Wat Chan Charoen Suk

Operating day: Daily

Operating time: 08.00 - 17.00

 

Wat Chan Charoen Suk is a Theravada Buddhist temple under the Mahanikaya order, Region 15, located at 22 Moo 10, Ban Prok Subdistrict, Mueang Samut Songkhram District, Samut Songkhram 75000. It is one of the old riverside temples of the Mae Klong area, valued for its history, sacred objects, traditional architecture, and its continued relationship with the local community. Although it is less widely known than some major tourist landmarks in Amphawa, it offers a richer experience for visitors interested in heritage, temple art, and the quieter cultural side of Samut Songkhram.

 

According to temple history, Wat Chan Charoen Suk was established around 1859. However, based on the age of important sacred objects and structures within the temple, including the replica Buddha footprint and the mural paintings inside the vihara, some elements are believed to be around 400 years old. This suggests that the temple site may have originated in the Ayutthaya period before continuing into later historical eras as a developed temple community.

 

One of the most distinctive features of the temple is its old wooden ordination hall, which faces north. This alone already makes the temple visually different from many others. The broader architectural setting around the old ordination hall is equally important, including cubical sema shrines and several surrounding chedis in different forms. Together, these structures create a rare historical atmosphere and give the temple strong artistic character.

 

The group of chedis within the temple compound deserves special attention. Some are prang-shaped, others are more elaborate ornamental chedis, and some reflect local adaptations of the traditional twelve-cornered form. This mix of styles offers insight into the temple’s development over time and makes Wat Chan Charoen Suk especially appealing to travelers interested in central Thai religious architecture.

 

The temple also houses important sacred objects. These include bronze Buddha images in the postures of pacifying relatives and pacifying the ocean, both with removable topknots containing relics, as well as the principal bronze Buddha image in the newer ordination hall, built during the era of Phra Khru Samut Mongkhon. Other important sacred features include the sacred Chao Mae Pradu tree and the incorrupt body of Phra Khru Samut Mongkhon, also known as Luang Pho Sai, an influential former abbot of the temple.

 

In terms of permanent structures, the temple has a remarkable range of buildings. The old golden teak ordination hall is more than 150 years old, while the newer Thai-style ordination hall received its consecrated boundary in 1972 and held its boundary ceremony in 1975. The temple also includes a gilded busabok pavilion, eleven teak monk residences, a two-story sermon hall, Thai-style drum and bell towers, pavilions by the river, a multi-purpose hall, a Chinese-style library building, and a large 4.5-meter image of Thao Wessuwan. These features make the temple more architecturally complex and visually interesting than many casual visitors might expect.

 

The temple’s site setting is also important. Its southern boundary touches the Mae Klong River, giving the temple a clear riverside identity. The surrounding layout reflects both its religious function and its community role, with open grounds and newer construction areas showing that the temple is still active and developing rather than preserved only as a static historical site.

 

The line of abbots recorded by the temple includes many generations of monastic leadership, from early abbots such as Phra Athikan Sap and Phra Athikan Khian through Phra Khru Samut Mongkhon and Phra Khru Samut Nawakan, continuing to Phra Khru Rattanapanyasophon. Recent public records still identify Phra Khru Rattanapanyasophon as the current abbot, showing the temple’s ongoing continuity in both religious administration and local spiritual life.

 

For travelers, Wat Chan Charoen Suk is well suited to a broader route around Mae Klong and Amphawa. It can be visited together with the railway market, nearby historic temples, local cafés, and riverside accommodations. This makes it ideal for visitors who want to explore Samut Songkhram beyond its most commercial attractions and appreciate a more historically layered atmosphere.

 

Getting There The temple can be reached easily from Mae Klong town by traveling into Ban Prok Subdistrict. It is most convenient by private car and can be combined with Mae Klong Railway Market, nearby temples, and the Amphawa area in the same itinerary.

 

 

A: The temple was established around 1859, and some sacred objects inside are believed to be roughly 400 years old.

 

A: Its highlights include the old teak ordination hall, the replica Buddha footprint, mural paintings, the historic vihara, and the incorrupt body of Luang Pho Sai.

 

A: Recent public records identify Phra Khru Rattanapanyasophon as the current abbot.

 

A: Yes. It is located in Ban Prok and can be reached conveniently from Mae Klong town, especially by private car.

 

A: Yes. It can be included in the same route as Mae Klong Railway Market, nearby temples, and the Amphawa area.