If you dedicate "that", your wish will come true! ? I came to "Wat So Thong" in Chuchunsao

``Wat Sothon is very hot with worshipers''

Hello, this is Macchan.

Have you been to Wat Saman, famous for the pink Ganesha in Chuchunsao province?
There is another temple in Chuchunsao that is very popular among Thai people and is constantly visited by worshipers. That is "Wat Sothon Worawihan" that we will introduce this time.

table of contents

1 History of Wat Sothon
2 Sothon Big Buddha, which is visited by many worshipers every day.
- 2.1 Legends related to Sothon Buddha
3 Offer a boiled egg! ? What a unique gift
4 How to get to Wat Sothon
5 Basic information about Wat Sothon
- 5.1 Wat Sothon MAP
6 summary

History of Wat Sothon

The history of Wat Sothon dates back to the Ayutthaya dynasty.

The most likely theory is that it was founded in 1764, at the end of the Ayutthaya Dynasty, but the exact year of its founding is unknown. Wat Sothon was once called "Wat Hong" (Swan Temple). "Hong" means swan in Thai. This comes from the fact that there used to be a large swan pillar when it was built.

After that, the pillar broke, and the name ``Wat Sothon'' became established because it was a temple that enshrined the Sothon Buddha. Many worshipers come from all over Thailand every day.

It is said to be one of the most popular temples in Thailand, along with Wat Pak Nam and Wat Phra Kaew, and traffic jams due to worshipers often occur on weekends. Therefore, if possible, we recommend visiting on weekdays. ↓Wat Pak Nam is summarized here.

I am an elephant

Let's visit Wat Pak Nam, where the fantastic ceiling paintings are so beautiful.

"Did you know that there is a temple in Bangkok that is famous for its beautiful ceiling paintings?" What is that? This is my first time hearing it. Okay, let's go! Have you ever heard of Buddhist legends? Buddhist drawings refer to drawings and sculptures based on the biography of the Buddha that depict various events that occurred during his life. Sculptures depicting Buddhist legends at the Buddhist ruins of Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh (from wikipedia) There is a temple in Bangkok that is famous for its ``fantastic and beautiful depictions of Buddhist legends.'' It has recently been featured in many guidebooks, and many Japanese tourists visit it as an ``Instagrammable temple.''

Sothon Big Buddha, which is visited by many worshipers every day.

Inside the main hall, which has an elegant silhouette that resembles a white castle, is enshrined a very valuable Buddha statue called the Sothon Buddha.

The width is 1.68m and the height is 1.98m.

Accompanied by 12 small Buddhas, it is enshrined majestically in the central hall of the main hall. A large number of worshipers surround this Buddha statue every day and offer prayers. It is also prohibited to wear shoes, cash, or clothing that exposes a lot of bare skin.
Avoid wearing shorts or hot pants, and bring a jacket that you can put on. In case you forget, costumes are available for rent. There was a big gong and a big drum.

Legends related to Sothon Buddha

This golden Sothon Buddha statue has a surprising legend behind its birth.

During the late Ayutthaya Dynasty, three Buddha statues were discovered floating in the Bangpakong River.

The villagers who discovered the statue tried their best to pull it up, but the statue seemed to refuse and they were unable to pull it up due to a mysterious force. The three Buddha statues sank into the river. The statues then reappeared in front of the canals of different temples. One is Wat Bang Laem located in Samut Songkhram province, one is Wat Amphawa Yai in Samut Prakan province, and the other one is floating in front of this "Wat So Thon". Says. The story of these three brothers regarding the Great Buddha is still passed down to this day, and the statues of each of them are enshrined in their respective temples.

Offer a boiled egg! ? What a unique gift

A very interesting sight can be seen in the chapel on the premises.

Like the main hall, many worshipers offer their prayers to the Buddha statue, but they all bring something with them, and a large amount of it. That ``certain thing'' is a ``boiled egg.''
It's true that everyone brought a lot of boiled eggs.
At first I thought it was a local specialty, but after doing some research I was convinced. He brings boiled eggs to this chapel because it is believed that offering many boiled eggs will bring good luck. Boiled eggs are sold in large quantities at the market in front of you.
This means that even if you can't prepare it in advance, you can buy it at the market and pay it.

If you ever come to Wat Sothon, please buy a boiled egg at the market in front of the temple and offer it as an offering. I'm sure it will benefit you.

In Thai temples, it is common to paste gold leaf on Buddha statues when visiting. On this day, many people were enthusiastically applying gold leaf.

We are here too.
We pasted gold leaf on it with the hope that you will continue to visit Thailand in good health

How to get to Wat Sothon

Ekkamai East Bus Terminal

Wat Sothon is located in Chuchuengsao province, to the east of Bangkok.

A minivan (Lottu) runs from Bangkok to Chuchunsao from the Eastern Bus Terminal in Ekamai. From there, you can get there by bus or taxi from Chuchunsao Bus Terminal. ① Approximately 1 hour by Lotto from East Bus Terminal
② From Chuchunsao Bus Terminal, take bus number 5 and stop in front of Wat Sothon *Please tell the bus driver that it is Wat Sothon.

Basic information about Wat Sothon

name	Wat Sothon
Name (English)	Wat Sotorn Wararam Woramahaviharn
address	Thep Khunakon, Na Mueang, Muang Chachoengsao, Chachoengsao 24000
Regular holiday	none
Visiting time	07：00〜16：15

Wat Sothon MAP

summary

Although it is not well known to Japanese people, Wat So Thong in Chuchunsao is a popular temple that boasts one of the most visited temples in Thailand.

It is also unique and interesting to offer boiled eggs. Day trip access from Bangkok is also possible. Please come to Wat Sothon and bring your own boiled eggs. In addition, there are popular tourist spots "Wat Saman" and "Hundred Year Market" near Wat Sothon. Please drop by here when you come to Chuchunsao.

I am an elephant