Wat Phanan Choeng

วัดพนัญเชิง

A riverside ancient temple with a 19-metre gilded seated Buddha known as 'Sam Po Kong.' It was built 26 years before Ayutthaya was founded and is an important pilgrimage site for Thailand's Chinese community and devotees of Zheng He.

Wat Phanan Choeng lies in the southeast of the Old City island, where the Pa Sak River meets the Chao Phraya River. According to the chronicles, it was built in 1324, 26 years before Ayutthaya was founded. The main hall enshrines a giant gilded seated Buddha, 'Luang Pho To,' about 19 m high and 14 m wide. The statue fills the entire hall, and looking up at it is awe-inspiring. Chinese devotees call it 'Sam Po Kong,' linking it to the legend of Zheng He's voyages to the West. For this reason, it is one of the most important Buddhist sites for Thailand's Chinese community. The temple also has a Chinese-style Mazu shrine and ancestral halls donated by Chinese families, with many Chinese inscriptions on the plaques. Legend says the Buddha statue shed tears when Ayutthaya fell in 1767. It is said that offering cloth for the robe to the great Buddha brings peace, and the hall holds robe-draping ceremonies several times a day. Visitors can buy a piece of yellow cloth (about 100–200 baht) to take part.

Entry is 20 baht, and it is open 08:00–17:00. Getting there: about 2 km from Wat Chai Watthanaram and about 3 km from the railway station, about 60–80 baht by tuk-tuk. Boats from the riverside pier in front of the temple can take you on a long-tail boat tour around the island. Allow about 40 minutes, and combine with Wat Chai Watthanaram and the nearby Japanese Village ruins.

Note: Remove your shoes inside the hall, cover your shoulders and knees, and do not use flash photography. The main hall is crowded with worshippers, so keep an eye on your belongings.

Wat Phanan Choeng

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