Bangkok Monks Visit Surat Thani's Floating Chapel
A delegation of monks from Bangkok's Wat Saket recently visited Wat Tung Siang in Surat Thani to examine its historic floating chapel. The chapel, built on a large lake and designed like a boat, houses a replica of the Buddha's relics and features preserved ancient wooden pillars. The visit aimed to study the site's history and support preservation of Buddhist heritage.
The monks inspected the modern floating chapel, erected to replace an older structure that had deteriorated over time. The temple has preserved original teak pillars and decorative gables from the former chapel as historical artifacts for future study. Wat Tung Siang traces its founding to 1867 (BE 2410), and its abbot, Phra Kru Sarasotthikhun, has resided there since 1989 (BE 2532). He explained that the new chapel, constructed starting in 2004 (BE 2547) with donations from local Buddhists, was designed as a large boat supporting a white ordination hall, with a replica of the Phra Borommathat Chaiya stupa at the stern, and is adorned with sculptures of a black elephant, the legendary elephant of former abbot Ajarn Siang, and naga figures, while the four corners of the hall feature images of major deities. The temple was designated a provincial meditation centre in 2007 (BE 2550) and continues to host study, practice, and propagation of Buddhism. The visit by the Bangkok monks provided an opportunity for inter‑monastic exchange, historical study, architectural appreciation, and discussion on preserving religious sites and transmitting Buddhist heritage to future generations.
