Chak Phra festival, Surat Thani 2024Wat Tham Singkhon

See this boat in 360°

Thai name

วัดถ้ำสิงขร

Location

Village 3, Tham Singkhon Subdistrict, Khiri Rat Nikhom District, Surat Thani

Background

The temple stands on a lone limestone hill above a cave. The Department of Religious Affairs gives 1828 as the founding year, and it was registered as an ancient monument on 3 January 1937. Legend says an Ayutthaya king, whose consort came from this area, sent her brother, a monk later known as Than Chao Fa, home in procession and had three temples built, including this one.

What to see

• Multi-chambered cave; the first chamber holds a stucco Buddha in the Pa Lelai posture with an elephant and a monkey
• Cave ceiling with stucco scrollwork and paintings, inlaid with ceramics
• Prehistoric finds: tripod pot fragments and polished stone axes
• Brick-and-stucco chedi modelled on Phra Borommathat Chaiya, covered in ceramics, with a replica Buddha footprint inside
• Wooden ordination hall
• Registered ancient monument (1937)