Wat Plub is located in Bangkacha Subdistrict, Mueang Chanthaburi District, Chanthaburi Province. It is a public temple under the Maha Nikaya order of Thai Buddhism and has been registered as an ancient monument by the Fine Arts Department since 1980, reflecting its historical and cultural significance.

 

The temple dates back to the late Ayutthaya period. It was originally called Wat Plub Suwan Pimphon, later renamed Wat Suwanti Phuruttharam, meaning “Golden Plub Temple,” before finally being named Wat Plub. Its history is closely linked to King Taksin the Great. In 1767, after the fall of Ayutthaya, King Taksin established a military camp in the eastern provinces and used Wat Plub as a base to regroup his army before recapturing Chanthaburi. He also performed a morale-boosting ceremony for his troops, created and distributed royal banners, and blessed water from the temple’s pond for ritual sprinkling, all carried out in the old ordination hall.

 

After successfully restoring Ayutthaya, King Taksin returned with his generals to renovate Wat Plub and enshrined the remaining royal banners in the central water-based chedi as an act of Buddhist devotion.

 

Wat Plub has also played an educational role. The government established two schools within its grounds: Bangkacha School and Wat Plub Chanthaburachibauyut Primary School, along with a pre-school center. In 2000, the Department of Religious Affairs designated Wat Plub as an educational park within a temple.

 

The temple’s architecture and structures are historically and artistically significant. The old ordination hall has been restored several times, featuring a gable decorated with stucco of Vishnu riding Garuda and a roof adorned with traditional decorative elements called “Lamyong.” It was once used for coronation blessings of Chakri dynasty kings. The hall was rebuilt in 1963 and restored again in 1990. Behind the main Buddha image stands an ancient statue believed to date back to King Taksin’s era.

 

A bell-shaped chedi sits in the middle of a pond, a mid-Ayutthaya style structure approximately 7 meters high, built with brick and mortar without tile decoration and surrounded by a circumambulatory base on all four sides. It was restored by the Fine Arts Department in January 2009. A Thai-style wooden pavilion with a two-tier gabled roof stands in the middle of the pond, featuring wooden “Lamyong” decorations and a surrounding balcony. Its original wooden pillars still bear traces of gilded lacquer painting, and the pavilion was restored in the same month.

 

The prang was built in 1898 in Rattanakosin style, standing 20 meters high on a two-tiered base with staircases and projecting corners on all four sides. The top section features layered small prangs, a base adorned with four elephant head sculptures, and the apex decorated with a trident. It was renovated in February 2007.

 

A square wooden vihara has a multi-tiered roof in a “Chaturamukha” style with a small chedi on top. The wooden Lamyong carvings decorate both the roof and the ventilated panels on all four sides. Inside is a Buddha image in the posture of performing all deeds. This vihara was restored in April 2013. In addition, the temple contains a sacred pond and a monument dedicated to King Taksin the Great.

 

Wat Plub is located about 1 kilometer from Nern Wong Camp, with clear signposts marking the entrance. Archaeological evidence suggests that the surrounding community, including the area of Wat Plub and Bangkacha village, dates back to around 1757 and served as a resting place for King Taksin’s troops.

 

Notable structures within the temple include a gilded wooden Tripitaka cabinet with late Ayutthaya style lacquer painting, the prang built in 1898, an old wooden scripture hall predating the late Ayutthaya period, a bell-shaped chedi in Rattanakosin style, and a hundred-year-old square wooden vihara. The main Buddha image inside was created during King Taksin’s time, and the ordination hall was once used for royal coronation rituals.

 

At the back of the temple once stood a “Sam Sang”, an ancient crematorium believed to be the only remaining one of its kind, featuring a five-tiered sloping roof with a pointed apex covered in “turtle scale” tiles. However, it has collapsed over time. All of these features highlight Wat Plub’s historical, artistic, and cultural value, making it an essential destination for visitors and history enthusiasts in Chanthaburi Province.