Wat Pattanaram (Wat Mai)

Wat Pattanaram — still known locally as Wat Mai, its original name — is Surat Thani town’s royal temple (a third-class ordinary royal wat), founded in 1896 on what was then the cemetery grounds of neighboring Wat Phra Yok. It sits in Talat subdistrict, the old commercial core of Mueang Surat Thani, and costs nothing to visit.

History

Luang Pho Phat Narotho, a monk from Wat Phra Yok, cleared the overgrown cemetery land with local villagers and established the new temple in 2439 BE (1896); it was known simply as Wat Mai during his lifetime. The monastery received its formal boundary consecration (wisungkhamsima) in 1901. After Luang Pho Phat’s death, the community renamed the temple Wat Pattanaram in his memory — Pattana meaning “development,” a nod to the monk who built the place out of a graveyard.

Atmosphere and Timing

Set in Surat Thani’s old town rather than a tourist strip, the temple functions as a genuine neighborhood monastery — morning almsgiving, occasional merit-making ceremonies, and a steady trickle of locals rather than tour buses. There’s no visiting-hours ticket booth; like most working Thai temples, it’s open from early morning to evening, daily.

Practical Information

Wat Pattanaram sits inside Mueang Surat Thani, close to the town’s riverside market area, making it an easy add-on to a stop at Surat Thani’s ferry piers or morning market rather than a standalone destination.

Insider Tip: Combine the visit with the old Talat Kao market area nearby — Surat Thani’s temples don’t get the crowds of Bangkok’s marquee wats, so you can look around without jostling for space.

Watch out: Cover your shoulders and knees before entering the main prayer hall — this is a working monastery, not a museum, and dress expectations are enforced more strictly than at tourist-oriented temples.