AT A GLANCE
Why go?
Wat Bang Ya Praek is a historic Buddhist temple on the banks of the Tha Chin River in Samut Sakhon province, founded nearly 250 years ago by Mon settlers from Myanmar. The temple is best known as the home of the revered Luangpho Malai, who transformed a derelict, mangrove-choked site into a thriving spiritual center and became one of the most famous monks of the Tha Chin River region.↗↗
Visitors come to pay respects at the temple, admire its peaceful waterside setting, and learn about the living Mon cultural heritage preserved in the community around it. The temple is open daily from 7 AM to 7 PM and is easily accessible with wheelchair-friendly facilities.↗
A Mon Legacy by the River
Wat Bang Ya Praek sits in Tambon Bang Ya Phraek, right where the Tha Chin River widens toward the Gulf of Thailand. The temple was founded around 1775, during the early Rattanakosin period, and was built by Mon people who migrated from Myanmar and settled in this riverside community. Unlike many Thai temples whose founders are lost to time, Wat Bang Ya Praek's Mon identity has never faded. A hamsa — the mythical swan that is the signature symbol of Mon culture — appears throughout the temple grounds, and the site was originally known as a place where Mon-language Buddhist scriptures were inscribed on palm leaves. The temple's succession of abbots included many of Mon heritage, preserving linguistic and ritual traditions that set it apart from neighboring Thai temples.
