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Wat Buppharam. A temple worth visiting in Trat town.

wat buppharam trat

If you happen to be staying in Trat and happen to rent a bicycle or scooter and also happen to feel like visiting a rather nice temple (a pretty unlikely set of circumstances I know)   then a visit to Wat Buppharam is a nice way to kill an hour or two.

Located about 3km to the west of KFC, Trat’s epicurean landmark, the temple is the oldest in Trat, it was established in the reign of King Prasart Thong in 1648 and the highlight for many Thai visitors is seeing the oldest wooden Viharn in the country. Personally I liked the drunken dog statues.   The grounds are well tended and maintained and buildings come in a variety of styles, the temple having been added to and expanded over the years. You will find more than just buildings, e.g. hundred year old carts, now used for processions, weird statues, a ‘seeing tower’ with views across the countryside and monk bungalows.

Unfortunately the museum, which houses antiques and artifacts dating back 300 years or so was closed when I visited.   The doors aren’t left open but you just ask one of the monks to open it up and they will find the keyholder for you who will switch the lights on and let you wander around inside.

For hardcore temple enthusiasts, you can make a day of it by also visiting Wat Yothanimit and the Chinese temple, which features sculptures of a ‘Chinese shag’ ( Unfortunately a type of bird).   The Chinese temple houses the city pillar, a shrine built by King Taksin the Great in the late 18th Century when he was assembling an army to fight the Burmese. He also built a shipyard near Chantaburi – which is another historical site worth visiting if you have time and are in the area.

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