Sangkhla Buri | Thailand

Wat Wang Wiwekaram

Family Thailand Tour 2020

Sangkhla Buri | Thailand

07 Feb 2020 | Fri

Day 13 of 18

  • Alms Giving Ceremony at Mon Bridge Sangkhla Buri
  • Wat Wang Wiwekaram
  • Chedi Phutthakhaya
  • Hin Dad Hot Springs Thong Pha Phum
  • Drive | Return to Kanchanaburi

Wat Wang Wiwekaram

Wat Wang Wiwekaram, Sangkhla Buri is a temple built by Luang Pho Uttma with help from the local Karen and Mon people.

Wat Wang Wiwekaram is a temple in Sangkhla Buri, Thailand. It was built by Luang Pho Uttma, a Mon monk from Burma. It was built with the help and support of local Mon and Karen people. Originally from Myanmar (Burma) this ethnic group of people has their own unique language and culture.

The latest temple was built in 1985 and has since become a popular tourist destination. Visitors come to see the beautiful architecture and learn about the local culture.

Luang Pho Uttma Memorial at Wat Wang Wiwekaram

Wat Wang Wiwekaram (Thai: วัดวังก์วิเวการาม, pronounced [Wạ:Wạng:K̒:wie:Kā:rāmː]; Mon: ဘာဝင်္ကဝိဝေကာရာမ), or Wat Luang Pho Uttama (Thai: วัดหลวงพ่ออุตตมะ; Mon: ဘာကျာ်ဇၞော်အ္စာတၠဥတ္တမ), is a temple at Ban Wang Kalang. It was originally built in 1953 by Luang Pho Uttma with the help of a local immigrant population of Karen and Mon peoples. It is located in Sangkhlaburi District, Kanchanaburi, near the Thai-Burma border, 220 kilometers from Muang Kanchanaburi District.

It consisted only of a cloister and pavilion, and the villagers generally called it Luang Por Uttama Temple. It was located on a high hill in the Sam Phrai area, near three rivers, the Songkhaliar, the Beak, and the Rantee. In 1962 the Department of Religious Affairs authorized Wat Wang Wiwekaram, which is based on the district’s original name, “Wang Ka.”

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand built Khao Laem (or Vajiralongkorn) Dam in 1984. The water behind the dam threatened to flood the district, including the Mon village located there. Therefore, the temple was moved to a hill named Luang Pho Uttama, and 30 square metres (320 sq ft) of land per family was allocated to the villagers. The village has approximately 1,000 rai and the same number of residents who grow vegetables, fish, or work at a garment factory not far from the village.

The new Wat Wang Wiwekaram was completed in 1985, with built-in Mon and Thai architectural styles. Luang Por Uttama’s body is kept there in a glass coffin. The sermon hall is a two-story concrete building; the ground floor is used for various merit-earning events. The upper floor is a museum that houses palm scriptures, ancient Mon scripts, images of the Buddha, ash statues, and various utensils.

The old temple site is now underwater and has become a tourist attraction known as Sangkhlaburi Underwater Temple.

– Wikipedia Wat Wang Wiwekaram

Luangpho Ajahn Tala Uttama (Thai: หลวงพ่ออุตตมะ, Burmese: ဦးဥတ္တမ [ú oʊʔtəma̰]; , March 1910 in Mawkanin, Myanmar – 18 October 2006 in Bangkok, Thailand), was a Mon Buddhist monk. He was originally a Burmese citizen and later fled to Thailand and became one of Thailand’s most admired and revered persons.

Luangpho Uttama was born in Mawkanin, Ye township in British Burma (now part of Tanintharyi Region in southern Myanmar). He fled to Thailand in 1948, avoiding abuse during the civil war in Burma. He later lived in the area of Wengka, located near the Burmese-Thailand border, and settled in Thailand. During 1943 he was invited by Luang Pu Waen Suciṇṇo for sharing vipassana meditation experience to his disciple. At 1947 invited by Luang Phor Fan (หลวงปู่ฝั้น อาจาโร) to teaching wicca and Nat (spirit) in Thailand

He was known and revered by civilians of Burmese and Thai for his profound and intensive Buddhist teachings and industrious meditation. He founded Wat Wang Wiwekaram in Sangkhlaburi, Thailand and gave shelter to Mon refugees who fled from Burma. In 1997, he paid a formal visit to Myanmar, visited Yangon (Rangoon), and was honoured with the title of Agga Maha Pandita by Khin Nyunt, then Burmese prime minister.

His prosperity integrated in Thailand reaching to the regards of the Royal Thai family. Luangphor Uttama invented the Bodh Gaya Pagoda, a pagoda shaped the same as Mahabodhi Temple with name Wat Wang Wiwekaram in 1978.

Lastly, he was hospitalized by the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit and was paid a tribute at his funeral by the then premier of Thailand, General Surayud Chulanont.

– Wikipedia Monk Luangpho Uttama

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