What to know before visiting the temple
Dress modestly, cover shoulders and knees · Remove shoes in the ubosot and vihara · Do not climb the Buddha or statues
About 06:00–18:00 (some sources say 09:00–17:00)
17:00
New Year's Eve prayers (31 Dec) · Valentine's Day weddings (14 Feb)
6 days ahead
When to go
this week
Tap a day card to see that day’s weather, rain, haze and hourly forecast
Best time to go Fine all day little rain through the day
Extreme heat — feels like 41°C; avoid midday sun and drink often
Holiday — traffic on the way up and parking fills fast; leave early
Hour by hour
Green band = hours used for the score
Best time to go Fine all day little rain through the day
Holiday — traffic on the way up and parking fills fast; leave early
Hour by hour
Green band = hours used for the score
Best time to go Fine all day little rain through the day
Holiday — traffic on the way up and parking fills fast; leave early
Hour by hour
Green band = hours used for the score
Best time to go Best window 06:00–14:00 Little rain
No warnings today — normal road and weather conditions
Hour by hour
Green band = hours used for the score
Best time to go Best window 06:00–15:00 Little rain · light drizzle possible at times
No warnings today — normal road and weather conditions
Hour by hour
Green band = hours used for the score
Best time to go Fine all day little rain through the day
No warnings today — normal road and weather conditions
Hour by hour
Green band = hours used for the score
Wat Muang
Wat Muang, Mu 6, Hua Taphan, Wiset Chai Chan, Ang Thong
- Morning light on the Buddha, cool
- Very hot, little shade
- Soft afternoon light, great photos
Arrive 17:00
- Lawn in front of the BuddhaFull figure, wide lensMorning
- Road through the rice fieldsBuddha seen from afarAfternoon
- UbosotPink lotus petalsMorning
Gallery
Photos from Wikimedia Commons and contributors · full credits inClassic page
Good to know here
Strong sun, little shade
Statues can scare small children
- Come at 07:00–09:00 or after 15:30
- Bring a hat, umbrella and water
- Combine with Wat Khun Inthapramun, about 20 km away
Adults 0 THB · Time needed 1–2 hours
Weekends, New Year and major Buddhist days
- Kids Yes, but the hell garden scares small children
- Seniors Yes, flat ground but long, hot walks
- Wheelchair Flat grounds are accessible; most buildings have steps
- Pets Not recommended
- Temple community marketDried banana, sweet tamarind, souvenirs
- San Chao Rong Thong MarketOld riverside market, about 06:00–18:00
- Niramit RestaurantRiverside Thai food near the market
- Dress modestly, cover shoulders and knees
- Remove shoes in the ubosot and vihara
- Do not climb the Buddha or statues
- Hot sun, little shade
- Hell garden statues are scary for small children
- The surrounding fields flood easily in Sep–Nov
New Year's Eve prayers (31 Dec) · Valentine's Day weddings (14 Feb)
Best months
Tap a month on the wheel to see weather, rain, haze and crowds from 10 years of records
Best time · Nov–Feb is cooler · come early morning or late afternoon for soft light
Watch out · Midday sun — the open grounds have little shade
22°Jan
23°Feb
25°Mar
27°Apr
26°May
26°Jun
26°Jul
26°Aug
25°Sep
24°Oct
24°Nov
22°Dec
Oct by the records 24–32°C · avg rain 220 mm (21 rainy days) · clear 3 days · avg PM2.5 20
The story of this place
Wat Muang, in Hua Taphan, Wiset Chai Chan, about 8 km from Ang Thong town, is home to Phra Phuttha Maha Nawamin Sakyamuni Si Wiset Chai Chan, or Luang Pho Yai, the tallest seated Buddha in Thailand. It is in the Maravijaya posture and can be seen from far across the surrounding rice fields.
Read more 6 more paragraphs
The temple's own history says it was founded in the late Ayutthaya period and abandoned after the second fall of Ayutthaya in 1767. In 1982 Phra Khru Wibun Acharakhun (Luang Pho Kasem Acharasupho) camped among the ruins; temple lore says he saw Luang Pu Khao and Luang Pu Daeng in a vision asking him to restore it. Restoration began in 1983 with local donations and labour, and in 1984 the abandoned temple was again allowed resident monks, with him as abbot. Luang Pho Kasem died on 7 March 2001, aged 56, before the Great Buddha was finished.
The foundation stone of Luang Pho Yai was laid on 9 March 1991, and the statue took about 16 years, finishing on 27 July 2007, dedicated to King Rama IX. It has a reinforced-concrete frame clad in brick and plaster and painted gold. Sources give its height as about 93–95 m and its lap as about 62–63 m — roughly a 30-storey building. Reported costs range from about 104 to 131 million baht.
Visitors touch the fingertips that reach down to the base, or press their foreheads to them, and make a wish, believed to help one's career. Photos from 2024 show scaffolding around the hand, and from March to August 2025 the whole statue was repainted.
Around the statue are an ubosot ringed by giant pink stucco lotus petals, with murals of the Buddha's life inside, and a glass vihara whose walls and ceiling are covered in mirror mosaic, housing a silver Buddha. There is also a Thousand-Hand Guanyin hall, Chinese and Brahmin deities, arahant statues, statues of the Bang Rachan heroes and the Thai–Burmese wars, and a folk museum.
The hell-and-heaven garden is a large statue park showing punishments in hell, towering preta figures and a heaven zone, built to teach about sin and merit. Some statues are quite graphic for small children.
The temple now covers about 72 rai, with a community market under the trees selling dried banana, sweet tamarind and Ang Thong souvenirs. Crowds come to pray at Luang Pho Yai on New Year's Eve, and on 14 February 2026 more than 30 couples registered their marriages in front of the Buddha.
- Late AyutthayaTemple founded (temple history)
- 1767Abandoned after the second fall of Ayutthaya
- 1982Luang Pho Kasem camps at the ruins
- 1983Restoration begins
- 1984Monks allowed to reside again
- 9 Mar 1991Foundation stone of Luang Pho Yai
- 7 Mar 2001Luang Pho Kasem dies
See 3 events
- 27 Jul 2007Luang Pho Yai completed
- Mar–Aug 2025Whole statue repainted
- 14 Feb 2026Wedding registrations before the Buddha
Check-ins & visitor photos
Arrived? Check in, collect a stamp and tell others what it is like right now
Check your location first, so you do not fill in the form for nothing
Location must be on and within 1 km · One check-in per place per day · come back on other days to check in again
Post photos from anywhere — no need to be here · Up to 20 photos at a time · JPG / PNG / WebP · GPS location data is removed automatically
How to get there
Paved all the way; turn off Route 3195 for about 1 km
Route 32 then 3195 · Fuel
Mo Chit–Ang Thong · Fare
Route 3195 Ang Thong–Wiset Chai Chan
Free on-site; the lot near the hell garden fills up on weekends
Ang Thong town
Good
About 06:00–18:00 (some sources say 09:00–17:00)
around 8 km fromAng Thong town
Wat Muang Ang Thong
0 THB
Stays near Wat Muang
Approx. nightly price for 2 adults (next week) · final price depends on your dates
FAQ
Before you goWat Muang
Answers travellers want before they go — a one-minute read
How tall is Luang Pho Yai
About 93–95 m with a 62–63 m lap; sources differ
What is its full name
Phra Phuttha Maha Nawamin Sakyamuni Si Wiset Chai Chan
When was it built
Foundation stone 9 Mar 1991, finished 27 Jul 2007
Is there a fee
No; donations welcome
Why do people touch the finger
Locals believe touching the fingertip and making a wish helps one's career
Is it OK for kids
Yes, but the hell garden statues are graphic
Ready to go to Wat Muang?
Best day this week: Wednesday 28 Oct · Check in when you arrive to collect a stamp