worship the Buddha's Footprint at Mount Sumanakut. They were told by the Ceylonese monks that one of the Lord Buddha's Footprint might be found in Thailand. On hearing this, the king ordered his officials in all parts of the kingdom to look for it for the location of the Footprint had not been identified.

Meantime, in a distant area of Saraburi, a hunter while trailing a wounded deer to this hilly part found a large, curiously shaped hollow in a rock with water in the hollow. The shape of the hollow resembles the footprint of a very large man. The hunter therefore reported his finding to the town governor who, having verified it, sent word to the capital. King Song Tham came himself to examine it and saw the appropriate signs of a Buddha's Footprint. Thus the site was declared a Buddhist shrine and a mondop was built over the Footprint while the land around the Footprint was made into a town named "Parantapa" or "Muang Khied Khin". The hill on which the Footprint was found was renamed Mount Suwan Banphot or Mount Satjaphan Khiri.

The Buddha's Footprint is a natural impression in limestone rock that resembles a very large footprint. It is 50 cms. wide, 150 cms. long and 30 cms. deep. The present mondop covering the Footprint was built by King Rama I. It was built to replace the one of the Ayutthaya time that was destroyed by fire when some Chinese brigands, seizing the opportunity while Ayutthaya was under siege to rob the temple of valuable objects, set fire to the mondop in order to melt down the gold in the canopy over the Footprint.

Location: Saraburi, Central Thailand.
Festivals: Tak Bat Dok Mai Festival
Spelling: The name of the temple is sometimes spelled as Wat Phra Phuttabat

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Wat Phra Pathom Chedi

Wat Phra Pathom Chedi is one of the largest pagodas in the world and in Thailand, by far the most holy of all Buddhist structures. The original pagoda was constructed more than 2,000 years ago in the stupa design of an upside down bowl shape. A replica of the original pagoda stands south of the present one. ln the year 1853, King Rama lV commanded the reconstruction of a new huge pagoda covering the original one. lt has a height of 120.45 metres and a total length of 234,75 metres around the base. A nearby museum contains a wealth of priceless relics and many of the stone carvings found in and around Nakhon Pathom. At the four points of the compass in the outer courtyard are four Wiharas (halls) containing images of Buddha in various postures.

Location: Nakhon Pathom, Central Thailand.

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Wat Suthat

Wat Suthat is on Bamrung Muang Road in Bangkok and is famous for the excellent murals created in the reign of King Rama III. The Wihara (preaching hall) should be seen for its collection of gilded Buddha images. A huge door with intricate carving, which is the masterpiece of King Rama II, once belonged to this temple and is now kept in the National Museum. In front of the temple is the Giant Swing or Sao Ching Cha, where a Brahmanic ceremony had taken place until the early 20th century. Many nearby shops stock a very comprehensive range of Buddhist religious supplies

Wat Suthat was constructed in 1807 after the 27th anniversary of the founding of Bangkok by King Rama I. The main wihan is surrounded by a cirulambutory area of three levels. On the uppermost level are mounted small chapels for each of its fours corners. Phra Sisakayamuni, the main Buddha image, is larger and older than any other bronze cast Buddha image in Thailand. The base of the image is 6.25 metres wide and has a height of 8 metres.

The cloisters surrounding the wihan contain dozens of Buddha images. The compound is very large and sometimes very quiet. The ordination Hall (or ubosot) is said to be one of the most beautiful in Thailand and very large in size. The 72 metre high structure is supported by 68 pillars. Phra Putatrilokachet is a Buddha image cast in bronze. It is 5.20 metres in width and 8.45 metres in height. Surrounding the ubosot can be found many Chinese statues which were originally used as ballast for ships.
Location: Bangkok, Central Thailand.

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