Kuan Yin Statue Wat Tung Samor

Wat Tung Samor is an old Buddhist temple in Phanom Thuan district, Kanchanaburi, around 15 km east of town along Highway 324. Its ubosot (ordination hall) dates back to the late Ayutthaya period through early Rattanakosin, but the temple’s best-known feature today is a large Guanyin statue on the grounds — the Chinese bodhisattva of mercy, worshipped here alongside standard Thai Buddhist practice.

The temple’s own principal Buddha hall breaks from the usual pattern too: rather than a seated Buddha image, the ubosot’s main figure is a large Phra Sangkajai, a plump, seated image tied to abundance and good fortune in Thai popular religion. The Guanyin statue that gives the attraction its name stands elsewhere on the grounds and is the reason most visitors make the trip — it’s become enough of a draw that Thai and international visitors alike stop specifically to make merit and pay respects there, alongside the temple’s regular Buddhist worship.

Insider Tip: Ask a temple attendant to point out both the Guanyin statue and the Phra Sangkajai image in the ubosot — many visitors photograph the statue outside without realising the main hall holds an unusual centrepiece worth seeing too.

Watch out: This is an active, working temple rather than a tourist site with fixed viewing infrastructure — monks live and practise here, so keep noise down and don’t treat the grounds purely as a photo stop.

Bring small bills if you want to make an offering or light incense, and pair the visit with other Phanom Thuan-area stops rather than treating it as a standalone destination — it’s a short detour off the main Kanchanaburi-to-Bangkok route rather than a place worth a special trip on its own. Wat Lard Kham and the Ban Don Chedi ancient remains are both in the same district if you want to extend the trip.