Page 43 - พะงน Eng hi _Neat
P. 43
unoccupied by any monk. In the main pavilion inside the temple, a Buddha
image called Po Than Wat Nok in Mara Vichai posture (Victory over demon) is
enshrined, well respected by townspeople. At the crossroad in front of the
temple’s entrance, lives a gigantic Dipterocarpus tree of 14.70 meters in
diameter, assumably aged over a hundred years. It has been preserved
by people in the area and become one of the tourist’s attractions of the
town. Apart from the giant tree, nearby is an equally famous two-headed
coconut tree. It was grown in a coconut plantation 2 kilometers away from
Wat Pho on the right of a roadside toward Hat Thong Nai Pan. Rumour has
it that it used to have three tops but one was accidentally broken.
Another prominent temple in Ban Tai is Wat Khao Tham or Wat Suan
Suwan Chotikaram, originally known as Samnak Song Wat Pa Phra Dong
The second old temple is Wat Pho. It has a history that a Pha-ngan boat builder and (Wat Pa Phra Dong house of monks). It is located on Khao Haeng hilltop,
coconut and sugar farmer named Samphao Chaochaiya asked his son to build a temple Mu 1, Ban Tai sub-district. The temple focuses on dharma practices, in
for the community when he passed away. The temple was first named Wat Samphao particular meditation. The serene ambience attracts both Thai and foreign
Thong (Golden Junk). Later, a venerable monk named Pho was assigned to be the abbot Buddhists. The center of the temple is an ubosot or chapel housing the
here, and people started calling the temple Wat Po Tan Pho, or in short Wat Pho. Wat Pho principle Buddha image called Phra Buddha-Saiyat Lokkanatbophit
thrived in the periods of abbot Muen and abbot Khwan. After abbot Khwan passed away Siriwisit Pha-nganmongkhon. The courtyard in front of the chapel serves
in 1906 (B.E. 2449), there was no successor to run the monastery hence it was abandoned as a space for meditation and walking meditation. Behind the chapel is a
for years. Soon after monks returned to reside in the temple, it has become the commu- Luang Po Phet holy hall. Further up the hill is another holy hall for a replica
nity’s center. Temple fairs have been organised occasionally and, on the opposite side of
the temple, a health center using various kinds of medicinal herbs was erected.
The heated medicinal herbs are from the recipes to cure paralysis and beriberi by
Master Chat Sutthathiko, abbot of Wat Mapring, Mueang district, Surat Thani province,
compounded by Mr. Chamras Siriwat. The center opens everyday at 1 pm. to 7 pm.
The last of the three oldest temples is Wat Nok, built after Wat Nai as its twin temple
and located near Wat Pho. It is assumed that it was constructed at the same time as
Wat Pho, although there is no clear supporting evidence. At present, the temple is
84 85
