Wat Chulamanee

Wat Chulamanee sits on the Amphawa Canal where it meets Khlong Phi Lok in Samut Songkhram, founded in the late Ayutthaya period during the reign of King Prasat Thong. Two things draw visitors here: the incorrupt body of its late abbot, Luang Pu Nueang, kept in a glass case rather than cremated, and four large statues of Thao Wessuwan, the guardian deity of wealth and protection.

Luang Pu Nueang Kowito was ordained in July 1932 at nearby Wat Bang Kapom and trained under several well-known teaching monks before taking over at Wat Chulamanee. He died in November 1987 at 78, after 56 years in robes, and his body never decomposed — a phenomenon some Thai monks are venerated for. It now sits in a glass-fronted shrine on the grounds, dressed in robes, and every 15 April disciples gather for a ceremony to bathe the remains. The temple’s marble ordination hall, a distinctive four-sided chapel, stands nearby as the other architectural landmark on site.

The four Thao Wessuwan statues stand in their own pavilion, each one worshipped for a slightly different kind of luck — career, money, family, or general protection from harm. The first was commissioned in 1989 by a former abbot and consecrated that July; the other three were added later as the temple’s reputation for this particular devotion grew. Insider Tip: Arrive before 8 AM if you want the courtyard to yourself — Wat Chulamanee gets a steady stream of day-trippers from the Amphawa floating market by mid-morning, especially on weekends.

Because it’s a working monastery rather than a museum, the pace here is set by the monks, not by tour buses. Morning almsgiving and evening chanting still happen daily, and it’s common to see locals arrive quietly to make merit before heading to work. Watch out: the shrine housing Luang Pu Nueang’s remains is a place of active worship, not a photo backdrop — keep voices down and ask before pointing a camera at the body itself.

Dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered) and remove your shoes before entering any building with a Buddha image inside. Wat Chulamanee pairs naturally with a half-day covering Samut Songkhram’s other canal-side sights — the Amphawa floating market is a short drive away, and Wat Bang Kung, the temple built inside a strangler-fig grove, is another easy stop on the same loop.