Wat Thalung Thong

Wat Thalung Thong sits in Hin Tok subdistrict, about 9km off the main road linking Ron Phibun and Nakhon Si Thammarat city. The temple is best known as the home base of Luang Pu Kling (Phra Khru Kling Chanthasiri), a monk revered across southern Thailand, and it remains a working monastery rather than a tourist stop — entry is free, daily 06:00–18:00.

Luang Pu Kling was ordained a novice at Wat Chiang Tae and later a monk at Wat Pa Taw before becoming abbot of Wat Thalung Thong in 1926. He received the monastic title Phra Khru Chan Ton in 1960 and stayed closely tied to the temple until his death; his amulets are still traded among collectors across the south. Construction of the temple’s chedi began in 1987 and finished in 1989, and it now houses his relics in a glass casket on the second level — the main reason local devotees make the trip out from town.

Beyond the chedi, the grounds hold a standard southern Thai temple layout: an ordination hall, Buddha images, and small shrines where visitors leave incense and lotus offerings. Morning and evening chanting from the resident monks carries across the compound, and outside those hours the atmosphere is quiet. This is a working temple in a farming village, not a manicured attraction — expect functional rather than photogenic grounds on an ordinary weekday.

Insider Tip: Luang Pu Kling’s amulets remain some of the most sought-after in southern Thailand — if you see roadside stalls near Ron Phibun advertising them, they’re trading on the same reputation that built this chedi.

Watch out: There’s no public transport running directly to the temple. You’ll need your own transport or a chartered songthaew from Ron Phibun town, about 9km away over rural roads.

If you’re exploring Ron Phibun district, Ram Rome Mountain — hiking trails and caves around 11km away — pairs well with a temple visit, with Nakhon Si Thammarat city the practical base for the night.