Wat Sutthiwat Wararam (Wat Chong Lom)

Open Days: Open Daily

Opening Hours: 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

 

Wat Sutthiwat Wararam, also known as Wat Chong Lom, is one of the most important royal temples in Samut Sakhon. It stands in Tha Chalom, Mueang Samut Sakhon District, at the mouth of the Tha Chin River where sea breezes from the Gulf of Thailand pass through the area throughout the day. The temple is valued not only for its religious significance, but also for its deep connection to Thai history, local identity, and the story of Tha Chalom as one of Thailand’s most historically important waterfront communities. For visitors looking for a temple in Samut Sakhon that offers history, sacred atmosphere, and a real sense of place, Wat Chong Lom is one of the strongest choices.

 

The temple is especially well known for the building where swallows come to nest, a feature that has made Wat Chong Lom widely recognized beyond the province itself. This unusual scene gives the temple a rare atmosphere, combining serenity, devotion, and an almost dreamlike natural presence inside a sacred space. Many visitors first come because they have heard about the swallows, but they usually stay longer because the temple offers much more than that. It is one of those places where local faith, architecture, memorial history, and riverside geography all meet in a way that feels complete and memorable.

 

In earlier times, local people called the temple “Wat Thai Ban,” meaning the temple at the end of the village. Later, it became popularly known as “Wat Chong Lom,” a name that better reflects its geography. The temple stands on a narrow stretch of land near the mouth of the Tha Chin River. The front faces south toward the open estuary and sea, while the rear connects closely with the river itself. Because of this setting, the temple receives strong airflow throughout the day, and the name Wat Chong Lom, which evokes a passage of wind, suits it perfectly. This unique riverside position is one reason why the temple has long been regarded as a landmark of Tha Chalom.

 

Wat Chong Lom is deeply connected with King Chulalongkorn and the modern history of local administration in Thailand. The temple grounds include a memorial related to the king’s visit to Tha Chalom and his role in establishing the first sanitary district in the country in 1905. This fact alone gives the temple major historical importance. It is not simply a place of worship, but also a site linked to the development of modern civic administration in Thailand. For cultural travelers, this connection adds a major layer of significance to any visit.

 

The temple later gained even higher status when it was elevated to a royal monastery on 26 May 1965. In the same year, on 26 October, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Queen Sirikit, and members of the royal family visited to perform a royal kathin ceremony there. These royal associations reinforce the temple’s standing as one of Samut Sakhon’s most respected sacred places. For local people, it is not only a temple of faith, but also a royal-linked institution that represents the dignity of the province itself.

 

The temple’s founding story is also closely tied to local devotion. Phra Ratchasakhonmunee, known to the public as Luang Pu Kaeo, played the leading role in establishing the temple, while local benefactors Kun Pu and Kun Ya Um Sae Lao donated land for its construction. Over time, much of the original land was affected by river erosion, and more land had to be donated by later supporters in order to preserve the temple. This history reflects the temple’s long and direct relationship with the river and with the people who protected it from disappearing into the changing edge of the estuary.

 

Among the temple’s most important sacred highlights is Luang Pho Hin Daeng, also known as Luang Pho Hin Daeng 11 นิ้ว, a large Buddha image in the Mara-Vijaya posture made entirely from red stone. Its most unusual feature is the left hand, which has six fingers. This is why the image is known as the Buddha of eleven fingers in total. The statue has strong devotional appeal and is one of the main reasons many worshippers come to the temple. Nearby, visitors can also pay respect to Luang Pu Kaeo, whose preserved body was placed in a golden coffin and whose seated image was installed in meditation posture inside the viharn.

 

Another notable feature is the statue of Guan Yin, created in honor of the King on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his accession to the throne. Together with the memorial statue of King Rama V, Luang Pu Kaeo’s viharn, and Luang Pho Hin Daeng, this gives the temple a layered spiritual landscape. Visitors do not come to Wat Chong Lom for one single object of devotion. They come because the temple offers multiple points of reverence, each connected to different strands of faith, memory, and local history.

 

As a travel destination, the temple is easy to combine with a wider Tha Chalom and Samut Sakhon itinerary. It sits near the old Tha Chalom community, Wichian Chodok Fort, Wat Laem Suwannaram, ferry routes, and Mahachai Market. That makes it ideal for a day trip focused on history, local culture, and riverside atmosphere. Many visitors begin at Wat Chong Lom, then continue through Tha Chalom’s historic streets or cross the river toward Mahachai. The temple therefore works well both as a devotional destination and as a cultural anchor for exploring the province.

 

Getting There is straightforward. From Bangkok, take Highway 35 and turn left at kilometer marker 35 onto Sutthiwatwithi Road for about 3 kilometers. The temple is located at 817 Sutthiwatwithi Road in Tha Chalom. Travelers already in Mahachai can cross by ferry to the Tha Chalom side and continue by local transport or on foot through the historic community. This approach is especially enjoyable because it lets visitors experience the wider atmosphere of Tha Chalom before reaching the temple itself.

 

If there is one reason Wat Sutthiwat Wararam remains so memorable, it is because it brings together almost everything a cultural traveler would want from a temple visit in Samut Sakhon: a royal monastery setting, an unforgettable swallow-filled viharn, deep local reverence for Luang Pu Kaeo, a remarkable red stone Buddha image, a direct connection to King Rama V, and one of the best historic river-mouth locations in the province. For anyone asking what to see in Tha Chalom or which temple in Samut Sakhon best combines history and atmosphere, Wat Chong Lom is one of the clearest answers.

 

 

A: Yes. Wat Sutthiwat Wararam is the official name, while Wat Chong Lom is the popular local name.

 

A: It is especially famous for the swallow-filled viharn, Luang Pu Kaeo, Luang Pho Hin Daeng, and the King Rama V memorial statue.

 

A: The temple is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

 

A: It is linked to King Rama V’s visit to Tha Chalom and to the establishment of Thailand’s first sanitary district in 1905.

 

A: It is a red-stone Buddha image in the Mara-Vijaya posture, notable for having six fingers on the left hand, giving a total of eleven fingers.

 

A: You can continue to Tha Chalom Old Community, Wat Laem Suwannaram, Wichian Chodok Fort, and Mahachai Market in the same trip.